Al Naturale

By far the best way to avoid all of the germy bugs flying around during the cold and flu season is to stay healthy. An ounce of prevention, right? Well, eating healthfully is definitely at the top of any "get healthy" list.

While in the US, I was careful to feed my family a lot of organic, healthy foods. Here though, since most of my grocery shopping is done at the Commissary, I have fewer organic and all-natural options. The Commissary's organic, natural, and allergen-free food lines are definitely leaps and bounds beyond what they were just a few years ago though. And, just to get on my soapbox for a sec, we can all vote with our pocketbooks by buying the products that they do have in order to keep them rolling in. Supply and demand!

But...I have really missed the health food stores that I had grown used to having in the good ole US of A. Packed with brands that I loved and trusted, I felt confident that I was putting good things into my babies' tummies.

We do have a good option not too far from the gate here. NaturaSi in Pordenone is on SS-13, in the EuroSpar strip before you get to the McD. It is a small health food store, but it is packed with all kinds of organic, natural, hormone-free, and allergy-specific items.

And the owner is so helpful and knowledgeable! I spoke with him for a while. He speaks perfect English, having lived in the Midwest for a few years. He said that while he was there he loved shopping at places like Whole Foods {Who doesn't?!}. When he came back home, he wanted to bring a little of that back with him. After some research, he was discouraged from going as big as Whole Foods because he didn't believe that it would work in the area. So he set up home with NaturaSi {which is a chain in Italy} in Pordenone.

He takes a lot of pride in his shop and it really shows! He's not just sitting behind his desk. Anytime I go in, he's answering customers' questions, stocking items, and working hard to make it a great place.

  
In addition to shelves of great products, the store offers monthly speakers who are experts in areas of health and natural living. Unfortunately, the speakers are almost exclusively Italian, so he's been actively seeking English-speaking health professionals to encourage a wider variety of customers. If you know someone, please do a little matchmaking and get them to NaturaSi!

And as a nice bonus....if you are stationed at Aviano, you will receive a 5% discount on all purchases!! Yippee! I was not aware of the discount, but the cashier heard my children speaking English and asked, "Are you from the base?". "Yes," I say. And there's my discount. Didn't even ask for an ID. Love that!

 If you have allergy concerns or just prefer to purchase items that are a little easier on the earth and your body, stop by and check this little gem out. You can get anything from fresh, organic produce {new shipments on Sat}, hormone and antibiotic-free meats, organic wines, and even healthy "junk food".

A good selection of natural body products and cleaners too.

Most of the larger supermarkets also carry organic products. Look for Vive Verde products at Coop stores or the word "biologico" on the products that you are purchasing.

Hoarders

A piece of advise that I got not long after arriving at Aviano was, "If you see it at the BX or Commissary and think you might need it one day, get it."

I've spent the last 10 years of my life trying to organize, contain, and declutter on a daily basis. It's like raking leaves with the wind blowing, but I refuse to give up. So when I heard this, I did a little chuckle and thought, "This person doesn't know me AT ALL!". I wasn't going to go out and buy up the BX. I just don't do that.

True, this friendly, helpful lady didn't know me at all, but what she did know was Aviano. Turns out she'd been assigned here before and was well into a second assignment at Aviano. She really knows Aviano!

When Thanksgiving rolled around last year and there was no canned pumpkin to be found anywhere, I fully realized the genius in her thinking.

The thing to make sure of is that you keep your receipts. That way, if you decide after a bit that you really didn't actually need all 7 of those cans of pumpkin or every single Pineapple Cilantro Yankee candle on the shelves, you can return them.

The key is finding the fine line between being prepared and ending up on A&E, Monday nights at 9/8C. 

Source: http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=108489&icid=mybuys&green=303ca8f8-6faa-42dd-b283-5f3530a4e549

Missing Your Favorite Big Box Department Store?

If you're missing a store where you can buy everything from toys and clothes to dishes and grocery, look no further. There are two stand-outs in our area that will meet these needs. Ipercoop and Emisfero are both like what we'd call a "Super" Big Box Store...department store with housewares, toys, clothes, etc on one side of the store, then a grocery department on the other side. Both are situated in mall-type settings though, so you also get the benefit of having other types of stores close by when you check out.

{I'm going to go ahead and apologize for a lack of pics in this post. My intent was to take pics of some of the items so you'd have an idea of what was available. Buuuttt...I got fussed at by a security guard who pointed to a large sign that said no picture allowed. He actually wagged his finger at me. Oops! Who would have thought! After that incident, I began looking for the signs at other stores and apparently it's the norm to deny photography inside stores. Allora!}

Back to the stores....

Ipercoop is in Pordenone. You will see it from SS-13. It's quite large. You really can't miss it. Check out the site for the address and the hours. It is open most Sundays, which is rare. The rest of the "mall" area by Ipercoop is limited. A few clothing and other stores, not too much. If I'm going to Ipercoop, it's for Ipercoop, not the mall.

Emisfero is in Zoppola. You will also see it from SS-13. Emisfero's mall area is much better than Ipercoop's mall area. There are several stores, including H & M, Casa {love this home store}, Euronics {electronics store}, and many others. There are also a few restaurants. You can get a lot of shoppinng done here. It is open one Sunday a month, usually the first Sunday. It is frequented by Americans and most of the store workers speak at least a little bit of English.

I don't think I could say which is a better store between Ipercoop and Emisfero. They are very similar to me. Because I like to swing by H & M and Casa too, I tend go to Emisfero more often than Ipercoop even though we have a Coop card {store card to get discounts just like most of our grocery stores in the U.S.}.

If Ipercoop and Emisfero are "Super" Big Box Stores, SME is a regular Big Box Department Store...no groceries. SME only opened about a month ago. It is a chain throughout Italy, as are the other two. In addition to regular homegoods, toys, and electronics, the upperfloor has furniture and kitchen and bathroom fixures. Tucked away behind the kitchens upstairs, is a clearance section as well. Some pretty good discounts on furniture items. SME is beside Ipercoop, just off SS-13. They are closed on Sundays. In the same building as SME, you will find a small cafe for a coffee and a quick bite to eat and a mighty big shoe store. {Yea for shoe stores!}

If you're needing basic home goods that you can't find on base or at a store in your town, you are likely to find it at one of these 3 places. They really have a good variety of housewares, storage containers, rugs, curtains, pet supplies, dishes, toys, cleaning supplies, and just about anything else you need to supply a home.

Enjoy!

Ugh!

Your first shopping trip in Italy may leave you sobbing in the changing room corner. You will see your size jump dramatically!

Is it the pizza, pasta, and vino that causes all of this distress? No.

It's this thing.

MISSES'/WOMEN'S SIZE CHART
United States	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16
Italy	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50

 Source: http://www.initaly.com/travel/info/shopping.htm

This thing hurts my feelings. A lot.

A lot. A lot. {sigh}

This site has good information about shopping in Italy. It includes sizing tables for Women, Men, and Children, as well as for hats and shoes. Though really, since Italian clothing sizes are not standardized, the conversion tables are mere guidelines. If you can't try it on, you are taking a chance.

For a more humorous look at this terrible, soul-scarring phenomenon, check out fellow Aviano blogger, Tessa at Ciao, Blogga, on a recent shopping trip.

Smashing News!!

We interrupt the regularly scheduled post to bring you important news.

For the past year, I have been ordering my favorite make-up, Smashbox, online. {Okay, I stocked up before I left and have actually only needed to place one order since. But you get the point!}

La Gardenia carries Smashbox!!! Are you as excited as I am about this news?

Apparently it is fairly recently that they have acquired the line and, according to the lady at the La Gardenia in the Emisfero Mall, they are the only company in Italy that carries it.

Right now, La Gardenia is having a 10% off sale if you purchase 2 or more items. There were a few brands that the sale did not apply to, but most of the store was on sale. She did not know the exact date the sale would end, but said at least a week, maybe 2 weeks.

    ************

One more bit of information I found out while I was shopping, er, researching yesterday. If you purchase children's clothing at H & M between 1-14 September, you will receive a 5 Euro gift card that can be used between 15-21 September. {If I understood the sign and the cashier correctly}. I did not see a requirement for purchasing a certain dollar amount. I believe it was any purchase of children's clothing.

5 Euro probably isn't worth a special trip to H&M. If you were planning on going anyway though, why not! I got mine.

Happy Shopping!

Going to Market

Italy is known for its open-air markets. Most of the markets carry similar items. As a matter of fact, a lot of the same vendors travel from town to town on market day and set up so they actually are very similar. The larger the town, the larger the market. So if you live in a tiny town and can't find much at your market, you should consider visiting larger towns market to see what more it has to offer.

The basics that you'll see at most every market are fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, and seafood; basic housewares, like rugs and curtains; fresh cut flowers; and clothes. There may be other items as well, but these are all sure bets.

This is the schedule of the weekly markets in various towns around the area. They usually run from about 0800-1300. I've been told that you should haggle over prices. I don't. If you've got it in you, go ahead though. I think it's expected.

Monday: Maniago, Azzano Decimo, Lignano, Vittorio Veneto, Trieste       
Tuesday: Aviano, Casarsa, Codroipo, San Quirino, Trieste    
Wednesday: Pordenone, Budoia, San Daniele, Cordignano, Oderzo, Latisana, Trieste     
Thursday: Roveredo, Fontanafredda, Fiume Veneto, Montereale, Sacile, Trieste      
Friday: Conegliano, Porcia, San Vito al Tagliamento, Trieste    
Saturday: Pordenone, Spilimbergo, Treviso, Trieste

A few towns hold antique markets as well. They are less frequent. There are usually some pretty interesting items and I think it's worth driving to another area to check out what they have. Aviano's is usually a pretty decent size, but of course, Pordenone's is larger. Definitely worth a look.

Aviano - First Sunday of the month
Pordenone - Last Sunday of the month
Trieste - Third Sunday of the month
Vittorio Veneto - Second Saturday of each month in the evening, and on the second Sunday of each month during the day

Aviano's antique market is this Sunday. See you there!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Okay, okay, it's still 80 degrees out. But here's the deal, by November the post office is absolutely bombed with mail and packages. Besides our online ordering, grandma wants to send her famous Christmas fudge and Aunt Sally wants to send you the sweater she knit with love. They just get overwhelmed and the mail slows to a near halt.

So what is the best way to make sure you get all of those "must-have" items here in time? Order early.

September may seem a little early. And maybe it is not necessary to order right now. But I'd at least start looking into it soon. My advice is to get your orders in by October. Just sayin'.

And if you have time in November, maybe volunteer a few hours at the post office to keep things rolling smoothly. They can always use the help!

Missing Michael's or Hobby Lobby?

Well, I'm not going to lie. I really REALLY miss my favorite craft stores from the U.S.! A LOT! But there are supplies to be had if you know where to look. This is, by no means, a complete list of places, but it's a good start. There's probably a fabric or art supply store in your town. And you know, if you're really crafty, you're likely to find items that you'd like to craft at any variety of places!

First, on base, we do have the Arts and Crafts Center. It is small, but offers a pretty wide-range of supplies. Scrapbooking, knitting, jewerly making, and stamping supplies, and more are available at the craft store. They also offer a handful of classes, like photography, jewelry making, and card making. There are occassional children's classes that my kids LOVE!

It has to be said that the craft store is on the pricey side. I love and frequent it, but I know that I am paying for the convenience of having supplies readily available.

I will say though, for the products I buy {mostly paper products and stickers}, they carry high quality brands. So I'm sure that drives the prices upward a bit too.

Also, if there are particular items that you are looking for, they are very open to suggestions and custom ordering.

Like them on Facebook to get up-to-date information on their classes and new stock!



The next stop is the BX. Its craft supplies are, meh. Limited. There is one aisle with primarily Martha Stewart craft supplies and small amount of crafting paper. Again, what they have is good quality, but there really is very little.

Leaving base, two stops not too far from the gate are CenterCasa and Bricofer. Both are on SS-13 and both have promising crafty goodness!

CenterCasa is a home supply store...dishes, pillows, frames, decorations, etc. It has a lot to offer that I will cover later in a post dedicated soley to it, but for now let's focus on the "craft" aisle. They offer a lot of artificial flowers and flower arranging supplies.

 

      Lots of artificial
          flowers!

They also have a decent selection of ribbon {not really what you'd use for hairbows, more for decorations and other crafts}.

Paints and Brushes

The last stop for today is Bricofer. Bricofer is a chain of hardware stores. The two I've visited both have well-stocked craft aisles. These pictures are from the Bricofer on SS-13 in Pordenone, which is the nearest to base, but you may live closer to a different Bricofer so look around your area. I tend to shop at the one in Spilimbergo which is smaller but closer to my house in Maniago.

Bricofer carries craft paints and painting supplies, stencils, beads, glitters, and decoupage supplies. They also have a pretty good selection of picture frames. A lot of what they carry isn't to my taste, but when I'm searching for craft supplies I keep my mind and eyes open!

Stencils and Paints

Decoupage Papers

Other places that I've found a variety of crafting supplies, while I'm here far far away from my true love, are garden stores and local department stores. Of course you can always order online if you are needing specific items, but if you're short on time it's good to know there are a few local options.

Happy Crafting!



Knife Festival

Just a few images from Maniago's Knife Festival this weekend.....

A lot of....

Well...

                                                                                                     Knives!

If you missed the festival and are wanting some of these world-famous blades, no worries! There are shops all around Maniago selling them every week. So head on over and do a little shopping....

{This is where I shopped during the festival!}

                                          

If only I could make this scratch & sniff!