Today I made myself be productive and I got up and out of the house by 10:30. I went to the large open air market and looked around and then headed down many cobble stone streets looking at the old buildings. Apparently Mondays are very dead and being as it is two days before August vacation, the city is really dead. Most shops were not open so I gave up my fight and went back to the apartment. I was suppose to meet with my American friends at 5:15 but as I was leaving I got a terrible nose bleed and couldn't meet with them until 6:15. But once we met up we did a little shopping and then went to a terrific restaurant for a last pasta dinner. The food was good and after eating we walked around some more and of course finished the evening with gelato. They walked me home and we said our goodbyes and now it is time for my last night's sleep in Torino. (till Sept anyway)
One side note: While I was walking today in the city I saw the funniest thing.....a tour but with horns. The city's mascot is the torro or bull so the bus was suppose to be a gaint bull!! It made me smile
Monday, July 30, 2007
Hey Mr. DJ put a record on
On Friday I continued my lazy streak by staying inside out of the heat and reading my book. But at 5 pm I left the house for the evening. I was going to meet my American friends for game night and dinner. On my way I was window shopping and saw a dress I though might be good for the wedding in America. So I went inside and asked to see it. Turns out it was the only one in the store and happened to be in my size!! Fate...I tried it on and the next thing I knew I was walking out of the store with a new dress!! One mission completed. Then I went to the super market and bought some coke for my hosts, but while I was walking to their apartment two boys came running down the street and one rammed right into me. The coke went flying and I tumbled a little, I have a sore arm to prove this encounter. I was really mad but the other boy that didnt hit me apologized and they ran off. When I finally got to their apartment we ate ghnocci and had dessert and played clue. I had a really nice time with them (as usual) and then came home early so that I could get up early the next morning for the sea.
Saturday started at 8 for us and we got ready and waited for our ride to show up. Christiana worned me that our driver might be late(he was suppose to arrived at 9) and at 10:15 we headed for the sea. We rode with three guys who were very nice and funny. One guy asked me if dork was a bad word cause he heard it in an American movie one time and always thought it was bad. After I explained that it wasn't bad and what it meant, we used it the whole weekend as an inside joke. The trip was suppose to take 3 hours but there was a motorcycle accident and we had to wait for over an hour. Unfortunately the driver of the motorcycle died in the crash. At 4:30ish we arrived at their friend's apartment....WOW. It was the largest apartment I have ever seen. It had two kitchens, two floors, 9 bedrooms, and a terrace on the top floor overlooking the ocean. Around 8 we started eating and mingling. But at 9:30 is when the party really started. There were two guys who did the djing and they were fantastic. The music was mostly late 70's and 80's music. They dedicated Surfing USA, by the Beach Boys, to me and played Cotten Eye Joe so I had to teach them the line dance. I met almost all of her friends and they were all great, plus their English was great. We danced into the wee small hours of the morning and finally at 4:30 I called it a night.
On Sunday it was a very relaxing day. Everyone slept in and either hung out on the terrace or went swimming in the ocean. I read my book for awhile and went with a bunch of girls to walk the little city center we were in. At 5 I fell asleep reading and didnt wake up until 7:30. By this time everyone was getting ready to leave so I said my goodbyes and was promised by most of them we would see each other in Sept and hang out again. On our way home we stopped at a ski resort and had pizza at this little pizzaria. Wonderful time, wonderful weekend. I can't wait to get to know some of them better and hang out again. This was by far one of the funnest things I've done in Italy.
Saturday started at 8 for us and we got ready and waited for our ride to show up. Christiana worned me that our driver might be late(he was suppose to arrived at 9) and at 10:15 we headed for the sea. We rode with three guys who were very nice and funny. One guy asked me if dork was a bad word cause he heard it in an American movie one time and always thought it was bad. After I explained that it wasn't bad and what it meant, we used it the whole weekend as an inside joke. The trip was suppose to take 3 hours but there was a motorcycle accident and we had to wait for over an hour. Unfortunately the driver of the motorcycle died in the crash. At 4:30ish we arrived at their friend's apartment....WOW. It was the largest apartment I have ever seen. It had two kitchens, two floors, 9 bedrooms, and a terrace on the top floor overlooking the ocean. Around 8 we started eating and mingling. But at 9:30 is when the party really started. There were two guys who did the djing and they were fantastic. The music was mostly late 70's and 80's music. They dedicated Surfing USA, by the Beach Boys, to me and played Cotten Eye Joe so I had to teach them the line dance. I met almost all of her friends and they were all great, plus their English was great. We danced into the wee small hours of the morning and finally at 4:30 I called it a night.
On Sunday it was a very relaxing day. Everyone slept in and either hung out on the terrace or went swimming in the ocean. I read my book for awhile and went with a bunch of girls to walk the little city center we were in. At 5 I fell asleep reading and didnt wake up until 7:30. By this time everyone was getting ready to leave so I said my goodbyes and was promised by most of them we would see each other in Sept and hang out again. On our way home we stopped at a ski resort and had pizza at this little pizzaria. Wonderful time, wonderful weekend. I can't wait to get to know some of them better and hang out again. This was by far one of the funnest things I've done in Italy.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Lazy Dayz of Summer
Last night I went with Christiana to meet one of her friends and his friends for dinner. I have to say this was the strangest yet most interesting dinners I have had in Italy. We met a Mexican food restaurant close to my favorite Piazza. When we went inside I was shocked for two reasons....First by the huge poster of John Wayne greeting us as we entered (not the first person I think of when I think mexican food but oh well) and Second the place was airconditioned and looked like we were in Aubelos or some place in America. It was fabulous!! The dinner party was an eclectic mix...one American (me), one from London, one Australian, one Iranian, and three Italians. We shared many stories and enjoyed each others company. I had a great conversation with the Iranian, but was a little disappointed that he brought up American politics before dessert. I mean I kind of figured Bush would be discussed (usually happens when they find out I'm from Texas) but it happened a little too soon in the dinner. But we quickly changed topics and finished the meal. The food was excellent!! They were all saying how big the portions were but a supressed a smile, knowing that they were little compared to restaurants in America. I think this is my favorite restaurant in Turin. The dinner took 3 hours so when we got home we went straight to bed.
Today I was completely lazy. I slept in until 10:30 but when I got up I didn't feel very well so I stayed home for awhile but decided fresh air would do me good. So I went to the open air market to look around and ordered a gyro for lunch and took it back to the apartment to eat. After lunch I felt worse so I stayed inside until 5:30 and did a little walking since it was cooling off a bit. When I got home I laid down for awhile and read until Chistiana came home. We fixed pasta at home and had a small dinner just the two of us. Tomorrow I may go to Milan but it jsut depends on how I feel. I may continue to be lazy....
SIX DAYS AND COUNTING
Today I was completely lazy. I slept in until 10:30 but when I got up I didn't feel very well so I stayed home for awhile but decided fresh air would do me good. So I went to the open air market to look around and ordered a gyro for lunch and took it back to the apartment to eat. After lunch I felt worse so I stayed inside until 5:30 and did a little walking since it was cooling off a bit. When I got home I laid down for awhile and read until Chistiana came home. We fixed pasta at home and had a small dinner just the two of us. Tomorrow I may go to Milan but it jsut depends on how I feel. I may continue to be lazy....
SIX DAYS AND COUNTING
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Figaro Figaro FI-GA-RO
As of Tuesday at 7:00 I was officially on summer break and free from babysitting for a month. To celebrate I met up with a friend, Christiana, the girl I'm staying with until I come back to America. I met her and three friends at the Royal Palace and we watched The Barber of Seville in the Royal Gardens under the stars. It was a fantastic Opera ("I liked it so much I almost peed my pants" All you pretty woman fans). I can now say that I have gotten my fair share of Opera this season. But the show was really funny and I never knew that the famous music, like Figaro was part of this Opera. After the show we came home and went to bed because it lasted over 3 hours.
This morning I slept in and then relaxed in the tub. I met my American friends for lunch and then we went to the largest open air market in Italy. It was about to close so I wasn't too impressed. We walked over to an air conditioned book store and I bought the 7th Harry Potter!!! I was going to wait until I got to London but turns out that none of the books have been translated into Italian yet so it is the same version they sell in London....why wait then. So this afternoon I plan to start it. This evening we are planning on going to eat with some of Christiana's friends. Tomorrow I haven't decided but I may go to Milan for the day since it only takes two hours by train. This weekend I am going with Christiana and friends to the seaside. So my last couple of days in Italy should be quite exciting. Nothing like going out with a BANG.
This morning I slept in and then relaxed in the tub. I met my American friends for lunch and then we went to the largest open air market in Italy. It was about to close so I wasn't too impressed. We walked over to an air conditioned book store and I bought the 7th Harry Potter!!! I was going to wait until I got to London but turns out that none of the books have been translated into Italian yet so it is the same version they sell in London....why wait then. So this afternoon I plan to start it. This evening we are planning on going to eat with some of Christiana's friends. Tomorrow I haven't decided but I may go to Milan for the day since it only takes two hours by train. This weekend I am going with Christiana and friends to the seaside. So my last couple of days in Italy should be quite exciting. Nothing like going out with a BANG.
Monday, July 23, 2007
It's Official
Well like the title implies my plans for the rest of 2007 are official. I have accepted my family's offer to come back to Italy in September and stay through December. This evening I bought my plane ticket and will be leaving Houston on the 29th of August and will come back home on December 16th. I have also taken a job as an assistant to the designer (all you "Office" fans out there) for MAG Designs here in Torino. The firm specializes in residential design and most clients are from London. So there may be a small chance I will go to London for business meetings. During the mornings I will work as a designer and at night as an au pair. I look at it like a super hero job....Have a "real" job in the day and fight crime at night :-) I am really excited about getting the opportunity to do design in Italy and come back to this amazing family. I will admit that I know it will be challenging but I feel this is where God wants me to be. Throughout this trip and the months to come I often recite my favorite memory verse "I am holding you by your right hand-I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, "Do not be afraid. I am here to help you..." Isaiah 41:13.
For the next couple of days I will be staying with my friend Christiana, who lives above us, and may not have internet access. But I will try and post if I am around the internet. I love and miss you all and can't wait to see you in August!!
For the next couple of days I will be staying with my friend Christiana, who lives above us, and may not have internet access. But I will try and post if I am around the internet. I love and miss you all and can't wait to see you in August!!
Food Fight
One day in counting till the family goes to USA and I am on vacation. I am getting really excited for them and that's what everyone is talking about. "In New York City do they have large elevators?" "Will we see that in America?" But my favorite is when Ruggie told me that they couldn't eat the icecream in America because it has so much sugar it will rot your teeth out. I tried to tell him that I love icecream and I have good teeth but we got lost in translation.
Filippo went to his grandmother's today and I kept Ruggero. It was a peaceful day for the most part except for the food fight. The struggle started after breakfast when I noticed there was a banana going bad so I decided to make banana bread. I got everything mixed and then went to the fridge to get the milk and discovered there wasn't any. I made a special trip to the market to buy a tiny carton and then proceeded. For lunch I was in charge of cooking hamburgers and pasta (a know a weird combo) for Ruggie and myself. I haven't ever pan cooked a hamburger patty so I was struggling a bit. The oil got everywhere and the burgers turned out with no flavor---thank goodness for ketchup. After lunch I put the banana mixture into the oven and waited for it to get done. Well apparently I waited too long because I totally burned the bread to a crisp. After cleaning that mess up I took a nap with Ruggero. For dinner Pat brought home Lasanga--I know it's hard to believe that I've been in Italy for 9 weeks and this is my first Lasanga, but well worth the wait. For me at least. The boys wouldn't eat theirs so I fixed them grilled cheeses...well kinda. They didn't have sliced bread so I used tiny dinner rolls and put them in a pan to melt the cheese inside. They didn't look very good to me but the boys ate 'em up (pardon the pun).. Finally the "food fight" was over and now I am headed to bed...Buona Notte and sweet dreams
Filippo went to his grandmother's today and I kept Ruggero. It was a peaceful day for the most part except for the food fight. The struggle started after breakfast when I noticed there was a banana going bad so I decided to make banana bread. I got everything mixed and then went to the fridge to get the milk and discovered there wasn't any. I made a special trip to the market to buy a tiny carton and then proceeded. For lunch I was in charge of cooking hamburgers and pasta (a know a weird combo) for Ruggie and myself. I haven't ever pan cooked a hamburger patty so I was struggling a bit. The oil got everywhere and the burgers turned out with no flavor---thank goodness for ketchup. After lunch I put the banana mixture into the oven and waited for it to get done. Well apparently I waited too long because I totally burned the bread to a crisp. After cleaning that mess up I took a nap with Ruggero. For dinner Pat brought home Lasanga--I know it's hard to believe that I've been in Italy for 9 weeks and this is my first Lasanga, but well worth the wait. For me at least. The boys wouldn't eat theirs so I fixed them grilled cheeses...well kinda. They didn't have sliced bread so I used tiny dinner rolls and put them in a pan to melt the cheese inside. They didn't look very good to me but the boys ate 'em up (pardon the pun).. Finally the "food fight" was over and now I am headed to bed...Buona Notte and sweet dreams
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Romeo Romeo, where thou art Romeo
This weekend was amazing. I took at train to Verona at 2 in the afternoon on Saturday. The ride took a little over three hours. I listened to a little "Blue Eyes" while we whipped through the beautiful countryside. When I arrived I headed for what I thought was the ticket booth for the Opera, but got lost so I asked a girl on the street and she pointed me into the right direction. Once I found the Arena, I picked up me Opera ticket and went looking for my hostel. The hostel was supper nice but very hot. The lady took me to my room and I felt like I was going through a maze. The room was on the top floor at the very back of the building. She showed me my bed (I was staying in a dorm with other girls) it was on the top floor of a loft in the corner. I met the girl staying next to me. Her name is Helen and she is from Kent even though she now lives in London. She is 24 and just traveling around Europe for 4 weeks. Last year she traveled Asia for eight months! So I guess you could say she's an experienced backpacker. After I changed clothes (and tried to get cool) I went to the main piazza where the arena was to try and find dinner. I settled on a pizza place and ordered a slice to go. I went across the street and had a picnic in the park next to a fountain. The pizza was very strange for Italy because it tasted like Pizza Hut (not as good though)-which means there was a lot of bread and it was thick. Normal Italian pizza is very thin and almost runny in the middle. I headed inside the arena just before 8:30 to find a good seat. The ampitheater had hard stone seating so I brought my towel to sit on. I found a perfect seat just off stage right and tried to get comfortable. The Opera was La Bohiem by Puccini and was amazing. I read the summary before I came so that I would have an idea of what was going on. This was helpful and I managed to keep up with the performers. It lasted just a little over 3 hours but was worth the train ride and the non air conditioned hostel. The next day (Sunday) I had to check out by nine, so I went for breakfast in Piazza Erbe. I took my time drinking my cappuccino and did a little people watching. After breakfast a spent the rest of the morning looking at local vendors products in the piazza, trying on clothes in nice air conditioned stores. At 11:30 I went to the castle in the middle of the city, which was built for the Lord of Verona during the Medival Times. It is now a wonderful art museum that has many works from the 13th-14th centuries. After my art tour I went back to Piazza Bra to meet my new friend, Helen for lunch. We had a great conversation about traveling and family and then walked around Verona for awhile. We went to Juilet's(from Romeo and Juliet) famous balcony and saw the outside of her house. (this is the house of the family that inspired the famous tale which Shakespear made into the classic story we know today). I had a few hours to spare after lunch so I went to Piazza Erbe and walked around and had some interesting conversations with some vendors. There was an older brother and sister that I talked to for awhile (both in Italian and English) and eventually bought some things from. At 3:30 I walked to the train station and rode the train back to beautiful Torino. I arrived around 9 and made it home in time to eat dinner with the family. We are gearing up for the last two days before they leave so you can feel excitement (and tension) in the air. I loved visiting Verona and even though I didn't find my Romeo, I found a wonderful city full of memories.
PS All the Verona pictures are posted
PS All the Verona pictures are posted
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Wild Goose Chase
The marathon of interviews are finally over and I'm pooped. Today was none stop and I counted I only sat down 5 times (not counting the interviews). After breakfast and my daily chores I went to the train station to meet my American friend Lindsey. I was a little early so I decided to go buy my train ticket for Verona. I didn't have to wait in line hardly at all and when I got to the window I asked the older man if he spoke English. He grinned and said yes. He was so helpful and kind. I was asking him what time I could leave on Sunday afternoon from Verona when a huge man behind me started yelling Sinorgina, Sinorgina. I turned around and in English he very rudely told me to go to information because he was about to miss his train. The man in the window didn't like him yelling at me and starting yelling at him in Italian to shut up and go to another window and that I was trying to buy my ticket. I was the filling of an "angry sandwich". Not sure I really liked playing that role but I was glad the man stood up for me. They didn't have any tickets available back from Verona cause it was too far in advance so I will have to try again tomorrow. I'm really hoping that man caught his train cause I don't want to see him again.
I met up with Lindsey and took her to two open air markets were we did a little shopping. We bought forcacca (like pizza but with more oil and it is rectangular) and cokes and had a picnic in the park. We had another great conversation about books, family and life happenings. When lunch was over I went back to the house to change for my first interview and checked the map to see were it was. I left the house an hour early because by my calculations I was very far away. Well apparently I can't read maps very well. Turns out I was only about 25 mins away so I had a long time to wait. This was unfortunate because it was very hot and the studio is in a scary part of town. But I found shelter in a cafe and had some water. When I arrived to the studio only one woman was there cause everyone else was at lunch. She seemed nice but only talked to me for 15 minutes!! I couldn't believe it. She showed me some of her work and told me what I might be doing if I got the job. I liked there work but didn't really feel welcome so I wasn't really head over heels in love with this one....which is good cause it's one less I have to worry about. I took the bus straight to the park becuase I knew if I went home I would fall asleep. The ride took almost 1 hour but I was still 30 minutes early. So I sat in the park and read USA Today that Alberto had brought me back from Rome on Tuesday. I took the boys straight back to the house instead of stopping for gelato because I had another interivew at 5:30. Pat's sister, Chinsia, was waiting on us and took the boys while I went to the meeting. I took a taxi and savored every minute of the ac time. The interview was in the heart of downtown and very far away from my house. When the taxi let me out I was in a scary neighborhood (so I thought) and the address didn't turn out to be right. I was kinda freaking out cause I didn't have the office number and didn't really know where i was. I asked two guys and they couldn't really speak English but they took me across the street to a Western Union where the guy inside could. He had never heard of it and didn't really understand what I was looking for. But luckily there was a lady being waited on that spoke English. When she was finished faxing something she went with me to try and find it. She is French but lived in USA for 15 (most of it in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami). I really appreciated her helping me and at exactly 5:30 we found the office. (It was tucked away in an old warehouse away from the main street---without help I would have never found it. A guy came out and took me to a cafe right next door where we had the interview. This company is more than architectural. They do mostly exhibits and company design. They do do interior design but in a different setting than what I am use to. He was really nice and we had a great conversation but he just hired two new interns so he doesn't have room for me. I told him I understand and that it wasn't a problem. I took my time getting back to the house and explored downtown. It was the perfect time of day because people were getting off work and businesses were still open. The cafes were filled with people and the streets smelled like coffee, gelato and fresh produce from the open air market. When I got home the boys weren't home yet so I took a brief nap on the marble stairs....Chinsia had my keys. When they got home Chinsia dropped us off at a pizza place to meet her mother for dinner. When we got home I put the boys to bed---poor guys, it is so hot in their rooms they only sleep in shorts and are still drenched in sweat. This was a very productive day but I couldn't help but feel like I was on a wild goose chase going from one appointment to another---walking, taxi, bus, car, tram, All that's missing is a boat.
I met up with Lindsey and took her to two open air markets were we did a little shopping. We bought forcacca (like pizza but with more oil and it is rectangular) and cokes and had a picnic in the park. We had another great conversation about books, family and life happenings. When lunch was over I went back to the house to change for my first interview and checked the map to see were it was. I left the house an hour early because by my calculations I was very far away. Well apparently I can't read maps very well. Turns out I was only about 25 mins away so I had a long time to wait. This was unfortunate because it was very hot and the studio is in a scary part of town. But I found shelter in a cafe and had some water. When I arrived to the studio only one woman was there cause everyone else was at lunch. She seemed nice but only talked to me for 15 minutes!! I couldn't believe it. She showed me some of her work and told me what I might be doing if I got the job. I liked there work but didn't really feel welcome so I wasn't really head over heels in love with this one....which is good cause it's one less I have to worry about. I took the bus straight to the park becuase I knew if I went home I would fall asleep. The ride took almost 1 hour but I was still 30 minutes early. So I sat in the park and read USA Today that Alberto had brought me back from Rome on Tuesday. I took the boys straight back to the house instead of stopping for gelato because I had another interivew at 5:30. Pat's sister, Chinsia, was waiting on us and took the boys while I went to the meeting. I took a taxi and savored every minute of the ac time. The interview was in the heart of downtown and very far away from my house. When the taxi let me out I was in a scary neighborhood (so I thought) and the address didn't turn out to be right. I was kinda freaking out cause I didn't have the office number and didn't really know where i was. I asked two guys and they couldn't really speak English but they took me across the street to a Western Union where the guy inside could. He had never heard of it and didn't really understand what I was looking for. But luckily there was a lady being waited on that spoke English. When she was finished faxing something she went with me to try and find it. She is French but lived in USA for 15 (most of it in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami). I really appreciated her helping me and at exactly 5:30 we found the office. (It was tucked away in an old warehouse away from the main street---without help I would have never found it. A guy came out and took me to a cafe right next door where we had the interview. This company is more than architectural. They do mostly exhibits and company design. They do do interior design but in a different setting than what I am use to. He was really nice and we had a great conversation but he just hired two new interns so he doesn't have room for me. I told him I understand and that it wasn't a problem. I took my time getting back to the house and explored downtown. It was the perfect time of day because people were getting off work and businesses were still open. The cafes were filled with people and the streets smelled like coffee, gelato and fresh produce from the open air market. When I got home the boys weren't home yet so I took a brief nap on the marble stairs....Chinsia had my keys. When they got home Chinsia dropped us off at a pizza place to meet her mother for dinner. When we got home I put the boys to bed---poor guys, it is so hot in their rooms they only sleep in shorts and are still drenched in sweat. This was a very productive day but I couldn't help but feel like I was on a wild goose chase going from one appointment to another---walking, taxi, bus, car, tram, All that's missing is a boat.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Interview Marathon
Okay first of all I apologize for not blogging in three days....
Monday was a very slow paced, just like I like it. I spent most of the morning pretending to be a travel agent and booked some places for me to visit after the family leaves for USA. Attenzione!! This weekend I am stoked to say that I am taking the train to Verona (the home of Romeo and Juliet and Patrick in Taming of the Shrew). It is a very small town (4000 people) and only a few sites to see. I am planning on leaving at 2 in the afternoon and should arrive at fivish. That night I am going to the Italian Opera in Italy's oldest theatre!! I am going to see La Boheme by Puccini. I am really looking forward to this trip and ready to experience my first live Opera (the Magic Flute does not count because it was a film). I picked the boys up from camp and made our commute back to the house. I don't want to jinx myself but the boys were amazing today. They didn't really fight with each other or me and we played cards for two hours when we got home....oh if everyday was like this
On Tuesday I started the Marathon of Interviews. Okay really the race began last Wednesday but this week is jammed packed with them. On Tuesday morning I had one at 10 just about 7 minutes walk from my door. The woman works from home (the coolest apartment I've been in thus far) Her office is up this hidden winding stair case in a room that is full of floor cushions and drapes hanging from the ceiling. It was very Indian feeling. Her office is a large room with a dome ceiling with a wall of windows on the East side. Each window is supported by antique looking columns. The room was your typical office with computers, printers, and product catalogs all over a drafting table. She was extremely nice and we talked for almost 2 hours. She told me I had the job if I wanted it but to let her know by Monday after I have talked it over with my family and my Italian family. Her work was great and I was suprised to see that I learned just about everything she does at Tech so I was a little more confident in myself when I left. I went almost directly downtown to another interview when I left her amazing apartment. This studio specializes in Hotel and Commercial design but they do do some residential. The studio consisted of three designers and a parrot named Oscar. He sat on a desk tapping his foot while the architects drew plans on their computers (No I am not making this up). The office was full of graphic art (like Warhol type art) and they have an outdoor bamboo garden and terrace to eat lunch on. Their work is stunning but I was a little intimidated and the guy I interviewed with had a very thick accent so it was hard for me to understand him at times. He said that I could have the job if I wanted it but right now I think I will pass just because the language barrier is a big concern. When I got home I had just enough time to change and then get the boys. We played another game of cards and I showed Filippo how to play solitare.
Today (Wednesday) I had another interview at 10 (for you at home not keeping score that's 3 in 24 hours). This studio was bigger than all the other ones I met with this week. They had 10-15 people working and several international people. The principle was a little late meeting me but when the interview started he was very professional and interested in me. He asked a lot of questions and then showed me a brochure of their work. They have done a ton of work for the city of Torino and were very active in the design for the Olympic games. It was really incredible just to meet with all these different firms and see the amazing work that is going on throughout the world. Paolo's English was really good and I felt at ease in the studio (again another amazing looking office that is graphically pleasing and interesting). He told me that I could have the internship if I wanted it and just needed to let him know by Monday. I spent the rest of my afternoon walking downtown and going down streets I had never seen before. I absolutely love downtown and Torino in general. People are so friendly and it is the cleanest city I've seen in Europe.
The final leg of the marathon will start at 2 pm tomorrow and will end around 6:30 (I have an interview at 5:30). Then on to the hardest part, the cool down, or making up my mind what to do-Should I stay or should I go....That is the question!
Monday was a very slow paced, just like I like it. I spent most of the morning pretending to be a travel agent and booked some places for me to visit after the family leaves for USA. Attenzione!! This weekend I am stoked to say that I am taking the train to Verona (the home of Romeo and Juliet and Patrick in Taming of the Shrew). It is a very small town (4000 people) and only a few sites to see. I am planning on leaving at 2 in the afternoon and should arrive at fivish. That night I am going to the Italian Opera in Italy's oldest theatre!! I am going to see La Boheme by Puccini. I am really looking forward to this trip and ready to experience my first live Opera (the Magic Flute does not count because it was a film). I picked the boys up from camp and made our commute back to the house. I don't want to jinx myself but the boys were amazing today. They didn't really fight with each other or me and we played cards for two hours when we got home....oh if everyday was like this
On Tuesday I started the Marathon of Interviews. Okay really the race began last Wednesday but this week is jammed packed with them. On Tuesday morning I had one at 10 just about 7 minutes walk from my door. The woman works from home (the coolest apartment I've been in thus far) Her office is up this hidden winding stair case in a room that is full of floor cushions and drapes hanging from the ceiling. It was very Indian feeling. Her office is a large room with a dome ceiling with a wall of windows on the East side. Each window is supported by antique looking columns. The room was your typical office with computers, printers, and product catalogs all over a drafting table. She was extremely nice and we talked for almost 2 hours. She told me I had the job if I wanted it but to let her know by Monday after I have talked it over with my family and my Italian family. Her work was great and I was suprised to see that I learned just about everything she does at Tech so I was a little more confident in myself when I left. I went almost directly downtown to another interview when I left her amazing apartment. This studio specializes in Hotel and Commercial design but they do do some residential. The studio consisted of three designers and a parrot named Oscar. He sat on a desk tapping his foot while the architects drew plans on their computers (No I am not making this up). The office was full of graphic art (like Warhol type art) and they have an outdoor bamboo garden and terrace to eat lunch on. Their work is stunning but I was a little intimidated and the guy I interviewed with had a very thick accent so it was hard for me to understand him at times. He said that I could have the job if I wanted it but right now I think I will pass just because the language barrier is a big concern. When I got home I had just enough time to change and then get the boys. We played another game of cards and I showed Filippo how to play solitare.
Today (Wednesday) I had another interview at 10 (for you at home not keeping score that's 3 in 24 hours). This studio was bigger than all the other ones I met with this week. They had 10-15 people working and several international people. The principle was a little late meeting me but when the interview started he was very professional and interested in me. He asked a lot of questions and then showed me a brochure of their work. They have done a ton of work for the city of Torino and were very active in the design for the Olympic games. It was really incredible just to meet with all these different firms and see the amazing work that is going on throughout the world. Paolo's English was really good and I felt at ease in the studio (again another amazing looking office that is graphically pleasing and interesting). He told me that I could have the internship if I wanted it and just needed to let him know by Monday. I spent the rest of my afternoon walking downtown and going down streets I had never seen before. I absolutely love downtown and Torino in general. People are so friendly and it is the cleanest city I've seen in Europe.
The final leg of the marathon will start at 2 pm tomorrow and will end around 6:30 (I have an interview at 5:30). Then on to the hardest part, the cool down, or making up my mind what to do-Should I stay or should I go....That is the question!
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Professor Plum in the Study with the Knife
Saturday didn't start as early as I thought but still would have liked to sleep in. When I got around the boys were watching cartoons and eating breakfast. I had some cereal and got dressed for the day. I played with the boys after tv time and then took them to the park across the street. When we got home Pat arrived shortly after us and she fixed a simple lunch of shrimp and pasta, salad, and fruit. After we ate she took the boys to a swimming pool with her sister. My time off had officially started. I went downtown and did some shopping. I found this awsome little book store tucked away from the busy street. The upstairs is devoted to English books so I skimmed the shelves looking for something interesting. I am on a mission to find the "perfect Italian dress" for a wedding I'm going to when I get back to the states, so I spent the rest of the afternoon searching in vain. Better luck next time I guess. I walked home dissappointed but still cheerful (I stopped to get some gelato and ate it in a beautiful Piazza-does the trick everytime). When I got home I fixed French toast, ham and eggs for dinner and the family were amazed. They had already eaten but said that sometime I need to fix it for them. I'm thinking of starting a new chain of restaurants, IHOFT-international house of french toast (catchy right?).
Today I slept in until 9 and then got ready for church. There were some new faces there. A girl from Italy but spoke good English with an British accent (weird). There was also a couple from Yorkshire, England but have lived in Torino for 6 months. The sermon wasn't much but the preacher's ability to tell stories is very entertaining. He is so lively and enthusiastic you can't help but get excited. He read the whole story of David and Goliath. I know the story by heart but it sounded new with his version. At the end of the service we sang a hymn from South Africa and he asked us to march around the room while we sang. There was a lot of giggling.
After church I planned to meet up with John and Lindsey to go to a shopping center in Torino. We took a seven minute train ride to a shopping mall that is inside an old Fiat warehouse. Outside there were several new Fiat models on display that you could sit in and check out. I thought they were very nice and cute (they kinda looked like Herbie in the 21st century). Inside the mall we walked around and looked for Lindsey some shorts (and I continued to look for THE dress) We went into a toy store to get some presents for their nieces and nephews. But while we were searching I found a present for me.....A travel clue game!! For you that don't know, clue is my favorite board game and I was thrilled to find one that was in Italian, plus it fits in my bag so I can play it during my travels (a good way to make friends on the train don't you think?) We went back to their apartment and played two games of Clue. I had a good time hanging out even though I never won. I also taught them to play the movie game and we played that for about an hour :-) It was getting late in the evening so I went to get something to eat for dinner and came home to an empty house. Today is Alberto's 45th birthday so I figured that they had gone out to celebrate. Tomorrow starts the last full week I have with them until they leave for the USA. I can't believe my stay has gone by so fast. So when I get back to the states who's up for a game night? I'll bring Italian Clue!!
Today I slept in until 9 and then got ready for church. There were some new faces there. A girl from Italy but spoke good English with an British accent (weird). There was also a couple from Yorkshire, England but have lived in Torino for 6 months. The sermon wasn't much but the preacher's ability to tell stories is very entertaining. He is so lively and enthusiastic you can't help but get excited. He read the whole story of David and Goliath. I know the story by heart but it sounded new with his version. At the end of the service we sang a hymn from South Africa and he asked us to march around the room while we sang. There was a lot of giggling.
After church I planned to meet up with John and Lindsey to go to a shopping center in Torino. We took a seven minute train ride to a shopping mall that is inside an old Fiat warehouse. Outside there were several new Fiat models on display that you could sit in and check out. I thought they were very nice and cute (they kinda looked like Herbie in the 21st century). Inside the mall we walked around and looked for Lindsey some shorts (and I continued to look for THE dress) We went into a toy store to get some presents for their nieces and nephews. But while we were searching I found a present for me.....A travel clue game!! For you that don't know, clue is my favorite board game and I was thrilled to find one that was in Italian, plus it fits in my bag so I can play it during my travels (a good way to make friends on the train don't you think?) We went back to their apartment and played two games of Clue. I had a good time hanging out even though I never won. I also taught them to play the movie game and we played that for about an hour :-) It was getting late in the evening so I went to get something to eat for dinner and came home to an empty house. Today is Alberto's 45th birthday so I figured that they had gone out to celebrate. Tomorrow starts the last full week I have with them until they leave for the USA. I can't believe my stay has gone by so fast. So when I get back to the states who's up for a game night? I'll bring Italian Clue!!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
The Magical Flute
Friday 13th 2007
I started my day with a strong cup of coffee because when I woke up I could definately feel the events of the week, which made it that much harder to get out of bed. To my relief I was not the only one having a hard time. We were all slow to get around and the boys were late to camp because they wouldn't get out of bed. After the caffine kicked in I went to an open market to look around until time to meet a friend for lunch. While I was looking at various articles I ran into another nanny, Lonnie and her bambino, Peter. We talked for almost an hour and then I headed to meet my American friend Lindsey. We ate lunch in this quiant little restaurant and had a really good conversation. At this point my coffee had worn off so I went back to the house to take a nap before I had to collect the boys. When we got back from camp we found that Pat was home from work. She took us to the grocery store and to the hardware store. I really enjoyed going to the supermarket because it was a bigger than the one I go to to buy simple things like eggs and milk. It was the size of a United or HEB. When we got home I got ready to go downtown because I was meeting my American friends for a late movie (late is 8 o'clock). The only movie showing in English in the city was a Kenneth Branagh film, "The Magic Flute." It was an opera adapted to the screen and one of the weirdest movies I've seen to date. It was very entertaining because I was trying to figure out what was going on and the story line even though the movie was in English. I ended up reading the subtitles for part and oddly enough this helped explain what they said. Over all it was something that we could laugh at and makes for a good story but I wouldn't suggest any of you renting it. When I got home I went straight to bed and there I hoped to stay for a long time....but then I remember that the boys get up at 7:30 to watch tv....darn cartoons!!
I started my day with a strong cup of coffee because when I woke up I could definately feel the events of the week, which made it that much harder to get out of bed. To my relief I was not the only one having a hard time. We were all slow to get around and the boys were late to camp because they wouldn't get out of bed. After the caffine kicked in I went to an open market to look around until time to meet a friend for lunch. While I was looking at various articles I ran into another nanny, Lonnie and her bambino, Peter. We talked for almost an hour and then I headed to meet my American friend Lindsey. We ate lunch in this quiant little restaurant and had a really good conversation. At this point my coffee had worn off so I went back to the house to take a nap before I had to collect the boys. When we got back from camp we found that Pat was home from work. She took us to the grocery store and to the hardware store. I really enjoyed going to the supermarket because it was a bigger than the one I go to to buy simple things like eggs and milk. It was the size of a United or HEB. When we got home I got ready to go downtown because I was meeting my American friends for a late movie (late is 8 o'clock). The only movie showing in English in the city was a Kenneth Branagh film, "The Magic Flute." It was an opera adapted to the screen and one of the weirdest movies I've seen to date. It was very entertaining because I was trying to figure out what was going on and the story line even though the movie was in English. I ended up reading the subtitles for part and oddly enough this helped explain what they said. Over all it was something that we could laugh at and makes for a good story but I wouldn't suggest any of you renting it. When I got home I went straight to bed and there I hoped to stay for a long time....but then I remember that the boys get up at 7:30 to watch tv....darn cartoons!!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Chleo
Thursday the 12th
At twelve I had my second interview with an architecture firm located on my street. All I knew about this firm is they were younger and they have done some important projects with the most famous Italian achitect, Renzo Piano (he is responsible for the Nasher Sculpture Garden in Dallas and a museum in Houston). When I arrived, Marco-the principle-met me at the door and introduced me to everyone that worked there. There are 10 people in all, so a much smaller firm than the one I visited on Tuesday. We went into the conference room and I showed him my portfolio. I said he like my work and ask me a couple of questions. He took me to a computer and showed me some projects they are currently working on. About a year ago they started doing product design and he showed me a few items. My favorite is a cheese-grater that fits into the palm of your hand and the grater part is in the shape of a thumb print. He also showed me a pen design called cocoon. It looks like a regular pen but when you take of the top there is a little abstract person inside. You can take him out and clip him on the outside of the pen, where he can hang out while you write a letter. I told him that my boys would love that and he laughed. He said he would contact me by the end of the next week to let me know if I got the internship. When I left I was a little confused because the interview was really laid back and I couldn't judge how well it went but I was excited by their work and know it would be a great place to get some experience.
I left a little early to get the boys and started to read my book for the first part of the trip. When I looked out the window I saw the familiar buildings and then all of a sudden we turned on a new street and I had no idea where we were. I got off at the next stop and got out me map. I found my location but couldn't figure out how to get the park with the boys. There was a lady walking her dog so I asked her if she could help me. She didn't speak Englsih but I was suprised that I could understand her-for the most part) She told me she would walk with me part way but not too far cause her dog was getting tired. I asked what the dog's name was and she said Chloe. It was a mut of a dog with bulging eyes and thinning hair but oddly enough kinda cute. She walked me in the right direction and I found the park and was on time to get the boys. We walked to our bus stop and found that it was closed. The street was being worked on and the whole block was shut down....it was all making sense now why I ended up in ten buck too. We walked a few blocks to the next open stop and took a bus close to their grandma's house. I left Ruggero with her (after we ate our snack she had prepared for us-of course) and Fil and I came home to do English homework. We ended up just speaking English for one hour!! He is really improving and I am so proud of him. At 7:30 we met Nonna D and Ruggie on a street corner and walked to her favorite pizzaeria. After dinner we parted ways and I took the boys to the park for 30 mins to let them use up the rest of their energy. They were in bed by 9:25-oh yeah.
I have to apologize for the lack of consisting blogging lately but I was still in the beach mode and really lazy. But now I'm adjusted to reality again so my blogs should be back to a regular daily occurance.
At twelve I had my second interview with an architecture firm located on my street. All I knew about this firm is they were younger and they have done some important projects with the most famous Italian achitect, Renzo Piano (he is responsible for the Nasher Sculpture Garden in Dallas and a museum in Houston). When I arrived, Marco-the principle-met me at the door and introduced me to everyone that worked there. There are 10 people in all, so a much smaller firm than the one I visited on Tuesday. We went into the conference room and I showed him my portfolio. I said he like my work and ask me a couple of questions. He took me to a computer and showed me some projects they are currently working on. About a year ago they started doing product design and he showed me a few items. My favorite is a cheese-grater that fits into the palm of your hand and the grater part is in the shape of a thumb print. He also showed me a pen design called cocoon. It looks like a regular pen but when you take of the top there is a little abstract person inside. You can take him out and clip him on the outside of the pen, where he can hang out while you write a letter. I told him that my boys would love that and he laughed. He said he would contact me by the end of the next week to let me know if I got the internship. When I left I was a little confused because the interview was really laid back and I couldn't judge how well it went but I was excited by their work and know it would be a great place to get some experience.
I left a little early to get the boys and started to read my book for the first part of the trip. When I looked out the window I saw the familiar buildings and then all of a sudden we turned on a new street and I had no idea where we were. I got off at the next stop and got out me map. I found my location but couldn't figure out how to get the park with the boys. There was a lady walking her dog so I asked her if she could help me. She didn't speak Englsih but I was suprised that I could understand her-for the most part) She told me she would walk with me part way but not too far cause her dog was getting tired. I asked what the dog's name was and she said Chloe. It was a mut of a dog with bulging eyes and thinning hair but oddly enough kinda cute. She walked me in the right direction and I found the park and was on time to get the boys. We walked to our bus stop and found that it was closed. The street was being worked on and the whole block was shut down....it was all making sense now why I ended up in ten buck too. We walked a few blocks to the next open stop and took a bus close to their grandma's house. I left Ruggero with her (after we ate our snack she had prepared for us-of course) and Fil and I came home to do English homework. We ended up just speaking English for one hour!! He is really improving and I am so proud of him. At 7:30 we met Nonna D and Ruggie on a street corner and walked to her favorite pizzaeria. After dinner we parted ways and I took the boys to the park for 30 mins to let them use up the rest of their energy. They were in bed by 9:25-oh yeah.
I have to apologize for the lack of consisting blogging lately but I was still in the beach mode and really lazy. But now I'm adjusted to reality again so my blogs should be back to a regular daily occurance.
The Purple Velet Sofa
July 11
Wednesday I had my first official job interview at an Architectural and Urban planning firm downtown. Alberto dropped me off on his way to work and wished me good luck. Both parents are really supportive and get really excited for me when I have interviews. The office was AMAZING. It use to be an old garage and was converted into their studio last year. When I arrived I walked into a big open area where most of the architects work in group stations. So I was on display in that awkward "who is the new girl" kind of way. The receptionist led me to the coolest waiting room I have ever seen. I was a little room (7-1/2' by 13' as far as I could tell) and two walls were glass that looked out into the studio. The other two were bright red and purple. The red wall had silver birds painted on it. The furniture consisted of two red velvet arm chairs and the tackiest (yet hip) purple velvet sofa. I opted to relax on this fashion faux pa (spelling I'm not sure). The light fixutre was 5' in diameter with three huge glass lightbulbs....but the neatest thing about it were the fake birds perched on wires on the inside. The whole time I was waiting for the interview I was figuring out in what store in the states I could buy these fake birds to make my own light fixture.
Matteo finally took me into his office and we started the interview. I told him that I loved his office (and like a kid showing off a new toy) he told me all the steps they went through to make it a great new office. He said they have an in house chef that cooks everyday and a rooftop garden. Yeah that would be so cool to work in an environment like that. The interview was really relaxed and he asked me few questions, mainly just looked at my portfolio. He told me that they really couldn't use my talents because they do mainly urban planning and landscape architecture, but he gave me four other contacts and wished me the best of luck. From the four contacts I may possibly have two more interviews next week. I spent the rest of my afternoon walking around downtown and window shopping (this is becoming a new habit)
At four I picked up the boys and took the bus as usual. When we were getting off at our stop I got Ruggie off and turned around to grab Filippo. The bus doors closed with Filippo still inside. He calmly waved goodbye and we watched the bus leave the stop. I calmly walked down the street with Ruggie to the next stop where Fil was waiting. He thought it was very funny and was hoping that I was upset. To his dismay I gave him a high-five for getting off at the next stop. When we got home I helped Fil with English homework and then made a sword and shield for each of us out of paper. We had a wonderful (and safe) duel in the living room. Oh if these fun times and happy attitudes could last all day. By the end of the fight the sugar from their gelato kicked in and they turned into little hyper monsters. I waited out the storm with a cool head and then helped Pat fix dinner. I had her ask the boys at the dinner table how the afternoon went and waited to hear their stories. At first they said it was great fun and no problems but then they grew consciences and confessed. When Alberto came home we sat in the kitchen sipping wine and talking about places I should travel on my time off. Minus the bi-polar episode of the boys this was a good day. I went to bed with dreams of velvet and fake birds in my head.
Wednesday I had my first official job interview at an Architectural and Urban planning firm downtown. Alberto dropped me off on his way to work and wished me good luck. Both parents are really supportive and get really excited for me when I have interviews. The office was AMAZING. It use to be an old garage and was converted into their studio last year. When I arrived I walked into a big open area where most of the architects work in group stations. So I was on display in that awkward "who is the new girl" kind of way. The receptionist led me to the coolest waiting room I have ever seen. I was a little room (7-1/2' by 13' as far as I could tell) and two walls were glass that looked out into the studio. The other two were bright red and purple. The red wall had silver birds painted on it. The furniture consisted of two red velvet arm chairs and the tackiest (yet hip) purple velvet sofa. I opted to relax on this fashion faux pa (spelling I'm not sure). The light fixutre was 5' in diameter with three huge glass lightbulbs....but the neatest thing about it were the fake birds perched on wires on the inside. The whole time I was waiting for the interview I was figuring out in what store in the states I could buy these fake birds to make my own light fixture.
Matteo finally took me into his office and we started the interview. I told him that I loved his office (and like a kid showing off a new toy) he told me all the steps they went through to make it a great new office. He said they have an in house chef that cooks everyday and a rooftop garden. Yeah that would be so cool to work in an environment like that. The interview was really relaxed and he asked me few questions, mainly just looked at my portfolio. He told me that they really couldn't use my talents because they do mainly urban planning and landscape architecture, but he gave me four other contacts and wished me the best of luck. From the four contacts I may possibly have two more interviews next week. I spent the rest of my afternoon walking around downtown and window shopping (this is becoming a new habit)
At four I picked up the boys and took the bus as usual. When we were getting off at our stop I got Ruggie off and turned around to grab Filippo. The bus doors closed with Filippo still inside. He calmly waved goodbye and we watched the bus leave the stop. I calmly walked down the street with Ruggie to the next stop where Fil was waiting. He thought it was very funny and was hoping that I was upset. To his dismay I gave him a high-five for getting off at the next stop. When we got home I helped Fil with English homework and then made a sword and shield for each of us out of paper. We had a wonderful (and safe) duel in the living room. Oh if these fun times and happy attitudes could last all day. By the end of the fight the sugar from their gelato kicked in and they turned into little hyper monsters. I waited out the storm with a cool head and then helped Pat fix dinner. I had her ask the boys at the dinner table how the afternoon went and waited to hear their stories. At first they said it was great fun and no problems but then they grew consciences and confessed. When Alberto came home we sat in the kitchen sipping wine and talking about places I should travel on my time off. Minus the bi-polar episode of the boys this was a good day. I went to bed with dreams of velvet and fake birds in my head.
Monday, July 9, 2007
An Aggie and a Raider walk into a bar...
On Saturday Pat drove me to the train station and I boarded a train headed to Torino. It only took 2 hours and cost 8 euros. I love riding on trains too because I always image I'm a character in an old classic movie. Once I arrived in the city I went unloaded my stuff and went to my favorite place in the city-Blockbuster (okay it's not really my FAVORITE place but I do enjoy what they offer). I bought two fozen pizzas (they come two in a box), coca light, a pint of Haggen Daas icecream, and three movies---walah instant date.
On Sunday I went to church and was happy to find that the English church got a new pastor. They had been looking for sometime and he and his wife arrived two weeks ago. They are from Scotland and I couldn't help but think during his sermon, "man he sounds just like Mrs. Doubtfire" (I know Mrs. D wasn't from Scotland but they sounded the same) The sermon was very entertaining and I really enjoyed the singing. Before the service started a new couple walked in and sat behind me. They asked me if this was my first time and I replied, no. Turns out they just got married 2 weeks ago and went to Rome for their honeymoon and Umbria. They are now in Torino for three weeks doing research for their PHD's in History. They live Santa Barbara but she is from Missouri and he is from Texas (Houston). They had to leave early but we exchanged numbers so we could meet. After church I enjoyed my freedom at home.
Today I went to Piazza Castello to meet John and Lindsey (the couple from church) for lunch. We went to a cafe downtown and had a nice visit. John went to ATM for his undergraduate so we had a lot to talk about in that area. After lunch we decided to walk around the city and I showed them a few of my favorite places and pointed out some interesting facts (you can take the girl out of tourguiding but you can't take tourguiding out of the girl). I had a great conversation with them and am looking forward to hanging out with them more in the future. At three I left them and headed to the other side of town to pick up the boys from camp. They wanted to play in the park for awhile so we stayed for an hour and then came home (which takes 30 minutes by bus). At home, luckily they were tired so I didn't have too many problems with them. Filippo built a really cool fort in the living room complete with lights and ac. I'm pretty sure he's going to grow up to be an engineer because he is always building things and making puzzles. While I was fixing dinner Ruggie took a bath and when I went to check on him I found Filippo in there with him. I didn't mind until they decided to try and "sink" the bathroom. Water was everywhere including on the nanny. But I calmly got Ruggero dressed and fed him supper. I figure Fil would come out in his own time. When I went back to see if he was done, I nearly fell over with shock, he was cleaning up all the water...I mean every last bit and then he got dressed and ate dinner (is this one of my kids?). The rest of the night went very smooth. Still haven't heard on the job interviews yet but will keep you posted.
(Oh and about the title of the blog, all cafes here are called bars so don't worry I wasn't boozing it up at 12 in the afternoon)
On Sunday I went to church and was happy to find that the English church got a new pastor. They had been looking for sometime and he and his wife arrived two weeks ago. They are from Scotland and I couldn't help but think during his sermon, "man he sounds just like Mrs. Doubtfire" (I know Mrs. D wasn't from Scotland but they sounded the same) The sermon was very entertaining and I really enjoyed the singing. Before the service started a new couple walked in and sat behind me. They asked me if this was my first time and I replied, no. Turns out they just got married 2 weeks ago and went to Rome for their honeymoon and Umbria. They are now in Torino for three weeks doing research for their PHD's in History. They live Santa Barbara but she is from Missouri and he is from Texas (Houston). They had to leave early but we exchanged numbers so we could meet. After church I enjoyed my freedom at home.
Today I went to Piazza Castello to meet John and Lindsey (the couple from church) for lunch. We went to a cafe downtown and had a nice visit. John went to ATM for his undergraduate so we had a lot to talk about in that area. After lunch we decided to walk around the city and I showed them a few of my favorite places and pointed out some interesting facts (you can take the girl out of tourguiding but you can't take tourguiding out of the girl). I had a great conversation with them and am looking forward to hanging out with them more in the future. At three I left them and headed to the other side of town to pick up the boys from camp. They wanted to play in the park for awhile so we stayed for an hour and then came home (which takes 30 minutes by bus). At home, luckily they were tired so I didn't have too many problems with them. Filippo built a really cool fort in the living room complete with lights and ac. I'm pretty sure he's going to grow up to be an engineer because he is always building things and making puzzles. While I was fixing dinner Ruggie took a bath and when I went to check on him I found Filippo in there with him. I didn't mind until they decided to try and "sink" the bathroom. Water was everywhere including on the nanny. But I calmly got Ruggero dressed and fed him supper. I figure Fil would come out in his own time. When I went back to see if he was done, I nearly fell over with shock, he was cleaning up all the water...I mean every last bit and then he got dressed and ate dinner (is this one of my kids?). The rest of the night went very smooth. Still haven't heard on the job interviews yet but will keep you posted.
(Oh and about the title of the blog, all cafes here are called bars so don't worry I wasn't boozing it up at 12 in the afternoon)
Saturday, July 7, 2007
The Italian Riviera in a Nut Shell
July 2-6
Pat, the boys, Anna and I headed for the seaside on Monday mid-morning. The drive only took about 2 hours so we arrived just in time for lunch. The town was deserted because it was time for “siesta” so we had a little café all to ourselves. I was really glad that Anna came along because it gave me another girl to talk to. However, the first night we went out to find people after the boys went to sleep and we hung out with about 15 teenage boys and girls. Did I really act like that? I sure hope not, because even though they were all talking really fast (and really loud) Italian I could still tell they were immature. This was the only time I was glad I had a curfew and watched the clock closely. Anna met a boy and I talked to a few people in English. I tried to speak Italian but when anyone found out that I was an American they wanted to practice their English. On Tuesday we spent the morning at the beach and had a simple lunch at our rented apartment. The apartment is so close to the beach you can see it from most of the windows. It has two bedrooms and a living room with a bed (my new room). I don’t mind sleeping here though cause it makes it feel more like vacation. After lunch Pat and Ruggie took a nap while we played several card games. I taught them both how to shuffle and do a bridge with the cards (I also taught them how to always deal to the left). After the mid-day snack (Miranda) we all went to the beach. Anna and I came back early and watched Grey’s Anatomy (her favorite show-it was in English). We prepared dinner at home and then went for gelato before bedtime. I opted not to hang out with the teenyboppers; instead I went to bed early (11). The next day (Happy 4th of July everybody!!) we hung out at the beach, ate at home for lunch, played cards and then around 7:30 went to a town close to where we are staying. We had a happy hour at an American Wine Bar (The only thing American about the bar was the music) while we waited for our table at another restaurant. We had another great meal (I know I haven’t had one bad meal here yet-seven weeks and counting). Thursday was a new experience for me. Pat, Anna, and Ruggie left for Torino around 8 am because Pat had to go to Rome for business. She left Filippo and me here. My first true test as a mom. Thursday morning we slept in and had breakfast and watched cartoons (why are all cartoons these days Anime?). We went to the beach for the morning and then had lunch at a café. We came home and did some homework (Italian kids have homework they have to do in the summer-for all ages) and played cards. At 5 we went back to the beach and stayed until almost 8. I finished my book (A Farewell to Arms) and I am never reading another Hemmingway book again, I was so depressed and angry about how it ended. We came home and I fixed a pasta dinner and then went out for a walk and gelato. I have to say I was worried about the day but we had a good time and he acted good (what a wonderful change from the Mountains).
Friday was also a good day. I changed my method of punishment (thanks to my genius mother’s advice). Instead of giving strikes and then getting in trouble, I give Filippo stars (stella). If he gets ten stars a day he will get rewarded. Thursday he didn’t make his quota but today he reached for the stars! So tomorrow he will get his reward-carmello (candy). He slept in today until 10 so we didn’t get to the beach until 11. We stayed until almost 1:30 and then headed to Lilo (our favorite restaurant) for pranzo. During the afternoon we played cards, did homework, and watched cartoons. At 5 we went back to the beach until 7:30. The Italian Riviera is not as pretty as the French but it is nice. The beach is clean, however both Rivieras have rocks instead of sand. This makes for easy clean up but really hurts the feet. The water is so clear and three different shades of blue. I love swimming in the sea because for some reason it seems more exotic to me than our oceans at home. I have never been so tan in my life and I hope it stays until I get home in August. After we left the beach I came home and prepared the meal while Fil took a shower. I was really proud of my cooking skills. I fixed spiral pasta with pomodoro sauce, a plate of proscutto crudo and colto (raw and cooked ham), cantaloupe, mozzarella, and grissini. Fil was in bed by 10 and he was a happy camper after making his goal of 10 stars. Like they say, “When Filippo is happy I’m happy” Tomorrow I am going to take a train back to Torino because the weekends are my time off and I need a little time away from the beach.
PS. the picture website is now up to date
Pat, the boys, Anna and I headed for the seaside on Monday mid-morning. The drive only took about 2 hours so we arrived just in time for lunch. The town was deserted because it was time for “siesta” so we had a little café all to ourselves. I was really glad that Anna came along because it gave me another girl to talk to. However, the first night we went out to find people after the boys went to sleep and we hung out with about 15 teenage boys and girls. Did I really act like that? I sure hope not, because even though they were all talking really fast (and really loud) Italian I could still tell they were immature. This was the only time I was glad I had a curfew and watched the clock closely. Anna met a boy and I talked to a few people in English. I tried to speak Italian but when anyone found out that I was an American they wanted to practice their English. On Tuesday we spent the morning at the beach and had a simple lunch at our rented apartment. The apartment is so close to the beach you can see it from most of the windows. It has two bedrooms and a living room with a bed (my new room). I don’t mind sleeping here though cause it makes it feel more like vacation. After lunch Pat and Ruggie took a nap while we played several card games. I taught them both how to shuffle and do a bridge with the cards (I also taught them how to always deal to the left). After the mid-day snack (Miranda) we all went to the beach. Anna and I came back early and watched Grey’s Anatomy (her favorite show-it was in English). We prepared dinner at home and then went for gelato before bedtime. I opted not to hang out with the teenyboppers; instead I went to bed early (11). The next day (Happy 4th of July everybody!!) we hung out at the beach, ate at home for lunch, played cards and then around 7:30 went to a town close to where we are staying. We had a happy hour at an American Wine Bar (The only thing American about the bar was the music) while we waited for our table at another restaurant. We had another great meal (I know I haven’t had one bad meal here yet-seven weeks and counting). Thursday was a new experience for me. Pat, Anna, and Ruggie left for Torino around 8 am because Pat had to go to Rome for business. She left Filippo and me here. My first true test as a mom. Thursday morning we slept in and had breakfast and watched cartoons (why are all cartoons these days Anime?). We went to the beach for the morning and then had lunch at a café. We came home and did some homework (Italian kids have homework they have to do in the summer-for all ages) and played cards. At 5 we went back to the beach and stayed until almost 8. I finished my book (A Farewell to Arms) and I am never reading another Hemmingway book again, I was so depressed and angry about how it ended. We came home and I fixed a pasta dinner and then went out for a walk and gelato. I have to say I was worried about the day but we had a good time and he acted good (what a wonderful change from the Mountains).
Friday was also a good day. I changed my method of punishment (thanks to my genius mother’s advice). Instead of giving strikes and then getting in trouble, I give Filippo stars (stella). If he gets ten stars a day he will get rewarded. Thursday he didn’t make his quota but today he reached for the stars! So tomorrow he will get his reward-carmello (candy). He slept in today until 10 so we didn’t get to the beach until 11. We stayed until almost 1:30 and then headed to Lilo (our favorite restaurant) for pranzo. During the afternoon we played cards, did homework, and watched cartoons. At 5 we went back to the beach until 7:30. The Italian Riviera is not as pretty as the French but it is nice. The beach is clean, however both Rivieras have rocks instead of sand. This makes for easy clean up but really hurts the feet. The water is so clear and three different shades of blue. I love swimming in the sea because for some reason it seems more exotic to me than our oceans at home. I have never been so tan in my life and I hope it stays until I get home in August. After we left the beach I came home and prepared the meal while Fil took a shower. I was really proud of my cooking skills. I fixed spiral pasta with pomodoro sauce, a plate of proscutto crudo and colto (raw and cooked ham), cantaloupe, mozzarella, and grissini. Fil was in bed by 10 and he was a happy camper after making his goal of 10 stars. Like they say, “When Filippo is happy I’m happy” Tomorrow I am going to take a train back to Torino because the weekends are my time off and I need a little time away from the beach.
PS. the picture website is now up to date
"The Hill are Alive With the Sound of....Panting"
June 30, 2007
I was hoping with the new sun a new and improved attitude for the boys would follow. They slept until 8:30, which is really rare and then went to breakfast with Pat. After the meal I got the boys ready for the day and while we were waiting on Pat, Filippo hit me and stuck his tongue out at me. Great another crappy day I thought. I took his MP3 player he was listening to and this proved very effective. Shortly after my mini victory of discipline we left for the base of Mt. Bianco and some beside it. I found out we were going to hike up the Alp facing Mt. Bianco. Um so I know the Sound of Music didn’t take place in Italy but it looked like the opening scene from the film. The hike (over 3 miles uphill) was amazing but very hard for this out of shape American. We stopped at a refuge at the top of the Mountain and had a typical Aosta lunch (we were in the Aosta Valley). After lunch we talked for a while before the climb down. I met a professional photographer from Milan. He told me he use to do fashion photography but changed to portraits because it was very stressful and exactly like the movie “The Devil Wears Prada”. I think the climb down was harder because it was so steep. My knees were aching afterwards but I was proud that I made the trek. When we got back we went to the pool and then to the room. They were being really good so I let them watch 15 minutes of TV before dinner. We all went together for our last dinner in this amazing hotel. I enjoyed it again but unfortunately had to leave before dessert because the boys were ready to go to bed. That’s okay cause I figured I would have plenty of gelato in the future.
The next day we loaded the car and I took the boys to the park until we met the parents a little before two. While we were waiting, we went to the pool where two ruby players were laying out (the Italian National Ruby team was staying at the hotel too). When they left for lunch one of them walked past me and said hi. I replied with something very intelligent like ummm. But I can say I talked to a professional athlete. After lunch we headed back to home sweet home (and I truly mean that cause I was off for the rest of the afternoon!!) Tomorrow (the 2nd) we go to the Italian Riviera for a week.
I was hoping with the new sun a new and improved attitude for the boys would follow. They slept until 8:30, which is really rare and then went to breakfast with Pat. After the meal I got the boys ready for the day and while we were waiting on Pat, Filippo hit me and stuck his tongue out at me. Great another crappy day I thought. I took his MP3 player he was listening to and this proved very effective. Shortly after my mini victory of discipline we left for the base of Mt. Bianco and some beside it. I found out we were going to hike up the Alp facing Mt. Bianco. Um so I know the Sound of Music didn’t take place in Italy but it looked like the opening scene from the film. The hike (over 3 miles uphill) was amazing but very hard for this out of shape American. We stopped at a refuge at the top of the Mountain and had a typical Aosta lunch (we were in the Aosta Valley). After lunch we talked for a while before the climb down. I met a professional photographer from Milan. He told me he use to do fashion photography but changed to portraits because it was very stressful and exactly like the movie “The Devil Wears Prada”. I think the climb down was harder because it was so steep. My knees were aching afterwards but I was proud that I made the trek. When we got back we went to the pool and then to the room. They were being really good so I let them watch 15 minutes of TV before dinner. We all went together for our last dinner in this amazing hotel. I enjoyed it again but unfortunately had to leave before dessert because the boys were ready to go to bed. That’s okay cause I figured I would have plenty of gelato in the future.
The next day we loaded the car and I took the boys to the park until we met the parents a little before two. While we were waiting, we went to the pool where two ruby players were laying out (the Italian National Ruby team was staying at the hotel too). When they left for lunch one of them walked past me and said hi. I replied with something very intelligent like ummm. But I can say I talked to a professional athlete. After lunch we headed back to home sweet home (and I truly mean that cause I was off for the rest of the afternoon!!) Tomorrow (the 2nd) we go to the Italian Riviera for a week.
"No One Puts Lindsey in a Corner"
June 29, 2007
Today stared our fairly early. Ruggie had a nightmare and woke me up at 5. But I laid down with him and he went to sleep. At 7:45 we woke up as usual (kind of hoping to sleep in). For breakfast there was a buffet of everything you could imagine. I had cereal, pastry and a cappuccino. After breakfast we all went to a rope course in the mountains (there were 50+ people and seven kids). I wanted to try the course but opted to stay on the ground with Ruggie. For lunch we had meat kabobs and grilled veggies. It was so nice to sit in the mts and eat while admiring God’s amazing work. However the afternoon was stressful. When we arrived at the hotel (at 4:00) the parents went to the meeting and I stayed with the boys. There is one word that describes this afternoon but is not very PG so I will simply say it was a nightmare. To give you an idea-I was slapped in the face, kicked and hit. The boys went out onto the patio and ran away using the outside stairs. I had to chase them down in the hotel. I finally got them dressed for dinner and we were early so we walked around. They went straight for the hot tub and splashed around in their dress clothes. When we arrived at the restaurant, only one other nanny and bambino were there. The matre D was so nice and helped my when I couldn’t get the boys to eat. Ruggero threw his pasta all over the floor and Michelangelo got on to him for it. I was praying for the parents to hurry up and around 8:30 Pat finally showed up. I was so upset by this time that when Pat said “ciao Lindsey” I burst into tears. I hated to cry in front of the boys but couldn’t hold it in any longer. Pat took the boys while I waited at our table. Michelangelo and asked my why I was crying and I told him and said “at least my eyes are really green when I cry.” He replied, “they look like the Italian flag, red, white and green. “I’m just patriotic,” I said. He brought me a Kleenex and said to breath, look in my eyes (but don’ fall in love) and breath. I laughed and started to calm down. I hadn’t had time to eat with the boys so he set my table (which happened to be in the corner) and as he walked away he said don’t worry we will set your table even though no one puts Lindsey in a corner and smiled (these Italian men sure know how to turn on the charm). Pat came back and told me the boys confessed they were trying to make my crazy (yeah I’m glad they admitted it!!). Then Alberto came and apologized and invited me to eat at their table- it wasn’t quite at dramatic scene from Dirty Dancing, but I left the corner. The dinner was once again amazing. Even though the day was horrible it ended on a positive note and I made a new friend-Michelangelo.
Today stared our fairly early. Ruggie had a nightmare and woke me up at 5. But I laid down with him and he went to sleep. At 7:45 we woke up as usual (kind of hoping to sleep in). For breakfast there was a buffet of everything you could imagine. I had cereal, pastry and a cappuccino. After breakfast we all went to a rope course in the mountains (there were 50+ people and seven kids). I wanted to try the course but opted to stay on the ground with Ruggie. For lunch we had meat kabobs and grilled veggies. It was so nice to sit in the mts and eat while admiring God’s amazing work. However the afternoon was stressful. When we arrived at the hotel (at 4:00) the parents went to the meeting and I stayed with the boys. There is one word that describes this afternoon but is not very PG so I will simply say it was a nightmare. To give you an idea-I was slapped in the face, kicked and hit. The boys went out onto the patio and ran away using the outside stairs. I had to chase them down in the hotel. I finally got them dressed for dinner and we were early so we walked around. They went straight for the hot tub and splashed around in their dress clothes. When we arrived at the restaurant, only one other nanny and bambino were there. The matre D was so nice and helped my when I couldn’t get the boys to eat. Ruggero threw his pasta all over the floor and Michelangelo got on to him for it. I was praying for the parents to hurry up and around 8:30 Pat finally showed up. I was so upset by this time that when Pat said “ciao Lindsey” I burst into tears. I hated to cry in front of the boys but couldn’t hold it in any longer. Pat took the boys while I waited at our table. Michelangelo and asked my why I was crying and I told him and said “at least my eyes are really green when I cry.” He replied, “they look like the Italian flag, red, white and green. “I’m just patriotic,” I said. He brought me a Kleenex and said to breath, look in my eyes (but don’ fall in love) and breath. I laughed and started to calm down. I hadn’t had time to eat with the boys so he set my table (which happened to be in the corner) and as he walked away he said don’t worry we will set your table even though no one puts Lindsey in a corner and smiled (these Italian men sure know how to turn on the charm). Pat came back and told me the boys confessed they were trying to make my crazy (yeah I’m glad they admitted it!!). Then Alberto came and apologized and invited me to eat at their table- it wasn’t quite at dramatic scene from Dirty Dancing, but I left the corner. The dinner was once again amazing. Even though the day was horrible it ended on a positive note and I made a new friend-Michelangelo.
Mount Blanc Hotel
June 28, 2007
At 2:30 Alberto, the boys and I left Torino for a small town, La Salle, in the valley of Mt. Bianco (the tallest mt. in Europe). The drive only took 2 hours and we saw an old fortress where Napoleon hid in while in Italy. Then we arrived….WOW Che Bella!! Just what I had imagined, this is my dream hotel. Our room was splendid. We had a view of Mt. Bianco and our own private patio. There were his/her robes and towels and (the best part) I had my own full size bed separate from the boys. We were in the same room but there was a sliding partition I used at night. After we got settled we (the boys and I) went for a walk. We stopped to get some gelato (of course, I made a resolution not to eat ice cream for a week but come on we’re in the Alps!!) Then we went to the park. There were several nannies and kids already there. However, only one of the women spoke English. I had a nice conversation with her though. She was from the Philippines and couldn’t understand why I would want to come to Italy because her dream is to live in America. She is trying to get her papers so hopefully her dream can come true. We went back to the hotel and I took the boys to the hot tub. This was very stressful for me at first but then I reminded myself where I was and what I was looking at around me. The boys don’t listen that well to their own parents so I try to tell myself don’t get too upset just roll with it and enjoy your time in the Alps.
For dinner we met up with Alberto and went to the restaurant. I felt had cause we were the only nanny-kid group. The meal was out of this world. We started with a plate of ham and salami. Then the primi course was spiral pasta with fresh veggies. The waiter told us the pasta is all made here at the hotel. The secondi was wild game from the mountains and potatoes. Finally tiramisu for dessert. By this time the boys were really tired so we came back to our bedroom for “lights out”. Alberto keeps saying it’s a four star hotel but I give it five stars!!
Cute side story: When we were in the restaurant, the Matre D asked a little boy sitting next to us what his name was and he replied Leonardo and the Matre D said “My name is Michelangelo.” Then he asked Ruggero what his name was (Ruggero was really tired at this point) and he said “Raphael.” For all of you Ninja Turtle fans you will understand this joke. Ruggero likes the NT and I guess he wanted to be like them (for you who aren’t fans the Turtles’ names are Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, and Donetello).
At 2:30 Alberto, the boys and I left Torino for a small town, La Salle, in the valley of Mt. Bianco (the tallest mt. in Europe). The drive only took 2 hours and we saw an old fortress where Napoleon hid in while in Italy. Then we arrived….WOW Che Bella!! Just what I had imagined, this is my dream hotel. Our room was splendid. We had a view of Mt. Bianco and our own private patio. There were his/her robes and towels and (the best part) I had my own full size bed separate from the boys. We were in the same room but there was a sliding partition I used at night. After we got settled we (the boys and I) went for a walk. We stopped to get some gelato (of course, I made a resolution not to eat ice cream for a week but come on we’re in the Alps!!) Then we went to the park. There were several nannies and kids already there. However, only one of the women spoke English. I had a nice conversation with her though. She was from the Philippines and couldn’t understand why I would want to come to Italy because her dream is to live in America. She is trying to get her papers so hopefully her dream can come true. We went back to the hotel and I took the boys to the hot tub. This was very stressful for me at first but then I reminded myself where I was and what I was looking at around me. The boys don’t listen that well to their own parents so I try to tell myself don’t get too upset just roll with it and enjoy your time in the Alps.
For dinner we met up with Alberto and went to the restaurant. I felt had cause we were the only nanny-kid group. The meal was out of this world. We started with a plate of ham and salami. Then the primi course was spiral pasta with fresh veggies. The waiter told us the pasta is all made here at the hotel. The secondi was wild game from the mountains and potatoes. Finally tiramisu for dessert. By this time the boys were really tired so we came back to our bedroom for “lights out”. Alberto keeps saying it’s a four star hotel but I give it five stars!!
Cute side story: When we were in the restaurant, the Matre D asked a little boy sitting next to us what his name was and he replied Leonardo and the Matre D said “My name is Michelangelo.” Then he asked Ruggero what his name was (Ruggero was really tired at this point) and he said “Raphael.” For all of you Ninja Turtle fans you will understand this joke. Ruggero likes the NT and I guess he wanted to be like them (for you who aren’t fans the Turtles’ names are Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, and Donetello).
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