Great expectations

Ahhh...travel...

I'm a bit of a Hemingway or Fitzgerald when it comes to traveling. What I most enjoy about visiting new cities is experiencing the new place in the eyes of its residents. I first learned this approach from my favorite novel, The Sun Also Rises, in it Hemingway depicts ex-pats seeking authentic life experiences via the cafe cultures of Spain and France. If I learned anything from Lady Brett Ashley, and the other misfits, it's that you need to get drunk in a city to really understand it. Perhaps I should say you need to put on your booze-colored glasses or, better yet, BTB! Bring-the-booze! Hehe.

Then there are other times when you simply want to see the sights. I'm not talking about the typical Diva in Distress sights like

an Italian Man dressed perfectly in red pants (yum!),

rays of sunshine bathing squatters in front of the Palazzo Pitti, or

 the studded-kitten heels from Valentino that you have been craving for months.

I'm talking about Historical monuments like the Colosseum or the Taj Mahal. Places that maintain a heartbeat after centuries and have a history so rich that, with a little imagination, you can see the visitors of the past. Places where you don't feel lame (like you did when you had dinner next to Bono and couldn't stop staring) being awe struck.

Italy, rich with culture and well-dressed men definitely met expectations.

Tell me Puppets - where have you been that met or exceeded your expectations?  And, please, feel free to say Barneys if that's your mecca! Stay tuned for a DID list of life experiences that met expectations.

Vintage shopping in Florence

Bello e stupido

This world is a trip!

If you know me, you know I love COFFEEEEE

A friend recently asked me if I am easy to travel with, I replied that I only require two things: 1) A general feeling of safety and 2) my morning coffee. That's right - I'm that easy. I love traveling to begin with, so keep me happy by keeping me out of harms way and serve me some java.

Yesterday, on my second-full day in Italy, I was perched comfortably on my realization that Italy produces more than just great food and wine - Italy is also a coffee lover's Mecca! Il caffe is a very popular drink - Italians usually stop to drink a coffee - standing at the bar, so chic.

So on a very sunny Martedi - I made the valiant attempt to find the perfect cup of (Italiano) joe.

My mission started in Piazza Del Popolo at a street-side cafe, where Mr. B and I had just finished cafe-ing. We finished our meal with a cafe il latte, it was delicious with a sweet aroma, but not exactly the good work that I knew the Roman people could do and so we continued on.

Right around apertivo time here in Roma, I stood at the crossroads of coffee greatness, Piazza Sant'Eustachio, and I had to decide between tasting the sweet nectar at Camilloni S. Eustachio or that of Cafe Sant'Eustachio (they are directly across the street from each other). This was a very hard decision! As a coffee connoisseur (and addict) my expectations were high!  

I was allured by Camilloni's authentic-looking establishment...

and, by the flirtatious looks I received from this guy in the beautiful fur collared coat. And, so Camilloni was a natural choice (see! Italians do eat gelato at all hours - I knew it!). Camilloni served up the most the perfect blend of espresso and milk - smooth and velvety. Yum! Success!

On our way past Cafe Sant'Eustachio's their aroma could be smelled from the street! Had I made the wrong choice? Could my nerves handle yet another cup? And what about the adorable yellow motif! How could I have let that beautiful fur-collared man tempt me?  It was too late, I had made my decision and so I would have to live with it.

Well sort of, I decided to take some of the goodness home with me and purchased a bag of Sant'Eustachio's beans! Yippee! All last night, the smell of Caffe fresco lurked in our room. Perhaps that is why I finally had a good sleep.  

We are off to Florence and will report back later. 

p.s. Buttercup says HI!

Viva Italia!

17 days until I depart for Italy!

My trip to Italy, that I'm taking with my buttercup, has been making me entirely too distracted and excited to write thoughtful blog posts. Sorry! So instead I thought I would post a picture of Italy. Well, there are too many photos out there of monuments, historical sites, and food in Italy, so instead I'm posting a picture of this Italian man with an ever so perfect sense of style.

Here is to him and his courage to tap into his timeless divaness.