the eternal city

mozart1
Originally uploaded by the omster.

This is our hotel in Roma. I've just been futzing around on the internet while Luigi natters away with his endless enthusiasm. I don't have to be at work until 11am, but once I start on this "let's look here and here" on the internet, I'll be in a state about being late. So I will post and scamper.

The Hotel Mozart is en Via del Greci, right in the heart of things. It's (of course) overpriced, but remember we said we weren't going to worry about those silly things on this trip, didn't we? I like looking at others' photos of their travels in Italy on Flickr®, but of course I'm puzzled that one would need pics from inside their rental car. Like all my photos make perfect sense. Now how many cats in the coliseum? Oh, there's a tabby, and one that looks like Uncle Junior and Josie....

everything that has been said ~ and more!

You remember that this was our Personal Best for a ticket price, right?
$99.00 each. I bought these tix back in December, I think. Well, anyway,
our seats were way up in the Mezz and I muttered, "oh oh", and even
things more dramatic than that when we walked up the steps. Will
we be able to see and hear? Was this a huge waste of money?

Well, TGP the so right when he gave this his rare 5 star review. It is a
fabulous show (and I don't particularly like "musicals") with superb
music and elaborate staging. We could see/hear everything ~ really
it was a thrill for everyone (I betcha) in the audience, including this
caustic and jaded woman of retail. Go ahead, splurge on the Jersey
Boys, you won't regret it!

There was a lot of stomach flu today after the St. Pat's celebrations
last night, in fact I'm going to go back in for 3 hours later to help
a fellow manager close the big box. He would do the same for me
and I can use this little act of supreme generousity to garner
favors in the future from Bossman and others.

Now to listen to the CD again ~ "Dawn Go Away..."

doltdom revisited

Well, well, well ~ maybe this will work. I usually just send the photo
directly from Flickr®, but they don't seem to want me to send two.

I was up early (too early) fretting about this computer (for the 8,344
time in my life) and knew somehow I could get this to work. Thanks
GPnik. Re links, I used to be able to add this magical touch when I
sent emails to commano, but that feature seems to be causing me
problems and I haven't been able to figure out WTF is wrong. So
this will work for now, I think. Molte grazie!

My Dream Trip begins on Friday, April 6, and I return home on the
21st. On my list of To Dos is the Itinerary which I will post here.
I land in Firenze about the same time as two other women (both
strangers to me) and maybe we can hook up and share a taxi to
our B&B. At which point I will look the receptionist straight in the
eye and say, "Buongiorno, dove il computer?" That will be on
Saturday, in the afternoon. But I'm wearing the watch....

jonathan's latest!

you
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Of course this appears when I don't have a moment to floss my teeth, let alone work with Luigi. It has a great beginning, however, and isn't that when most of us get hooked on a book? I'll read it when I return from the Dream Trip.

one of my top ten faves

motherless
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Many moons ago the Salon Mistressnik asked for a list of my favorite books. I had a grand plan (and even a file on my desktop, somewhere!) to jot these down, but so far no go. But this book is definitely one of my very favorites and now the author has a new one that I was perusing today at the big box when I should have been kicking a customer awake. The young 'uns love when I do that.

Because I am a dolt and can't figure out how to include two photos in one post, even though everyone in the entire blogging world can do this, I will send you another photo of the new book under separate cover.

are those green gnats?

st. pat's
Originally uploaded by the omster.

No, silly, those are itty bitty glittering shamrocks on the Saint's table. We had a delightful time at our dinner party and Roberts corned beef was the best ever. We love our friends and their many idiosyncrasies ~ not one would ever be considered wishy-washy so as a result strong opinions bounced across the table and rolled out into the street. Topics discussed:
1) stairs
2) SF real estate
3) rest of the world real estate
4) the DeYoung museum (2 guests hate it)
5) license plates and the DMV
6) keys that fit into assorted look-alike cars
7) Germany
8) Italy
9) Oslo, Norway
10) South Africa
11) religion (always, errrr, controversial)
12) passover (ditto)
13) Husbando's white sauce
14) Mitchell's ice cream
15) children when they realize they have to go find a job

The house is back in order today and I even went to the big box for a few hours to take care of a money project. Now to nap...

heart over head and heels

from neti's deck
Originally uploaded by the omster.

I believe this is the view that caused me to fall permanently, overwhelmingly and sometimes irrationally in love with San Francisco. I was living with pre-Husbando in New Jersey and came to visit our friends N & F way back when there were no traffic jams, cracked crab cost about $2 each and we all were ruled by our hearts and never our heads. Try to imagine this view at night with a million sparkly lights and the glow of alcohol and youth.

Yesterday I watched the fog roll in a little from N's home in Twin Peaks as I helped with her computer issues. I always stop for a moment and try to remember how I felt when I saw this the first time. My God.

The rest of the day was spent in a Mrs. O'Dalloway sort of running around tasking and arranging flowers, etc, but I felt relaxed and productive and looking forward to entertaining friends tonight. I'm glad it is not as warm today because our AC is on the fritz. (That is a SF only kind of joke ~ are you smiling?)

eddie, minnie, luigi and brian

eddie
Originally uploaded by the omster.

I have a lot to cover this morning before my official day of errands and tasks begins. Let's start with our calendars, if you please.
Brian Copeland
to discuss and sign
"Not a Genuine Black Man"
7pm
Tuesday, March 20
(one week away)
Borders Union Square
BRIAN IS A DELIGHT, BE THERE (per favore)

Only 6 of us in Italian class last night, so that meant she called on us more and my poor mind is still feeling overwhelmed this morning. We are getting a lot of practice on asking for directions and no one needs to worry that I'll be getting lost in Italia. La maestra also had us asking each other what time it is/was/will be and at one point I snapped, "I plan to wear a watch" and I tapped emphatically
at the one with large black numbers on my right wrist.

Eddie Izzard has appeared several times in our big box and Husbando and I have become fans, renting his DVDs and chuckling with appreciation at his genius. Well, he is now on FOX tv along with Minnie Driver (also quite wonderful) in the new series entitled "The Riches". Eddie has lost his English accent for this juicy role as a complicated con man. We watched the first episode last night and it's a winner. Check out Tim Goodman's review in the chronny REVIEW / Grifting clan lives large in 'The Riches'

OK, off to Costco and Roberts and Beyond. It's hot here again, imagine!

inspired again!

dixie
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Last night we both enjoyed this documentary from the Flix®. One of my all-time favorite tunes (still can bring a tear to my eye) is "Goodbye Earl" and the Dixie Chicks belted out a little of this last night as they battled for freedom of speech after Natalie had the audacity to criticize our president during a concert in London, back when this disgusting invasion of Iraq first started. I love these tough young women with their southern accents ~ traveling in the big pink trailer with their husbands and kids. I know their new CD sells v. well at the big box and I might have to pick one up today to show my support. The DVD is entitled "Shut Up and Sing", but you knew that.

I couldn't help myself

great reviews!
Originally uploaded by the omster.

When I first started working at the B&N big box about 10 (?) years ago, I spent waaaaaay too much money on books. Money we did not have at the time, by the way. I learned to use the book loan program and to resist temptation, for the most part, anyway.

Currently our mortar and brick big box has a freeze on book loans because we are facing inventory in a few weeks. But I had to have this book ~ the reviews have been fabulous and one of my favorite customers read it and raved. What's a woman to do?

The book is a mystery about a young expat writer who goes to work for an old expat writer who is more than eccentric. As you might have guessed, it all takes place in Venice, Italy. I figure that after I finish it I can give it to one or all of my traveling companions.

Isn't the cover super kick ass? (I heard one of our booksellers use that literary term today.) "The Lying Tongue" by Andrew Wilson.

...to see us safe to bed

A train
Originally uploaded by the omster.

OK, get on the phone and call 415-677-9596 and go see Jesus Hopped the A Train at the SF Playhourse at 588 Sutter St. at Powell. This is some fine, fine acting and an impressive script by Stephen Adly Guirgis who also wrote Our Lady of 121st Street which we thoroughly enjoyed last year. If you want to check online: www.sfplayhouse.org.

When we went to our first SF Playhouse play (Art) about two years ago, there were about 6 of us in the audience. Today it was sold out, SRO. That pleases us immensely as this small theatre group deserves all the success it has earned.

three lunches and one dinner

I need to talk about the four different restaurants we went to on my
weekend. Just in case I ever need to look back and see what we
did on March 6,7, and 8 of 2007.

1) Ty Cobb salads at the Connecticut Yankee on Potrero Hill
2) salmon in a calzone pocket at Il Fornio in Corte Madera
3) dim sum at the Imperial Palace on San Bruno
4) exquisite thin crust pizza at Caffe Vogalonga

The best was Vogalonga at 22nd and Valencia ~ an authentic
(I think) Italian restaurant where the waiter suggested we
try the racket of lamb. I was tempted, but the pizza had the
thinnest crust this side of Pazzia.

All my blogging friends are writing about food today, so I thought
I'd jump right in and add my sizzling garlic. I often wonder how I
would live in a city that didn't offer so many, many choices.

We started the weekend at Roberts on Bryant Street ~ talking
corned beef with the owner who doesn't give a damn about
customer service. That's fine with us ~ we're more interested
in the product anyway. We'll discuss corned beef more next week....

from an '05 round robin write

women (should) rule
Originally uploaded by the omster.

SOMETIMES IT'S ENOUGH JUST TO SAY THEIR NAMES

I became a feminist when I was in my early thirties and my admiration for strong
women grows and grows. I do admit to feeling a little flabbergasted when
I see young women in 6" heels and tarts-in-training fashions, but I
know if push came to shove, if abortions were criminalized again and
men started making lots more money than women, these well-educated
and successful ultra-frilly girls would sharpen their nails and get to
work. No way are we going to back track to be the weak and dependent
sex ever again.

So I will say the names of the women I admire so much:

Gloria Steinem
Letty Cottin Pogrebin
Betty Freidan
Andrea Dworkin
Bella Abzug
Susan B. Anthony
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Maya Angelou
Margaret Sanger
...and so many others (famous and not so)

Do any of us realize how much ridicule these women had to put up with?
Men always wanted the whole thing to be a joke and go quietly away.
I believe that the goal of the conservative movement is to put wives
back in the home doing exactly what the husbands tell them to do.
They had it so good back then and they knew it.

So let's hear it for the brave feminists who advanced the cause for all
of us and to whom we owe so much today.
08/20/05

the grandest of all canals

dove
Originally uploaded by the omster.

I'm guessing that Venice (like NYC and SF) is small in size, large in diversity and culture. For months I've been reading "The City of Falling Angels" by John Berendt. You know him as the author of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil", so of course it's extremely well written. But lately I'm reading it with greater intensity and am impressed by the number of characters from all over who came to Venice to create and interract with other artists. Ezra Pound, Henry James, Robert Browning ~ just to name a few.

"Wings of the Dove", written by Henry James, is mentioned in the book. We rented the movie and I certainly recommend it for the luscious scenes of Venice alone. The story is OK, the acting sort of bland, but lordy ~ the Grand Canal, the cafes, St. Mark's, endless narrow streets, boats...what an odd place it will be. Imgaine never worrying about cars, car alarms, horns or parking. Not that Venice doesn't have a few its own concerns, as we all know.

como si dice OCD en italia?

prep work
Originally uploaded by the omster.

Friends have been sending me articles for the trip, so I decided to purchase these zip-up folders at the big box. One for each city: Firenze, Roma and Venezia ~ plus an extra one just because. They will be handy to keep all the notes and papers that I gather over there too. You see that I am fond of the Streetwise series of maps and I won't have to spend time trying to fold one in a rain storm.

The bag is in the hallway because it is now officially one month until the departure date. If you are very well behaved, you might get a photo of the bag this week too. I have a few items of clothing, the plane ticket, 3 books and Euros in there. Planning is so much a part of the joy of travel, isn't it?

This afternoon we watched "Wings of the Dove" and I will review it soon, maybe domani.

nove a la scuola

Yes, the same 9 students as last week! I think Luigi helped me and
I felt a bit better this week and actually answered some questions
without waiting for la maestra to point to me. I did ask about internet
cafes and then we discussed (in English, thank God) those peculiar
Italian keyboards which Dancing Jen complained about when she
traveled there almost two years ago. Well, I'll just deal with it, and
no one will point out all my errors, I'm sure.

The rest of the day was all work and no play, except maybe a little
constructive work gossip now and then. I helped with two interviews
and for the first time in a long time we are maxed out on payroll,
meaning no more interviewing and subsequent paperwork for a
week or two. I've started working on reviews because I want to
get all 22 of them written and delivered before I leave for Italia.
No easy task.

But, hooray ~ I'm taking a personal day tomorrow, so I have three
off in a row and I can regain my equilibrium. We have writing group
Thursday night and I need to put fingers to this American keyboard
and come up with SOMETHING. It is late (for me).

what is so rare as a sunday brunch?

brunch @ green's
Originally uploaded by the omster.

I was able to leave the big box at noon today and we met our friends Steve and Marita here at Green's ~ you can see the Golden Gate Bridge in the far background. We haven't been here in years and I didn't think the food was as good as I remembered, but the place was packed and of course it is such a beautiful setting that this didn't matter too much to us.

Then we headed over to the Magic to see "Bot", one of the Hot House brand new plays, and I do want to mention the young man (Jonathan Rosen) who is a high school senior and one terrific actor. Today almost felt like a REAL Sunday to me and the city was quiet and strangely traffic-free. Weird.

a quick recommendation

a quick recommendation
Originally uploaded by the omster.

I have been leafing through this book by Francine Prose, in between my deep and marvelous moments with Luigi and Rick Steves. Here from page 23 of "Reading Like a Writer".

"Alice Munro writes with the simplicity and beauty of a Shaker box. Everything about her style is meant to attract no notice, to make you not pay attention. But if you read her work closely, every word challenges you to think of a more direct, less fussy or tarted-up way to say what she is saying."

Prose writes that we all start as slow readers, but now we tend to skim. She finds that if she copies an entire graph from a talented author, her own writing becomes more fluid. Something to think about on a Saturday morning. Now, to get ready for my other life...

a sight tourists never see

The last time I was the closing manager at the big box, I witnessed this
wonderful scene. It was about midnight and the garbage men were
using the cable car tracks to send those big garbage cans sliding all
the way downhill on Powell Street, from Sutter to the truck waiting at Post.
"All right", I said a little too loudly. What a sight.

the house of the tragic poet

for your consideration
Originally uploaded by the omster.

That's in Pompeii ~ I'll be there on April 12th. Our tour guide (Ginger of Summerland) called me last night, she's not one for the electronica posta, so I have a bunch of scribbled notes and will build myself a scratchy little itinerary to share with you all at a later date. I spent some more quality time with Luigi (sheesh, his enthusiasm wears me down!) today and then I had homework to do for class next Monday night. I need a 7 letter word for "where to find a town plan", second letter is "e". In Italian, needless to say. Now I discover that Linda is more than learned in this, my new 2nd language, I'll have to be extra careful here in this blog.

We had lunch at Westlake Joe's, then watched this movie pictured above. Not as good as the others, but amusing, sort of. Oh, and I bought the converter at Radio Shack, one less item to fuss about on my list.