If you have a sweet tooth, Italy is your place. Unless you're trying to curb the addiction. I have almost sworn off gelato, except I have a tiny fear I may never experience such perfection again!
May I list all of this foods I either loved, or wish I had more of?
Meringues. Brioches. Chocolate croissants. Pasteries with jam or with icing sugar sprinkled on top.
Espresso that requires a packet of sugar. And you should see the size of the bowl of sugar packages that I saw today at lunch-it was like a punch bowl of sugar! Scarlett has taken to dipping her finger into the half empty sugar pack, which will end tomorrow.
Candies at my seminar, fruit candies at the B&B. Cake for breakfast. Pie for breakfast. Cookies for breakfast.
Desserts. Always offered at every meal, and definitely eaten the past 5 days in Como-tiramassu, cakes, panna cotta, I can't spell any of them and no, my Italian hasn't improved.
Windows of pastry shops and chocolate or candy stores. On every other block, in addition to the bars and cafes. Of course they all look very pretty with the perfectly wrapped candy baskets, or displays of baked goods.
What happens when I leave all of this indulgence? Will I bake? Shop at our local bakery? Cut the sugar out?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Travelling Boots
Ok, It's a funny photo of me, but when in Rome...
Actually, we're in Venice on check out day, just outside of our apartment. I've been calling these my traveling boots because they're too big for my suitcase, so I wear them everyday we travel between cities.
And I had to buy boots because everyone woman in Rome was wearing a pair and I think these were the only boots in Italy in my size (41) that were under 100 euro. I bought them from a great market in Testaccio-just across the river from where we stayed in Rome.
Happy travels!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Actually, we're in Venice on check out day, just outside of our apartment. I've been calling these my traveling boots because they're too big for my suitcase, so I wear them everyday we travel between cities.
And I had to buy boots because everyone woman in Rome was wearing a pair and I think these were the only boots in Italy in my size (41) that were under 100 euro. I bought them from a great market in Testaccio-just across the river from where we stayed in Rome.
Happy travels!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Time Warp
We have no Internet, no TV, and no Clocks.
We dry our laundry on a line or on a rack.
We can listen to tapes like Harry Belafonte, Huey Lewis, or Barbara Streisand. Yes, I said tapes.
No cars, no scooters, no buses.
I brought a map that must be from the 50's. And it's accurate.
Scott's GPS thinks we are still in Rome. (We're in Venice.)
Our apartment is full of antiques and dark wood furniture, and a huge wardrobe. Marble stairs on the entrance way up.
We love it like this, and it feels so authentic. But I'm not certain if all of Venice is like this, or if it is unique to this apartment. The only thing I can tell for sure is that everyone does their laundry this way. I'm secretly convinced that the tourism board pays the locals to hang their prettiest and most colorful laundry to amuse people like me. Tourists.
Truthfully, there is Internet in our apartment but we can't access it without having a wireless router. These new fangled devices. At least the iPhone tells time.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
We dry our laundry on a line or on a rack.
We can listen to tapes like Harry Belafonte, Huey Lewis, or Barbara Streisand. Yes, I said tapes.
No cars, no scooters, no buses.
I brought a map that must be from the 50's. And it's accurate.
Scott's GPS thinks we are still in Rome. (We're in Venice.)
Our apartment is full of antiques and dark wood furniture, and a huge wardrobe. Marble stairs on the entrance way up.
We love it like this, and it feels so authentic. But I'm not certain if all of Venice is like this, or if it is unique to this apartment. The only thing I can tell for sure is that everyone does their laundry this way. I'm secretly convinced that the tourism board pays the locals to hang their prettiest and most colorful laundry to amuse people like me. Tourists.
Truthfully, there is Internet in our apartment but we can't access it without having a wireless router. These new fangled devices. At least the iPhone tells time.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, August 9, 2010
The Pursuit of Boredom
I am in the middle of a two week holiday. I feel a little self-indulgent and spoiled, but overall happy that I made the decision to take this break. The first week was easy to decide on; the second week I did partly for me and partly for Scarlett. I think we all do better with a change from our daily routines, and it is easier to justify for kids. Remember growing up and having those endless weeks off in the summer? That is one thing I want to give Scarlett, so we'll start with these two weeks.
In the middle of last week, I was thinking that I would really like to reach that place of boredom. Where you have done all of the activities you want to do, as idle or busy as you choose, and then you just can be. For me, after I reach the elusive place of boredom, there is a place of space and that is where all of the beautiful gifts of creativity, vision, lightbulb moments, and wonder occur. A place where growth and change are born. For adults and kids.
But I would also like to reach that place beyond the boredom first, because I'm not sure that I'll reach that place of boredom anytime soon.
I was very lucky last week and had Scott with me so there was one of us to watch Scarlett, and one of us to cook/clean (it is a holiday but it is glorified camping). This week, I get to pretend I am a single parent and do it all. And while I am all for Scarlett reaching the point of boredom as well, her boredom tends to run in the opposite direction of me. Towards traffic. Or down the beach line towards the pit bulls...
So we will be finding the fine balance of some boredom for mommy, and not too much boredom for Scarlett. I have a few art supplies, lots of toys, and many, many things that she can do outside should boredom strike her too early or too often.
I still hope to read enough that I'm done reading for the moment. Write enough that my thoughts are emptied out of my head. Lie around enough that I finally want to move and exercise. Sleep enough that I feel refreshed (unlikely). And still fit in time for friends and family, and swims, sandcastles, random nature exploring, ice cream eating and tea drinking. We'll see how long the naps are out here.
In the middle of last week, I was thinking that I would really like to reach that place of boredom. Where you have done all of the activities you want to do, as idle or busy as you choose, and then you just can be. For me, after I reach the elusive place of boredom, there is a place of space and that is where all of the beautiful gifts of creativity, vision, lightbulb moments, and wonder occur. A place where growth and change are born. For adults and kids.
But I would also like to reach that place beyond the boredom first, because I'm not sure that I'll reach that place of boredom anytime soon.
I was very lucky last week and had Scott with me so there was one of us to watch Scarlett, and one of us to cook/clean (it is a holiday but it is glorified camping). This week, I get to pretend I am a single parent and do it all. And while I am all for Scarlett reaching the point of boredom as well, her boredom tends to run in the opposite direction of me. Towards traffic. Or down the beach line towards the pit bulls...
So we will be finding the fine balance of some boredom for mommy, and not too much boredom for Scarlett. I have a few art supplies, lots of toys, and many, many things that she can do outside should boredom strike her too early or too often.
I still hope to read enough that I'm done reading for the moment. Write enough that my thoughts are emptied out of my head. Lie around enough that I finally want to move and exercise. Sleep enough that I feel refreshed (unlikely). And still fit in time for friends and family, and swims, sandcastles, random nature exploring, ice cream eating and tea drinking. We'll see how long the naps are out here.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Happy Birthdays
First it was my birthday. So I took the day off.
Then it was Canada Day, so I had a ready made long weekend.
Between all of the cheesecake, cupcakes, visiting family and friends, making crafts and playing games at an outdoor festival, swimming, watching Scarlett in the sandbox and on the playground, and eating... I just never made it on to the computer. In five days! What a nice break. And did I mention sitting in a car? For 10 1/2 hours for a 6 hour drive, if that makes any sense. It seems that all my fellow Albertans love to travel the same places that I do.
Hopefully that explains my blogging absence.
I have made it back to work today. And Scarlett was thrilled to see all of her toys, dolls and stuffies at the house and at work that she forgot about for those 5 days.
And now it is summer in Calgary for a couple of weeks. I have never seen a city as influenced by the holidays as is Calgary. This city of ours is now officially on break so we will see how the week and the month unfold.
Then it was Canada Day, so I had a ready made long weekend.
Between all of the cheesecake, cupcakes, visiting family and friends, making crafts and playing games at an outdoor festival, swimming, watching Scarlett in the sandbox and on the playground, and eating... I just never made it on to the computer. In five days! What a nice break. And did I mention sitting in a car? For 10 1/2 hours for a 6 hour drive, if that makes any sense. It seems that all my fellow Albertans love to travel the same places that I do.
Hopefully that explains my blogging absence.
I have made it back to work today. And Scarlett was thrilled to see all of her toys, dolls and stuffies at the house and at work that she forgot about for those 5 days.
And now it is summer in Calgary for a couple of weeks. I have never seen a city as influenced by the holidays as is Calgary. This city of ours is now officially on break so we will see how the week and the month unfold.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
