Science & engineering in the capital of fashion

Install number two came with a bit more glamor, and a lot more independence. And I even got to break out my very rusty Italian skills. This time I jetted off to Milan on my own to build a two-photon microscope as I saw fit, and did I ever.

A beautifully compact two-photon imaging system, built and aligned by yours truly.

In Italy, church and state are never too far apart. This is a peek inside the San Raffaele Hospital and Medical Research Campus, home to this week's install. Honestly, I think the "Cathedral to Science," as I'm calling it, is stunning.

After crushing it on long days Monday and Tuesday, we had a fully functioning microscope by Wednesday morning. With three full days of the install week to image every fluorescent sample we could get our hands on, there was more than enough time to fully train our customers. And with my colleague landing on Thursday morning to answer every intricate question they could have on imaging software functionality, I was able to engineer my escape before sundown on Wednesday to hit up some tourist attractions. Lacking any originality, I beelined for the duomo, the world's second largest Catholic cathedral, which bows only to the Vatican's St. Peter's. 

Il Duomo, a centerpiece of Milan that took only a mere 582 years to build.

Having checked that off the list, I found myself floundering. What else are you exactly supposed to do or see in Milan? With the TripAdvisor app acting up, my mind turned to Italy's number one resource: gelato. But I couldn't even follow the 0.3 mile route to a well-rated gelateria before stumbling across a site my tastebuds wouldn't let me pass up: Cioccolati Italiani. With streams of chocolate flowing down the window front and Russian doll desserts of nutella-stuffed-crepe-stuffed-cones calling to me from colorful banners, my feet made the decision for me. And of course, where better to enjoy a creamy Italian treat in the heart of the capital of fashion than in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, in front of the window displays of Gucci, Prada, Armani, and Louis Vuitton??

Gucci and Prada and Vuitton, oh my!

The cold and rain got the better of me, but not without my enjoying some creative Italian window displays en route back to the hotel. 

Some highlights from the windows of Milan's shopping district.

And the evening wasn't complete without a solid game of find-the-smallest-Italian-"car." 

Top 3 contestants in the competition for dinkiest Italian car.

But while I couldn't devote the week to tourism, I didn't deny myself the luxury of Italian cuisine, with a little help from my handy app The Fork, whose free discounts let me stretch the company dinner budget to include a nightly glass of wine and a dessert.

Snippets from a week of culinary fantasy, made possible much in part thanks to my lovely app TheFork, which let me stretch that company food budget to a week of three-course delights. Top find: Cantine Milano, highly recommended.

While I was eager to get my butt home to my husband and our furry feline monsters, I couldn't help but feel a bit of heartbreak over saying arrivederci once again to one of my absolute favorite countries. Hope to see you (and taste your delicious gelati) again soon!

Why did I ever leave this country??