An evening in Roma (part 3)

Kayvan made dinner reservations for Myosotis and we sat at a table in a small piazza. I'd highly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Roma.

A fun bonus in Roma is that you can buy toys while you eat at outdoor tables. Various shiny and noisy things. I bought this dancing ass for 10 euro. He plays techno and totally freaks out to the beats.


Overwhelmed and it's only the first course. Involtini di melanzane e ricotta (rolled eggplant slices filled with ricotta):





The birthday hour has arrived. Auguri!


My favorite Roma is found at night during a passegiata (leisurely walk about town):



Piazza Navona:


I spent the next day on a chaise at the hotel pool, while the LA/NY posse headed for Mykonos.

Thanks for everything and have a fabulous vacation! I'll see you in the states in a month. Baci! (Kisses!)

An evening in Roma (part 2)

We enjoyed afternoon tea goodies on the balcony of the lounge which was immediately followed by the aperitivo goodies in said lounge. I'm not certain the empty champagne bottles were replaced as speedily as they could have been, but otherwise I have no complaints in regards to the free food and bevies. We headed for the room to relax a bit and get dolled up for the evening as we do.

A few times the doorbell rang so two or three of us would hide in the bathroom. As we were technically four people in a room designed for two. To pass the time in the loo, we held photoshoots.

This first photo features the Canon Powershot digital camera:


This iPhone made its way across the pond:


(Enter your own caption here _________________________):


Fun with mirrors:


Room amenities include high-speed internet access:


Brand spankin' newly purchased Gucci wares:


Fear of "pretentious" expats?:


Birthday champagne should always be enjoyed on lovely linens:


Bling it:


Counting the hours until midnight:


Eyes lovin' on the lens. (And I don't recall erasing the better photo. This is a quasi-reject.):

An evening in Roma (part 1)

My dearest friends from Los Angeles, Kayvan and Vince, planned a short visit to the bel paese on their way to Mykonos with their travel pal (proprio {own it} NYC superstar) Dennis. On Tuesday we all hopped in the Alfa Romeo and headed to Roma with two requisite stops.

1. The Mall (Gucci)
2. Autogrill (Ciao!)

Rome Cavalieri Hilton was the destination. Executive floor, room 818. I felt like a very spoiled girl, but this is status quo for these voyagers.

We arrived in time for afternoon tea in the 7th floor lounge.

This is Vince and Dennis:


Edibles and a drinkable:


The view:



La piscina (swimming pool):

Breakin' the law, breakin' the law

We went to the beach on Saturday as Firenze is as hot as Mr. Heatmiser's lair. It's an illegal beach so from the main road, you have to sneak through a broken fence and hop down some dirt and rock-covered trails. The owner of the highest castle on the hill owns this beach. However, he himself doesn't bust the beachgoers. Tommy said he's seen this beach busted by the polizia (police) twice in his lifetime. If they bust the beach they ask for your documents and you have to pay a small fine.

Swimming here is incredible as the water is crisp and clean and from the sea when you look back at the beach there are various castles and castle ruins dotting the landscape. In the course of the day I slept and swam, slept and swam, and slept and swam again. When you hear a bell ring, the gelato guy is making his way down the hill with his cooler of refreshment. The first time you hear the bell, the whole beach cheers. The boys are bronzed and most fine. We weren't busted. We'll return in September.

Festa di bisontini

Today was our pre-summer bash. I'm still a bit ubriaca (let's just say I drank too much) from the festivities, however I have many photos to share. I love these people like family. We've been working our bums off and we finally were able to relax. Buona vacanza a tutti! (Have a great vacation everyone!)


Ceccotti, Lorenzo, Michael, Tommy (drawing as usual):


Tommy's still drawing. Here's Isabella in the center:


Giorgio and Adria:


Everybody loves Simone:


Il direttore (The program director) getting ready to cut the (spiked) watermelon:


A fashionably-late Giuseppe:


Michael di Portland:


Guiseppe, the face that could launch a thousand ships:


Tommaso sharing his torta di cocco (coconut cake):


Salute! (Cheers!) This is Sissi:


The Tuscan faces of Adria and Lorenzo (er... could you get any more Florentine than Lorenzo?):


Adria and me:


My Sicilian cousin Vito and Guiseppe on guitar:


I'll miss you all like crazy and look forward to seeing you in September! Baci! (Kisses!)

Two-week countdown

This begins the two-week countdown to my summer in the states. I'll be working my bum off in the studio this week, hoping to get in 9 hours a day. I'll be editioning the Pompeii print this week and finishing the edition of the burin print. I have yet to title either.

Also on the calendar for this week is a second date with the Toscano. (Pitter-patter, pitter-patter!) And at the studio we have our end of semester festa (party) on Friday. It's a potluck and I will prepare frittata di zucchine.

I'm so loving summer in Tuscany, I just wish I didn't have to be in the studio the whole day. Andiamo al mare! (Let's go to the sea!)

Next week Kayvan comes... we shall Prada and Autogrill together! Then I start packing. Send me any requests for anything you'd like from Italy. I'll be traveling light, so I can cart back food products, kitsch, Vespas, what-have-you.

Driving Toscana

During Cristina's visit we rented a car from Firenze and headed for the hilltowns. We picked up the car around 11:30am and returned to Firenze about twelve hours later.

Dante's Monteriggioni



For lunch we went to the alimentari (deli) and ordered prosciutto, salame, pecorino, pane and two glasses of chianti classico. Happy Father's Day, Dad! Salute!



We drove through Montalcino to Sant'Antimo. Here is the view of Monte Amiata from the Abbey.




The capella in the Val d'Orcia, on the road to Pienza.


Vespa sighting in Pienza.


We enjoyed a true Tuscan sunset driving through Chianti and dined in Castellina in Chianti, before winding our way back into town.