The Things You Find When You Clean

Chris & I have just spent the last several hours cleaning out/de-cluttering part of the upstairs hallway that leads into my office nook. There's still quite a bit of work to be done, but we got so much accomplished today, I'm really pleased. We're getting rid of a bunch of stuff, and a bunch more got organized and put away (like it was supposed to have years ago). So, all in all, even though my back is now aching, I'm happy with how I spent my Sunday afternoon.

Of course, there are all kinds of odd and interesting things you tend to find when you're cleaning, especially if you're cleaning out an area that has been untouched for, oh, well, years. One thing I found today made me smile, just as it did when someone first sent it to me via email almost a decade ago, and I thought I'd share it with all y'all.

Resignation

Consider this official notice:
I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult.

I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an eight-year-old again. I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four-star restaurant. I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make ripples with rocks. I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.

I want to lie under a big oak tree & run a lemonade stand with friends on a hot summer day. I want to return to a time when life was simple. When all you knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, but that didn't bother you because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care. All you knew was how to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset.

I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good. I want to believe that anything is possible. I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again. I want to live simply again. I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in a month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones. I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.

So... Here's my checkbook and my car keys, my credit card bills and my 401K statements. I'm resigning from adulthood. And, if you want to discuss this further, you'll have to catch me first, 'cause:

"Tag, you're it!"

The Last Photos from Italy

Okay, I've finally gotten around to uploading the rest of the photos I took during the trip to Italy - many apologies for the delay. The entire trip is now chronicled (more or less) in this set on Flickr. The only thing I've left out is the photos from the start of the Milano-Sanremo bike race; but there's a link to that separate set if you're really interested in cycling (or you can go directly to the cycling photos from race sign-in here).

Again, sorry for the delay in getting these online; I hope you enjoy them!

Thanks for the Support

I read a blog post recently about an American gal who's been living in Italy for the past eight years - she's married to an Italian man, and just had her first baby recently. She mentioned in her post how her mother used to leave classified ads for jobs she'd be qualified for around the house whenever she'd come back to the US to visit, and how she's now upped the ante (now that there's a grandchild added to the mix) by saying, "They've had you for eight years, now it's our turn!" The blogger was wondering who exactly had "had" her for eight years, since her move to Italy in the first place was her decision.

Anyway, it got me thinking how important it is to have a base of support behind you when you do anything that's even remotely unusual or difficult. Yes, great things can be (and often are) accomplished by people who work solo and who don't even have a cheering section, but I can't help but think that's really the tougher road. Even if your support network does nothing more than take you out for a drink every so often, or listen to your complaining, or remind you that you're wonderful no matter what happens - these are incredibly important elements to undertaking any difficult task.

So I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who's been supportive of Chris' and my "Project Italy," as we sometimes call it. It seems crazy to some of our friends and family that we'd want to live in Italy, but for the most part all we hear is encouragement. Some people are sad that we'll be further away, but generally speaking their first question is, "You're going to have a guest room, right?" It means the world to us that our friends and family are so supportive, because although the end result (living in Italy) will be excellent, getting there (figuring out a way to live in Italy legally) is definitely not easy.

In fact, we just found out today in a detailed email exactly what it will take to get one particular visa that would allow us to live and work in Italy without Chris having a job ahead of time. In addition to the cost of the visa, there is an incredible list of documents we'd need to pull together, get translated, and bring personally to the Italian consulate in San Francisco. And, ironically, one of the documents is proof of a residence in Italy... Which is something we thought we couldn't get without the visa first. It's such a circular process, it's no wonder people just go and stay illegally.

At any rate, this is all to say that while we know this isn't necessarily what everyone out there would want for us to be doing right now, we appreciate the support you're giving us anyway. It's quite something to have so many people cheering you on as you try to realize a lifelong dream!

Signs of Spring

Well, my fever and nasty head-cold migrated both north and south - into my sinuses and lungs - which means that remnants of it will probably be annoying me for weeks (if not months) to come. And then the head-cold kind of morphed into a mysterious stomach ailment, which lasted for several days, and nothing I ate (or didn't eat) seemed to make it any better. That was seriously irritating. That seems to have subsided now (fingers crossed), so I'm beginning to be seen among the living again! Wahoo!

I'm saying this was one of those usual Spring colds, but I know it probably had more to do with just sheer exhaustion after the trip to Italy. But in addition to the stupid cold, there are other signs of Spring - and these I actually like. The weird snowy and hail-y weather we had here a week or so ago has finally given way to beautifully sunny days, and the tulips and daffodils in my garden are in bloom. That's lovely. Chris and I might take a drive tomorrow in the Alfa down to the tulip festival south of Portland because it's supposed to be 75F - I know I won't be able to get any photos that don't have other people in them, but it'd still be fun to get out on such a gorgeous day.

There is one last sign of Spring that I don't like, however, and that's my wardrobe. As much as I love this time of year, I can never seem to find anything to wear. I love my winter clothes, and my fall clothes, and you'd think fall and Spring clothes would be the same - but they're not. So I may have to do a little targeted shopping tomorrow as well. We'll see if I feel like I can afford it.

Hope all's well with you, and it's a beautiful day where you are!

Down for the Count

That post-trip head-cold I was fearing started coming on before I left for Sea-Tac airport on Sunday to go get Chris, and developed into a low-grade fever on the trip back to Portland. The fever didn't last, thank goodness, but I've had a hacking cough since Sunday night and am now starting to get stuffed up. I was so pleased, I thought I'd actually managed to get away without any real nasty jetlag effects, and then WHAM. That's what I get, I suppose, for thinking I could escape jetlag. Jetlag has some powerful friends, I guess, and it doesn't like to be ignored.

Thankfully, I'm working at home this week anyway, as most of my office is out of town - my "office" is now the sofa, where I can put the laptop down every few hours for a nap. It's amazing how much sleep I feel like I need right now... I'm hoping to feel better by the weekend, because I'm tired of being cooped up in the house - especially now that the weather has finally turned back into Spring!

I'm back!

I got in late last night, after a too-long day of airplanes and customs and security lines and no sleep, and I finally turned out the light around 11:30pm. I vaguely recall waking up once during the night, but didn't really start waking up in earnest until almost 8:00am today, so that's good. I'm starting to feel sleepy now, and am hoping to go to bed early, but all in all I'm pleased at how well I slept. We'll see if I can really avoid jetlag, or if I'm deluding myself.

It was extremely hard to leave Italy yesterday; the whole process of packing and taking the train to the airport was just plain depressing. Now, it is nice to be in my own home surrounded by my stuff and to have my cats around (that last part is especially nice), but I could have my own stuff and my cats moved to Italy. So that isn't enough of a lure to stay here. No, moving to Italy is still very much something I want to do, so we'll see how it all works out.

On a lighter note, when I got home last night the garage light was on. I thought that was odd. Then I saw there was a note from our house-sitter extraordinaire on the door, saying one of the cats was in the garage. (They're indoor cats, and not supposed to get into the garage, even.) She said he'd gotten in there just that evening as she was taking out the garbage, and he was too quick for her. He hadn't responded to her attempts to get him back inside, so I spent the first 20 minutes of being home lying on the floor of my garage trying to convince my cat to come out from under Chris' car. He finally did, and when I scooped him I up I realized his paws were kind of oily. Lovely. So then I spent the next 15 minutes washing off my cat's paws (he really didn't love me very much at that point) in a locked bathroom so he couldn't get away and get oily cat footprints all over our cream-colored carpets. Then, and only then, did I actually bring any of my bags upstairs.

Yeah, it was kind of an odd re-entry. But comical. At least for me (not for the cat).

Oh, and this morning before I ran to the grocery store for some milk, I stopped by the cafe that's around the corner from our house (and run by some friends who love Italy and Italian coffee), and I taught the gals working there how to make my new favorite coffee drink. I'll have to teach our friends, the owners, so they can add it to the menu. Seriously. I'm not sure I can live without at least the occasional marocchino for too long! Hey, if I can't be in Italy, I'll bring as much of Italy home with me as possible...

I'm going to spend tomorrow morning doing a few household chores and unpacking, my mom's going to come up for a visit in the afternoon, and I'm going to relax in my PJs and maybe not leave my house all day. Then on Sunday I have to drive to SeaTac airport to pick up Chris. That's as far as he could get on Sunday (they were going to have him stay overnight up there and fly him to Portland on Monday - no thanks). I'm not looking forward to the road trip by myself on the way up, especially if I'm still jetlaggy. Anyone wanna come with??

BootsnAll Bloopers Video

At BootsnAll we've been doing lots of videos over the last few months, recording stuff in our basement mini-TV studio and putting it up on the video section of BootsnAll. As you can imagine, Ethan (the man who's usually behind the camera) has collected lots of bloopers and outtakes over this time, which he actually edited together into one three-minute video.

Now, if you don't know anyone at BootsnAll, this may not be terribly amusing to you. But I've watched it twice now and giggled myself silly. I work with some funny guys.



For reference, featured in this video are:
Sean - BootsnAll CEO, co-founder & company mascot
Chris - BootsnAll co-founder, design guru & resident Aussie whose mind goes blank for a second
Ethan - BootsnAll video expert who's apparently struggling with an ear hair issue
Mika - BootsnAll business (or biz-natch) development
Hayden - BootsnAll marketing guy who is told no one cares about his family
Roger - BootsnAll writer who brings his own lighting to the DMV
and me!

Where did I leave off?

I know, I know - it was ages ago. I'm a bad blogger. And I haven't uploaded pictures to Flickr for awhile, either. Sorry about that - I'm trying to maintain two Flickr accounts, and I'm obviously not doing a very good job of that! As it happens, maintaining two blogs is a bit difficult, too. I hope you'll forgive me.

It's Tuesday afternoon in Milan, and I head back to Oregon on Thursday. I'm not ready. I don't want to go back yet. Despite some things I'd like to change about my living situation here (bigger apartment, better plumbing, having my cats here) and the situation overall (Chris with a job here, us being able to be here legally and permanently), it's been an excellent trip and I still very much like Italy and the idea of living in Italy. We both do. It could have gone either way, of course, with either one of us deciding after six weeks of living in Italy that this was a bad idea of colossal proportions and what were we thinking in the first place? Both of us could have come to that conclusion as well. But we didn't. We both still love it here, and we want to come back ASAP.

That's easier said than done, unfortunately.

We have been presented with some options, which include getting an autonomous work visa for me and then a family visa for Chris, but there are serious downsides to doing that (not least of which is the personal cost we'd have to shoulder). We can also come back for up to three months on a normal tourist visa, during which time Chris can be once again looking for work. But at some point the looking for work has to turn into actually getting a position, and that's the tough part. There's no doubt in either of our minds that it'll happen, it's a question of time and presence - things tend to happen more slowly here, and it'll be hard for Chris to get a job if he's looking from across an ocean. So, even though we have options, there is (as yet) no perfect solution. Except, of course, if Chris gets a job offer!

About an hour ago we looked at our first apartment here in Milan - it was mostly a test run, to start to get a feel for the real estate system here (it's so different from the US, I don't know where to start). It was a decent apartment, but just like with cars you don't want to take the first one you see. And of course we can't really take anything right now, either. It's all this big circular thing that's very difficult to enter as a foreigner. In order to get Piece A you need Piece B, and in order to get Piece B you need Piece C. But in order to get Piece C, it seems you need Piece A. Frankly, I'm not surprised so many people come and stay here illegally - the system is so challenging to penetrate.

At any rate, this six weeks has simply flown by, and this time next week both Chris and I will be back in Oregon, trying to figure out our next steps. No telling what happens next, folks.

Heading "Home" Tomorrow

I'm now on my last full day in Florence; I've got one (possibly two) more quick work-related stops to make here tomorrow morning, and then I'm going to get on the next train to head "home" - back to Milan. I'll probably have to grab one last gelato here, though, before I go back. The gelato really is extraordinarily good in Florence.

It's funny, I've been calling the Milan apartment "home" now for awhile, mostly in conversations with Chris, but it hasn't been a purposeful thing. It just feels so comfortable here, it's hard to not think of it as home already. I can't believe I've been here nearly a month already - this is the longest trip I've taken since my four-month study abroad in college, during which I felt serious pangs of homesickness regularly. This time, no homesickness. Sure, I miss my family, my friends, my cats - and yet I don't feel the usual "I wanna go home" thing that I usually do after a couple weeks of vacation. I've been so busy during much of this trip, that may be part of the reason for my lack of homesickness, but I'm not sure. It could also be that the immediacy of things like email and Skype make the world seem much smaller than it used to, too. I'm in regular contact with most of the same people I communicate with regularly back home in Oregon, so it doesn't feel like I'm an ocean away.

That's not to say this has been easy, however. I've gotten better at the whole "travel writer" thing as the trip has progressed, and I feel more comfortable in my role... And it's a job that really wears me out. I've crammed a lot of it into this trip, with visits to Venice, Rome and Florence in the space of three weeks (something I wouldn't try to do again if I could help it!), and if I lived here in Italy I'd definitely space these trips out more so that I had time to recuperate between them. I'm proud to report, however, that I've gotten a lot done, even if I feel like I could sleep for a week as a result of it!

At this point, I'm really looking forward to being back in Milan in our cozy apartment, where I can relax all day (well, while working at the computer, of course, but not running around visiting hostels and hotels, anyway), do laundry, and not eat out for every meal. As much as I love Florence (and I really love Florence), I'm going to be happy to be back on a train to Milan tomorrow. At the moment, however, I'm not sure how I'm going to feel about having to get on a plane back to the US about a week later...

Rome is Exhausting Me

I'm on my last full day in Rome (I leave for Florence tomorrow morning), and I have to say that I'm kind of glad about that. This city absolutely exhausts me. Of course, I walked all over hell's half acre yesterday, which contributed to that exhaustion, but there's also a tiredness of a different kind that I seem to get in Rome. It could just be me, but I feel like I always have to be hyper-aware of my surroundings, always have one eye open (and when I've got a giant camera in my face and I'm taking photographs, that's tough), always have my hand on my purse... It's partly because I'm traveling alone right now - normally Chris is around to keep an eye out as I'm blissfully ignoring the world and taking photos - but I can't help but think it's also partly this city.

The first time I visited Rome, I was absolutely knackered after only three days, and yet I was kind of surprised to find that I feel roughly the same way this time. I thought that with a few years of Italian language classes under my belt (not to mention more overall Italian travel experience) I'd be more able to handle Rome. And I do feel much more confident here than I did last time - I've gotten myself all over the place via the bus and walking, not asking directions or getting lost, and that counts for something in my book. But I can't help it... I'm just not built for Rome. I appreciate it (how could you not?), but I'm longing for a city on a smaller scale, a city that doesn't seem poised to eat me alive every time I step out the door. In short, I'm really looking forward to getting to Florence, a city I dearly love.

Rome, it's nothing personal. I think you're a fabulous city, overflowing with history and with oodles to offer, but I guess I can only handle you in small doses. So, no hard feelings, okay? I'll be back. I promise.

What kind of geek are you?

At the end of February I attended a Girl Geek Dinner in Milan; I'd been totally unfamiliar with the whole GGD phenomenon prior to that night - I signed up to go because a friend of mine was helping to organize it, and because I work for a web-based company in which I'm one of the only girls in the office. But I'm far from a techie (despite what my mother might think). So I was interested when the founder of Girl Geek Dinners stood up and introduced herself, saying that her definition of the word "geek" was much broader than what most people thought of when they heard the word. That got me thinking.

The GGD founder, Sarah Blow, says that to her, the word "geek" just implies someone who's totally passionate and knowledgeable about something, whatever it is. She said that she thinks my friend, Sara, who was one of the GGD Italia organizers, is a "food geek." Sara's blog is partly about living in Italy, partly about traveling in and outside Italy, but it's almost always about food. She regularly experiements in her home kitchen and publishes recipes, complete with her own gorgeous photography (some of her fans call it "food porn"). When she travels or tries some new food item even in Italy, she usually reports on it (again, with more photos). She's got a collection of posts about the best places to get gelato in Italy and elsewhere, a great post about how to order a coffee in Italy, and an introduction to Italian candies. So, in the eyes of Sarah Blow, that makes Sara a food geek.

I've been thinking about that ever since, and I've been trying to figure out what kind of geek I am. I suppose I'm a travel geek to some extent, and an Italy geek, but I'm certainly not an expert on either subject. I think this is one of those things where it's hard to objectively judge your own label, because you almost know yourself too well to be objective. So, I'm asking two questions here, in case anyone feels like answering...

What kind of geek do you think I am?

and

What kind of geek are you?

Fame Spotting

Milan is one of those cities I guess you can expect to see the odd famous person now and then - if for no other reason than they're swinging through Gucci or Armani HQ on their way through Europe. To date, here are the famous people we've seen (or we're at least pretty damned sure we've seen):

Lenny Kravitz - Seen with an unidentified woman having a coffee sitting at an outdoor cafe table near the Duomo; he played the Sanremo Music Festival the next day. At the time, I thought, "Wow, that guy looks an awful lot like Lenny Kravitz," assuming it couldn't possibly be him. It wasn't until he took the stage at Sanremo (roughly 260km from Milan) that I thought, "Wow, that was Lenny Kravitz!"

Silvio Berlusconi - Seen getting into a car in Turin (roughly 140km from Milan). I actually only saw the top of his little bald head, but Chris (the tall one) was able to see that it was, indeed Berlusconi. Silvio may only be famous in Italy, but for those who don't know he's been the Prime Minister a couple times and is currently running again. He's also been under investigation for any number of things (I can't keep track, and I'm not sure most Italians can, either) and is, in my everso humble opinion, a scumbag.

Antonio Banderas & Liam Neeson - Seen walking through Milan's Galleria and going into the Prada store. There was a big film camera set up at one end of the Galleria, and Chris looked it up later online and discovered the pair are in town filming a movie right now. But honestly, we couldn't tell if they were actually filming something at that precise moment or just going shopping. It looked more like the latter. Chris (again, the tall one) took the camera and tried to get a few shots of them leaving the store (he was the only one of us who could see above the throng that had gathered outside the store, where no less than five people asked me who was inside), but he learned that being a paparazzo is actually kind of difficult, what with all the jostling and such. I'll say this about Antonio and Liam - the former is short, the latter is tall.

Laura Linney - Seen walking by herself down a street near the Duomo. Now, at the time, I thought, "Wow, that woman looks an awful lot like Laura Linney." But I figured I was dreaming. (I should know better now, after the Infamous Kravitz Sighting of 2008.) Then when Chris looked up the Banderas/Neeson sighting online, he said Laura Linney was also in town filming the same movie. So, who knows? Maybe it actually was Laura Linney I saw walking like an average human being through central Milan.

Seeing Double

Just in case any of you are following the Italy Logue as well, you'll probably recognize something I posted here first appearing on the Italy Logue in the next week or so. I've gotten enough comments from people on my "Becoming a Regular" post that I'm going to put it on the Italy Logue as well. I just didn't want any of you to think you were going crazy...

Venice & Turin Photos

chocolate "sausage" and "eggs"
Originally uploaded by andiamotutti

Who said it could be March already? This trip is already feeling almost over - I just didn't realize how quickly six weeks could go by, but when I'm looking at a calendar and already have plans for trips to Rome and Florence coming up (after which I'll only have a week or so left before I fly home), it feels like time is just slipping away from me.

At any rate, Venice was amazing last week - despite the ferocious cold - and I can't stop thinking about that city. I can't quite put my finger on what it is about the place that so captivates me, although I keep trying. If I figure it out, I'll let you know. Until then, if I keep rhapsodizing about it, you'll have to forgive me.

Chris & I went to a dinner on Friday night which was organized partly by our friend Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy. It was a "Girl Geek Dinner," though there were boys in attendance as well (no, Chris didn't have to wear a dress). We were both exhausted from the previous few days - Chris from prepping for and then teaching his second class here in Milan, me from a few whirlwind days in Venice and too-little sleep on Thursday night - so we weren't the social butterflies we might otherwise have been, but it was fun. We then kind of took Saturday off, sleeping in until something like 10:30 and doing not-much all day. We did go to our first Italian soccer game on Saturday night, which was fun - except my favorite guy didn't play (boo-hoo) and the home team just barely tied the game against a team they should have beaten. So, at least for me, I'm not really counting that game as having happened and I'm hoping we get to see another where my guy actually sets foot on the field. (Yes, that's more important than the team actually winning, at least in my book.)

Sunday we got up early-ish and caught the train to Turin (site of the 2006 winter Olympics) where we visited the final day of the Cioccolatò festival. It's a smaller chocolate festival than some others, including the big one in Perugia every October, but it was really fun - and the weather was spectacular. (That's a picture of chocolate "sausages" and chocolate "eggs" at the top of this post.) It was summer-like, and we both walked around in T-shirts, quite comfortably. After breathing in all the chocolate air, we wandered over to the museum of the Shroud of Turin for a tour and then headed back to Milan. It was a lovely day spent wandering around a lovely city. I'd be quite happy to spend more time in Turin, and if Chris found work there that'd be just fine with me.

So - if you check the Flickr set for this trip, you'll see I've added a whole bunch of new pictures, from Venice, the soccer game, and Turin. Chris has a bunch of sticky-notes on the wall next to our dining table/desk with things we want to do while we're here, and we've only completed two of the 12+ items on the list - so if all goes well, you'll have lots more photos to look through very soon.

Hope all's well with all of you!

Becoming a Regular

venice gondola
Originally uploaded by andiamotutti

For some reason, when I travel I like to get it in my head that visiting the same (fill in the blank) twice in one visit makes me a regular. It could be a news stand, cafe, restaurant, clothing shop - whatever. If I go more than once I feel like there's the possibility I'll be recognized by the people working there from my previous visit, thereby making me a regular. It's a silly notion, but I cling to it and it makes me happy. Usually it's nothing more than an illusion, of course.

On this last trip to Venice, however, I think I became something more akin to a regular than I've ever managed to do on any other trips here or anywhere else. I went to the same restaurant two nights in a row, and because I was dining alone on both occasions I ended up chatting amiably both with the fellow running the tiny dining room (along with others who worked there) and some of the other diners. I'd introduced myself on the first night with my business card, and said I was a travel writer (long after I'd already ordered and eaten most of my meal, I should mention), and in so doing found my table crowded with tiny plates of samples of dishes I hadn't ordered. They called me Signorina Jessica all night long, and it was delightful. Was it anything more than them just being stereotypically flirty Italian men? Maybe not. And when you're traveling alone there are times when you just don't care about the "why," as long as someone is keeping you company.

When I went back the second night they recognized me and called me by name, which instantly made me smile. I let Stefano, the maitre-d' of sorts, order for me and didn't even end up reading much of the book I'd brought with me, because not long after I finished my first course, a pair of gentlemen arrived who were friends of the owners (they shouted "Il Sindaco!" - the mayor - when the two walked in, but I don't know which one they were referring to and it was a joke anyway) and were seated beside me. As he seated them, Stefano introduced them to me and told them in Italian to behave themselves (he then leaned in to me and said, in English, "But we can talk about them, because I don't think they speak English."). I chatted with them most of the evening, entirely in Italian, and had a wonderful time. Claudio, Giorgio and I talked about politics (both here in Italy and back in the US), music, travel and, most of all, Italy.

I had arrived on the second night later than on the first, and because things in Venice close up earlier than in most other touristy cities, I was there at 10:30 or 11 when the restaurant staff sat down in the other dining room to eat their dinner. I was there when they pulled down the metal gates outside the windows, and then - because Claudio and Giorgio had given me some of their wine (on top of the wine I'd ordered for myself) as well as a small glass (though not small enough!) of Scotch, and because Stefano had poured me a taste of Sambuca - Stefano offered to walk me back to my hotel so that I wouldn't fall into a canal.

The fog, which had finally broken a bit in the late afternoon to let a few rays of sunlight dance on the water, had rushed back in with the night and was clinging to everything and everyone. Stefano, a native Venetian, took me a different way back to my hotel by way of St. Mark's Square - and the fog was so thick that standing in front of the Basilica di San Marco it was impossible to see either the church's incredible onion domes or the top of the adjacent bell tower. The piazza and the streets were all but empty, and the city was - if this is even possible - even more hauntingly beautiful than it usually is. I think I fell in love with Venice a little more at that very moment, something I also didn't think was possible.

I couldn't linger, though, because I was exhausted and absolutely freezing, so Stefano walked me to my hotel's door and gave me a kiss on each cheek. I promised him I'd come back to the restaurant the next time I was in Venice, but there's just no telling when that'll be. Honestly, I'm not sure it even matters, though, because now I'm a regular.

Cold in Venice

I wrote this while in Venice earlier this week, though I've now returned to Milan:

When I left Milan on Tuesday morning, it was the same weather we've been having for a week now - chilly in the shade, but in the sun it'd be downright pleasant. I went out without a coat the other day, in fact, and wasn't cold. It's pretty cold at night, of course, but during the day it's really nice to be outside. I had checked the weather reports for Venice before I left, and although the temperatures were a little bit lower, when I packed my bag I didn't factor in one important thing: the fog.

It's friggin' cold here, folks.

The famous Milan fog hasn't really hung around much since we arrived, but it was pretty foggy this morning when I left. And as the train rolled toward Venice the fog never seemed to lift. Then, as the train turned from Venice's mainland station to make the trip across the water to the station on the island itself, the fog actually seemed to get thicker. As soon as I got off the train in my rain jacket I wished I'd brought my down coat - even though it's supposed to rain here for two of the three days I'm here. (Yes, it's actually supposed to get more damp and cold.)

Now, it's February, so I didn't expect warm temperatures. But I didn't expect it to be quite this cold, and the kind of cold that goes straight to your bones. Venice isn't a museum city as far as I'm concerned, because the best thing to do here is just to wander and get lost in the alleyways, but I might seek out a few museums anyway...

Another thing I didn't expect at this time of year is the number of tourists. It's far less than there are in the summer, but the line to get onto the main tourist line bus/boat was long, and my boat was full nearly the whole trip. Piazza San Marco was crowded when I arrived, although as I walked back to my hotel for the last time that night around 7:45pm the piazza had almost entirely cleared out. It was gorgeous in the fog, but I didn't linger.

Seriously, my teeth were chattering.

We'll see what happens - I may have to buy myself a sweater, gloves and a hat. Or I'll just have to duck into lots of museums and cafes. Neither one sounds too terribly bad, now that I think about it.

More about my 3.5 days in Venice later, along with photos!

Trip Photos (So Far)

our doorbell in milan
Originally uploaded by andiamotutti

That's a picture of our doorbell here in Milan, and you can see the pictures I've taken so far (well, some of them, anyway) - including pictures of our apartment - in this new set on Flickr. I'll keep adding to that set as I go, too.

Chris and I went to the Pinacoteca Brera today, an art museum in central Milan. It was fairly interesting, even despite there being no descriptions written in English anywhere (we could have rented an audio guide, but we opted not to - it was fine, because we could read most of what we wanted on the Italian descriptions, but I felt badly for other visitors who don't speak the language).

We also found a pasticceria close to our apartment which is too expensive to visit often, but the proprietors were so incredibly nice that we'll have to make a point to go back anyway. The woman running the place came out to invite us inside when we were looking at the window display, and Chris made friends with her instantly by kissing her cheeks when she asked if he was a native Italian (he was speaking Italian and said we were from America, but she thought we must have been Italian originally because he was speaking Italian). It was incredibly sweet, and it's just that kind of thing that makes me smile here.

All Moved In

We moved into the apartment today, and it's really cute. Just like in the photos. I took a few pictures inside, and will take some of the exterior as well. I'll let you know when they're posted. We're both tired after a few busy and intense days, but we're going to head out shortly for something to eat. We did go grocery shopping earlier, but we don't really have the energy to cook anything tonight... Tomorrow, yes. And then for the next five and a half weeks, often. Tonight, we'll let someone else do the cooking.

Eagles Breakfast Soundtrack, and Other Milano Notes

Just a couple more notes from our trip thus far:

* The hotel we're in (until tomorrow, when we can finally get into the apartment - YAY!) is one of those that offers breakfast included with your stay. It's the standard breakfast bar you find in these places - cereals, juices, some tired-looking pastries and a few trays of sliced meat and cheese. This breakfast room, however, offers something different - an Eagles Greatest Hits soundtrack on a constant loop. The last three days we've gone in there, it's been the same thing. We can't figure out if it's someone's new favorite CD, if they are forced to play it or if the CD is stuck in the machine. Either way, it's kind of funny. I might actually miss the Eagles breakfast soundtrack in a few days. Or not.

* I've had a couple espresso drinks in the last two days, with no ill effects! As some of you know, coffee tends to do a number on my gastro-intestinal system, so that the after-meal coffee or breakfast coffee that's so typical in Italy has always been something I can't partake in. Which is kind of a bummer. The last two days, though, I've been feeling reckless (or stupid, I dunno), and have had two coffees - espresso normale both times, which is just a straight shot of espresso in a tiny little cup - with no sudden need to spend hours in the loo. That, my friends, makes me feel like Italy and I are becoming even better friends, and that makes me quite happy. (And I hope I haven't just jinxed myself.)

* We just came back from wandering through the Navigli neighborhood in the southwestern part of Milan, and on the tram ride back we passed a pet store - it's only about 4 blocks from the hotel, so I may try to buzz over there this afternoon while Chris is out at meetings. I just want to get a look at the kinds of things that are in pet stores here as opposed to at home - I know one expat blogger whose cats hate Italian cat treats, so her mother sends American cat treats to her "grand-cats" every so often. I know both my mom and my mother-in-law would probably be happy to do that, but it'd be nice if our cats actually liked what was on offer here, too. I'm going to bring home some cat treats so they can try them, but might not buy anything just yet.

* I got a note from the guy in Venice who is helping out with my accommodations for my travels, and he sent me a link to the place he's putting me up in Venice. It's about 100 meters from Piazza San Marco. I'm already giddy about it.

* Oh, and yesterday afternoon I met up with my friend Sara of Ms. Adventures in Italy and she told me what the Italian word for flatiron is (piastra, for anyone who's wondering) and sent me to the beauty supply store where she bought hers. So I'm now the proud owner of a Jaguar flatiron which works a treat. I've still got my American one and will try to resurrect it when I get home, but for now, it's getting its own kind of vacation.

What's the Italian word for flatiron?

Well, I just had my first mishap which will necessitate delving into a new-to-me part of Italian life. I think I just fried my flatiron.

And before you scoff, yes - I was using a power adapter/converter. The same one I've used for every other electrical device I've used in Italy (including my computer, right now). But apparently that wasn't enough for the flatiron, which, immediately upon being plugged in, started spewing smoke. I unplugged it again immediately (so it couldn't have been plugged in for more than 3-4 seconds), but now it won't even turn on when I try plugging it into different converter/adapter sets I have here. Hmm... I'll need to figure out (a) what the Italian word for flatiron is, and (b) where on earth they sell them around here.

Anyway, a brief recap of the trip so far:
* I discovered I'm not necessarily a huge fan of the nonstop service from Portland to Europe. I love it in principle, but in practice it depends almost entirely on who you are seated beside whether it's a brilliant thing or an exercise in torture. Okay, so my experience wasn't so bad as to call it torture, but the folks seated near me did make it nigh to impossible to get a wink of sleep - so I didn't sleep at all on the flight. I got here on Tuesday a completely foggy wreck.
* I had planned to get from the airport to the hotel the super-cheap way, i.e. on public transportation. Again, fantastic in principle, but the result is that I ended up lugging my two heavy bags up and down too many flights of stairs on the Milan Metro and today, two days later, my arms and shoulder are still very sore. I've also found bruises where I didn't know I had places. It'll heal, but it just helps to confirm what I've now come to believe, that...
* I'm not a good traveler. That's not to say that I don't do it relatively well, or accomplish what I need/want to, or whatever. It's just to say that while I love being in other places immensely, I've gotten to the point that I no longer like the traveling part - I don't like the getting there. I'm okay with long car rides, but somehow a full day (or more) of being in planes and/or airports really sucks the life out of me. Ah, well. I'm here now, and no more airports in sight for at least 5.5 weeks!

I did end up getting help with my bags from a completely unlikely source (see the Italy Logue for that story), and in the end that episode made my day completely. I still grin when I think about it. And I just heard from a friend that the chocolate festival in Turin is this weekend, which would be pretty fun - we'll see if that works out.

So, I'm tired and my body's aching, but I'm here - and now I need to find an Italian flatiron.