tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50952113188724085522024-03-12T18:01:13.660-07:00She's Crazy for Leavin'Wherein Repocket's adventures in international higher education are documented. Read all about it.Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-50355318662227815182016-03-17T14:18:00.001-07:002016-03-17T14:20:22.169-07:00Tell me more<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today is Thursday. The second-to-last week of the ATELIER Mask Movement Program is coming to a close.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Wow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, let me explain:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There is too much.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let me sum up:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1) The views are still terrible.</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiv80txXnzK_gzdXz41jwyvwkQfY4eeYQi_AjsVcLsb5YJPg9TnXfTu5m-FJXcm-svtALUk-zvnBtwJDIeYEbDNwGDpQshbTeIwlOahhzlOxe6hU3ElgAlZO0vdRXP5oq7YdfZqmNXvWgR/s1600/IMG_7394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiv80txXnzK_gzdXz41jwyvwkQfY4eeYQi_AjsVcLsb5YJPg9TnXfTu5m-FJXcm-svtALUk-zvnBtwJDIeYEbDNwGDpQshbTeIwlOahhzlOxe6hU3ElgAlZO0vdRXP5oq7YdfZqmNXvWgR/s400/IMG_7394.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Gah.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2) My local cafe is devoid of charm.</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvjAV1EuBJQNQzL_0g_rUSAH2b2byckly4_H1YhPfntV22Z84eEeRQqu8yBnnDNT3uzD4m9QyoIJaXpVGQZqkM1Ul2WKpuojM4NK-XboX5rUEFa2tJ4SRJtt_OO0LF6LeVwI_35CMt0Bb/s1600/IMG_7153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvjAV1EuBJQNQzL_0g_rUSAH2b2byckly4_H1YhPfntV22Z84eEeRQqu8yBnnDNT3uzD4m9QyoIJaXpVGQZqkM1Ul2WKpuojM4NK-XboX5rUEFa2tJ4SRJtt_OO0LF6LeVwI_35CMt0Bb/s400/IMG_7153.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pasticceria!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3) There is no art anywhere.</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cgagKRm-H1R97ziq1HuS8Gvar_wWQ5nQ7sZogw-j-Js59DXP6-3Ahu6FYElm2CP3Ehj8g9NZ1mkP-tWtVI7aOuUUbEYhKWHPBKyezd0iki7D6cDU64OjIrVp2Wow3Io4f1d7rnK427xf/s1600/IMG_7149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cgagKRm-H1R97ziq1HuS8Gvar_wWQ5nQ7sZogw-j-Js59DXP6-3Ahu6FYElm2CP3Ehj8g9NZ1mkP-tWtVI7aOuUUbEYhKWHPBKyezd0iki7D6cDU64OjIrVp2Wow3Io4f1d7rnK427xf/s400/IMG_7149.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finally a culture not afraid of curves. Halle-bloody-lujiah.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4) And no one with a sense of humor. </span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-O-LGeUU8ppjDx7oAV6NO4Rln7Q8YZwrkt_WSlAoCg-_tER2kAK921Y1vl5KTSmdYtpPZ44p_OtG3ml1NZXb94G_1Wfy1neL7cTxqq7HQb2K1GDu9vkGJeG9A5BI09gY2F1YmpKr8n84/s1600/IMG_7141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-O-LGeUU8ppjDx7oAV6NO4Rln7Q8YZwrkt_WSlAoCg-_tER2kAK921Y1vl5KTSmdYtpPZ44p_OtG3ml1NZXb94G_1Wfy1neL7cTxqq7HQb2K1GDu9vkGJeG9A5BI09gY2F1YmpKr8n84/s400/IMG_7141.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">View from the driver's seat. It's just down the hill to do laundry, Mama, relax. We did much worse carpooling to Waldorf, you may recall.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Okay, enough with the sarcasm, you get it. I still love everything about this place. Seriously, I can't stop.</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii9vFpCt1-0OKKtN6ZuhrzVvFwd3hNsFwXYsfFPnlU_wWZS58qvstMwKru5xtCYnXhF6qhoNwz5OXz-Ely8wgvSQdv-qrqK9KSJoprKbIdYC2ExDVZzcCtuLNuvraFaCI2ijbdRbZpg6r/s1600/IMG_7409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii9vFpCt1-0OKKtN6ZuhrzVvFwd3hNsFwXYsfFPnlU_wWZS58qvstMwKru5xtCYnXhF6qhoNwz5OXz-Ely8wgvSQdv-qrqK9KSJoprKbIdYC2ExDVZzcCtuLNuvraFaCI2ijbdRbZpg6r/s400/IMG_7409.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Other things I am grateful for: Aunt Su ALWAYS points me in the right direction, <i>even from thousands of miles away</i>. I caught the local once a month slow food market day. Thanks Aunt Su!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwynCzbrPXmIpXE5jFYd5T9tVyXnv-ML2cCMKVJQlN99ZVKuezpmN8G075ClMyx2lbXyIiW23W41d_trRcckvLH09QDVww1DSYWhGwvBEj6KUEkOemFQ1JrH7-Nk3qVekCmNXIwnHYOS7d/s1600/IMG_7411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwynCzbrPXmIpXE5jFYd5T9tVyXnv-ML2cCMKVJQlN99ZVKuezpmN8G075ClMyx2lbXyIiW23W41d_trRcckvLH09QDVww1DSYWhGwvBEj6KUEkOemFQ1JrH7-Nk3qVekCmNXIwnHYOS7d/s400/IMG_7411.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Unpasteurized milk. I am living on the edge.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCH_VziUkmgCK8GJK3h_27MaJonx_f_eLxfH7ZDfKmKt8S1kucMrknnh3uAs_yblNXJxBPzW3hWJtyrEDG7l_9e-EIZd_Z4M3LdVLmQmwDdGPESnHVvw0wjbeMbi7uKYTf9AbA-DidTNR/s1600/IMG_7412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCH_VziUkmgCK8GJK3h_27MaJonx_f_eLxfH7ZDfKmKt8S1kucMrknnh3uAs_yblNXJxBPzW3hWJtyrEDG7l_9e-EIZd_Z4M3LdVLmQmwDdGPESnHVvw0wjbeMbi7uKYTf9AbA-DidTNR/s400/IMG_7412.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The snails were so fresh that a few escaped. No question I am at a market in Europe.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIDMekG4gmM7mQUUGqooMWgx55k3jsJlwnuOgMnsyuVOUo3_pYTKeVzONaduQVyjtae1_doVepLRSJS-xZhnPhKfTesl4HuSTL1zBj5vLkxjkUpDTjaW1QzKRlo_kaZKjf8vG1rWdv9Lnc/s1600/IMG_7413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><br />
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<tr><td><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIDMekG4gmM7mQUUGqooMWgx55k3jsJlwnuOgMnsyuVOUo3_pYTKeVzONaduQVyjtae1_doVepLRSJS-xZhnPhKfTesl4HuSTL1zBj5vLkxjkUpDTjaW1QzKRlo_kaZKjf8vG1rWdv9Lnc/s400/IMG_7413.JPG" style="cursor: move; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Real italian pig farmer. The salami, tho, my god</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjYuOdRYffRKwPLEDa9XLlJ4H6aI7Amaj_olDuaeOD3aA4UYWL54L4hMte0kRDPypNodbsxdikxZll28a6-oBkILlNMqVV5pbENmJyHNIgaJsemNmqh2qgIa-dU-ucwqr8LM0lzL-RFPp/s1600/IMG_7588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjYuOdRYffRKwPLEDa9XLlJ4H6aI7Amaj_olDuaeOD3aA4UYWL54L4hMte0kRDPypNodbsxdikxZll28a6-oBkILlNMqVV5pbENmJyHNIgaJsemNmqh2qgIa-dU-ucwqr8LM0lzL-RFPp/s400/IMG_7588.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Bonus: Random bird for mama, caught in Firenze during an instrument repair mission I won't go into here. (Look, Ma! Boliver escaped!)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Anyhow, all of the above barely scratches the surface of this jam-packed-with-all-the-awesome experiences and I need to go back to living the hell out of the remains of it</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But I have so much to say, and I realize I owe ya. (I'm lookin' at you, Mama.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So here we go: Presenting at last (alphabetized by first name, because I never overthink things. Or employ hyperbole. Ever. Shut up.) my beloved beloved comrades:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TTpoJSeC1jvdEeuGPVOpnkN-qA-BYVIoQFJvo_TjBj1OvCKnlyN1Rt02277hyphenhyphenzTUOnh5312OA7VmAreTOZ20ZzyGMeE31lu5DHWsm8JCg2QHs9rOFwml57oiflyoLmyL48JaUb9Htc7t/s1600/IMG_7104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TTpoJSeC1jvdEeuGPVOpnkN-qA-BYVIoQFJvo_TjBj1OvCKnlyN1Rt02277hyphenhyphenzTUOnh5312OA7VmAreTOZ20ZzyGMeE31lu5DHWsm8JCg2QHs9rOFwml57oiflyoLmyL48JaUb9Htc7t/s400/IMG_7104.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Andreas. Sweden. Improv, Stand-up, School-for-Theatre-Creators-Alum, multi-insrumentalist, and my experimental-cooking-partner-in-crime. True story: we invented a new way of cooking tortellini which (though it shocked and baffled the Italians) received an unequivocal seal of approval FROM THE FRENCH. All the win.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmB7Z6pV2pYWPRl_-G2sHnKP9axpLxTW_7xAsyobNVAxpR1jCXJ4YONdNCbHI6mwcROAwTgDgjorWy3sBDsW620GGr1_GrTZaJO9BREdzkc3LXTJu6s2GbbhXKeX8JDTU3V5gcNuDmv2YK/s1600/IMG_7096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmB7Z6pV2pYWPRl_-G2sHnKP9axpLxTW_7xAsyobNVAxpR1jCXJ4YONdNCbHI6mwcROAwTgDgjorWy3sBDsW620GGr1_GrTZaJO9BREdzkc3LXTJu6s2GbbhXKeX8JDTU3V5gcNuDmv2YK/s400/IMG_7096.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Beth. Australia. Acting, Singing, demo-ing the 20 movements (when pressed), Helikos Alum, making masks like whoa even before this experience started, and currently learning uke on my uke! Refuses to teach me to make her excellent cabbage, which is too bad, but is utterly free with laughter, compliments, and putting twenty syllables into the word "no". </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuIjHRkyki-pa7zopBNVawMrbiwwBd8TW0hnenXKxbclCYTZpX8eJYX_AeSNfmqhujNsBc0tsxlDjhwYlW02uCOBs-hF4Wjpe2gcIvwZ-HSOuM3kt21LWsQgLF33wifUNmmaPKTrLEdey/s1600/IMG_7087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuIjHRkyki-pa7zopBNVawMrbiwwBd8TW0hnenXKxbclCYTZpX8eJYX_AeSNfmqhujNsBc0tsxlDjhwYlW02uCOBs-hF4Wjpe2gcIvwZ-HSOuM3kt21LWsQgLF33wifUNmmaPKTrLEdey/s400/IMG_7087.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Brian. Chicago. Improv, <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">School-for-Theatre-Creators</span> Alum, with a side of general hilarity via deadpan shouting. Really. Yeah, it's hard to explain. Also, thoughtful, dedicated, extremely kind, makes delicious Aperol/Cynar spritzes, lives in a black wool hat that looks like it's previous owner was a gnome, and never complains about my calling him Breean Bairn.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLl3e2cqr0jPngkuDIOGkZj5tl-88671kPPvm1LwrNBMCUGPXwXN9W-sK16RBxA7ho_xxy0fbUrYaObWI_Ihoa59j8piuvqCSUM7IFjPyzRRTMKP6iM5qX74O7X61uMJMtl0tw0Z3-9M9/s1600/IMG_7107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLl3e2cqr0jPngkuDIOGkZj5tl-88671kPPvm1LwrNBMCUGPXwXN9W-sK16RBxA7ho_xxy0fbUrYaObWI_Ihoa59j8piuvqCSUM7IFjPyzRRTMKP6iM5qX74O7X61uMJMtl0tw0Z3-9M9/s400/IMG_7107.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Frieda. CA born but spent the last decade in France. Circus artist of wow (Trapeze and ropes are specialties, and much more), Lecoq Alum, Musical Saw, hosts regular teatimes, and shares my devotion to alcoholic chocolates.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBky0AJ7C99cId053_tjifiNUGBRVCNpQ_T5LFvgiIJR0UKzv-lgcPc_kUD9cM-gf-ulMZGiB4_la9KS1J-o9j96RRTuyTvKhRqCkqgIjosuw1LvNubuQ9khrfBwXwW79vAI4p5IJjJcT/s1600/IMG_7118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBky0AJ7C99cId053_tjifiNUGBRVCNpQ_T5LFvgiIJR0UKzv-lgcPc_kUD9cM-gf-ulMZGiB4_la9KS1J-o9j96RRTuyTvKhRqCkqgIjosuw1LvNubuQ9khrfBwXwW79vAI4p5IJjJcT/s400/IMG_7118.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Joe. Rochester and Chicago. The techmaster! Also, improv, games games games, and unrivaled king of crazy faces, frequently found making roughly one million italian-style burritos simultaneously.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoM4TyPT3C-iEfHmpzFqRJbVPvT84T9Xn1EG1VF2HY0XnqvMZSCPfIviBCs4oK4Xnoizdvdtdq8rCJ41K5-6tlUIOJ1XUWQUyUB4t0tOcxWZZJfXsrP-exP7ORun7gzIR1NU0C_KMV3Es/s1600/IMG_7135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoM4TyPT3C-iEfHmpzFqRJbVPvT84T9Xn1EG1VF2HY0XnqvMZSCPfIviBCs4oK4Xnoizdvdtdq8rCJ41K5-6tlUIOJ1XUWQUyUB4t0tOcxWZZJfXsrP-exP7ORun7gzIR1NU0C_KMV3Es/s400/IMG_7135.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Paige. Colorado and Chicago. Acting, singing, tap dancing, modeling. Fashionista, great (and generous!) cook, with a much-larger-than-life laugh. Plus, she sometimes bikes all the way to Firenze and back for fun. We are on a high hill, people, and Firenze is a forty minute train ride. What I am saying is the gal don't quit.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fnr9x8r4XdDW7WR2M1MKZE2bkJBLdzMsKd4fOi4Cw7f9iY7fG_fVcPJKEiFTs5O9cnyyOZ-586E7vmbY9DVCD2mRgzvfDeYh65QBoyobn2M54p0aEhFyMpF49AlSyfPbANdyCz-AjLxp/s1600/IMG_7111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fnr9x8r4XdDW7WR2M1MKZE2bkJBLdzMsKd4fOi4Cw7f9iY7fG_fVcPJKEiFTs5O9cnyyOZ-586E7vmbY9DVCD2mRgzvfDeYh65QBoyobn2M54p0aEhFyMpF49AlSyfPbANdyCz-AjLxp/s400/IMG_7111.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Piotr. Poland. Improv, Singing, and Songwriting, with a heart bigger than his body which is not small. He showed up in San Miniato with a uke, a bizarro-drum-chime-thingum, a tambourine you strap to your foot and a kazoo, but he also plays the guitar and lord knows what else. Uncanny Heath Ledger resemblance, and an instinctively masterful Breakfast Combo player. (Yes, Breakfast Combo. Like elevates it to poetry, masterful. Nope, I am totally not a nerd, what are you laughing at?)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnaQeij9rMdiGvBiT0wLsVrX6N9SgpefH5YTHW4sCPIneGZkZhQaHGEkLDeuXZdfPDT25-ghCLaV5iwMuNKZrj0gCnMvJRzNLXyCpaPd4_fcWvHrktCLHDPljcfRmDjixGEIgt34e2L0g/s1600/IMG_7091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnaQeij9rMdiGvBiT0wLsVrX6N9SgpefH5YTHW4sCPIneGZkZhQaHGEkLDeuXZdfPDT25-ghCLaV5iwMuNKZrj0gCnMvJRzNLXyCpaPd4_fcWvHrktCLHDPljcfRmDjixGEIgt34e2L0g/s400/IMG_7091.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Rachel. New York. Improv, Actor, Comedienne, Clown (Seriously, her one-woman clown show played the SF Fringe this year and I missed it. Wtf, repocket?), Sings like a dream, actually speaks Italian, and is so cute it hurts, which is extra awesome because she specializes in playing masks such that they become gremlins.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDILBM_kjWk1EUtS0wXCx9PLhz_ZgN5fSUYzrzmtndrU3bpa1LjTk7pKRdmu9GRSsAHwn1KgRK6FhYJJAHL2QwvgXG4IVVimgp0HkiRlk9NOZdanS5pV8nTFMFgf7YAiVUQ4_EAVegGRi/s1600/IMG_7093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDILBM_kjWk1EUtS0wXCx9PLhz_ZgN5fSUYzrzmtndrU3bpa1LjTk7pKRdmu9GRSsAHwn1KgRK6FhYJJAHL2QwvgXG4IVVimgp0HkiRlk9NOZdanS5pV8nTFMFgf7YAiVUQ4_EAVegGRi/s400/IMG_7093.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Richard. England. Glorious musical shenanigan instigator (grand uke player, but also endlessly patient with my questions about uke-ery) and general badass. I mean, he's been to art school and studied with Gaulier and all, but he is one half of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQA3OqIscNg">Barada Street</a>, which is really everything you need to know.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPzvRABc7WUcnQujvd9GutlY5Y1_W1eX0c_VlsCx4Y6mkmgMSwIYiLPzt8F3y322mbLMUUChGLB93kIEjBc209pIfkdJVVT_TyZnikTF1gHOhQeVOjkJ4awazL8ERov6Ys1U-niHre6rw/s1600/IMG_7139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPzvRABc7WUcnQujvd9GutlY5Y1_W1eX0c_VlsCx4Y6mkmgMSwIYiLPzt8F3y322mbLMUUChGLB93kIEjBc209pIfkdJVVT_TyZnikTF1gHOhQeVOjkJ4awazL8ERov6Ys1U-niHre6rw/s400/IMG_7139.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Last but not-at-all-least: Virginie. France. Our newest addition, having joined us in the third week. All the above shots are from our welcome dinner for her. Filmmaker (director/editor), painter, and queen of the mischievous twinkle in the eye, who seems happy to help me with my terrible terrible French. J'adore.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Anyway, them's the folks, and fine fine folks they are. Now for the work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After Neutral masks, we did Larvals, which are totally awesome and which I find really really difficult. But I love them anyway, especially Matteo's, because wow.</span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0JqaeZzufc6m88-p8gWXO_DU23Ob6okBjyAmWuzs4h0ui0JeseQkAXHzIgGa10edemJdtnkxFm1kuGpMqWmIKxpPBw1KMZ_snwr0wEUqsTAJUlxVkf67G6o-NTYqTzPMb1bPx9S60on8/s1600/IMG_7009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0JqaeZzufc6m88-p8gWXO_DU23Ob6okBjyAmWuzs4h0ui0JeseQkAXHzIgGa10edemJdtnkxFm1kuGpMqWmIKxpPBw1KMZ_snwr0wEUqsTAJUlxVkf67G6o-NTYqTzPMb1bPx9S60on8/s400/IMG_7009.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(Oh yeah, Larvals? also freaking adorable.) Masks by Matteo Destro. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cHwkF5wVbppqYd7i8UUCuROtEO3_SYeCk0L2wEyK4QMK0JJ7rP1izTeZtJE-qngaCPts9Dp4vmIkFH4Xd1WE0kqucXNknxiOZ7rPovSMlbYY3secFQfQGT56Q1uHXWbNXgyR3Ok_OvN3/s1600/Rebecca+Dishwasher+Larval+by+Ned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cHwkF5wVbppqYd7i8UUCuROtEO3_SYeCk0L2wEyK4QMK0JJ7rP1izTeZtJE-qngaCPts9Dp4vmIkFH4Xd1WE0kqucXNknxiOZ7rPovSMlbYY3secFQfQGT56Q1uHXWbNXgyR3Ok_OvN3/s640/Rebecca+Dishwasher+Larval+by+Ned.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One of my favorite Larvals by Matteo Destro. I'm drying dishes. Yes, well. My mime skills are a work in progress. Photo by Ned Brauer.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So yeah. Larval Masks are cute and illuminating and Matteo is legit. Le complete lack of surprise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Then there's the portion of the program dedicated to helping us develop our own maskmaking skills:</span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZzO1lmf01YI5huQPh7skmuIoSXl47NpLemxKpOLSWivXdiKEP5NIjv1bfCaQpyM3M4NcMil-bFsBoWIWjQcgspaf2E1lhsEIbffY5bHmkQFlgKItWVBTrGEu6UuaIPjG6s0Zv6cSCnRr/s1600/IMG_7029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZzO1lmf01YI5huQPh7skmuIoSXl47NpLemxKpOLSWivXdiKEP5NIjv1bfCaQpyM3M4NcMil-bFsBoWIWjQcgspaf2E1lhsEIbffY5bHmkQFlgKItWVBTrGEu6UuaIPjG6s0Zv6cSCnRr/s400/IMG_7029.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Casting Frieda's face. Like ya do.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWL9hcyW9E-Jqgz3KaXuw_JYyE1trNFo4CsTUSGWZ-jYsoPnp7Ntv-iCwyeP_3g6QrUzkXCS102HAm0SqgKVAXw9Vjkv9Z-a74WbVMy57oyvDO5mbxRD0she5yDEDq3Hu-altdPqMdUDM/s1600/IMG_7016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWL9hcyW9E-Jqgz3KaXuw_JYyE1trNFo4CsTUSGWZ-jYsoPnp7Ntv-iCwyeP_3g6QrUzkXCS102HAm0SqgKVAXw9Vjkv9Z-a74WbVMy57oyvDO5mbxRD0she5yDEDq3Hu-altdPqMdUDM/s400/IMG_7016.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">About halfway through my first mask in clay, with the plaster casting of my face handy for reference. Can you see the resemblance to my mom?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0be0HUe5gvb7yzW_xqwk-40Ra5uDzkE7xoLyddDxIOaz1wDFIwmZNXrS38aa8vZlvpFat_V2qYAtwsVmomFG5KiHrSkoXwRc2m3ZzKH4fYtKusfuglQ0O1CitFXaCmLGQmkp9bFgdLMQP/s1600/IMG_7045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0be0HUe5gvb7yzW_xqwk-40Ra5uDzkE7xoLyddDxIOaz1wDFIwmZNXrS38aa8vZlvpFat_V2qYAtwsVmomFG5KiHrSkoXwRc2m3ZzKH4fYtKusfuglQ0O1CitFXaCmLGQmkp9bFgdLMQP/s400/IMG_7045.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Calling it done. Only took four million hours. Totally normal for a first mask, right?</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAdcAZ-ySN3AJ05j1AnC6-f3ofrW-NVaCMQdDltnD6zLLDmgnX35i9LNea4OrQYXb5deDN60Tr0mQGqr1DAtrYqygOyr1Q3QA_V0YSOZFQoNWAZAsmTqprTBusVyRC6uNmqCh7nFQp4eg/s1600/IMG_7159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAdcAZ-ySN3AJ05j1AnC6-f3ofrW-NVaCMQdDltnD6zLLDmgnX35i9LNea4OrQYXb5deDN60Tr0mQGqr1DAtrYqygOyr1Q3QA_V0YSOZFQoNWAZAsmTqprTBusVyRC6uNmqCh7nFQp4eg/s400/IMG_7159.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYYgoGKSd4ECTEpRAZJo2AZH8eabcAdr1eQsyDpTB1exsUx6Lp5_fa-3yx1nSEHAP5F98bxrv3K9jU0aQ_dgahPsOVjZsW6sgGz7-jL_lBRPSbe5MlamDgrBKZLKXx2uY4lw9kZZl4Kpr/s1600/IMG_7164.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYYgoGKSd4ECTEpRAZJo2AZH8eabcAdr1eQsyDpTB1exsUx6Lp5_fa-3yx1nSEHAP5F98bxrv3K9jU0aQ_dgahPsOVjZsW6sgGz7-jL_lBRPSbe5MlamDgrBKZLKXx2uY4lw9kZZl4Kpr/s400/IMG_7164.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhPW1ZbTvEnCLF6xsrwXFDrWOtXc87F7EZSzAVQGxV5-9iTv85NwAWA1d9XbIrwaIBRiVSUUrFp3fuD77FJTrA_RbFnCk3bIpXWTBuEdnS5CyNVyhQu7iL4L9oJktnmK_Woyl5Zgo_Bd9/s1600/IMG_7193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhPW1ZbTvEnCLF6xsrwXFDrWOtXc87F7EZSzAVQGxV5-9iTv85NwAWA1d9XbIrwaIBRiVSUUrFp3fuD77FJTrA_RbFnCk3bIpXWTBuEdnS5CyNVyhQu7iL4L9oJktnmK_Woyl5Zgo_Bd9/s400/IMG_7193.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Apparently I made a mask of Lina Lamont after getting a pie to the face, but scratchier. That's Gesso for you, I guess.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnp-BEerWeUwQJ7Xx0bgfH_A4FVisEXMxRxEYMgE-QHpBoMvHlsX2djmEcCS8AUvLw3lxezoPdITKRRDAQTLBgaSoSs27UnD4twy9ym1ngI4rPzN_p-ewQQ6jsf6RMJSpxnUSftasefPU/s1600/IMG_7196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnp-BEerWeUwQJ7Xx0bgfH_A4FVisEXMxRxEYMgE-QHpBoMvHlsX2djmEcCS8AUvLw3lxezoPdITKRRDAQTLBgaSoSs27UnD4twy9ym1ngI4rPzN_p-ewQQ6jsf6RMJSpxnUSftasefPU/s400/IMG_7196.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is the sanding that never ends...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMg8eqj0DjkMtmkZBFT8u0eul8wxiQmJJMzd4dVvwVje21bO8VqV0OZQm0eR-Mv3npwzrStWRJF790NpjiCB9CiEGZs05qhbafPnUDWxOCpgbiHT9uPRcUMtjm8NM6MLskS3ZALExgcIy/s1600/IMG_7200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMg8eqj0DjkMtmkZBFT8u0eul8wxiQmJJMzd4dVvwVje21bO8VqV0OZQm0eR-Mv3npwzrStWRJF790NpjiCB9CiEGZs05qhbafPnUDWxOCpgbiHT9uPRcUMtjm8NM6MLskS3ZALExgcIy/s400/IMG_7200.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Painting! At last!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXlvwEQD2ZKO32MlRX9iVricMeFXzb9WJNWGu7E5WNmYgNlGElDbLciZih8gD7nCTg1eAxGd8x-f7VG44q4lNHmujq5sqr-brwOrKYv2_tF3jEHT9OsiRk3B40uEFf0grBTpaFbMKQsFgi/s1600/IMG_7206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXlvwEQD2ZKO32MlRX9iVricMeFXzb9WJNWGu7E5WNmYgNlGElDbLciZih8gD7nCTg1eAxGd8x-f7VG44q4lNHmujq5sqr-brwOrKYv2_tF3jEHT9OsiRk3B40uEFf0grBTpaFbMKQsFgi/s400/IMG_7206.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Bit of a skin disease? More paint!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-Tyif4YFwGrQr5s_IDYjqjoP5zEqz9hsaY0PoCavylwXTK1VSJsimf-ouTU3cU9S6fhhmCZ5o9PWMTBHLEspCbkF2PvRMnl7W4lnoPLmaDI2UX3Fd2qYd8q9v_XXKi4GaSgQJxBqmqkd/s1600/IMG_7219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-Tyif4YFwGrQr5s_IDYjqjoP5zEqz9hsaY0PoCavylwXTK1VSJsimf-ouTU3cU9S6fhhmCZ5o9PWMTBHLEspCbkF2PvRMnl7W4lnoPLmaDI2UX3Fd2qYd8q9v_XXKi4GaSgQJxBqmqkd/s400/IMG_7219.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Skin disease mostly eradicated, now just need actual definition. So close!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQldU2FPtHpy7PqSA3mjSUoRIVXWuqa4QTromgf4QJyNNlTiC3iwtK0MEbmdWaur8sJY71WjpkOqItJ9bPyrbFyKd9ScTW0Vt-iIyqAKlWVjArxocN-ynQEdahLm3fgdNYAHK6gF6IUM5K/s1600/IMG_7333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQldU2FPtHpy7PqSA3mjSUoRIVXWuqa4QTromgf4QJyNNlTiC3iwtK0MEbmdWaur8sJY71WjpkOqItJ9bPyrbFyKd9ScTW0Vt-iIyqAKlWVjArxocN-ynQEdahLm3fgdNYAHK6gF6IUM5K/s400/IMG_7333.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Done at last! My first finished mask, next to two of Richard's that I love. I affectionatly call the middle one Mr. Potato Head.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It took awhile for me to get used to play my first mask, but my favorite has been watching other people use her. I call the mask "her" because unworn she looks like a gal, but she's been played to great effect by Rachel, Paige, Joe and Andreas as both genders which is awesome to see. I've also loved getting to play the masks of my classmates, and each mask is so totally different depending on the wearer.</span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZMhy0GWfg5iXVYAZ3pJ0eop3yybYaC27gh35PEizU52S9bq3wO06eGutYC1vV1z-9GUV0BmOELLJlrwEIXcDng4WQDIgrvJJmSNgzaB6mUoqXFYuVo2hWETMT2nj4r4DCWh1Qooy054t/s1600/Rebecca+in+Joe+Full+Mask+Reporter+Stance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZMhy0GWfg5iXVYAZ3pJ0eop3yybYaC27gh35PEizU52S9bq3wO06eGutYC1vV1z-9GUV0BmOELLJlrwEIXcDng4WQDIgrvJJmSNgzaB6mUoqXFYuVo2hWETMT2nj4r4DCWh1Qooy054t/s640/Rebecca+in+Joe+Full+Mask+Reporter+Stance.jpg" width="451" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Full mask by Joe Pisanzio. You can tell it's me by the butt. Photo Ned Brauer.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, our first masks were full masks, meaning they cover the entire face. Our second round was half masks, where the mask stops after the upper lip and the performers lower lip and chin create the full image. Suddenly the masks have a voice, which is super exciting, but they take even longer to make (at least for a beginner like me) since the measurements need to be more exact. Conveniently, my lovely classmate Frieda just finished a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGPlUxQXcAQ&feature=youtu.be">cool time-lapse video of one of her half-masks</a>, so check that out for the full maskmaking experience. It's beautiful. The tail end of my own half mask process follows:</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JDQiOJqcGhDQkmo2meWtYo3a6V2j-A1MUcvsAPvsQ5tcovxyniQGe2gntKFZkQLpLUAGD8cFMNp6nTW6INVWzzSpJ4jLFrll-tt_q95wf2shGe9EDnmatqkWYCUlPAxUgy_0zRHueTHa/s1600/IMG_7429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JDQiOJqcGhDQkmo2meWtYo3a6V2j-A1MUcvsAPvsQ5tcovxyniQGe2gntKFZkQLpLUAGD8cFMNp6nTW6INVWzzSpJ4jLFrll-tt_q95wf2shGe9EDnmatqkWYCUlPAxUgy_0zRHueTHa/s400/IMG_7429.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We did negative molds for our half masks, so that the papier maché would retain as much detail as possible. This is the last shot before I stab him with aluminum to make a plaster mold!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqZECer4_K_tg9zxBLvTpjuGU_7hs2N1Eq-dRb34RykNU-hLiiND3GqSF9MIJo81fwuFVb2yj51l99ZjUiIiMNQkM26szLhqVSMd_EVivBQeco4evRiIGfuP2TAdjeqce73nZdBDWc2F_/s1600/IMG_7440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqZECer4_K_tg9zxBLvTpjuGU_7hs2N1Eq-dRb34RykNU-hLiiND3GqSF9MIJo81fwuFVb2yj51l99ZjUiIiMNQkM26szLhqVSMd_EVivBQeco4evRiIGfuP2TAdjeqce73nZdBDWc2F_/s400/IMG_7440.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I wasn't kidding. Full of aluminum, and ready for plaster! Maskmaking is surreal at times.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUZZLTScPkPjTsZpi4msZ_eqRyvpZju3NUgVF7geTpvmxRiYF-yEnJftjRSKU_BSbnrfKWi6Q9bVsUMvyPI7L2vZSPHoNyGFoXJdwZEdoWO0OcvUdmFsjaWE1Loyr-PHqU2FTBet5qNxu/s1600/IMG_7445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUZZLTScPkPjTsZpi4msZ_eqRyvpZju3NUgVF7geTpvmxRiYF-yEnJftjRSKU_BSbnrfKWi6Q9bVsUMvyPI7L2vZSPHoNyGFoXJdwZEdoWO0OcvUdmFsjaWE1Loyr-PHqU2FTBet5qNxu/s400/IMG_7445.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Half plaster face. The drama.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwgZ2KDFQFj8EITmcYKR2aCgtKcZlvjyLB6NeaoK8fbUkL2HMDDsFDDDgvwXqVD4d_0Lj4vXLyQSj8myh5yllD4jm8mU0guDyRovpjE9zQKC925B1X11Y5weWjYkjtcEsOzF2Nh0NPbMT/s1600/IMG_7448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwgZ2KDFQFj8EITmcYKR2aCgtKcZlvjyLB6NeaoK8fbUkL2HMDDsFDDDgvwXqVD4d_0Lj4vXLyQSj8myh5yllD4jm8mU0guDyRovpjE9zQKC925B1X11Y5weWjYkjtcEsOzF2Nh0NPbMT/s400/IMG_7448.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I took this photo for Beth, who makes fun of how clean I work. Look at all the debris!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5w8VA9ECvEiXU3ydsrsu656pkGHi3qhszqZveh_bmdsmSG97ldm4kx1c1-coPE795sfttaK88dC5EK1uKuaA5Lhpolau3Oih1ZRuktfZ4r0VoXbImQYwgiwULJF04gHIV_VLXNsHX-7IR/s1600/IMG_7456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5w8VA9ECvEiXU3ydsrsu656pkGHi3qhszqZveh_bmdsmSG97ldm4kx1c1-coPE795sfttaK88dC5EK1uKuaA5Lhpolau3Oih1ZRuktfZ4r0VoXbImQYwgiwULJF04gHIV_VLXNsHX-7IR/s400/IMG_7456.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The plaster is complete, and looks like a Super Mario mushroom. Not important, but it makes me happy, somehow.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMY7rXdsshVHmN_bUx1MS07uQepVuWpCZRYd8XQx51wuEo-OBnhajGVgY8DPNLVeydAzJ1N0XHNiBkDg4Lb94MlZqYgXKBMo7y_mYYFiM4b4U3UD3rJn7hyphenhyphenEGJrvHY94Ay62stKuKI1ct/s1600/IMG_7496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMY7rXdsshVHmN_bUx1MS07uQepVuWpCZRYd8XQx51wuEo-OBnhajGVgY8DPNLVeydAzJ1N0XHNiBkDg4Lb94MlZqYgXKBMo7y_mYYFiM4b4U3UD3rJn7hyphenhyphenEGJrvHY94Ay62stKuKI1ct/s400/IMG_7496.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">My first time doing papier maché in the negative. Pretty cool.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUG2kK5MMKSo2IxUKxCZhBU-IvdJQ0JPD-eknfI6hqDukBTGsjr_Q-pjJPzmVDW_8d2SDM5zm6Rw3uEDueLBHWIsBmbuO93rTrhWRGJilDkONlCEsW0rDeicBugcsZXtHxtfJIaazfjx1/s1600/IMG_7498.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUG2kK5MMKSo2IxUKxCZhBU-IvdJQ0JPD-eknfI6hqDukBTGsjr_Q-pjJPzmVDW_8d2SDM5zm6Rw3uEDueLBHWIsBmbuO93rTrhWRGJilDkONlCEsW0rDeicBugcsZXtHxtfJIaazfjx1/s400/IMG_7498.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First half mask complete. Boo ya.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The half masks first day of school. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDSHfgv9q6chkGCpPt3kdbxa0gj2ClrXmQ2jdK-Dnu_Jl7X-Ligi6weBIYzRGqPKX7GRMGTnXFekdNT8QZFtkFkneR83nqqPFAjBtYbMonQoSFBOYwHxOAnOHmmZc5uR0e3jrL-Ysxk1a/s1600/IMG_7636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDSHfgv9q6chkGCpPt3kdbxa0gj2ClrXmQ2jdK-Dnu_Jl7X-Ligi6weBIYzRGqPKX7GRMGTnXFekdNT8QZFtkFkneR83nqqPFAjBtYbMonQoSFBOYwHxOAnOHmmZc5uR0e3jrL-Ysxk1a/s400/IMG_7636.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Then finally, being played. Here's Grandma. Photo by Ned Brauer.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Laughing it up with Rachel Resnik and Frieda BK, each holding the half mask they made. We are having such a good time you might not know we're being given detailed feedback on a presentation. Because here, even when it's a call for improvement, it's pretty hilarious. Photo Ned Brauer.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That's gonna have to be it for the moment. I have rehearsals for two pieces to be performed for the community next week, two more masks going in the Atelier and regular classes to boot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So yeah, I'm off to do it all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">See you on the flip side.</span></div>
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Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-22332535359126858092016-03-17T13:34:00.005-07:002016-03-17T13:34:54.557-07:00What's the blog equivalent of a latergram?<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That's a great set up for joke, but sadly I don't have one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's a real question.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Basically a cool thing happened at the beginning of February, I wrote 3/4ths of a post about it and Blogger is convinced it never happened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Curse you interwebs!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As I was:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In my last post I mentioned (in a fly-by, passing sort of way) that virtually all my time in the gorgeous, magical town of San Miniato is spent either making masks or playing masks. Some of the masks we play are ones we've made ourselves, and many are made by Matteo Destro (master maskmaker and head of this program). But we started with the Neutral Mask. If you've never heard of the Neutral Mask, you are probably not a Lecoq nerd, but otherwise you're okay. Bottom line: this mask is a remarkable training tool for the physical performer. Humbling, clarifying, full of beauty, and many other words as well. </span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Anyway, the Neutral masks we use were made by Donato Sartori; masks that are descendants of the neutral masks his father, Amleto Sartori, created for Jacques Lecoq.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Yeah, okay, I'm not even scratching the surface here, so let's agree to</span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;"> treat the aforementioned as a placeholder for </span><a href="https://books.google.it/books?id=8DifjNsy3n4C&pg=PA75&lpg=PA75&dq=jacques+lecoq+neutral+mask+origin&source=bl&ots=PKQy__XXBd&sig=r5nZF_hFQQUXjfJVby1bZ6BTCPE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwijuYSK5sXLAhXB-w4KHVAdB4kQ6AEIQjAG#v=onepage&q=jacques%20lecoq%20neutral%20mask%20origin&f=false" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">the Lecoq/Sartori lecture</a><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;"> that I am not remotely qualified to give, and simply focus on the upshot: the Sartori family and the influence of their work is a big deal. Other people <a href="https://theater-masks.com/masks/neutral-masks/">copy the Sartori Neutral Mask</a>, but it's darn close to universally agreed that there is nothing like the real thing. I mean, look:</span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5lDs2KqPHfL69M0PZxviNOAeXJ-SJ-zr8XWIM6Ujqj426TKE8UsO5OqYtpsP2xn24Sjp0hIIRfisMPEwVmIgoJxlxzj8T8DrnOOUzORBpMsAUX45WH3_aAoCppavH8m0hTZq5U5u3Ecl/s1600/IMG_7010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5lDs2KqPHfL69M0PZxviNOAeXJ-SJ-zr8XWIM6Ujqj426TKE8UsO5OqYtpsP2xn24Sjp0hIIRfisMPEwVmIgoJxlxzj8T8DrnOOUzORBpMsAUX45WH3_aAoCppavH8m0hTZq5U5u3Ecl/s400/IMG_7010.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Neutral Masks by Donato Sartori. Beautiful, no?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sartori is also the benchmark (The benchmark? What's higher than a benchmark...the gold standard? The definitive? Talking about this stuff is freaking hard.) for masks in the Commedia dell'Arte style.</span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GgJoWo3LUeDEu_nKvimcm9G6akRNygI_Jjbi1xzbsPWrGynVslHCacxekosGuIeW1ygKUFiz-J_mhVjXtASbL09koF4oxjmREQEpU7Ho57Bw1ngWyDwk0R_z2d-N7z_YujtZW39ktMaE/s1600/arlecchino-il-servitore-di-due-padroni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GgJoWo3LUeDEu_nKvimcm9G6akRNygI_Jjbi1xzbsPWrGynVslHCacxekosGuIeW1ygKUFiz-J_mhVjXtASbL09koF4oxjmREQEpU7Ho57Bw1ngWyDwk0R_z2d-N7z_YujtZW39ktMaE/s400/arlecchino-il-servitore-di-due-padroni.jpg" width="368" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Marco Zopello as Arlecchino in a Donato Sartori mask. Ba-Bam.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Armed with even this tiny tiny sliver of information about the formidable Sartori legacy, it may not surprise you at all that their work has a <a href="http://www.sartorimaskmuseum.it/">museum</a> dedicated to it. The <span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 30px; text-align: justify;">Museo Internazionale della Maschera Amleto e Donato Sartori is located in Abano Terme, in the province of Padova (likely Padua to y'all American folks), adjacent to the city of Padova, which also happens to be the hometown of both Paola and Matteo, and just a few hours from San Miniato by car...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 30px; text-align: justify;">So it came to pass that a field trip to the Sartori museum was arranged for the Sunday between weeks four and five of the eleven week program.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 30px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 30px; text-align: justify;">Why on a Sunday?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 30px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 30px; text-align: justify;">Well, our regular classes are on weekdays, so an event out of town on a Sunday means we don't miss any. Fine and good. Owhever,</span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 30px; text-align: justify;"> Padova is also next door to Venezia, and it was the last weekend of Carnivale. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 30px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 30px;">My life, you guys.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 30px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; line-height: 30px; text-align: justify;">So, of course, we packed a van and a large car with thirteen people and drove to Padova Friday evening, crashed with an assortment of Atelier connections Friday night, and then Saturday morn we all met up again in good old Venezia, at the height of Carnevale. I didn't grab any photos of the Carnevale masks I encountered, but suffice it to say that I am now far harder to impress than I was before Matteo exploded my brain for a month.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-DMFBWrQVVsxLmY4FxjZuFA3k93qVsjKZ4QtDvyQP8HdvHsMZT8e8SrgvkQ0jMDkfYqMmgPSM5a4hyo6jvbWTzArFjWtjwcJkXaapHBLpyYlpyj8BM4DcjoeFa4ajEe29C_rU59Kwsfa/s1600/IMG_7256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-DMFBWrQVVsxLmY4FxjZuFA3k93qVsjKZ4QtDvyQP8HdvHsMZT8e8SrgvkQ0jMDkfYqMmgPSM5a4hyo6jvbWTzArFjWtjwcJkXaapHBLpyYlpyj8BM4DcjoeFa4ajEe29C_rU59Kwsfa/s400/IMG_7256.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> costume this time around, but my butterfly earrings from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/amnflamework?view_type=gallery">Andre</a> made it back to their roots. </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Blue button boots! Venezia, why you gotta tease me like this?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After wearing ourselves out stomping all through the Venetian fesitivites, we headed back to Mestre, where Paola's friend Annarosa hosted us all for dinner, and made us ALL THE DELICIOUS THINGS. I ate them all and took no photos. Radicchio cannot possibly really be that amazing. And perfect risotto. And vegan, gluten-free gnocchi that even I would eat forever. Yes. I know. It makes no sense, but there it is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then on Sunday morning there was even time to see a bit of Padova before we raced off to our appointment with Mask-topia.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here is Sara, our hostess. Alum of Helikos and the </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">School-for-Theatre-Creators, and provider of my greatest Italian coffee and pastry experience yet. Which is saying something. Also, she's just plain lovely.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rdCn9Ey7DbHch-YCNfCzZud2GcDIlNuUHpQctRWfJuMi0YGHbnlf7-RoNpOTvDkl8a5Im5ravruYxJxQRXsS7FbAE-kyUOEl2KHZX2tmpEY61KhkDPBiE-WqsM0Yzz1cBFCnaeTX4Irh/s1600/IMG_7274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rdCn9Ey7DbHch-YCNfCzZud2GcDIlNuUHpQctRWfJuMi0YGHbnlf7-RoNpOTvDkl8a5Im5ravruYxJxQRXsS7FbAE-kyUOEl2KHZX2tmpEY61KhkDPBiE-WqsM0Yzz1cBFCnaeTX4Irh/s400/IMG_7274.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is the last Sunday of Fritelle, seasonal fried and filled italian pastry of deliciousness. If I don't die of overeating today I am likely to die pining for them in the near future...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then at last, the Museum. No pictures allowed inside, but basically, wow. Paola Sartori herself led the tour (oh yeah, Matteo and Paola totally know the Sartori family and have worked with them, etc. Because obviously.) and even though the museum is relatively small in size, I suspect it will require several more visits before I feel I've even started to take it all in.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAmo8CaSy03RO-7jBjDeUklpzQ8Rn90GMIjClD2myD0PPPIB0svemvEmM9IhQJrvq93a_alg0KzceO_DVI-9hzOj0iQpdvh2OZRBb68SY4CAfyWvUys1E_UBb5jGuqq3sDUOOXQEHqpOV/s1600/IMG_7299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAmo8CaSy03RO-7jBjDeUklpzQ8Rn90GMIjClD2myD0PPPIB0svemvEmM9IhQJrvq93a_alg0KzceO_DVI-9hzOj0iQpdvh2OZRBb68SY4CAfyWvUys1E_UBb5jGuqq3sDUOOXQEHqpOV/s400/IMG_7299.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sculpture from the museum courtyard, the only Sartori work on the premises that is fair game for photographs. Much detail is lost in the photo, but you still get a sense of the total expressiveness of body, the beauty of his lines, and more. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyway, just another reason I'm so grateful to be studying this stuff in the birthplace of so much of it. Padova, I am not done with you. This is just goodbye for now.</span><br />
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Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-54205201522924785502016-01-22T10:12:00.000-08:002016-01-23T05:38:40.418-08:00Built to Roam<div><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Once again I find myself with a long gap between this post and my last. As such, please imagine the following interstitial narrative being delivered by </span><a href="http://www.gettyimages.it/detail/video/westbrook-van-voorhis-sitting-on-desk-talking-about-filmati-di-cronaca/510669633" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Westbrook Van Voorhis</a><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>When we last left our (anti-)heroine Repocket Pingree the first, B. Cumberbatch was about to give his penultimate evening performance as <a href="http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ntlout10-hamlet">Hamlet</a>. (Two sentence review: Yes. Cumberbatch is every bit as mesmerising a performer as one could wish, and being ten feet away from the opening action of the show is a feeling our Repocket will surely never forget.) Over the following two weeks</i></span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, she completed and submitted her final MA thesis paper on <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/handpring_puppet_co_the_genius_puppetry_behind_war_horse?language=en">Western Bunraku Puppetry</a>, and only a few days after that</i><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, spent the weekend in Leicester, performing in <a href="http://the1448projects.org/">the world's quickest theatre festival</a>.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>At which point, in rapid succession, she moved out of her London digs, flew home to the Bay in time for the Memorial Service of her beloved Grandma Virginia, and spent a wonderful winter holiday jam-packed with family, friends, theatergoing, auditions, and looking after an awesome dog named <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BA0S3OpMvFf/?taken-by=repocalypsenow">Maggie</a>, at which point she </i></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>temporarily moved to Italy.</i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">No freaking way.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Right. So. Now is probably as good a time as any to explain that I've managed to extend my studies abroad to include three months training with a program called ATELIER in Tuscany. It's an opportunity for which I must, once again, thank my trusty Circus Boys, for pointing me firmly in the direction of Matteo Destro, an expert movement theatre maker, teacher, and director, who is also a master mask maker. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Because I am, perhaps, the luckiest girl ever to live, the timing worked out such that I was invited to join the inaugural class of the Mask Movement Theatre program in San Miniato Alto and the dates fell in exactly the right place to enable my attendance. I'll go into more detail about the program itself and why it is rad beyond belief in future posts, but for now let me briefly break down the current awesomeness that is my life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1) Location location location.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmbTUlJgC7OHc5n_HsFUVrkfXXPKlBxEhOcS-8hsqd5LPpBiKP5jqu8E8kzrIM8QX3wL0qyqReM9ydj-2gm7PE2VhynpH9IKIDMqZm19Gj-2XVFrlptWa1kBGTwLOWpxpjAVme4_QlII2/s1600/IMG_6923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmbTUlJgC7OHc5n_HsFUVrkfXXPKlBxEhOcS-8hsqd5LPpBiKP5jqu8E8kzrIM8QX3wL0qyqReM9ydj-2gm7PE2VhynpH9IKIDMqZm19Gj-2XVFrlptWa1kBGTwLOWpxpjAVme4_QlII2/s400/IMG_6923.JPG" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the Palazzo Ceccherelli. A legit 15th Century palace. Also, my front door.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have a studio apartment in a palace, guys. Whose life is this, anyway?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tdx2UrlPxsf6iK5u_c_7WM26MjbO3uS28QYxZLdgd-TSmB-Dry3RkCuTX_YmBS1cjm7SKCPS_sb0-0szjRVMwtt-GgSNGm5dHalZrdk0WcK5xqYxTJU-WsGpdTBWqw83toIhOl0xCy5i/s1600/IMG_6965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tdx2UrlPxsf6iK5u_c_7WM26MjbO3uS28QYxZLdgd-TSmB-Dry3RkCuTX_YmBS1cjm7SKCPS_sb0-0szjRVMwtt-GgSNGm5dHalZrdk0WcK5xqYxTJU-WsGpdTBWqw83toIhOl0xCy5i/s400/IMG_6965.JPG" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pay no attention, it's only the view from the balcony. Holy S#%&balls.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The stairwell is full of beautiful old screens, one even had a bird for Mama. (Hi Mom!)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Also, the neighborhood is pretty okay:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Random window. I have no idea.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, yeah. Magical setting? Check. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2) My comrades. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are ten students: from the U.S. myself (CA), Paige (CO), Joe, Brian, Rachel (NY, via Chicago, IL), Frieda (CA, via France), Beth from Australia, Richard from England, Andreas from Sweden, and Piotr from Poland. I already cannot imagine my life without each member of our new ensemble, and I'm consistently confounded by everyone's talent and intelligence, moved by everyone's generosity, and reduced to tears by their sheer hilariousness. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">In which Joe attempts to find homes for the orphans at the laundromat...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There's also so much I can learn from this group outside of our actual classes, easiest example being that some form of music jamming happens virtually every night. The following video is of an impromptu song we recorded two nights ago for Paige's dad's birthday. Left to right is Richard, Brian (in the back), Piotr (in a blanket, our heating issues have since been resolved, huzzah), myself, and Paige. Shout out to Beth, who can operate a camera amazingly steadily and silently given that she was totally cracking up...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not a flawless rendition, by any stretch, but I think the heart comes through. I'm excited to see where we can take future musical collaborations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our "pedagogic knights" (Beth's joke, may only be funny to us), are Matteo Destro, Paola Coletto, Ned Brauer, and Alay Arzelus Makazaga all of whom studied with <a href="http://www.ecole-jacqueslecoq.com/">École International Théâtre de Jacques Lecoq</a> when Lecoq himself was still teaching. Their extreme expertise, clarity of purpose, and unflinching candour are matched with remarkable kindness and wry humor at all times.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Like I was saying, lucky.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matteo and Paula wearing each others glasses at lunch. These guys are wildly formidable badasses, people, and they are this cute ALL THE TIME. Killing me with win.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our mornings are spent learning techniques of physical theatre, and developing our skills playing masks. This week was </span><a href="http://s208878443.onlinehome.fr/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/neutre.jpg" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Neutral Masks</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">, next week we'll add playing </span><a href="http://s208878443.onlinehome.fr/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/larvaires2.jpg" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">Larval Masks</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">. No photos of the work itself yet, but hopefully soon. Suffice it to say the work is humbling, inspiring, and extraordinary.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our afternoons are mostly spent in the Atelier with Matteo, learning the art and craft of Maskmaking. We began last week studying the evolution of simple shapes...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't ask me what they are evolving into, it's a mystery.</td></tr>
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And simple faces...</span><br>
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And now we're casting each others faces to make our first full masks starting next week. Shabam.</span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard, mid-facecasting. The plaster makes each person's unique facial structure apparent. Love.</td></tr>
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5) The reason I won't talk about again, but that's a big deal for me right now: Value for $. The ATELIER tuition price is less than one seventh of my MA tuition but is more than half the total taught hours of the same MA program (that's not taking into account that ATELIER has a stronger instructor/student ratio at almost all times and is better organized). My studio apartment in a palace costs much less than my super rent-controlled bedroom in Berkeley, and is one third the price of my room in zone 2 in London (all credit to Matteo as our amazing housing advocate, he is a miracle worker in more ways than one). Basically, theatre friends, this is the program you've been looking for. Come next year if you possibly can.</span><br>
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So, that's me. So SO freaking grateful to be here right now. Many thanks to my beloved Circus Boys, Peter and David, what an absurd bonus result to come of knowing people who are really already awesome enough. Incidentally, their brilliant original mask and circus show </span><i style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">BOOM! </i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(directed by Matteo Destro) </span><a href="http://throckmortontheatre.org/event/2420/" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;">plays Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley TONIGHT!</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> If you are in the Bay Area and can make it happen you won't be sorry. Circus Boys rule.</span><br>
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That's all I have time for right this minute, but there will be more whenever I can tear myself away from all this learning. Ciao for now!</span></span></div>
Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0Province of Pisa, Italy43.669858329549719 10.8682250976562543.486129829549718 10.54550159765625 43.85358682954972 11.19094859765625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-50516440039249731362015-10-30T12:00:00.001-07:002015-10-30T12:00:34.797-07:00Today is a good dayLet's pretend you're caught up, shall we? <div><br></div><div>It'll be fun, really.</div><div><br></div><div>Yesterday, I finally finished my final MA research project/presentation on the intersection of Actor, Ensemble Member and Maker in the art of Bunraku Puppetry. Like you do. (Ask me about it when I come home, it's bloody rad.)</div><div><br></div><div>After I had a pint with the lovely incoming MA class, and arranged to start crashing their Wednesday morning Lindy Hop class for the remainder of my time in London. Le score.</div><div><br></div><div>Niall met me at the pub, we walked back to the flat, his pal Jane came over, and Niall fed us homemade pork-chicken-leek pie, roasted carrots, and mashed potatoes with gravy. Heavenly.</div><div><br></div><div>Jane and Niall head off to a gig (term used by the English to mean live music event, natch. Not them performing or anything. Silly confused Americans.) It's around 7pm.</div><div><br></div><div>It is at this point that I say to myself:</div><div><br></div><div>Well, what the hell.</div><div><br></div><div>I clean up all the puppet making shenanigan remains in my room, pack some snacks, some pillows and a blanket into a large waterproof bag and set the alarm for 3am.</div><div><br></div><div>It's on.</div><div><br></div><div>The alarm wakes me up and I jump into cozy clothes, grab my things and trot to the bus in what still looks like the misty English nighttime. </div><div><br></div><div>The bus is late.</div><div><br></div><div>The bus arrives, huzzah. </div><div><br></div><div>As I board the bus and grab my Oyster card to swipe it, I discover that I have the wrong Oyster card. Not mine, my extra for guests, that has no money on it. Oh Lordy.</div><div><br></div><div>I'm sure it's in one these bags, right? </div><div><br></div><div>I don't swipe the one I have, I just stand there at the front of the bus fishing helplessly, realizing it must not be there, somehow. (Note to the uninitiated: London buses will not take cash. Since I don't use a contactless card, oyster is it. And the nearest place to top up at this hour is a mile away. I'm about to confess and apologize and remove myself from the bus when he shuts the doors and starts the bus.</div><div><br></div><div>I kind of stand there in shock and at the next stop he tells me to move back out of the way of people boarding.</div><div><br></div><div>I guess it's 3:30am and he can't be bothered to deal with idiots. Halle-bloody-lujiah.</div><div><br></div><div>I get off the bus, and walk to the Barbican Centre, where there are already 36 people camped out in front of the darkened entrance. It is now 4:09am. </div><div><br></div><div>Let's take stock. There are generally 30 day tickets, 10 standing room, and possibly a few returns made available to folks in the queue each day at 10:30am to see Benedict Cumberbatch as Hamlet. Each person in the queue can buy up to two tickets (which they'll need to show picture id both to buy and to use, to discourage scalping). This means that, in all likelihood, only the first 20-25 people in line are likely to get tickets. If I join this line I will be number 37. Never gonna happen.</div><div><br></div><div>But I'm already here.</div><div><br></div><div>I get in line. </div><div><br></div><div>Flash forward to 11:26am. I am at the front of the line, with roughly a hundred hopefuls standing behind me, and all the day tickets and standing room tickets have been sold. I've made new friends, played card games, loaned pillows, shared jokes and snacks and generally had a blast.</div><div><br></div><div>And there is still a return ticket for me.</div><div><br></div><div>Yes.</div><div><br></div><div>So here I am. I've gone home and napped and changed, and am back at the Barbican in their cafe. The show starts in fifteen minutes, and I've got plans to meet my new friends from Denver in the lobby at the interval.</div><div><br></div><div>Let's see what you got, Cumberbunnycat.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> </div>Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-22206111730883147852015-02-13T04:15:00.001-08:002015-02-13T15:24:26.230-08:00Running away to the circus...<font face="Verdana">As per usual, I must follow the call of the circus boys. Or, rather, boy. Or, rather, Peter. Well, technically, he didn't call me, he has no time for that, I found out he was performing in England while on a Skype call to Anandamayi in California where he has been staying...yes yes, hush. The circus calls!</font><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">You may remember Peter from my frequent FB posts about his new show in development, BOOM! (which is a collaboration with another beloved circus boy, David). Or you might remember that Peter is one third of the circus boys from my Parisienne blogging weekend in early December, while they were all studying Wutao and developing BOOM! in their off-hours. The show just closed a killer </font><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/81824892/boom-international-tour-circus-theatre-masks-and-m" id="id_60b0_138e_67f4_8728"><font face="Verdana">kickstarter</font></a><font face="Verdana"> so keep an eye out for them. It's going to be incredible, I'm sure.</font></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">Anyway, Peter is performing his <a href="http://www.showzam.co.uk/whatson/petesweet" id="id_36d6_99ab_2be4_ad53" target="_self">internationally beloved solo show</a> at Showzam in Blackpool, I am on a train, zipping north across the English plains, and I'll be there for the first show of his run tomorrow.</font></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">!!!</font></div>Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-86678895482650357192015-02-06T11:24:00.001-08:002015-02-08T16:16:29.624-08:00I feel strangely vindicated<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was about twenty feet from Tom Stoppard, when he was asked why, as Britains greatest living playwright, he waited nine years to write and premier his most recent play. His answer was long, smart, hilarious, and charming, and in the end he said "I didn't wait. I procrastinated." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He was wearing burgundy and cream striped socks, he fessed up to procrastinating, and he wrote Arcadia. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No, really, I'm not done. I'm on the bus now, en route to see Theatre de la Ville-Paris' touring production of Six Characters in Search of an Author. T'will be me first time seeing Pirandello staged, and a free ticket to boot. Le score.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course, I've only just left the Stoppard talk at the National, where I had a front-row-dead-center seat listening to Tom-motherloving-Stoppard, plus<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> the endlessly delightful company of Alona Bach, with whom I shared a delicious post-talk Punschrulle and a pretty decent Plentille. Just sayin': </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Verdana;">the Frenchies will definitely have to pull out all the stops if they want to snag the "highlight of my evening" title. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But, I mean, word on the street is they are badasses, so who knows.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Go Frenchies go.</span></div>
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Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-82673461767837532252015-01-24T06:40:00.001-08:002015-01-25T06:08:54.446-08:00Oy <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, good thing I didn't get too carried away. FA's Othello was visually stunning, full of exciting choreographic moments, and, as soon as they started talking, it was like :-(</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Boring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Granted, I am an unabashed Shakespeare nerd, so my bar is high and all, but when people are speaking Shakespeare's text and I find myself longing for them to stop talking and go back to dancing, there may be a problem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Still, a really exciting night of Shakespeare-inspired dance, with the unexpectedly GLORIOUS boon of running into the lovely director M. Graham Smith. He's on a brief hiatus from teaching in Barcelona and will return home to SF in February. We had a delightful drink trading stories and then took the tube together most of the way home. Serendipity never ceases to amaze me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Flash forward to this morning, Niall (my flatmate) made crazy Mexican-Benedict-Burrito-Bizarre Deliciousness and ran off to the football game (the one with the round ball) and I'm off to the Clapton library to whip my research paper into shape. I'm armed with a latte and a bear hat. Necessity of Co-Bodily Presence here I come. Watch out.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not pictured: Swedish marzipan roll. <br />...<br />It's serious homework, people. Desperate times and all that.</span></td></tr>
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Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-689036362357341302015-01-23T11:31:00.001-08:002015-01-25T06:25:32.079-08:00Differences<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm sitting in the Lyric Hammersmith, waiting for the show to start. Frantic Assembly's adaptation of Othello. For all you San Franciscans, the Lyric is like an intimate version of ACT. Still pretty epic tho. Check it:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiax0gw28V5d13EvWTLOIB31c6n-N_pGPw1ZAP8sslhgmnqiryS-dUUlzNGulBechSigEDIvGMQTGkWJQtjAM6-ejCRyCARwKcuyemKnMyg20a5oj6_jH1dryYGoiJpWxCRtoObdtach9sy/s1600/IMG_4596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiax0gw28V5d13EvWTLOIB31c6n-N_pGPw1ZAP8sslhgmnqiryS-dUUlzNGulBechSigEDIvGMQTGkWJQtjAM6-ejCRyCARwKcuyemKnMyg20a5oj6_jH1dryYGoiJpWxCRtoObdtach9sy/s1600/IMG_4596.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The word on the street is that most of the show takes place on that billiard table. No joke.</span></td></tr>
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</div>
<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYZqDSnseQib8ZYOybV0JKT67mhLkC79IwIF2by0SNiAIH597cZoeWxvCptZMwvL1eOGs5DVMuffKE2N5xR_-KENtM9EAJ_GfWNhdsXye2vnex_yn-QH57AYVmtWOuTZhzmXVhe-rDH0G/s1600/IMG_4599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYZqDSnseQib8ZYOybV0JKT67mhLkC79IwIF2by0SNiAIH597cZoeWxvCptZMwvL1eOGs5DVMuffKE2N5xR_-KENtM9EAJ_GfWNhdsXye2vnex_yn-QH57AYVmtWOuTZhzmXVhe-rDH0G/s1600/IMG_4599.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yes yes my photos are awful. but you get what I'm driving at.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So here's the thing:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's a sold out house, packed with HS and College kids. On Friday night. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They are abuzz with anticipation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To see Othello.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUhl6hQvd13nodn_qkoJzXbHSBa4vYQRZzXvb2TibFobI0E57kuE4y2wmGVvpanZ_PgCvOj_20VpySIwtnSeaMegIIMDB_YKQCxLaQgOF9fFY62Q2JE5tl6-S61_BKdGx0ER6pbseGtbt/s1600/IMG_4603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUhl6hQvd13nodn_qkoJzXbHSBa4vYQRZzXvb2TibFobI0E57kuE4y2wmGVvpanZ_PgCvOj_20VpySIwtnSeaMegIIMDB_YKQCxLaQgOF9fFY62Q2JE5tl6-S61_BKdGx0ER6pbseGtbt/s1600/IMG_4603.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sexy Othello. But still.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I got the absolute last seat available in the orchestra and spent £30, the most I've spent yet on a ticket here, but still less than half what I would spend to see a comparable cast, with comparable production values, in a comparable venue in the Bay Area.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think London may know a thing or two we don't.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here we go. Let's see how they do...</span><br />
<br /></div>
Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-34973168940768477952014-12-19T07:46:00.001-08:002014-12-19T07:46:58.176-08:00Paris je flipping t'aime, quand je suis tres malade aussi.<font face="Verdana">So I managed to catch the flu, presumably just before I came to Paris, such that it hit me hard on the second afternoon of my three day stay.</font><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">No matter! The Peter and I took a picnic to the edge of the Canal and we had a breakfast of fourteen-year-old-reserve oolong (good god, when tea is good it's good), warm croissants, salami and an assortment of fruit, after which Bernbaum escorted me to Centre Pompidou (Marcel Duchamp is a badass, btw) and we had street crepes for lunch, then I changed into a dress and met Peter, Jeanine and Catherine for Blues Dancing at the L'horloge, went home with Peter where Poznanter had made THREE giant pans of quiche and was painting masks for show he and Peter are currently developing. Which turned into lounging about a watching some masterful mask improvisation. I can't wait to see their show, guys. It's going to be amazing.</font></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">Woke up today actually really sick, but couldn't bear to spend my last day in Paris in bed, so I decide to </font><span style="font-family: Verdana;">make a pilgrimage to Les Enfants Perdus. I walk through the Gare de l'est Christmas faire and the Jardin mersomething, and arrive at the restaurant for brunch, where they look baffled that I think I can get in without a reservation, but I hold up my pointer finger and with my pitiful French and best puppy eyes I say "pour une personne?". They roll their eyes and smile and tell me (in English) to come back in ten minutes. I am now writing this post from a tiny table curled next to an old timey French radiator, in a beautiful Parisienne restaurant, drinking cafe au lait and fresh orange juice, eating a tiny croissant and a fresh salmon salad. This is the only way to be sick, guys. Perhaps the most French way to suffer possible.</span></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">Things I love about the waiters here:</font></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">They are constantly cracking jokes, yelling at each other good naturedly and then taking breaks out front in the rain with a glass of red wine in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Their hair is either a giant tousled mess, in a tiny ponytail on the very top of their head, unless they are the maitre de, who is wearing a hat that for all the world looks like a calmed down version of Crocodile Dundee. They all wear tiny tight polo shirts or button downs that are open at least halfway down the front with a tiny vest. Oh yeah, no lady waiters here for some reason. Just smokey Paris-boys.</font></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">Okay, and now the ponytailed bartender (who looks like Miyaka Cochranes long lost brother) has sent me two shots of sipping tequila, and invited me out dancing tonight. Hilarious. If I were not deliriously flu-ridden I would so go. </font></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">Next time, Paris. Next time.</font></div>Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-65862465967746180442014-12-05T12:06:00.001-08:002014-12-05T12:48:17.187-08:00I followed the circus boys to Paris yesterday...<font face="Verdana">And oh Lordy its already the best.</font><div><br></div><div><font face="Verdana">For those who don't know, three circus boys closest to my heart (David, David, and Peter) are in Paris for a month studying at Centre Wutao. They are advanced (circus boys all are, I think, at least physically)but in this case they've all been studying the discipline for some time as well, and the month long intensive course they are doing is meant to be a teacher training situation. I've been intrigued by Wutao for some time, and was crossing my fingers I could pick up a pamphlet and watch some masters. After breakfast this morning I walked Peter to class and in doing so met several resident Wutao-ers. Including the co-founder Pol Charoy who immediately, nonchalantly, benevolently (in a manner that can only be discribed as utterly French) invited me to participate for the day at no charge.</font></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">!!!</font></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">Basically it was freaking amazing. Wutao has been called many things, most of the Internet describes it as a sort of dance meditation practice. Like so many movement disciplines, trying to translate it into spoken language can be very frustrating and leave the most central and unique principles unexpressed.</font></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">Peter describing Wutao says "take Chen's Tai Chi, unfold it every direction, and add bio-energetic breath techniques" which still only really makes sense if you were there. But bottom line is it is cool stuff, that has many practical applications as a theatre performer.</font></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana">I had three hours of it today (short day) and I am plotting ways to get more training in it.</font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="Verdana">To be continued...</font></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div><div><font face="Verdana"><br></font></div>Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-65627971771610231502014-11-27T18:33:00.000-08:002014-11-27T18:53:41.639-08:00Fire at will<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You may remember me saying that I have decided to do all of the things. In the case of the past three weeks doing "all the things" has meant not writing blog posts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sorry about that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So let me try, as quickly as possible, to catch you up on all the things.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For starters, of course, I have been taking many classes, from many really cool cats: Niamh Dowling (Movement, Alexander Technique), Bea Pemberton (Neutral Mask, Mime, Physical Games), Rebecca Pollack & Luis Campos (Theatrical Research & Writing), Irina Brown (Narrative Structures & Script Analysis), Gabriel Gawin (I dunno, cool ensemble theatre movement shit. Probably my fave, if I'm honest).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I spent a weekend in Bristol, with my classmate Charlotte, in order to see a Kneehigh show, and you know, be a tourist in Bristol, cause it's cool. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_Fyy8twtCXypSbGfmxYDg5bV0SpQPfZeEYxmpnkElIYfrMhyphenhyphens7rjRZb9PhZmOb4aZkAYXcmp-Bb8rFdCQ9s_dQO3ma8VOIwdRNyL7TqoRbXU0ZpGVFaloqth97f0Q283lWNBW6OJ9Exo/s1600/2014-10-25+10.27.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_Fyy8twtCXypSbGfmxYDg5bV0SpQPfZeEYxmpnkElIYfrMhyphenhyphens7rjRZb9PhZmOb4aZkAYXcmp-Bb8rFdCQ9s_dQO3ma8VOIwdRNyL7TqoRbXU0ZpGVFaloqth97f0Q283lWNBW6OJ9Exo/s1600/2014-10-25+10.27.26.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I stayed with my classmate Lowenna's mum, awesome lady. <br />Here we have Minxy, her awesome-but-dubious-of-visitors cat.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsj8I4MUgY7a0PyQxBNsyWhIaXzqgV303phszT4TVzooc6SKOS9j0CLKLdsnQ2pX5cZTpzp4gC7-OM2x6fM51xV4hJTknOqZnn7IRraU4LVcWGtPfzFL-gitSZjgywKH_Ecv46BvxstAZ/s1600/2014-10-24+18.06.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsj8I4MUgY7a0PyQxBNsyWhIaXzqgV303phszT4TVzooc6SKOS9j0CLKLdsnQ2pX5cZTpzp4gC7-OM2x6fM51xV4hJTknOqZnn7IRraU4LVcWGtPfzFL-gitSZjgywKH_Ecv46BvxstAZ/s1600/2014-10-24+18.06.46.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Had dinner next to an actual Banksy. No biggie.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABsb3didW5o_JxY9UCTL6gEOBN_9DTi6jFruhJE6z8UBvYgU6GZjbs7cfMHgdXLKs6_98odwVTWoLSNLCi3nHgJaCKkOD1V7H85tfcyUTSGjAM7bNDrRVKvAA6EDwFahAJXfihPH92xDJ/s1600/2014-10-25+10.59.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABsb3didW5o_JxY9UCTL6gEOBN_9DTi6jFruhJE6z8UBvYgU6GZjbs7cfMHgdXLKs6_98odwVTWoLSNLCi3nHgJaCKkOD1V7H85tfcyUTSGjAM7bNDrRVKvAA6EDwFahAJXfihPH92xDJ/s1600/2014-10-25+10.59.49.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hello, Bristol Cathedral...</span></td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6PUGkWrB7nkq3RN8f-LMnS2S_WqTGY6GaCy3VbD6iw7caJ5VRLtMABvppKgnsW7SYIXU_iffoxHmr8mzKLhVzJ4Gvh_y-TtPxCsBcvjqqzsZXFRLxeR5t4mBXGqkKV0VeQz_Bb4ThJ-M/s1600/2014-10-25+11.03.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6PUGkWrB7nkq3RN8f-LMnS2S_WqTGY6GaCy3VbD6iw7caJ5VRLtMABvppKgnsW7SYIXU_iffoxHmr8mzKLhVzJ4Gvh_y-TtPxCsBcvjqqzsZXFRLxeR5t4mBXGqkKV0VeQz_Bb4ThJ-M/s1600/2014-10-25+11.03.00.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">As always, Cathedrals contain some interesting things. <br />May I direct your attention to the inscription here?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Okay, I'll give you a closer look:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShgihD27NPMUw4_PK3gxVJ60tg3_VqsNQ26tM1VDHumheJFDTzyWOwc37qRHOlOLr5Ve_pSB9pDRv11tWxafKvmGCNORKC8lNe7AkIX_BEnzka81PVcjRZ-5s_x16zcYOZqTHStCXPgsc/s1600/2014-10-25+11.03.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShgihD27NPMUw4_PK3gxVJ60tg3_VqsNQ26tM1VDHumheJFDTzyWOwc37qRHOlOLr5Ve_pSB9pDRv11tWxafKvmGCNORKC8lNe7AkIX_BEnzka81PVcjRZ-5s_x16zcYOZqTHStCXPgsc/s1600/2014-10-25+11.03.11.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Yeesh. I'm exhausted just reading about it.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgei8hrjN0jc4ptoX3J-93j1sfZUwVfurAZkV4KygJTaX07CQn7p7CQXTyuzyt7G6wmQQHGTMwnZQlUSp5DIbsLPPgsglYd9FOZU2o5ApPFkc9tR6rvGEudkIhc_JhP1AgfBs8bOmFrByHk/s1600/2014-10-25+11.20.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgei8hrjN0jc4ptoX3J-93j1sfZUwVfurAZkV4KygJTaX07CQn7p7CQXTyuzyt7G6wmQQHGTMwnZQlUSp5DIbsLPPgsglYd9FOZU2o5ApPFkc9tR6rvGEudkIhc_JhP1AgfBs8bOmFrByHk/s1600/2014-10-25+11.20.08.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Yeah, and this is just a hinge on the fracking DOOR. Overacheivers.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGvjANt-V9eTttZW19oayzbQNNfqPZqClNiz3DL_DHTHqnQDcALBl3AeM1AjSSwHtZcrfWjiK7Lid3yeqMbBcVHYi09mrIkSPcYvyZhxMcjULjCXdoQgyGWM6it72KgqTbZhU2B5RHQlR/s1600/2014-10-25+11.42.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGvjANt-V9eTttZW19oayzbQNNfqPZqClNiz3DL_DHTHqnQDcALBl3AeM1AjSSwHtZcrfWjiK7Lid3yeqMbBcVHYi09mrIkSPcYvyZhxMcjULjCXdoQgyGWM6it72KgqTbZhU2B5RHQlR/s1600/2014-10-25+11.42.22.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">St. Nicholas Market!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbvlG7zHA4Qae_hb-vQBjt4xG_ahHu1lROg9Lo2QP14hNoP-22lTrKp-pASd-CA_Mgq6Pjik2Xzv48mdn6Ii6Iv5oDkAGt8xSTBw1Q_OM3e4Bx0BDSwp4n2cIElNiHeV4ticen63GN0aw/s1600/2014-10-25+11.38.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbvlG7zHA4Qae_hb-vQBjt4xG_ahHu1lROg9Lo2QP14hNoP-22lTrKp-pASd-CA_Mgq6Pjik2Xzv48mdn6Ii6Iv5oDkAGt8xSTBw1Q_OM3e4Bx0BDSwp4n2cIElNiHeV4ticen63GN0aw/s1600/2014-10-25+11.38.27.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Awesome Market food. Awesome owl glare included at no charge.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJ1e0xpSzG-Wh5n1uGiL6vkPcyBXNrIEd6WFa_vvZul97phfSWmeNoj-78Xm7VqehEZrU9ooObrs9XN74HkPklLfRYRmb4tvjAGRz2Gij7zKYxaBkVYnxTWIFtvY54SR1qAerw75PG5OS/s1600/2014-10-25+12.30.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJ1e0xpSzG-Wh5n1uGiL6vkPcyBXNrIEd6WFa_vvZul97phfSWmeNoj-78Xm7VqehEZrU9ooObrs9XN74HkPklLfRYRmb4tvjAGRz2Gij7zKYxaBkVYnxTWIFtvY54SR1qAerw75PG5OS/s1600/2014-10-25+12.30.14.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Successful haggling for new bear hat = Sweet!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1nFfPeNxDPQwk6_KP18z0FW2x5BWEnnjjw4tTKPXpeqxysEv0BumXH_cdpC0BNZ6nvpkNu6WZG0901rWe5Omwj6P8MOdGFH-VHECprAjdD5QdoA63cGfYAe4JseMNdS8kL6PDv8sSEc7/s1600/2014-10-25+12.26.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1nFfPeNxDPQwk6_KP18z0FW2x5BWEnnjjw4tTKPXpeqxysEv0BumXH_cdpC0BNZ6nvpkNu6WZG0901rWe5Omwj6P8MOdGFH-VHECprAjdD5QdoA63cGfYAe4JseMNdS8kL6PDv8sSEc7/s1600/2014-10-25+12.26.05.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Obligatory Bristol Parrot Pic. Hi Mom.</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIKzi-RGS53iQzkLkdBJDyOER07B6-evYJ2RqpV7nmJuwF2lRiKAUzD6QVs6B6hQ2L2_HhFPKrUMJBKna3n1WBrf6-8ZFyK-IUV_PCvITVHK2Tsuv1pk9c0izhiIbURcPfEwuRXut6plC/s1600/2014-10-25+12.19.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIKzi-RGS53iQzkLkdBJDyOER07B6-evYJ2RqpV7nmJuwF2lRiKAUzD6QVs6B6hQ2L2_HhFPKrUMJBKna3n1WBrf6-8ZFyK-IUV_PCvITVHK2Tsuv1pk9c0izhiIbURcPfEwuRXut6plC/s1600/2014-10-25+12.19.34.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Cagigal, this one's for you, obvi. Out front of random candy store. WTF?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And all that was just Bristol.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've also seen buckets of Brit theatre, including </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">Sheridan's The Rivals at The Arcola (I was two feet from Gemma Jones. I die.), The Dog, The Night, and The Knife at the Arcola (Snoozefest. Oh well.), Kneehigh's Dead Dog in a Suitcase at the Bristol Old Vic (Post apocalyptic electric violin puppet finale! Yes!), Belvoir's touring production of Wild Duck at the Barbican (Badass. Wow.), My Beautiful Black Dog and Am I Dead Yet in Bush Theatre's RADAR Fest (Am I Dead Yet was incredible), Our Town at the Almeida (with the ever-glorious Paul Cello, who also basically coerced me into seeing the last two </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">hours of Interstellar at Screen on the Green. So swanky. Very fun.), Hunter and Johnny at Camden People's Theatre, Class Act by Harry Giles at Ovalhouse, Are You Lonesome Tonight? at Ovalhouse, and Engineer Theatre Collective's RUN at New Diorama Theatre. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So yeah, I've seen some shows. Many of them were really awfully good, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've also attended (so far) four full-day theatre conferences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYauKo-SrVmGGJv12ZIPguSCtub82yfW5BICsu2tgCGq9m3H0ft6B7p2lxKYjwzvaHwnFHN4XFAU-8aX4Aw_ZFSzkcfVeata9VFSWcuOdyWztU-1CbfBZfJrN4T2o_0nbfe8H0pREs7qe/s1600/2014-11-06+12.57.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYauKo-SrVmGGJv12ZIPguSCtub82yfW5BICsu2tgCGq9m3H0ft6B7p2lxKYjwzvaHwnFHN4XFAU-8aX4Aw_ZFSzkcfVeata9VFSWcuOdyWztU-1CbfBZfJrN4T2o_0nbfe8H0pREs7qe/s1600/2014-11-06+12.57.04.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">That's James Wheale on the left, explaining a dining-meets-installation-art-meets video-game experience in which you eat rare chocolates to gain magical powers. <br />Yes, James, I am listening...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbaoSMAfCLdEiChEnT_yF928dnuYtjDhUOt9sVce_QSAAHPzqHQQgxy6yBiD69jX78AOnNwgtJTOlT2sKJTNes-vYiRw2Itqdon3-zq8Ia1CJvo9zbWAhqJmi0QGJtYrIUDtXosBopagy/s1600/2014-11-07+10.16.45-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbaoSMAfCLdEiChEnT_yF928dnuYtjDhUOt9sVce_QSAAHPzqHQQgxy6yBiD69jX78AOnNwgtJTOlT2sKJTNes-vYiRw2Itqdon3-zq8Ia1CJvo9zbWAhqJmi0QGJtYrIUDtXosBopagy/s1600/2014-11-07+10.16.45-2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Swankiest conference schwag thus far. It comes with fruit!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've also (selflessly) explored several amazing weekly London Markets, but Broadway Market is one of the best I've seen so far, food-wise. I humbly submit for your consideration:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyuZZwIVbEHlpcAckyUuSi-RrBekSWf_ebnBAtB7P-rzoFbma3PC5LMT5takZLYXmE13y0S_LxNzkQnQgRSztMxf6LvSq7u-SqKR0gt4vP0xTYAbAsQcKZ7EDhl0zL5or5ZVgkO8as5T4/s1600/2014-11-01+11.23.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyuZZwIVbEHlpcAckyUuSi-RrBekSWf_ebnBAtB7P-rzoFbma3PC5LMT5takZLYXmE13y0S_LxNzkQnQgRSztMxf6LvSq7u-SqKR0gt4vP0xTYAbAsQcKZ7EDhl0zL5or5ZVgkO8as5T4/s1600/2014-11-01+11.23.35.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Scotch-Egg-apalooza. Nuff said.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIE9KmOPVSebRPDJmhi3440-GT53E9t8LnGuZm-V2jg5JUpekWcgNngjFIr0-sr7sr3Njtevnssa7UBd5I2QWT8hxGCuzb6euue-3mJ3yFWo_5qAp0uTYrsADZfWG27l3UabdcwHnIMg5/s1600/2014-11-01+11.28.21.jpg" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Toffee Apple Kouign Amann. Chocolate croissant loaves. Shut UP.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5k3IDLHFQtTjMKs_8lpP0i4xyNAt7_MHipmB-Il2-3QhaXqW46KaLyuRnTmZgt4kL4nnPBjvvwqXUoQRSON27TxAoRTBeyqiBab8EYaKgN88DdtxfmV1KMy4pjKL5nwq1VeGWAlFZr4N/s1600/2014-11-01+12.19.53.jpg" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Wait, what? Duck confit burger with blue cheese, truffle honey, homemade chutney and arugula on a brioche bun? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Holy mother of Claude.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwqRCP1wPA3SbGjJ4rWuYqjteq-D2-KAqPqa6_PDp7Ye4dDVO697HzamChzTxuqAdV5Jbf4XtYQ2pMotD2sIVrTxmvDfxabSxZHnIGtzQlORpv5VF3KBTIqZ8h4P68f-9S3yh3Ar78Avx/s1600/2014-11-01+12.23.29.jpg" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What? I had to.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9X92uSIorsMlVaf-jjfBs0zfYViHuhIGFBo55sSCAAe9EdWqSKP32-ovNkSkLErBLQzixFTiHQkkG3t3hG7oY2S0LvLIsO8ZA8bUmO0EuXQRHNzj3UeehuX6G7C-zttrtrRCiqtX3vuJC/s1600/2014-10-26+10.48.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9X92uSIorsMlVaf-jjfBs0zfYViHuhIGFBo55sSCAAe9EdWqSKP32-ovNkSkLErBLQzixFTiHQkkG3t3hG7oY2S0LvLIsO8ZA8bUmO0EuXQRHNzj3UeehuX6G7C-zttrtrRCiqtX3vuJC/s1600/2014-10-26+10.48.17.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Rockin' flowers at the Columbia Road Market, but the accents rock even harder. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yet another side benefit of doing all the things? Seeing still more great street art. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xxto9qYjFn6PvIBzzeZTS9rCIU5rtkhhBHSNbchxh3jlkYWwOIDosGMyWzxCqCjfqFTVwY6hhsHGAcuzeCH5x__n33fke3yBnnin2O8EKI7eu9biDh1-7-slZDApRxB56N6y3BFkC7rD/s1600/2014-10-26+11.06.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xxto9qYjFn6PvIBzzeZTS9rCIU5rtkhhBHSNbchxh3jlkYWwOIDosGMyWzxCqCjfqFTVwY6hhsHGAcuzeCH5x__n33fke3yBnnin2O8EKI7eu9biDh1-7-slZDApRxB56N6y3BFkC7rD/s1600/2014-10-26+11.06.28.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoBAUffUCj2NEoMXYopF-9RYvR9m7Cuk9-gidoRRx8l77-8LRCHyGE5j-v5mS1SRoIodFgL5p57z30cL_RWuL9UwNYylCcxsV1Dctr_j7hH5KwG-IXcxOHVnDBJ4DWd6x6mtRPNbEeSkN/s1600/2014-10-26+11.06.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoBAUffUCj2NEoMXYopF-9RYvR9m7Cuk9-gidoRRx8l77-8LRCHyGE5j-v5mS1SRoIodFgL5p57z30cL_RWuL9UwNYylCcxsV1Dctr_j7hH5KwG-IXcxOHVnDBJ4DWd6x6mtRPNbEeSkN/s1600/2014-10-26+11.06.38.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpXZfKpGbjq7GUgnBQZXFTWUxAszg-q_dyMEsSkRw2dUO09ztGiOhzNGhZ39AQLvY3e-FB4tmJK-ROSTf1cFS1Rfa_b9kAV8TxaeG3dVVh8TEFab4QkiLxgz3klO-WTvKJoLeypDjsA87/s1600/2014-10-26+11.06.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpXZfKpGbjq7GUgnBQZXFTWUxAszg-q_dyMEsSkRw2dUO09ztGiOhzNGhZ39AQLvY3e-FB4tmJK-ROSTf1cFS1Rfa_b9kAV8TxaeG3dVVh8TEFab4QkiLxgz3klO-WTvKJoLeypDjsA87/s1600/2014-10-26+11.06.45.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8xSqZmJIrnUzzbQp8XhDar07fohsATSIEIFBOyBJ_cux8RvbNRKij_D3vLAffWKq-icwz5oYSX_NqLXSBxGb4y00r3sTAuthyphenhyphen3VzQyJFScayYcVd-OfDu_8sBhARVpnnbwBYWyPoSsBE/s1600/2014-10-26+11.12.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8xSqZmJIrnUzzbQp8XhDar07fohsATSIEIFBOyBJ_cux8RvbNRKij_D3vLAffWKq-icwz5oYSX_NqLXSBxGb4y00r3sTAuthyphenhyphen3VzQyJFScayYcVd-OfDu_8sBhARVpnnbwBYWyPoSsBE/s1600/2014-10-26+11.12.58.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisREJrYDWXsFtG760W3uc3BjLN-mRSQ97WmECfQEKFmXghDIHHE4HLbvbiV56V_aGPhiaYo8X_vhzLGc3xHztMtwatMk5s3t10BBZrngMryyFWikOPzcNXqkzFbCwdhnxJfR5nEKM6l-V5/s1600/2014-11-02+12.29.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisREJrYDWXsFtG760W3uc3BjLN-mRSQ97WmECfQEKFmXghDIHHE4HLbvbiV56V_aGPhiaYo8X_vhzLGc3xHztMtwatMk5s3t10BBZrngMryyFWikOPzcNXqkzFbCwdhnxJfR5nEKM6l-V5/s1600/2014-11-02+12.29.22.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXbgVust_iIBfTmjcQ4O6gRNXN6g12_g8kVWnnKtcCBQEo3LNKIDcs-JvVqGmay9a9xXzbcQspp3UJdZGu8V0Vh6uKLMaSImJsjHJmpz5QD5btqWOfT1F3AUgfLvMwzrAjRpyvsMvbtbh/s1600/2014-11-09+14.11.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXbgVust_iIBfTmjcQ4O6gRNXN6g12_g8kVWnnKtcCBQEo3LNKIDcs-JvVqGmay9a9xXzbcQspp3UJdZGu8V0Vh6uKLMaSImJsjHJmpz5QD5btqWOfT1F3AUgfLvMwzrAjRpyvsMvbtbh/s1600/2014-11-09+14.11.04.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUgOq_Wn75QrC-4coFTFgWCcxay1WclER2MemTgTy1E6kvDtk_iBnZ_PGdNmn4_xdVs0xNDWy3n-H35wdquAqJop3s-SKtHRdrI7JRGGplPt8BLXyc4OCIS9wHvZKPxFlITNofmQU8ku-/s1600/2014-10-26+11.11.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUgOq_Wn75QrC-4coFTFgWCcxay1WclER2MemTgTy1E6kvDtk_iBnZ_PGdNmn4_xdVs0xNDWy3n-H35wdquAqJop3s-SKtHRdrI7JRGGplPt8BLXyc4OCIS9wHvZKPxFlITNofmQU8ku-/s1600/2014-10-26+11.11.17.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What else has happened that you should know? Well…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After weeks of pounding the pavement and the online housing ads, I finally found a place to live in Bethnal Green that I liked. Then I lived there for a month, and discovered I liked it less than I thought, so did some more searching and just moved to Lower Clapton. So, since the last time I posted on the blog I have moved twice. Pics and info on new place will come later. But so far its a keeper :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A few more tidbits for ya:</span></div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYx5ghew4I8yDMeyUlpgOUPt2SttIU1LVHEOx7LG-u7g5fH2W2dpttpENrh6bpWY7RaVSzgLJMLbBi75Okvxr2l3BgPjitpuhsrRzEiQH-2Fpq91w9bodoGbf15lyLGsCB6Bf6kPyY-lKd/s1600/2014-11-06+17.39.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYx5ghew4I8yDMeyUlpgOUPt2SttIU1LVHEOx7LG-u7g5fH2W2dpttpENrh6bpWY7RaVSzgLJMLbBi75Okvxr2l3BgPjitpuhsrRzEiQH-2Fpq91w9bodoGbf15lyLGsCB6Bf6kPyY-lKd/s1600/2014-11-06+17.39.48.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Guys. GUYS. This place is DANGEROUS. Believe me.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSGSQnHHv1JtWKgmt1p9U7FZrgvAhQA2pd1Sq8Oi2Ci15qfCcr9IxY3zIDEvIADC7qIpcmIP5f2Us-NMTinWEOp5Rt8uJ11LMZK3mkYZ2fm3XWGWI4ykaJPdY5AWAI8QHU87V8QM87HrF/s1600/2014-11-09+01.36.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSGSQnHHv1JtWKgmt1p9U7FZrgvAhQA2pd1Sq8Oi2Ci15qfCcr9IxY3zIDEvIADC7qIpcmIP5f2Us-NMTinWEOp5Rt8uJ11LMZK3mkYZ2fm3XWGWI4ykaJPdY5AWAI8QHU87V8QM87HrF/s1600/2014-11-09+01.36.01.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">English cold is no joke. I mostly sleep in an actual fleece onesie these days. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptqaYNVjO4fvxFGXC4VIOEnU-2SzqffMjTHCKGHfZRhKssSBan6P_T-nj9y_xh-JmQ5x2p-UbAyYtnUSKNnkiH1TLTrkQGD2mWkry3P6FYPaO1c_SFBgm14rD53OK4eVrcZAhqgWCUP5t/s1600/2014-11-09+20.08.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptqaYNVjO4fvxFGXC4VIOEnU-2SzqffMjTHCKGHfZRhKssSBan6P_T-nj9y_xh-JmQ5x2p-UbAyYtnUSKNnkiH1TLTrkQGD2mWkry3P6FYPaO1c_SFBgm14rD53OK4eVrcZAhqgWCUP5t/s1600/2014-11-09+20.08.16.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sunday Roast, y'all. That's a proper yorkshire pudding on my beef there.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
</ul>
<div>
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<ul>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xvfhP8aGfcv_9JhXNPHzVoDpvpg8wcWa83H85B3RRGi7XnjecDnAiKY0QnUhfHCgeLjCQuso5OhH38jNg3krERbfRBIym1vKyFvMs-TWzg9bUQVosWTCJ3ODToqv58y4Xcwdb5m6waOv/s1600/2014-11-14+10.17.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xvfhP8aGfcv_9JhXNPHzVoDpvpg8wcWa83H85B3RRGi7XnjecDnAiKY0QnUhfHCgeLjCQuso5OhH38jNg3krERbfRBIym1vKyFvMs-TWzg9bUQVosWTCJ3ODToqv58y4Xcwdb5m6waOv/s1600/2014-11-14+10.17.49.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I also highly approve of how seriously many London cafes take their baked goods.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">
That's all I've got for now. More soon though, I promise. Really.</span></ul>
<ul><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy Thanksgiving!</span><br />
</ul>
Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-31083442155270567222014-10-30T09:51:00.001-07:002014-10-30T10:08:03.989-07:00Goodbye Bologna, belatedly...<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yes, yes, I realize I left Bologna over a week ago. Sue me. Here are my final highlights and I will move on, I promise. I may even catch up to the present day, who knows?</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOWmBNuqIVmL8naGrnyZW4PV2fdtabgsdOdHGXmjtEhhAdPDn3n_eBBT5dh3BuYq6gPUSrH3oYbe97IOeR2ep0Ir_vip-vJHysl4uGDprkCL7cklRRUjNMwTUW6nWc6sKw0Oj4TgM7rtO/s1600/IMG_3710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOWmBNuqIVmL8naGrnyZW4PV2fdtabgsdOdHGXmjtEhhAdPDn3n_eBBT5dh3BuYq6gPUSrH3oYbe97IOeR2ep0Ir_vip-vJHysl4uGDprkCL7cklRRUjNMwTUW6nWc6sKw0Oj4TgM7rtO/s1600/IMG_3710.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Needs no caption. Obvi.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5lnvzRYTT5Wzk8DxZKoh-tCZ-a0tkwwbKwug5YO_QFQWKf7XAg1dhTSyncplGvkjOT4sZ17ahypNj3-rI4awIBW6R6gVF7iHrOyevkLN0AOERnz-PAf4comvGVAQkWn6VFqJzY-S90iH/s1600/IMG_3711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5lnvzRYTT5Wzk8DxZKoh-tCZ-a0tkwwbKwug5YO_QFQWKf7XAg1dhTSyncplGvkjOT4sZ17ahypNj3-rI4awIBW6R6gVF7iHrOyevkLN0AOERnz-PAf4comvGVAQkWn6VFqJzY-S90iH/s1600/IMG_3711.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Favorite quotations in other languages. Happymaking. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rOhE7zrP2ZzjwumVmHP53lqG8kZQvyC0PQc1HzLHiHHhYuVe6FXT9x1jq2aMigNIygGSTPe8HPn5zNRt_Gx-HhoWlHfR0Vm-SFROFwEqJ0kJRtIjfP_eZQXbw5DkAAYZAaR0p41cyZWX/s1600/IMG_3721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rOhE7zrP2ZzjwumVmHP53lqG8kZQvyC0PQc1HzLHiHHhYuVe6FXT9x1jq2aMigNIygGSTPe8HPn5zNRt_Gx-HhoWlHfR0Vm-SFROFwEqJ0kJRtIjfP_eZQXbw5DkAAYZAaR0p41cyZWX/s1600/IMG_3721.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My people!</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mUBe4tk1LNEhryFx1zWxWH7hpcy1jWpsLZNeUqF_fU3Sn_z-ZckkWUYWaPCSuBUqnBj7c7qbXGYyixVP13ujZhjMx0HIm3EeB85x2pAwf4J6wEALBE3x1adWnUHQny3vPYpvUUpDbXIx/s1600/IMG_3730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mUBe4tk1LNEhryFx1zWxWH7hpcy1jWpsLZNeUqF_fU3Sn_z-ZckkWUYWaPCSuBUqnBj7c7qbXGYyixVP13ujZhjMx0HIm3EeB85x2pAwf4J6wEALBE3x1adWnUHQny3vPYpvUUpDbXIx/s1600/IMG_3730.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Soul crushing = missing Chekhov in Italian by ONE WEEK. The humanity.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBhfoH59_a81zBfPXYPSXrBVDQsWc7W7shmZIWUUGDilH3-3KcAHUIdWvdkKIttjEngXZcqQokVSf1YW_3WJy621MRN1tKS4lSlIpG8XiE46BnfYAMDFwqrVT7iWGLbB9vJ-n4w5USfH-/s1600/IMG_3770.jpg" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When in doubt, cured meats to the rescue. The guy who runs this place is the real deal.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBhfoH59_a81zBfPXYPSXrBVDQsWc7W7shmZIWUUGDilH3-3KcAHUIdWvdkKIttjEngXZcqQokVSf1YW_3WJy621MRN1tKS4lSlIpG8XiE46BnfYAMDFwqrVT7iWGLbB9vJ-n4w5USfH-/s1600/IMG_3770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But really, there's just simply no shortage of awesomeness in Bologna, ever. Just about everything I stumbled upon was endlessly entertaining. In some cases I am not sure the Bolognians realize how funny they are. In other cases they must. In all cases, my quality of life went up. Go Bologna.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqHcAY7P2UDk5kNr0rtp_3S5Ip1VVOifnu2y7Iven2bt4184Qol1XmBR9CGn2rY14moFNYoS1XU_7hA2ke1Lp-MBAWnbs3KD5lNeXoOPk44M6gvy9rQyg9IiwjcdaDGqpCDjDAYQECm8wO/s1600/IMG_3806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqHcAY7P2UDk5kNr0rtp_3S5Ip1VVOifnu2y7Iven2bt4184Qol1XmBR9CGn2rY14moFNYoS1XU_7hA2ke1Lp-MBAWnbs3KD5lNeXoOPk44M6gvy9rQyg9IiwjcdaDGqpCDjDAYQECm8wO/s1600/IMG_3806.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Exhibit A: Charles Darwin, pictured in his rare flower-afro phase. Wait, what?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituMZCR6a6pIf5FES37tA5bHGXw8F-2EwHKoQz_o6Lh5taJwqfV6O8sbI5RkCWdCp1bXw29qwliSWUlVMPSvFw9DjC9ICEHKatHhJstczfc9QxN8w6WFeBzFA3m55o57DjnuJNLDmFsma5/s1600/IMG_3814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituMZCR6a6pIf5FES37tA5bHGXw8F-2EwHKoQz_o6Lh5taJwqfV6O8sbI5RkCWdCp1bXw29qwliSWUlVMPSvFw9DjC9ICEHKatHhJstczfc9QxN8w6WFeBzFA3m55o57DjnuJNLDmFsma5/s1600/IMG_3814.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Exhibit B: The Bologna Phonebooth. The perfect pretend-you-are-in-a-70's-spy-movie opportunity.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yeah, there's Mike again. Typical Mike. For those wishing to know more about my new good friend Mike: he is an Engineer/Comedian of Canadian origin. It is possible that he is a funny guy, but if you have fifteen minutes you can <a href="http://vimeo.com/4246579">decide for yourself</a>. But I digress…</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNJBs7FlD4OaMZcw4KjWH0qq0a3rTy8ZasuYLi8EKvzzLe-eHLRUthV1mS_aQRzIbNNS1m3ZQanAb68-DCzpQmRgguIVS8-aVSDSPbDA0UEMW6KLUByi5pISOCyApKC2uSazNSVYowhRb/s1600/IMG_3817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNJBs7FlD4OaMZcw4KjWH0qq0a3rTy8ZasuYLi8EKvzzLe-eHLRUthV1mS_aQRzIbNNS1m3ZQanAb68-DCzpQmRgguIVS8-aVSDSPbDA0UEMW6KLUByi5pISOCyApKC2uSazNSVYowhRb/s1600/IMG_3817.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Exhibit C: The actual awning of a restaurant. I can't.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisc9ustU0a-d_bBB2o853srd13dZG0J9vahSwQruuxsayOZZ1S-27dcyDLeEP1yw8NqcpcZgsCNtepjy5KSlp96LNL9xWEfVcnfG5GOoBB5vYuxYyVc7uQ_WE2dktk0FJhU_Pec8YwzVT2/s1600/IMG_3843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisc9ustU0a-d_bBB2o853srd13dZG0J9vahSwQruuxsayOZZ1S-27dcyDLeEP1yw8NqcpcZgsCNtepjy5KSlp96LNL9xWEfVcnfG5GOoBB5vYuxYyVc7uQ_WE2dktk0FJhU_Pec8YwzVT2/s1600/IMG_3843.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Exhibit D: Moose hat!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFd_LO3IUD2bvkEH2IwLb1lnSgKyx9LXSF8jyFZ6lMySQLJt39qDOke4ipkbfvaHuK-6qhuz1Fk8hsUt7SuvJkjZkTzK02nqt1CbD80ab3LKCXlWDQz4iT3JJpacT5gUq0LAWr3Hsa_AD/s1600/IMG_3853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFd_LO3IUD2bvkEH2IwLb1lnSgKyx9LXSF8jyFZ6lMySQLJt39qDOke4ipkbfvaHuK-6qhuz1Fk8hsUt7SuvJkjZkTzK02nqt1CbD80ab3LKCXlWDQz4iT3JJpacT5gUq0LAWr3Hsa_AD/s1600/IMG_3853.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Exhibit forget-about-it: I ALWAYS wear a sexy spoon-hawk with demitasse-earrings when swimming in a coffee-lake. Anyone else?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEslQGC9Mocn8hSXNe6mZu0ngZLtRHb8ZW-K98jRsR9kAD58o2TzrgJTi4ursnWoYuW6y9HvyGSukFNRaoJS6NC1MvlZfXdI5vLI8ehXDOwLkeXUIhyphenhyphenX_w2nFytkVy0v1n2E4vKoptxeQ6/s1600/IMG_3887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEslQGC9Mocn8hSXNe6mZu0ngZLtRHb8ZW-K98jRsR9kAD58o2TzrgJTi4ursnWoYuW6y9HvyGSukFNRaoJS6NC1MvlZfXdI5vLI8ehXDOwLkeXUIhyphenhyphenX_w2nFytkVy0v1n2E4vKoptxeQ6/s1600/IMG_3887.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Baby Armani. That's a shearling lined aviator sleep sack on the right. Just sayin'.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvQCCNSt4SPZsNoEQMvrtyZxaaBExkW6p3shrQ7UExtYxuTQiI8tVR1lUdgZitWZRSQ_spVvb-IdbaElG3GQQEgvqfO_3zoZ4M0lLuLu8hjXDUHaFfeuVaj9sA-ceuTj5Jj4sHlZF983w/s1600/IMG_3917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvQCCNSt4SPZsNoEQMvrtyZxaaBExkW6p3shrQ7UExtYxuTQiI8tVR1lUdgZitWZRSQ_spVvb-IdbaElG3GQQEgvqfO_3zoZ4M0lLuLu8hjXDUHaFfeuVaj9sA-ceuTj5Jj4sHlZF983w/s1600/IMG_3917.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the hotel elevator. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But for the ultimate combination of beautiful, awe-inspiring, historical, mildly creepy, and undeniably weird, I give you the Anatomical Theatre!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCR-mAzrZ7GZKS48uE4sa6sgX5BVF_3G2_XdzCb9EElJyySD0AuKLQk4dGJ9ohk_LfCCZm44nWbZ5-q3OMV55E7hP2SUyTCQCdkfMJno3OCiZlR450DVOOTv6zFUqAw1Fwtp8Q-2Y-u3-1/s1600/IMG_3859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCR-mAzrZ7GZKS48uE4sa6sgX5BVF_3G2_XdzCb9EElJyySD0AuKLQk4dGJ9ohk_LfCCZm44nWbZ5-q3OMV55E7hP2SUyTCQCdkfMJno3OCiZlR450DVOOTv6zFUqAw1Fwtp8Q-2Y-u3-1/s1600/IMG_3859.JPG" height="127" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatomical_theatre_of_the_Archiginnasio">really</a>. Absurdly intense woodwork inside, and smokin'-hot marble and paintwork outside. 1636, motherf%$!ers. Check it out:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So yeah, that's my best attempt to show a bit of the awesome that is Bologna.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Other bits of awesome that went unphotographed included: becoming a member of the CovoClub (hilarious), seeing Death from Above live for the first time (so rad), and staying at the Hotel Cavour (surprisingly swanky). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The last morning before heading back to London I had fluffy-Italian-custard-pastry-of-win with a perfect cappuccino. Hell to the yes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So I guess it's goodbye for now, Bologna, but I will definitely be back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Coming soon: Life in London town...</span></div>
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Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-4751157345309220512014-10-26T02:48:00.000-07:002014-10-26T02:52:17.383-07:00Takin' it to the streets!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So yet another thing that I was not at all prepared for was the ridiculous amount of street art and graffiti all over Bologna. Some boldly on the main roads, some delicately inked on a busy corner where you might miss it, and some in the tiny alleys where you'll only find it if you're on a street art treasure hunt. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Classic Bologna juxtaposition.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwQktplTQgJech8kuHbAScXytg1ISR4K7agghSyIZaxhsZJU5Uw6AJ0QG70YXY8w89XIiJwwDog_qqEblPG4OedbT6OhensFBgbYgrWI8Hr98rAJDQXH4GsM8Wpcv046uqRtB7b2pXwqU/s1600/IMG_3778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwQktplTQgJech8kuHbAScXytg1ISR4K7agghSyIZaxhsZJU5Uw6AJ0QG70YXY8w89XIiJwwDog_qqEblPG4OedbT6OhensFBgbYgrWI8Hr98rAJDQXH4GsM8Wpcv046uqRtB7b2pXwqU/s1600/IMG_3778.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh yeah, a bit of background: the city of Bologna is a center of learning, a university town, and a real life hotbed of Communism. We saw an actual full-on block-the-streets Communist protest while we were there. Not gonna lie, it was pretty adorable. But yeah, the politics show up in the art, like ya do.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP65uCoKdkBP0P27nsmO2W-wnytKOmdDz42hD9qgX8AwRjSqYUA5SPgpuHaATHxJW8Jb5st9TNcw4SVPVun-R6V8baz2Q7Xtde8JdoG7-wGfCYKcOUPwNBKV69gODBIudxyuyUnvtkwKc/s1600/IMG_3786.jpg" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This bunny was all over everywhere: the Where's Waldo? of Bologna, if you will.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP65uCoKdkBP0P27nsmO2W-wnytKOmdDz42hD9qgX8AwRjSqYUA5SPgpuHaATHxJW8Jb5st9TNcw4SVPVun-R6V8baz2Q7Xtde8JdoG7-wGfCYKcOUPwNBKV69gODBIudxyuyUnvtkwKc/s1600/IMG_3786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There he is again!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I still can't get over how many styles and influences are represented. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKDPRbOkRKPEJOJ5jXGYPzp0lfhznA5jmsoxQ9SqGp6CAmLgA0iWslzUWwB9Mhp-cUMATkWm3WhNh4vGuSgeqJ3cKn3HFHTKUTKKHGTYy6kHm6Y3k9B8EvbW8yIQUwLavtfbf658eXr0Z/s1600/IMG_3823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKDPRbOkRKPEJOJ5jXGYPzp0lfhznA5jmsoxQ9SqGp6CAmLgA0iWslzUWwB9Mhp-cUMATkWm3WhNh4vGuSgeqJ3cKn3HFHTKUTKKHGTYy6kHm6Y3k9B8EvbW8yIQUwLavtfbf658eXr0Z/s1600/IMG_3823.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Right?</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just when you thought you had a handle on the style? Nope!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_vCdPyc9_jW30my653aJI6cQzTMmOHppBX3n8-KSOtmfPMrkOtLw05QXPWakJEW87_2RziKc88FUdnS6SsLQKKkB3pIogf9m1dK_fCUfIZOXgjmW0eRkXc5ELFv4nQn3wSz-GXFFOB9r/s1600/IMG_3828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_vCdPyc9_jW30my653aJI6cQzTMmOHppBX3n8-KSOtmfPMrkOtLw05QXPWakJEW87_2RziKc88FUdnS6SsLQKKkB3pIogf9m1dK_fCUfIZOXgjmW0eRkXc5ELFv4nQn3wSz-GXFFOB9r/s1600/IMG_3828.JPG" height="161" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still Mike, with Owl-o-rama.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxDGTqJpYqk-FD7jJ1rbiPmjt8ah7MpfRE1miOOnfFe14BrgxT5PHnWypcrH3Ie-3QLUjdMUzurzfaIbg9AxiKOZJBuMDzB_8lERay1MCJnF-LsVmSh2XovlkMxQNdFQAyIWxqwcfMhHX/s1600/IMG_3726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxDGTqJpYqk-FD7jJ1rbiPmjt8ah7MpfRE1miOOnfFe14BrgxT5PHnWypcrH3Ie-3QLUjdMUzurzfaIbg9AxiKOZJBuMDzB_8lERay1MCJnF-LsVmSh2XovlkMxQNdFQAyIWxqwcfMhHX/s1600/IMG_3726.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pretty birds</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgL_193jlPEWoPfMJzpiCBXIhPN5ADKs7V4UuDPf6k4hoFp7KV0FvQ6p7z3nvlYrbLK4mf3m-Tw15dhdsURB4ICS4_LQICRdYFKiA-MLL8XiDimZu47u0UPVJxLA5WZxMUx3alRA4AIFM/s1600/IMG_3845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgL_193jlPEWoPfMJzpiCBXIhPN5ADKs7V4UuDPf6k4hoFp7KV0FvQ6p7z3nvlYrbLK4mf3m-Tw15dhdsURB4ICS4_LQICRdYFKiA-MLL8XiDimZu47u0UPVJxLA5WZxMUx3alRA4AIFM/s1600/IMG_3845.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRgQ7GTv1U3ZDA1crZ3_NfW1YKnU11ZQ02dU6Xa4y8lPjkyDwcPHfJQBcY40jOM8Ws5586dlJxbBcpKe-HC1LGaC9-kU9W8i2IRl4zdz9K7iS_2TtRNX2oNljsDGg_zxjEpcdO7hAVHNe/s1600/IMG_3727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRgQ7GTv1U3ZDA1crZ3_NfW1YKnU11ZQ02dU6Xa4y8lPjkyDwcPHfJQBcY40jOM8Ws5586dlJxbBcpKe-HC1LGaC9-kU9W8i2IRl4zdz9K7iS_2TtRNX2oNljsDGg_zxjEpcdO7hAVHNe/s1600/IMG_3727.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I mean, come on. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then there is the roll-up and security door art. I get that it's not unique to Bologna, but its super concentrated, and when shops are open you can't even see it, so most of it is hidden for most of the day. So if you walk around in the early morning, for example, you get a wildly-colorful alternate-universe Bologna. Check it out:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8aX-HHMU1ujbtMnH4LThTJSXyt43u9DAkf7Gh2djbMRFJtEcqUuMc4qUHhGdasaHaJdecPm0NzHkIFkwE-F4CYtlvmPrWhYA8h81-M51ewMNqimF4kA7mzgyDxue3SJCI8JOpuWFEoMq/s1600/IMG_3910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8aX-HHMU1ujbtMnH4LThTJSXyt43u9DAkf7Gh2djbMRFJtEcqUuMc4qUHhGdasaHaJdecPm0NzHkIFkwE-F4CYtlvmPrWhYA8h81-M51ewMNqimF4kA7mzgyDxue3SJCI8JOpuWFEoMq/s1600/IMG_3910.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is in front of a bar called Sherlock Holmes. Obvi.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznma9-rCX7B_t7J8X5prLaTqb2ozsRoFXZjf5HIOJ_wTyJEANhI9YDY06ngdlE51sR6qyJHusIJ_5d5HdK9WByX0K8z4Q9mH0YGvz_K59WWwa1Bn252b2nBuxpGHEqMrLpaTlAaeBrVY-/s1600/IMG_3901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznma9-rCX7B_t7J8X5prLaTqb2ozsRoFXZjf5HIOJ_wTyJEANhI9YDY06ngdlE51sR6qyJHusIJ_5d5HdK9WByX0K8z4Q9mH0YGvz_K59WWwa1Bn252b2nBuxpGHEqMrLpaTlAaeBrVY-/s1600/IMG_3901.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76ue-DAtJY6Dte2jhf8feJd_XE0n_nr6w3I-MtN0F-7rE9IeYaoksd6VfGC-aoLGrVGzdlo8ZsyTGr4t0fHLPbxXvRFFh82QyKiIDYOwny6tAmE-U9Bx_y96zjoEAI-Cq68g5CJ7TxKaj/s1600/IMG_3906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76ue-DAtJY6Dte2jhf8feJd_XE0n_nr6w3I-MtN0F-7rE9IeYaoksd6VfGC-aoLGrVGzdlo8ZsyTGr4t0fHLPbxXvRFFh82QyKiIDYOwny6tAmE-U9Bx_y96zjoEAI-Cq68g5CJ7TxKaj/s1600/IMG_3906.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziL850bP621AZt3_edgBt8F3H-8wk1kU3928RsJi-S9JPf2WW9TtTOd5ogldwf84c5MKxfW1IWQ8S9-6VkRJd3TEW5m3JWAHRXWGf76hXCAHye7vcAQCCAGkiqJqrbwTQg_Em0ESkTEQp/s1600/IMG_3826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziL850bP621AZt3_edgBt8F3H-8wk1kU3928RsJi-S9JPf2WW9TtTOd5ogldwf84c5MKxfW1IWQ8S9-6VkRJd3TEW5m3JWAHRXWGf76hXCAHye7vcAQCCAGkiqJqrbwTQg_Em0ESkTEQp/s1600/IMG_3826.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Political roll-up door art, anyone?</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Really though. This stuff blows my mind. Like, I want posters of 75% of these.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-H-umA-10YKRNtfZsaQOyhF9VamyfYFTwAXMyGtj7fpJLIfCH7c0yW3BiFyMknHsO2NMRmebUl6DJUJbJcD7yYx8T6rJJxqjecQifvLxqXtDv6tF6YsZObqJnS5nCr9E3HCCtGRe9ksH/s1600/IMG_3825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-H-umA-10YKRNtfZsaQOyhF9VamyfYFTwAXMyGtj7fpJLIfCH7c0yW3BiFyMknHsO2NMRmebUl6DJUJbJcD7yYx8T6rJJxqjecQifvLxqXtDv6tF6YsZObqJnS5nCr9E3HCCtGRe9ksH/s1600/IMG_3825.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWy93vfPwGuMrX-jndKZDdcMOYqmcSwTrZQ-K6e4vpVKNzz4jlvx-_GZoJ199nqhuqsVGYtcYIm1Wo7Nx-fNP3ZoxS8O-8fk4KIJB1t7jL-4gS4ylkxAr69VEX_T80Z3Rhotuc5rl5lCJF/s1600/IMG_3824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWy93vfPwGuMrX-jndKZDdcMOYqmcSwTrZQ-K6e4vpVKNzz4jlvx-_GZoJ199nqhuqsVGYtcYIm1Wo7Nx-fNP3ZoxS8O-8fk4KIJB1t7jL-4gS4ylkxAr69VEX_T80Z3Rhotuc5rl5lCJF/s1600/IMG_3824.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Right?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7gqULWZ17M5l-3EyAgOVaoOsPtgPdwgPW4ZXdz2uFOHWtuNpcfmZsBEdOxN0cZjvrgxpzvUK33NrVPWEGyNFmjbL3TzqFs022ua43X00Py0bRzv1MyWL4mWe7FYHy0VyJYdpXRaOSEYi/s1600/IMG_3829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7gqULWZ17M5l-3EyAgOVaoOsPtgPdwgPW4ZXdz2uFOHWtuNpcfmZsBEdOxN0cZjvrgxpzvUK33NrVPWEGyNFmjbL3TzqFs022ua43X00Py0bRzv1MyWL4mWe7FYHy0VyJYdpXRaOSEYi/s1600/IMG_3829.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I mean, wtf, Bologna. Leave some cool for the rest of us.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JbOK12lrN0kTEkjxzUX9IG0snM7G3TmYSgw-wECvAopVaOdOetHkMhbDYANldt6MfWzpzj0OTatm2I3ToYKMYt3NonyjU3-IiwO202SEcjN60U47-jOZWF_PXJxIxsOQgV8iwLW6Oytb/s1600/IMG_3830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JbOK12lrN0kTEkjxzUX9IG0snM7G3TmYSgw-wECvAopVaOdOetHkMhbDYANldt6MfWzpzj0OTatm2I3ToYKMYt3NonyjU3-IiwO202SEcjN60U47-jOZWF_PXJxIxsOQgV8iwLW6Oytb/s1600/IMG_3830.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2OOzK3QY2nd-Xu5Iaaxbm33P11v2M0uvf9wKHc5U3Wcy7TPCdfAJ-Sef4aVCIlEqiut0a6GUTx9iFGjxNEQQnuj_MlIcCTrnMiDcM2JhmemWRfLA4L36q9A2CLeiiSCf6qkcPAgBfxLG/s1600/IMG_3835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2OOzK3QY2nd-Xu5Iaaxbm33P11v2M0uvf9wKHc5U3Wcy7TPCdfAJ-Sef4aVCIlEqiut0a6GUTx9iFGjxNEQQnuj_MlIcCTrnMiDcM2JhmemWRfLA4L36q9A2CLeiiSCf6qkcPAgBfxLG/s1600/IMG_3835.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Q4C6-ikC4dLfdBFr1Il5hW9H4RSB0cY_5m37zFAWJNOltDM_XXPm9hdOPIHgBgNPsSPuVCg-ETg_6XTRJ_c6KIWqo3yrDfkjV3IlnRFeaeoC8tTp6KTwql7QcpQdNovA6pBpCjMYAHzE/s1600/IMG_3837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Q4C6-ikC4dLfdBFr1Il5hW9H4RSB0cY_5m37zFAWJNOltDM_XXPm9hdOPIHgBgNPsSPuVCg-ETg_6XTRJ_c6KIWqo3yrDfkjV3IlnRFeaeoC8tTp6KTwql7QcpQdNovA6pBpCjMYAHzE/s1600/IMG_3837.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But my all time amongst the covert-Bologna-art movement has to be this mural:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUeFv4kdKw6XGk0RKDnN4_G0R-Oqvr8vEe3affoXZdVPjlKAShTukqD9A-uPYEg2AjFTU1q99EeD0Uhr-CUcc2SP5VOhaWa8Irh7ZuCN2a6XraFbC06AxiilqoFnYGNlKF-3q8UBEwxXh/s1600/IMG_3780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUeFv4kdKw6XGk0RKDnN4_G0R-Oqvr8vEe3affoXZdVPjlKAShTukqD9A-uPYEg2AjFTU1q99EeD0Uhr-CUcc2SP5VOhaWa8Irh7ZuCN2a6XraFbC06AxiilqoFnYGNlKF-3q8UBEwxXh/s1600/IMG_3780.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yeah, it does not wish to fit in a frame. It is detailed and huge.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's on an alley, very small, nothing on it to do, significantly obscured by trees, and flipping stunning. My lame iPhotography cannot do justice to it. Get thee to Bologna and check it out in person. Super cool.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dwVJOOPYWZ6O-bgAi1YiMPR_d8DmLEBWRvn1qYlgRNe7DpIGdd-0qSC5wG8mhJUmNPlKBYdLe6KI7T2NcmGAU4p-sl91xhm3Stez0uXRncZVYI5yRAit0m35ZXX7trlPFzxZXxgOA2u5/s1600/IMG_3784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dwVJOOPYWZ6O-bgAi1YiMPR_d8DmLEBWRvn1qYlgRNe7DpIGdd-0qSC5wG8mhJUmNPlKBYdLe6KI7T2NcmGAU4p-sl91xhm3Stez0uXRncZVYI5yRAit0m35ZXX7trlPFzxZXxgOA2u5/s1600/IMG_3784.JPG" height="165" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I die. It has killed me. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oh, and a side note: Anandamayi and Aim</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">é</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">e, have you been here yet? Some of this stuff begs to be referenced in a chalk art entry or summat. Just sayin'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That be the art post, folks. Coming soon is Bologna wrap up, and adventures in Bristol!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And, on that note, an overdue postscript of sorts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some folks have mentioned that I can't possibly still be in Bologna. They are not wrong. I'm a little behind on the blogging, guys. But wait, you ask, isn't the whole point of blogging to enable folks to follow you in roughly real time? Yes, yes, right, I know, you're very smart. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm on it, I swear. Back soon, y'all. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Okay.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTBrExLAsoa7OSeDtyf0FC9E75goohSC53PuX-yv9dhEmPTMPl2Z2KFSK7vZ-0msjp8QPg8Y4uNN2VHLotojzfv_NE5wROx8mFuXU4mDscIT_lRF-DZlY9rvlkl9k_NhzrWNYgTuH9NyQ/s1600/IMG_3800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTBrExLAsoa7OSeDtyf0FC9E75goohSC53PuX-yv9dhEmPTMPl2Z2KFSK7vZ-0msjp8QPg8Y4uNN2VHLotojzfv_NE5wROx8mFuXU4mDscIT_lRF-DZlY9rvlkl9k_NhzrWNYgTuH9NyQ/s1600/IMG_3800.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fine.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7Y-0KXcMJv6-_DPxjcjjeZS3zvdEZbREiiwtjCxIlAbCJDGWCpWJbyXku1rBv8F_qyaI8BFA6_q5DwVCIWqbG0QCRHDnvEx9f4QCRX0DzPKvYUIGTMWVy2f7pDT7pj4eyV-1cYaegiYo/s1600/IMG_3804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7Y-0KXcMJv6-_DPxjcjjeZS3zvdEZbREiiwtjCxIlAbCJDGWCpWJbyXku1rBv8F_qyaI8BFA6_q5DwVCIWqbG0QCRHDnvEx9f4QCRX0DzPKvYUIGTMWVy2f7pDT7pj4eyV-1cYaegiYo/s1600/IMG_3804.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yeah, well, I guess your buildings are awesome.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3apF0lcs3IyQzBPuCc56asB8bdkS_69J0jGJmUIQ4caaqW4Xz6yH0cPAJsV0RqxcCfHhJFid_bvTCz5Xm1Zn7Eyq41xDSnADudecN28zGmWFK-b7iXXztAXTweK_6XshBqwCAFL8kvL9/s1600/IMG_3791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif3apF0lcs3IyQzBPuCc56asB8bdkS_69J0jGJmUIQ4caaqW4Xz6yH0cPAJsV0RqxcCfHhJFid_bvTCz5Xm1Zn7Eyq41xDSnADudecN28zGmWFK-b7iXXztAXTweK_6XshBqwCAFL8kvL9/s1600/IMG_3791.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And your plants are very pretty. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">With very cool colors.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjZB-YcGWGD8DaAGugflemerdAecwAGyISgk8EbXT3UNnR6fHmQ30g-3Jgv5MsHpRVPoMnL54IMX79A57kPPFuEB_btROriakQa32wqdNRdCFxH1S1IL3XJwCEucSA5yBIJddK-wEMH3_/s1600/IMG_3796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjZB-YcGWGD8DaAGugflemerdAecwAGyISgk8EbXT3UNnR6fHmQ30g-3Jgv5MsHpRVPoMnL54IMX79A57kPPFuEB_btROriakQa32wqdNRdCFxH1S1IL3XJwCEucSA5yBIJddK-wEMH3_/s1600/IMG_3796.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And downright adorable teeny tiny pomegranates.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTfIEQW7pEpT-Winm27mz6xv4zt-w5l32An6OZaJekH5LeIlNfdxUwaPideaHoqJhVqhTMBt9wGBPFIPlrlbxGtHWWb9svijtIwYPRX5cDhFUPmtWLadakp433TSiiunbuZTBT7f33nB4/s1600/IMG_3808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTfIEQW7pEpT-Winm27mz6xv4zt-w5l32An6OZaJekH5LeIlNfdxUwaPideaHoqJhVqhTMBt9wGBPFIPlrlbxGtHWWb9svijtIwYPRX5cDhFUPmtWLadakp433TSiiunbuZTBT7f33nB4/s1600/IMG_3808.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Okay okay okay, enough already, you guys are awesome. You happy now?</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Best though? I honestly thought the Gardens were littered with a surprising number of tennis balls. I'm a dunce, sure. But look at the thing:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54NoahoZ2U__dEFukWmZyjdWtzyPvQs-CKBRKDX-XZ5_5AD5fIOEFeqttGl8x5GvUBxikEY7D8j5WHwWW883KjxVAtJqpL2wBR8TfuprIJ5VrabeuPzHJLIxBEQrA4vKwyodYVpYCb8_O/s1600/IMG_3792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54NoahoZ2U__dEFukWmZyjdWtzyPvQs-CKBRKDX-XZ5_5AD5fIOEFeqttGl8x5GvUBxikEY7D8j5WHwWW883KjxVAtJqpL2wBR8TfuprIJ5VrabeuPzHJLIxBEQrA4vKwyodYVpYCb8_O/s1600/IMG_3792.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ladies and Gents: the Osage Orange, tennis ball of the plant world.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">Then Mike balanced three of them and made a snowman. Genius.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatV664_3P_Kx2oeX5g14tIX97p_n73DNnX_MQl7_Q4gWdtZWwCxtiOpwdqhFP4ShVeh0QtvIuLG-9gPUC7dNcp4A14cM9-8zUDl3YvVFYkAYmByPp15RClS27Kz8Nv6PcVrLA1DrQkB4h/s1600/IMG_3794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatV664_3P_Kx2oeX5g14tIX97p_n73DNnX_MQl7_Q4gWdtZWwCxtiOpwdqhFP4ShVeh0QtvIuLG-9gPUC7dNcp4A14cM9-8zUDl3YvVFYkAYmByPp15RClS27Kz8Nv6PcVrLA1DrQkB4h/s1600/IMG_3794.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The eyes were already there. Unbelievable. I love you, Osage Orangeman!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Well, that's all I've got for Italian plants, but stay tuned for Italian street art. It's a doozy.</span></div>
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Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-35321935692099388972014-10-20T13:13:00.002-07:002014-10-20T13:18:35.177-07:00When in Bologna...<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">eat the pork.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No really. I have eaten the bologna in Bologna and it is not, I repeat, NOT the bologna of my youth. Sadly, however, I did not photograph it. My apologies. It was gone too fast? You'll have to take my word for it. The business. (Vegetarians may be excused to eat the eggplant tagliatelle or the porcini ravioli. Not that I managed to photograph those either. Don't fire me yet, I'll make it up to you…) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Next, bask in the ever-lovin' History, motherpluckers. Everywhere you go, hardcore virtuosic Art and Architecture threaten to smother you with the weight of their age and awesomeness. In a good way, though.</span><span id="goog_345751540"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhBjdiW7PLu9wgKCfq1kiuEu40LsMcte2actOyd0QteRgoCSaC7ybSUGca3DYB-6wdpXWPYHema4o-KzlVbdKL0pGqV3RlmJkNUXkVMiEG2IoPySm33f1zNhVx3gtShNC0JWQlQQ5JY_1/s1600/IMG_3735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhBjdiW7PLu9wgKCfq1kiuEu40LsMcte2actOyd0QteRgoCSaC7ybSUGca3DYB-6wdpXWPYHema4o-KzlVbdKL0pGqV3RlmJkNUXkVMiEG2IoPySm33f1zNhVx3gtShNC0JWQlQQ5JY_1/s1600/IMG_3735.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There is, I tell you what, a leaning tower of Bologna. FOR STARTERS.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLRMgUsIKe2NN8oUMVh4rEzDZaFDSOLg19tj465nZV19aNflU49Jq2FZlzLG8U2BtL2GrqA-vLKd6jvFZhAIiNekVezCe1CqZ-1DkXajkeQskM-LBgvVVeCIzZlBNc5t1Mcm2EqSuIR-K/s1600/IMG_3714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLRMgUsIKe2NN8oUMVh4rEzDZaFDSOLg19tj465nZV19aNflU49Jq2FZlzLG8U2BtL2GrqA-vLKd6jvFZhAIiNekVezCe1CqZ-1DkXajkeQskM-LBgvVVeCIzZlBNc5t1Mcm2EqSuIR-K/s1600/IMG_3714.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Also, a Basilica at every turn. It's compulsory, I guess.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigT5mxsgrAe6hg7EUCssaAPnqRpyn357EMR_N718LPm80W1Rq1DS0uHNwHtSir0vZhVJxFBWeSzRIrFeAqcquO8wjeZZhMREQkZbbRUr-Ai7Zf392_tQDPxb0VxoaQJsYH7NBC9Kv1Yt7L/s1600/IMG_3715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigT5mxsgrAe6hg7EUCssaAPnqRpyn357EMR_N718LPm80W1Rq1DS0uHNwHtSir0vZhVJxFBWeSzRIrFeAqcquO8wjeZZhMREQkZbbRUr-Ai7Zf392_tQDPxb0VxoaQJsYH7NBC9Kv1Yt7L/s1600/IMG_3715.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Still Mike, with architecture.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Oh yes, I am here with Mike. Mike is an all around swell dude, as witness: he is letting me crash on his Hackney living room floor until I find a more permanent London home (that's not a slight, btw, his living room is located in Hackney). He is also the Bologna Enabler, so there's that. More on him in a bit.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPrM-bZCNWKFW1uvEe4sgkABTEcSzEwFx5WGmF-9VSDWIwTBBOANyK1NicvGDuCFJr5wdXfD7i9QHxKJTBXQxgMN9dpmvg83mL27Fwx3lfZ4NHQoZuJpL1x6Ly6RnTY0BFoZYrHsfq-xo/s1600/IMG_3745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPrM-bZCNWKFW1uvEe4sgkABTEcSzEwFx5WGmF-9VSDWIwTBBOANyK1NicvGDuCFJr5wdXfD7i9QHxKJTBXQxgMN9dpmvg83mL27Fwx3lfZ4NHQoZuJpL1x6Ly6RnTY0BFoZYrHsfq-xo/s1600/IMG_3745.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Inside your local Basilica (and there is practically one on every corner), might you find, perhaps, a set of fourteen life-size terra cotta statues from the late 15th century? Distinctly possible.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLc3p-Ys47-NYP18ZzlPtdzkUBBZEWcobZoBYUFOLVMjZ1xMPTgXma6hc-Bqin6rgkR2bLKQNYHwheXjazmjqtIcNZWGDcGzT6-MFZrXFt_9jmSVM8A77jAIcllx5cox3EiD9BNOhNNkn/s1600/IMG_3746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLc3p-Ys47-NYP18ZzlPtdzkUBBZEWcobZoBYUFOLVMjZ1xMPTgXma6hc-Bqin6rgkR2bLKQNYHwheXjazmjqtIcNZWGDcGzT6-MFZrXFt_9jmSVM8A77jAIcllx5cox3EiD9BNOhNNkn/s1600/IMG_3746.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I mean, really, the f#$!ing ceilings, people. Amirite?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtfaoe4YfwOmYeOR1Q6_I1HoX6eQMXll6r7kjdIoslE7Ot03b1Cedhk65R27o7LquTSc5gG1CBrH-yDgLSHzBG2Xv5h1s8Db-bPnGohWGZPN-3fJszfl9Dtyg9-niZqxhNGLLoEO4sZNv/s1600/IMG_3758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtfaoe4YfwOmYeOR1Q6_I1HoX6eQMXll6r7kjdIoslE7Ot03b1Cedhk65R27o7LquTSc5gG1CBrH-yDgLSHzBG2Xv5h1s8Db-bPnGohWGZPN-3fJszfl9Dtyg9-niZqxhNGLLoEO4sZNv/s1600/IMG_3758.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A massive multi-tier ornate altar of doom.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPr7KtKYxJomD0FCcF4JDm9LWxf5IMJ6F4wtxNeBgyJ4uPD6AxdnUQnB8KAOm74k6tY-teJjUvuv2XA-JRGFy4HX5Wd_6YVOd85emjE3FZxhX6633iotrT1kjoor1zaU3Qexw4htbE9Epv/s1600/IMG_3752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPr7KtKYxJomD0FCcF4JDm9LWxf5IMJ6F4wtxNeBgyJ4uPD6AxdnUQnB8KAOm74k6tY-teJjUvuv2XA-JRGFy4HX5Wd_6YVOd85emjE3FZxhX6633iotrT1kjoor1zaU3Qexw4htbE9Epv/s1600/IMG_3752.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And on the altar (lest you miss it): a tiny gold closet. I like to think of it as a Royal Hobbit door to Narnia.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwqJnasFt79avhF2b0bD-bhHkOMYylq1pGg3SVoNckE-q8CNX4XKSdUyW2PcXI_r6DZPtl7tLVMnmHinmI66GhoyZfLD5ryTqZdJDvuPLu9Gq117CssAyZkl2Lxb-nIePZ4ByS4ZkbX8D/s1600/IMG_3762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwqJnasFt79avhF2b0bD-bhHkOMYylq1pGg3SVoNckE-q8CNX4XKSdUyW2PcXI_r6DZPtl7tLVMnmHinmI66GhoyZfLD5ryTqZdJDvuPLu9Gq117CssAyZkl2Lxb-nIePZ4ByS4ZkbX8D/s1600/IMG_3762.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Standard windows</span>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VfBO9kOsUVYW1rulrreujbcUbZoeQ4WyA9deAjikkIq5j8EA5Vk4SiyHsQ7GICRuiBX5__ACXCZQdYZiXHPFcvNZt4_r6vkD0eimKyCrfrbe4Jo4tIDDVmzSPN0iWliEmaKVAG77A-68/s1600/IMG_3763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VfBO9kOsUVYW1rulrreujbcUbZoeQ4WyA9deAjikkIq5j8EA5Vk4SiyHsQ7GICRuiBX5__ACXCZQdYZiXHPFcvNZt4_r6vkD0eimKyCrfrbe4Jo4tIDDVmzSPN0iWliEmaKVAG77A-68/s1600/IMG_3763.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Standard floors.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUvX1XL5cOfcNzi3zoTJTu65iOECU0n5hkcEJBKhBcCS6j3Yc5Gf8WPC4s-s1FdtdfcHMZcfjveuSFlmcETFd8TaazILsCgeGgu12ThveqdmZ5WtBxJBVQCKVwzLP-eCJEwYk2uklW52o/s1600/IMG_3754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUvX1XL5cOfcNzi3zoTJTu65iOECU0n5hkcEJBKhBcCS6j3Yc5Gf8WPC4s-s1FdtdfcHMZcfjveuSFlmcETFd8TaazILsCgeGgu12ThveqdmZ5WtBxJBVQCKVwzLP-eCJEwYk2uklW52o/s1600/IMG_3754.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just generally pretty standard.<br /><br /><br />For your consideration I also humbly submit: random keyholes of Bologna!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1pFdJ5lafbwahymP08Q2chbzTkjG9TTClguXX24xwlNW6vKpD1OQLPO2cYPJsJAWr51k0-W0CxyPdMHcM7CLBE34hTEnCe2Lgg_POa08_gD9ZnZyKsspA3aquTV9hyphenhyphen4BthAcus-Jkr1O/s1600/IMG_3773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1pFdJ5lafbwahymP08Q2chbzTkjG9TTClguXX24xwlNW6vKpD1OQLPO2cYPJsJAWr51k0-W0CxyPdMHcM7CLBE34hTEnCe2Lgg_POa08_gD9ZnZyKsspA3aquTV9hyphenhyphen4BthAcus-Jkr1O/s1600/IMG_3773.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfB21CpGO07DcerTbOqS0Fsg-L3ljlHp04zPnIott_5vUeZZF5XXcg2AmANgPZ8-lAZ7F3coTgjT_qpcBaGnGNeyzF71lPpqhkLdqI39IccavfjZQNNvCsB2nKKiF-6BD6b-EG2YxRAxrn/s1600/IMG_3774.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfB21CpGO07DcerTbOqS0Fsg-L3ljlHp04zPnIott_5vUeZZF5XXcg2AmANgPZ8-lAZ7F3coTgjT_qpcBaGnGNeyzF71lPpqhkLdqI39IccavfjZQNNvCsB2nKKiF-6BD6b-EG2YxRAxrn/s1600/IMG_3774.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJb-im1QzksRfxGTtNfAdvu4sFVpQE4Lj2YP1gOD-JNCcBQoaOYUM8STIPJRvBZaEiN65Fz3U2iA3NeZznD0PxIh6ha1CThbQ70C5iXOSXuoyu4dFFH0-Z2Ed8p9CP_5-e_sH9T9XkxJxA/s1600/IMG_3878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJb-im1QzksRfxGTtNfAdvu4sFVpQE4Lj2YP1gOD-JNCcBQoaOYUM8STIPJRvBZaEiN65Fz3U2iA3NeZznD0PxIh6ha1CThbQ70C5iXOSXuoyu4dFFH0-Z2Ed8p9CP_5-e_sH9T9XkxJxA/s1600/IMG_3878.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pretty sure these represent some serious antique theft deterrent. Take note, Weglet.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEja7v5QunxjSXlWOxQP_IerS6et409QgtN7nU8wmpP6MM1blkNxX8zzu0UMqjbxY5ccDvg4sFLYpMi7eFGOC-YCXHh41iBVn0KPLQXFwaLaVgUxFElQ_XHG4x_J4VIT5LO9R6vbe21BO/s1600/IMG_3846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEja7v5QunxjSXlWOxQP_IerS6et409QgtN7nU8wmpP6MM1blkNxX8zzu0UMqjbxY5ccDvg4sFLYpMi7eFGOC-YCXHh41iBVn0KPLQXFwaLaVgUxFElQ_XHG4x_J4VIT5LO9R6vbe21BO/s1600/IMG_3846.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Under the circumstances, the awesomeness of the hundreds of old-school wall paintings came as no surprise.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2r4jgxYnxlEhQe5DkU5Mccb9ugVmiSr44WWAG3RLYKD_hzMb76jmlqURxvfrwxM0qPk9zxeo6Wpk2GOdedk3_QhA6mWZeqw36EB5-ptYK2YQFI0EqokxzpTluFb-g84E-5w9DLaxQpb8/s1600/IMG_3852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2r4jgxYnxlEhQe5DkU5Mccb9ugVmiSr44WWAG3RLYKD_hzMb76jmlqURxvfrwxM0qPk9zxeo6Wpk2GOdedk3_QhA6mWZeqw36EB5-ptYK2YQFI0EqokxzpTluFb-g84E-5w9DLaxQpb8/s1600/IMG_3852.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">More surprising were that they made such convincing Harry Potter illustrations.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXe_Ne8C3KXyEwwxW6oIN3bgUXH0k_qJWvj-bh3AMEYSmYY3eQwCphYVt846mJJ61hED_sIg5PLqq5iepvNKRc6189gj9wGk1XsUU8i2W3pg3x9Chdjv05tZT2IxgmV5R_mpFDGVbYM_o/s1600/IMG_3882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXe_Ne8C3KXyEwwxW6oIN3bgUXH0k_qJWvj-bh3AMEYSmYY3eQwCphYVt846mJJ61hED_sIg5PLqq5iepvNKRc6189gj9wGk1XsUU8i2W3pg3x9Chdjv05tZT2IxgmV5R_mpFDGVbYM_o/s1600/IMG_3882.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last but not least: I even found you a parrot, Ma. Viva Bologna.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> More soon!</span><br />
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Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-49294105088872483632014-10-17T23:54:00.001-07:002014-10-20T11:14:45.291-07:00Begin Anywhere<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Gill Sans;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Gill Sans;">I have decided to do all the things. </span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Gill Sans;">That's all on that for now. A quick PSA, if you will.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSO-vytDlFwbn19QNUk7SvdyYzJHLxTBqQ_n3xPN6JMq6uHgHp8S0X_YPCxedJ5dv0UVveHZaQ8pwYUzi4t2sYy04FHUq_o00hAhYehslfjAhI9Jock0fR4CIK5LwFubcSchBb7PFzzQk/s1600/IMG_3922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSO-vytDlFwbn19QNUk7SvdyYzJHLxTBqQ_n3xPN6JMq6uHgHp8S0X_YPCxedJ5dv0UVveHZaQ8pwYUzi4t2sYy04FHUq_o00hAhYehslfjAhI9Jock0fR4CIK5LwFubcSchBb7PFzzQk/s1600/IMG_3922.JPG" height="238" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Whilst, guys. I kid you not.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Gill Sans;">If you are reading this, you probably know that I am not currently in the U.S. (Yeah, I know. It happened kinda suddenly for me, too.) Anyway, it is not a drill: I have officially run away to London to get a Masters in Theatremaking with Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance. For the next year and a bit I will be living in the borough of Hackney in inner London, studying with an ensemble of eight fellow actor/performance-artist/theatre-dork-delights from various countries, and working full-time towards epic personal theatrical badassery. </span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Gill Sans;">So far I've had only three days with my new ensemble family, and I'm already totally overwhelmed by how much we can teach each other, how many ways I want to grow, and how much discipline will be required of me to do so.</span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Gill Sans;">Which is why I've accepted a very generous invitation to see a concert in Bologna this weekend. I am writing this from the plane. All of the things.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Gill Sans;">By Sunday evening I'll be back in London, viewing yet more flatshares to let, and by Monday morning I'll be back in class, living the all yes, no waiting, all-life all-the-time show. </span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Gill Sans;">I intend not to miss a thing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: Gill Sans;">Let's see how I do.</span></span></div>
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Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-52722184333789095092008-02-10T14:23:00.001-08:002008-12-09T10:48:04.527-08:00Je Parle Tres Mauvais en Francais<div align="left">And I can't write it either.<br /><br />Today I am running around with Nadi. He is cool.<br /><br />He is also, I discover, the guy who manages the hostel computers. There must be a sign on my head: "Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to write software..."<br /><br />Whatever. We have a quick breakfast and then head into Old Nice, otherwise known as Veille Ville. I warn him that I am absolutely going to annoying the bejesus out of him all day with taking pictures of everything. He says he will agree to be annoyed all day if I agree to speak French all day. Oh Brother. You don't know what you're in for Nadi, but it's a deal.<br /></div><p align="left"><br /></p><div align="left">Veille Ville is every bit as charming as the French Riviera's reputation suggests:<br /></div><p align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrSGzYDt-dzrwYSQDuAnpdUWwNsnJfZJiHYSdDg-OAI0Fwd4HZSTK5E1WuUq46hh5-QtqO9VdvmKv75t198qGizT_zDIkpMhMB9DnBDvQ_ltsaQMnVw8EDTYWs6NHS08EF53JeDnoOqX4/s1600-h/DSC02560.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165560263391945026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrSGzYDt-dzrwYSQDuAnpdUWwNsnJfZJiHYSdDg-OAI0Fwd4HZSTK5E1WuUq46hh5-QtqO9VdvmKv75t198qGizT_zDIkpMhMB9DnBDvQ_ltsaQMnVw8EDTYWs6NHS08EF53JeDnoOqX4/s400/DSC02560.JPG" border="0" /></a> Oh Fountains in Europe. American fountains generally suck, have you noticed?<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165560267686912354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq64_UAewjvBm0kUehzmIFTzJ5pL0Izx9e54yHYt70s3E2YGffru8yquXS-55DkR-F0loqGxlz5OPQF1N5JorTUIp0b26F8dZpKEGNLSuTa4-Zqvj8kkb3Qk53Cqhy_2PUxqISeMF4-xFe/s400/DSC02563.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">My first French Candy Store. Sweet.<br /><br /></p><p align="left">After wandering the old town for a bit, we hike up to the Chateau on the nearby hill. The Chateau is only moderately marvellieux but the views are magnificent.<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165559571902210338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8roT7o3nyl0UpjuaFIqibvYScMVBvwpV5Ler6X6zeZBb-X3AaGlMBHwTHeIVgYmhMbnC91DxZPghdWnWyKSobHAP-dC_DVTrpl24zgvZkN0259ox8rkGRmr_09F_hRUnP2oL4k0nGbyV6/s400/DSC02526.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">The Seagull just flew into the frame...So Cool!!<br /></p><p align="left">While the Chateau itself is in fairly unimpressive ruins, lots of cool art has survived. Check it out: </p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0UUkjzXRanw1mZm3Y0AxKSrodku4xU_b-UbVHWXtc_pA9MOqOtMgFiv3varTcef5Y7tM3aVICjtW63jwlYgl9mfXeeC5uH-gtCO2SS7yjTJz6Fj202sXXKJVFkJCPSPbsAYooL10OaEv/s1600-h/DSC02519.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165559563312275698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0UUkjzXRanw1mZm3Y0AxKSrodku4xU_b-UbVHWXtc_pA9MOqOtMgFiv3varTcef5Y7tM3aVICjtW63jwlYgl9mfXeeC5uH-gtCO2SS7yjTJz6Fj202sXXKJVFkJCPSPbsAYooL10OaEv/s400/DSC02519.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4opXYXEO7iSrInsCY0XD8qkU8BQtK001fT0i_4MWGW21rXCfABBPfxDQqhQbz9K07uKvnvsScXbyqJsq-Zbboh2sGf9HGfJVRbr64msmyWvRiGYlb5OKN4KuwARN8tajaivfY3w4u1nx/s1600-h/DSC02522.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165559567607243010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4opXYXEO7iSrInsCY0XD8qkU8BQtK001fT0i_4MWGW21rXCfABBPfxDQqhQbz9K07uKvnvsScXbyqJsq-Zbboh2sGf9HGfJVRbr64msmyWvRiGYlb5OKN4KuwARN8tajaivfY3w4u1nx/s400/DSC02522.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_PuorTeqGSQW21jIyIwJV3UrK-5p2Gcd6NhdgcFjuHgovWgtC5wSkKEPvHuEcu8K4UbG-qAcRZrtd0ke1Xz5fvyq4gMFRpNcbdk8bs1dIt8N4ukLkcXMZCNoFquFMdUUpTWperi9eh20/s1600-h/DSC02523.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165559571902210322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_PuorTeqGSQW21jIyIwJV3UrK-5p2Gcd6NhdgcFjuHgovWgtC5wSkKEPvHuEcu8K4UbG-qAcRZrtd0ke1Xz5fvyq4gMFRpNcbdk8bs1dIt8N4ukLkcXMZCNoFquFMdUUpTWperi9eh20/s400/DSC02523.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p>Then, still more views, from the top of the Chateau and making the descent:</p><p align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDXOqScv8FAi7cC5orVIiNwiEDgDSyn2AJCseti90amEtDmIWX34PoYHZb4ARtZ91_nNA66TnrKwhMgbD2tp2h4s_0n6x46_GNjfUBniWuT6D_X3VEB4Y5o0n9mD9XXCK9ZzoKtju2VZt/s1600-h/DSC02515.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165559559017308386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDXOqScv8FAi7cC5orVIiNwiEDgDSyn2AJCseti90amEtDmIWX34PoYHZb4ARtZ91_nNA66TnrKwhMgbD2tp2h4s_0n6x46_GNjfUBniWuT6D_X3VEB4Y5o0n9mD9XXCK9ZzoKtju2VZt/s400/DSC02515.JPG" border="0" /></a> Them Riviera Folks do Love the Big Boats.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmUyaE-vJVrpAFAi3p6Ojl6BZMStGTMLgKRrdYfuMew7R0sXWkjTAihPAombKsC06561Lyt9lU9eYCpvcuNk-8K4PBFeIjK42dF43OK2WQmtNqaJckJIUS7BOszDuMU4D7Gd8jf0Z6eUc/s1600-h/DSC02552.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165560259096977714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmUyaE-vJVrpAFAi3p6Ojl6BZMStGTMLgKRrdYfuMew7R0sXWkjTAihPAombKsC06561Lyt9lU9eYCpvcuNk-8K4PBFeIjK42dF43OK2WQmtNqaJckJIUS7BOszDuMU4D7Gd8jf0Z6eUc/s400/DSC02552.JPG" border="0" /></a>Also, pretty unfamous monuments are everywhere and, as with most of Europe, all monuments to anything are VERY LARGE. Yowza.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0sWs-yOcf0bTNjBkjR9YLLK6pqS0-GLZJUZWDQBhazn0BlkxCSJmgW-kaRcb8uieWs6P1aMGwOD7l0JPMu-3gCILlBz4FwDup6jFafxwCrvP4gbMpPwlZ1XCkQtt-IGXI7o6jaMfsWeS/s1600-h/DSC02575.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165560503910113682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0sWs-yOcf0bTNjBkjR9YLLK6pqS0-GLZJUZWDQBhazn0BlkxCSJmgW-kaRcb8uieWs6P1aMGwOD7l0JPMu-3gCILlBz4FwDup6jFafxwCrvP4gbMpPwlZ1XCkQtt-IGXI7o6jaMfsWeS/s400/DSC02575.JPG" border="0" /></a> Incidentally, this is a Fax/Copy Store. Not bad, eh?</p><br /><p align="left">So, Nadi and I have lunch, it's fine but not amazing. I have French Onion Soup and Nadi has a mound of Steak Tartare as big as a football. Even he can't finish it and I'm not much help. But it is tasty. After lunch we find a Chocolatier/Salon de Thé. </p><p align="left">Oh. My. God.</p><p align="left">Y'all ready for this?<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165560508205081026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7rleZiKZVBaIsyDN_O33XD126b01GoWWi6BwjX9cfVCtdyteszoL33T7i_fVB2fZuA6aPubpF31Fo8le2B4bNBP3s7ngq04qGp1jv_1nLOY5GfokNoxR6utcCtYr0ICehhXyeTj53HQN/s400/DSC02570.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">Gasp.</p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAJX9V_DLxgOak3P9Oc47axdL5blgaupkL1vv0kXDsUKfTASEG3ZRKOh4CwsQa2-6A6OPierVbfZoMBkXZnqTdUsknokDF85Vwq3Ka7NPq29zOMIjxoMWzqu6YQ2Lk-Q85kR31_ieCJq7/s1600-h/DSC02573.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165560503910113698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAJX9V_DLxgOak3P9Oc47axdL5blgaupkL1vv0kXDsUKfTASEG3ZRKOh4CwsQa2-6A6OPierVbfZoMBkXZnqTdUsknokDF85Vwq3Ka7NPq29zOMIjxoMWzqu6YQ2Lk-Q85kR31_ieCJq7/s400/DSC02573.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a>No Words.</p><p align="left">Only Tea. And Coffee. And Chocolate. Oh Dear God YES Chocolate.</p><p align="left">By the time we finish our afternoon teatime, twilight has begun. The already fairly tasteful Ferris Wheel seems downright chic as night begins to fall.</p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGJ1UzO9WF8m3YHrkpsNj9D8tgu0rpe6Q4OyyUbSz5KHF-hC8Vbtz6RwwEpEaPsG549RXZj-dnZMf3eviKj3Dgpoq9gsSZfVzzITmmG3smtjFWD5RGRv4Bek9C5opKvOouFiaDnEO2QUz/s1600-h/DSC02577.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165560499615146370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGJ1UzO9WF8m3YHrkpsNj9D8tgu0rpe6Q4OyyUbSz5KHF-hC8Vbtz6RwwEpEaPsG549RXZj-dnZMf3eviKj3Dgpoq9gsSZfVzzITmmG3smtjFWD5RGRv4Bek9C5opKvOouFiaDnEO2QUz/s400/DSC02577.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a>Goodnight Carnivals Everywhere.<br /><br /><div align="left">After we head back to the hostel, I decide to stay longer in Nice and then go straight to Pau, rather than go to Marseille in between. I do the train research, extend my Villa reservations, email Andrea to tell her when my train arrives, do some more budgeting and general trip organization... all the while, about ten VERY drunk Australians play "I Never" right behind me. Ah, the life of a Hosteler. Time for bed.</div>Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-57692400918073521432008-02-09T15:38:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:48:07.633-08:00On the Road AgainWell, almost. While it was originally my plan to get gone early Friday morning (It's friday morning, oh good grief), I suddenly find myself with super secret Venetian gift missions which need to be accomplished. Which also gives me an excuse to mail my dead weight to Brendan rather than carrying it around for several weeks. So today, I have decided, will be a day of making tomorrow better. And if that means an extra day wandering the streets of Venice, well, it is difficult in the extreme but I shall selflessly bear the burden of it.<br /><br />I go to the train station, I discuss scheduling options and I obtain the correct train reservations to use with my Eurail pass. Then, I shop. Oh The Horror. The Horror. Had I all the euros in everywhere I could spend half of them in an afternoon in Venice alone. Gifted and encumbered, I head to the post office. I am prepared for difficult negotiations. Right. I am inadequately prepared for the ACTUAL difficulty involved with using the Italian Postal System. There is a strange tendency for people to insist that you do not actually want what you have just told them that you do. Sigh. Ultimately I win. The Italians were fools to think they could convince me of anything. I am a Rock of Conviction and Insistence that things Go My Way. And Annoyance. Oh ye Gods the poor Italian Postal Workers. But it all turns out okay in the end. Hopefully my package will beat me home.<br /><br />Brendan, may all other sound engineers give him their fancy microphones, has scanned my tax documents and sent them to me. So I do my taxes online from the hostel in Venice. E-filing=sweet. Direct Deposit=Very Sweet. Amount of my actual refund=Depressingly Small. Doesn't the IRS realize I AM TRAVELLING?!!! People I know really need me to buy them cool stuff. That they didn't ask for. Like a Tea Cosy covered in Cats! (Truly, I actually did buy that for someone while I was in Canterbury, They know who they are. But it's really VERY cute! I promise!) Alright, fine, perhaps having to budget properly is for the best. Whatever.<br /><br />Having explored train options, I have another mission. Figure out where I am going. I had thought that heading straight from Venice to Andrea's house in Pau would work, but the Trenitalia people tell me the shortest trip there is to take the train all the way north to Paris and then transfer to another train which takes me to the very southernmost part of France. The Trip involves 3 transfers and takes a total of 19 hours 51 minutes. Retarded. So, I have made train reservations which allow me to spend about two hours in Milan, and then arrive in Nice around 8pm. The Nice Station is a common transfer station on the way to Pau, and as everyone learned from the musical <span style="font-style: italic;">The Boyfriend</span>: "It's Nicer in Nice" and everyone should "Do the Riviera". Well, technically "The Riviera" referred to in the musical is a dance and not a place but my point stands. Nice calls and who am I to say No? So, now I know that I will spend tomorrow night in Nice... I just need to find a place to sleep. Hostelworld.com comes to my rescue: the Villa St. Exupery (awww, like <span style="font-style: italic;">Le Petit Prince</span>, how cute), which is on the all the "Top Ten Hostels" Lists, has as a bed available. And Free Internet. For 16 Euro a night. Booya Indeed.<br /><br />I book my bed at the Villa, get all my stuff packed for tomorrow and spend the next several hours hanging out with the hostel kids. We all drink gallons of Port with the Brazillians, (right after Natalia showed up, Venice Fish got a flood of Brazillians. Who woulda thunk.) We laugh it up, eating and drinking into the wee hours. Then we all crash. I sleep like an anvil but when my alarm goes off at 8am I am up in a flash. Gotta get on the road...Milan and Nice are calling! I shower, grab my things and say goodbye to Venice Fish. Then I have my very last cappuccino at<br />Antica Correfazione di Caffe. Sob. As I walk through Venice on the way to my train at Santa Lucia I get a few final pictures of Venice morning loveliness:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26uka7KIKJn-2PukIvr4vsX-SgEC7K0PBybi4-y_NiOZnEprD2KJJRBhO2iujlFCJC8UsWUv-YKxUmXJ0aqr4KPLhTB5oWtgxnxNz_QpAjClPIXtnl6lvnOKL4hY6C95JcZskla_T_3f7/s1600-h/DSC02473.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26uka7KIKJn-2PukIvr4vsX-SgEC7K0PBybi4-y_NiOZnEprD2KJJRBhO2iujlFCJC8UsWUv-YKxUmXJ0aqr4KPLhTB5oWtgxnxNz_QpAjClPIXtnl6lvnOKL4hY6C95JcZskla_T_3f7/s400/DSC02473.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165554662754590770" border="0" /></a>The Gondolier who does business in front of the Hostel.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLuY2x5e-kr_SQxKKQMWiHulQ-m95_mh-poqv-FiPX51yzaVArQ9O6n3BJJpdgjFOVb8rPg2JHzpwE4s-h4IPLcBMTBB46P1eL8k6uO5n_j4ckEd7X0hhUdi3-coOA-RF45w9XQy7ZRLJ/s1600-h/DSC02475.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLuY2x5e-kr_SQxKKQMWiHulQ-m95_mh-poqv-FiPX51yzaVArQ9O6n3BJJpdgjFOVb8rPg2JHzpwE4s-h4IPLcBMTBB46P1eL8k6uO5n_j4ckEd7X0hhUdi3-coOA-RF45w9XQy7ZRLJ/s400/DSC02475.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165554667049558098" border="0" /></a>Images of animals and people gracing the walls of old buildings.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgks9OKTP_a0qv3Tk5COy6-d7tJGN7NBqhEbX3BEHpMXq8oaLjfZ3WHDTSB61MsLmQv2RjivKZZC5ftkAy3YUhMD5-dGGyxvXsbbDvAhWNXVKZxSfkS5yB-ZUAHXX1dsE0Sze-J5EqpQSfh/s1600-h/DSC02476.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgks9OKTP_a0qv3Tk5COy6-d7tJGN7NBqhEbX3BEHpMXq8oaLjfZ3WHDTSB61MsLmQv2RjivKZZC5ftkAy3YUhMD5-dGGyxvXsbbDvAhWNXVKZxSfkS5yB-ZUAHXX1dsE0Sze-J5EqpQSfh/s400/DSC02476.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165554671344525410" border="0" /></a>A typical old building on the water in Venice.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Venice is truly breathtaking all day every day. I promise myself I will return.<br /><br />I catch my train, and figure out my game plan for my two hour blitz of Milan on the way there. I arrive in Milan, check my bag at the station, get on yet another of the many fabulous metro systems of my journey and before I know it I am at the Duomo metro station. I discover that I have accidently arrived on the last day of MILANO'S Carnevale Celebration.<br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUpWw30a1lh24We1nnBJRvrnPZjShBNEwcxNf84HeHJXVUaAkGL2ljbK_qmIUxEWK6vflwyK2zzGNgOVl5Fiz1QJRja4OqvneU4buP8f-VEz54iS_IU0CKzrfR_3NNMpiWmwtrNo_AkW2/s1600-h/DSC02493.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUpWw30a1lh24We1nnBJRvrnPZjShBNEwcxNf84HeHJXVUaAkGL2ljbK_qmIUxEWK6vflwyK2zzGNgOVl5Fiz1QJRja4OqvneU4buP8f-VEz54iS_IU0CKzrfR_3NNMpiWmwtrNo_AkW2/s400/DSC02493.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165554980582170818" border="0" /></a><br />Billboard/TV next to the Metro tracks, advertising the festivities. Oh Man.<br /></div><br />Then I get above ground:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqT9sW37pVTL3Ti_9gxaINhB3_NoYV26kqkejvp0JKwpbZmhqcG7IntjXChFk_iqdLLNbswg_CHYKo0XLr1T9DTKuuDT_Qr9HEuqBjV5Kv3gW2C2zZMVgTZeYpNXKgL2bDTn0fca056ksm/s1600-h/DSC02484.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqT9sW37pVTL3Ti_9gxaINhB3_NoYV26kqkejvp0JKwpbZmhqcG7IntjXChFk_iqdLLNbswg_CHYKo0XLr1T9DTKuuDT_Qr9HEuqBjV5Kv3gW2C2zZMVgTZeYpNXKgL2bDTn0fca056ksm/s400/DSC02484.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165554959107334306" border="0" /></a>So much for hitting the Duomo in the off-season. Jeez.<br /></div><br />So I walk around the Duomo for a bit. The line to climb the stairs is 49 Kilometers long so that's out. But if you can ignore the millions of screaming children with cans of silly string, there's still a bunch of pretty things.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglm5cDNiaLTw3onSHTmfR_fFJaJpMjLVJySvcfP13OVJDATaP9s7zCu8vRy0iSrnAKSgiH18owUVdYJgpAKTKPELM7_MfiaCBbAe_asGk9rCy5-C3a23K7tXLNf9CEDglDIc_tQQnthouM/s1600-h/DSC02492.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglm5cDNiaLTw3onSHTmfR_fFJaJpMjLVJySvcfP13OVJDATaP9s7zCu8vRy0iSrnAKSgiH18owUVdYJgpAKTKPELM7_MfiaCBbAe_asGk9rCy5-C3a23K7tXLNf9CEDglDIc_tQQnthouM/s400/DSC02492.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165554976287203506" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Ah Italian pidgeons. No statue is complete without them.<br /></div><br />I also got to mosey about the Galleria. Pretty Spiff.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6hni4JukA6ix_UwUzeP0P0iEIIuTR3WnJ7zf_ZPmswNWq8LY7ltOXPGcU_n2btECjcfKc7MyXNIs59wmdchrO3GFl8xqPLIwyTKWgq80OUMhuu3P0PhrBXK2GY0t79D9g56MTIOJIcUJ/s1600-h/DSC02480.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6hni4JukA6ix_UwUzeP0P0iEIIuTR3WnJ7zf_ZPmswNWq8LY7ltOXPGcU_n2btECjcfKc7MyXNIs59wmdchrO3GFl8xqPLIwyTKWgq80OUMhuu3P0PhrBXK2GY0t79D9g56MTIOJIcUJ/s400/DSC02480.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165554950517399698" border="0" /></a><br />The Galleria. Home of Insane Designer Clothes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I have a gelato in front of the Duomo and then head back to Milano Centrale to catch my train to Nice. I would like to take this opportunity to point out that the Milanese idea of a sensible building to house a major train station is bonkers.<br /></div></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY9Tzx5mRjkn5ilBdujHQZc38jKx9PdtICrUUI0k43MsKVeoTfSzPxWewx7cuKwPw88UOeG6LDPD-CNxlrthJF0SIaCJ0FVpIj74JTV4_l9FgyqrnNDs8_oj8J0TNpPBDASbTsaedG7ir/s1600-h/DSC02495.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipY9Tzx5mRjkn5ilBdujHQZc38jKx9PdtICrUUI0k43MsKVeoTfSzPxWewx7cuKwPw88UOeG6LDPD-CNxlrthJF0SIaCJ0FVpIj74JTV4_l9FgyqrnNDs8_oj8J0TNpPBDASbTsaedG7ir/s400/DSC02495.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165555173855699154" border="0" /></a>Um, excuse me. You may not realize this but your train station has epic pillars of doom. Little weird. Thought you might want to know.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And then inside:<br /></div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQfpVxvxQP8URbqRL_ajo-KeNmOBfrvc0CzlYeiQN0tzD3v4sFWFTLe_QL1qsWidM8FujagOIAQK5qm6pEZJ3S3iOhH-Q2hBRJT-9eX5LL-p-OuA0U2OcrN0k1Qwv_quNsKjtMKN5627D/s1600-h/DSC02479.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQfpVxvxQP8URbqRL_ajo-KeNmOBfrvc0CzlYeiQN0tzD3v4sFWFTLe_QL1qsWidM8FujagOIAQK5qm6pEZJ3S3iOhH-Q2hBRJT-9eX5LL-p-OuA0U2OcrN0k1Qwv_quNsKjtMKN5627D/s400/DSC02479.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165554946222432386" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">No wonder Milan rules the high fashion world. They think this is how you should check the time in a train station.<br /></div><br />Anyway, I get on my train to Nice without much hoopla. I fall asleep and wake up just before Nice, utterly disoriented. On the list of odd things about "The Villa" where I'm supposed to stay in Nice: it says online to call them when you get off the train and they will pick you up from the tram station. Bit strange but whatever. I call the number and get a generic French answering service. Hmm. I'll try again in a bit. I hunt around for where I'm supposed to go next, can't figure it out, go back to the payphone and try again. The receptionist picks up. I explain my confusion about the next step of their directions. She's a bit stumped, cannot figure out how to explain what a tram is. I now know. I had never thought of the Muni as a tram, just a differently abled bus. I am strange. So it goes.<br /><br />The Villa is a bit bizarre (some things are incredible, other things are surprisingly difficult. Using your key to open the door to your room, for example.) but the food is cheap and excellent. Dinner for less than 6 euros and a large selection of wines by the glass at 1 euro per glass. Tonight the main course is an enormous plate of chinese chicken and vegetable stir fry. Thank God because I am so starving right now. Over dinner I meet a cool French Nigerian guy. I don't know his name but he's gonna show me around Nice tomorrow. Which is Sunday. Yikes. I crash now.<br /><br />Coming Soon: The Niceness overwhelms me...<br /><br />Notes? Notes? What Notes?Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-41283093276716004252008-02-07T16:50:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:48:09.131-08:00There Are No Words which Fully Express the Awesomeness of TodayI have explicit instructions from the endlessly magical Patricia about the most painless and expedient way to reach Burano and make my 10am appointment at the Museo di Merletto. I leave the hostel about 8:40 and head to the Fondamenta Nuove Dock to catch the 9:08 Vaporetto to Burano. A few mild panics later I am seated on the correct waterbus and Burano bound.<br /><br />I arrive at the island and kill a few minutes observing the morning rituals of the local shop owners getting ready to open for business, and at 10am I peer into the window at the Museo di Merletto. The front door is opened almost immediately by a gentleman who asks (in Italian, of course) if he can help me. I introduce myself in broken italianglese and he immediately ushers me into the building. He is an andministrative employee who apparently doubles as a security guard for the charmingly small museum. It's clear very quickly that he speaks virtually no English, but introduces himself as Alberto and valiantly conveys the basic museum layout and policies using English and Italian. He guides me to a starting point in the first of the four rooms which comprise the museum's permanent collection and leaves me to roam.<br /><br />The lace is absolutely, breathtakingly magnificent. Really. The quality and condition of every single piece displayed is staggering. STAGGERING. I cannot begin to express how amazing it feels standing in the presence of such a large amount of lace, which took so many master lacemakers so many millions of hours to create. But the most powerful impact of all comes from examining the condition of the pieces and understanding the intense amount of reverence and care that has gone into the handling and storing of these pieces over sometimes hundreds of years since their creation. No member of the Lacis family, all of whom have spent years helping American lace collectors restore and care for abused lace, could possibly fail to be profoundly moved by the radiantly pristine collection at the Museo di Merletto.<br /><br />After the first half hour of salivating over complex pictoral scenes in needlelace, a smartly dressed woman arrives and I meet Dott.ssa Prendin, who speaks Italian, French and German fluently but almost no English. Thus, she speaks to me mostly in French because I understand it better than Italian, while I speak to her primarily in gestures, because I'm frequently more accurate in mime and sound effects than in English anyway. (Seriously, I so need to learn Italian, it is so totally super cool.) Dott.ssa Prendin is perfectly sweet and charming, though somewhat shellshocked by the degree of my enthusiasm for the collection (I'm sure no one who knows me can possibly imagine an Italian Lace Curator finding me overwhelming. Baffling.). She leafs through several out of print copies of books published by the museum and finds me several English descriptions of pieces in the collection. Sweet. I am officially in heaven.<br /><br />The signs on the walls are very clear about the photography policy but i cannot resist snapping just a few. Flashless, basically none off them come out. Serves me right.<br /><br />Alberto and Dott.ssa Prendin are knee deep in paperwork in the museum office when I realize that I've been there almost two hours and I really ought to get out of their way. I head over to thank them for their hospitality and Dott.ssa Prendin hands me a lovely lace book published by the Museo di Merletto and explains it is for the Lacis Museum Library. Oh will Jules be pleased, even if he somehow, magically, already has a copy in the collection. I ask if perhaps she might sign the copy for Jules. She is momentarily stumped and says her English is not good enough. I laugh. Sign it in Italian! She seems a bit bemused but signs the book (in Italian) to Jules Kliot and LMLT on behalf of Dott.ssa Chiapperino and the Musei Civici Veneziani. I thank her and Alberto profusely, carefully wrap the book up and pack it into my backpack, and make my way back out into the streets of Burano.<br /><br />My Buranese Lace adventure complete I catch the waterbus back towards Venice, stopping at the island of Murano,where the insanely gorgeous glass comes from. Check out the exhibits in the street alone:<br /><br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8U5fozBT4IcZdtfqPnG_7udepIGQPbzJhb1zPFahxM9mgJYwN7-ql7CbPGcBn4f_RkoUyjlJc1xiEE2-Xmh1tLWQgpUWt9FCgY9a6qhrWBI3ZMKr7a5zRKuGv4GKC9dFx8jTsqfSuPG-G/s1600-h/DSC02443.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165551733586894866" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8U5fozBT4IcZdtfqPnG_7udepIGQPbzJhb1zPFahxM9mgJYwN7-ql7CbPGcBn4f_RkoUyjlJc1xiEE2-Xmh1tLWQgpUWt9FCgY9a6qhrWBI3ZMKr7a5zRKuGv4GKC9dFx8jTsqfSuPG-G/s400/DSC02443.JPG" border="0" /></a> </p><div style="text-align: center;">Sort like a classier version of the "Left my heart in SF" contest.<br /><br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRP-rwmBPxisVZlY6M-4qE2t1n7u_geqHIUbYoop0FxxN5-TcObQ_R9oI4j94pxp9L8DYEXnU3pKdyK0Z5kaCmqVy9R0QWRjyMNmh75tkIjS4Z0a6iIy-SxpGSUnagDnkqhGCicwp_r5h/s1600-h/DSC02416.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165550595420561250" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRP-rwmBPxisVZlY6M-4qE2t1n7u_geqHIUbYoop0FxxN5-TcObQ_R9oI4j94pxp9L8DYEXnU3pKdyK0Z5kaCmqVy9R0QWRjyMNmh75tkIjS4Z0a6iIy-SxpGSUnagDnkqhGCicwp_r5h/s400/DSC02416.JPG" border="0" /></a></p>Even more impressive in person.<br /></div><br />I wander about and peer into the window of one of the glass foundries. After a while one of the Glassworkers notices me, pulls me into the building and shows me where to stand to have the best view. I quietly stand and watch the glass artisans at work, not wanting to be a bother.<br /><br /><div> </div>The glass guys totally flirt with me while they work. Tee Hee.<br /><br />One amazingly deft master artisan introduces himself to me. His name is Gianni. Like the other Glassworkers, he speaks virtually no English but from time to time he will look over at me, smile, and raise his eyebrows, signalling that he is about to do something particularly fun-to-watch. Although I am attempting to be unobtrusive, within minutes my position near the door is discovered by other tourists milling about and soon about 9 or 10 of them are standing next to me, snapping photographs and talking over the roar of the fires. I am totally engrossed in deciphering the process I am witnessing. Several tourists arrive and leave again. Gianni speaks with none of them.<br /><br />The supervisor who ushered me in comes back over and gives me a funny little glass flower made of scraps. It's very cute, if perhaps a bit wonky looking, but I'm the only one standing there who gets one and the other tourists look jealous.<br /><br />It's good to be me.<br /><br />After I have seen all the phases of the glass crafting which are visible from my vantage point, I catch Gianni's attention, hold up my camera and say " Gianni, Per Favore?". He smiles, eyes twinkling "Si...Rebecca" and totally hams up the next few minutes for me. My pictures do not do him or his work justice. I'd like to blame it on the light but it's probably me.<br /><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycGjVXvREmQdjTcLKlHG9OHQikAZ8JKyiHxXDAySeIbHI0_69g_yuoh0HhsK2jiqFFGciIQIk_TUiGrBwJA-hoWV9Twn7YsRY021IVGpDeAIjiP_lpN4FRaTIogTHfkK2QgspN8S_Y2zM/s1600-h/DSC02426.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165550599715528578" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycGjVXvREmQdjTcLKlHG9OHQikAZ8JKyiHxXDAySeIbHI0_69g_yuoh0HhsK2jiqFFGciIQIk_TUiGrBwJA-hoWV9Twn7YsRY021IVGpDeAIjiP_lpN4FRaTIogTHfkK2QgspN8S_Y2zM/s400/DSC02426.JPG" border="0" /></a>The Glass is putty in Gianni's Hands. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjQIbzVHsCLg1rDHrX5iT67sqtSPaGwr-Wg19BrIoPOyd8Z5LBZeyeVG2QROdVyCXPtRxSsozPJdjoFkXHs0YRPqajGkLYL92zf-5dlknJVOZmUPJON-eXz8VSc44G8lL3lS56wKQsZTJ/s1600-h/DSC02436.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165550891773304738" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjQIbzVHsCLg1rDHrX5iT67sqtSPaGwr-Wg19BrIoPOyd8Z5LBZeyeVG2QROdVyCXPtRxSsozPJdjoFkXHs0YRPqajGkLYL92zf-5dlknJVOZmUPJON-eXz8VSc44G8lL3lS56wKQsZTJ/s400/DSC02436.JPG" border="0" /></a> </p><div style="text-align: center;">A glass artisan turning a similar vase as it heats up in the fire.<br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNZQL2iAU_TSRwxLR1zQpyt1vBWqKt6Zgo1p27bfQ83WuQ_gvSF72Kx_zkg0lIXdMgtsnaAcjWmRNFsuRAJWA3wfwiCEBo6zyDuUS0OmVroWuoDI8OrDEIazv8APuTS9_BIgk2_cB5kNU/s1600-h/DSC02437.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165550891773304754" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNZQL2iAU_TSRwxLR1zQpyt1vBWqKt6Zgo1p27bfQ83WuQ_gvSF72Kx_zkg0lIXdMgtsnaAcjWmRNFsuRAJWA3wfwiCEBo6zyDuUS0OmVroWuoDI8OrDEIazv8APuTS9_BIgk2_cB5kNU/s400/DSC02437.JPG" border="0" /></a>A buff glassworker rolls molten hot glass on a metal table. The collection of naked-girl posters on the wall of his station is pretty impressive too.<br /></p>After I get all the shots I want, I wave goodbye and give a heartfelt " Gratzie" to the workers in earshot. Several of them, Gianni included, grin and call "Prego" back to me and I slip out the door.<br /><p>Walking down the paths near the foundry, some finished examples of Glass Artisan Handiwork are on display:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXL3Vws4aMd0LyJQGD0EWNo9P8thLvHe-llddLpOr6EzzyJMZyOMg-2w8YqqVNZ8WQcePUTLsHqrto8N1XQXsqGhqOFgWnR3CFrK-H-6vrurlTVMt85tw0hRAHZNlDGhXrF_EQ6VleJKm/s1600-h/DSC02438.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165550896068272066" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXL3Vws4aMd0LyJQGD0EWNo9P8thLvHe-llddLpOr6EzzyJMZyOMg-2w8YqqVNZ8WQcePUTLsHqrto8N1XQXsqGhqOFgWnR3CFrK-H-6vrurlTVMt85tw0hRAHZNlDGhXrF_EQ6VleJKm/s400/DSC02438.JPG" border="0" /></a>I have watched them work for nearly an hour but I have no idea how they achieve this level of detail. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN0r8PYb_0yygf6rPMqcuHQZxl0PmzqrVVXCS53Pnx47cyhZ0TqJyBs-bVrKNTHHNd4NNZ-D2DX7LO-JFok7y6eW0FIGhEHbOMUAkm4rvril5oTQ_VYPvMiDkIm5e2fVD72z8yXj_YcN9/s1600-h/DSC02441.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165550896068272082" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN0r8PYb_0yygf6rPMqcuHQZxl0PmzqrVVXCS53Pnx47cyhZ0TqJyBs-bVrKNTHHNd4NNZ-D2DX7LO-JFok7y6eW0FIGhEHbOMUAkm4rvril5oTQ_VYPvMiDkIm5e2fVD72z8yXj_YcN9/s400/DSC02441.JPG" border="0" /></a>The glassworkers have perfectly captured Oliver's constant expression. </p><p>I spend the rest of the afternoon hopping all around Murano, checking out all the awesome glass shops and spending absolutely no money. Cough cough.</p><p>Then I hop on the waterbus and head back to my little hostel in the heart of Venezia.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdelRtMJ8N74wpMNBmQu5yOcp3ROZWHdJIqIs2cGJ6lG8c1lDiqMz-EiZOHC9i8EyYqkzSe6Y2h7nwos5Q_aP3wr9gFsd-ZRU_ypd_tWtfuiKIECDNgmfn4hfZp2uA9RFtdRlAWIh5Tpq/s1600-h/DSC02462.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165551724996960242" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdelRtMJ8N74wpMNBmQu5yOcp3ROZWHdJIqIs2cGJ6lG8c1lDiqMz-EiZOHC9i8EyYqkzSe6Y2h7nwos5Q_aP3wr9gFsd-ZRU_ypd_tWtfuiKIECDNgmfn4hfZp2uA9RFtdRlAWIh5Tpq/s400/DSC02462.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Goodbye Isle of Glass.<br /></p><p>I have a fluffy formaggio pastry with a cappucino for my midday snack and do not spend any more money at all. Ahem.<br /><br />Then I head back to the hostel and leave again almost immediately for a very late, light, Italian lunch with hostelkids Fabian, Nick & Danee (Australian) and Natalia (Brazillian). I have an excellent pizza with mushrooms, prosciutto and mozzarella. Everyone else orders the lasagne. But my pizza is better. Ha.<br /></p><p>During the meal Nick tries to teach me to use the timer on my camera. The concept of focusing continues to elude us, but whatever.<br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1wGrUk9nvGJ-mG1UDRtoL30_6mHXF5uT4mk-MT1pdjmyTETqIFFoYADwQJk4Xuc5fubjhmIm8POxe_w9tXvO-IXZE6p1XosURzb7CFasE9ubRHDlGA16zR4Nh4Pv6ADnjwpZhre2EDSJ/s1600-h/DSC02471.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165551707817091042" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1wGrUk9nvGJ-mG1UDRtoL30_6mHXF5uT4mk-MT1pdjmyTETqIFFoYADwQJk4Xuc5fubjhmIm8POxe_w9tXvO-IXZE6p1XosURzb7CFasE9ubRHDlGA16zR4Nh4Pv6ADnjwpZhre2EDSJ/s400/DSC02471.JPG" border="0" /></a>L to R: 3/4's of Natalia, me, Danee, Fabian and 1/3 of Nick<br /></div><br />We all head wander about, killing time with gelato tasting, and wine shopping for dinner (the complimentary dinner at the hostel is always B.Y.O.B). Then it's back to the hostel and as there's very little nightlife (everyone is still recovering from Carnevale) we watch <span style="font-style: italic;">I Know Who Killed Me</span> with dinner (Awful), and <span style="font-style: italic;">Juno</span> with our after-dinner glasses of Port (Awesome). And then everyone retires to bed.<br /><br />Coming soon: The Road is Callin' My Name...<br /><br />Notes: ASL, The Cat and the Funeral, Gianni-Technique, Murano Politics etc.Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-17153631410916984132008-02-06T07:16:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:48:10.124-08:00Il Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo<div align="left">Okay, as most of you know, I am on the Board of Directors for the <a href="http://lacismuseum.org/">Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles</a><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline"></span> in Berkeley. The President of the Board is Jules Kliot, who was my boss for the eight and a half years I was in the textile business, and is kind-of like my other dad at this point. At the last Board Meeting he gave me a copy of some correspondence he'd had with Dott.sa Paola Chiapperini (one of the directors of the Musei Civici Veneziani) with regard to their Lace and Textile Collection. He figured I was gonna be in Venice, I should go meet her and send my regards.<br /><br />Well I am in Venice. Carnevale ended yesterday. I have a clear duty. Today, I will hit the Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo and try to give my regards to the infamous Chiapperini. I allow myself to sleep a bit (Hey, I'm recovering from Carnevale, okay?). I drag myself out of bed and get ready to make my daily pilgrimage to the Awesome Cappuccino Store (see previous posts). The view is so charming I have to take a picture.<br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165545935381044898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZ-MB3vuQ8KRnzlUn2j-FOMLNIh8U8T__PcbsJR5XIoegSzSFfY-CD_0tmjynEHl03JQKCsO1m9-RJRncD6SpfymBovJ1ZzjTCwx2pAk7uaq_lAYVFWu3NbOaKP4QBoZIi_nTL7jwJvoD/s400/DSC02327.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">View From the Window at Venice Fish.<br /><br /></p><p align="left">Cappuccino fortified and armed with the results of my web search and a map of Venice, I make make my way toward the Palazzo Mocenigo. It's a pretty loopy path and takes awhile but everything is so fun to look at I am unbothered by the passing of time.<br /><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165545939676012210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrMAxi1MFQotVc-qZOTpB6nPDg767ZrqPnBb8BZLP-Y1Llv57lz_dEcpGHONwyh0N5m_lqCjveFakeg6X2_l4JS143S7urVaKV0SG1k1H4QGNLRfdVVLhE6fwt93r-mPD6bepkVa9Vzo_/s400/DSC02330.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">View from Bridge One of Four en route to the Museum. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165545943970979522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmVKX9TL0cPeZJQieHJKs4DWXnmcR_aycQVHR-YMvVJ27_YN8kMdauzSU9F8_R0X7yoeGX5E9Bf8OTmiC1VmmhUb2SHWxQJaDwQPtVPvPwzj-PtHyhyphenhyphenLXcW9I3cyCdtKLLbmhE3gDgZuE/s400/DSC02334.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">There is something very fey about all these male statues. I confess it's pretty adorable.<br /><br /><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165545952560914146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRYIST2jK9ta2y55DRYwij8HyxpINj6Xexv3wLfqXj1MigpYSAmje-BE0wCajISDem9goG397CA7T0fmFKAMHOkbshrAKs_PQmecGTxsKvhyTLROEESkaASLxH_rKgZMkF5BCwffhIc0P/s400/DSC02350.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">Bridge Three of Four. So Cute!</p><p align="left">At last I find the museum. I get in for a few euro and wander about happily. The booklet says: "The beautiful Palazzo Mocenigo was once the 18th Century home of the Mocenigo family, one of the most influential families of the Serenissima, who gave seven doges to the Republic. The Palazzo is now a museum with many displays of textiles, books and furniture as well as period clothing ". Oh it so does have all that and more. Embroidered 18th Century waistcoats that make you feel faint. Honestly. </p><p align="left">They keep the place pretty dark (which is good, means the fancy textiles will last longer and all) and of course you're not allowed to use a flash, so most of my pictures are blurry as hell. I did get a fairly good shot of the sassy Venetian Point Lace. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165545948265946834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv42PJL8fcGUAXlmcFm3-oN1gtCFe9TjxpaJNgyPO9ZWXbm6RMc17e0oSOqgRKKewxa3bPPxxmeE07Mw0cU2vQBzgOK3HmHFiTwffz55yMl5lplfihSgjn9P0GDleWrDVSCcGrcC8sYOY9/s400/DSC02342.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p align="center">40 to 70 hours to make about 1 square inch. That's Commitment.<br /></p><br /><p>The Book Store is at least as awesome as the exhibits. My Italian is terrifyingly limited but the woman running the bookstore today, Patricia, speaks impeccable English. I ask about Paola, Patricia says Paola's schedule is so busy that it's impossible to know where she'll be on any given day and she rarely has any time to meet with people. Oh well. I've written lengthy compliments into their guestbook and I now have her email, I'll drop her line and hopefully next time I can set something up in advance and actually get to meet with her. </p><p>Patricia asks how much longer I'll be in town. I confess that I had intended to leave tomorrow, but I may put it off a day so that I can see the Museo di Merletto, and I tell her my story about arriving Tuesday right after closing time. Her face falls. She is so sorry, she says, but, due to the worrisome state of the old building, the Museo di Merletto is closed for renovations until November. She tells me the decision to fix the building at last happened so suddenly that there probably isn't even a sign up yet. I'm so gonna cry. I've spent the last two days trying to convince myself that I could miss the Lace Museum this time. As soon as she say the words I realize what a silly thought that was. Burano is the mother of Needle Lace. Needle lace is THE lace. Who knows if I will ever make it to Venice again? Swallowing my disappointment, I ask about the House of Goldoni, also on my list. It also, apparently, frequently contains the elusive Chiapperini. I ask if Paola might be at Goldoni tomorrow. Patricia says hang on, picks up the phone and dials. She converses for about three minutes in Italian while I look at books. She covers the mouthpiece to tell me that Paola won't be able to see me tomorrow, but Paola says she will call the Security Guard for the Burano Museum and tell him to let me in at 10am tomorrow if I still want to go. Excuse Me? I think someone just offered to open a Museum just for me. This is how Michelle Pfeiffer must feel all the time. YES, YES, YES, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, YES! I would love to be at the Museo di Merletto at 10am tomorrow please tell Paola thank you, thank you, thank you! No problem, says Patricia. She tells me to be there at 10am and the security guard will have my name and be expecting me. I thank Patricia profusely, purchase the Mocenigo book and head out. </p><p>They are opening the museum for me...</p><p>...</p><p>...</p>...<br /><p>AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!</p><br /><p>Oh Man. This is so cool.</p><p>I dance my way back to the hostel.<br /><br /></p><br /><p>I have dinner at Venice Fish with the remaining Kool Hostelkats and borrow Lindsey's computer to catch up on some online stuff for free. Nice. There's a Russian/French/Swiss mother and her eight year old daughter staying at the hostel (No really, They both speak three languages...Nuts). The daughter, whose name is Melanie, is so not done with Carnevale style partying. She speaks no English at all but after dinner she brute forces everyone in the house into Follow-The-Leader-Crazy-Dancin'-Melanie-Style. She won't hold still so every picture is blurred but I love them anyway.</span> </p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fjKbKkN9FhU-HotSvIt8Sk1OLKSCI5E4A129MWme-FaZ6zxhrFRT9QJGGmWT1aOpyREWRgR_okv3sQRaWusanoPo8Md9obJOLeKPyJa2JxYqL3MzxzBGOUOrHSXrOSUcCTlcfmdMt9qH/s1600-h/DSC02362.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165533806393400482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fjKbKkN9FhU-HotSvIt8Sk1OLKSCI5E4A129MWme-FaZ6zxhrFRT9QJGGmWT1aOpyREWRgR_okv3sQRaWusanoPo8Md9obJOLeKPyJa2JxYqL3MzxzBGOUOrHSXrOSUcCTlcfmdMt9qH/s400/DSC02362.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a>Melanie-the-Priceless, owning the dance floor.</p><p align="left">Exhausted from dancing and drinking, everyone goes to bed early. Good night!</p><p align="left">Coming Soon: Lace Museum!</p><p align="left">Notes: There are no notes today :)<br /><br /></p><p></p>Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-46266158203365893242008-02-05T09:32:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:48:14.084-08:00I Can See Clearly NowOh Holy Mother of Someone. The rain has actually stopped for Mardi Gras. Sweet!!!!<br /><br />My original plan for today was to find Dott.sa Chiapperino of the Museo Civici Veneziani today in my role as Board Member of the Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles, but it is the last day of Carnevale and THE SUN IS OUT! I cannot possibly be expected to do the right thing under these circumstances.<br /><br />I decide instead to spend the day with 3 hostel kids: Spencer (Australian), Jamie (American) and Lindsey (American). Our plan is to hang out and be groovy, catch a show at San Marco's and be back at Venice Fish (the hostel) for dinner.<br /><br />As we head towards San Marco it's clear that I am not the only one the weather has affected.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6C5Sb-DwjqYAvmVdxT3Y214Wg1B3sUA3kQcVGrkwGlwYODAB7f4DyMWIV8hCCKr2mW5r-sdhaW4AyWlZJVOblTKa5_hPmh5UEwEUwzTbUxIhvzmalMGuFZJ9zZwn9iX7B75Xq4FhgwG17/s1600-h/carnevale+street.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6C5Sb-DwjqYAvmVdxT3Y214Wg1B3sUA3kQcVGrkwGlwYODAB7f4DyMWIV8hCCKr2mW5r-sdhaW4AyWlZJVOblTKa5_hPmh5UEwEUwzTbUxIhvzmalMGuFZJ9zZwn9iX7B75Xq4FhgwG17/s400/carnevale+street.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165543272501321154" border="0" /></a>Venice is ready to party!<br /><br /></div><br />Then we get to San Marco's:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnFKVTZr-DD8UJTjREVfVWKgxlYHvC1CtNIcJLIiVJ-iJ5tIxkyQmWrcoafGN7K2fNrRRTfaQxa6at8I8cy8g_8dKkv6c3q-bVddn6Ya3DgG8eyxzCEs8jS_cgwExZbjHjwb9VQIl12Zj/s1600-h/carnevale+st+marks.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnFKVTZr-DD8UJTjREVfVWKgxlYHvC1CtNIcJLIiVJ-iJ5tIxkyQmWrcoafGN7K2fNrRRTfaQxa6at8I8cy8g_8dKkv6c3q-bVddn6Ya3DgG8eyxzCEs8jS_cgwExZbjHjwb9VQIl12Zj/s400/carnevale+st+marks.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165543276796288498" border="0" /></a>Blue Skies smiling at me, nothing but...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Another wonderful side effect of the suddenly spectacular weather is all the spectacular costumes which descend on San Marco's Square. Against all probability, the vast majority of stunningly costumed people also have a flair for performance. I am so in heaven.<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span><br /></div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-XoRfGpOaBkcTunkkk1rAD0cEx8nS6ixYVMKjjIFehMWw6wUcXhff5dRc9Nl9POXEIKXPthQUr3x8Vst7-IfKicVHjQsREIf0GrPOY8lvRdqs1J2tI23O0dN8ygtTgac3uuh4FXMfvWS/s1600-h/DSC02126.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-XoRfGpOaBkcTunkkk1rAD0cEx8nS6ixYVMKjjIFehMWw6wUcXhff5dRc9Nl9POXEIKXPthQUr3x8Vst7-IfKicVHjQsREIf0GrPOY8lvRdqs1J2tI23O0dN8ygtTgac3uuh4FXMfvWS/s400/DSC02126.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165543281091255810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqyRwDJsmhM9wPdNOaJDxbUHRvw3qQXoH7sgR2vZ-JSLprHI__b45cQ9Yc8c97wiitwa2N2TL1XKghtsAUkqvZT0FbhZ4Z5MhOy08C2sjC6f2P5C0r6_12Ar7sPrE-Ay4tCL_jxwBOqL0/s1600-h/DSC02127.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqyRwDJsmhM9wPdNOaJDxbUHRvw3qQXoH7sgR2vZ-JSLprHI__b45cQ9Yc8c97wiitwa2N2TL1XKghtsAUkqvZT0FbhZ4Z5MhOy08C2sjC6f2P5C0r6_12Ar7sPrE-Ay4tCL_jxwBOqL0/s400/DSC02127.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165543603213803026" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIuSPCd6KlcKZ3qoutR6hpaH7qjIknMMPQ0HeHS894NwyGq7B3Y3ycZYQUnYwqJ0U-NZzks4ztaLharT38vfXylu7-P-5fGA7xMdLtZTtyJusYIDY66CZ3jxbhBKRfUdxO7Lvqnki5IiU/s1600-h/DSC02137.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIuSPCd6KlcKZ3qoutR6hpaH7qjIknMMPQ0HeHS894NwyGq7B3Y3ycZYQUnYwqJ0U-NZzks4ztaLharT38vfXylu7-P-5fGA7xMdLtZTtyJusYIDY66CZ3jxbhBKRfUdxO7Lvqnki5IiU/s400/DSC02137.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165543607508770338" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWeKkNh5dCByG0qCqK29ZXzcpQGiCbrDSNmH-zmB31dNPMUcEe0-eMBAbR7w5p74HK8Y76e7Wk47rImfmrEwtsbbtTVZ4E584yIgiP4ryFZQi-DPBU3i1MSca8-wY_tW57HlxL9GEJ5v5R/s1600-h/DSC02140.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWeKkNh5dCByG0qCqK29ZXzcpQGiCbrDSNmH-zmB31dNPMUcEe0-eMBAbR7w5p74HK8Y76e7Wk47rImfmrEwtsbbtTVZ4E584yIgiP4ryFZQi-DPBU3i1MSca8-wY_tW57HlxL9GEJ5v5R/s400/DSC02140.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165543611803737650" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYF2hyzzQyOwhQHiK6QrOLKUfpA9RwCB4Y0bJpzlKEQyp5mI-S1PptNICxuulC5ATol_eL6XzlDMvUagwOcjeLlEJ2BHjpAtD7D1LeTDd347Im6m_XYRhii1lR2YJ1PsPFtw4n7XDaYt-U/s1600-h/lady.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYF2hyzzQyOwhQHiK6QrOLKUfpA9RwCB4Y0bJpzlKEQyp5mI-S1PptNICxuulC5ATol_eL6XzlDMvUagwOcjeLlEJ2BHjpAtD7D1LeTDd347Im6m_XYRhii1lR2YJ1PsPFtw4n7XDaYt-U/s400/lady.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168059122609398242" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVesxJtdAgl7WPydAqeLteln8CoLhkDp2w1SWAA76nMLtFJjdQFHIsqnzeS9qB9bYPYtcUgMKWn7ujISSqS45h07_IZTZ_mchamB149r5JdwXw6D4lLscRhTgZ4-K3mK7LhKdX1c40ZRL/s1600-h/DSC02287.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVesxJtdAgl7WPydAqeLteln8CoLhkDp2w1SWAA76nMLtFJjdQFHIsqnzeS9qB9bYPYtcUgMKWn7ujISSqS45h07_IZTZ_mchamB149r5JdwXw6D4lLscRhTgZ4-K3mK7LhKdX1c40ZRL/s400/DSC02287.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165544058480336498" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3OkqVlM8HunhVm6B9oh0ZJO2DIWeEgW9XvaHO-XnOE_xVi5jw6mgxzOItBhMwNXiVWvoYYV0mjnpo0twzg8H9bwKgI-o_UtQzNIzsyHY4-nMmceytgibgqjP5woEtHWWEYSnWaTy8-FI/s1600-h/DSC02270.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3OkqVlM8HunhVm6B9oh0ZJO2DIWeEgW9XvaHO-XnOE_xVi5jw6mgxzOItBhMwNXiVWvoYYV0mjnpo0twzg8H9bwKgI-o_UtQzNIzsyHY4-nMmceytgibgqjP5woEtHWWEYSnWaTy8-FI/s400/DSC02270.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165544058480336482" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDcA6E7uO-B5F1O43Pt7tx-EDdvpwzSsuB6AFsTH4UHEDNhowgCWQVmi5Gsby1biMUutKbwelRiDBOWKe-K_spbHIHFfwtEt15imqjXjzhUV65o_KYaLeWQQGnsOBvH6hv-8Bc0em-b72/s1600-h/DSC02155.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDcA6E7uO-B5F1O43Pt7tx-EDdvpwzSsuB6AFsTH4UHEDNhowgCWQVmi5Gsby1biMUutKbwelRiDBOWKe-K_spbHIHFfwtEt15imqjXjzhUV65o_KYaLeWQQGnsOBvH6hv-8Bc0em-b72/s400/DSC02155.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165543616098704962" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">In the midst of all the wandering through amazing costumes I stumble upon the tiny-family-of-maskmakers' shop which Mary had insisted I would adore. Mary, as sometimes happens, is so very right.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIp3vRpvm44bH_O746ZvIsF-qJ-fVDyzJXcfItQqLC-0P39m0ujxjna_z9J3HZo19ptlQq2zgCoXxX1ZmAle2LIvDmHCmdij6SzYt4GVmhIf-5iwI3KMgdHsaeylKGtCjWdHtZOch24GU/s1600-h/mask+lady.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIp3vRpvm44bH_O746ZvIsF-qJ-fVDyzJXcfItQqLC-0P39m0ujxjna_z9J3HZo19ptlQq2zgCoXxX1ZmAle2LIvDmHCmdij6SzYt4GVmhIf-5iwI3KMgdHsaeylKGtCjWdHtZOch24GU/s400/mask+lady.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165543276796288482" border="0" /></a><br />I am so in love with this woman.<br /></div><br />At this point we decide to catch a late lunch on the Rialto. We find an adorable restarant with tables available right on the water and decide to eat there even though it's a bit on the pricey side. It is the beginning of February and I am wearing a tank top as I eat to-die-for porcini pasta on the edge of the Rialto in Venice. Oh supreme spiffitude.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitk_H9-ITyOQzZYXPIbmjfE89HMvjq7NXSJ0ljQYF-eUf4nQtcNCLQkJs2qK1XLx9ogYZ-zmMZ3RhbEvcrrtW85Gg3uYYMTcHX5L4O1w2-_fvPILuI6hF-NLfWycZig61fVXmOMXupXqTN/s1600-h/lunch+on+the+water.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitk_H9-ITyOQzZYXPIbmjfE89HMvjq7NXSJ0ljQYF-eUf4nQtcNCLQkJs2qK1XLx9ogYZ-zmMZ3RhbEvcrrtW85Gg3uYYMTcHX5L4O1w2-_fvPILuI6hF-NLfWycZig61fVXmOMXupXqTN/s400/lunch+on+the+water.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165544067070271106" border="0" /></a>A Sunbeam, My Lunch and Jamie's Cleavage.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">After lunch we mosey back in the direction of the hostel, stopping to watch part of a traditional Romanian dance performance at San Marco's. And we grab a we bit of chocolate for later.<br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFREE_VoyexQoy_0bfOuYSZvzMZsUd6T4PLPoYzfn-qVi90kc1frGEwaGIZm95k1M0cTewnJmqhcdk05950X5KevYrTg8lVuhMewIujanaFpi99J7zdVdHBmhGwRIOW8P_E2JZPiO1UXE/s1600-h/chocolat+in+venice.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFREE_VoyexQoy_0bfOuYSZvzMZsUd6T4PLPoYzfn-qVi90kc1frGEwaGIZm95k1M0cTewnJmqhcdk05950X5KevYrTg8lVuhMewIujanaFpi99J7zdVdHBmhGwRIOW8P_E2JZPiO1UXE/s400/chocolat+in+venice.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165543272501321170" border="0" /></a>Venice: All around pretty Artful.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Dinner is great, once again, and our cool partying band of Hostelers is getting bigger all the time. Mike and Eric are over for dinner again and they convince Alberto and Mimo (the guys who run the Hostel), to be our guides to the coolest last-night-of-carnevale party. While people are getting ready I cajole Mimo into finding me a sewing kit and I sneak some gathers into my train so it no longer hits the ground. Mike snaps a quick photo of me in my wild Carnevale getup.<br /><br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKcSES0-nY3sgWhEiWDd4_cboLhwVPlUTrOlpOtHCp5EjVOWJr_pYZIRMkZH4KTYwuysBau9rDxds3-o7yXUPLIo8t3N3tduCiyeJ8rhavWfapT3Enbt52BhnRzli7JgATRb2971N9bVG/s1600-h/carnevale+becca.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKcSES0-nY3sgWhEiWDd4_cboLhwVPlUTrOlpOtHCp5EjVOWJr_pYZIRMkZH4KTYwuysBau9rDxds3-o7yXUPLIo8t3N3tduCiyeJ8rhavWfapT3Enbt52BhnRzli7JgATRb2971N9bVG/s400/carnevale+becca.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165544071365238418" border="0" /></a>I swear this didn't look Catwoman-ish at all in person. Huh.<br /></div><br /><br />Alberto leads about twenty of us to a small square near the Rialto, where there's a little stage blazing with colored lights and an obviously Italian band doing mostly 70's American Dance Music Covers. The band plays such formidable classics as Hot Stuff, Play that Funky Music, We are Family... the Italians are in heaven. After a little more than an hour of wild masked dancing and Prosecco, I'm getting a bit tired of the sleazy Italians following me around, so Mike and I head off to San Marco's to find the other half of the hostel crowd. We realize our foolishness the minute we arrive. Walking around San Marco's looking for people is a NON OPTION. The ginormous square is so packed with partyers that anything other than standing still looking at someone's back is a non option. We hang out for a bit, and I confess to Mike that I have not actually had real italian gelato yet. Mike rolls his eyes. These California girls. No priorites. (Mike is bartender from Florida). We spend the next hour wandering in and out of different parties in the hunt for late night gelato. We are finally successful and I dive into Cappucino and Creme Caramel gelato. Sigh. I love Italy. We meet back up with Jamie, Eric, Sean, Sasha and Ryan on the walk back to the square, dance less than an hour and collectively decide that we are too exhausted to stand up another minute. Thirty minutes later I am in bed. Hallelujah.<br /><br />Coming soon: Desperately Seeking the Director of the Palazzo de Mocenigo<br /><br />Notes: Mimo, Security Guards, Policemen...Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-91153472394131429352008-02-05T09:00:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:48:28.489-08:00And the Rain Rain Rain came Down Down DownToday is the Monday before Mardi Gras. It is raining in Venice. A bunch. And a half.<br /><br />After a freezing cold shower (trying to get a warm morning shower is fairly impossible in your average hostel, I will be doing evening showers from here on out), I head out to find something to eat. I discover there is a market in the street today.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRb-mbG2NmK2KEIqlNELa53Lydbbg1vNh7vPUi_4_tn6WwhAaYqAZr6HMLKfdrLCo8x-IVielad6O0w4wdjnh6SxwJ01YcnBY_87KJ9Fwu6mQxr9jnNPrmkWAHEqz6OQ0k88eiI7CpqH7/s1600-h/street+market.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRb-mbG2NmK2KEIqlNELa53Lydbbg1vNh7vPUi_4_tn6WwhAaYqAZr6HMLKfdrLCo8x-IVielad6O0w4wdjnh6SxwJ01YcnBY_87KJ9Fwu6mQxr9jnNPrmkWAHEqz6OQ0k88eiI7CpqH7/s400/street+market.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165535537265220818" border="0" /></a>Rainy Venetian Market Quaintness.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_uz2BtmAavN1zPL3GlHx4mYpdfQTNUk4WJBFeyHvjANvPyqMSy8iEy_j5cZ8jOKKr5sl59irveXdp_RhUsCqHSK63Vlme6q3ZS2O7xEY_uAPhBD7peR12cdtt5SPvLciBt-7NVHEqe3k/s1600-h/market+detail.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_uz2BtmAavN1zPL3GlHx4mYpdfQTNUk4WJBFeyHvjANvPyqMSy8iEy_j5cZ8jOKKr5sl59irveXdp_RhUsCqHSK63Vlme6q3ZS2O7xEY_uAPhBD7peR12cdtt5SPvLciBt-7NVHEqe3k/s400/market+detail.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165535537265220834" border="0" /></a>Just makes you want a salad, don't it?<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf28713iY6dQ-J6lpcWDeWjDiYcxs91ekJu9TVKDPxqNpvZy66f_y57zJtRfjBy1GbUZU7tQ9E81FCUQTtf7KczKW3EPL3SHdcuk0opDLUAsVr1WGTsvpwmlirdnyJA-ysaJdj__fc-2gZ/s1600-h/joans+panetone.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf28713iY6dQ-J6lpcWDeWjDiYcxs91ekJu9TVKDPxqNpvZy66f_y57zJtRfjBy1GbUZU7tQ9E81FCUQTtf7KczKW3EPL3SHdcuk0opDLUAsVr1WGTsvpwmlirdnyJA-ysaJdj__fc-2gZ/s400/joans+panetone.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165535532970253506" border="0" /></a>Hey Joan, you were so right, these be the Real McCoy!<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlk7CGzJ20oRlFw-IG_Gjr-xwLctdVkDw5s4I3dKHbBRpsqoozBDJDZUpVTOCUO0VaTU4o7cIjr_EHBKtPdLX2KTLQ3OjVez9d2V6PqX-VjgTGCaKpJl9bccnUGWT-afzWa7sa82x4pFB/s1600-h/job+for+yora.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlk7CGzJ20oRlFw-IG_Gjr-xwLctdVkDw5s4I3dKHbBRpsqoozBDJDZUpVTOCUO0VaTU4o7cIjr_EHBKtPdLX2KTLQ3OjVez9d2V6PqX-VjgTGCaKpJl9bccnUGWT-afzWa7sa82x4pFB/s400/job+for+yora.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165535541560188146" border="0" /></a>Also: There is a Laura Store. Homeopaths of the World Unite!<br /></div><br />I mill about, then grab a magnificent cappucino and buy a crepe from a streetside stand. In the rain. But even in the rain, a brilliant cappuccino with a chocolate-banana crepe for breakfast? This is so my kind of town. Just look at it:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilK5D_p-0f7CKIurKcQsDElvEGKlW2SaVMH0VkFfmO99myHxCn1dU_ZhCcWs20cxbSSs5Lt6BHVdvsCVF0Y3yTzLA6AsWjiy_0GtqWdEWiz86IW_vbAA-_80CSSxPqXKeB6GNHer6SsUa-/s1600-h/the+street.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilK5D_p-0f7CKIurKcQsDElvEGKlW2SaVMH0VkFfmO99myHxCn1dU_ZhCcWs20cxbSSs5Lt6BHVdvsCVF0Y3yTzLA6AsWjiy_0GtqWdEWiz86IW_vbAA-_80CSSxPqXKeB6GNHer6SsUa-/s400/the+street.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165535532970253490" border="0" /></a>Almost Sickeningly Lovely.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKVHR-SkRktn86j5-5A3aVtKScZC7xVxMbD26exk-EPuhlkoxwKfGQJKncyFYVoCxJimnG_PHltrUb_kGSrqaLXhUoNqsl8unMcI-RLwP8qR1spIDd2BinZyEBNlm0CqTcwVQjwkoaHkH/s1600-h/italian+candy+store.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKVHR-SkRktn86j5-5A3aVtKScZC7xVxMbD26exk-EPuhlkoxwKfGQJKncyFYVoCxJimnG_PHltrUb_kGSrqaLXhUoNqsl8unMcI-RLwP8qR1spIDd2BinZyEBNlm0CqTcwVQjwkoaHkH/s400/italian+candy+store.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165538337583897938" border="0" /></a>The Shop Windows!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteuDGBA1k8pK5I8-UPRvHxur9PaYKPlyRri9PQPysFXSjd57JrzDDyBFpOHpGNc0mm7YYJ3fAc7btw9p_Nf0qbyB9tV4s6EUMkhsvOw0QoyUZ7B_fz-SyuaBZS9WqLrCD0hxu43tz4zJ5/s1600-h/glove+death.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteuDGBA1k8pK5I8-UPRvHxur9PaYKPlyRri9PQPysFXSjd57JrzDDyBFpOHpGNc0mm7YYJ3fAc7btw9p_Nf0qbyB9tV4s6EUMkhsvOw0QoyUZ7B_fz-SyuaBZS9WqLrCD0hxu43tz4zJ5/s400/glove+death.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165538346173832562" border="0" /></a>Glove Death!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1h2XqYgpTuLwDrNxrhTJKeA6I3rwvAo_9_wMY4YZtguS1LTEgz4xQ_gNtvWXWtlYVS66ZAcc4_qfw0aWjvx-CSTKNpnQeBqZ2qxjsq-ZQKxcTa_tzjYzg92vnLOYLADIaRac2FzzePTOF/s1600-h/maes+ally.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1h2XqYgpTuLwDrNxrhTJKeA6I3rwvAo_9_wMY4YZtguS1LTEgz4xQ_gNtvWXWtlYVS66ZAcc4_qfw0aWjvx-CSTKNpnQeBqZ2qxjsq-ZQKxcTa_tzjYzg92vnLOYLADIaRac2FzzePTOF/s400/maes+ally.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165542022665838002" border="0" /></a>Mary, I think I accidentally found your alley, too.<br /></div><br />Also, due to Carnevale there are literally THOUSANDS of masks for sale everywhere you look, the majority of which are relatively hum-drum. But there are some real winners:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiR6Gcj3VSC1DBCncz-U0M2JSp55eJSVZKkW7UcnflBFPNpmLWDAlZfsk8M6rjo6Ejgeya7Z_S4RL4bx-gJ3_-ACaYxMb5BTBdLL67LHcSBhOwgYcsIl_-QaEkR4SS1YJhVls6ZYhbTG5n/s1600-h/DSC02123.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiR6Gcj3VSC1DBCncz-U0M2JSp55eJSVZKkW7UcnflBFPNpmLWDAlZfsk8M6rjo6Ejgeya7Z_S4RL4bx-gJ3_-ACaYxMb5BTBdLL67LHcSBhOwgYcsIl_-QaEkR4SS1YJhVls6ZYhbTG5n/s400/DSC02123.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165538002576448802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHQ6mFa4EamsY8AtNTlV7iabq6siB36nKuAskc82HCI9SFGLacO6-TjCHWWv3vApjrObFnxUodHvTLe7Me1dEALj4Mos0Q2O0lNpn9B3vKYLk9V7sYZRVmgC0Ysn9OJQyYygm_Pokp-Sk/s1600-h/DSC02199.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHQ6mFa4EamsY8AtNTlV7iabq6siB36nKuAskc82HCI9SFGLacO6-TjCHWWv3vApjrObFnxUodHvTLe7Me1dEALj4Mos0Q2O0lNpn9B3vKYLk9V7sYZRVmgC0Ysn9OJQyYygm_Pokp-Sk/s400/DSC02199.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165538006871416130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwWMMWwCTXChZJ29SzFkRKOaS3nozbzodKc5AEcxS-ZtEE815MXHxNY2NcHdlh8KfeUs0RIZO7cFxYRnf88AW33gILxywfqdSh18s23CZze_9T6PoW_a-rSRWz-lZtxvt-UeC_WzDYYiV/s1600-h/DSC02106.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwWMMWwCTXChZJ29SzFkRKOaS3nozbzodKc5AEcxS-ZtEE815MXHxNY2NcHdlh8KfeUs0RIZO7cFxYRnf88AW33gILxywfqdSh18s23CZze_9T6PoW_a-rSRWz-lZtxvt-UeC_WzDYYiV/s400/DSC02106.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165537998281481474" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPu7LL4YY1VVfzrcVcO-mIQolTOBt-twAbGyKrWNYsGG5SY0X_PoIH-A0NzXqm3N0xoRG8Qe5tl161Iafr4k2UKqOe4f0DpEf6Bu0TvatHXaq6exl3omsmXpN-03SbDdFGa98z-q1EjGR/s1600-h/cyberbot+masks.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPu7LL4YY1VVfzrcVcO-mIQolTOBt-twAbGyKrWNYsGG5SY0X_PoIH-A0NzXqm3N0xoRG8Qe5tl161Iafr4k2UKqOe4f0DpEf6Bu0TvatHXaq6exl3omsmXpN-03SbDdFGa98z-q1EjGR/s400/cyberbot+masks.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165542014075903362" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jUxNKMF-5-b6qAzvjNiPDBZkflAEKT05jRd4Hc2YVQUhF3WChJm_cfpq9X50p85CDFsT_tBtylDli-qiE895XQEwlSPRY_YA8xzLJWjYCI5Ux89swkvd3aMtRr2T3BqnfndaApZTpVY0/s1600-h/DSC02195.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jUxNKMF-5-b6qAzvjNiPDBZkflAEKT05jRd4Hc2YVQUhF3WChJm_cfpq9X50p85CDFsT_tBtylDli-qiE895XQEwlSPRY_YA8xzLJWjYCI5Ux89swkvd3aMtRr2T3BqnfndaApZTpVY0/s400/DSC02195.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165538006871416114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsk4iKpwQjnRm8ql5Bu9Xx7LvDAR0XZQ75znU-7dX0H1aN1vEHUugKfv2SIdmxj-edykjQpu-gT0dThBHNwRZbncl_bTD1N_uyzlCZhfY5zDF4GmXsNKnwNGQZX63z_PuHFE3kH-rHJXN/s1600-h/DSC02117.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsk4iKpwQjnRm8ql5Bu9Xx7LvDAR0XZQ75znU-7dX0H1aN1vEHUugKfv2SIdmxj-edykjQpu-gT0dThBHNwRZbncl_bTD1N_uyzlCZhfY5zDF4GmXsNKnwNGQZX63z_PuHFE3kH-rHJXN/s400/DSC02117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165537998281481490" border="0" /></a>As I am wandering about in mask overload I stumble upon a small chapel that has been converted into a Antique Lace Shop and Showroom, like an itty bitty Lacis in Venice. I go chat them up and they are lovely, they don't allow pictures of the lace pieces but I get permission to take a picture of the space:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2U-QYEJ7OhXy2I6K1gpnSuXDA7cLsiUKdX6qjSLIiUIeNmT7nBFOONhekWCCBMTn_Abb-gCSk5CjG_CmW5Fcu6JWu_1NsoZv3N-oCk6sPxjD3__cduj3_Z5tOXMAkoXw2QDUYgeqO2QbR/s1600-h/chapel+of+the+lace.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2U-QYEJ7OhXy2I6K1gpnSuXDA7cLsiUKdX6qjSLIiUIeNmT7nBFOONhekWCCBMTn_Abb-gCSk5CjG_CmW5Fcu6JWu_1NsoZv3N-oCk6sPxjD3__cduj3_Z5tOXMAkoXw2QDUYgeqO2QbR/s400/chapel+of+the+lace.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165538341878865250" border="0" /></a>It's basically become a chapel of Lace Worship. How awesome is that?<br /></div><br />After a great deal of window shopping and lace gawking, I walk over to the docks and buy a very expensive roundtrip "waterbus" fare to the itty bitty island of Burano where there are still little old ladies making the old fashioned needle laces. Then, I attempt to go to Burano to see the lace. I see the lace. But not all the lace.<br /><br />The waterbus takes exactly 4 million years, so I arrive at the Museo di Merletto exactly 7 minutes after they close. Sigh. Perhaps I will have to do Burano: Part Deux on another day.<br />Not sure yet.<br /><br />Nevertheless, Burano is still a pretty charming place to be:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdw4xvNucWuxwuemyAcUsZKG-8T2An1yILXws8KEasTzzNh3dQanFPH5C2-F7a6rYTyuImcu4x_McBQKR0gVXzWBdUnr3IWPVh-K_06MXJ-cIpneWE31BgOF1g39E1jrxtxXgTpzZjWvS/s1600-h/gloomy+cute+burano.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdw4xvNucWuxwuemyAcUsZKG-8T2An1yILXws8KEasTzzNh3dQanFPH5C2-F7a6rYTyuImcu4x_McBQKR0gVXzWBdUnr3IWPVh-K_06MXJ-cIpneWE31BgOF1g39E1jrxtxXgTpzZjWvS/s400/gloomy+cute+burano.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165542018370870690" border="0" /></a>Burano.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSvojnaiJo2kHg9bfQcGTO5exEH66tBZXjbLO3VkH0PmM7UQeH0XpSwyMgazYX3slnCVkFhmoWJIuu01rInf_iVTy2BTGUCbBrROLBt_e0cNJ4EYWaLya1FaTJFb-aIcVlcD8vQzJwI87/s1600-h/burano+statue.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSvojnaiJo2kHg9bfQcGTO5exEH66tBZXjbLO3VkH0PmM7UQeH0XpSwyMgazYX3slnCVkFhmoWJIuu01rInf_iVTy2BTGUCbBrROLBt_e0cNJ4EYWaLya1FaTJFb-aIcVlcD8vQzJwI87/s400/burano+statue.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165542018370870674" border="0" /></a>Pretty Parks with Stunning Statues. Were it not raining I would so have a picnic.<br /></div><br />Back at the hostel there is pasta dinner the second and wild drinking games with the hostel kids. A complete Riot. Then, two guys from another hostel, Eric and Mike, round people up to go find some Venetian Drinking Nightlife and we end up crashing a birthday party at a nearby club. (Well, It really SEEMED like we were crashing it but the bouncer did let us in so maybe it's a Venice thing). I bring cute shoes in a bag and upon our arrival I head straight to the bathroom, pull off my extra layers and trade hiking shoes for patent leather heels. I hide the hiking shoes behind the floor-length curtain, head to the dance floor and dance like a mad thing. The Italian boys are amused by me but clearly think I'm insane so they do not attempt to dance or talk with me.<br /><br />We all head back to hostel about 2am, and crash.<br /><br />Apparently I am staying in Hostels to make up for the fact that I never lived in a dorm in College.<br /><br />Huh.<br /><br />Coming Soon: Carnevale Costumes!!!<br /><br />Notes: San Marco'sBeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-33331933943552843382008-02-03T02:47:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:48:31.846-08:00Venezia!It's Saturday. Today I attempt to get myself to Carnevale in Venice from Glasgow, in less than 24 hours, utilizing a ride from Lucy and Callum, a Plane, 2 Subway trips, 1 overnight train and a copious amount of walking with a large backpack. Let's hope Carnevale lives up to the hype.<br /><div></div><div><br />I get up about 10am to discover IT IS SNOWING! Yippee! I have officially seen snow falling only 2 other times in my life (Snow on the ground, yes, falling from the sky, no). I take pictures, as is my new custom in all things.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmV5FhZNG8XH0aa_A5pptco9SZmC5Fc5R_7LzTYQqC6HdvV1VWhGnHnLK5_LWHMrShmz8ZBuGGMy3R_RM6KKA3wYfl_clthanTSyabzJciWlBHzpSoF6JyV4rVjl9DDPs9wZVDSoTSVoS/s1600-h/out+the+window.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmV5FhZNG8XH0aa_A5pptco9SZmC5Fc5R_7LzTYQqC6HdvV1VWhGnHnLK5_LWHMrShmz8ZBuGGMy3R_RM6KKA3wYfl_clthanTSyabzJciWlBHzpSoF6JyV4rVjl9DDPs9wZVDSoTSVoS/s400/out+the+window.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165527303812914082" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;">View out the Kitchen Window, Post Snowfall.<br /></div><br /><div>I use this opportunity to get some pictures of other awesome things in Glasgow. Like the Flat.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQobiEnOGWEvV6UlREpy7U1X5Ae-4lHeM7aXMJ_FwEuuJHP0pM8FqLoL_xteZmN0uH9thaGIvDt5q9Z-apzqOBl1uRLXUazg4P3N42ri6ryZwz7p-ubJscCo-OP7zI6U0sSWufXkYm3HB/s1600-h/living+room.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQobiEnOGWEvV6UlREpy7U1X5Ae-4lHeM7aXMJ_FwEuuJHP0pM8FqLoL_xteZmN0uH9thaGIvDt5q9Z-apzqOBl1uRLXUazg4P3N42ri6ryZwz7p-ubJscCo-OP7zI6U0sSWufXkYm3HB/s400/living+room.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165527299517946770" border="0" /></a>Lucy and Callum's living room<br /><br /></div>I spend the morning with Lucy, Callum & Claire, mostly drinking coffee and getting my stuff ready to ship out while they play Guitar Hero. (Guitar Hero, if Lucy and Callum and their friends are any indication, is HUGE in Scotland. Awesome.) </div><br /><div></div><div>Before I know it, it's time to run away. Lucy and Callum drive me to Glasgow Int'l and just as I am about to enter security, I beg a woman standing nearby to take my only picture with Lucy and Callum.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gm40lbqHxG4gzyffrzauJOcon57wd90-pySlzYJELjyQ7k7kMRsJGqSsm2ZN2Mp_x-ds64dLuZftyM0HnX-5WPStK6yNt_e_tsJvAmpWROwEtzQ3YS8X6vAb9whVWHG-XYNxdw3-hpST/s1600-h/airport+with+l+and+c.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gm40lbqHxG4gzyffrzauJOcon57wd90-pySlzYJELjyQ7k7kMRsJGqSsm2ZN2Mp_x-ds64dLuZftyM0HnX-5WPStK6yNt_e_tsJvAmpWROwEtzQ3YS8X6vAb9whVWHG-XYNxdw3-hpST/s400/airport+with+l+and+c.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165527303812914098" border="0" /></a>Me and the Awesomest Glaswegians<br /></div><div></div><br />Next, there is a Flight to Paris CDG. I sit alone. Then, there is an attempt to get the reservation for the train to Venice. There is much Parlez-vous-Anglaising. Eventually I have my train ticket and a subway pass, and a map to help me with my two subway transfers so I can make my train. Thank God the Paris subway functions similarly to the Tube in London. I meet some lovely French locals on the subway who speak English. When I finally get on the overnight train I am seated in a car with a French Woman and her two young children, another French woman about my age and a young Middle Eastern man, none of whom speak any English! Humbling but awesome. My French output is pitiful but my comprehension, thankfully, is good enough that most of the time I can answer questions correctly though not always fully. My vocab is shot. Stupid me for not borrowing Mary's phrase book. Oh well. This is my first experience with overnight trains and it's pretty surreal, though I do sleep a fair bit of the way.<br /><br /><div></div>At last I arrive in Venice at the Santa Lucia Train Station. It is now Sunday morning. It is supposedly a ten minute walk to the Hostel; I have left myself one hour and eighteen minutes between my train arriving in Venice and my Hostel check-in time. After one hour and ten minutes I have found the Hostel. It may be only slightly apparent how easy it is to pass it by but you get the idea.<br /><br /><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ns-WQ_ojwbGHZq7RejuPInqUqFps5WzQMFOrY3KDmctehcOXBj_LRhkH08ZyxEz_Z1YYu7L3UcprFLPi40aGJiTIGEhtd36WEgHXsScSKnktLaf_hVwWtrfarGIa0LOvOEigkctjulJq/s1600-h/my+front+door.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ns-WQ_ojwbGHZq7RejuPInqUqFps5WzQMFOrY3KDmctehcOXBj_LRhkH08ZyxEz_Z1YYu7L3UcprFLPi40aGJiTIGEhtd36WEgHXsScSKnktLaf_hVwWtrfarGIa0LOvOEigkctjulJq/s400/my+front+door.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165529528605973506" border="0" /></a>This is the front door. Not really big on the signage, these people.<br /></div><div> </div><br /><div> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbE1l2y3Gtz68kN3WSD_ZThZ0Lq70IrRaN2DCfS13QEmNG-1j7TNaTCBfKJXrKVnhvvs_Y1m9AlejLYhyzCOZiLMqGFLXrD6YgQhS3ajizVMzl-NaICwlyNtSrkiaOlwN9sDY0w4A7_pFK/s1600-h/the+square+where+i+live.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbE1l2y3Gtz68kN3WSD_ZThZ0Lq70IrRaN2DCfS13QEmNG-1j7TNaTCBfKJXrKVnhvvs_Y1m9AlejLYhyzCOZiLMqGFLXrD6YgQhS3ajizVMzl-NaICwlyNtSrkiaOlwN9sDY0w4A7_pFK/s400/the+square+where+i+live.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165529520016038882" border="0" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;">The Square Where I Live.<br /></div><br />After I am set up at the Hostel I go get lost, wander about happily, stop for lunch and accidentally order a €20 plate of pasta served with half a lobster. Oops. On the upside: the dish is utterly, transcendently delicious.</div><br /><div> </div>Next Venetian Mission: Find Best Coffee in Venice. Mission Impossible? Think again.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NgUMEEcUrpvo7z5FHEntRCDgiJOa9grlu8drk_EwqWwesoMdEsBxQ5rlaj75EbPuaycvTaGEvKQcSz-c013KWmcD2CsUVLfbi3SF_ERVDfPkyAMz2bV6jh-S_n6MuU9vv1A7jfev60yC/s1600-h/DSC02045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NgUMEEcUrpvo7z5FHEntRCDgiJOa9grlu8drk_EwqWwesoMdEsBxQ5rlaj75EbPuaycvTaGEvKQcSz-c013KWmcD2CsUVLfbi3SF_ERVDfPkyAMz2bV6jh-S_n6MuU9vv1A7jfev60yC/s400/DSC02045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165529515721071570" border="0" /></a>Done and Done.<br /></div><br />After having what is perhaps the best cappuccino of my young life, and feeling the need to make today the day of unabashedly lavish cuisine consumption, I begin the search for appropriately decadent italian dessert. Bingo.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35hn-fMQgSqsFNkSZufb14FpK38Ly38Q9Ckh-YvEWbl2rPVSYQxFf8fDzAj0oEf1xQivl3AhPGllegJDvacDOJdRiGwUHkUJ-eDXfOfzgnng8bk_RrhgSKfUuQcrUFm38i5QcDz7Fbi32/s1600-h/for+the+tablle.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35hn-fMQgSqsFNkSZufb14FpK38Ly38Q9Ckh-YvEWbl2rPVSYQxFf8fDzAj0oEf1xQivl3AhPGllegJDvacDOJdRiGwUHkUJ-eDXfOfzgnng8bk_RrhgSKfUuQcrUFm38i5QcDz7Fbi32/s400/for+the+tablle.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165532444888767554" border="0" /></a>Hey The Table: This is what Profiteroles look like in Venice!<br /></div><div> </div><br /><div>I find tons of other cool stuff too:<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlY08vxwLvrepwuigS_a55PVpnNYePt-AK9Eyi5sukF4088CeC4kvr0l-XZRlv0WbLqWSUHbbl7cRFZpRL20Z1wdH6H268x0DwRCii_7xAJmsoVwT3hPBT07K2EOGcz1Z-KO1XvVHtCyaZ/s1600-h/i+like+this+door.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlY08vxwLvrepwuigS_a55PVpnNYePt-AK9Eyi5sukF4088CeC4kvr0l-XZRlv0WbLqWSUHbbl7cRFZpRL20Z1wdH6H268x0DwRCii_7xAJmsoVwT3hPBT07K2EOGcz1Z-KO1XvVHtCyaZ/s400/i+like+this+door.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165532728356609122" border="0" /></a><div> </div><div style="text-align: center;">For example, I enjoy this door.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwNjHJ1DFs56ANWFuggAiRfG82nNSgjBlGofDv43wMEF85G24ESAgGMvPE_AMGQ2ra6u1kIfde5GhXLOpes78MSXY5OUPQJz-AvhOf98IWYOHgzL_6oClo9fJ0dCrkNH8IVKkb24Ugb6d/s1600-h/its+angry.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwNjHJ1DFs56ANWFuggAiRfG82nNSgjBlGofDv43wMEF85G24ESAgGMvPE_AMGQ2ra6u1kIfde5GhXLOpes78MSXY5OUPQJz-AvhOf98IWYOHgzL_6oClo9fJ0dCrkNH8IVKkb24Ugb6d/s400/its+angry.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165532736946543730" border="0" /></a>I think this is because of it's obvious fury at the fact that it's a door.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TecJNU2KfBfRIi3eFMQtzvmeN5i71qh8GXXRpRBCirpPVcU-2B34KXBKzQuEhzy1NaRzPSZfqU8wRLW1bJ4-Ldp1CPdQWLU2VNWADl2U2KLDCsU2p1A6AZssozon3gLNWbq-4otjicJ5/s1600-h/teatro+italia.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TecJNU2KfBfRIi3eFMQtzvmeN5i71qh8GXXRpRBCirpPVcU-2B34KXBKzQuEhzy1NaRzPSZfqU8wRLW1bJ4-Ldp1CPdQWLU2VNWADl2U2KLDCsU2p1A6AZssozon3gLNWbq-4otjicJ5/s400/teatro+italia.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165529511426104258" border="0" /></a>I love the buildings. (The word "Teatro" does not bias me in the slightest. Really.)<br /><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrgnj4HU4qVDwTxUX0_gwYl9HasHsn1BWnaIXTAvEZJ1k57VUGdiwvCPRhiBopWN72K5tAYM86O6bE0eKITiux82EKn8RdmZHzk9qVsgZFVTZUQGPIuChGlwvHgW_j9DZuRTYO1ldcELp/s1600-h/cute+sign.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrgnj4HU4qVDwTxUX0_gwYl9HasHsn1BWnaIXTAvEZJ1k57VUGdiwvCPRhiBopWN72K5tAYM86O6bE0eKITiux82EKn8RdmZHzk9qVsgZFVTZUQGPIuChGlwvHgW_j9DZuRTYO1ldcELp/s400/cute+sign.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165532749831445650" border="0" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;">I love the signage.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpK8L3E8RX9hbl5SSGEXWi5B48W6sAZGMqdIKjdrno86FZP-Z94ZfOGgkg-eNxHSWizuUW87O5Ebag8mvikfwuOaYxG4oyBkqDOgtM2ilK1peKiae22cqXhp6iaYilWtdZvbqCypuUUZ_l/s1600-h/window+display.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpK8L3E8RX9hbl5SSGEXWi5B48W6sAZGMqdIKjdrno86FZP-Z94ZfOGgkg-eNxHSWizuUW87O5Ebag8mvikfwuOaYxG4oyBkqDOgtM2ilK1peKiae22cqXhp6iaYilWtdZvbqCypuUUZ_l/s400/window+display.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165532453478702162" border="0" /></a>And the Carnevalian window displays.<br /></div><br />Venice is just absolute coolness everywhere you look.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50_yEDwoo1SYxy9JrT3WHmPs58Tgin56x9TTBuvw1nakNqrjMbOjnmGMF9uVWBsoY-ugBVF2zI0mQ5FIZsvhc8vydS7Srk03atDwEn6cHFjQ33nXllbwQtXwo8l05DhSDpY6xyzA-cPOb/s1600-h/cool+in+the+air.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50_yEDwoo1SYxy9JrT3WHmPs58Tgin56x9TTBuvw1nakNqrjMbOjnmGMF9uVWBsoY-ugBVF2zI0mQ5FIZsvhc8vydS7Srk03atDwEn6cHFjQ33nXllbwQtXwo8l05DhSDpY6xyzA-cPOb/s400/cool+in+the+air.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165532432003865618" border="0" /></a>Cool in the air.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT60V8B6OKOXgwV5DJ8KUtDfMFJBXZ23N6DuFEkY7b2wLr2CthURpm11DyNwj0lJibaF7DsP27SGIvdfodA6RcJVyCQrwA2yYYPTuK769cYkDMd-Zmp575AL_tWdqZq3p7Zcb4DjnGhAT/s1600-h/cool+on+the+ground.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT60V8B6OKOXgwV5DJ8KUtDfMFJBXZ23N6DuFEkY7b2wLr2CthURpm11DyNwj0lJibaF7DsP27SGIvdfodA6RcJVyCQrwA2yYYPTuK769cYkDMd-Zmp575AL_tWdqZq3p7Zcb4DjnGhAT/s400/cool+on+the+ground.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165532436298832930" border="0" /></a>Cool on the ground.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9ioWqMEBcQDdNgj7lAh2G7Z8y2jB5lch9i4eaSi_dzn7YIyv83sca5fAjsWPBPJUNNJgl-BQRU-54dXH9BWP1y9tlrpcQT6tHsSaPwXVkI8K393pypv0ODo8dVzOMacTbnyQtHKSbuN5/s1600-h/just+generally+pretty+cool.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9ioWqMEBcQDdNgj7lAh2G7Z8y2jB5lch9i4eaSi_dzn7YIyv83sca5fAjsWPBPJUNNJgl-BQRU-54dXH9BWP1y9tlrpcQT6tHsSaPwXVkI8K393pypv0ODo8dVzOMacTbnyQtHKSbuN5/s400/just+generally+pretty+cool.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165532440593800242" border="0" /></a>Just generally pretty cool.<br /><br /></div>I am back at the Hostel in time for the 8:30 Complimentary Family Style Dinner and meet about 6 million people from everywhere. Dinner is a simple pasta but very tasty. After dinner a bunch of folks want to go out partying (about 14 of us) so we wander and bar hop around Venice until we find a club. About 45 minutes from the hostel. Okay, so there were several bars. Whatever.<br /><br />The club is huge. HUGE. 18 rooms or something. Most of them themed. And the main room has a really good live band. But get this: there is almost no one there. Seriously. Most of the rooms have no people at all. Sunday night Carnevale in Venice seems to be not such a big deal. Huh. However, one of the rooms, equipped with a strobe light and really loud euro-trance-techno-whatever-the-hell music ALSO has, displayed all around the room, multi-language descriptions of about eighteen traditional Commedia Dell'arte characters. Oh the sweet sweetness. Naturally I ignore the environment and walk around the room reading. I really do dig me some geeky Commedia. Though in strobe lighting not so much. I feel slightly nauseous by the time I am done but I don't care.<br /><br />The Club closes about 1am so we all begin the nearly one hour walk back to the hostel. They have left the clean sheets for my mattress folded on the bed. But they are still wet! Oh buggery. I thank God (but mostly Mary) for Mary's loan of the purple-pillowcase-as-big-as-Becca. I wriggle into it and am immediately asleep.<br /></div><br />Coming Soon: Carnevale Masks...God give me strength.<br /><br />Notes: Cambra, Sex in the City, Italian for beginners...Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-34400625190349764382008-02-01T18:15:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:48:35.016-08:00Castles & Tapas: Scotland in a NutshellToday I oversleep. This is getting to be something of a tradition. Well, I am on vacation so what the hell. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find Callum. He said that he'd be heading into Edinburgh today but he seems to not be home. I may have missed the Callum-mobile! I try to call his cell but the land-line is all-static-no-dial-tone. Hmmmm. I grab the keys that have been left for me and head out to try to call Callum from a pay phone. The pay phone down the block cannot be made to work. Man. Story of my Life. I walk back to the cafe down the street that pub-buddy Claire works at, thinking perhaps she'll be working and I can use her phone to call Callum.<br /><br />I walk inside and there's Claire, sitting at a table with Callum and their friend Galen. Jackpot. Callum makes fun of me for sleeping so late, late enough that he's gonna give his Edinburgh commitments a miss for the day, but he can drop me at a train whenever if I still want to go. Heck yes I still wanna go! I have a quick breakfast with the gang at Claire's cafe, and Callum drops me at the station.<br /><br />The train to Edinburgh is the easiest thing in the world, super fast, drops you off right in the middle on everything. I get a map and start walking to the castle. I stop off for a moment at the National Gallery of Scotland. Lots of tasty paintings. Oil paint for the soul. I make my way to the Royal Mile, turn right, and within 35 seconds I am looking at Edinburgh Castle.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqomeKWPsy_06py2H1XYPce8b1RrpvA8-8gKXYZQWq38jgfhJW5OfliqFWGymDZkvcWrLx6yLA3_RHQ9M-QPG9Sc1URkAyCirEoOGM9O4fuG0PzpgbGfRdWUx85e4E4DiJjL8iEMit9RPx/s1600-h/edin+castle.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqomeKWPsy_06py2H1XYPce8b1RrpvA8-8gKXYZQWq38jgfhJW5OfliqFWGymDZkvcWrLx6yLA3_RHQ9M-QPG9Sc1URkAyCirEoOGM9O4fuG0PzpgbGfRdWUx85e4E4DiJjL8iEMit9RPx/s400/edin+castle.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165518400345709314" border="0" /></a>Castle-y Goodness.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGHL05oSaadfhyphenhyphenHPGVZVTwEkuSmzJZ4-qBIZ3jlOl3J3VcZY4IjGpLxf8SDREHAOCLEvsQThggzFevg_72-j1jMkvnOgoVttNWATh05KtYP5kkPLEUEQXRuOvxec69p9rBg67T5bUrIHs/s1600-h/castle+drawbridge.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGHL05oSaadfhyphenhyphenHPGVZVTwEkuSmzJZ4-qBIZ3jlOl3J3VcZY4IjGpLxf8SDREHAOCLEvsQThggzFevg_72-j1jMkvnOgoVttNWATh05KtYP5kkPLEUEQXRuOvxec69p9rBg67T5bUrIHs/s400/castle+drawbridge.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165518400345709330" border="0" /></a>If you look over the railing there's a moat! Moat!<br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><br /><div> </div><div>Inside the various areas of the Castle there is stuff, stuff, and more stuff, but I only care about the Highland Dancing & Bagpiping Video and the DOZENS OF HISTORICAL UNIFORMS! Yay!!!<br /><br />A few faves:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_fARSbLDsd8YmkHhNfkWzcAXmWc-ve-hDeS18gQUrpVJ7vn9KqNA7giPfSdpmI9Nom3DHFch298tYtbnwziBafzZ3v5Fgr2ry8nr7ekFfZ_5qp4x1EZRXyiO7FxBnCh0oVKM80vdZMvj/s1600-h/uniforms.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_fARSbLDsd8YmkHhNfkWzcAXmWc-ve-hDeS18gQUrpVJ7vn9KqNA7giPfSdpmI9Nom3DHFch298tYtbnwziBafzZ3v5Fgr2ry8nr7ekFfZ_5qp4x1EZRXyiO7FxBnCh0oVKM80vdZMvj/s400/uniforms.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165518408935643954" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKCUEhsJoJz7-sGFHcHvo4lxqF4Yy7RdmPmxOkQ0cfzLMXOdq5I9uzKEVfBYH7sOGEES3b9VHcMN0_iyVgg7WiZ8Y_HNm_3Buc1pViQ_A-_IATlNWHZwWWdEU3UU_CceBmB4ddJ-DEURl/s1600-h/uniformity.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKCUEhsJoJz7-sGFHcHvo4lxqF4Yy7RdmPmxOkQ0cfzLMXOdq5I9uzKEVfBYH7sOGEES3b9VHcMN0_iyVgg7WiZ8Y_HNm_3Buc1pViQ_A-_IATlNWHZwWWdEU3UU_CceBmB4ddJ-DEURl/s400/uniformity.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165520895721708386" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jDPbsXGYxKDUKtT92CdVazBohAIabahNRItWhO6nvIu7B_vj_yaggkErZY4iuKg8G67RWgtTpugOV6zDKCDiYTdGCtgcf5FsysmS3EhS9rt7xyDB__DBx-Hf7hQd3Tme8CoHfwujKJ61/s1600-h/uniforms+are+cool.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jDPbsXGYxKDUKtT92CdVazBohAIabahNRItWhO6nvIu7B_vj_yaggkErZY4iuKg8G67RWgtTpugOV6zDKCDiYTdGCtgcf5FsysmS3EhS9rt7xyDB__DBx-Hf7hQd3Tme8CoHfwujKJ61/s400/uniforms+are+cool.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165518413230611266" border="0" /></a>I want to take you all home with me!<br /><br /></div>The vantage point from the castle is likewise pretty spiff:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbGFjaAEXfNYBYFgUVu4WWMopCK4k-nszkQrCjH54lBPJ4BVZLeghMhY3YcZNAS98QN9X_0ofbHhyCufwT8dtwoZwBaDMvVyyW3Q0g5EA2d39P5MJMxIIyzWwIILnDWJ2qAboIqXVWiua/s1600-h/infinity+and+beyond.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbGFjaAEXfNYBYFgUVu4WWMopCK4k-nszkQrCjH54lBPJ4BVZLeghMhY3YcZNAS98QN9X_0ofbHhyCufwT8dtwoZwBaDMvVyyW3Q0g5EA2d39P5MJMxIIyzWwIILnDWJ2qAboIqXVWiua/s400/infinity+and+beyond.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165518404640676642" border="0" /></a>To Infinity and Beyond.<br /></div><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>After a bit I leave the Castle grounds and head back down the Royal Mile, stopping at a really cheesy tartan factory. Once you get past all the Velveeta and see the machines in action it's actually really awesome, but no photos are allowed. Drat. I barely restrain myself from buying Jody an enormous stuffed sheep. Too tricky to get home. Seb, you got lucky this time.<br /><br /></div><div>I hike down the Royal Mile for a bit but it's pretty dark already, so I turn around before I make it to Holyrood Palace. Maybe next time. Still, I don't really feel like I'm settling for this:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4Ccnksc02Fu8ZrZP4eWIah3Ugc5w8mKGMgAIT3JzQIFF4rPvyVGknnbEG5v6NPzTH3umNR61ytzl4wpQ5VO6twTcBpHJdsnzyDuvD74s5pmrbPF8xLBdEmfyB_OogL1H4_1oSI7Cczfo/s1600-h/twilight+edinburra.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4Ccnksc02Fu8ZrZP4eWIah3Ugc5w8mKGMgAIT3JzQIFF4rPvyVGknnbEG5v6NPzTH3umNR61ytzl4wpQ5VO6twTcBpHJdsnzyDuvD74s5pmrbPF8xLBdEmfyB_OogL1H4_1oSI7Cczfo/s400/twilight+edinburra.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165520895721708370" border="0" /></a>Twilight in Edinburgh.<br /></div><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Lucy, Callum and Claire pick me up at the train station and we discuss dinner options. The top choice is Andaluz (I'm instantly sure that it must be amazing because it's in Scotland and I'VE heard of it) but it's Friday night and the odds of a last minute reservation are slim. Lucy and I change at the house while Callum works on dinner. Naturally, NO ONE, much less the staff of a popular restaurant, can say no to the Relentlessly-Lovable-Callum?!We have a reservation!<br /><br />It is not, perhaps, the first thing summoned to mind by the mention of Scottish Cuisine (Spanish Tapas, that is) but OH MAN is Andaluz fabulous! I admit that one of the best parts was the waitress discussing the Menu (Spanish pronunciation in Scotland is AWESOME). As for the food at Andaluz: it is REALLY awesome! I have Roasted cheese-encrusted Wild Mushrooms, Seafood Paella and Lime Garlic deep-fried Tiger Prawns. Hot Diggity Dog! When we've finished eating we get small glasses of super sweet vanilla liqueur, compliments of the house, which is actually really lovely.<br /><br />After dinner we all hang out at the Lucy and Callum's flat until we all collapse around 2am.<br /></div><div> </div><br />Coming Soon: Venice Bound!<br /><br /><br />Notes: Money, money, money...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4Ccnksc02Fu8ZrZP4eWIah3Ugc5w8mKGMgAIT3JzQIFF4rPvyVGknnbEG5v6NPzTH3umNR61ytzl4wpQ5VO6twTcBpHJdsnzyDuvD74s5pmrbPF8xLBdEmfyB_OogL1H4_1oSI7Cczfo/s1600-h/twilight+edinburra.JPG"><br /></a>Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095211318872408552.post-34577430579948777922008-01-31T11:16:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:48:35.643-08:00Everyone knows it's WindyToday I leave the Hotel Chez Penny. Oh man will I miss everybody. David has not been about much but it's great when he is, Penny is a Goddess, Clara is a hoot and Chloe and Ben are incapacitatingly adorable all the time. Hopefully I can visit again someday.<br /><br />Before I head out I get Clara and Penny to do a quick photoshoot with me. The light is dicey but oh well.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hxnQ4H9ToHBPBfUG__nJwSxSHR7nV2i0C3xKQfsq_My6161ksUKkV8gFb-ShdEt3WknPsmyPytAHkTcHC10W5c7KcEghPa6B177VFEDVTuCrUV_6AJ5p8m7DXCADSFB8corkOG44KJcE/s1600-h/silly+kitchen+poses.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hxnQ4H9ToHBPBfUG__nJwSxSHR7nV2i0C3xKQfsq_My6161ksUKkV8gFb-ShdEt3WknPsmyPytAHkTcHC10W5c7KcEghPa6B177VFEDVTuCrUV_6AJ5p8m7DXCADSFB8corkOG44KJcE/s400/silly+kitchen+poses.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165515660156574434" border="0" /></a>Penny and I strike a silly Kitchen pose.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqSIZH_FDy17S3rwfOm1p_QTvHkK6VP9UJc6n5fMy3AY2WTXx_yhF1yQGgH9iCdqQNEM8gPrQ3lCqmWbR2XJ-GRg8i8nFP_cz-DH92kKA7PV_Kz0AThCMm05AbNW9Z-1tnTN9HiziGjN9/s1600-h/more+subdued+kitchen+pose+a+la+clara.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqSIZH_FDy17S3rwfOm1p_QTvHkK6VP9UJc6n5fMy3AY2WTXx_yhF1yQGgH9iCdqQNEM8gPrQ3lCqmWbR2XJ-GRg8i8nFP_cz-DH92kKA7PV_Kz0AThCMm05AbNW9Z-1tnTN9HiziGjN9/s400/more+subdued+kitchen+pose+a+la+clara.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165515664451541746" border="0" /></a>Clara is demure. I cannot even approach it.<br /></div><br />Penny has a work lunch in London today so we take the train in together. We part ways at Marylebone and I book it to London Victoria to catch the Easybus to Luten Airport. The rain is hurtling out of the sky and the correct bus stop is not obvious. Easy this bus is not. But I make it nevertheless.<br /><br />Despite the pouring rain, the bus ride is remarkably pleasant and the view out my window is not dreary, merely gorgeous and tinted grey. We arrive at Luten and I discover that the bus ride took more than half an hour longer than it was meant to. Oh Crap.<br /><br />I barely make it to the flight: I am the second to last person to board. I find a seat eventually in the very back row between a charming young man who seems roughly my age and an impossible older man of about fifty or sixty. The flight is beyond turbulent. It attains (and maintains) roller-coaster status with a speed and consistency heretofore unimagined by me. Due to the extreme turbulence the flight is running an understandable fifteen minutes or so behind schedule.<div><br /></div><div>We arrive in the Scotland skies and immediately after announcing our descent the pilot (who, of course, has a thick Scottish accent making him only barely intelligible to me) comes back on the loudspeaker to apologize. We cannot actually make our descent just yet, as the extremely heavy winds have blown out one of the windows of the air traffic control tower at Glasgow International. Oh Ye Gods. The Pilot explains that they are moving the air traffic controllers right now and it should only take five or ten minutes. We proceed to circle the Glasgow skies for more than thirty, during which time I get to know the cute Glaswegian on my left. He is returning from London, having been there on business, renewing his certification for some computer thing which I instantly forget. He and I share a great sense of humour about our predicament. People are bouncing around, children are crying and the man to our right keeps pursuing some domestic argument with his wife and stewardesses have to keep rushing over to ask him to sit down. We laugh and chat; I'm not actually frightened but the ceaseless turbulence is really starting to wreck havoc on my stomach.<br /><br />We finally descend which brings momentary relief, Callum has probably been waiting for an hour by now dammit. But then the turbulence drastically worsens and the descent seems unending. Moments before we land I completely lose my cookies, attempting to do so as quietly as possible. I have a package of kleenex and wipe my mouth just as the wheels touch the ground. The Glaswegian turns to me, eyes twinkling, and says "Welcome to Glasgow! What do you think of it so far?"<br /><br />We wish each other luck and head off in our separate direction, I am too embarassed to introduce myself so I don't actually know his name ::sheepish laugh:: ah well, so it goes.<br /><br />I find Callum walking through the airport door, it seems the traffic was so bad he only just arrived, he was worried I was waiting. Oh the Irony. In the Morrisette sense.<br /><br />We head back to Lucy and Callum's flat in Glasgow which is AMAZING! I take a blissful shower and change and then we head to The Rock (a pub about a block away) for Thursday night pub quiz and real pub grub. Lucy has warned me that the food is only so-so at The Rock and assures me that we'll get better dinner tomorrow. WHATEVER! I order Bangers and Mash, which is served with gravy, Yorkshire pudding and mushy peas. (No really...the mushy is apparently a feature, they're listed on the menu that way...news to me.) I get my food and Lucy is so wrong, it's Great! She also warned me that Scotland does not serve American sized portions. Wrong Again! I get THREE Sausages, TWO Yorkshire puddings and a MOUNT EVEREST of Mashed Potatoes and Peas. So Unbelievably Tasty!<br /><br />I chip away at my delectable trough of food throughout the pub quiz. I contribute only two answers: The first Queen of Henry the 8th to be beheaded and the President during the Civil War. Actually that's better than I typically do at pub quizzes in the U.S., so yee haw. I also meet a large slice of Lucy and Callum's circle of friends, all of whom are awesome and really nice about how often I have to ask them to repeat what they say.<br /><br />After the pub it's back to the amazing flat. And the amazing guest bedroom. And the amazing bed.<br /><br />Good night!<br /><br />Coming soon: Every Good Girl Deserves a Castle and a Tapas Bar when in Scotland.<br /><br />Notes: Go Left<br /></div>Beccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13799459694096231981noreply@blogger.com0