|
Italy:
01-02-00
Museum
Day! Palazzo Pitti for Renaissance and the most opulent and
glamorous rooms I've ever seen. Salon Verde and the Queens bedroom
are my favorite by far. My own Queens bedroom at home will be getting
a new window treatment when I return.
Gorgeous
chandeliers in the apartments of the Pitti Palace, five or six per
room! Also viewed an art show of paintings by Edvard Munch, always
a favorite. Here also is a large painting of St. Sebastion, who in
my opinion, is the sexiest of all the saints.
Museum
de Academie
David is the main attraction here - and he is quite spectacular up
close, if a bit *ahem*unimpressive for a man of his stature. The rest
of the museum is devoted to Byzantine art, which for my secular Pagan
self, is not quite to my taste.
 |
 |
 |
2:15
PM
acqua minerale con gaz
salami foccia |
Note
to self:
I love cappuccino. |
3:45
PM
back at Il Rifrullo for a cappuccino after shopping unsuccesfully
for (oh my aching feet!) shoes. Found 2 beautiful scarves, though,
for L.60,000 - bonus! One sort of scarf/poncho affair and two "silk" disguised
as polyester. Really hoping to find an Internet cafe so I can really
check email - I must have dozens of emails by now.
Neenah
Cherry playing - more musique Americano.
8:10PM
Osteria Caffe Italiano
vino bianco: Vigne del Mandorlo
Fattoria Montellori
Dinner:
risotto with pecorino de Siena with mint and stewed rabbit with greens
biscotti with vin santo
Massimo
(right), bartender extraordinaire, at Il Rifrullo, with another of
the great bartenders at my, now favorite bar/restaurant in Firenze!
I've
closed Il Rifrillo.
tomorrow - train to Milano
Italy:
01-03-00
Villas! R&T have the ultimate plan - take the city bus
up into the hills, and peek into the fences around the huge villas
outside Firenze. Its spectacular - huge houses, some with their
own olive groves. I decide my life would be more economical if
I had a villa. Id have an olive grove, vegetable garden and lots
of chickens, rabbits and veal . . . oops . . . running around as
free range food. Imagine the savings! I could be happy with a small
villa - say 5 - 6 bedrooms or so. Imagine the opulence, tassels,
fringe and window treatments! A villa is definitely what I need.
 Note
to self:
Begin villa plan
collect tassels and fringe
design/sew window treatments
Shopping
marble paper books
2 pairs black pants
Graffitti
in Polly Magus:
Take your hatred out on me
make your victim my head
you never ever believed in me
i am your tornquet
Italy:
01-04-00
Up
at 07.00 (painful) - I say "Ciao!" to Richard, who is barefoot
in the street. Im slightly hung over from Massimos generosity with
the vino Russo - my arriverderci drink at Il Rifullo - Ill miss that
place!
Uneventful
train ride. I fall asleep.
Hotel
Emilia, Rs friend Woodys suggestion, is perfect. Two stars - my
kind of place! While I sit in the lobby waiting for my room, a woman
who I suspect is a prostitute pops in to check on a room. Shes beautiful
- a fellow freelancer!
01:00
On my own in Milano is where i really start to struggle with the language.
Its a good thing I love salami.
15:15
Mmmm . . . Cappuccino. It always seems easier to locate the expensivo
shopping. While comparison shopping at Louis Vuitton, I discover my
fake Louie bag is an identical copy - the tiny lock and key is actually
a bit nicer! Milan is a spectacular city, full of skinny, well - dressed
citizens. No one is dowdy or overweight - even the poliza appear to
be models. I do a lot of smiling at the cops - a welcome change from
Chicagos donut eaters.
Note
to self:
Learn how to make risotto.
Now
time to wander. I take the subway to the Duomo. Predictably spectacular.
Italians are obsessed with beauty - every shop window is opulent -
lots of cool gilt glassware and over the top table settings.
21.45
After a blissfull hot shower, thourough booty cleansing (nothing provokes
happiness like a clean hoo-hah here in the land of bidets) and organizing
my bags, i become obsessed with Italian TV. This game show - identifying
American music is completely hot. Beautiful babes in skintight, sequined
see-through dresses dance, sing, play instruments and read Tarot cards
dressed as a mermaid. I see no trumpet OR conga drum player in the
band - theres my new career! YES!!! SI! Bellissimo! I'm feeling so
happy, i decide Ill take my own sweet self on a dinner date. I even
apply makeup.
Now
I'm at "le Chalet" for dinner, solo. Salade misto, vino
bianco and a Calabrese pizza - tuna, anchovies, black olives and capers
- no cheese. Inexplicably, the anchovies make my lips swell up. I'm
wearing my new white wool sweater, black nylon twill pants from Stephanel
and my new Bata shoes. The waiter tells me I am "very beautiful" -
I'm in heaven. The waiter smiles at my feeble attempts to speak Italian
- at least I can order food successfully.
Except
that I'm still having an allergic reaction to the damn anchovies.
Everybody is smoking, but still, they look fabulous. A man comes in
with a cute white dog which i immediately start petting. I wish they
allowed dogs in restaurants in the US, it really adds to the dining
to be able to pet a cute little mutt.
Note
to self
I want to live here. I could be so happy. But I'd need a villa with
apartments for all my friends to visit, 5-6 bedrooms ought to be sufficient.
There
are a few Americanos here, but I'm passing. I'm Italian now. I'm certain
to be insufferable when i return home.
Earlier,
I visited a Farmacia, and loaded up on Euro skin care products. I
must say though, the farmacias here are not as much fun as those in
Venezuela.
I
also bought the most beautiful pair of brown leather pants.
35,000
lire for dinner. I'd put out for me! I had a fabulous time.
|
