mona lisa

we took a little visit to a cute little authentic italian market yesterday, tour by nina.  it was quite fun to see lots of italian pastas, cheeses, breads, canned items and meats.  nina is full italian and grew up eating only the best italian things, so this is where she gets certain things, when she gets the chance.

it's a cute little market on the outskirts of little italy in downtown san diego, called mona lisa.  nina helped me think of a few things i might like to make and eat.  some of the ingredients included:  mona lisa special sausage, parmigiano reggiano cheese, orechiette and homemade pizza dough.  YUM!  i also bought some fresh foccacia bread which we ate sandwiches on last night for dinner.  de-licious!

sienna staring at the cheese...i would too, they're italian originals!

of course, these cans of peeled tomatoes in a can.  yay for nina!

lia was quick, by the way.  we weren't even in the store more than 1 minute, and she found a nice bottle of red wine to crash into the floor.  poor nina.  she couldn't compete with that girl.  she's fast!  and despite nina insisting to pay for it at the end of our visit, they wouldn't let her.  told her "it happens all the time".  um, yeah.  the bottles are everywhere and practically on the ground.  they probably don't get many 1 year olds though.  so lia and the girls and i mosied on outside to wait for the italian girl to buy her stuff.

and regardless of the wind blowing hair into her face, she looks lovely...that italian girl.

the next time i'm in the area, i'm going to have to eat at puerto la boca!  it's right across the street from mona lisa.  i've been hoping to find a place that makes food similar to that of uruguay.  not because it's the best food, no.  because it's nostalgic of my time there.  must. eat. uruguay/argentine food.  it's basically the same thing anyway.  who's with me?