#and he freaks out after 20 mins alone in the garden anyway

[hussyknee]

Note to self: a large meal is a very effective sedative for hyperactive cats.

[laurenborrelli]

Allora, va bene

Ever since studying abroad in rome 4.5 years ago, I have been anxious about my next trip to Italy.  Could it possibly live up to the experiences I had while living there?  But it was not a matter of competition.  I have graduated university, moved to Boston, worked in Architecture for 3 years, and traveled to 6 countries since.  I am a different person now - so I tried to be excited to experience the same environment in a different way!

My roommate (Stephanie) for my first two years in Boston had moved to Rome to live with her boyfriend.  Since Kate has never been to Italy and knows Stephanie, we decided to venture together to visit her!  And while Stephanie sporadically moved home just 10 days before our flight...we made the most of quickly booking two new hostels in Rome and forgetting the money we suddenly had to spend.  Everything happens for a reason.  And that reason made our trip even better.

Itinerary:

Thursday, April 19th 2018:  My flight departed Boston at 9:30pm. Kate’s left Chicago at the same time.  As I boarded the plan I got a voicemail of her panting “Lauren - I just made my flight - I ran through security - they held the door for me - see you in Dublin”.  So now that I wasn’t going to end up doing this trip alone, the journey began LOL.  We met in Dublin and shared a pints of Guinness and Magners in an airport with the best amenities I have experienced. 6 hrs later we flew to Rome.  It’s 8pm and we plan to take the train from the airport to Termini Station.  I validate my ticket in the machine - all good.  Kate goes to validate her ticket - rotates the ticket the other way - and pushes her ticket all the way into the machine and gets it stuck.  The train is to depart in 3 minutes and our Italian consists of “scusa me” and “mis dispiace” uhhh ticket-a-stuck? Luckily the snail speed of the ticket attendant to walk over, open the machine, get us our ticket didn’t deter us from running to barely make it on the train. WHEW giggles and sweat overwhelmed us.  We capped on the night by checking-in to our hostel and headed to a spot up the street for food.  The dinner consisted of with bread + nduja spread and two personal pizzas.  Safe to say we went to bed with full bellies and tired minds. 

Saturday:  Kate survived her first night in a hostel!  She talked in her sleep the whole night...which I’m sure the 3 french, 2 british, and one not sure guys were pretty thrilled about!  We were the two girls in an 8 person room...bachelor pad!  LOL JK they were all under 20 y/o but very polite and easy to stay in a room with!  The morning walking tour began with a cornetti and cappuccini at a small cafe where  I used to frequent when I had meetings for a design competition Premio Piranesi.  Moving on to Santa Maria Maggiore, through Monti, around the forum before the crowds, and checked-out my old lunch nook at the Campidoglio.  Then down the stairs along Via Maior Arenula to see where my Cartography classes used to take place and crossed the Ponte Vittorio to check out the Vatican all before noon!  There was a choir singing and thousands of people with matching hats...then suddenly the pope comes strolling out in his glass-less mercedes!  He goes zipping around and suddenly comes within 10 feet of us!!! Kate and I look at each other in awe...ok we saw the pope in our first 24 hours in Rome we can die happy now.  We later found out this weekend was Rome’s birthday, so there was a plethora of activities going on this weekend!  After all of this excitement we FINALLY realized how hungry we were!!  Pizza al taglia at La Boccaccia in Trastevere and found my old apartment! Then around the Pantheon and the journey back uphill to rest our legs at the hostel.  With sunburned noses and hungry bellies we headed in Monti to Pasta Chef.  Its a casual pop-in restaurant with a 4.9 rating on trip advisor - the paper plates and plastic cups makes it not seem like a roman restaurant.  But the food was SO FREAKING GOOD!  Grabbed wine and a tiramisu to go and wandered to check out the Trevi Fountain and Spanish steps at night.  Ahhh what a perfect night cap to an amazing first day in Rome!

Sunday:  Early morning at the Coliseum.  My first time here since it was under renovation before!  We beat (some) of the crowds and scheduled a 12am tour.  We went inside anyways just to compare what it would look like during the day.  As we left the crowds were in full form. Walked around circus maximus and say more bday celebrations kicking off.  A huge parade of gladiators took off and we caught them at the campidoglio.  Porchetta sandwich for lunch at my all-time fave Baccanale in Campo de Fiori. Espresso granita at Tazza D’oro, to Piazza Navona, then up to the Borghese Gardens.  An earth day festival was happening.  75% of the sustainable crafts consisted of spray paint.  Aerosols...earth day...jersey show...it all seemed too ironic.  Spritz and pastries in the gardens and home for a quick nap / packing before the midnight tour!  Made it all the way there despite all of the sketchy guys and cat calls and there was not one entrance point open.  Of course the police barely spoke english and made inappropriate comments so we snapped a quick photo of the colosseum light up and quickly jumped in an uber. So did the ticket booth mean 12pm not midnight?...

Monday:  Delicious breakfast at a cafe before our 8am train to Como!  At our connection in Milan, the second Kate stepped foot on the train it started to depart.  Whew barely made it.  After struggling at the grocery store in Como with our luggage / weighing every produce item (what does the check-out counter do then?) and touching produce without a glove.  We made it on the bus with all of the middle school kids getting out of school...lucky us!  Our airbnb was about 30 mins from Como in a tiny waterfront town called Careno.  The hosts met us at the house, showed us everything, and could not have been more helpful!  We basked in the sun on the beautiful balcony with some snacks and rose.  Ahhh now this is the relaxing part of the vacation.  It was a beautiful ten minute walk down to the rocky beach basically through people’s kitchens.  The water was cold and clear with a couple friendly “buon giorno” heard as we wandered down.  Finished the day with some carbonara on the balcony and Italian dancing with the stars.

Tuesday:  An early bus ride to Bellagio to go kayaking!  Kate’s all-time favorite kayaking tour because it was 20% paddling and 80% chilling.  Just us two on a tour with the guide, Mich.  We asked him any questions we could think of about Italy - even how old kids are when they start smoking.  The answer was 13 btw...  We then had lunch of pizza at a hidden gem he recommended called La Grotta.  Wandered through the shops to buy beautiful ceramics at Magda Guaitamacchi.  The owner was an older woman who spent most of her adult life practicing art in London.  She was the sweetest and really made our afternoon.  We then spent a couple hours hanging at the park at the point.  I did a bit of watercoloring and mostly enjoying the turquoise water against the snowcapped alps.  We then hopped on a ferry home and enjoyed a spritz while on board.  Our airbnb hosts graciously got us a reservation for the only restaurant in the tiny town of Careno.  We had the corner table as the server had grown up with our host.  The meal consisted of multiple courses, each with a particular backstory.  All of the fish was caught in the lake and it was a wonderful way for us to learn about the history of the area.  As we ended with the best limoncello I’ve ever had and bill way too discounted, our server grabbed keys and let us into the church next store.  At first it seemed a bit like a horror scene but actually turned out to be magical and show how selfless his actions were.  We went to bed absolutely stunned how we could meet three incredibly kind and giving people all in one day.

Wednesday: We checked out of our airbnb and trekked down the steep walk to the ferry launch with our suitcases.  After running, sweating, and some last-minute help from our server the previous night (we stumbled upon him opening the restaurant) we made it on the ferry!  A leisurely but packed ride to the town of Menaggio on the Switzerland side.  It was the holiday for Italy’s independence after the collapse of WWII, so transportation and store times were a bit skewed.  Luckily the visitor’s center was open and held on to our luggage free of charge!  We strolled through town and had a beautiful waterfront lunch with sammies and spritz.  After espresso and gelato we grabbed our stuff to take the ferry all the way to the train station in Como.  The town of Como was absolutely packed!  Happy we didn’t spend much time there as we grabbed snacks and took the train to our next destination - Modena!  We arrived and checked into our next airbnb just in time to catch sunset on the rooftop.  People were out drinking and celebrating.  We could hear their cheering and signing resonating form the roof it was hilarious. 

Thursday: We took the train in to Parma for our day filled with food tours!  For my bday, my dad had found a guide who would take us to all local producers in region.  It was just Kate and I on our personal tour with her!  First stop: Parmigiano Reggiano!  The name comes from the rural area of Parma and Reggio Emilia (clever).  We got to see every step of the process and enjoy some delicious samples too.  Next stop:  Lambrusco winery! A refreshing wine with vines that are very young - completely different then my experience in Tuscany. Then to the Proscuitto and Culatello! Delicious meats but the parts hanging in the butcher’s stations were a bit much.  How huge these pigs must be is also quite disturbing... Then to lunch at a small restaurant along a horse race track.  Pretty heavy local cuisine which actually put me to sleep on our car ride back into town...oops!  Finished off the tour with balsamic vinegar.  Very interesting of every age is a blend of the old with the new - different then the rigidity of some aged foods.  With bellies full of very rich indulgences, we headed back to Modena and grabbed aperitivo at this awesome spot in town.  Great vibes, super friendly staff, gorgeous men drinking rose and on bikes, well behaved dogs, a bit of house music, and chips with our spritz...ahhh perfect end to a day once again.

Friday: A full day in Modena and my 26th bday!  Morning at cafe with beautiful, innovative interiors.  Walked around town and stopped in several stores for fun shopping.  Walked through the food market where the Chef Massimo Bottura shops everyday.  I made reservations for us to have lunch at his more casual restaurant Francescetta 58.  Once we arrived, boy oh boy was I treating myself on my bday!  We had a wonderful bottle of white wine with our tasting menus.  Kate got the typical 3 course option and I treated myself to the regional 4 course upgrade.  The dishes were the best I have certainly ever had and we left with the largest smiles on our face.  Best meal ever on my actual bday?...this seemed like a dream.  We then walked off a bit of the food and noodled up to the Ferrari museum.  Pretty cool space with very modern architecture and the cars were pretty sick to see.  The design of each car is so immaculate and just like with any museum, its awesome to see people appreciated the design of something.  Being in the design industry this is something I admire and hope I can implement more in my type of work (even if it isn’t something common in the U.S.).  Ended the day with apperitivo and a late sunset on the rooftop.  And gelato cake in my favorite italian flavor of Amarena. Ah what an awesome day!

Saturday: Took the train back to Rome and arrived at a different hostel for the final leg of the trip.  We grabbed a late lunch at Pasta Imperiale - a casual spot similar to Pasta Chef and then headed to my favorite museum Museo dei Fori Imperiali.  It is Trajan’s market which was accidentally found below ground in a street repair!  I have never been in a building that is an artifact in itself!  Great how interactive it is and puts the extensive Roman history into perspective.  An evening then of apperitivo and walking around Monti with a reasonable bed time.

Sunday: Early morning visit to the Trevi and the Spanish steps before the crowds then hopped on a train to see family an hour south!  It was Kate’s time visiting our extended family and seeing the town our great-grandmother (106 this year!) is from.  Carlo and Paula picked us up from the train station and gave us a beautiful tour of their lush garden.  It was filled with vines for wine, fig trees, strawberry planters, and a beautiful brick oven.  After a delicious lunch we headed up to Ventosa where my great-grandfather is from.  We saw the house my nana gave birth to our grandpa.  We saw her old home that is still abandoned and looks like it was bombed just yesterday.  Then went down the hill to Santi Cosma e Damiano and walked through the church that my nana got married in.  She also left her diamond earrings in the palms of the saints the night before she moved to the U. S....The piazza outside is where my great-grandfather apparently saw my nana coming out of church and realized he wanted to date her.  He had come back from the U.S. to find a nice Italian wife that would move with him... and then there were facebook icons graffitied in the wall next door.  Oh how times have changed!  LOL The views from these tall towns are stunning and the younger family members speak much better english then last time!  So it was fun to converse with time about their recent European travels and what life is like form them living in the larger town of Latina.  Took the train back into Rome in the late evening and grabbed dinner at a fancy food court in Termini Station that our hostel host had recommended.

Monday: Last day in Italy!  We walked all through the city up the Giancolo to see the cannon launched at noon.  We walked around the tempietto and hung in the Villa Doria Pamphilj park.  Then down the hill to the Vatican, to find out that it was completely mobbed and would take us forever to even get inside the chapel.  Next time, Kate!  We grabbed lunch at the most modern restaurant I have seen in Rome called Bar del Fico.  It was great and I hope more like these start to pop up!  Similar type of restaurant that Modena is filled with! Then spent the afternoon bopping into a couple art stores, checking out Ara Pacis and back up to grab spritz in our fave little garden bar at Borghese Gardens.  We even stumbled upon a gelato festival!!!  This was an awesome surprise and while I didn’t have the appetite for it, Kate certainly did!  The flavors were incredibly diverse and unique and she had the largest smile on her face the entire time!  We ended the night grabbing pizza at Alle Carrette.

Changes since my last visit:

Security: This was my first experience going through a metal detector before entering a church!  Man things have changed in Rome since I lived here...but for the better!  Better for this precaution then to have a scary situation inside the church.  To get into St. Peter’s square we even went through many check points - one including the guard making me drink my water in front of them. Ah yes just water no acid ;) 

Spring flowers: This time of year there were flowers growing everywhere!  The wisteria around the wedding cake building made it look a bit less...intimidating.  The pink and white flowers along teh spanish steps were beautiful too.

Old apartment: It’s converted into a beautiful restaurant/hotel.  Which is a relief because the place was falling apart and felt like a lost opportunity when we lived there.  Pretty surreal walking around but not a sappy feeling, just happy that I got to have my time there.  

What will never change:

Coffee:  UGH it’s inevitable to not go a morning without a cappuccino or an afternoon without an espresso. Even kate was having a cappuccino every morning by the end of our trip!  They just prepare it so perfectly well that how could anyone not resist.

Work hours:  We would be in a park in the middle of the day and it would be littered with people!  It was awesome to see how lively and happy everyone was, but why aren’t these people at school or work?... Our Parma tour guide had said full-time jobs aren’t prevalent in Italy now, but is it really THAT bad?

Men:�� SO. MANY LOOKERS!  Very few people acted on it but definitely intimidating for walking around in the evening as two girls.  However I did realize if you want to feel good about yourself - go to Italy.  If you want to feel bad - come back to the U.S.!

I feel very blessed that the universe brought Kate and I together for this trip.  The trip never felt overshadowed by my previous experiences and I could not have been happier to spend it with someone I care so deeply about.

[sumergosuigeneris]

April 13, 2019 Part I

I want to do meaningful work. I want to contribute to making the world a better place.

I forgot about one thing from yesterday. As I came home last night and got out of the car, I saw the guy with the dog that I thought I could be friends with, but he was weird and then I cut him off after he gave a hypothetical involving me being pregnant by him. Anyway, I’ve seen him rarely since and could arguably have ‘just missed noticing him.’ Well, last night it was kind of unavoidable. And I? As insane as it is to say it, I was brave. I made sure to make eye contact long enough to know that he knew that I saw him. Then I ignored him completely. The one thing I’m surprised about, and grateful for, is that he left me alone.

Anyway, I wanted to be ambitious today, but I didn’t sleep well at all last night, so was really tired. I was going to go back to sleep, so I made myself go out. I went to one of the parks on my list. I didn’t actually get to walk there, because some dude warned me it was super muddy, but I went for a brief walk nearby. Then because of some stuff on ttr last night, as well as my discomfort from using wave (it felt like being led around with a blindfold on), I decided I needed to go buy an atlas. I was already a half hour away from home. I tried to see where nearest nobleba was, and it was the one I’ve been to before - still 20 mins or so. I have to say even though I was uncomfortable with it, the route it took me on was very pleasant. Not sure how it will work outside of the countryside though. I couldn’t find a book I wanted to buy; they’re sooooo expensive. I want to support physical stores, but it’s hard. I decided not to buy the atlas, because randomly there’s a Richard’s there I hadn’t noticed that first time. I treated myself to kalamata garden. So fucking expensive! Even at lunch!!!! At first I thought I’d forgotten my wallet completely, but I’d just left it in my jacket in the car. But I almost had a complete freak-out about it.

I decided to buy the racquetball set over a tennis racket. But I was smart enough to find out the return policy first. When I told the Richard’s guy that I appreciated them stopping selling guns, and so I specifically wanted to support them, he was so blase about it. lol it was weird.

I got home in time to get to the coffee shop, which I haven’t been to in several weeks. I got espresso. That seemed safe enough. But unless my memory is bad from the last time I had room temperature shots elsewhere, their espresso is too damn acidic. They’re nice people, but what the fuck?!

So, it ended up being a fairly productive day, and I got home and am rewatching the last two episodes of disk cover ee. Before starting the next season. There are things from season 1 I don’t understand.

I get mad at myself for not knowing the fun things that go on every weekend. But I have to remind myself that up until very recently, and including this week, and including this morning - I haven’t been okay, so I gotta calm down on myself. Not get too upset at what I’ve missed, and not get too ambitious.