Gretchen Goes to San Ginesio

In Italy: on Sunday, the women walk, the men watch football

2009-01-26T04:31:00.000-08:00

After the Indian Dinner feast at about 3 o'clock Antonella suggested that we go for a walk. Even though I felt STUFFED, and tired, I figured this is a good idea and IF Vanda can do it, so can I.
We took about a two mile loop going past an old aristocratic estate, where the same family still lives, up to a sanctuary of some kind, we just kept walking. It was such a nice day, a real feel of it is almost early spring, not too unlike it can be in Portland at this time of year.
This just PART of the old estate, they have their own chapel, and other buildings, all enclosed by big thick rock walls. but the gossip is that they are poor inside there, just hanging on.
After the walk, almost back to the car, kind of nice to take a break, Vanda is holding up just fine.
Looking the other way, back to Alme and Bergamo. Great to feel the sun on our faces. Afterwards, I joined the guys, to watch football, I AM A MILANISTA. Fun to watch.

Sunday "lunch" Indian Feast cooked mostly by me

2009-01-26T04:22:00.001-08:00

David is showing off his empty plate, emptied TWICE. The menu: chicken in tomato and spiced sauce with ginger, raisin chutney, red lentils, not sure how to spell dahl (?) made with onions, spices, tomatoes, coconut milk and lemon juice (very good) bitter greens, broccoli rabe and spinach pureed, a raita with red and yellow peppers, radishes and yogurt, chai, coconut cookies and mandarini for dessert. It was fun to cook and I was pleased everyone ate with relish.

Even Filippo admitted that just a few years ago he might not have been able to eat this meal, but he's showing just chicken bones left on his plate and he ate quite a bit of everything, even the greens.

Sunday Morning in San Pellegrino for Coffee

2009-01-26T04:09:00.000-08:00

They are working on the old Grand Hotel, to become a destination spa, looks like it will be especially grand.....yes this is the place where the famous water comes from. David and Claudia and I got up on Sunday morning and took about a half hour drive north to San Pellegrino to one of their old haunts, a lovely old style cafe. There, we had a nice talk about all that has gone down in the past four months, assuring ourselves that we are indeed still friends, having a little cry and some big hugs.
I couldn't resist taking a picture of the floor, Claudia and I agree that this is a beautiful pattern.
The main street, David went to get a La Republica, his kinda paper (leftist) Very attractive stone work on the outside of the buildings
The baristas put happy faces in chocolate powder on the tops of the cappuccini......

Winding things down in Italy.....our visit to Milan

2009-01-22T02:02:00.000-08:00

I screwed the picture order up, but here is the world's largest Nutella jar...Roberta is quite the fan, I took this for Ursi.
My death warmed over look, after about five weeks of sickness, I'm still not convinced that I did not have pneumonia, however finally, I've recovered. Still have a little cough though. Last week, we, meaning Sandro, Antonella, Vanda and I went to Milan in the evening to meet Roberta and Marco. We had dinner in their neighborhood, which I have to say was refreshingly multi-ethnic and very big city looking. Unfortunately, as digital cameras can do, my battery failed after only three pictures inside their very chic loft apartment. But I'll put up the three I got.
Remember the Christmas present cake platter? Well, there it is, in its rightful place.
I love the red refridgerator...............keeps everything so cool

I took this picture when I first moved to Alme, the Zamboni house is the ONLY one in this neighborhood that looks like this, it was designed by their brother Mario and built 30 years ago. Very nice three family abode. Each apartment is different, has a different feel and layout. I'm thinking we in the US need more family living like this in the future. However it probably does have it's drawbacks which I may not even be aware of, like lack of privacy, but there is a lot of sharing too.
Although I did not take pictures we had our OBAMA DAY on Tuesday, we started watching the TV at about 4pm and his speech was at 6pm. Sandro was equipped with earphones that gave an Italian translation so he could follow the speech. We planned our dinner to be after that, Antonella made vegetable soup, Sandro make pizza and I made apple crisp, to have something "American." And we had a lively political discussion afterwards, lots of Italian spoken all at once.

Tomorrow, Friday, David and Claudia will drive up from San Ginesio to spend the weekend saying good bye to me, and they will bring whatever stuff I left there. We've already decided to cook an Indian dinner for Sandro, Antonella, Vanda and Filippo. It will be fun to do this together.
A way for me to say thank you to the Zambonis for all they have fed me in the past six weeks.

Tutti Putti in Parma--Correggio Exhibition

2009-01-04T03:04:00.001-08:00

Our DAY started by getting up at 5am, catching the bus in front of the church in Alme at 6:30. We drove for two hours, this first picture is the early morning view entering the center of Parma, which is a beautiful city. We, meaning Antonella, Vanda and I were with a group of 25, off to see the blockbuster exhibiition of Correggio works. I mean a blockbuster because although two domes in huge churches in Parma are painted by him (circa 1520) but the enormous Art Palazzo has hosted works by him and other of his contemporaries borrowed from around the world.
Even though I KNOW we are not supposed to take pictures, I couldn't resist....we climbed UP the ten flights of stair/scaffolding to view the first dome, Correggio was a radical...he really mastered foreshortening, and LOVED all those putti, which I'm guessing means creatures about to become angles....that's some research for Carol. Anyway, I've never seen so many putti, and maybe I'll be lucky and NOT see so many again.....all that climbing up and down just wasn't enough, so we trotted over to another huge cathedral and climbed another ten flights of scaffolding and saw yet another dome painted by Correggio. That was just beginning, by 11am we met our exhibition guide. Well, of course she was Italian....but I had a little guide voice box in English, so I got perhaps 5% of the explaination of his works....but I got to see it all! It only took two and half hours, mind you this is with only ONE bathroom stop since leaving the house at 6:15. I spent as much time sitting down towards the end as I could, and enjoyed watching all the people who were at the exhibition. Fortunately is was in a frigid drafty old palazzo building and so everyone could keep on their coats, hats, scarves, etc. without being overheated. And I have to admit I have never seen so many FUR COATS in one place in my life, at the exhibition and all around the city of Parma. Did I say it's a beautiful city? It is.
This is Parma's leaning tower.
Vanda, the 81 year old trooper, and she NEVER USED A BATHROOM for the entire day, we even joked about it....she is TOUGH and of course, beautiful.
Finally, we got to have lunch.............guess what? PASTA, and wine, and bread and little salty greasy meats. I was so hungry I would have eaten anything. After that, like at 3pm, we were greeted by another tour, for a walk around the whole city of Parma, seeing more palazzos, gardens, Toscanini's house...............finally we got on the bus at 6:30pm. I was so tired, I immediately fell asleep. Still went to bed early and slept 9 hours. So, now I can leave Italy and can honestly say: I saw ART, Italian art. I did it, all those putti, all those saints, all in heaven, so lucky for them.

Food and then more food.....

2008-12-27T04:44:00.001-08:00

Christmas Day, between meals, at little card game called Scopa....I watched Sandro's hand, he was partnered with Marco. It's a bit complicated, but I could probably catch on. They had just before this explained that the word SCOPA means broom or fuck, of course, depending on the
context.

At 8 o'clock we sat down to the second meal of the day, soup and the meats used to make the broth, I could only eat the soup and passed on the meats. Very unlike me.

The day after Christmas: lunch. Leftovers, with the northern Italian favorite: POLENTA, and then pannetone, the way it's supposed to be eaten, with a warm chocolate sauce dripped over it. AND THEN dinner treat: SANDRO'S justifiably famous PIZZA.

After all this we talked about having plain boiled rice to eat today....I'm thinking brown rice and cabbage is about right.

Christmas Day at Vanda's table

2008-12-27T04:10:00.001-08:00

Ok, this will take a little explaining. Roberta is in the background, and her gift to her boyfriend Marco was this CAKE platter............not your USUAL cake platter, rather one that will fit into their Milano loft which I have HEARD is decorated in a very particular CONTEMPORARY STYLE. At the table, when Marco was showing this to Vanda, Sandro said: "Now, in my day young men did not ask for cake platters..........they asked for a quickie..."
Sandro, the cook par excellence.........fabulous meal, everything was delicious, see previous post
OK, sometimes we get a little tired............
Like sisters, Roberta and Hiwot
Marco's father Mario, who was very charming and exceptionally kind and warm to me, his "girlfriend" Bianca who sat next to me because she has a good command of English. Before they arrived Antonella buzzed me on the intercom and said they wanted to pull a prank on her. They told Bianca that I am American but can only speak Japanese....and I was even wearing my Japanese padded vest. So when I went into Vanda's apartment to greet them, everyone was quite expectant and I managed to pull off: hagimimashi te, yoroshiku onegaishimasu, watashi no namae wa Gretchen desu, and Bianca got a really funny look on her face, like oh my god, this is really happening! But then everyone started cracking up at this performance...and then she realized we were just pulling her leg.

Italian Christmas Day Dinner THE FOOD, oh my god

2008-12-27T04:01:00.000-08:00

Anti pasti, of course: white mushrooms, Visso prosciutto, Russian salad and anchovies, yum
Second course: Bergamasco traditional cheese filled ravioli with crispy pancetta and oil
Main course: Roasted capon stuffed with sausage/vegetable mixture, mushrooms with herbs and sauteed fresh artichokes
Fruit, always fruit after dinner, including litchis from Madacascar
Desert: Antonella's chocolate tort, nice and light with warm chocolate sauce, oh my god

More Christmas Eve pictures

2008-12-26T01:22:00.000-08:00

Sandro the cook, but Antonella said SHE had cooked the sauce, so there was a running, joking "discussion" about who's tuna sauce is the best, just a long standing family squabble, Sandro is such a joker. They are both excellent cooks. Sandro is holding the Albanian whiskey we tried later, not bad.

Filippo got a new room for his MAIN christmas present, but also a nice new jacket from Roberta
OK , this is a nice, no flash picture of Hiwot
Mitzi the cat just loves my lap, I'm the chosen one and I'm wearing the scarf Antonella knit for ME
That's Marco in the background.........................

Christmas Eve dinner

2008-12-26T00:56:00.000-08:00

The traditional meal is TUNA pasta, we also had Visso prosciutto, Russian salad and bread. No one could say why it's a tradition to have russian salad on Christmas Eve.....one thing I have learned here in Italy: when the pasta is served, better start eating. No one likes tepid pasta, so even though Sandro is still serving, it's definitely the thing to do to DIG IN
Hiwot, who is hidden behind Vanda in the previous picture, anyway Hiwot and I walked into the village center to the fanciest bakery I have seen here in Alme and we picked out what looked like a nice Christmas cake.....this was it. It got almost all eaten up, and several people had seconds, the strawberry glacee hit the spot. On the spot we had to decide to keep Antonella's desert for the next day. The big dinner day. At about 10pm I was starting to flag, but finally Roberta said, isn't it time, time to open presents......everyone agreed it was time, yeah.
This is Roberta, Sandro and Antonella's daughter who is now 30, living in Milan and working for Microsoft, with her long time boyfriend Marco, who is working in advertising. They are planning on going to Miami right after new years for a 10 day vacation in the sun.
Roberta kindly took this picture, the gifts were as big as the tree.......................
Maggie, who's such a good day got to spend the evening inside, she has her special bed when she is allowed upstairs, and she stays there too. Too bad that hat wouldn't stay on her head

Tuesday's walk in Alme and my birthday dinner

2008-12-17T04:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I felt sufficiently over my cold to go out and walk around the village, taking some pictures. This is the main side street which leads to the downtown area, cars can drive on this too.
This is the walking only path leading back the the house, old walls, new walkway.
I invited Sandro, Antonella, Filippo and Vanda to have dinner with me at the local restaurant, which I knew was good because David and Claudia and I went there about 10 days ago. I had a steak with green peppercorn sauce, yum. It was a way for me to reciprocate all their hospitality AND celebrate turning SIXTY FOUR!!!!
Mother and daughter, both stylish and beautiful!
Filippo had a steak too. He's off to Rome this evening to take his carabinieri test tomorrow.

Near Bergamo

2008-12-13T04:04:00.000-08:00

My friend Jane who is living my house suggested that I take pictures of where I am......the local scene. Since I'm now into my fifth day of a nagging cold, each morning being a bit more difficult to get myself together, I decided to oblige her. This is in the hallway from the kitchen to the living area, the walls are lined with cork, a very pretty and nice touch. David and Claudia have all kinds of artwork from around the world here including the ceramic pieces they have made themselves.
My bedroom, looking out onto the balcony which can be entered from the dining room. The lamp is from Santa Fe! They planted the big cedar tree when they moved here in 1978.
This is where I do most of my hanging out, reading, writing, cooking and I told Claudia I wanted to take a picture of the excellent design of her dish drying cabinet over the sink, the next picture......

Well, there I am! Having worked hard to put myself together...in my bathroom, I like all the chocolate brown tiles, very pretty.

Third post on Venice

2008-12-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

I do want to thank Lisa and Pilar for coming up with this idea that we meet in Venice, without their invitation I would not have gone, it just wasn't something or somewhere I want to go by myself. As brief as it was, the awful beauty of Venice will stick with me. This picture was from inside the Peggy Guggenheim Collection Museum, I liked the blue glass, the iron work, the canal and the buildings across the water.
Hope they like this picture, an unforgettable and cold morning......
That the sun shone on this early and foggy morning felt like amazing luck, we liked the color on the water
This was just after we were "lost" and now we knew that we could find our way back to the guesthouse.
Probably the oddest chandelier we saw, and we saw HUNDREDS!

The up close contrasts in Venice

2008-12-09T07:57:00.000-08:00

The artistic guesthouse Al Portico, and in my room the lampshade decorated with safety pins

On the way to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection Museum......couldn't resist this Venetian bag
A scuplture gallery, still along the canal to the PG Museum.....................and we saw this woman
She was still there after we spent an hour looking at the fantastic collection, this woman was still there, so we dropped some coins into her cup, but she didn't move
This is for all the dog lovers, they were so cute, but so very cold, I could not capture their shivers

Twenty five hours in Venice

2008-12-08T09:54:00.000-08:00

Lisa and Pilar met me at the Venice station when I arrived at 1pm on Sunday. We immediately went to our cute guest house just a short walk away. After meeting Stacy the American guest house hostess and artist, we had a warming and delicious lunch at her husband's darling restaurant. We then headed out to Murano, the island with all the glass shops. How to do Venice justice in such a short time? Oh well, we just did it. When it got dark, and very cold and sort of wet we decided to head back from Murano. Preposterously the boat driver stopped not even remotely near where we had gotton on and said (in italian) everybody OFF! So, we had that quintessential Venice experience, we got lost and then had to find our way, which we managed to do with a lot of map consultation, and direction guessing we got back to where we came from! It was 7pm and we were totally exhausted. After a rest, we went out for dinner (late of course) and came up with the plan for today: get up early, take the Vaporetto up the Grand Canal, go to San Marco Square, then find the Peggy Guggenheim Collection Museum. The joke is that Lisa and Pilar are the most directionally challenged people I know, but I had decided from the beginning they were in charge, they would find the way, and guess what, they did and I followed! It was fun and I'm still feeling the rock of the boats, the tremble of the train, and I'm so glad to be back in Alme in David and Claudia's home flat. Oh so fortunately for me Antonella graciously picked me up at the Bergamo station. More pictures on tomorow's post. I'm whooped!

Yesterday morning I took pictures of my paintings

2008-12-04T04:58:00.000-08:00

Can't say the pictures really do justice to the paintings, but one can get an IDEA of my approach so far. I left them all in San Ginesio. But David and Claudia plan to bring a few of them up on their next trip here Dec 20th.
This Machereto, the ancient pilgrimage place.
More mountains, what can I say? The Sibillinis are inspiring. It's amazing because before I left Portland, I was thinking that I would paing with BLUE, didn't realize it would be the mountains!
This is just a really little painting.
The dish like curve was what got me.

Leaving San Ginesio

2008-12-02T10:04:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I'll finish packing up, clean up my room although I am leaving half my clothes here, and some Chinese medicine, other incidentals. David and I will pack the car, go pick up Claudia at school a little after noon. Then we'll start driving to Alme, the suburb of Bergamo, about a six hours drive from here. I've never been there, but I do know that the flat is one third of a three family building, Claudia's brother Sandro, his wife Antonella and their son Filippo live in the upstairs apartment. Vanda, Antonella's mother lives below them on one side and David and Claudia have their place across a hall from Vanda. I have been told that there are shops, coffee bars, etc. right across the street! Oh glory be, I'll be able to walk out when I want to, and I am assuming there will be sidewalks, how nice! Anyway, after a few days David and Claudia will return to San Ginesio. I plan to meet Lisa and Pilar in Venice on Sunday & Monday, which is a holiday here in Italy. Most likely I will stay there until it's time to go to Paris on Jan 15th. I am not sure exactly when I will return, I'm keeping my plans loose for now.

When the Romans come they bring wine

2008-11-30T02:07:00.001-08:00

Saturday morning we went to Sarnano, which is the next town over from us. I took the picture of the mountains because with the new snow they seem even more impressively CLOSE. David, Claudia and I had a morning coffee and pastries at a lovely bar they found recently, much nicer than any in San Ginesio. I discovered a savory little pastry which was delicious. Then, back to the house to get ready for a visit from Sandra, Roberto and Anna Maria, the Romans we visited about a month ago at their country home about an hour from here. So, the wine was poured about 11:30, we broke open the wild boar salami I had purchased last weekend. Claudia with a little help from me and David fixed pizzocherie, my absolutely favorite dish: buckwheat noodles, which are made in the north, with delicate cabbage, green beans, potatoes, chard and sauteed onions, when that's all cooked LOTS of parmasan cheese is added to make it all stick together. After lunch I showed the Romans my recent paintings, and gave them one I had done of the view from the back of their country home. It seemed they were pleased. THEN, a little coffee to revive us from all the wine.....and then a little dessert they brought: a lovely fresh and dried fruit struddle plus some amazing almond nougat and chocolate candy, also we broke open the bottle of Vino Cotto I had purchased over a month ago..........it's this area's drink that is like port, to be enjoyed with a little dessert. So we did! Of course we didn't have dinner..........enough food for one day.

Thanksgiving and we ate a RABBIT

2008-11-27T10:48:00.000-08:00

Thought I would just put up some random pictures.....today when David and I went grocery shopping I took the picture of the rolled up RECYCLING BAGS, which are free. They have a pretty good system here, NO garbage trucks here---you do it yourself. The yellow bags are for GARBAGE, the blue bags are for all recyclables except glass, and the white bags are for COMPOST. And all this can be dropped off at any site near your home. They are in many conspicuous places. Also there are boxes to recycle vegetable oil, shoes and clothes too.

This is one of the most spectacular persimmon trees we've seen recently. They look so great with all the leaves off and so many fruit still on the tree. Must be the time to harvest soon.

The Italians love to point out the HAIR growing on these hams.....sort of disgusting really! And you all know about the cardoons that grow in my back yard every year, getting really tall in the summers, well here are the STALKS, eaten by Italians...not sure exactly how.

Lastly, Sandro went out into the backyard when he was visiting and harvested ALL of David and Claudia's olives....this is IT. Sure to more next year.

Perugia in a few pictures

2008-11-26T04:26:00.001-08:00

This picture of the little shop Strangers Corner is for my dear friend Carmelleta....it's her kinda shop, with all kinds of beads and jewelry from around the world.
Then, the NIKE shop! how could I resist.
The steps were a sunny warmish place to sit and people watch even though it was cold, but since it was a Sunday, many people were out and about in the square without car traffic.
Another sunny spot, so very ItalianThis is what the house looked like when we left at 8am to take me to the bus, it had snowed during the night, but was pretty much melted by that evening according the David.

My Trip to Perugia

2008-11-26T00:28:00.001-08:00

There I am, sitting in my room in the hotel from hell on my second day in the lovely little city of Perugia....more pictures next blog. But first: that hotel! I choose it based on it being a budget room in the center of Perugia AND I could check in at noon, something I knew would be important for me because of my feet, I just could not imagine hanging out in a strange place in cold weather and waiting until 4pm to get into a room, since I knew I would be arriving at 11am.

So...that was all fine, except for the BUSY noisy street it was on, with a motorcycle parking place right around the corner, that afternoon there seemed to be a steady mind numbing assembly of did I say noisy bikes coming UP the long incline of Via Independendenza. I was determined to find another hotel the next morning. After getting settled in I wandered out into the huge square where there were no cars and many people it seemed having an afternoon apres church enjoying the many little and some bigger elegant bars in Perugia. That's all there is here so far as I can tell, 3 bars on every block. And what is meant by a bar is: cafe, drink, hard liquor or beer and little pastries that always look better than they taste and little bread sandwiches with invariably salami or prosciutto and possiby cheese in them, NOTHING else is available, no soup, no light salads, nothing but these damnable bready little concoctions. IF you want to actually eat, then you must go to a restaurant, and that means SPENDING A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY, like at least $20 for lunch and twice that or more for dinner. Then you will have something to EAT! OK I've gotten that off my chest. I even have come up with a little theory about why Italians are so notoriously disorganized: they live on coffee, sweets and little bready things all day, they do it standing up most of the time and spending as little time as possible. They have to be jittery all the time! NEXT post, some pictures

Antonell and Sandro visit

2008-11-21T11:30:00.000-08:00

Sandro and Antonella came yesterday to bring Claudia's electric kiln to her school. So today we headed out to Machereto and the ancient little town of Visso.
At the end of the day, coming home to San Ginesio we couldn't resist taking pictures of this fabulous sky and sunset.
Buying sheep's milk cheese that is "bio" which means organic in Italy at bargain prices.
The elegant SALUMIERIA in Visso, where we bought CINGHIALE, that is Wild Boar salami. Yummy!
Love these pine's swept by the Sibillini winds..........this is an ancient monastery visited by pilgrims since the 1200's. Up in the mountains all by itself.

This morning, a walk up to the road and back

2008-11-19T02:38:00.000-08:00

This morning about 10 am I decided to walk up the drive, or more accurately the strada bianca, the white road, called that because of the white gravelly stones which make the road visible at night. In the first picture the house is a little speck almost right in the middle. The second picture is going back down the road, I forget that when I upload images, they are published in the opposite order, when am I going to get the hang of this blogging? Sometimes very irritating where the cursor goes too.
Kinda obvious, my shadow, as I am going back DOWN the road.
The neighbors picking olives
A short distance from the house, can see the uphill road
At the beginning, leaving the house

My Italian vocabulary, so far

2008-11-18T08:34:00.000-08:00

Been thinking about how it's going language wise, David said it's brave of me to go to Perugia on my own, considering my poor Italian! I'm thinking I'm brave because I have no idea how my feet will hold up!

So, here is what I know to say so far:

Un cappuccino caldo, or molto caldo per favore one cappuccino hot, VERY HOT, please
or un lotte machiato caldo (mostly the drinks are NOT hot enough for me)

la chiave the key
poso pagare? May I pay?
grazie, thank you
prego, welcome
non parlo Italiano, I don't speak Italian, or mi piachere, to my displeasure I don't speak Italian
un kilo medio, a half kilo and that's for carrots, meat, etc.
andiamo, let's go
un camera, a room
allora, well then
ape, the geezer three wheeled truck in the picture which buzzes like a bee, hence APE
pizzoccherie, my favorite dish so far with buckwheat noodles, cabbage, green beans, greens, potatoes and LOTS OF parmasan cheese, parmaggiano
Well that might be about it for now....probably think of other words LATER
OH YES, caci....................persimmon

I didn't know

2008-11-15T02:18:00.000-08:00

This man is the owner (I'm guessing) of ONE of the bars in San Ginesio....and the only one that has extra sized CUPS in order to make a cup of coffee more like what we are accustomed to in the US. His wife is always trying to practice her English when we are there. I said to David: I didn't know that Italians come in EXTRA LARGE size too.

FINALLY, I am painting...........YEAH

2008-11-15T02:11:00.000-08:00

This is just a beginning.................but a good one. I spend all day yesterday holed up in my room, feeling really inspired by the pictures I took and the sensation I had up on the top of the Sibillinis which are a part of the Apennine Mountains. I can DO this with acrylic paint and it felt so good to be doing it. I don't want to worry too much about the outcome just yet. Claudia was so happy she is already thinking about where to exhibit.

Monday up on top of the Sibillinis

2008-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday David said he wanted to go over to Gualdo, a small town nearby to check out the new doctor they had selected and see about making an appointment for Claudia, and did I want to come along? So of course, I said YES. After that, as David is FAMOUS for he said, well let's just see where this road goes, I always wanted to check out Vecchio, or some such place. We never made it there but wound up on top of the world, it felt like that anyway. Way above the snow line and since it was a clear day we could see for miles and miles and miles, oops I mean kilometers. I'm feeling a hint of painting inspiration from these scenes......have to get started on some type of painting that will evoke the peaks and points of the Sibillinis. Still sunny today.

A jaunt to Calderola on a sunny Sunday

2008-11-09T08:39:00.000-08:00

It is not clear at all how to load these images, but I just have to charge ahead! After an exhaustive search on the internet David found a bus route from this place, not very far from home to Florence via Perugia, Siena and it only takes 3 1/2 hours and costs 21 euros, much better than the train. So we went to Calderola this morning for an outing even though I am not up for much walking and Claudia is still coughing way too much. So we "parked" at the local bar for a coffee while David and Zoe climbed up to the top of the town and discovered several building worth seeing when we are up for it. Still it is sunny almost every day, even though the air is cool. This seems to be very unusual for Italy in November. So many people were out for the after church time on a Sunday in the square. Drinking coffee, having wine, playing hide and seek, taking pictures....Zoe leaves this evening at 8pm.

Post election day and we're all HAPPY

2008-11-06T08:49:00.000-08:00

Well, it turns out we are all too old to GO CRAZY on election day, since it was IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT....however yesterday morning in the square all the Italians were giving us the thumbs UP and smiles and saying OBAMA to us.

Then last night we joined some American ex pats that David had met once, we all went out for pizza, my first time in Italy to actually have PIZZA, mine was Siciliana which means with anchovies and olives, and it was excellent.

Of course I am going to take pictures of the more ODD things I see, the black madonnas for instance and this is not the only one. The grim face over a doorway was from an 8th century building overlooking the Ancona harbor, and the "modern" painting on an outside wall reminded me of the great modernist Francis Bacon, and is inspiration for me. Maybe I should get some grist for my mill, some bones, some meat.

My election night meatloaf was a hit with David, and we still have enough for sandwiches....yeah.
It seems that we are all proud to be Americans again, let's really pull together and overcome the past eight years, it will be a daunting task, but we can do it, we must do it. damn I can't use exclamation points, silly computers.

Election Day

2008-11-04T00:56:00.000-08:00

The pictures: Claudia making artichokes and pasta, now that really honestly didn't sound like it would be all that good. But then, these are ITALIAN artichokes, much more tender, you eat the peeled plant, stalk too, mixed with garlic, olive oil, herbs and parmesan, how could you go wrong?

The arm chair in the living room is Claudia's resting spot, looking into the dining area which is part of the kitchen. Then the view from my room, including the little YELLOW Fiat I will be driving. My room, and a picture of me.....haven't figured out how to use the delayed timer yet, so this is the best I could do of a self portrait in my window.

Tonight I am fixing a meatloaf dinner so that David and I can stay up all night and watch the election results. Tomorrow I'll have a picture of David going crazy with delight when we KNOW that Obama has won. So, off to drive UP the VERY STEEP driveway for the first time and go to the butcher in San Ginesio. Ciao.

Construction a Italia

2008-11-03T01:02:00.000-08:00

The tile delivery was last Friday, that's David and the delivery guy, he has really bad teeth and long pony tail, even and earring! The area in the back was poured last week and is now curing. Looks like the perfect spot to put a ping pong table, but right now I am not sure that will ever happen.
Here is another view of the house from the front, I'm thinking that I will paint the house portrait somewhat like this view. The grassy area is a typical view around here, mostly farmer's fields, small trees, many are olive trees and of course a cute Italian farmhouse.

My computer has been really a bit touchy lately, I have to shut it down frequently but still I am glad to be able to do this in the house!

Today is a day for me to ICE my feet, especially my poor right heel, it's red and HOT...Claudia has a better understanding of my affliction and is much more sympathetic. Yesterdays heart to heart talk was cleansing and very helpful. Also, I could use my little heater last evening so I didn't feel cold when I went to bed. OK, I'm going to take more pictures around the house today since I am a bit invalided...and post again.

The last few days

2008-11-02T05:35:00.000-08:00

David and Claudia discovered that this "church" was closed, thank goodness, because I wasn't up for more climbing, and neither was Marna, David's sister visiting from Pennsylvania for a few days. We also had a delivery of pavers, these will go on the new back patio which was poured last week, a pic of that next. The Lion is at the ancient site up at a peak overlooking the harbor of Ancona, pretty dramatic and one heck of a climb up there!

The bas relief was inside the archaeological museum in Ancona, I coudn't resist taking a picture of ancient human upon human brutality.

Marna departed yesterday and this morning David and Claudia had a heart to heart talk about how we are doing, at my instigation. We talked fully about how this has been a difficult transition for me to be so isolated, David mentioned the word "imprisoned" which has crossed my mind too. I am really looking forward to staying in Alme, outside Bergamo for awhile, we will go there in about two weeks. I may stay for a week or two then work my way back here by bus or train, stopping off in Florence. I'm going to go with David in a few minutes so I can learn to drive the little yellow Fiat 600............a somewhat scary prospect, but in order for me to have more independence it is necessary.

Saltimbocca a la Romana

2008-10-29T01:59:00.000-07:00

So despite my bitching about feeling all isolated and all that, these pictures look pretty happy.We were invited to Claudia's close friend Anna Maria's country house for lunch this past Saturday. This was an all day affair. We left here at 9, took a couple hours to get there, Anna Maria and her sister Sandra and her husband Roberto were all in town shopping for the lunch when we arrived. So we met in the square, had coffee and then looked around yet another medieval little mountain village.

When I came outside onto the new covered porch with the view to have wine and chiaouscalo (soft salami) and bread and cheese before the main event, they all commented, "This is Italian living, well not every day, but.....on the weekends anyway." They are all from Rome and these houses have been in the family since the Second World War, the sister's father remembers being there when the Germans came.
Alright, so now I know how to make Saltimbocca, as a kid I remember eatingi tn Italian restaurants in San Francisco. But Anna Maria, said, oh no we don't roll it up, just a thin slice of delicate veal, an even thinner slice of prosciutto and a couple of fresh sage leaves put together with a toothpick. First course; THE PASTA, and indeed, it was delicious.
Today, Wedesday Oct 29th we are expecting Marna, David's half sister to arrive from Turino, but somehow she hasn't really let us know when or where she will be arriving! Oh what adventures............and tomorrow because the teachers are striking, Claudia will conveniently have the day off, so we will all go see what Ascoli Piceno is like. We know there is an exhibition of the not very well known Italian modernist painter Esvaldo Licini there, and we hope to see it.
So, today is the first day we have connection at the house, and it is still not everywhere, just in one room! It seems that the router cannot send the signal THROUGH STONE WALLS, how inconvenient, so Italian.

Wednesday and back in Macherata

2008-10-22T03:23:00.000-07:00

Oh god what a day, yesterday. I decided to take a walk up the road to a place called Shambala, a spa retreat and B and B. I had seen their phone number in an English language tourist brochure I picked up in San Ginesio. So I called and talked with Christine, a Brit to see if I could just come check the place out. She was gracious, showed me around. It is a really beautiful place with 6 rooms, a treatment room, a small breakfast room, outdoor seating and a gorgeous swimming pool.
So, before getting envious about this ITALY trip, check this out: after negotiating to get a massage with her tomorrow (my ankle is still painful) she told me that the CARABINIERI had been to her establishment. They are like the sheriff, rather than police, anyway they told her that a band of gypsies have been breaking and entering and robbing people in the area, mostly looking for jewelery. You know the rich foreighners, right. Well, already I have asked David if he and Claudia feel safe being down at the end of a steep gravel road, all alone..................? He just seems a bit like, well they would have a difficult way out, so probably won't be coming down here.
Then in the afternoon, he realized that the land line phone aboslutely does not work, it rings (and rings) but we cannot use the phone to make or receive calls. It needs to be replaced. Well, OK, so he has a cell phone. In the evening we discussed how my room has no bars and would be the easiest way for burglers to enter....so I should definitely lock the shutters to the glass door of my room.................at 3am,
Icould hear that Claudia was up, then she turned on the hall light and David was saying to me that he needed to take Claudia to the hospital. They wanted me to HOLD DOWN THE FORT, and so they dashed off. Do you think I could go back to sleep????? There I was, just listening to weird sounds in the middle of the night, no phone, don't even know David's cell number, but what could I do? Finally, about 6ish I fell off to sleep to be awakened by his alarm clock! Oh god, can I do this? Can I escape? They came back at 8:30, Claudia looking drugged, and David saying: The doctor said: your wife is full of shit! Poor Claudia, she's still not able to really pay attention to herself.
So while she is resting David and I decided to make a trip towards Ancona to find the Ikea store and then MAYBE I can find a small work table.
Fun, fun, fun.....................laters.

Saturday afternoon in Macherata

2008-10-18T06:48:00.000-07:00

Back again to the internet center in the cute and busy looking little city of Macherata. We found the art supply store, but OH HOW SURPRISING! it is closed! Maybe because it is Saturday, maybe they are on vacation, oh maybe they just didn't feel like being open, mio dio, this is a very inconvenient place. I am still not into the idea that everything is closed from about 1:30 til 4 or 5 or even later. It is a rhythm that will just have to come to me over time.

At least yesterday we found the super hardware like store, can't possibly compare to F. Meyer but they have a folding table and a chair. AND some art supplies, but very minimal. The only problem: because Ursi and Alex are still here we could not fit the table in the car, so will have to come back next week.

David says they went yesterday to the internet providers and we are going to be able to get connected afterall, with a new reception device on the roof which will be beamed to a neighbor, so something like that. Right now, the cabin fever is rather itchy! We found a bookstore today in Tolentino and so now, finally I have a small dictionary, so there is some hope I may start learning more Italian. Also found a couple of books in English, thank goodnesss, it's my relief from the feeling that I am a bit confined being at the mercy of others. Right now I am just finishing Barack Obama's first book, it is an excellent read, glad David had it here. We are all anxiously watching the news every day and feel more and more confident he will prevail....but like almost everyone, we'll be very happy when it is accomplished.

Alex and Ursi will leave tomorrow on the train, so we'll be back in Tolentino, but then the store will be closed!

For right now I must say that I am not impressed with a lot of Italian food, the meats are way too salty, we finally had some porketta from the monastery organic farm, almost inedible it is so salty, what a disappointment. Of course we are mostly cooking and eating well thanks to Claudia's excellent culinary talents. Oh, we also went back to the macrobiotic store, stalked up on miso, wakame and dashi kombu AND brown rice. It will be a nice break from the every day flavors. OK, by next week I am hoping to be able to do this at home and upload pictures. Ciao

Little note from Macerata

2008-10-14T07:51:00.000-07:00

No pictures today because i am in an internet room, no cafe! Ursi, Alex and I decided to take the bus from San Ginesio to see this place. It is quite pretty, wish it were closer! We walked by an art school, and now we know the art supply store is too far away to walk and get back to the bus on time!
David and Claudia and I will have to come here by car.

We THINK that we will be able to connect by next week, so I wonàt have to do this again.
Thanks Sarajane, fun to think of you in Bueno Aires, checking my blog! More later, XO G

A few hours in Macerata

2008-10-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

Ursi, Alex and I decided to take the bus from San Ginesio this afternoon to Macerata, the biggest little city around and about an hour from SG. We had a fancy lunch at a restaurant recommended by David and Claudia, then walked around, found the tourist info center, so now we know the art supply store is TOO FAR away for us to walk to......so we'll have to come back later in the car.

Thanks all of you who have commented, it's really fun to see your remarks. Ursi hasn't been able to download pictures from her camera for quite some time, so we did it to my computer in SG, then transferred to a memory stick, so now she is trying to upload here onto her blog:AJauntAroundEurope, check it out!

Macerata looks like a fun place for me to come back to on my own, we already walked past an art school, saw a huge theatre and there is a lovely outdoor ampitheater, surely no performances until next summer, darn!

David says that by the end of the week if Fidoka, the internet provider doesn't come up with a proprosal to get us connected, we'll have to do it the way Filippo figured out. So, I won't be online for another spell it looks like.

So far, plenty of nice sunny weather! And lots of good eating too, but that's because Claudia is such a good cook, and of course I have been pulling my weight too. I made a huge potato salad and I swear Alex managed to eat half of it! David commented that he appears to be a bottomless pit, typical skinny young guy!

OK! laters, G

Vanda and Filippo return to Bergamo tomorrow

2008-10-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

And Ursula and Alex arrived today! David and I drove to Tolentino to meet them as they arrived from a week in Rome. Since their train was late, we wandered around the town and saw another cathedral, of San Nicola, pretty impressive, those pictures will be up later. Then we managed to stumble upon a MACROBIOTIC store and restaurant, how improbable! They have seaweed and miso! I was thrilled. Well, since Filippo is leaving tomorrow it may be a few more days before I am online again.

A walk UP the streets of a medieval town

2008-10-11T02:39:00.000-07:00

Honestly, we've seen so many of these little mountain towns, I can't remember which one this is. However, everyone agreed that the arched view to the distant country side would make a great painting. I like to include the small, unexpected scenes like this black Madonna and her companion.
Mostly what I've learned is that in these parts, almost all shops are closed from about 1pm until 5:30....that's a long lunch break!

At the Abbetea de Finestra

2008-10-10T05:15:00.000-07:00

We visited a 5,000 hectare Abbey where there is BIO, which means production of organic production of meat, vegetables and wines.

Nevertheless, we had a "snack" lunch of little salami panini with beer. This place was over run with British tourists, the first time I've seen anyone who isn't Italian.

OK, I've been here ONE WEEK and I am feeling a bit more adjusted, slept very well last night, went to the police to declare my presence, can use the ATM all by myself. Then this morning while I was sitting in the San Ginesio square waiting for David to come out of the bank, a man came up to me dressed in bizarre overalls which were black with huge bright yellow stripes around his pant legs and sleeves. He asked in Italian if I knew where the municipal offices are. Since David and I had just come from there,I was able to direct him to the commune even though I admitted that I non parlo Italiano.

Macereto Monastery

2008-10-10T04:01:00.000-07:00

Way up in the mountains, an ancient pilgramage with David, Filippo and Vanda

First few days

2008-10-09T12:04:00.000-07:00

Vanda and Filippo and David and I went to the TIBET of Italy and then we had a lovely dinner at home with Claudia

tried again, here's a few

2008-10-09T03:45:00.000-07:00

I tried a group of pictures and that didn't work

2008-10-09T03:41:00.000-07:00

So, this is the first picture I took of the house, and luckily we are having sunny mornings and afternoon, cool in the evenings.

Clauda's nephew Filippo and his Grandmother Vanda are visiting this week, so every day we are going out to the area, mountain roads, hilltop ancient cities. I'm not sure yet how to post a bunch of pictures, unfortuantely, but I have them! I'm still in culture shock, but almost over jet lag. Right now I'm fixing a pork/carrot/red wine stew for dinner tonight. It's my turn, everyone has cooked so far, even Filippo, who is a staunch meat lover.

David and Claudia's House near San Ginesio

2008-10-09T03:25:00.000-07:00

tenuous connections in San Ginesio!

2008-10-08T13:32:00.000-07:00

my first post from Italy ....we still don,t have a secure connection here. Claudia s nephew and his 80 year old grandmother are visiting from Bergamo. Thank goodness for 20 year olds! Fillipo figured out how to get his MAC connected through his cell phone which will only work in the upstairs window sill, the phone delicately sitting atop a small round metal can in a just so position!

Last night was the first night of regular sleep, so I am feeling over jet lag. We have had a lot of fun driving all over the mountain roads, seeing the Tibet of Italy in the Appenines, walked around at least 10 different ancient little towns with 1,000 year old buildings and I have taken lots of pictures, but cannot post from this computer.

Culture shock is in full effect right now. I need to learn more Italian, David is a very patient teacher with expertise, he is a good teacher and I am getting plenty of listening to Italian, trying to adjust my ear.

More later, buon notte, G

Friends for 46 YEARS!!!!!

2008-09-29T10:03:00.000-07:00

Wow! One of the best things about maintaining friendships: It's never hard to find something to talk about, and always fun to find a new restaurant in Portland and it WAS EXCELLENT!

The countdown: one week to go!

2008-09-25T21:27:00.000-07:00

So, now I've been at Gretta's house for over a week, and she's recovering nicely.

I'll leave my seaweed, katsuobushi and miso here so she can practice making HOME MADE miso soup. Which her son Leo really likes!

Got a new camera yesterday a Nilon Coolpix, the battery is charging now, and soon I can start taking NEW pictures.

Already missing ping pong!

2008-09-23T08:39:00.000-07:00

My dear friends, Peter, whom we call the Old Lion when it comes to ping pong, and Jean-Luc, the Young Tiger, how I will miss you and our great play!

Norm and Brenda will keep the table used and maybe even some neighbors will be over to use it too.

Such a lovely young woman-Melanie

2008-09-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

OK, this is a year ago with Melanie when we finished her portrait, also Adrian my neighbor & friend bought this bamboo painting.....he likes it! This picture does not depict the actual colors, it's more pink and read.

Portrait of Craig

2008-09-16T22:26:00.000-07:00

John Singer Sargent said: "Every time I paint a portrait, I loose a friend." In my case with Craig, I gained a friend. There is just something very intimate about painting someone sitting a few feet away. The interesting part for the subject is to see the painting change and welcome the interpretation by the artist. The hard part for the artist is to keep going until satisfied, not with just a likeness, but with some expression that can be understood as compelling or at least interesting!

My backyard deck, late summer

2008-09-15T21:00:00.000-07:00

OK, so now I'm at Gretta's house....left my beautiful back yard, so it feels that I am just a bit closer to San Ginesio!

The Bamboo

2008-09-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

This will be the size to paint in San Ginesio...............different motifs though

Where is San Ginesio?

2008-09-14T15:34:00.000-07:00

Everyone wants to know: where is San Ginesio?
I fly from Portland to Frankfut, to Munich, change airlines to Il Dolomiti to Ancona. From there, I believe it is about a one hour drive southwest to San Ginesio, which is underlined on the map. To the west is Assisi, Perugia, you get the idea. Macerata is probably the Eugene sized town where I'll go art supply shopping.

Another little 10 minute paintig of Maria

2008-09-13T18:26:00.000-07:00

And they flew out the door, 19 paintings liberated to the neighborhood/friends network.

This one is still here , but Maria has her portrait.

Urban scene Portland

2008-09-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, I had absolutely no recollection of this painting! Hum, wonder where it went?

Pearl District, Portland OR

2008-09-11T14:24:00.000-07:00

I painted this last summer, so it is not on my website...........wonder how my San Ginesio painting will compare?
Right now, I'm so tired I can hardly see straight AND I'm trying to finish my last big painting.

David & Claudia

2008-09-10T11:07:00.000-07:00

OK, so the stress level is escalating, but help is on the way......still moving furniture, cleaning, deciding what to take with me.
This painting of David and Claudia is from two summers ago.

The Ten minute painting of Maria

2008-09-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

I'm really in the getting ready stage: furniture moving, suitcases in the empty bedroom, Jane here to measure and imagine herself in this space. And people will start coming to find paintings to adopt. This one, of Maria at Costello's was accomplished in just 10 minutes, but we had already warmed up with a few other paintings. She can take this home.

Leaving Portland and HOME

2008-09-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

OK, my first time to blog......I'm going to DO this for EVERYONE, so you'll be able to keep up on my 8 months in San Ginesio, Italy. More later, G