God Bless the Italians!

For as much as I move around, I certainly get anxious about being in a new place. I'm not sure what it is but I get a little uneasy when I don't have my bearings.

I arrived in New York late last night.

My sister, being a responsible adult, has work. So that gave me the day by myself to figure things out. I decided to walk to the local grocery store to pick up a sale flyer so I could plan some food to eat for the upcoming week.

Observation #1: Green. Holy moly GREEN. Everything here is green. Life is springing forth everywhere. Am I walking in a forest with lichen covered rocks? Or on the side of a main road through town? As far as I am concerned, both. 

I get to the store, only 70% covered in sweat. And have a few more observations to note. 

Observation #2: Different variety of products. They sell Dr. Browns in six packs and 2-liters and I think based on that alone I am moving here. 

Observation #3: God Bless the Italians!

Speaking of variety, there is a lot going on in this picture so let me summarize. An aisle filled with pasta sauces. An aisle filled with pastas. More variety of ricotta cheese than I have ever seen in my life combined. And in the freezer section, freezer upon freezer of frozen pasta. I think just maybe there might be some Italians in this neighborhood. 

And God bless them! Because I want to marry them, and their food. 

Later that night Ali took me to her favorite little gelato cafe, just a few minutes from her house. Apparently this is the place because people come here from all over Westchester County. 

I couldn't pronounce a single thing in the store: 

Brutti ma buoni, limoncello pastry, cassatella, pasticciotto, ciardone, zeppola, pignoli. 

but I wanted all of it. 

We settled on some gelato and a cartocci. I am a pretty big cannoli fan, but this cartocci is giving it a run for it's money. From my understanding, it has the same cannoli filling, but the outside is like a cronut! So light and delicate and fluffy. Heaven on a plate!

I am also not afraid to say that the most beautiful human on the face of the planet works at this family-run gelato shop. Ali watched me do a double take as he emerged in his classy black v-neck and thin gold chain. I must have stared back at her wide-eyed because her only response was,

"Yeah. I know right?"

I've been here a day and I love this place. All because of the Italians.