a day of celebrations

Oh December 4, how quickly you came upon me once again!

Just one year ago at this time I was fiddling with something I learned was called a template, trying desperately to link to some of the blogs that had inspired me to jump into the big bad blogosphere, and figuring out what I could possibly write about.

And here we are, one year later.

It’s Bleeding Espresso’s 1 year blogiversary!

And it’s also P’s 29th birthday!

Woohoo!

Perhaps you were expecting balloons and a fun contest, but I have even bigger plans in store to be unveiled soon. You’ll just have to keep reading. And I know where you can start.

Although a lot of bloggers don’t care much for their early posts, I’m actually going to encourage you to go back to December 2006 and have a look at what was going on around here. I remember writing those early posts every day with such excitement and enthusiasm.

Every now and again, it’s good to remind ourselves of the beginning of any experience, isn’t it? To bring us back to what it *used* to feel like, whether it was nervousness, excitement, anxiety, or just plain fun?

In the case of Bleeding Espresso, from Italian wedding soup to owls to what I miss from the United States to childhood Christmas memories to Calabrian stuffed lasagna to Paris Hilton (now you *know* you’re curious), there was a lot happening during our first month in the blogosphere, and I hope you’ll have a look.

Feel free to load up the entire month and start from the bottom. Comments always welcome!

Oh, and of course I’ve made espresso.

Intermezzo by Federico Landi

Cappuccino if you prefer.

Tazze con Cappuccino by Federico Landi

What’s that? You don’t drink cappuccino either?

Hmm… well what if I told you this:

Espresso magnet

Now if that doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will.

*EDITED TO ADD: As I’m getting some comments on this post, it occurred to me that I should’ve written something else:I’d really love to hear about your favorite posts, what you like to read here, what you’d like to see more of, etc. You all make this blogging adventure so fulfilling and fun, and your input is always appreciated.

And thank you, thank you, thank you for continuing to read and comment!

So please let me know what you think, and if you’ve already commented and are seeing this through a feedreader, don’t be shy. Come back and tell me!

Tanti auguri Bleeding Espresso and P!

P.S. Be sure to stop by Ilva’s Lucullian Delights for today’s Dolce Italiano recipe–a cake that’s *almost* too pretty to eat, Cassata alla Siciliana–and comment for a chance to win a personalized, signed copy of Dolce Italiano by Gina DePalma. See full contest rules here.

—————

[tags]blog anniversaries, espresso, cappuccino[/tags]

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Newer Comments »
  1. Patricia Scarpin
    12.04.2007

    Congratulations!

    [Reply]

  2. Charlotte
    12.04.2007

    Happy Blog-aversary! Make mine a cuppacino.

    (My second blog birthday is in March – I can’t quite believe it!)

    [Reply]

  3. lango
    12.04.2007

    tanti auguri a voi dal nord!

    (oh, and thanks for the caffè, i needed one proprio adesso)

    [Reply]

  4. sognatrice
    12.04.2007

    *Patricia, thanks!

    *Charlotte, mmm, I’m with on the cappuccino :) Two years under your belt? I have a lot of reading to catch up on over at your place!

    *Lango, grazie e prego ;)

    [Reply]

  5. plongstocking
    12.04.2007

    Tanti auguri Bleeding Espresso and P! Happy anniversary too! I love Italy. I’ve visited Italy twice and Sicily (my families home) once. I can’t wait to be able to visit again. You did very well with your blog starting up a year ago. I’m still struggling trying to get my thoughts into words. It’s a skill not all can master, but I don’t give up easily.

    [Reply]

  6. sognatrice
    12.04.2007

    *Plongstocking, thanks, and keep plugging away at expressing your thoughts…it gets easier, I promise!

    And if you’re back around southern Italy sometime, let me know!

    [Reply]

  7. alexmom
    12.04.2007

    Wow,Michelle…that year went quickly!!!Congratulations and thank you for keeping me in daily contact with Calabria. Your commitment and perserverance are awesome,as is your writing talent.
    Enjoy your success!!! and Tanti Auguri a Paolo

    [Reply]

  8. Giulia
    12.04.2007

    Happy Blogiversary! I remember when you started the blog, so it’s easy to say that I’ve been here since day one. I have been a very happy reader since. :) Happy birthday to P too!

    [Reply]

  9. Anali
    12.04.2007

    Happy blog birthday and to Happy birthday to P! Somehow I thought you had been blogging for years! You’re such an expert! ; )

    Well, have a great day and I have to come back and read some of the old posts later today. Maybe I’ll be sipping a cappucchino!

    [Reply]

  10. nyc/caribbean ragazza
    12.04.2007

    What?! It’s only been a year? I cannot believe it. I have seen your blog readership really grow and while I can’t remember how I found you (my first comment was mid December 2006), I’m glad I did.

    Mi piace molto la tua blog. Congrats on your Blogiversary and P’s 29th. :)

    [Reply]

  11. Shelley - At Home in Rome
    12.04.2007

    A big congratulations! You have definitely brightened the Italian expat blogosphere with your creative writing and positive outlook.

    Auguri to P!

    [Reply]

  12. sognatrice
    12.04.2007

    *Alexmom, grazie, and it’s a pleasure to keep Calabria on your mind :)

    *Giulia, yes you’ve definitely been here since the beginning! Grazie mille :)

    *Anali, well I’ll take that as a compliment :) I hope you do come back with the cappuccino; she (the blog) rather enjoys that ;)

    *NYC, thank you so much; I know you’ve been around since the beginning as well and your support is molto apprezzato ;)

    *Shelley, why thank you. As you know, it’s not always easy to be positive around here, but I sure do try ;)

    [Reply]

  13. witnessing am i
    12.04.2007

    Not sure when I joined the Sognatrice Fan Club — maybe March or so, but you have much to be proud of here. Yours is one of the most consistent, creative, interesting, engaging, enlightening and entertaining reads out there. Always something good is cooking, be it desert, soup, photographs, espressos or a delicious combination of words. Congratulations.

    And a very Happy Birthday to P.

    [Reply]

  14. Ninotchka
    12.04.2007

    Happy Blogoversary! You’re such a pro, I could have sworn you’ve been around forevah! I’m going to mark this post to come back and visit some of your older ones. :)

    Happy Birthday to your sweetheart, too!

    [Reply]

  15. sarala
    12.04.2007

    I love the coffees! Congrats. I thought mine would die at around a year and I’m still on 1-1/2 years later.
    Keep on typing.

    [Reply]

  16. Sandy
    12.04.2007

    Thanks for sharing your life with us. Happy Blogaversary!

    [Reply]

  17. Minnie
    12.04.2007

    I adore your blog. My favorite are your recipes. When I’m crazy busy at work I’ll look at your blog and know that nine times out of ten Nonna is making the same thing for dinner.

    [Reply]

  18. beachgrl
    12.04.2007

    Congratulations! I just discovered this blog phenomena a little while ago, but it’s got me hooked! Since my husband (from Abruzzo) and son-in-law (from Calabria) were born in Italy it is fun to see how life is over there. I have a lot of interesting tidbits to tell them.

    [Reply]

  19. alexmom
    12.04.2007

    ….forgot to mention that I LOVE the pseudo-vintage poster..what a hoot!

    [Reply]

  20. Karina
    12.04.2007

    I’ll have to come back later on to read your December 06 posts (and I will be back to read them), but I wanted to say Happy Blog-versary and Happy B-day to P.

    Also, I finally posted my 5 Posts Meme you tagged me for.

    [Reply]

  21. softdrink
    12.04.2007

    Happy Anniversary…I didn’t realize you’ve only been at it for a year. You do a fantastic job!

    [Reply]

  22. -Suzie-
    12.04.2007

    Ciao Bella,
    Congratulations!
    Our blogs have something in common!
    It is my Beijing blog’s 1st anniversary today too!
    Of course you celebrate it with your today’s post in a much nicer way!
    I will have an espresso on you (tomorrow morning, it is too late here now, otherwise I cannot sleep)
    Salute
    e auguri a P.!

    [Reply]

  23. The Other Girl
    12.04.2007

    I thought I’d been reading you since the beginning, but I missed your very earliest posts. Poor Luna! How could anyone call her “Nobody”? And the account of how you finally noticed P is really lovely.

    Happy Anniversary!

    [Reply]

  24. paninigirl
    12.04.2007

    Tanti auguri! I can’t believe that you’ve only been blogging for a year! You’ve inspired me and after blogging for two months I can only hope to do as well as you have. Today is my birthday too so when I celebrate after my Italian class, I will toast to P. too!

    [Reply]

  25. Maddy
    12.04.2007

    So does it seem like a long time or the blink of an eye?
    Cheers
    This is my calling card or link“Whittereronautism”until blogger comments get themselves sorted out.

    [Reply]

  26. Roam2Rome
    12.04.2007

    Auguri!!!!

    Thanks for the cup of espresso… one cup, we’re hooked and come back for more! (ah, that was the trick, eh?)

    Love.

    My favorite post is when you narrated about the first night you met your husband

    …and when you had us singing J-lo’s song a la puppy in the box version ;)

    [Reply]

  27. Roam2Rome
    12.04.2007

    … e anche!!!

    Happy Birthday to P :)

    [Reply]

  28. LaraB
    12.04.2007

    Happy blog-birthday! Blirthday? ANd happy birthday to P, too!

    [Reply]

  29. something...
    12.04.2007

    I am so glad that I came across your blog. It is a real pleasure to read as you come across as a lovely person.

    Auguri to you and P :)

    Rosa

    [Reply]

  30. Sara, Ms Adventures in Italy
    12.04.2007

    Happy Blogiversary, and Happy B-day P! (Would that be Happy P-day?)

    [Reply]

  31. Janet
    12.04.2007

    Congrats on your blogging anniversary and Happy Birthday to P!

    [Reply]

  32. sognatrice
    12.04.2007

    *David, thank you kindly sir. Your words always humble me whether they’re here in comments or over at your place.

    *Nino, aw, I’m cyber-blushing :)

    *Sarala, I wish I could fill my house with such photos ;) You keep typing too!

    *Sandy, my pleasure, and thanks!

    *Minnie, thank you–I love that Nonna and I are on the same page ;)

    *Beachgrl, oh my, you’re surrounded by southern Italy! Glad you found me as well :)

    *Alexmom, you never know what you’ll find at Allposters.com ;)

    *Karina, thanks and I can’t wait to read your 5 :)

    *Softdrink, I’m no longer a newbie! Woohoo!

    *Suzie, wow, what a coincidence! Congrats to you as well :)

    *TheOG, luckily Luna has recovered her self-esteem since her early days. Thanks for your continued reading…you know yours is one of the first blogs I ever came across and it was by bouncing around with the navigation bar. Huh.

    *Paninigirl, AUGURI!!! We’ll toast to you as well :)

    *Maddy, hmm, both actually at different times :)

    *Roamer, hah, I almost forgot about J Lo’s song…and thanks for your good wishes :)

    *LaraB, thank you much!

    *Rosa, thank you for your kind words and good wishes; they are much appreciated :)

    *Sara, P seems to think it’s P-day….

    *Janet, grazie grazie!

    [Reply]

  33. Tina
    12.04.2007

    I can’t believe you’ve only been blogging a year! For some reason it just feels like you’ve been at it for a very long time. :-)

    Congratulations on your blog anniversary, and of course happy birthday to P! :-)

    [Reply]

  34. flutter
    12.04.2007

    happy celebrations all!

    [Reply]

  35. puresunshine
    12.04.2007

    hey! happy anniversary! let’s all at shameless drink (a cuppa) to that!

    [Reply]

  36. Vanessa
    12.04.2007

    happy blogiversary!!!
    wow… you seem such a natural, i though you’d been blogging way longer than me!

    congrats also on finishing (inter)nablopomo!

    and thanks for pointing me in the direction of my cute prize… i hadn’t thought to even look!

    love to you
    Vx

    [Reply]

  37. cheeky
    12.04.2007

    Happy Blogiversary and a very Happy Birthday to P. Did you plan that? :)
    I’ve already read your first month because I was lucky to have found you when you were still a wee baby and I read it from the start. After all, you were a huge inspiration to me and starting my own blog.
    xo

    [Reply]

  38. alyndabear
    12.04.2007

    Happy anniversary! Isn’t it scary how fast a year goes…?

    I loved the puppy posts. I will always love the puppy posts. Puppy posts touch my heart!

    [Reply]

  39. Alex
    12.04.2007

    Auguri to the both of you!
    May both of you have many more years and decades to come and may your coffee never be too amaro.
    Baci!

    [Reply]

  40. elena jane
    12.04.2007

    happy anniversary!! these last few weeks seem to be anniversaries galore (mine is in april, i just had 2 yrs)…
    i love your photos, esp the coffee ones, beautiful!! :)

    [Reply]

  41. BipolarLawyerCook
    12.05.2007

    Happy Blog-aversary to you, Happy Birthday to P! I wish I could handle espresso, it always smells so good, but I am weak, and caffeine-sensitive. : (

    [Reply]

  42. Taffiny
    12.05.2007

    I hope you are feeling better.

    Congratulations!! Oh and a younger man, congratulaions on that too. :)

    Sad to say I can’t handle such beverages, I feel sick just drinking hot cocoa, but I am willing to give it a try at least on day each winter, believing “this time it will be different”. A bit like Charlie Brown and Lucy. And, oh how sick I feel each time.

    You seem like a natural born blogger, hard to believe it was just a year ago you started.

    Ideas? You seem to have ‘em, as easy as you bake up batches of muffins. For me they are more like catching snowflakes, just when I think I got a nice one, I try to close my hands around it, and it melts away.

    [Reply]

  43. My Melange
    12.05.2007

    Happy Birthsay P and Bleeding Espresso. I can’t beleive you are only 1!!!! I thought you had been around so much longer. Goes by fast, huh??? Mine is coming in January..yikes! I love the coffee shots!!! That espresso slogan sums it all up!!!

    [Reply]

  44. Vee
    12.05.2007

    Happy Blogiversary! Tanti auguri Bleeding Espresso and P!

    I am so glad you started this blog, it is always nice to hear news from the otherside, being that I am downunder. ;)

    [Reply]

  45. Gil
    12.05.2007

    Cradle Robber!!! Auguri to BE!

    [Reply]

  46. Anonymous
    12.05.2007

    Tanti auguri Michelle e Buon compleanno a P.

    I made the ricotta poundcake, it was delicious. I’ve been asked to make it again, but next time I will bake it a little longer for a darker brown.

    Carole in Missouri

    [Reply]

  47. Jeni
    12.05.2007

    Happy anniversary! Print this out and you will have your “paper” gift for year 1. (Or is that only countable for wedding anniversaries?)

    [Reply]

  48. Stefanie
    12.05.2007

    Happy blogiversary! And happy birthday, P! I don’t even remember how I connected with you in blogdom, but I’m glad I did. :-)

    [Reply]

  49. homebody at heart
    12.05.2007

    Tanti auguri P and Bleeding Espresso! I just re-read your posts from December 2006. I liked all your posts that month but I think the story of how you and P finally met is my favorite although i filippi is darn cute. (Oh, and I saw the other photo you snuck in of P. You two are too cute.)

    And I think I would feel the same way you did about getting to watch TV in English even though I have 180 channels on satellite and I just can’t believe how many times there is nothing worth watching. I’m down to the Naked Archaeologist (no, he isn’t naked but the archaeology is), Kimora – Life in the Fab Lane (supermodel, business mogul reality show), Jon and Kate + 8 (reality shows of a family with twins and sextuplets) and Clean House (gets me motivated to declutter my house) and even most of those are now reruns. I used to subscribe to RAI here and I watched the soap, Un Posto al Sole because it had subtitles and last year I loved watching Ballando con le Stelle. That Raimondo Todero (hear sizzling sound?) is from Calabria. But mostly they were talk shows, talk shows about soccer and the nonsensical game show, Affari Tuoi (how I hate Affari Tuoi). I’d rather watch Murder She Wrote dubbed in italian.

    So a toast to your first year blogging and to P’s 29th birthday and to many, many more. Brindisi!

    [Reply]

  50. Jennifer
    12.05.2007

    Congratulations!

    Did that ad really say “Euphoria without the unslight TRACK MARKS?”

    [Reply]

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Michelle FabioMichelle Fabio is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer living in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy and savoring simplicity one sip at a time.

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Homemade apple butter
Green beans, potatoes, and pancetta
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Onion, Oregano, and Thyme Focaccia
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Calabrian sausage and fava beans
Ricotta Pound Cake