"Motorcycles, Strippers and a Really Big Elevator"

Could this be the beginning of recognition for a small town girl in a big-big world? My voice is being heard in the loud and busy internet world... but why?

"Motorcycles, Strippers and a Really Big Elevator" was something described to me by one of my Twitter  contacts known as SexinStilettos after she told me she had a dream about me the previous night when I asked what the dream was about, she said "i don't really remember except there was motorcycles strippers and a really big elevator"...  It does however leave a lot to the imagination... combined with a couple of other occurrences this week, I have been motivated to write about my 'cyber' life experiences in the past few days.

The next occurrence that had me intrigued this week was being contacted by Cat Bauer as I had mentioned in my previous blog post. I was invited into her home to watch the famous 'Regata Della Befane' through the Grand Canal today. The unfortunate part was that I woke up very ill with a sore throat and chesty cough so didn't think it was a good idea to wander out into the snow and spread my germs to new people I was about to meet! I will admit though, I was very disappointed with myself, but my luck seemed to turn back around when Cat had phoned me later in the afternoon... it was so wonderful to chat with her, and to hear the positive things she had to say about me - her openness with the discussion about why she had approached me to join them today, as inviting a stranger to her home is not something she would generally do- but she has enjoyed reading my blog and thinks I am an 'intelligent young lady' (for those that know me, please refrain from laughing out loud!) - I was flattered and really am looking forward to meeting with her when I get back from London next week.

The last thing that happened via the cyber world this week was a comment  left on my previous blog post by Erla Zwingle. Most of the comments and feedback I have received throughout my short blogging-life have been quite positive and fun - basically due to the fact that the only people I though to have been reading were my family and friends back home. Initially I had started this blog for fun, an on-line travel journal for them to keep up with me as I make changes in my life everyday, but I have expanded on my blog subjects and Erla made me realise that there are more people out there day by day stumbling across this page and taking the time to read. 

At first I thought it was quite negative to receive this comment, but after reading the information there I realised that firstly, having someone of this caliber 'care' about what a nobody like me had to say was a great compliment. Secondly, that I could learn a lot from someone with this experience and knowledge of the city I now call 'home'. There is a lot to learn in this lifetime so I took on the information as an educating experience - the one thing about my blog that I thrive on achieving is to keep my own voice. I am not writing a journalism column, I am not producing news headlines - I have studied these at university and if it was what I wanted to do, I would find employment within the field - I am just a girl writing about experiences, my daily changing life and whatever else pops into my mind... but I do have big dreams and a passion for the written word (afterall.. it is mightier than the sword, right?)

The part of the comment however, that did strike me harder than pointing out my errors was this 

"Especially if you say you love Venice. Venice, like a person, can only really be loved as she deserves by people who try to understand her, not just ramble on about how she looks."

Just reading that line I can sense the passion this person holds for this city that I once critisized and claimed to dislike... over time I have claimed Venice, the most Romantic city in the world -to me- to be a magical city, one where dreams are coming true everyday and one that has seen me grown and change in such a short time. I have been lured by her beauty over a short time, from a mild crush to a full blown romance with this life.

I also never considered there to be a correct way on HOW to love. Relationships, perspectives and experiences are all so diverse and always changing - just like people, that to 'feel' emotion, like LOVE for something or someone is not always going to be the same. I will still say that I am passionate about this city, maybe after 2 months of living here I am still in the 'Honeymoon Period', still with so much to explore, so much to learn and so much to see - but does that mean that I can't claim a love for something... am I not loving the correct way... and can anybody ever tell us how to love - I'm just like every other emotional person, I just feel.

ROCKING HARD!!

I am so excited that the Hard Rock Cafe is opening here in Venice ! - it will be located in San Marco Square, and I also think it's about time!! Venice is one of the most traveled tourist destinations in the world- there is more tourists than residents here on a normal day and it is definitely a smart move by the soaring American-style Bar/Restaurant.

 

For a long time over my travels I have been a collector of Hard Rock merchandise, ensuring that I take a T-shirt from every one that I visit! (I've got a great collection happening from Toronto, Melbourne, Dublin, Roma and London to name a few) but am so excited that I will have the opportunity to be one of the first people with a Hard Rock VENICE shirt! There has been some delays in opening however with the Acqua Alta Venice had back in December, and we are still waiting on the official opening date to be launched!

La Befana - the Magic of Epiphany!

Tonight is the night Befana should be visiting to fill a sock full of candy and presents in celebration of the Epiphany Festiva l!!

La Befana is a tradition in Italy - she is a bit like Santa Claus, but is a kind witch, that rides her broomstick to deliver gifts to the good girls and boys! Being a good housewife, she even is suggested to sweep the floor before she leaves the house on the eve of 6th January!

In Venice every year there is a race held in the Grand Canal to the Rialto bridge called the "Regata Della Befane" - this entails men cross-dressing as old witches (La Befane) and racing small boats known as 'mascareta' (thank you to Erla  -see comments- for this information) whilst standing up, Ventian style!

I have been honoured with an invite to watch the race by someone I consider one of Venice's important people and an inspirational writer! Cat Bauer. Although I haven't yet had the privilege of meeting Cat personally, I have been following her Venice Blog for some time now and was thrilled when I first received a comment on my page from such an inspirational woman to me! Then doubly thrilled when I received an email inviting me to watch the Regata Della Befane with her and some friends at her home tomorrow!

2009, opened for me with magic, as I told you about with the fireworks in San Marco Square while I danced in the snow - I think one of the most amazing experiences I have had! Venice just keeps getting better for me and is full of surprises, love and inspiration. I find another reason to fall in love with the most romantic city in the world everyday- I am living the dream! (I just hope I never have to wake up!)

Just Like MAGIC... LOVE 2009!!

What an experience.. What a New Year's celebration!

As I stepped outside after a wonderful dinner party with my new friends... Just like magic, like a dream, and something I had never seen - flakes of snow were falling from the black Venice sky. "OMG, IS THAT SNOW?" was all I could exclaim.

Here are the pictures from a fantastic dinner...

We walked the frosty, beautiful streets of Venice to reach San Marco Square for the party and fireworks... I was like a child in a candy store! I felt so new and alive when we arrived... the snow, the atmosphere, the amazing surroundings, the people, the passion... and probably all the Spritz, Vino and Champagne... *ahem*

I was alone, not literally, but I felt like the whole night was mine, it was there for me... Venice can be a sad place to live at times, and the last month has been a bit of a struggle for me, just in the sense of feeling homesick, having all the festivities going on, happy people everywhere and feeling so alone in this city. It was like a miracle that Rina had invited me along to her New Year's party, knowing that Leo had to work and I was going to be alone for the night... the girls and guys I were with were so welcoming, so much fun, I felt as though I had known them forever! 

The theme was "LOVE 2009".

This is the write up - 

LOVE 2009 - START A NEW YEAR KISSING IN VENICE

On the 31st of December, Love, the new Venetian way of celebrating

New Year, returns to San Marco Square, ready to set the heart of

the city beating on one of the most important nights of the year.

Once again, San Marco Square will host the New Year celebrations

that will culminate in a vast, communal kiss between over 60,000

people. One unanimous kiss to send a message of love, peace and

brotherhood to the world. This is the simple but profound gesture, that

will welcome in the New Year at an event that is destined to become

the focus of media attention and a worldwide symbol of goodwill as

well as a very special memory for both the city and all those who will

be there to enjoy this new, unforgettable night in Venice.

Then the snow, the fireworks... all of it... I couldn't stop smiling and crying at the same time all night- there was a magic in the air, something about the unity in the Square was enchanted... I was overwhelmed and so happy... To dance in the middle of S. Marco Square with a champagne in my hand, on the icy ground and with the snow falling all around me was incredible. 

To watch the famous words of Andy Warhol (who happens to be one of my biggest art inspirations!) beam across the lit up stage screens in the piazza with disco music blaring, the words "LOVE 2009" Flashing across the screens between artwork and quotes and not even feeling the cold because I was dancing so hard was unreal... I could definitely put New Year's Eve 2008 up there with the time of my life! I will definitely be loving 2009...

I really do live for the future, because when I'm eating a box of candy, I can't wait to taste the last piece. ~ Andy Warhol

Sausage... It's a Tradition!

It's currently 4am in Venice - I was having trouble getting to sleep tonight, I think it is the excitement of knowing that all the sales are on tomorrow  TODAY (I just have to wait about 5 hours for the shops to open!), and I am very eager to go SHOPPING!

Due to my lack of sleep tonight, I have cracked open a bottle of rose` - Duchess Lia's Fragolino to be precise... it's cheap, but not nasty! An Italian red champagne that actually tastes really good, and the fragrance of the strawberry in this bubbly red is enchanting - a nice drop for the sweet tooth like me!

So when in the Venice winter, drinking champagne and waiting to shop at 4 o'clock in the morning, with frosty snow residue outside - what more excuse do you need to BLOG ON?!

Tonight.. I want to talk about sausage! It's a tradition of Italy, even in Australia the Italian community gets together in the winter time to process the remains of a dead pig, stuff it into the intestines of a sheep and dry it out in the cold for weeks on end to make that perfect salsiccia. (yes, I know I made it sound a bit rank, but really, it's wonderful in many ways - on pizza, fried up with some fresh bread, thrown into a pasta sauce, on its own, or even with a cheese platter... these dried sausage have so many uses!) But here is a sausage experience that was totally new to me-

After Christmas we organised a 'catch up' lunch with friends. As everyone was so busy with Xmas and family things... Patrizia brought along a traditional dish from Veneto (that's the region of Venice and surrounds) for the occasion.. it's called 'Musetto' - also known as 'Cotechino' ~ In northern Italy (the Veneto region) this sausage is made with coarsely chopped pork rind, lean pork, and pork fatback seasoned with salt, pepper, cloves, and cinnamon, then cured for three weeks. A very typical dish in this time of year.

We served it up with some baked polenta, and spinach... then added either 'senape' (mustard) or 'kern' (horseradish sauce - definitely my preference as it was very spicy and wasabi-like!)

The flavour in this Musetto was amazing - my mum used to cook up very strange foods for my father as he liked to eat odd things (this is very normal for people of the Lazio Region in Italy, and my dad was from Civitavecchia, Roma - where basically they will pick something up from the ground, cook it and eat it) ~ I guess this is where my taste buds have derived and my adventurous food antics ~ One of Dad's particular favourite dishes was Pig's Trotters (yes, literally Pig's Feet). Mum would boil them up with salt, and they had such a delicious piggy taste - I'm not really sure how else I can describe it! The trotters were always so sticky and chewy and this Musetto had a very similar taste, without the sticky and chewy sensation.

I really am amazed by the new food I experience in Italy almost daily, things I never thought of or didn't even know existed. Even though I have grown up with a lot of Italian food, and traditions, there is always so much more to learn!

Christmas in Venice..

So this is my catch up for the past week that there has been no updates! - As most of you probably were, I was a little busy with the festive season- getting into the 'spirit' and all that jazz.

My Christmas in Venice was nice.. but it did take me a while to be enthused by it all. Being my very first Christmas away from home and having my boyfriend at work for the entire day and night, I was a little starved for affection, and sad that I wasn't going to be eating lunch at Nonna's table with my family, in the gorgeous Perth summer... her lasagne, her soup, her 4 different roasts, and more to the point, her gnocchi! Wow, that woman's cooking is an inspiration to me!

Here are the photos from my Christmas Day Lunch with my cousin, Eli and her family ~ it turned out to be a really nice day - I got some awesome presents! (I think my cousin intentionally spoilt me as I was away from home - from her I got a Max Mara jacket, Swarovski bracelet, perfume and some household utensils!) with equally good food! The great cooking definitely runs in the family, lucky for me! But so much for a 'WHITE CHRISTMAS' of all the days this winter, the sun was shining and I was actually warm!

Later in the evening I met my friend Davide and went on to play air hockey at the carnival along S. Marco Canal, which was a lot of fun, but then it started raining crazily - I got saturated (as you can see in the last photo there) which led to me coming down with fever and flu. I was bed-ridden for 4 days, and could hardly move~ but I was seriously sick! For a major over-exaggeration here, I actually thought I was dying! how dramatic of me. I guess that is what happens when you're an Aussie exposed to this winter weather and don't dress appropriately for the occasion! hmmmm... I think I've learned my lesson, I now resort to a minimum of 5 layers in the day!