Monaco = Sighs of Happiness

If Genova is clearly purgatory, then Monaco is definitely heaven. It makes so much sense! I mean, isn't heaven is sunny and warm, with lots of gardens?


And roses that bloom in the winter?


And men communing with nature. And seagulls.


And stairs that most definitely lead into the light....


Ahhhhh.....Monaco is perfect!!! We think that their police force exists solely to look good and escort small children across the streets.

But I digress. We arrived in Monaco (post painful stop in Genova) after an all-day train ride that featured several people getting issued tickets for the same seats (ours). Tired and somewhat confused, we fell into the welcoming arms of our hotel and were warmly embraced in a cocoon of great service, friendly concierges, and soft welcoming white cotton. Also, there was electricity and hot water! Martin and I celebrated by taking 3 showers a day and reveling in the hot water/fuzzy bathrobes. (Me: "Oh, I forgot to ask the concierge about the restaurant." Martin: "You have to put on something besides a bathrobe before you leave the room. You PROMISED.") We, in what we felt was a stoke of fabulousness, rendezvoused with Sarah and Ross in our hotel bar, and toasted all of our success in making it that far (to the hotel bar). The weekend was amazing and featured:
1. Swanky cocktails at the most expensive restaurant in town (cocktails were all we could afford...but they came with plates of chocolates! AWESOME)
2. Great french food at several restaurants (ahh French bread, how I have missed you. Oh, and the sauce. Ohhhhh the sauce....)
3. Gambling at Le Grand Casino, and WINNING money (Martin and Ross only, Sarah and I stood around and urged them on. Sarah: "Just lean in like a floozy while they bet! That is how I show my support!" Me: "I'm going to sit over there and wave!")
4. Almost driving a ferrari on the grand prix circuit (Martin: "Please don't. I don't want to send you back home in pieces. How can I explain that to your mom?")
5. An overwhelming sense of peace and beauty brought on by one of the most peaceful and beautiful places on earth.
6. Wondering which of us was going to reach for French and come up with Italian. Surprisingly, it was Martin, not me! I know, we were shocked too.
7. Oh, and did I mention the dressing up and taking of silly photos outside the Grand Casino?


This has been an amazing trip, but I think that Monaco might have been the best part. So as we gear up to say Ciao to Firenze, I must first say, Merci Beaucoup Monaco, Je t'adore!!!

Tuscan Sun and Random Commentary

I mean, everyone says that the Tuscan sun is warm. That is why they made a whole movie about being under it. But when it is cold? And grey? NOT SO MUCH. Or maybe that is because we don't have heating in our apartment so I've started wearing my (italian!) coat as a bathrobe and doing my work under all of my blankets in bed. I know, tiniest violin right now. But I'm just saying.

In other news, my ipod has almost completely died, and seems to only want to play Frank Sinatra. Sometimes. Which is not so helpful when running. Because, to be entirely truthful, I'm not so much of a runner as a "random slacker occasional jogger" and I NEED every motivation to keep my speed above a slow amble. The ipod and 80's music does help with this....when it is working. But come on, I live in the land of gelato and carbs, I NEED HELP. So, my plan to get in shape for my cocktail dress attire in Monaco was to step up my running, but that plan has gone to pot (thanks Apple! I mean, maybe I dropped the ipod in water and it is several years old but STILL). Which led to this random conversation with Martin:

Me: "I mean, I might need you to wrestle the 5th pain au chocolat away from my greedy hands so that I end up still being able to fit into my pants. We don't want a no pants situation--I feel that is not the classy image we want to present."

Martin: "Understood. But, you could just put the butter directly on your legs and slide your pants on that way. You'll end up being attractive to dogs and hungry men, but at least you will be wearing pants!"

Ahhh....good times.

In other news, random comments I've heard while being in Florence:

(while watching a rugby game) "We should start a website showing off men's necks! We can get advertisers!! And make money that way!

"Doesn't America export anything besides bad music?"

"Why are italians all so small? (shifty look) What do they know that we don't????"

"Prosecco Emergencia!" (Ok, I could have said that one. But I think it was Martin)


"Happy Honeymoon!" (said to me and Martin as we strolled through the leather market one afternoon)

And so, while Michelle and Kathleen where here I let Michelle borrow Martin to be her fake husband for awhile since I've had him all to myself so far. They are a cute (fake!) couple!!

What day is it again?

They all sort of blur together. But in a fabulous way, so I suppose it is ok! These pictures are all from a week or two ago when Martin and I dressed up and roamed the city, trying hard not to look touristy, and instead be insanely (silly?) fashionable and Italiano.


Post fun glamour shots, we have had fun friends in town recently. Highlights from the last week:
1. Amanda and Irina and....remembering crimes of passion!
2. Kathleen and Michelle....and rediscovering Rose Prosecco!
3. A guided shopping tour of....the Prada Outlet! And the Gucci Outlet! And (wait for it) FERRAGAMO! There are pictures of us touching stuff that we can never ever ever afford.
4. Gelato! Leather! (but I suppose that is everyday! I LOVE ITALY!)

Things I've learned via Italian shopping excursions: Michelle really really loves purses. And Truffles. And Kathleen (secretly) really really loves fur! And Martin can find the Smith family plaid in really odd locations. But also, it comes in an umbrella format.

Things they have learned about me: I need a LOT of gelato and sunlight to keep going. And, I should never ever ever be left alone with a pair of Prada shoes.

Anyway, this is the end of the friend invasion parts 2 and 3. Tonight we say goodbye to KBibs and Michelle Vallar, and prepare to travel and say hello to Sarah and Ross in...MONACO. As I have mentioned before, Martin and I are furiously prepping for the Monaco trip by touching fur and wearing heels....or wait, maybe that is just me?



Anyway--as I prepare to leave the land of carbs and head to the land of butter, I feel that the only victim here is my waistline. Andiammo!! Vas-y!!!

Save Tall Dave!!

A long time ago, far far away, three college girls broke up with their boyfriends during exam time (i.e. no sleep) and were commiserating with each other. During their (admittedly random) discourse, when, after trying to burn some of their papers and consequently getting smoked out of their apartment due to a an ill-advised non opening of the chimney flue, they decided that were so few good men around, and that perhaps, just perhaps, they should be proactive in saving the ones that were left. Keeping in mind exams and lack of sleep, they decided that the best way to save one of the best men that they knew (Tall Dave) would be to make signs and chalk the street between his apartment and the main exam hall, and put flyers around the more populous places on the rest their college grounds with inspiring slogans like: "For only 23 cents a day, you too can Save Tall Dave!" and "Remember the Alamo! Save Tall Dave!"

At 2 am, this idea did in fact seem brilliant, and it wasn't as if they could re-enter their apartment until the smoke disappated anyway. So thus, on one cold December night, Save Tall Dave (STD!) was born. Also, realizing that the acronym for Save Tall Dave was indeed STD provided hours of entertainment, and more slogans along the lines of: "It's not just an STD! Save Tall Dave!"

And here we are today! While there has often been talk of a newsletter or a formal campaign, Save Tall Dave has been more of a grassroots movement of the people. So far, he's been saved on 5 continents and numerous locales.

So to Tall Dave--we, and the Uffizi Bathroom, say Thank You for being awesome! And for letting us save you all these years.

Bravo!!!

Inbound. Also, TD. You know what I mean!

Sorry for the lack of posting, but the friend cavalcade has pulled into the station. I have 2 here now, with 2 more to follow the same day these two depart, followed by the german invasion possibly next weekend, and then departure for monaco shortly thereafter in order to rendezvous with yet more (awesome!) people. Martin has fled to Rome to escape all of the visitors with a firm: "Stay out of trouble and call me if you need bail money" issued before he left. I think he thinks that he cannot trust me. He is right! :)

I feel honored to have people visiting from London, Belgium, Germany, NYC and DC on this trip....all of my friends rule! You guys are awesome, and I would like to express my thanks in the Fraternity Speak that Martin taught me last week: "Bro (pronounced "Braa"), Dude. DUDE!"

In the interim, I leave you with these questions:
1. Where will we save tall dave?
2. WHEN will we save tall dave?
3. Who is this "tall dave" person anyway, and why on earth would he NEED saving?


Ciao Ciao!!
PS: More random photos to be posted soon. Martin and I were very silly recently!

Americans are really committed....

to Halloween!
Scene: 2 girls walk into a bar. One is wearing wings and some bandages, the other is in a full on chef's costume. They sit and look around.

Chef: "I told you the Italians weren't committed!"

Angel: "What do you mean?"

Chef: "I mean, you can't put on a witches hat or a little face paint and call yourself in costume! This is what is wrong with this country--no commitment!!"

Angel (resettles wings, tapes bandage): "Ummm....you are totally right. We are clearly the normal ones here."

:)

Anyway--fortunately for us, some people (americans) in even more committed costumes involving wings, masks, and in one disturbing case, a diaper, showed up and then we did look more normal!

But it was fun nonetheless to see, and in a small way, I felt I was doing my part for my country. Someone has to dress up, and if not us, then who? (patriotic music) If not now, then when? (drum crescendo) If not random and disturbing, then how can you face yourself in the mirror? (10 gun salute) Bravo America! Way to show Italy what we are made of! :)


**Blurring is designed to make me look more angelic!