I don’t like Milan. This is just to keep it politically correct. From my first touch down with the capitale morale d’Italia in 1990, I could never manage to stay in town more than one day in a row, and exclusively for business, and if I really had to.
But this time round I must confess I saw the most beautiful Milan ever. A strong spring wind was sweeping the city (and tons of dust from the Stazione Centrale renovation and neighboring building sites). Balconies showed off a lush green vegetation, and the sky was not milky white overcast as usual. This time round spring in Milan was not like being trapped in a bag of salad left rotting under the sun.
So perfect timing to spend an evening together with friends before work the morning after. Catching up after a while, years for sure. Yes, the problem is, I hate Milan but I have many dear friends there, and my allergy to the city has the unpleasant side effect of not seeing my friends as much as I would like. E-mails help…but it is when you meet the kids that you realize since how long you didn’t meet in person with your friends.
My favourite spot in town is the garden bar of the Bulgari hotel. It is the perfect venue for focused business meetings in front of a coffee. In any season, nature will be in front of your eyes and not the ubiquitous milanese fashion boutiques. Silence. In between meetings you can focus on the next things to do, get some things sorted out with the office, with the benefit that you can pretend to be in a modernist beauty farm in the countryside.
No Grands Palaces paraphernalia, grooms, concierges, maitres twirling around you like on a manège. You can stand still, no circus around you. And if you spot a friend from Switzerland having a meeting there as well, the nice feeling of being somehow “at home”. Premium espresso it is, but worth it every penny…
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