Erica & Lindsey Reunion

Meet Erica...

Erica is one of my best friends from Hawaii.  We have known each other since the 7th grade I think, and somehow both ended up living in Novara, Italy last year.  Crazy right.  Erica's boyfriend Phil Martin who played basketball at the University of Hawaii ended up on the bball team in Novara last season while I was there.  It was great living in a foreign country but at the same time having one of my best friend's from home enjoying the experience with me.  

This year Phil plays on a team on the Island of Sardegna.  Check out Erica's blog...

Giorno by Giorno (Day by Day). From the pictures of Sardegna I don't feel bad for her at all...probably the closest thing you will get to Hawaii in Italy.

So the reason I introduced you to Erica is because she took a short flight to visit me in Novara.  It was the perfect time for her since Phil was playing out of town.  I picked her up at Malpensa airport which is a short 30 min drive from Novara.  It was interesting getting behind the wheel of a stick shift car again...it was a rough start but it's like riding a bike you will never forget how.  The last time I saw Erica was in Hawaii at our girlfriend Kia's wedding.  I miss you Ki.

Erica and I caught up a little bit on our ride back and headed straight to the Centro Commerciale to have some Chinese food.  My favorite spot. I once again had my Chicken Curry, and Erica chose a dish that is the closest thing to Chow Fun in Italy.  No complaints still my fav Chinese spot in Italy.  Then we headed into the grocery store to pick up a couple road trip snacks for the next day.

Finally we got back to Vally's.  We had enough time to change and catch up a little more.  Erica changed outfits five times to eventually end up in the same thing I picked her up in...it was my fault because I was kind of dressed up and I didn't like one little jacket that she put on...sorry E...you know me and my fashion.  Once we were ready I was planning on driving but then figured out that my heels were too high to push the clutch...so we quickly did a Chinese fire drill and Erica was in the driver seat. Just when we thought we were ready Erica stalls...Vally's car is a little difficult to get used to. I figured it out the hard way also.  But we finally made it to the gym fashionable late.  There is no other way...

Here is a picture of the Novara fans...Italians are pretty die hard.  So fun to feel that kind of support.

Here is Vally looking real excited on the bench.  It was fun she was so close to our seats we could talk throughout the whole game...even though she should have been on the court.

After Novara's rough start of loosing the first set 25-9 to my ex-team Pesaro...they came back and beat the # 1 Pesaro team in 4 sets.  I was so happy for Novara because I still feel like part of their family.  It was also good to see Pesaro because I love their coach...Ze Roberto. He is the Brazialian national team coach, but most importantly a great person.  I also gotto see his wife (who is absolutely adorable), Angelo (my old strength trainer), Kasia Skowronska (my teammate from last year), and Martina Guiggi (my teammate for 3 years in Pesaro). Here is a picture of Novara celebrating...I had goose bumps...yes I am very sensitive ;)

Erica and I waited around for Vally.  I talked to a bunch of people, took a couple pics, signed some autographs and said my goodbyes to some since I was leaving the next Wednesday, and knew I probably wouldn't make it to another practice. My track record for making it to practice wasn't that good this trip.  We headed back to the house and got ready to go to dinner.  We decided to go back to GOLD.  I mentioned in an earlier blog that Vally and I went there just for a drink.  This time we wanted to eat at their bistro.

At GOLD we sat in a very chic room decorated in all white and gold.  We tried to take some pictures but soon were told that we couldn't because there were some VIP customers that didn't want pictures taken. Still to this day we never found out who they were. And ended up being a little salty that we could take a picture.  Another interesting event happened at GOLD.  As we were all eating our osso buco, and milanese risotto.  I somehow swallowed a little piece of bone from the lamb shank and it got stuck in my throat.  I tried to play it cool for a minute thinking maybe it would go down.  But it didn't.  Vally immediately knww something was wrong.  She said " I have never seen Lin (that's what they call me in Italy) look like that." I tried to swallow some bread to take it down but it made it worse.  I couldn't breathe and it needed to come out.  Vally went to the bathroom with me, and fortunately I was able to get it out.  I don't think it is necessary to share how I actually did it.  So to say the least it was quite and experience at GOLD, great atmosphere, and VIPers who we didn't know but the food and service could improve a little.  

Before we headed back to Novara to get some rest for our road trip.  We decided to head to Ganas (my fav mexican restaurant in Milan if you forget) for one Mojito to say hi to my friend Martina Guiggi (Italian National Team Player), and to say goodbye to my favorite friends that own and work at Ganas.  We were there for a short 30 min. I caught up with Marti a little bit and managed to purchase a bottle of Patron Silver

(my favorite, and one of the only places you can get it in Milan), to take to my friends in Bologna.  We made it home safely and it was time for bed.  We all passed out. 

Let me upgrade you.  For all of you Patron or Tequila fans. Let me introduce you to Platinum Patron.  This is the real deal...