Guys, this is essentially what I'm wearing to the Fountains of Wayne concert tomorrow night. And due in large part to my current Sherlock obsession, it screams gender-swap John Watson to me. Not in a lame CBS way, but in a cool chase-after-Sherlock-but-I'm-not-his-girlfriend way. Also, I'm going to the Fountains of Wayne concert tomorrow night in D.C. and I am EXTREMELY excited. I've had to be very careful, because I got a stress fracture in my foot when I went to Venice, so I've been wearing a walking boot ("lovingly" referred to as Das Boot, partially because it is like a boat and partially because it is like an 80's German war film) all week just so I can wear my super cool new oxford pumps to the show. They are so freaking cool. For any of you who are not even remotely entertained by the idea of fashion, have this excellent cover of Baby One More Time by the illustrious Fountains of Wayne:
All right there my lovelies? Sorry for no return from Italy post. It was all a bit of a blur with the last minute shopping and the 4AM bus ride to the airport, although I do I have one thing that I wanted to share. On the bus to the airport there was a set of grandparents taking their two granddaughters to the airport. The girls were little, maybe 11 and 7 and the bus was crowded, so I was standing beside them in the aisle. The grandfather and the younger girl were in front of me, and the bus was fairly quiet but you could still hear whispered conversations and the clicking of people texting. As I tuned in and out of different conversations I realized that the grandfather was talking to the little girl, and as I eavesdropped further (this is how I operate) I realized that he was reciting something to her. He was reciting the words to Good Night Moon to her as she fell asleep in his arms. On a crowded bus full of people at 4 in the morning, it was so tender and sweet; it makes you miss everything about being a child, and long for everything all at once that brings you that same sort of comfort. It seems to me that love is that sort of perfect, gentle care for another person that brings you to the point of memorizing something you know will bring them comfort. It was a lovely end to an amazing trip: everything was incredible and delicious and I am so so sorry that it's over.
Still, not that things around here have been awful or anything. Yesterday I went to a wine tasting in Annapolis at Wine Cellars of Annapolis which was fantastic. Everyone there was super knowledgeable and nice, and I would highly recommend it if you're in the area. The barrel room also has a passageway to a little cheese and food shop called Tastings Gourmet Market where they had cheese samplers to go with the wine. My recommendation: Gorgonzola Picante. Holy cow (HAHAHAH), it is the very best blue cheese I have ever had in my whole entire life. As for wine, I ended up with a 2011 1 x Spaceman Rose which is incredibly sweet and light and has a label that looks like this:
I defy you to find a cooler label for wine. It's not possible. The wine itself is light and sweet but not too sweet. Perfect to chill and drink when it's warm outside. I also bought a delicious bottle of Terre Gaie Moscato, which is dangerous because it tastes like sparkling grapes and is so sweet and bubbly you could down a whole bottle without thinking about it and you would be on your ass. This hasn't happened to me yet, but when it undoubtedly does you will be the very first to know. After all the people I drunkenly text.
In other news, I am off to Ikea because they seem to have reasonably priced frames. While I had popped off to Italy, I also had my room painted (dark blue grey on two walls and light slate grey on two walls), and it looks lovely. But because it's painted, I shouldn't, you know... thumbtack a thousand posters and printouts to my walls anymore. And I'm a grownup now anyway... and what do grown-ups do? They fucking frame their posters. SO, today I am going to go buy some nice frames for my posters and prints. To be fair, I probably should have done that back when I started buying nice posters and prints... but you know... oh well. If it looks nice, I'll post pictures when I'm done (I know that's exactly what you wanted.)
Stray Observations:
Realized recently that I have started changing my wardrobe... all changes seem to point to a desire to be a 20-something, hip, crime-solving, scarf-wearing, book-wielding woman of mystery. It is getting a little out of control. I may pretend to be a fashion blogger and make a post about it. It's my blog, I do what I want!
When I try to download things and they aren't on Pirate Bay, my first response is *cry* and then my second response is *give up.* Neither of these responses are effective when you're in the middle of a radio series that you feel you absolutely MUST listen to the rest of. What on earth are my other options?
Everyone should listen to the band The Head and The Heart, particularly this song, Honey Come Home:
Their debut self-titled album is totally my jam. This live version is fantastic, but their studio work has more instruments and stuff... if instruments are your thing. *sigh* Some people. Seriously though, the ENTIRE album is great. It's a little like Mumford and Sons album Sigh No More. Every song is incredible. It's just not fair. Go buy it now.
I was about to start writing this and I looked out the window while I was trying to figure out what to say; I looked up just in time to see the woman who lives across the street (who I've also watched doing her dishes and smoking) taking her top off.... and now she's shut the window. Lady, it is too late for that sort of precautionary measure. Not that any Italians I've ever met have particularly been bastions for decorum, bastions for fashion maybe and exciting gesticulations most definitely. Speaking of Italians, I want to talk for a minute about fashion; all of them have the most incredible sense of style. No matter how tall or short, wide or skinny, they know exactly how to dress and look fabulous all the time. It's not fair.
What have I done the past two days besides ogle the local folk? Took a trip to Murano (where they make the glass), bought some shoes, visited the Santa Maria della Salute, the Scuola de San Rocco, and the Basilica Santa Maria Gloriosa Dei Frari. Most of the churches wont allow you to take pictures inside, which is both good and bad. I understand why they do it; churches are sacred places and besides all the tourists coming to ogle there are actually people there praying. Still, it's sort of a bummer because they're these incredible 500+ year old buildings with these amazing paintings and chandeliers and carvings and you really just want to take pictures of everything. And they wont let you. And if you're me, you sulk about it. And then go outside and take pictures of the outside.
This is the Santa Maria della Salute. And it is huge and beautiful.
These ladies were about 8 or 9 feet long each, and are chilling out above the front door of the church. The front door is probably about 15 or 16 feet tall. These numbers seem accurate in my head now, but you probably shouldn't call me on them. I did not bring my tape measure with me to the church, my bad. I promise I will tomorrow (not really though) when we go to the Academia.
Stray Observations:
Foods I have eaten: Yesterday was a soup day: tortellini soup for lunch, followed by a cappuccino and a slice of lemon cake which was divine. Dinner was vegetable soup, which here comes in a chicken stock broth which was different and really good. Today, a mushroom and prosccuito panini (which was not a panini like American's think of. If you're American, picture a stromboli... that dough tube filled with yummies... that's a panini.) And my favorite gelato so far: pistachio. Holy crap it was so good. The creaminess of the gelato went fantastically with the salty taste of the pistachio. For breakfast, cheerios... Cheerios taste the same everywhere. They taste like sad bland circles.
I did a lot of shopping in Murano. Glass is cool, glass blowers are cool and giant glass sculptures are also cool.
