La Dolce Vita

I'm a schmoozer!

2007-07-28T17:50:00.000+02:00

Thanks to Jessica in Rome who handed me a Schmooze award. I am quite honored as this is my first blogging award.

Aw, shucks!

So what is the schmooze award? I'm quoting here from Jessica's blog:
“As it goes, schmoozing is the natural ability 'to converse casually, especially in order to gain an advantage or make a social connection. Good schmoozers effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way.' "
So now I get to pick 5 bloggers who have the power of the shmooze.

nyc/caribbean ragazza I love reading about her high-powered life in the midst of the crazy LA movie scene. She's got some great insights and stories.

Tracie B. at My Life Italian has a fantastically funny outlook on living the expat life in Italy. Plus she's from Texas so I have a soft spot for her.

Kataroma always has an intelligent and usually witty comment to say and I find that her experiences as a "third culture kid" in Rome often hit home with me.

Texas Espresso is also a fellow Texan who deserves the schmooze award. I find her blog interesting from the other perspective of expat. By this I mean American married to an Italian but living in the US. Since I know so many Americans married to Italians but living in Italy I like to read about her life on the other side of the pond.

Jeff in Puglia is a shmoozer too. He gets the award because I like to read about the expat life from a man's point of view. There are so many women expat blogs out there (nothing wrong with that, mind you) and this is a nice breath of fresh air from Puglia.

So now, if I've got this right, I post the directions to participate:

1. Write a post with links to 5 blogs that have schmoozed you into submission.
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the award.
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Power of Schmooze Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.

Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica Santa Maria Novella

2007-07-09T20:08:00.000+02:00

I was first aquainted with this store in New York City when my then-boyfriend/future husband introduced me to this antique line of hand-made soaps, perfumes, and toiletries. I was immediately seduced by the packaging and gorgeous display of products and I can honestly say it was love at first sight.
So when we went for a last-minute mini jaunt this weekend and our friend Francesca graciously offered to watch our dog, I immediately went to the SMN store here in Rome to pick her up a little something nice.
The pharmacy dates back to 1221 when Domenican friars settled in Florence but was officially opened in 1612 when Fernando I di Medici gave them permission to open their doors to the public. The original recipes of balms, lotions, essences, powders and soaps are still followed to a large extent. The quantities are limited and quality is the highest priority. I assume this is why many of it's products have become historically famous. Caterina de’ medici, queen of France, took with her to paris the Eau di Cologne (later renamed to Acqua di Colonia). A very famous liqueur is Alkermes which held the sales record in the nineteenth century; also held in high regard are Elixir di China and Liquore Mediceo which was named in honour of the Medici family and the Elisir di Edimburgo, an excellent bitter. And for you horror movie fans out there, Hannibal Lecter (aka Dr. Fell) personally visits the farmacia in Florence and chooses a scent which he spritzes on a letter he sends to Clarice. This is actually how they track him down to Florence because his identity is revealed on the videocamera in the farmacia. In the book I believe he orders a custom-made perfume for Clarice prepared and sent by the farmacia in Florence.
My favorites are the Pomegranite bath salts and the latte soaps.

There is a nice if somewhat academic video that explains more detail about the history of the famacia here.

Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica Santa Maria Novella
Corso del Rinascimento, 47 Tel.06-6879608-6872446

Happy Fourth of July

2007-07-04T19:10:00.000+02:00

It's the Fourth of July which means two things: BBQ and watermelon!
Unfortunately I won't be indulging in either of those today but I am turning to the depths of my many fond memories of past fourths and secretly relishing the taste of those hamburgers, potato chips, and hotdogs...mustard only please; skewered tofu and veggies(summer of '01); and that special feeling of biting off chunks of watermelon with the juice dripping down your chin as you spit the seeds into the wild yonder. (hey, i was just a kid and those seed spitting contests were the best!)
*just as a side note, Italy has the worst hamburger buns I have ever tasted in my life. They are dry, yucky, and the middle soaks through with liquid while the rest just crumbles away mercilessly into your fingers and on the plate. Yuck yuck yuck. And they taste like cardboard.*

When I was young the annual fourth of july parade started at the end of our street so every year we had prime seats on our front lawn. Before the paraders lost their stamina, before the floats started to come undone, (or to be more precise bikes with crepe paper and balloons), before the sun started beating down and forcing everyone under the safety of the magnolia trees, we were there. Bright and early excitement bursting over our folding lawn chairs to see who has the best costume and best float of the parade. After they announced the winner we were always soarly disappointed and the hypothesis that perhaps the contest was rigged because every year they chose the ones that sucked the hardest started to form in our fragile little minds.
We would spend the day swimming and slathering sunscreen on our skins. A few snowcones (rainbow flavor was the only way to go) and cokes and we were set until night falls. This is when the fireflies would come out and we would chase them catching the magic in glass jars. Of course when the boy across the street started to smear the ones he caught on his clothes to make them glow it somehow ruined the magic. But he was a weird kid.
The fireworks usually started at 9pm sharp and lasted for about half an hour. And of course we had our very own sparklers which kept us entertained for a good 10 minutes until we finished the whole box and whined for some more. The black cat was my sister's favorite but it scared the crap out of me. In fact anything that had sparks of fire flaming in all directions and made loud noises scared the crap out of me. If it was high in the air with about a mile between me and it, fine. But if it was on the ground lit by a 12 year old pyromaniac, i ran screaming the other way.
Those were the days when everything felt safe and the only fear was the crazy kid across the street. The days when staying up till 10pm was really late. The comfort of my mom and dad was just an arm's length away and I had not a worry in the world.
ahhhhh, memories. Times have obviously changed and the last 3 fourth of July's I spent in nyc were tinged with a touch of fear. Maybe nobody else felt that way but I sure did. But I tend to be a bit on the paranoid side. You can't really blame me after growing up with a freak neighbor who is probably in jail or wanted at large now.
So I wish everyone a happy and safe fourth!
Today, by the way, is also Garibaldi's birthday. He was a brilliant Italian soldier who helped in the unification of Italy. There are many monuments in Rome attributed to him but I don't know my Italian history very well (shame on me!) and I don't have fond memories of Garibaldi as I do of the 4th of July so I'm not going to talk about him. Oh, except there is a statue of Garibaldi in Washington Sq. Park in nyc! How's that for being an international icon!

A nose is a nose is a nose

2007-06-27T17:07:00.000+02:00

Loveliness extreme.
Our dog Otto lives his life through his nose. As a hunting dog his nose is plastered to the ground 24/7 and his sense of smell is really really amazing. Yet annoying. This is how our morning walks usually go:

In fact this is how most of our walks go. If you can't discern what that craziness is, he's hunting for lizards. That's why his nose is in every nook and cranny sniffing as if his life depended on it. But what an elegant schnoz he's got! Now if I could only teach him how to go truffle hunting....

Ma Perche?

2007-06-16T17:22:00.000+02:00

Why do Italians use the article when mentioning certain rock bands?
As in "Gli Iron Maiden".

Huh?

I'm sorry but it's just Iron Maiden. period.
Maybe I can understand when they say "i rolling stones" or "i beatles", even though it obviously sounds better using the English "the" ("the" rolling stones). Hey, I would never do the opposite and say "the 99 posse" because it sounds better "i 99 posse". They're an Italian group, they have the Italian article.
But "Gli acdc"? And with the Italian accent it becomes "glyeeee aahcheeeedeeeecheeeee".
No no no no no.
It's just wrong.

The Heat is on

2007-06-12T14:56:00.000+02:00

It is so dang hot in Rome. The thermometer says 24 celsius which is about 75 farenheit but this cannot be right. Normally I would be strutting around town with my sunglasses on in a perfect 75degree weather but it feels so much hotter than that. Try around 95F where you sweat while you are sitting doing nothing.
Thanks global warming.
And today I am so craving a Mexican martini. Oh the joy. The best thirst quencher around for those scorching days (ignore the fact that alcohol dehydrates) oh Austin, I miss you.
For those of you in the dark a Mexican martini is similar to a margarita but made like a martini. Ahem....shaken, not stirred.

And the best in Austin has got to be from Cedar Door. With Trudy's Tex-Mex coming in a close second. To make your own nectar of the gods here is the creme de la creme.

Cedar Door's Original Mexican Martini
In a 16-oz. shaker glass full of ice combine:
1 1/2 oz. Sauza Gold Tequila*
1 1/2 oz. Hiram Walker Triple Sec

Finish with freshly squeezed lime juice, a splash of orange juice and sweet and sour. Shake well and serve in a champagne glass with a salted rim, garnished with three olives on a sword pick and lime wedge.

*I would recommend a better tequila than sauza (try Herradura Añejo, El Tesoro de Don Felipe, Espolon Añejo, or even Cabo Wabo Añejo Mileni)because the better the tequila the smoother the martini.
Cheers!

Toscana is beeeeauuuutiful!

2007-06-01T20:33:00.001+02:00

We spent a few days at the sea in Talamone, Tuscany. All I can say is Talamone is beautiful! It is so green and lush contrasted with a clear blue blue sea. Fresh seafood, the required castel/tower that all the coastal towns have, and super friendly people. I realy like the Tuscan accent, it's very elegant and soft compared to the Roman one (which of course has it's own unique charm). It's a very very small town which takes about 5 minutes to walk from one end to the other. There's not much to do besides sail, swim, and windsurf, and of course eat really fresh really good Italian food. But that's cool with me.

Il lampione dell'amore

2007-04-21T16:24:00.000+02:00

Oh, the weight of love.
Last week the lamp of Ponte Milvio fell down! Literally broke in two due to all the weight of the locks.
You can read more about it from Shelley over at At Home in Rome who recently wrote a nice post about the locks of Ponte Milvio. Or check out the article on corriere della sera.
I guess all of Rome decided to put a lock on the lamp after the movie "Ho Voglio di Te" came out. I think the movie single-handedly revived the interest of declaring your love by placing a lock on the lamp and tossing the key into the Tevere.
That's a lot of love (and a ton of locks).

La bici vs. il motorino

2007-04-19T20:33:00.000+02:00

In the past week since my other half broke his arm in a bicycling accident there have been at least 15 people (and I'm not exaggerating) who offered their advice that a motorino is way more safe than a bicycle. This includes 3 people from my work, the owners of my other half's work, the pet store owner, the vetrinarian, the neighborhood motorino mechanic, our friendly supermarket check-out girl and various friends and neighbors.
It's nice that they offer their condolences and put in their two cents worth (mainly that the motorists of Rome don't respect the bicyclists on the street... yeah, duh!) but I just can't quite agree with them. Am I wrong? Should I break down and buy a motorino and become a true Roman?
Like I mentioned in the previous post I have seen so many scooter accidents since I've moved to Rome and a few months ago a friend of a friend's father died in one. Is it really safer than a bike?
What do you think?

Osso Rotto

2007-04-12T21:04:00.000+02:00

This morning my husband broke his arm.
His "radio" (radius) near the elbow is fractured. We spent a good part of the day at the emergency room fixing him up in gesso. The x-ray technitian even said it was a "bella frattura".
What happened? Well, he was riding his bike when a car cut him off. He braked and went head first over the handle bars landing on his elbow. He wasn't wearing a helmut but he wasn't going too fast either. The white fiat didn't even stop to see if he was okay. Let's just say Romans are crazy drivers. This is a given. And everyone chastises us for riding a bike in the city but honestly, if he was on a motorino it could have been a lot worse. I cannot tell you how many bad (and I mean BAD, lots of blood and gorey details kinda bad) motorino accidents I've seen in Rome in the past year and a half that I've lived here.
The bike has a minor scratch which is good but this is the THIRD bike we've had involved in an incident. Maybe someone's trying to tell us something. The first one was stolen. The second was badly vandalized by kids in the neighborhood who jumped on the frame and tires one night when I left it outside overnight. My mistake. I just hate hauling the bike up 5 flights of stairs. And I hate the autobus even worse. They say things happen in three's and this is the third so maybe we're okay right?
Right?
Isn't there some sort of hex symbol I'm supposed to do to ward off the bad luck? Something involving the index and pinky finger?
Okay enough of my whinging, my husband has a broken arm. I've never broken a bone in my life so I can't fully relate but(madonna!) he was in excrutiating pain. There was also a dislocated shoulder involved and he pretty much admitted it was the most painful thing he's experienced in his life.
Well, to make a long story short we spent a long time in the emergency room where they took loads of x-rays. The doctors were great and very professional despite the long wait. We walked out and went to the farmacia to buy some pain medicine. The whole thing cost us 7euro.
I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this one. !!!!7 EURO!!!!! x-rays, cast, medicine and all. This would never be possible in the US. Even if we had had insurance this would not be possible. It just doesn't happen in the united states.
I love free health care. But I love my hubby even more and I hope he has a speedy recovery.

Italian sport fanatics

2007-04-11T19:56:00.000+02:00

Roma lost 7 to 1 against Manchester last night in the nationals league. I'm not a huge soccer (ahem, football) fan but the city was certainly drab today despite the beautiful sunshine. If Rome had won 7-1 the atmosphere would have been more along the lines of horn honking and bellowing out the windows. Apparently this is the first time in history for a nationals team to lose by so much. Way to go Roma!
And why is it that every Italian I know is absolutely fanatical about soccer, oops, sorry...football. I know every country has their fans and devotees but it seems Italy is way more obsessed than the others. Am I wrong here? In fact, I've only met one Italian in my life that didn't care for football. My husband's friend whom I'll call Mr. C. And just for the record, Mr. C doesn't like the moto GP either. Unheard of for any male Italian over the age of 12. Every Sunday you can walk into any house in Rome and find no less than 5 males huddled around the tv cheering for Valentino Rossi. Or Melandri. Or both. Valentino who has the phrase "viva la fica!" plastered across the neck of his uniform. (yes, fica in this case is vulgar and yes it refers to a female body part). That's how cool the moto GP is.
Mr. C I really respect you.
Other news today that I want to share is how much I love my dog. yeah, yeah, how boring and sophmoric to post about my dog but I just can't help it. Anyone who owns a pet can probably relate.

Roman Slang 101

2007-03-26T19:59:00.000+02:00

I love to speak slang. If only to see the Italian faces when they hear it roll off my lips. Everytime I spout out some slang they usually stare at me in disbelief with a wild grin and giggling. Its as if I somehow cracked the barrier and we're on the same playing field as I am instantly elevated in their eyes. I am no longer the struggling Americana who stumbles among her words and mixes up masculine and feminine. I am no longer the ragazza who can't conjugate worth a darn to save her life. But it's all okay. I mean, come on, I can speak slang.

Do stai andá? is short for "Dove stai andando?" in English it would translate to "where are you going?"
Che stai fá? is short for "Che stai facendo?" or "what are you doing?"
Bella! Sometimes pronounces Bellllllaaaaaaaaaah! Also as in Ah, Bella! This is used a lot as in "Hey guys. What's up?" Literally bella means beautiful.
fico means "cool" or handsome if you are referring to a man. Fico literally means fig.
fica means ""a nice piece of ass" however it can also mean a very vulgar term for a female body part. I think everyone I know that's learned the Italian language has an embarassing story about this one.
ammazza or "wow, great"
Dai! oh come on!
Per carita! Forget about it!
Che pizza! How boring!
Che palle! this is more vulgar and could be translated to What balls!
And let's not forget the oh so loved cazzo which is derived, I think, from cacca and is used all the time everywhere. Not a day goes by that I don't hear "che cazzo fai?" or "che cazzo dici?" or "sti cazzi?" It's really rude and vulgar and I'm sorry if I offend anyone but honestly, I hear it all the time so I'm including it in this post. It's just so Roman.

And then let's get down to the basics. The good ol Roman grunting.
Eh? This is pretty universal for Yeah? And?
Oi! can mean Hey! Hi!
Aiyah! means Ouch!
and Oooooooooh! is my all time favorite that means oh, come on. As in Ooooooooooh! Che dici? translation: Come on, what are you saying?
Just add a few hand signals or at the very least throw your hands wildly around in the air and you've got it. Your speaking Roman slang!

In the doghouse

2007-03-22T01:07:00.000+01:00

Woe is the woman with a sick dog.
Cleaning up doggy throw-up is not nice.
ugh.
stinky stinky wet stinky yuck.
But someone's gotta do it and the hubby sure ain't lifting a finger. Turns out Otto our dog is fine, nothing serious just a mal di gola (soar throat). The strange thing is though the vet prescribed an antibiotic (for animals) and bisolvin which is a cough syrup for humans. And I bought both of them at a regular ol' farmacia.
It seems to me, if I remember correctly, in the United States we bought medicine for animals directly from the vet, not Duane Reade or Eckerd's pharmacy. People medicine and pet medicine were bought and dealt with in two very different places. And I just can't see a US vet advising to give cough syrup to a dog, but hey, maybe. I guess it probably happens.
Anyhow, the dog is feeling much better and so are we.
Just for the record, our vet here in Rome is super. Better than any vet I've had in the US. She is so helpful and nice and of course gives Otto the best care possible.

mmmm....cornetti

2007-03-18T13:22:00.000+01:00

Hai fatto colazione?
The best cornetti in all of Rome is hands down made by a laboratorio in Prati. This place has no name I know of (at least no sign outside to signify who they are) and has been operating for the last century, according to the baker on duty last night. Supposedly they opened in 1917 and have been making the best breakfast treats ever since.
Now here's the catch: they are only open at night when the baking geniuses are in progress. READ: the all-time best fix for late night munchies, fresh popping-hot right out of the oven. There is always a line outside the door with customers patiently waiting to order their craving. Cornetti con marmalata, cornetti con nutella or nocciola, ciocolatto bianco, even la crema, or try a brioche or danese...take your pick.

We went last night to pick up a few for breakfast this morning but ended up stuffing our faces with most of our purchase before we even arrived at home. They are just too good to resist.
So if you have a late night sweet tooth stop by Via Giuseppe Giochino Belli 61. Just look for the small door in between two big restaraunts. You can't miss the sweet air wafting about or the line of Romans waiting out in front.

Those crazy Texans!

2007-03-11T14:55:00.000+01:00

As a tribute to my recent trip to Texas, I want to share a special Sunday tradition.
In Austin there is a bar called Jinny's Little Longhorn which has a special night: Chicken Shit Sunday. Every Sunday the tiny (and I'm talking maybe 60meters square) bar is packed with college students, professors, motorcycle enthusiasts, tourists, and a smattering of colorful locals. From about 5pm to the wee hours of the morning they have local bands perform and sell $1.50 long necks (Shiner Bock is a favorite Texas beer with Lone Star coming a close second). The music is pretty country but gives the place a very authentic feel.
Imagine a few slabs of wood constructed as a stage with a woman playing the violin (bluegrass style) a man on bass and another playing the smallest piano I've ever seen in my life. As the woman belts out her lyrics of broken hearts and memories of the past in a deeply southern twang the 3 burly women bartenders are scurrying to open as many bottles of beer they can to appease the crowd. One even cradles 6 bottles in one arm and pops off the tops with a simple flick of her wrist. The various neon signs add to the magic of the night as do the Harley gang members hanging outside and barbequeing hamburgers on the back lawn.

But really the highlight of the night is the raffle or lottery in which blue tickets each with its own handwritten number is sold for two dollars each.
What kind of lottery you may ask? Well, this is a game played three times during the night in which the family pet chicken is placed in a cage and encouraged to poop.
If you look closely in the pictures you can see the floor of the pen is divided into numbers.

Littered with bird seed the chicken happily eats while the crowd cheers her on, coaxing her towards their corresponding raffle ticket number. Once the chicken poops on a number that is the lucky winner and they take home the pot of money from the cost of the raffle tickets. This is the winning number:

Do you see the poop so elegantly highlighted by the wire of the pen? I think it's number 6 but I don't remember correctly after my fill of $1.50 beer.

And that my friends is Chicken Shit Sunday.

*disclaimer: the chicken was in no way harmed or hurt during the night and I can personally vow that she lives in a very large cage in back of Little Jinny's and is treated with the utmost respect and fed very, very well. There is no animal cruelty involved whatsoever.

Castroni

2007-03-02T15:39:00.000+01:00

This store is the bomb.

I finally made it over to Castroni yesterday and it is ficchisimo (so very cool). This specialty store stocks products from all over the world and delicacies that are hard to find in Rome. Everything from tea and coffee to Indian spices like garam masala and tandoori to Mexican spices, chocolate covered oranges and sushi nori, pickled plums, lime leaves and lemongrass for Thai cuisines, not to mention various chutneys, pestos, curries, marmalades. You name it they probably sell it.
I just stood there in the middle of the store with my eyes the size of saucers glazed over and dumbfounded. I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to make thai or indian food and I could never find the spices in my local supermarkets. I even smuggled large quantities of black beans, jalepenos and chipolte peppers back from Texas this past January (see photo of my stash below) because these items are very hard to find in Italy.

Okay okay I know that these aren't gourmet items. In fact they are the 99cent version at our local tom thumb. Why did I pay the $75 over-the-weight-limit for my luggage flying back to Rome? Because I didn't know that I could just hop over to Castroni instead of reverting to illegal activities to satisfy my tex-mex cravings.
Castroni isn't cheap. But if you are ever in Rome and craving a tamarind sauce or some Turkish apple tea this is the place to go.

Indirizzo: Via Cola di Rienzo, 196, Rome, 192
also on Via Flaminia near Piazzale Flaminio
www.castroni.com

Cucciolo

2007-03-01T10:43:00.001+01:00

"Cucciolo" in Italian means "puppy" and we have a 6 month old cucciolo now. In fact, he is a cacciatore, or hunting dog.
Needless to say I've been very busy. Between two cats, a new puppy, one husband and my work I have little free time.
But it's all worth it.

This poor little segugio (bloodhound) was found by a friend of ours outside of Rome abandoned on the highway and instantly he won over our hearts. Not the cats' hearts yet but so far there have been no major casualties. We decided to call him Otto, not in the number otto (oht-to, eight in Italian) but as in Ahhtto, the name of kings of Germany, including Otto I, THE founder of the Holy Roman Empire. Well I just like the name with or without the historical significance.
Anyhow, Rome is full of dogs. You thought the unofficial animal was the cat? Well there is no mistaking that dogs are a fierce competitor for that title. At least in my neighborhood. Plus I am learning all about the etiquette of owning a dog. From the social behaviors at the park (most people ask mascio? femina? to determine the sex of the dog. Two male dogs are usually a dangerous mix but a mascio and femina get along quite well at the dog run. In our case I just say cucciolo. Then everyone smiles and coos "che carino!" because a cucciolo is usually accepted by both male and females dogs and everyone loves a puppy). Then there is the social etiquette of the owners. Dogs are really like children in so many ways. And the owners are always the proud parents discussing the various personalities, obscure habits, and funny tidbits of information about their little loved one. Just so you know....I'm warning you now about future posts.

Buon Anno

2006-12-31T19:37:00.000+01:00

Wishing everyone a happy 2007! Aguri e buon anno.
A few Italian traditions for the New Year:
1. eat a bowl of lentils (lenticchie) for good luck and financial security. Each lentil represents a coin for the coming year.
2. Wear red for good luck.
2a. A friend from work is from Campagna near Naples and she told me to buy red underwear/lingerie to wear on NYE. The next day burn it for good luck. T laughed when I told him I was determined to find some red underwear to burn for the new year. Apparently this isn't a custom for Romans. And since I couldn't find anything for under 10euro I decided to abondon this idea.
3. Take something old and at midnight throw it behind your back (off the balcony is best). If it breaks it means good fortune for you, if not it's bad luck.
4. Kiss everyone in your vicinity at midnight because it's just a really nice thing to do.

Baci to all and Happy New Year!

Brrr...it's cold outside

2006-12-29T11:42:00.000+01:00

It seems winter is finally here. The temperatures have dropped to about 7ºC and the northern winds are brisk. Okay so it's not THAT cold but Romans are really sensitive to the slightest change in temperature for fear of falling ill. It is probably 85ºF inside our house because we feel "the chill". (read low and suspensfully: Dumdadumdummm.....)
But it really seems like winter because the trees lining our block were viscously trimmed to the core last week. Not a single leaf left and most of the branches were butchered as well. As if Edward Scissorhands had gone mad and was seeking revenge, but solely on our block.

The other blocks were lucky enough to escape the wrath of the Italian tree pruners.
It's really sad and I hope they grow back to their full glory because they make the street feel so empty and abandoned.
Here's a nice shot of some paper advertisement crumpled and stuffed into the neck of the tree outside our building.

Ironic isn't it?

Why would they do this you ask? Well, Rome is a pretty dirty city and people like to litter. I know there are many cities in Italy that are immaculately clean and spotless but Rome is not one of them. As for the trees being whacked we think it was to protect people from falling and slipping on the wet leaves when it rains and hence suing the city if they get hurt. Couldn't someone just sweep the leaves away? Probably but c'mon that would require too much time and energy and it maybe costs less just to kill the trees. Or maybe they were infested with termites aphids or something of the sort. We may never know the whole truth yet in my naive brain I am thinking they just trimmed the branches to encourage new growth. I am patiently waiting for spring. New year, new growth.

uovo sbattuto

2006-12-17T21:56:00.000+01:00

Literally this means smashed, or beated egg. T made this lovely concoction this morning for breakfast.
Recipe:
2 raw eggs
40 tsp of sugar, more or less according to how sweet you like it

Beat egg with sugar enthusiastically until heartrate is well above resting rate for 2 minutes.

For me, raw eggs and sugar are prime heart attack material but for Italians like my husband they are considered breakfast during your childhood years. Apparantly he ate this religiously between the ages of 6 and 12 because it was considered *good* for you. Raw eggs=protein. Sugar=energy. As a former vegetarian (ahem, vegan for 2 years) I have a really hard time believing this is good for anyone, let alone children. Needless to say I was slightly aghast when he concocted this up for breakfast this morning. But then again, who am I to judge? They say the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest on the planet. Although I'm not sure this falls into that category....

Tour del Gelato

2006-12-13T19:13:00.000+01:00

As one of Tour del Gelato's Rome correspondents I am more than happy to take on this difficult task and share my favorite gelaterie. Rome has some great gelato and some not so great gelato so it was not easy to do and I had to filter through a lot of places but I managed to narrow down my favorites to 4 (!!!). Also I want to apologize to the Tour del Gelato team because I didn't exactly follow the rules.....meaning I bent the definition of gelato a bit. But bear with me because I think you will be happy with what I have to report.

My absolute favorite would have to be Gelateria Beautiful, Via Tagliamento 65.

Their specialty is Sicilian ice cream and desserts. I can't comment on the desserts like cannoli and cassate because I am always seduced by the 75+ flavors they offer (not really that many flavors but when I'm trying to decide they all look so good and it seems like so many to choose from). Their pralinone is another of their specialties which is a Sicilian praline gelato and it's literally heaven on your tongue. Verramente. I also like their limone and frutti di bosco. Plus they are always open late on the weekends for those after-hour cravings.

The next on my list is not really a gelateria but it is so worth mentioning. De Angelis near Piazza Crati on Via di Priscilla 18/20_Roma is actually a bar that serves the most amazing cremolati in Rome. Cremolati is similar to a granita or sherbert but it contains the fruit pulp as well. And I don't have a picture because they only make this in the warm summer months. However I can assure you there is always a line and their strawberry flavor is definitely the most popular. It's a bit pricey at 4euro but damn is it good.

There is also Lanzallotto, Viale Somalia. 96. tel. 06 86212257. This place is near Villa Ada and on Saturdays and Sundays it's always packed. Yummy yummy yummy is all I have to say. Cappucino, ciocolato, nocciala, and zabaione. They also make really good fruit flavors.

The last one I have to mention isn't a gelateria either and shame on me for this bit of self-promotion so I'll just quickly mention it. The restaurant I work at serves sorbetto and semifreddo handmade by a local Roman woman. This fall she made sorbetto all'uva fragola which is when concord grapes are in season here and we would sell out every night. A beautiful purple color with a sweet (but not too sweet) grape taste. She also makes a nice sorbetto al pompelmo rosa (grapefruit) and right now we are serving semifreddo ai croccante (hazelnut) with a spoonful of chocolate on top. It's becoming a favorite fast. If you are ever in the neighborhood stop by and try some. You won't be disappointed.
Risorante Pupina, via Marianna Dionigi, 37, just steps from Piazza Cavour. 063223338.

Of course I have other gelaterie that I like but maybe I'll save those for another post.

City Swap

2006-12-12T18:57:00.000+01:00

My City Swap gift arrived today!

My swap partner Maryann from Astoria, NY sent a gorgeous photograph of the the new york city skyline being reflected in a lake in Central Park. As she explained to me it is a very special place in Central Park as her mother would take her and her brother for walks there as a child.

My photo of a photo doesn't even do it justice but I can tell you the photo is very special. I lived in nyc for 7 years and I know exactly where this spot is in Central Park and it brings back so many memories. I can hear the traffic and the cars honking along Fifth Ave. right now. I feel as if it were yesterday that I was in the big apple yet it also feels like a lifetime ago. And I love the way the photo emits a quiet calm, a sense of peace and a little oasis of nature amidst the sprawling skyscrapers (or grattacieli as we say here in Italy).
It's beautiful.
Plus she wrapped it in an I (heart) NY shopping bag. *sigh* I miss NY!
Thank you so much Maryann for sharing your city with me.

Please explain the logic in this....

2006-12-08T19:12:00.000+01:00

We have seven ashtrays for a one bedroom apartment with two people living inside and one (that would be yours truly) doesn't smoke.
??????
Freakin Italians.

It's HERE!!!!!

2006-12-06T15:20:00.000+01:00

I just picked up my Permesso di Soggiorno this morning from la Polizia. It took just over a year to get but it's finally here.
Yipee!!!

*smile smile smile*(big toothy grin)*giggle giggle*
Yay! I feel like a little schoolgirl who just won first prize in a contest.

The best part was when the police personally greeted me this morning "oh hello Avery." And the other man behind the desk smiled "ooooh, its Avery. She'll be very happy" They know me on a first name basis because I was there almost every week this past year trying figure out what happened to my permesso. I'm sure they are happy to finally be rid of me. At least for the next two years until I have to renew.
Yay! It's finally here.

Presepi

2006-12-03T20:23:00.000+01:00

It's that time of year again.
The holidays. White lights, snowflake decorations, reindeer and Papa Natale.
In Italy most people (I've been told) use fake trees. Last year I made a big protest arguing that Christmas really isn't Christmas without a real live tree, the scent of pine and needles littering your floor. There are live trees here but they come in pots and can be kinda expensive not to mention the care they require the rest of the year. Thus we have a plastic tree (I always grew up with real trees...in Texas there are plenty and it was always tradition with us no matter how much my inner environmentalist screamed). However I have been forbidden to put the tree together until before Dec. 8. Why? I was told this is the proper tradition and I must wait. It's The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary but since I'm not Catholic I didn't know this. I therefore am not allowed. Hmmph!

My husband suggested this year I make a presepio. This is basically a minature nativity scene like the one below.

But here in Italy it gets very complicated and at this time of year the stores break out the minature mangers, Jesuses, thee kings et al. But it doesn't just stop there. There are lakes, rivers, women cooking over mechanical flames, animals that move their heads back and forth, I am talking the whole nine yards here. It gets very complex and involved and people spend A LOT of money on acquiring their minature nativity scenes. For those of you who like pictures this might give you an idea of how involved this all is.

So when T suggested I make a presepio this year I couldn't help but laugh. Sure, I scoffed. I'll just grab my whittling tools and carve some wood or better yet I'll cast a few resin figurines to really get into the spirit of things. I mean, come on. But when I realized he was serious and he mentioned that his mother (uh-oh here we go...) always made a presepio when he was a child I didn't want to be a complete Scrooge so I pleasantly suggested I could dress some potatoes up in little cloth suits and make a river with aluminum foil. I was trying to be creative but he didn't buy it. A presepio??? WTF??? how am I supposed to MAKE a presepio? Since I'm not Catholic doesn't that give give me an alibi in this case? I think I might just make some cutouts and tape them up on the wall. Oh God, how tacky is that? Now my inner aesthetic is screaming. Oh, the torture. The tinsel and fake snow is bad enough but now a presepio? What did I get myself into?

Thanksgiving

2006-11-23T17:08:00.000+01:00

This is my second Thanksgiving in Rome. The first was a very gourmet dinner with a few friends that included stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes, wine, dessert, the whole shebang. This year I am on my own. Meaning the chef of the house is working and he's not really interested in this holiday anyway (why would any Italian care about Thanksgiving?) so I am dining da solo, fending for myself.
I used to hate Thanksgiving thinking it was such a hypocritical holiday where everyone sat around stuffing their faces and watching American football. How boring, so lame. But since I've moved abroad I have come to miss sharing the holidays with my family. This year they are in Dallas and my little sister (she's actually 23...not so little anymore) is presiding over the menu. She has decided she wants to venture into the culinary world as a profession so Brava! to her and I wish I could be there to sample her holiday fare.
As for me? I have decide to make a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Yes, popcorn and jellybeans to get in the true spirit. Woohoo! If you haven't guessed by now I'm not much of a cook. I try I really do, however my artistic talents lie in other areas besides the kitchen. But I have very fond memories of Charlie Brown and the gang during the holidays. My older sister whom I idolized was a huge Snoopy fan. She had several Snoopys big and small with possibly every Snoopy outfit that was ever designed from Joe Cool to Flying Ace. She had Belle (Snoopy's amore) with a pink heart dress and I think there was also a snoopy jr. And Woodstock too.

I too became a huge Snoopy fan because I wanted to be just like my older sister. However I only had one Snoopy and Belle so I would have sneak into her room and borrow Woodstock and the clothes whenever I wanted to play. We would sit glued to the tv throughout the entire hour of whichever special was showing (there are also Charlie Brown Halloween and Christmas specials). Yet the Thanksgiving special was extra special for me because it first aired in 1973, the same year I was born, and it was also aired on the network ABC which just happens to be my initials. How cool is that? For those of you who don't know the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving I'll give a brief recap.

Peppermint Patty invites herself and some friends over to Chuck's place for Thanksgiving. Snoopy and Woodstock take over as caterers and whip up a very untraditional Thanksgiving that includes popcorn, buttered toast, pretzels, jellybeans, and ice cream sundaes. In the eyes of a five year old this was the ultimate Thanksgiving consisting of yummy "snacks". No turkey with tryptophan to make you sleepy, no cranberry sauce that's a bit too bitter for a five year old's palette. Of course Peppermint Patty complains and is a b****. Poor Charlie Brown. But there is always a lesson to be learned. Something like be thankful for what you've got, share the peace love happiness, etc. etc.

So where am I going with this???? I'm not really sure. I've already cracked open the bottle of wine and downed a couple of glasses so I kinda lost track. I guess the moral of my story is even if I only have one Snoopy and Belle it's still a lot. It's still something to be thankful for along with all the memories and time we spent together. Even if I can't be there in person to share the mountains and mountains of food, I am there in spirit. Wolfing down popcorn and jellybeans. Appreciating this fine holiday from abroad.
Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm on Italian time

2006-11-15T19:37:00.000+01:00

Since I've been riding my bike - correction: my husband's bike, I haven't bought a new one yet after mine was stolen - I have noticed lots of clocks in the center of Rome. There is probably a clock on every block from Porta Pia to Piazza Cavour. Now you might think this is a great idea. That's what I thought at first because I am not really a watch person and it's sometimes annoying having to fish my cellphone from the depths of my purse to figure out the time. Well, in Rome, there are hundreds of clocks on the street but no two tell the same time. I kid you not.
On my way to work this morning I passed a clock that said 10 minutes to ten. I freaked out thinking "I'm gonna be late! I'm gonna be late!" peddalling furiously only to pass another clock that said 3:15. The next one said 10 minutes to 9 and the one after that read 9:35.
Go figure.
I wish I would have taken a video camera with me this morning because I felt a little like I was in a Fellini movie.
That's when I realized "ah ha!" This is the essence of Italy.
Rome transcends time.
It is after all the capital of western civilization's greatest empire. I am riding my bike on the same streets that Ceasar and Pompeo walked through. Nero and Ottaviano and Leonardo and Michaelangelo. Totti for crying out loud (teehee! that was a joke). The city is brimming with history. And thousands and thousands of years of millions of people. Rome doesn't need to keep the clocks in order and up to date because the city is timeless. And that's the reason the busses and trains are NEVER on time. I used to think it was because they were probably taking a caffe or they just preferred to take their own sweet time driving through the streets but now I realize it's because they transcend time.
Okay enough of my soapbox.
here's a few photos I took on my way home from work today. I especially like the subtley of the yellow flowers growing amongst these massive marble sculptures.

M.I.A.

2006-11-10T17:58:00.000+01:00

*Sigh* My blue bike is missing in action.
*sigh*
I left the house this morning on my way to work when I realized my baby was gone. I knew where I parked her and she wasn't there yet I vainly scoured the street thinking perhaps I left it further down?
I knew it would happen eventually but I ignored all the warning signs. The fact that my lock was a cheap version and I made a mental note to get a better one soon. The fact that I diligently locked the easily removable tire to the bike body fearing someone might steal it. (This happened to me once in new york and I never made the same mistake twice). The fact that the first week I had her I would bring the seat with me inside for fear that someone would steal that. Everyone laughed at me saying, "silly girl, no one in Rome is interested in taking bicycle parts. It's motorinos they're after." Wrong. And I would always laugh oh, well, I lived in nyc where people steal anything and everything so it's just a habit for me.
Apparently my paranoia attracted the theives because last night they singled her out. There were only five other bikes parked near mine, including my husband's which is a twin copy of mine only male and yellow but same lock and style. And to top it off there was a red bike with those super heavy industrial thick "nobody can touch me" chains that was parked EXACTLY where I left my bike last night. Talk about adding salt to the wound. It was if it were mocking me for being so careless as to leave a cheapie old lock on my bike. "ha ha! if you would have bought this earlier you would still have a bike!" it smirked at me.
So I took the autobus this morning and of course I was late to work. And by the way, every autobus I've ever been on in Rome stinks really bad. Like a dirty diaper.
I am hopefully going to go to Porta Portese this Sunday which is a famous outdoor market in Rome that happens every Domenica. My other baby, Toni, told me I could probably find a cheap (probably stolen) bike there...not as nice as my lost one but a working one anyhow. Wish me luck in finding a sturdy replacement.

What is going on in Napoli?

2006-11-03T00:43:00.000+01:00

Supposedly Mafia gangs in Naples are out of control.
There have been several news reports on recent murders and crime in Naples this past week citing that the city has become a virtual battleground. Rival Mafia gangs are being blamed as the main culprit for the precarious state of the streets. There have been seven deaths in five days and the escalation of violence has provoked calls for the national guard to be deployed on the streets of the city. Not all the crimes are Mafia related but there is enough blood being shed to make me want to stay planted right here in Rome. And Rome has it's fair share of theft and crime. I mean seven deaths in five days? That's crazy. There have been 130,000 crimes in the last year in Naples which is five times the national average.
See here and here for more.
But what I really wanted to talk about is Sopranos season 6. We have diligently been watching the series and I can't get enough. Toni, Paulie, Camilla, Chris...they are so American Mafia. Well, I've never actually met anyone from the Mafia in the U.S. (or Italy for that matter) but they are the epitomy of what I would imagine it to be like. And Meadow has grown into such a beautiful young woman. Toni gets fatter and fatter with each episode. And it's just so ridiculous as to what lengths these guys will go to. They do however try to avoid an all out mafia war between the two sides. Retribution is a necessity so if they can avoid it all the better. But the ironic thing is they hire two guys from Napoli to fly over to nj for the night to "clip" a captain of the rival gang (as retribution for that gang "clipping" one of their captains). These guys spoke Naples slang and Toni and I had to rewind it 4 times to understand what they were saying. It was so hard to understand the dialect. But the show is so hilarious.
Don't get me wrong. I am not in any way trying to trivialize the violence happening in Naples right now. It just reminds me a little of nyc and the insane violence that became a kind of everyday normalcy. I was mugged only once and most of my friends were too, but one girl I knew was even mugged three times! It just seemed like everyday the newspaper was reporting a new murder on the LES or Harlem or Queens. I was really surprised when I moved here that I felt pretty safe at any hour of the day /night. I don't know if the military is the answer for the situation in Naples but obviously something must be done to stop the violence.

Halloween

2006-10-30T21:51:00.000+01:00

The Seven Hills of Rome

2006-10-24T18:36:00.000+02:00

They say Rome was built on seven hills "la città dei sette colli". This is actually not true. Since I've been riding my new bike I can affirm that Rome was built on no less than 200.

Frisky cats

2006-10-20T16:06:00.000+02:00

I woke up very early this morning to the sound of my cats playing in the bathroom. When I went in to see what all the fuss was about I found this:

She was eating the toilet paper. Literally eating the toilet paper.
Our other cat is male and he eats any food you put in front of him.

He would eat all day any day if we let him and needless to say he could stand lose a little weight. Nike on the other hand is a very picky eater and usually snuffs at the cat food we try to feed her. Instead she prefers to lick the soap off our hands and to munch on toilet paper as her guilty pleasure.
But the great thing about our cats is that we brought them all the way from nyc. They are truly international cats. Our friend Amanda's dog found them enclosed in a cardboard box on a street in Brooklyn. She couldn't keep them because of the dog so we decided to take care of them. Of course we grew attached and I was trying to find a good home for them before we moved to Rome. I didn't want to just leave them at PetCo for adoption so we decided to bring them with us. It cost a small fortune but several vaccination shots and two microchip identification tags later they were ready to go. Honestly, I am so glad they did make the trip with us as they are the best cats in the whole world. Even if they destroy the toilet paper and leave huge hairballs in the corners. We love them anyway.

Birthday Bliss

2006-10-17T19:35:00.000+02:00

I am so spoiled.
My husband who is a fabulous cook made me a birthday feast. Wow.
We were going to go out with some friends for dinner but since I had to work early the next morning we decided to stay in and he whipped up a few of my favorite things.
What could be better than homemade pizza? TWO homemade pizzas!

Toni made carciofi (artichoke), prociutto, mozzarella, robiola, and gorgonzola which was heaven on earth. He also made mushroom and smoked provola pizza which was so yummy as well. Plus as appetizer we had fiori di zucca fritti con mozzarella e prosciutto (fried zucchine flowers stuffed with mozzarella and prosciutto) uva fragola (grapes) and fried brie cheese. Not the healthiest or lightest dinner but since it was my birthday I decided to live it up. My arteries aren't thanking me but my stomach and taste buds are.

For dessert, champagne and torta con panna e frutta. It was all so delicious.

Plus I am the proud new owner of a spiffy blue mountain bike. Just look how beautiful she is!

And check out her sexy backside.

Ain't she a looker? And there is even a matching blue bell on the handlebars.

Yipee! I have a newfound freedom and I love it! I don't have to wait for the bus anymore or shove my way onto it during rush hour traffic. I don't have to bribe my loved ones and friends for a ride on back of their scooters. I don't have to wonder as I'm waiting at the bus stop if today is the day I will be late for work because I've been waiting 20 minutes now and there is no sign of my bus.... or I have to let 3 busses pass because it is so packed with people you just can't get on. Too bad I don't live closer to the metro. But even the metro is limited in where it can take you. (*sigh* I miss my 6 and L lines in nyc) And metros of course have their accidents.
On my birthday in fact two trains on the A line in Rome crashed. Over 200 people were injured and 2 died. Of course the American tv stations targeted this as possibly a terror related incident but it turned out to be faulty equipment (brakes?) on one of the trains.
But back to my lovely new bike....
I used to ride my bike in nyc during the spring/summer/fall months and I loved it. I am so excited to be able to ride the streets again although I think the traffic in Rome is a bit more chaotic and dangerous than nyc. Not to mention all the hills but I am ready for a challenge! Next step...motorino!

Amore mio, thank you for such a lovely birthday.

Italian TV

2006-10-12T23:43:00.000+02:00

I really hate Italian tv
That's all I'm gonna say...
I really hate Italian tv

Kissing is custom only with Italians?

2006-10-07T01:55:00.000+02:00

I am kinda peeved.
But maybe I shouldn't be.
You see, there's this Italian girl I work with who I get the feeling doesn't like me very much. Maybe I'm overreacting, perhaps I'm just sensitive, but hear me out. We don't ever carry on long conversations because my Italian is not so good and she speaks no English so its hard to "connect". And at work today she was really quite bossy and kept telling me what to do (in Italian) even though technically I am supposed to be her superior (even though she's been there longer than I have) and in my opinion she stepped over the line. Several times. But I didn't say anything and I just let it slide and kept working. Perhaps its her personality, or perhaps we had a miscommunication. But tonight when we left work she said "Ciao", kissed our mutual Italian friend goodbye, turned, and left.
Now, I kinda felt left out, or rather slapped in the face. But this is a tricky situation because maybe she knows that kissing the cheeks is not really an American custom. Maybe she purposely didn't kiss me because it's an "Italian/European" thing. But then our mutual friend and I kissed goodbye. And I normally kiss my friends goodbye. Should I be offended? Should I say something or should I just let it go? Maybe I'm the one who's being catty(caddy? oh god i swear I can't spell anymore and I'm too lazy for the spellcheck)? Am I being too sensitive here? You know, next time I see her I'm just gonna plant a big fat wet one right on her planter and see what she says. I'm only kidding, but perhaps it will break this layer of ice between us.

My sweet blood

2006-10-05T16:09:00.000+02:00

We were sitting at a bar yesterday afternoon enjoying an espresso, probably my fifth of the day, when my husband looks at my arm with eyes the size of saucers and barks "what happened?"
apparently I was sabotaged by zanzare (mosquitoes). And not just any zanzara, but zanzare tigre: the really huge tiger mosquitoes black with white stripes which perhaps the name of zebra would be more appropriate but since zebras are herbivore I suppose tigre was the next best thing.
Anyhow in the hour that we were sitting with our friend I was bitten a total of 7 times. But these are not just mere bites mind you. These bites start out small and in the course of 15 minutes their size increases 50 times. I kid you not. On any exposed skin I had there was a huge silver-dollar size welt that itched to high heaven. And nobody else was attacked but me! Our friend suggested because they smoke they didn't get bit, something along the lines of the smoke keeps them away (excuse me but I'm sitting directly next to you and the smoke is definitely wafting my way which obliterates that theory). My husband suggested it's because I have sweet blood (aw, honey, that's so nice but it makes absolutely no sense). And later that evening my Italian aunt (zia) suggested keeping basil around me to ward them off. Okay, um, thanks. All I know is we are headed into Autumn and the mosquito's have decided to hang around a bit longer so they can feast on my arms, ankles, and lower back.

Espresso kicks butt!

2006-10-03T18:48:00.000+02:00

It's official.
I am addicted to espresso.
I have always loved coffee ever since I was 13 and started driving and smoking (way too young for any of those things, I know, but I thought I was oh so sophisticated). Well, now I don't smoke - and in Italy that's an anomaly, don't drive - I am patiently saving my money to buy a vespa but for now I rely on public transportation and the good graces of my husband and his moto, but boy do I love my coffee.
In the US I drank espresso but usually I preferred to linger over a nice home brewed cup o' joe and read the newspaper. But since meeting my husband I have streamlined my coffee habits to a shot here and there. In Italy people don't linger over coffee. They have a quick espresso and then they're on their way. It took a bit of getting used to but I think I have mastered the art of espresso. Short, sweet, and strong. That's how I like it.
And I drink way too much but, mamma mia, it is good.
Two shots in the morning, one after lunch, one around 4pm and sometimes, but only sometimes when I'm working I'll have another in the evening. Of course I am very careful about eating lots of cheese, gelato and other calcium sources to counteract any vitamin depletion I might be subjecting myself to. But I just can't stop. I can't wake up without it. The sign of a true addict.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways....

2006-09-19T20:01:00.000+02:00

My husband asked me to cut his toenails last night. We were lying in bed chatting winding down from our day when he popped the question. I'm not kidding. He said "Could you cut my toenails for me?"
Eeeew!
I was aghast and just stared at him mouth agape and eyes blinking. I was at a loss for words as my mind was churning trying to figure out why he would ask me that. Was he just too tired? Was he feeling ill? I mean if he was bed-ridden with the flu or in the hospital or something then, yeah, ok. I would probably do it if it would make him feel better. If for some reason he couldn't reach his feet...maybe his back went out...then perhaps I would. But he's perfectlly able and healthy and he just asked out of the blue.
As much as I love him, it's just gross.
Turns out he was joking (I should have known) but stretched it out as long as he could to see what my reaction would be. And you know what I said? "well, you know I really love you and I would do anything for you but, um, well, I'd have to wash my hands afterwards." Not exactly a smooth excuse but better than "no f***ing way!". I finally got the joke after he burst out laughing.
ha ha. very funny. Oh how I love thee...

Ann Richards

2006-09-14T22:47:00.000+02:00

I just found out Ann Richards died last night. She was the governer of Texas during my University days who unfortunately only served one term and was defeated by George Bush jr in 1994.

"Former Gov. Ann Richards, who opened the doors of state government to women and minorities and won national celebrity with her lively humor and Texas twang, died Wednesday night at her home. She was 73." -DallasNews.com

She was very outspoken and very liberal in a male dominated Texas government. In fact, she inspired several of my college classmates to enter politics because she was the first woman in a long time (ever?) to enter the political arena in a very Republican, white male patriarchal system and she really shook things up. Well, at least she paved the way for other women and people of minority descent to enter this realm of politics. As much as I miss my home, really, Texas can be very conservative and provincial.
She was one cool chick and I will remember her fondly.

High School Reunion

2006-09-12T18:24:00.000+02:00

Today when I came home from work and opened my mailbox there was an envelope waiting for me. A big red envelope. Immediatley I knew it was for me and from the U.S. I instantly recognized the handwriting and was somewhat suprised until I saw "15 year reunion" on the return address. My stomach dropped and I thought "but how did they find me?"
It's my 15 year high school reunion. I feel so old. I never went to my 10 year reunion and due to long distances and a short cash flow I won't be attending my 15 year reunion either.

But I want to know how they found me.

I have changed so many addresses in the last 5 years let alone a whole new continent and time zone. How do they know? I'm not in contact with anyone from my high school days. Not that I didn't meet some really fun friends but we all kinda went our separate ways. And to be quite honest, I don't have many fond memories of high school. That's when my dad died and my mom went kinda nuts for a year (I love her to death anyways. Can't even immagine losing my husband. It was hard enough losing my father). That's the first time I ever traveled to Europe (with my French Class). The first time I smoked pot (don't worry I didn't inhale), and the first time I, well...you get the idea.
Remember those akward mouth-full-of-braces kisses? Football games, homecoming queens, detentions, the fights in the hall and everyone would yell "FIGHT!!!" and scramble to get a front row view of the soon to be talked about/ever so cool drama that unfolded. The art teacher who would smoke cigarettes with us out back where the principal couldn't see. The Cure, Madonna, New Order, U2, INXS, Depeche Mode....does anyone remember 2LiveCrew or Salt n' Pepa? That was high school. Cheerleaders and choir- those were the popular kids. Band and debate club-those were the nerdy kids. Crappy cafeteria food (frito pie anyone?). And I used a typewriter for all my term papers (GASP!) And to think I didn't even use a computer until I went to the university.

I am old.

No. No thanks. Don't want to relive it don't want to think about it. And I know this sounds horrible but I really don't want to "catch up" with anyone I knew from high school. I am such a different person now and I wouldn't even know where to begin to explain how I've come to where I am. Besides the fact that it just feels like a b-movie casting call. Doesn't this end up in a bloody mess with the prom queen's head as a centerpiece? Nah. Not for me. Not unless Tim Burton is directing, then you can count me in.

Why can't I speak proper English?

2006-09-05T20:00:00.000+02:00

HELP!
I feel like the longer I stay in Italy the more my English skills deteriorate. When I type I have to double check my spelling and I am starting to form sentances in the Italian grammatical way. For instance tonight I said to my husband "no, I go to the store." which makes sense in English but grammatically I should say "no, I am going to the store." And when I call my family on the phone they laugh saying my intonations are so lyrical. I'm sure when I visit the US I will slip easily back into my old speech patterns but for the moment I'm sort of stuck in limbo. My Italian is elementary (although certainly improved) and my English is slowly getting worse. And when I do speak in English I tend to use Italian hand language. Don't laugh. You know what I'm talking about. The hand with fingers pinched together that falls from your shoulder to your waste and back up again. As when you say "Che pizza!".
I was talking with an older American couple I was helping on the street and of course the conversation turned to why am I in Italy and what do I do here. I was astonished and sort of stopped midair when I realized my hand gestures were so Roman. When did this happen and why didn't I realize it? And more importantly should I be worried? I remember in nyc I would watch the Italians (there is a large Italian population there) and smile at their gestures (the nice gestures that is) and think how charming and authentic it is. But somehow I don't feel like I am charming and authentic when I do it. uh-oh. Does this mean I'm an imposter?

Back from Vacation

2006-09-03T13:58:00.000+02:00

The news yesterday reported that 3 million Italians returned from vacation this weekend and 15 million returned from vacation last weekend. Due to unforseen circumstances we stayed most of le ferie in Rome except for a week in Gaeta. The city was a ghost town and honestly, I really liked it that way. There was not much traffic, lots of parking spaces, and it was so quiet and calm compared to its usual activity.
Now that the holidays have come to an end Rome is abuzz again with scooters, car horns, and of course the occasional screaming spats from neighbors outside their window. In fact as we were lazily slumbering in bed this morning we abruptly ran to the window when we heard a woman screaming for dear life. We thought perhaps she was being mugged? murdered? needed medical attention? It turns out she wanted to park her car inside the neighbor's gated community because it was Sunday and the parking garage is closed. Three people in the community were yelling at her saying, excuse me, but we live here and this is private property. Picture an old man in wifebeater hanging out his window, a middle aged mother leaning over her balcony and a young professional on his balcony as well shouting over his bougainvillea.
Now this woman's response was superb. She didn't say excuse me, oh I'm sorry I didn't realize, or anything of the sort. She screamed back in her thick Roman accent "oooh, it's Sunday. I can park wherever I want!"
Maybe this is one of those "you had to be there" stories to appreciate the humor in this. Or maybe you have to live in Italy or perhaps Rome to understand this mentality but my husband and I could not stop laughing. And imagine the whole street coming alive with people peeking out their windows and stopping on the street to see what all the commotion is. Fortunately the woman ended up trying to find a parking space elsewhere and no major casualties were reported.

More Gaeta

2006-08-17T20:05:00.000+02:00

Vacation in Gaeta

2006-08-15T19:51:00.000+02:00

Gaeta!
We spent a lovely week in Gaeta, despite 5,000 tourists and a couple of cloudy days. It was BEAUTIFUL! A much needed and warranted vacation and the water was perfect.

Pizza Night!

2006-07-30T20:43:00.000+02:00

2006-07-27T19:54:00.000+02:00

George Bush singing Sunday Bloody Sunday

Just because

2006-07-26T18:59:00.000+02:00

Just because I like these....

I ((Heart)) Vespa

2006-07-17T17:43:00.000+02:00

World Cup Fever

2006-07-09T17:51:00.000+02:00

Italy and France battle it out tonight for the World Cup Championship. It should be a very exciting game, especially since I was never a soccer, er, I mean football fan until I moved to Italy. The Italian team has been doing great but I am in awe of the French player Zidane. He is one awesome football player.
Obviously everyone here in Rome is in a frenzy. People have been honking their horns all day and if Italy wins (yay Italy!) we expect a full night of chaos and celebrations.
We tried to get our cats into the spirit but they weren't very cooperative. Guess I can't blame them wanting to tear off the extra layers in this heat.

Gatta nel lavandio

2006-06-19T21:42:00.000+02:00

In a previous life...

2006-06-17T12:05:00.000+02:00

I was thinking about the various jobs I've worked in my previous life in the U.S. One of the most interesting yet most difficult was waiting tables in New York City. I remember how much I hated it at the time - gruelling hours (during summers I would work a 14 hour day), physically demanding, so-so money (this is what I thought at the time, before I moved to Rome when I realized I was living like a Queen in nyc.... in Rome it's virtually impossible to make a living), and all the horribly rotten people that treated me like the dirt on the soles of their shoes.
But now that I look back on it, I really had an exciting job. I did meet completely rude customers and those that didn't know that they should tip, but I also met people from all walks of life and some that ended up being very dear friends. In fact some of the most interesting people I've ever met were through the restauant business. Plus I waited on numerous celebrities that included Lou Reed (he was really lovely and so ultra cool even if he was wearing a loud hawaiian print shirt), Bill Murray, Willem Defoe, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ethan Hawke, Isabella Rosellini, Shirin Nesrat (one of my favorite video artists), Billy Corgan and his jerk of a girlfriend, Forest Witaker, Salman Rushdie and his model girlfriend (i forget her name), I.M. Pei, Sebastian Junger, Danny Glover, Seymore Cassal, and that's all I can think of.
I remember how the staff would all ooooh and ahhhh when someone handed us a black American Express card, and we would all hope that he (unfortunately I didn't come across any women who handed me a black Amex) would leave a handsome tip. But I think the best part was when I would meet someone who was truly living their dream. A few artists I met who actually sold their artwork and made a living, a jewelry designer who lived across the street from one restaurant I worked at who lived in this fantastic loft and made jewelry all day long, architects, musicians, even start up business men who had an idea and turned it into reality. It was really inspiring in many ways. Not that I haven't met inspiring people here in Rome, I certainly have. But there is an energy that vibrates around nyc that gets people moving and invigorated that I really miss. Plus I met my husband in nyc when we were working at the same restaraunt. He was a chef, I was a waitress, he spoke Italian, I spoke English, and as they say That's Amore!

I work in this neighborhood

2006-06-16T12:30:00.000+02:00

I work in this neighborhood.
Everyday I walk here and everyday I look around the piazza
in awe. It is really unique and amazingly beautiful. Tucked away in its own little corner it's like walking into a fairytale. Of course you have to be of noble heritage or a millionare to live here but at least I have the pleasure of visiting.
The fountain is designed by Gino Coppede (and I think the buildings as well?).

One thing I have noticed around this neighborhood is the presence of spiders on the buildings or gates of the buildings. I've only noticed it a few different places but I wonder what the significance of arachnids means.

f@#!#@ bureaucracy!

2006-06-09T12:20:00.000+02:00

I hate bureaucracy. And Italian bureaucracy has got to be the worst of the worst.
I have been waiting for my permesso di soggiorno (legal work papers but also a preliminary step before I can apply for residency) for over 6 months now. Just this week did I make any headway as to finding out why it's taken so long.
But let me start from the beginning.
In November we went to enquire about the paperwork for my permesso. We were advised to go to the anagrapher to translate our American wedding document into Italian. After filling out all the paperwork for the translation, there was a discrepancy with my middle name because it is on my passport but not on our marriage certificate. I was told to go to the American Embassy and get a notarized letter saying basically that I am the same person. Besides an absurd amount of money just for a stamp, I had to organize myself as the embassy is only open on t-th between 2 and 4.
We took the notarized letter back to the anagrapher, paid her a fee as well, and proceeded to wait. A month went by and we hadn't heard anything so we went back and asked what was the hold up. She looked through a stack of papers and found mine on the bottom. She said we have to wait. It might take another week.
So we waited.
And nothing.
We went back later in December and told her that there was a medical emergency as I just found out I had a thyroid condition and I needed to get my sanitation card (kind of like medical insurance) as soon as possible. Since she realized the urgency she finally did what she had to do and I received our translated document after the holidays around the second/third week of January.
Whew!
Next we received my codice fiscale (social security number). This was actually the most pleasant experience yet as we only had to wait about 3 hours and were issued the document that day.
The sanitaion card was also a bit of a nightmare as our permanent address is different from the address where we are actually living. This required a lot of going back and forth between the medical ASL in our permanent address and the medical ASL in our actual neighborhood. But it was completed by about the middle of February.
Now after we received the anagropher's document in January we went immediately to the polizia to apply for my permesso di soggiorno. This required yet more money (about 20euro stamp and 6 passport size photos) and some more paperwork. We submitted the documents and proceeded to wait.
Well, we waited until march. I went to the polizia to enquire what was wrong (it had been 3 months at this point and I know others who have received their permessos within a month...maybe they had good connections, maybe they got lucky, maybe they paid extra $ on the side??? I'm willing to believe anything at this point). The polizia told me I had to wait.
I waited.
And I waited.
In May I went back and asked again why it's taking so long. I didn't mean to harass them but c'mon this is ridiculous. So I bravely ask the man "Lei parla Inglese?" because my Italian really is not very good and it would be so much easier to explain it in English. The silly little man behind the counter scoffed at me "Magari!" as in ha ha , it would be nice but you've got to be kidding,...
And in the end he laughed and told me I had to wait. Yet again.
So I have been completely fed up and this week I took DH's aunt with me to the polizia to try and figure out this mystery. Well, she argued with them for about ten minutes (at least to me it sounded like they were yelling at each other) and at the end she politely said thank you, you have been very nice. Good day.
So what happened???? Well, it turns out because we have a temporary address and a permanent address we must go to the police station in the neighborhood where we are actually living. We had been going to the polizia at our permanent address thinking that would be the correct thing to do as all our documents have that address. Agghhhhhh!
Well, I am hoping that this is the last step as I am so tired of waiting. and waiting. But I have to confess I am not entirely convinced that this process is going to get any easier.
I feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall and they are all just watching me, enjoying it. Why oh why does EVERYTHING have to be so difficult in Italy? Believe me there are things I LOVE about this country but then when a simple application process becomes a magnum opus I just want to... *sigh*
And I know things like this happen in the United States (and everywhere else) all the time but for some reason it just seems easier there. I guess because I am fluent in English and I know all the laws and how things work whereas here I feel totally lost sometimes. Um, okay, all the time.
I must say though I am grateful for such good friends/family and a loving husband (and aunt!) that I am able to put things into perspective. And a double gelato is in order once I complete this hurdle. I think I deserve it after playing the wait game.

Cimitero dei Cappuccini

2006-06-03T18:39:00.000+02:00

I'm in a bit of a funk these days. Worried about finances, family, work, life, et al. I will spare you the details. So when DH asked me if I wanted to see a cemetary full of bones I didn't hesitate to mutter "sure. okay." That's the kinda mood I've been feeling these days. Yeah, fine, whatever, it doesn't matter, there's not much I can do to rectify things, it's hopeless anyway. It was fitting then that he took me to the center on Via Vento to see the Cimitero dei Cappuccini (Cemetery of the Capuchins). It certainly was not what I was expecting.

The crypt is located just under Santa Maria della Concezione, a church commissioned by Pope Urban XIII in 1626. The crypt supposedly contains the remains of 4,000 monks buried between 1500-1870, during which time the Papal States permitted burial in and under churches. The underground crypt is divided into five chapels lit only by dim natural light seeping in through cracks, and small fluorescent lamps which cast strange shadows.
It is really creepy. If you look closely in these pictures you will notice that indeed those are human skulls and bones that decorate the cavernous walls. The ceilings are embellished in floral patterns as if emulating a Ravenna mosaic (with a touch of Baroque chiaroscuro and morose color palettes and a bit of Rococo flamboyancy thrown in as well) . And those monks standing against the skulls and lounging in the arch are skeletons as well.

As we passed through each chapel I realized that the monks were not buried underneath us but it was their bones indeed that adorned the walls. I am blaming this slow realization on my shock at seeing so many skulls at one time in person and this being the closest in proximity I think I have ever been to human bones. I could literally breathe on them, just reach over the small iron gate and touch them. In fact, I noticed there were some initials carved into a few. Even the lamps were made out of some woven design of bones. Creepy, really creepy. I suppose the message was supposed to suggest the ephemerality of life, how we must live to our fullest and make every moment count. Don't dwell on the negative, enjoy life now (wait that sounds like a Vodafone commercial), well, you get the idea.

Apple Pie/Self Portrait Tuesday

2006-05-23T14:24:00.000+02:00

Feeling a little nostalgic...
I made my first ever baked pie, or rather tart. And yes, it was apple. It actually turned out pretty good just using sliced apples, a little butter, sugar, and pastry crust (pasta sfoglia) and I felt oh so Americana.

Other self portrait tuesday photos can be seen here.

Giddy in Gaeta

2006-05-15T20:29:00.000+02:00

We spent the weekend in Gaeta along the tyrrhenian coast between Rome and Naples. It was so amazingly gorgeous and relaxing (despite having loads of tourists even though it's only the middle of May). I even swam in the frigid water but it was a dream. So clear and blue-ish green. There is a medieval castle overlooking the town and it was just so picturesque and charming. I didn't want to go back to Rome.

Looking outside our window.

Aloe and more aloe...

Sunset

These little guys were outside all the windows.
(for those non-Euro folks, they are used to keep the shutters open)

In the morning we made Naples style coffee (cafe Napolitano). Mmmmm.....really tasty. You boil the water on one side and when it's ready you flip it over and pour the coffee into your espresso cups with a hint of sugar.

In the afternoon we ate kumquats from a tree and just enjoyed a lazy afternoon in the sun.

I can't wait to go back. I would also like to see Sperlonga, it's supposed to be smaller than Gaeta but just as lovely. Hope to return soon!

Self Portrait Tuesday

2006-05-09T10:11:00.000+02:00

There are lots more self portraits to be seen here.
I especially like elsakawai's
and alisuki 's self portrait. They are really beautiful.

A walk in the park

2006-05-05T19:20:00.000+02:00

I went for a walk in Villa Torlonia this afternoon. It had been under construction for quite some time and they recently finished the restoration and reopened to the public. A wealthy banking family by the name of Torlonia owned the property in the 19th century. Later it was home to Mussolini in the twenties and then it became a public park in 1978. And I found out today that beneath the park there are Jewish catacombs (dating back to the 3rd and 4th centuries AD) in which Mussolini used to build a bomb shelter.
But what's so interesting about this park (to me anyhow) is all the builings are built in completely different styles (for example one looks like a Swiss or German fairy tale house) and the park hosts a Temple of Saturn, a theater and a lake, a greenhouse, false ruins (ha ha couldn't figure that one out), a secret cave and of course two Egyptian-like obelisks. Unfortunately I only took three really stupid pictures of the bamboo forest before my camera batteries died (I don't know why but I was so enthralled by these towering stalks of bamboo and they looked so exotic and other-worldly at the time but now they just look stupid).

And hey, I'll throw in a classic obelisk that I found from another website just for a little variety.

But if you are so inclined you can find out more here. If you are ever in Rome you should check it out. It is really pretty and there are loads of soccer players, runners, children playing, elderly couples snuggling on the benches, and the token guitar player singing mellow ballads as the sun shines.

Shave and a Haircut

2006-04-29T16:45:00.000+02:00

This is my new low-budget stop motion animation. All I used were photo stills from my digital camera and video editing software. Theme: every day life as art (can't get any more low budget than that!). I really like the abrupt jerky motion but because it is a narrative time line the image sequence seems to flow together pretty nicely.

Art Povera: my new art project

2006-04-28T19:28:00.000+02:00

The strange things I do in my spare time....
I have a confession to make.
I like to reinvent and remake and realize new art from my old art. I was always taught in art school to move forward once you complete a project but I love to go through my old ideas and ponder about what I was thinking and what i was going through at that time.
Well, I never listen to what I'm told anyhow.

These are stills from a video I made last year using this super fantastic computer program called max/jitter. Basically I programmed a "patch" (official name) that allowed me to motion track what was fed into a video camera. The camera was plugged into the computer and recorded a close up of my hands putting bandaids on all my fingers. As my hands moved a random text/poetry was generated which moved according to where and when my hands entered the video field. It's such a great program and I miss having access to all the great equipment and computers that I had at graduate school. (sigh). I guess that's what I paid the big bucks for.
But now that I'm living here in Italy I'm thinking of going more low-budget. Just call it Art Povera. Or call it If I Had An Unlimited Budget Think Of All The Things I Could Do But I Don't So I Can't So I'll Make Low Budget Instead.

One of THOSE Days

2006-04-25T19:35:00.000+02:00

It's been one of those days. The kind that starts out great and just spirals downward from there. DH and I got in a huge fight today. We went for a walk in the park and by the time we came home we weren't even speaking to each other. Some nasty words were said (well, if you count ***hole and idiot as nasty) and feelings were hurt (mine, not his). He left to go to his friend's house asking if I wanted to tag along in which I abruptly sniffed "NO." So now I am fiendishly seeking advice from online internet quizzes about if we are right for each other (he should know he needs to apologize before he leaves otherwise I will start to obsess and do stupid things like take online internet quizzes! I might even break out the SATC dvd's and pour myself a glass...or two...of wine).
First quiz I took is the The Love Test and and my result was - True Love.

Take The Love Test today!

Cue the Tchaikovsky music--you're in love. If your friends and family members aren't already sick of hearing you talk about your significant other, they will be soon. You are the envy of every single person, so don't flaunt it too much. Enjoy the happily ever after!

hmmmph! :(
So I decided to try the "Is He the One for You?" test thinking that might be more accurate. Oh wait, we are both Libras: is that a bad sign?

He's sweet!
Take Is he the one for you? today!

But is he sweet enough? You will have your ups and downs but if you both feel the same way and work at your relationship, you never know!

Well, I am not happy with that result either. So now I want to have a go at the Which Historical Lunatic are You?

Which Historical Lunatic Are You?

You are Charles VI of France, also known as Charles the Mad or Charles the Well-Beloved!

Well, I guess I am a little crazy , stubborn, and prone to episodes of severe sensitivity being that I am an artist and all...but I just don't want to be the first to apologize. Did I mention childish as well?
Oh, no! Does that mean I have to apologize first? Can't we just pretend it never happened?

Help! I've just lost 3 hours of my life!

2006-04-18T20:38:00.000+02:00

I have just spent three hours (yes, THREE HOURS) online looking at hollywood and celebrity gossip blogs. WTF???? what happened? How did three hours of my life just get snatched out from right under my nose? I was just craving a little teeny tiny slice of my American fashion and celebrity gawking and missing my Sunday NY Post which shows like 6 pages of celebrity sightings and who's dating who and I thought oh, I just want to see if Angelina has had her baby yet (no she hasn't but apparently her baby is more famous than Jesus at this point and he will be born in Africa) and I was sucked in! I feel like I have been molested and there's a really nasty taste in my mouth. Oh, I feel like Scarlet Johansson when she had her bb felt up on the red carpet by some creepy interviewer. Eeeewwwww! And what have I gained from this? Well, I now know that Tom Cruise will be eating his newborn baby's placenta and that Gwenyth Paltrow has really really bad taste in baby names. And Linsay Lohan and Kate Moss are new BFF while Mariah Carey just needs to fire her publicist. Please Please Please don't let me ever waste my life like this again. Please!

Alla Mamma Piu Bella del Mondo!

2006-04-13T20:48:00.000+02:00

Today is my mother's birthday. In honor of her love for cappuccino I am sending her via cyberspace a really nice looking one with chocolate on top and lots of kisses to go along with it!

I wish I were there to celebrate with you! Or I wish you were here as we could celebrate together and drink lots of vino champagne and more vino. So...here's to the best mother a girl could ever want. Love you and Happy Birthday!

Palm Sunday, the Big B, and a time for change

2006-04-09T11:54:00.000+02:00

I just realized today is Palm Sunday. The reason I know this is because there was a large procession of approximately 200 people outside my window not even 15 minutes ago. It was interesting to witness because, first of all, there were three people holding loudspeakers so that all the neighborhood could hear them singing their hymns (or to me it sounded more like pop songs) and all our neighbors, myself included, were hanging out the window to see what all the commotion was about. People were holding these huge palm fronds and I've never quite seen anything like it.
I also realized today is the first day of voting for the Italian elections which makes this an even stranger morning for me as I thought Sunday was a day for church and everything was closed. I wonder how the Catholic church feels about this, or more importantly about Berlusconi who seems to be the sole person in Italy that is allowed to make any kind of decision (political, social, or economic) whatsoever. And let's not forget that this is the man who said "I am like Jesus" and compared himself to Napolean and Jesus Christ during his political campaigning. Well, this is really strange for me to hear a politician say he is suffering for the Italian people as Jesus suffered for Christians. Talk about a major ego problem. But I am told this election has been very "brutto" and it's not only Berlusconi who speaks of strange things. Among the insults that have been slung between Berlusconi and his main opponent Romano Prodi who is center-left: Berlusconi scoffs "I trust the intelligence of the Italian people too much to think that there are so many pricks around who would vote against their own best interests".Prodi slamming the Big B alluding to his claim of Italy's richest man and his political party Forza Italia "Forza Italia's Hueys, Leweys and Deweys defending Uncle Scrooge are pathetic." Ouch! This is some serious mudslinging here.
And to top it all off I asked my husband how he is going to vote. His response "What??? I'm not voting." When prompted for a little more info he replied "both sides are exactly the same. The best reaction of all would be if every Italian stayed home on election day and said 'sti cazzi' as they watched their frigging television and all the politians were wondering what the heck is going on. Why doesn't anyone want to vote?" I do not agree with his attitude but in observing he and his friends behavior I think there is a certain amount of apathy that could be growing to an unhealthy level.
I recently read an article in the bbc news online that said Italians are really frustrated with the lack of options in their political system and this is especially true of Italy's youth. But if the whole country knows Big B has complete control of the media and has made a large personal fortune from Italian taxpayers' money (and perhaps loads of illegal business transactions) and has the gall to internationally ridicule women and his opponents (mr. bush you should invest in Italian businesses because we have the most beautiful women in the world...oh, and let's not forget Berlusconi's unabashed womanizing persona and the many many inappropriate comments he has made) how could anyone NOT vote? The opponents may not be better and you may have to choose between the lesser of two evils but come on! Isn't it time for a little change?

This is Bibo and Bibi

2006-04-06T14:05:00.000+02:00

These are our friends Bibo and Bibi.
Bibo works with my husband Toni.
Bibi does not.
Bibo likes photography.
Bibi likes to shop.
Bibo has a huge dog named Vincent.
Vincent is probably bigger than Bibi although we haven't actually measured them.
Bibi is the nicest girl I have met in Rome.
She has an older sister who is not so nice.
Bibo also has an older sister.
I am told my husband was once very much in love with her. hmmmmm....
Bibo likes to watch football.
Bibi does not.
Bibo spends lots of money on shoes.
Bibi has admitted to owning over 300 purses.
Bibo always looks very stylish.
Bibi too has a good sense of style.
They are Italian. I guess it comes naturally.
These are our friends Bibo and Bibi.

cowboys

2006-03-29T20:38:00.000+02:00

rocket

2006-03-29T20:33:00.000+02:00

Italians and their cellphones

2006-03-19T13:43:00.000+01:00

We went to this great dinner party last night in Parioli. It was a beautiful flat in a beautiful neighborhood with really great food and lots of wine. Everyone was having a nice time and the conversations were flowing when a friend of ours pulls out his cell phone to check his messages. At this point every other male in the room takes out their cell phone and starts to check their messages too. ( I'm not trying to be sexist here but this is what I observed because not one woman pulled out her cell to check it.) This is such a strange phenomenon.
Then everyone begins sharing their cell phone pictures with the rest of the table. The new nephew, the photos of friends, flying in a cesna, work, etc. etc. Then we go through all the different ringtones. Which ones are cool which ones are not, which ones they would like to have, and this goes on for about 20 minutes. After this they proceed to play games with their mobiles by taking two cell phone, disabling the caller ID and calling two random numbers out of each phone's contacts/directory. In other words there are two strangers talking to each other via cell phone and each one is saying "pronto?" "pronto?" "chi e?".
So I'm at one end of the table laughing hystericaly with an English girlfriend of mine because we just can't understand why Italians are so fascinated with their mobiles. I've been told that lots of them have 2 or 3 different phones, one for work, one for family, one for friends. This is incredible! And to think I always just thought my husband was one of those people who liked to talk on the phone. I used to make fun of him saying he's worse than a teenage girl. But then I remember not even I was that obsessed with the telephone when I was a teenager. Hmmmm....

The Best Pizza in Rome (a taglio)

2006-03-12T18:02:00.000+01:00

We just ate the best pizza by the pizza champions of the world, at least the best pizza by the slice in all of Rome.

It's Sicilian style but it is so good that I am still drooling just thinking about it. Mmmmmmmm....truffle paste and potato, artichoke and tuna, gorgonzola and walnuts, cherry tomatoes basil and mozzarella......mmmmmmmm

2006-03-09T15:25:00.000+01:00

My Roman Holiday

2006-03-08T13:10:00.000+01:00

I am trying to get a handle on the Italian way of life here. Yeah yeah yeah I know this is so stereotypical but Italians have nowhere to be and are in no hurry to get there. Mind you, I moved here from New York City where everyone works a 14 hour day and if you don't there is something seriously wrong with you. Now I am decompressing and detoxing from a completely insane hectic lifestyle to, well, weird habits like not being able to go to the store between the hours of 1:30 and 4 because the whole city shuts down. What? No 24 hour delis? Banks close at 2pm? I have to wait until 4pm to go to the hardware store if I missed the window of time in the morning? And everything is closed on Sunday? What????
My husband, who is Roman (no, he's not just Italian, he's Roman! I've been informed that there is a difference) thinks this is life, yes this is the way to live. And I have to agree it is really really sooooooooooooooooo nice and relaxing but I can't just wind down from seven years of NYC so easily. I just can't stop thinking "i am so lazy, i am so lazy, i am so lazy...." Thank God he is so understanding and such a wonderful man that he can put up with all my post-NY neuroses!