PORTOFINO | What a “Splendido” birthday!
Splendido Hotel Portofino offers high quality services, a delicious view of the coastline and an amazing stay
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The party had the scent of black and white like Ava Gardner and Vittorio Gassman, previous guests of the hotel, and the flavor of cocktails from the vintage Ferrari Lunelli Brothers Cellars, founded over a century ago, perfect partners for the soirée. Meanwhile, the agile and fast hands of a lace maker, untangling her fingers from her bobbins, according to the ancient tradition. Also displayed: two classic cars of the era, an Aurelia and a Mercedes ‘gullwing’, beautifully showing themselves on center stage. The dream continued on the terrace of the Splendido, which was literally flooded by the scent of jasmine blossoms and lemon, dressed up with 50’s ‘Clothes’, as the 19-course menu, designed by Executive Chef Corrado Corti, was served at the buffet. There was Cappon magro (an elaborate Genoese salad of seafood and vegetables) and a Ligurian salad to begin with and homemade pansoti, trofie di Recco alla Portofina (a Portofino homemade rolled pasta with pesto), mesciua alla spezzina (a legume soup) and risotto alle fragile (a 70’s Italian risotto dish with an unusual twist of summer strawberries) to continue. And then, the branzino del Tigullio al sale (Tigullio sea bass with salt) and frittura mista di pesce del golfo con verdure dell’orto (fried mixed gulf fish with garden vegetables). Rendering an even more magical atmosphere: live theme music, the starry sky and last but not least, a mega birthday cake, made with sponge cake, marzipan and wild strawberries. In the distance, the luxurious yachts in the harbor are watching with envy as this evening on the terrace of the Splendido steals the scene from them. It is then not hard to imagine why Richard Burton declared his love here to the beautiful Elizabeth Taylor. Happy Birthday Beautiful! YCP MAGAZINE