November 03, 2019
October 11, 2019
October 08, 2019
October 02, 2019
October 01, 2019
September 26, 2019
September 14, 2019
August 26, 2019
August 25, 2019
Piemonte; The secret that needs to be told
Everyone loves to visit Italy and we all know why but here's an idea; Venice is feeling the weight of tourism, in particular those cruise ships that often break down, and a few Florentine wouldn't mind if you didn't stop by, at least this time, and Rome, well - it's the eternal city.
So why not try Piemonte - the gothic fog is atmospheric, her gorgeous vineyards will guide you to and through her medieval villages. Turin's history, with her black and white magic will entice, the truffle hunting is exciting, the culture of farming is alive and thriving. They boast the best skiing right here on the border to France in Limone, why Prince Albert has his own helipad nearby. You can hike or cycle through the Alps, which are everywhere. The authenticity, the nature, so healthy - you will feel loved.
And the wine tasting, did I mention the wine? The finest in the world, really, it's official : )
Oh, and the food. You may not have heard about the northwest region of Italy, but you know all about the food.
Soon, in September I'll be telling you all about Piemonte; the secret that needs to be told. Enjoy!
July 31, 2019
Reading Season; Patrick Radden Keefe's "Say Nothing; A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland"
If you want to read about Ireland during "The Troubles" then this is your book. From the moment the action starts and the ride begins you will not want to get off; because you can't - some say it may be the book of the year!
I listened to the audible version, so I had the accent, it gives the listener surround sound. Complete immersion. You are in it, engaged, until the very end. And when it does, and long after, this book will linger - in your mind and heart - because on some level you will have felt "The Troubles". It is an emotional experience. It is an intellectual experience, an existential experience, and - a history lesson on top of it all!
And, there's even talk of a united Ireland. Very serious talk, indeed.
And why not. Ireland has benefitted from the EU, very and the EU will not abandon Ireland.
I've been wearing the same scarves for 20 years; great summer head gear, simple gypsy chic. I may be getting old, but my Issey Miyake scarves never seem to fade...
Piemonte 2019
Prague 2010
Malta 2007
July 17, 2019
July 13, 2019
July 06, 2019
Two favorite cemeteries for for two entirely different reasons.
The food and music, the architecture and emotions, Italy's operatic qualities; each offering unique pleasure. And then there are the cemeteries. They are full of flowers, full of color in contrast to the charming black and white photos engraved into the stone. When I go to San Michele in Venice, the boat trip alone is surreal. Then the flowers, the photos and monuments, the space, surrounded by water...and you are in Venice.
When I visit the cemetery of Staglieno,in Genoa, it provides another kind of pleasure. It is extensive, there are hundreds of statues, it is an open air museum. I took videos for a project, and found each figure, each collection of men, women and families in mourning, each colonnade more amazing than the last. These grand statues are life-like, they are stunning, full of emotion, intense, making this Europe's most beautiful cemetery.
When Mark Twain visited the cemetery he wrote "We shall continue to remember it after we shall have forgotten the palaces..."
There's a reason Genoa is called ,"La Superba" (the proud one); it's messy, romantic, sad, still grand and the cemetery alone makes this city well worth a visit.
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