The Day Beckham came to LA

So today British futbol star, David Beckham, officially was welcomed to the Los Angeles soccer team, "The Galaxy". I don't really know what to expect. As I had mentioned in a previous blog (click here), I still think that he and wife came here to pursue careers in Hollywood - so, when does his wife's reality show start? Soon, I think. (SEE!!???)

I really have only 1 question. Who wins sexiest, ego-feeding, photo op?

Beckham?

or World Cup Champs: Italy???

Knock yourself and vote via leaving a comment below!

Italy Trip #3 - Summer 2004 - Rome, Trieste

So, if you are just tuning in, I have been using this blog to also document like a journal some past trips I've done. These were before I knew Patrick, my beau. This was my last trip abroad while seeing Italian Mik. This was to be my last trip to Casa Venuti and Vernasso, Italy. Of course I didn't know that at the time but I am glad to say if it had to end it was a final beautiful memory there.
That summer we spent a lot of time with Mik's friends. His best friend, Samuele, was in town - who had previously visited us in San Diego since he also was a pilot in the Italian Airforce and they evidently train in the USA at times. By now my Italian was somewhat conversational, but it was nice that Sam spoke English as well since we spent a lot of time with him and his girlfriend, Eliza.
We also spent a week in Rome - staying with Mik's older cousins - 2 unmarried sisters who inherited an incredible apartment right by the famous Spanish Steps. What an incredible time! I really, really, enjoyed Rome. I am sure a lot of it was due to the fact that we had such a beautiful place to stay, with 2 incredible cooks (I ate so much I thought I'd burst) and guides to show us and explain better than any tourist book all about the architecture, history, meanings, and details of the buildings and neighborhoods. I was fascinated by Rome - so much sightseeing was done with us returning to the apartment for a late HUGE lunch, a short (food coma) nap and then out again to see more. It was also interesting to learn that the water is so clean in Rome that you can drink from any pipe, or fountain - so you'd see us and the locals filling up out water bottles, while the tourists bought over expensive water. The Coliseum, the Churches, the ruins: all so humbling to walk around so many centuries later. Of course, I also wanted to see the Sistine Chapel. We walked there and saw that the ailing Pope John Paul was outside blessing one by one about 100 wedding brides and grooms (evidently if you are very rich you can pay to have your marriage blessed by the Pope, himself)! I was so excited when I saw him far, far away that I broke away from Mik and dashed into the crowd of thousands trying to catch a glimpse of his gentle Greatness. Usually I am claustrophobic and hate crowds but I felt nothing but a lump in my throat at seeing in person such a Symbol of Peace and God. I felt proud to be Catholic.
Other highlights of Rome was hanging out with Mauro - a random, hilarious Roman friend of the sisters who came every day for lunch and absolutely took Mik and I under his wing. Mauro was hilarious! In his 40s, married with 2 kids, he was a happy, successful man but you can tell he yearned for his youth and didn't like to be tied down. We thought he liked us so much because he thought we were cool, me being American and Mik now living in America and bringing his American girlfriend to Italy. He spoke a Roman dialect and also spoke so fast that even Mik couldn't understand him most of the time! But he was very congenial and generous, driving us one evening an hour away to the beach or taking us to dinner with his wife one evening. Mauro always showed up on a motorcycle (I HATE those) and he one day made Mik ride with him and I was TERRIFIED seeing them speed off in the WRONG direction weaving in and out amongst on-coming traffic.
But all was smoothed over by his showing us where was the BEST ice cream in Rome - and to this day - ANYWHERE I've been. Let me tell you - fresh made from scratch every day, you always got 2 to 3 different scoops of flavors - and then they'd put a spoonfull of homemade UMMMMM whip cream on top - OH MY GAWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We went there EVERY day. A couple time TWICE a day! It was light, and it was CHEAP. I will never forget it..... sigh!

Roma2004

We also made a couple day trips to nearby city of Trieste. Located on the coast - we saw my first castle there (Il Castello di Miramare) overlooking the sea. Then we went into the city to visit our friend Neno who was living and working there after having graduated from the University the previous year. What a great time! Getting drunk with his roommate, Leo, and a group of his friends I tried my first "Parampompule" drink which is lit on fire when they serve it to you. We were laughing and singing and talking so much the owner of the bar took it upon himself to keep joining us and DRINKING our alcohol!!! Which would make us laugh even more! It was one of the 2 times ever that part of the night I don't remember everything - and I am surprised i didn't get sick. I do remember going to the restroom and falling down so hard inside that I thought i had broke my wrist. But I don't remember walking around the square outside where students and 20s somethings would just come up to us and when they found out i was American would freak out chanting "Baywatch, Baywatch!" We did end up at a Communist Festival - I guess I can't run for President now - for a great BBQ and beer garden for the boys. I was convinced they'd be hateful people cooking small children on the grill but it was very family-oriented and fun. he hehehe.
Alas, I have photo albums of wonderful pics and along with these blog entries I hope to always remember the lovely friends and family of Mik's that always made my visits to their beautiful country unforgettable. To go to Italy is a treat, but to actually stay with natives and hang out and do the normal things Italians do - not as a tourist, but as a friend - was a real blessing. I shall never forget it. Viva Italia!!

Italy 2004

click on the 2 webphoto albums!

Euro Trip #2 - 2003 Italy, Spain, Austria, Slovenia

Do any of you remember that summer? That was the hottest summer in about 25 years all over the world. Old people were dying without air conditioning. It was even muggy in San Diego (where we usually don’t have humidity). Well, I remember that summer. It was my 2nd trip to Europe. My 2nd trip visiting Mik’s parents in Vernasso, Italy. But this time instead of 10 days I stayed about a month. My old boyfriend, Mik, had neglected to tell me how humid a NORMAL July and August can be when compared with the perfect May weather from my previous year’s visit. This year the weather was simply…painful.
Put it this way: Italy and most of Europe, I think, – does not have air conditioning. Maybe the big cities but certainly not the country. It was so hot and sticky one couldn’t sleep, eat, walk, look pretty or anything. I remember the first day I tried working out with Mik and I got so sick that I scared Mik’s parents greatly and they had to call an emergency doctor at 1am who (get this..) did a house call!!! I’ve only heard of doctors making house calls in old books and movies!!
Regardless of humidity, I wasn’t going to spend a month in Mik’s tiny village – no matter how pretty it is. We did a lovely day trip up to Austria (about a half hour to the north). This was a great idea as it was much cooler up there in the mountains. We went to 2 nice cities – Klagenfurt and then the pretty lakeside town of Velden. I enjoyed Austria very much – it is completely different than Italy in architecture, food and mannerisms - yet so close!
We also did a tranquil day trip to Slovenia – only a few minutes east of Mik’s village. We found ourselves at Santa di Lucia Lake where we had a picnic and strolled around the large lake watching the swans and the Slovenian teens playing in the water. It was very peaceful. Mik told me stories how people in his village used to go there to buy gasoline since it was so cheap until the Italian gov’t gave them special cards to buy discounted gas in Italy so the profits stayed in their native country.
Another fabulous trip was a week spent in San Cugat and Barcelona, Spain visiting my 2nd oldest sister: Sylvia, brother-in-law Tim, and kids, Ariela and Sebastian. They moved to Spain for about 3 years when Tim’s work at Hewlitt-Packard transferred him there. It was definitely a life-changing experience for all of them and a great way for the kids to really have to learn and use their Spanish in school. They were greatly missed in San Diego by all the family, so it was very exciting to see their temporary lives in Espana! They lived in a cute house in quaint San Cugat – about 15 minutes by tram to Barcelona. We spent our time between hanging out with the family, playing soccer with Sebastian and going into Barcelona to explore. I loved the museums and getting lost. I thought the Spanish people (men and women alike) were the most beautiful people, collectively, that I have ever seen! My only complaint was that I did not really like the food and also I, surprisingly, found it hard to understand the Catalan dialect they use in Barcelona. I realize my Mexican border Spanish is different but sometimes business owners were a little snooty about my Spanish. Geez!
One harrowing story in Spain was that we got to meet up with our dear San Diego friends Danny (Mik’s old roommate), and married couple Claudio and Leyla who were all en route to party in Ibiza. They stayed a couple days in Barcelona to see us and shop. The first night we met up with them we were ahem, ‘over served’ sangria (ummm) and found ourselves late at night wandering the famous Calle Ramblas where all the bars and clubs are. The boys were demanding to have Paella since we were in Spain. We finally found a tiny, dirty hole-in-the-wall shop after midnight that was open and, indeed, selling paella. Paella, that is, for a whopping $20 bucks for a bowl that was probably made early that afternoon and was old and hardened. Still, Mik and Danny, being buzzed said they wanted it. We hadn’t paid anything yet and the gruff Turk behind the counter shoved 2 bowls in the oven to warm up. We waited. And waited. And waited. I was doing all the translating but they could see that we were a little drunk, tourists, and NOT happy about how long it was taking to warm up the darn bowls of old paella. Finally Danny suggested we leave. It was almost a half hour we waited. So we wandered outside. Well, next thing we know 3 pissed off Turkish men jump over the counter and grab the boys roughly by the collars shouting and swearing at me in Spanish that we were thieves and breaking the law. I was so scared – they looked like they were going to kill Michigan blonde hair, blue-eyed Danny who was cussing back at them in the only Spanish he knew. I tried explaining that they were taking too long, the food looked poor and we hadn’t even paid yet. Well, SHAME on US. That was very naïve of us to assume we can do whatever we want in a foreign country after midnight. They dragged us back inside, pulled down the bars and LOCKED us in, demanding to be paid or they would call the cops. Believe me: we paid. Then they basically threw down the bowls of food with no silverware and told me they could use their fingers. We were so glad to leave in 1 piece and I can honestly say that we were very lucky no one got hurt. I was very ashamed at our behaviour, but we honestly had no idea it would make them so mad. As for the $20 paella bowl? Inedible and thrown away.

The last event to discuss was that in August back in Italy, Mik’s village puts on a HUGE festival (Matejur) that now brings 100s of people even from Germany, Austria and Slovenia. It is a week-long, complete with beer garden, nightly bands and dancing, volleyball, BBQs to sell food day and night, a gorgeous but tough cross-country race, people swimming and tanning in the adjacent river Natisone. Out of towners bring tents and camp there next to the field or river and bathe in it for a week!!! Can you imagine the stink of no real shower and the heat of that summer??? EWWWWW. Being Italy of course there was a huge soccor tournament for prize money (major fights and racism). Shoot, one guy was so hurt that they had to call in a helicopter to land in tiny Vernasso!! Amazing! The locals all sign up and work booths, or sports events. It has gotten to be so big that it is a MAJOR money-making event for tiny Vernasso.

My 2 favorite memories were dancing to some Asian girl fronting a foreign band in her heavily accented English as she sang Shania Twain’s song, “Damn! I feel like a woman”. The crowd would go so crazy at every American song and they’d sing it at the top of their lungs in their broken English as best they could and I swear but I saw some big, athletic, macho, monster of some guys who were singing and dancing like happy oafs, “Damn! I feel like a woman!” Now you know they had NO CLUE as to what they were saying, and if they did they would be traumatized. As for me: it almost made me homesick for my gay town Hillcrest in San Diego.  Sigh!
My last great memory was on the closing night of the festival had the best fireworks' display I had ever seen. And this isn’t America, folks, where they set them off far away. No sir, they set them off right in the middle of the soccer field and everyone just laid down in the grass and watched the sky – it was SO loud and SO low I almost got scared a couple times! Absolutely fantastic!!! And seeing that massive, colorful display in the dark countryside with no city lights and only stars just can’t be beat. A great memory… it even made the humidity worth it! :)
click on slideshow below!

Euro Trip 2003

Long-Winded Blog about 1st trip to Italy (2002)

Okay: let's face it. Best way to learn about other cultures, travel cheaper and learn a new language is to date someone from another country (it's especially easy for Europhiles like moi). Once upon a time I was seeing a sweet Italian boy from Northern Italy. Michele (pronounced Mik-kay-lay) and I met as next-door neighbors here in San Diego and eventually started dating.

In my case with Mik - my fondest memories are being able to travel to his home in Italy where his parents live and learning conversational Italian. Now - I love traveling. But in my 20s I was so busy pursuing my acting career in Los Angeles that I didn't travel much at all. Also, I had never done the American token Just-graduated-from-college-gonna-go-party-or-hitchhike-in-Europe trip. So when I turned 30 and was seeing Miky, it seemed logical to treat myself to my first trip abroad, specifically Italy, where he went yearly for about a month to visit his parents and friends.

I remember being so excited at finally going to Europe. But I was terrified at the thought of flying there alone (Mik was already there). I hate flying. And I wasn't looking forward to my first-transatlantic flight. I figured if I didn't die a horrible death in a plane crash into the icy ocean waters, then the sharks would eat me alive. (Just the kind of colorful craziness that enters Elsa's head).

I made it somehow through the plane ride and eventually landed at the Venice International Airport. Mik is from a tiny village located just minutes west of the Slovenia border and about a half hour south of the Austrian border. This to me, was even more fascinating than getting to know someone from a major city. For I LOVE nature and the countryside. And the region he was from was full of small villages, tons of beautiful trees and meadows. I absolutely LOVE that stuff!!!

Mik's village of about 200 is called Vernasso. It is a couple hours east of Venice. I simply couldn't believe I was on another continent as we drove to his home. Reflecting on it: I am pleased that my first trip to Europe was on my own dime and done at 30 - there was so much I wasn't taking for granted!

Vernasso is situated in a large valley surrounded by fields of corn (that are grown for livestock food), the river Natisone where Mik's dad fished, and during the summer young and old alike tanned, swam and launched off the large boulders. To the north of the village a dirt road leads up through the mountains and to a ranch where one can stay as a bed and breakfast.

Mik's house was completely different than I ever expected. His parents have am ample property with trees, a garden (where Mik's mom grows most of her vegetables), a small guest house in the back at the end of a long driveway. Their house was built by an uncle who was an architect. It was in the shape, believe it or not: of an octagon!

I will always be grateful to Mik's parents for their generosity during my stays in Italy. His mom waited on us hand and foot - something I was most uncomfortable with, but Mik insisted she didn't mind since she so rarely saw her only son.

Special and interesting culinary highlights from Italy include: Aunt Emma's bringing EVERY time she visited a tray of expensive, fresh pastries that tasted better than any other pastry I've had here. Italian pizza: completely different than here - it is super thin (so you don't get fat on all that thick crust like here in the USA). Also it's a basic staple, like pasta - something you can eat every day. Petiferoles - a dessert of chocolate or vanilla pastry balls filled with cream and covered in sauce - ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Also interesting was the fact that most people grow their own grapes and make their own wines to have at their houses for every meal. Mik's dad drank wine even at breakfast. After my initial shock, I tried it and realized it's not as strong as I am used to, thus making it possible for Italians to drink it at every meal. But my favorite food memory will be the most wonderful ice cream I have ever tasted to this day is the fresh made ice cream made in Italy. It is unlike the ice cream here. Fresh, light. Not heavy. And so many flavors. Ummmmmmmmmmm.

As much as I was eating there: I was very aware of the lack of obesity in Italy wherever I went - unlike here where my teenage students are severely overweight and already have diabetes - the people in Italy are thin, and healthy looking with all the fresh foods they eat, the Mediterranean diet, olive oil, non-packaged foods. Plus all the walking they do. As a matter of fact: I felt fat with my Mexican hips and big, curvy bones compared to the TINY, petite-boned and no-hipped Italian women.This was surprising to me. I needed to learn that there is a huge difference between northern and southern Italians. I learned that the stereotypical Italians we see in Hollywood movies are based on the southern Italians or Sicilians. They are kind of like Mexicans: loud, big families, curvier, darker-skinned and black haired. Whereas the Northern Italians tend to be paler, light-colored eyes (Mik's were hazel), blondes and lighter hairs, small families, and much more reserved in personality. It has to be that Austrian influence hehehe. Another thing I learned was that there exists a HUGE prejudice between the northerners and southerners. They evidently hate each other. The northerners tend to be better educated but I must say that I probably could relate better with the southern personality.

My trip had another huge highlight: not only was I meeting Mik's sweet friends, but it was the wedding of his friend, Gianni (pronounced "Johnny", essentially). I felt so fortunate to experience a wedding in another country and see the traditions. The night before the wedding all the friends of the groom (males and females) alike congregate at the family's house (while the friends of the bride do the same at her family's house). While eating and drinking wine, the friends then do the tradition of making a trellis from leaves, branches and flowers that the groom and their family will walk through the next morning on their way to the church. Such a sweet, giving idea! Gianni had asked for me to bring an American flag - he LOVES the USA and had traveled on holiday here previously. Actually he is obsessed with the USA. Idolizes it. He actually wanted a HUGE flag but when I realized it costs about $100 bucks I decided on a smaller one. I placed it on the trellis and he was so happy. He also remarked several times how he cool he thought it was that an American was attending his wedding.

Gianni and Sabrina's wedding was held in a small village church but then we drove for an hour to the reception hall in Udine (the nearest city). I felt like we ate and ate and ate. So many (small) courses. I don't eat red meat and at one point Mik said, "don't eat that!" I wasn't planning to anyway but was horrified to learn it was meat of a 'little horse' or pony!!! wahhhhhhhhh :( Needless to say, it was a wonderful, lovely time - even though I spoke no Italian at the time and no one else spoke English.

Other highlights was a day trip to Venice. I looove Venice. It was May and therefore the weather was very warm but perfect! Also, there were not as many people as the tourist season hadn't started yet. (I understand it can get miserably crowded on those tiny, hot, dusty alley streets). We wandered around the streets and squares with no plan. It was a lovely day getting lost, seeing the canals with the gondolas -having an incredibly delicious late lunch of margarita pizza, tortellini, fresh-baked bread and wine. The only thing was that we ate that huge meal and then went to the Opera House to see "La Traviata". I was so full of great food and wine and after walking around all day in the warm spring air I (GASP!) started nodding off (as in SLEEPING) and on throughout the Opera. The middle-aged woman next to me kept giving me disgusting looks. I was so ashamed but I couldn't help it! :) As we left the Opera House at dark we crossed through the vast San Marcos Square where I heard a sidewalk cafes string musicians playing songs from, "The Phantom of the Opera". Simply perfect way to end my nice day!

We also went to visit Mik's cousin Andrea (Ahn-drey-uh) - and his wife who lived in Pisa, Italy. This was a treat in that Andrea - who is a pilot in the Italian air force - was stationed in America for some time and learned English pretty well - so I was finally able to converse a bit after days of trying to communicate with everyone else! As for Pisa - well, it's a university town - many students. But essentially if there was no school there or the famous leaning tower - Pisa would NOT be a tourist stop. It was alright, but not too much to write about other than how hospitable his relatives were.We also did a side trip to London - I LOVE IT! It was expensive as heck - shoot! But I loved seeing a show on the West End, loved shopping in Campden Town Market, loved walking the parks, loved sipping tea, loved the Indian curry restaurant we went to, loved the weather (we had sunny, clear days the whole time), loved the AWESOME movie theater that the Royal family even has a section at (didn't love the $19 ticket prices though to go see the 2nd Star Wars movie) and mostly loved our friend and host, Mark, who took care of us and let us into his fabulous flat he shared with ballerina boyfriend. Mark and Mik used to work together on DISNEY UK TV and he is now hosting some show of his own. He is fabulously gay and generous and made me laugh all the time. I loved London.

Other trips continued and it's all past tense now, but I came across some digital pictures recently and I want to somewhat document those old adventures in bella Italia.

italy02