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Making friends elsewhere

Saturday 30 September (Day Thirteen)

It was a perfect day to lay low. It wasn’t the perfect day to go market shopping. I knew this already – the Saturday before it was awful so why shouldn’t this Saturday be the same? However, I was forewarned.

I made a shopping list and stuck to it (more or less). Supermarket for Chino, Aqua Frizzante, a small cheese, and crisps! Farmers Market for lettuce and beans. Indoor Orologio market for sausages, bread and a snack or two. Remind me not to wear my regular shoes to the Orologio – I was sliding around in there!

Proud of myself for ordering in Italian for the sausages, the server stumped me by asking ‘Francia o Espana?’ (France or Italy) for the salsiccia picante. Francia, I say, more confidently than I feel.

Cheese in the Orologio Market
Cheese in the Orologio Market

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Piazza Statuto, Porta Susa

Thursday 28 September (Day Eleven)

Goals today: Go to the new Intesa SanPaolo building and see the highline and view from the top; Go to Superga

Goals achieved: None 😊

Some days just don’t pan out the way they are supposed to but there are nice things along the way. We set out for the tram but when we got to the stop, there was a 16 minute wait, so Krish scrapped that idea in favour of a walk.

Through the Quadrilatero, which is so quiet on a week day compared to evenings and weekends. The narrow streets give way to some wider roads with not much contrast along the way. The architecture stays mainly the same with the pale yellow colour dominating the view. There are abandoned open spaces that would quickly become street art galleries in London…but not here.

Eventually we wander into the Piazza Statuto. I’ve seen this on my map a lot but this is the first time I’ve actually been there. This is a porticoed square with a park in the centre. At the far end of the park is an amazing statue, like a grey rock mounted by several white statues. It’s quite beautiful and I stop at a bench for a while to look at it and take some photos. There are some art shops too but I haven’t brought along my trusty Skechers backpack so I don’t buy a sketchbook, which I’d have to carry around all day. I must buy one when I can carry it properly.

Piazza Statuto
Piazza Statuto

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Lavazza, House of Dragons, Corso Francia

Wednesday 27 September (Day Ten)

Today was another of those days with all the best elements.

I’ll be honest, I want a day off. Going out every day is not usual for me. In Hackney I do have days, sometimes two or three in a row, where I don’t go out but do other things. I might go the shop but it’s a quiet at home day for the most part. I think I need one of these soon – Sunday? No, wait – that’s free museum day. Oh well.

In the morning we have a brief market visit looking for eggs and tomatoes and rapini so we can eat at home again. The egg man is as friendly as ever. We find a great Arabic seller with tomatoes. She asks, English? We say yes! Then Krish answers her accidentally in French and we switch to French. Lovely experience! Today the market is just so much better than on Saturday.

Then we go for a walk. Somehow all brief walks turn into longer walks but at least there are some interesting things along the way.

Today after walking for a bit, we find ourselves at the back of the Lavazza office building. I suddenly spot some rubble inside the building and look more closely. Peering through the window the entire bottom of the building is an excavated ruin. There’s even a bridge and some concrete areas that have been added for viewing. It’s like London where when digging, there are always archaeological finds that must be unearthed and preserved properly and here they have kept them intact creating a steel framework above that supports the upper floors. It’s astounding. I researched this when I got home and – nothing!

Underneath the Lavazza building
Underneath the Lavazza building

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CookinFactory

Tuesday 26 September (Day Nine)

It was a quietish day. I’ve been looking for cooking classes while in Torino – original goal! I found a place that does classes with English if needed and have been emailing and messaging the owner of CookinFactory, Claudia Fraschini. I haven’t booked any classes yet but the schedule for Sept-Nov came out just before I left London. Today Claudia was holding an Open Day at the school and we decided to go there early, at 3pm when the doors were opening. It seemed a good chance to see the school, meet Claudia and sample some of the food that I would learn to prepare.

We decided to walk there – looking at the map, it was one straight road all the way there! Can’t go wrong. It actually did work out that way. We walked from the Porta Palatina straight down through the centre and past Porta Nuova station. Going south from there was a bit of an unknown – we have been in San Salvario but this part of the road runs along the railway tracks and isn’t very picturesque. There were factories and offices either side of the long, straight street and hardly any pedestrians. It was like we had left the city.

The walk was projected to be about 45 minutes so I suppose it took about that, perhaps an hour with a couple of bench breaks. With nothing much to report or photograph along the way we finally reached the closest main road, Sommeiller (which I am still unsure how to pronounce in Italian). On the final stretch we found a large Carrefour and popped inside to see what was on offer. This is the largest Carrefour we’ve come across just about anywhere – we always seem to be shopping in the Express version. It’s a nice bright layout with a take out counter too. However, we’re thinking we’re so close now and there will be samples so best not to eat.

This part of San Salvario is clean and tidy – the part we’re familiar with is a shabby immigrant area – so this is a contrast. Very residential with mostly newer buildings lining the streets in all directions. Then we find the side street for the CookinFactory. There’s an iron gate and an entry through a front garden area, quite posh. A woman lets us in and she’s not Claudia so Claudia must be found! English.

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Vanchiglietta, Vanchiglia and L’Acino

Monday 25 September (Day Eight)

Today was a great day! There was a good mix of all the things I love.

I was busy until about noon, then had a quick lunch with leftover pasta and meatballs. I did some research, still trying to find out about the bipparevale (monthly card). So far it’s just not clear so I tweeted to the GTT.

First we walked to Raspino, a bakery Krish had loved the last time we were here. It wasn’t open (expected) but it was the first step in exploring the Vanchiglia neighbourhood. I had three addresses that would act as markers along the way. I figured out that north of the river was Vanchiglietta, a pretty neighbourhood filled with trendy cafes and workshops. Very peaceful here. It definitely has all the earmarks of the sort of villagey feel such areas need to have to work well. Nothing much was open but I think another visit will work really well. There are plenty of places to sit quietly or have a coffee. There are also some art spaces and finally some interesting wall art.

Vanchiglietta
Vanchiglietta Street
Vanchiglietta
Vanchiglietta
Vanchiglietta Wall Art
Vanchiglietta Wall Art

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