Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
A Roman Afternoon
I found this in my journal, dated Rome, 10/26/08:
After seeing a Picasso show at the Vittoriana, also known as The Typewriter, we are sitting in a bar in a narrow street in the Jewish Ghetto. A massive swarm of birds is in a frantic state in the trees above us, calling and lifting and landing and lifting and spinning. We keep hearing thunder, harbinger of a rain that never comes. The sky gathers dark. The Hare Krishnas in their temple take up the chant. Bins of chocolate in the shop across the way twinkle with their beckoning shiny wrappers.
Demonstrators from the anti-Berlusconi march begin trailing past, heading home. They push strollers, they are young and old. Their banners read Un Altra Italia E Possibile. Another Italy is Possible. I grin at them as they pass. The famous Jewish fried food place is all booked for the evening. As I wait to ask, I hear the manager on the phone: 2 million people in Rome, what do you want me to do? Not possible, not for this evening, he replies when I ask and I am disappointed but more pleased that I've managed it in Italian and he didn't switch instantly to English and it was an Italian conversation.
We wander slowly, thinking we'll head to the home neighborhood for pizza, when we come out into Piazza Matthei, its sweet little fountain of four ragazzi riding dolphins and reaching over their heads for four turtles that crawl into the fountain's upper basin. An enoteca that opens to the piazza has tables free and salads and other light fare. We make up our minds to sit and eat. Our placemats tell us it's a chain. I struggle to overcome my foodie disappointment when I see that one of their outlets, in the town of Asolo, is located on via Browning.
So I laugh at myself, relax, order a glass of Prosseco, and -- of all things -- a casserole of potato and wild board ragout, topped with cheese. The guys, having had panini at the bar, order salads. And we're all happy, head home to watch Superman (the first Christopher Reeve one), on the laptop, eat Torinese chocolate we'd bought at the shop across from the bar. I fall asleep over the movie (who remembered that it was so slow??), bail out, go to bed early.
The morning dawns clear and bright. I write on the terrace as the garbage truck grinds its way through the neighborhood, the fountain in the carabinieri station across the way tinkles endlessly, neighbors put away clean dishes from last night's dinner... the neighborhood is blessedly quiet. Sunday morning at last.
After seeing a Picasso show at the Vittoriana, also known as The Typewriter, we are sitting in a bar in a narrow street in the Jewish Ghetto. A massive swarm of birds is in a frantic state in the trees above us, calling and lifting and landing and lifting and spinning. We keep hearing thunder, harbinger of a rain that never comes. The sky gathers dark. The Hare Krishnas in their temple take up the chant. Bins of chocolate in the shop across the way twinkle with their beckoning shiny wrappers.
Demonstrators from the anti-Berlusconi march begin trailing past, heading home. They push strollers, they are young and old. Their banners read Un Altra Italia E Possibile. Another Italy is Possible. I grin at them as they pass. The famous Jewish fried food place is all booked for the evening. As I wait to ask, I hear the manager on the phone: 2 million people in Rome, what do you want me to do? Not possible, not for this evening, he replies when I ask and I am disappointed but more pleased that I've managed it in Italian and he didn't switch instantly to English and it was an Italian conversation.
We wander slowly, thinking we'll head to the home neighborhood for pizza, when we come out into Piazza Matthei, its sweet little fountain of four ragazzi riding dolphins and reaching over their heads for four turtles that crawl into the fountain's upper basin. An enoteca that opens to the piazza has tables free and salads and other light fare. We make up our minds to sit and eat. Our placemats tell us it's a chain. I struggle to overcome my foodie disappointment when I see that one of their outlets, in the town of Asolo, is located on via Browning.
So I laugh at myself, relax, order a glass of Prosseco, and -- of all things -- a casserole of potato and wild board ragout, topped with cheese. The guys, having had panini at the bar, order salads. And we're all happy, head home to watch Superman (the first Christopher Reeve one), on the laptop, eat Torinese chocolate we'd bought at the shop across from the bar. I fall asleep over the movie (who remembered that it was so slow??), bail out, go to bed early.
The morning dawns clear and bright. I write on the terrace as the garbage truck grinds its way through the neighborhood, the fountain in the carabinieri station across the way tinkles endlessly, neighbors put away clean dishes from last night's dinner... the neighborhood is blessedly quiet. Sunday morning at last.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Visit from the Brooklyn Crew, and Venice
April seems to bring nothing but showers in Torino, but our month has been enlivened by a vist from Sarah's sister Katie and her family. One day we trudged through the rain to Trattoria Valenza, as authentic a Piemontese place as we could desire, in the Borgo Dora section of the city. Here we are hanging out with the owners, who treated us to all the rowdy hospitality they're famous for.
Grace and Sam got Italia hats at the nearby Porta Palazzo market before lunch.
After our happy meal.
We closed down the place, so one of the owners was ready for his own meal.
Dads with the son-owner in the middle.
Then, in search of sun, and the ineffable, we headed to Venice for three days.
And here it is!
About to take a gondola ride.
Katie on the gondola.
Ahh... La serenissima (at least on the boat trip - Venice otherwise was a madhouse - mobbed with tourists).
The apartment! Katie has a friend whose parents have a place - half the crew stayed here.
Venice and the Seven Dwarfs.
One of the few trees in the city.
The sweet side canals, my favorite part of the city.
Ben's carnevale mask.
Heading home on the train, with pea pod art. (Peas bought off a boat moored in one of the canals.)
Grace and Sam got Italia hats at the nearby Porta Palazzo market before lunch.
After our happy meal.
We closed down the place, so one of the owners was ready for his own meal.
Dads with the son-owner in the middle.Then, in search of sun, and the ineffable, we headed to Venice for three days.
And here it is!
About to take a gondola ride. 
Katie on the gondola.
Ahh... La serenissima (at least on the boat trip - Venice otherwise was a madhouse - mobbed with tourists).
The apartment! Katie has a friend whose parents have a place - half the crew stayed here.
Venice and the Seven Dwarfs.
One of the few trees in the city.
The sweet side canals, my favorite part of the city.
Ben's carnevale mask.
Heading home on the train, with pea pod art. (Peas bought off a boat moored in one of the canals.)Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Birthday Party - Ben Turns 11!
We celebrated Ben's 11th birthday with a party -- first at Parco Valentino along the River Po, and then back at the apartment. Here are some photos.
A favorite Italian park activity: rent the pedal thingies.
The Parco Valentino, looking east across the swollen River Po.
Jean-Yves, who came with Ellen and kids from Switzerland for the weekend.
Simone, one of our new Turin friends, professor of Gastronomic Sciences... with wine bottle in foreground.
Birthday boy drives the pedal thing!
Jennifer, Tom's colleague at IUC and mom of Alberto.
Supercilious Tom.
Jean-Yves and Ellen enjoying the sunshine.
Alberto, Julien, Ferdi in the back seat as they're about to take off in the pedal thing.
Ben's soccer skills have really improved since coming to Italy.
The crazy Italian cake...
Birthday boy ready for cake.
Anouk and Sarah unwrapping the cake.
The cake, with marzipan race cars. Even though it's very clearly for a kid, the bakers still soaked it in rum. Cultural differences or mess up? You be the judge.
And finally, a 15-second video that places you right in the birthday action with the boys:
A favorite Italian park activity: rent the pedal thingies.
The Parco Valentino, looking east across the swollen River Po.
Jean-Yves, who came with Ellen and kids from Switzerland for the weekend.
Simone, one of our new Turin friends, professor of Gastronomic Sciences... with wine bottle in foreground.
Birthday boy drives the pedal thing!
Jennifer, Tom's colleague at IUC and mom of Alberto.
Supercilious Tom.
Jean-Yves and Ellen enjoying the sunshine.
Alberto, Julien, Ferdi in the back seat as they're about to take off in the pedal thing.Ben's soccer skills have really improved since coming to Italy.
The crazy Italian cake...
Birthday boy ready for cake.
Anouk and Sarah unwrapping the cake.
The cake, with marzipan race cars. Even though it's very clearly for a kid, the bakers still soaked it in rum. Cultural differences or mess up? You be the judge.And finally, a 15-second video that places you right in the birthday action with the boys:
Weekend in Rome
Bees, symbol of the Barberini family, powerhouses of the Baroque period in Rome, at Santa Maria di Aracoeli.
Random medieval tower - that's Rome...
At the Colosseum.
Pintoricchio fresco, Santa Maria di Aracoeli.
Maze with white geese at the Villa Doria Pamphilij, a park where we had a picnic.
Ben as Austin Powers at Trattoria Monti, celebrating his 11th birthday! 
Cosmati floors - 12th century or so, Santa Maria di Aracoeli.
Michelangelo's Moses, with horns, San Pietro in Vincoli.
We had a fabulous weekend in Rome recently, seeing sights we'd missed in the fall, visiting with friends, luxuriating in the chaotic pleasure that is the crazy-ass Eternal City. Some pics....
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Paris in the springtime
A few quick pics from a recent trip. All the usual fabs: climbing the stairs of the Eiffel Tower; meandering through the neighborhood of the Marais, where Tom lived in 7th grade; terrific food; the Louvre; Notre Dame; more good food.
Atop the Eiffel Tower
Near Notre Dame
Tom and Ben at Notre Dame
Ben and Sarah at the Louvre
Ben's amazing appetizer at L'Ardoise, a Slow Food recommended restaurant near Place de la Concorde
Ben atop the Eiffel Tower
Tower flashing - really!
Scooby Doo - or his cousin - at the Louvre
With Caravaggio, at the Louvre
Atop the Eiffel Tower
Near Notre Dame
Tom and Ben at Notre Dame
Ben and Sarah at the Louvre
Ben's amazing appetizer at L'Ardoise, a Slow Food recommended restaurant near Place de la Concorde
Ben atop the Eiffel Tower
Tower flashing - really!
Scooby Doo - or his cousin - at the Louvre
With Caravaggio, at the Louvre
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