If it is June, it must be Italy!

When I imagine that this time last week I was spending 30 hours transporting myself from across the pond it seems crazy. But true, nonetheless. And if you imagined the 30 hours to be a typo, well I wish it were, but if there is a drawback to living in a small little town in the mountains, it is airline travel to and from Tahoe/Reno. I arrived in Italy to some lovely weather and it was just 18 hours to get there (the flying time is similar, but the layovers in the different hubs across the USA are the bear). My mission for the day was to stay awake until the evening. After unpacking and getting settled into my room at the "spa" in Vicenza, I grabbed my book and headed out to the pool. It was too hot to sit there. So I decided to go for a run. Of course I got lost and by the time I found my way back to my hotel, it was a shower and then a quick "ciao" with Paola before going to a nice dinner in town with Alessandro from Campagnolo (as well as the Spanish, German and Dutch distributors).

The chatter at the table was a lovely mix of Spanglish, Italenglish, Germanenglish and the Dutch---well that would be perfect english! I out-did myself by staying awake past midnight and completely fell sound asleep by the time my head hit the pillow. I felt pretty normal (a funny word-choice for me, but normal for me) the next morning and the breakfast at the Vergilius Spa is fabulous. By then, many of the other countries had arrived and I had the morning free to rest before the presentation. So after the Buon Girono's Buenos Dias, Dag's, Bon Jour's, etc., I headed over to the pool and read my book with Pascal from The Netherlands.

I am normally not a sunbather, but I was reading The Dog in the Hat and time just flew by. Lunch served by the beautiful Italian woman by the pool and soon it was time for the Big presentation. Sometimes, I pinch myself. Like how did I get here? Somedays, my life sounds better than anything I could have invented. And for a girl who has invented so many cool stories, I can somehow not put into words my reality these days. It's a bit ironic.

After a lovely and another very late night, I crashed again (sleeping comes so naturally for me!) and the next day I was off to Treviso with Paola, after our business meetings at Campagnolo. We went to our favorite place in the walled city center later that evening. My Hotel this year was the best choice. A few meters from the railroad into Venice and right inside the city center. It was called the Hotel Continental. Each time I am in Europe, I realize how much you really get for your money in the USA. And the more I travel outside my country, no matter how much I appreciate and love the places I visit, I am further made aware of how very blessed I am to be an American. We can complain about the cost of Gas, hotels, etc., but our standards are very high. I love Western Europe. I really do. But I believe that the luxury life we are afforded in our country is amazing. And everything feels like a bargain the first few weeks I am back home. There is beautiful in the old charm, but also in the new world.

Paola met me early on Saturday and we rode the train into Venice. Venice reminds me a bit of a very very old NYC. With it's neighborhoods, artisians, shopping and food. Obviously very different as well. But it was a feeling of excitement that only NYC invokes in me. Seeing Venice with a local was a treat beyond belief. And while I can't remember everywhere I went, I remember no feelings of helplessness from being hopelessly lost. Everything from Leonardo DiVinci, Picasso, etc., can all be seen and felt there. I walked through all 5 of the burroughs and over all the bridges. Old and New.

By Sunday I was beat! My plane out of Venice was delayed by 3 hours. This was annoying as it was eating into my time with the Kalski's in Atlanta. I had a 13 hour layover, which was shortened by by a few hours. But Larry was there to meet me 4 minutes after I landed and a few minutes of Southern Hospitality goes a long way! At least I wasn't inconvenienced like the rest of my plane with making my connection.

And there is nothing I love better than landing in Reno to my smiling husband and my small hound. I think this is the best story yet, and one I can never put into words how blessed I feel in my life. My own little very simple fairy tale. Happy Sunday!

Fondazione Vedova - Emilio E. Annabianca

A day in Venice! And seeing it with a local Italian woman was priceless. I have lots to write about and either no time, no energy or both. My new camera is great, but the operator still needs lots of practice. There is an "idiot" button which I was planning to use, but there was a "no flash" rule inside the installation exhibit and I proceeded to mess the settings up. These are also a low resolution to make sending them easier and hopefully you will get the gist, regardless of the quality.

Fondazione Vedova is a new exhibition place in Venice, and the opening of this important modern artists paintings are the first to be there. So my timing was great. It was especially meaningful because in the last 5 years I have become a fan of Jackson Pollack and I found many similarities to the feel of Emilo Annabianca's works. This installation was a collection of 27 pieces. 9 rectangles, 9 squares and 9 circles (but the circles except for the one pictured were in square frames.)

The hall was especially cool, and what was interesting about this exhibit is that the artwork came to you. Most of the time you view paintings by walking around a gallery. But these pieces were hung from a special rail that brought the paintings down the aisles, turned them (magically perfect with the lighting), and dropped them to your eye level. They then, in a symphony, picked themselves back out, put themselves away in a rack, and brought out another 9. The whole process (including the downtime where they sit at eye level) is about an hour for each 9 pieces.

It was really fascinating to be there. Only in Venice can you see the very very old, with modern technology married in one place with such style and innovative design.
More to come.

We also saw the Yoko Ono, Mother/Son installation and the Guggenheim in Venice. The artwork that I have admired much of my life, seen in person can bring you to tears. Prints are wonderful ways to see art from a global perspecitve, but seeing the pieces in person will move you to places you weren't aware of. It's a very emotional thing. Also seeing the art in person in the old country is something I will not soon forget. The depth can not be photographed.

Happy Saturday!

The "new" size 2?

So, yesterday, and really most of last week, we have been in this very unusual (for the high-desert) cool weather in June. Saturday it was actually rainy/wet out most of the day. I am not complaining at all--the longer we stay cool, the shorter the heat-wave of a summer 90's and 100's will be (at least on paper). I was going through "old clothes" and new clothes to see if I need to buy anything to go to Italy next week. I'm still pretty much the same size I always was---so my clothes from 20 years ago plus still fit me.

What I did find interesting (and progressively frustrating), is that what "used" to be a size 5 is now a size 2. What is up with that? When I think of a size 2 I think of someone WAY smaller than I. And yet, when I go shopping now, I am a size 2. I haven't lost weight---but I am now an American size 2. It is kinda scary that this is what we've come to. Instead of losing weight, we just made the smaller sizes bigger.

Just for fun I measured my old size 5 jeans and they are actually smaller than new size 2's. The Gap, and DKNY are big offenders of oversizing---even in the petite section. When I tried on some of those brands the size 2 fit me baggy. It is comical if you ask me. Even the junior department has taken up this game. Sigh... Kinda funny, but not really. I wonder if this is just women's clothes---or if the men's designers are doing this too? It makes me think of Jerry Seinfeld when he scribbled a 32 on his 33's or something like that.

So---Today was completely gorgeous out. Perfect, sunny, and in the 70's with no wind. So I went out for lots of hill-climbing miles on my bicycle and thoroughly enjoyed the day! Made up for doing NOTHING but walk the Scrapper through the canyons yesterday. Mom and Dad are in town and we will have dinner with them tomorrow. Mom's new chemo cocktail seems to be finally working a bit. But it has been a rough few months. Thanks for asking and keeping her in your thoughts.

I am looking forward to Italy this year. It's a quick trip again---but I will spend one day in Venice with an Italian to show me the good stuff! And I am REALLY looking forward to my layover in Atlanta---I haven't seen Larry, Chris, Arlene, etc in far too long!

Have a wonderful week! Happy Birthday Hunter Rooney!