CASTELAMOLA

Saturday night. We met up with Francesco and Fiorella and visited Turrisi's bar in Castelmola. It was a very pleasant evening in Castelamola and in particular Bar Turrisi. This is a typical spot to take friends from out of town or your new date. Its the 3rd time I've been there and I never tire of it...you must be in the right frame of mind, so to speak. Without getting into details, lets just say "vietate minori" and not for the prudish.. :-) It was great to catch up with Francesco, I hadn't seen him since he left San Francisco Jan 2007! He looks handsome as ever still so charming and entertaining and engaging as well. He spent some time telling stories of his time in San Francisco, and with me and my family, his conquests here, etc. The weather was perfect so we walked a bit before going back to Sebastiano's for a nightcap and then too soon, time for sleep as it will be an early day tomorrow.

MT ETNA TOUR

Today is "bring your friend to work" day! I am going along with Seby as he takes a group of Brits and Ex-pats to Mt Etna. We get up and leave early to meet his driver and the van that will take us up to Mt Etna. We meet his driver who is right on time with a new and clean van that seats 19.We grab a quick caffe`e cornetto...at the bar, not american style in the car! Pick up the group of 13 at their Agritourismo where there is a huge olympic pool in the middle of an olive orchard ...as they climb in then run back to collect sweatshirts, ipods, etc..I think "who are these people"..apparentlty retired US military folks with their kids staying for just 3 days in Sicily to attend a swim meet at the local US Naval base - Sigonella. All in all a nice group, a bit needy as they all cried for coffee as soon as we took off. Seby tortrued them by stopping about 1/2hour later at Zafferana - a small town at the foot of the Southern side of Mt Enta.Everyone clambers off for their coffee and sweets. As always Seby is assured I am taken care of and a beautiful cappucino for me. (see photo) Ok, up to the volcano and I am enjoying the scenery, listening to Seby as he entertains and educates the group on volcanoes and lava flows...stayed around an hour, at the visitor center then back in the bus and back down to Zafferana where we stopped at a honey farm for honey tasting and a bit of wine tasting. A short walk to the restaurant where the group had to yell "uncle" before Seby would stop ordering the food..Seriously they were in pain! Then he asks "OK, are you ready for lunch?" It was small plate after small plate but never ending with wine and dessert. About an hour drive back to the agritourismo and then Seby and I back to his car and to Taormina. It was a really nice day and a pleasure to see Sig Alibrandi in action..at work....I was so tired when we arrived back at his house, I layed down and took a nap...z z z z z z z z z z..

MISHAP - TAORMINA

Waking to the sound of birds chirping in the courtyard below my room....a slow start and relaxing morning, fresh fruit, yogurt, capucchino in the sunny breakfast room on the top floor with view to Mt Etna and sea...Today is sunny and quite warm. I left the hotel around 11:30 decided to go lay on the beach for the afternoon and read. Stopped at a bookstore, did some window shopping and made a hair appointment for later that afternoon. Bought a parejo to use as a beach towel and took the Funivia (cars suspended from cable-see photo) down to the beach. After paying for the letto (bed) that has a built in adjustable shade that can cover your head/shoulder and getting settled in with my books, music, water, snack.. I spend a few hours doing absolutley nothing except dozing and listening to snippets of conversations, italian, english, german,...perfect for reflecting on the first part of my trip and mentally planning the next. Everything was going really smoothly was enjoying the connection with Seby and soaking up the Sicilian sun in Taormina. life is good - what more could I want? Nothing - totally satisfied, lacking absolutley nothing, a whole week left to enjoy this ...z z z z z z z ...back to town via the Funivia going up, up up...and a walk along the corso..my appoinment at Benessere e Bellezza is 4pm. I have time to shower, change and check in with Francesco. I arrive at my hotel about 3pm and approach the desk to get the key..Fabio tells me "There is a problem"...me: "Una problema? Che problema?" Well to make a long story short..I left the hotel without telling them I wanted to stay and apparently they were totally booked!!!! I had no room for that night or ever for right now !!.MINCHIA!!.When I gave the key to the clerk that morning, she neve mentioned they were booked. I am standing in the tiny lobby with my bathing suit under my clothes, hair a mess and have no where to go!! Fabio took me to the linen room where my suitcases were. Anything that was not packed was put into plastic bags. I was able to change put my bags back together and pull myself together a bit...think! think! think! what to do now? Ok, I do have at least 1 knight in shining armor somewhere in this city...call to Seby goes like this.A.Hi, Seby, how are you? how is your day? S. Ciao Bella, come stai? What did you do today? A -Oh I went to the beach and spent the afternoon sulla pancia (on my belly) and did nothing. It was a very nice day except...I GOT KICKED OUT OF MY HOTEL!!!! S. Cosa??? What happened? Why? I told him what happened and he asked if I wanted to stay at his house...I accepted with much gratitude...we arranged to meet to Porta Cataania around 6pm. So, I am saved! Now off to my hair appointment, a bit of internet time, shopping and some cafe..3 hours went by quickly and when I met up with Seby I was looking quite presentable! So to his house and dump my stuff in his living room (poor guy!) We just hung out, he made dinner and we had some wine then went to sleep because the next day is the tour to Mt Etna!!

TAORMINA

CEFALU' to TAORMINA- Thursday morning after the wonderful walk to La Rocca. Taxi to the train. Train to Messina chugging along the Northern coast, a beautiful calm sea, lemon groves, and the mountain range to the South. Arrived Messina and dragged my now extra-heavy bags down the stairs and then back up to Binario Numero 10. Finally the train arrived and we zipped past the straits of Messina (thinking of Alberto's "swimming crossing" there)...along and down the rugged East coast to (be still my beating heart!) Taormina and Sig Alibrandi. Feeling deliciously anxious with butterflies in my stomach.. I arrived and he was just walking in to the station as I was walking out...to his beautiful new big black Mercedes-Benz...which slowly climbed the hill to Taormina proper and Hotel Del Corso at Porta Catania -where I like to stay while in Taormina (see photo - a view from my room) After checking in, running to the store to buy S a beautiful bottle of Venezuelan Rhum, a quick shower, and costume change .. Seby was there at Porta Catania waiting for me with a costume change of his own! Now we're both wearing white. Down in the big black MB to Giardinia Naxos for a walk along the lungomare. Giardini Naxos is the location of the first landing of the Greeks to Sicily. A nice little town with a statue of Nike - we took pics beneath the statue that had a handful of the "lovers locks" which by now are seen on every landmark in Italy...we had a nice quiet dinner at a most elegant pizzaria (white table cloths and crystal wine goblets and the traditional "couples cloth" . I have only seen this in Sicily and when dining in nicer restaurants. A smaller tablecloth is place to top of the regular cloth just for the couple..its quite charming and makes a simple meal somehow "significant". In any case the pizza was delicios -I made up a new combo..pistacchio and artichoke heart..yum! Seby had a traditional margarita I think...after dinner back up the hill to Taromina and a visit to Casa del'Alibrandi ;-)
recently restored to a level any architect or interior designer would appreciate with lighting for every mood and warm colors, soft textures and extra special touches like the rain shower head, jacuzzi tub. It was nice to relax at his place and listening to music and getting to know each other again ... yada yada yada and back to my hotel with plans for tomorrow.

LOVE STORIES - SALVATORE

Otherwise known at Toto`....tall..slender...steel blue eyes, but not cold steel-warm steel.. matching glasses frames....looks a bit nerdy, but in a charming nerdish way....gangly...all arms and legs. Always moving, moving outward, moving towards something, not sure what. He seems a bit hesitant and defers to me mostly. .the hands of an accountant..in fact he is..knows the law and contracts. Lives in Piazza Armerina, ltogether with his brother and parents...wants to break out and live a new and exciting life...is searching for the vehicle..wants a family and kids of his own. A joker, a clown, wants to be in all the pictures, ready to go anwhere, do anything. Has had to mend his broken heart, still has the scars.

LOVE STORIES - SEBASTIANO

The first thing you might notice about Sebastiano (or Seby) is that he is not so tall, but elegant, yes, sophisticated and dresses to kill...in the Italian manner that American men rarely can pull off, occhi scuri, capelli scuri... fine, expressive and sensitive hands. Hands of a priest...what does that mean? you ask...Puo' fare il sacramento....chess trophies decorate his modern yet cozy, bachelor pad in Taormina, full of mood lighting, contrasting textures and warm accents. He is independent, runs a successful business with his partner Alessandro, friends for years! ...ready to laugh and play, kind and sensitive to the needs of others (mostly) ....drives seriously, is 100% confident calm and relaxed. I allways feel safe and secure with him..He takes the reins, makes decisions, moves toward warmth and closeness.

CEFALU' - FINITO

One last dinner as a group, a few drinks at La Galleria bar tonight then the last morning; un caffe e cornetto (vuoto!) and a last lunch at the Pizzaria on the lungomare...the last studio day was spent frantically trying to finish, then I thought the work will be better if I don't rush, and so what that I did not complete it in Cefalu'?. The studio is cleaned, but will never be the same as there is no doubt countless shards of colorful glass smalti throughout...no matter, next year there will be even more. The final crit by Martin was helpful though could have been more critical...ie he gave lots of positive comments, but not many suggestions for improvement. I saw the whole group off in the afternoon then a much needed nap, some interntet time and finished packing. Thursday I was up very early for a last caffe e cornetto and a hike up to La rocca and to see the Temple of Diana...I ran into Massimo (from the Alimentari) and he insisted I join him for another caffe..very handsome, really friendly and with long curly eyelashes!! So 1/2 hour of virtual vertical climbing, some steps cut into the rocks, I am on top of La Rocca with the most spectaclar view of the bay with a 3-masted ship, a birds eye view of Cefalu' and the crystal clear waters below..the sun was just cresting over the top of the rock. It was peacful and perfectly quiet other than the birds chirpping...a perfect addio to Cefalu'.....back down, cab to the train station.. .Cefalu' to Messina, Messina to Taromina and... Sebastiano Alibrandi :-)

(see SICILIAN LOVE STORIES)

LUNEDI

ok, so my plan to post regularly is impossible and not due to the massive amounts of Nero'd'Avola we have a lunch and dinner...Saturday a field trip to Villa Romano del Casale...much of it was closed due to restoration...and you don't want to get me started on the method..Mio Dio!! It was good to see them again in anycase and just as I passed the ticket booth a call from Toto'..what timing..he came by and chatted a bit..then recommended a fabulous restaurant in Piazza Armerina...Garibaldi's..the entire group plus our driver had an incredible meal and truly as good as it gets! More about Toto' later....OK, back to Cefalu' through the center of Sicily and the amazing rock formations that seem a mile high...via viadotti and countless gallerie (Tunnels) to a huge storm on the sea that had waves crashing against the rocks ..think Maverick's surf spot! I was able to watch the storm from my apartment window that overlooks the sea...and saw the waves take away most of 2 dining decks! A spectacular storm without any rain, thunder or lightening...just the roiling waves...yesterday was a studio day and we all worked hard..then to Peters apt for a nice lunch of prosciutto and melone and penne arabiata..do I need to mention the wine??
back to studio then obligatory gelato e caffe..After dinner we played Martin's word game (an Anagram\Scrabble combination he made up) It was rumoured that no one had beat him before...but I did!! poor bruised ego...but he recovered and vowed a play off tonight.I won with the word "yonic"...yeah, go look it up. :-) Today is a field trip to Palermo,to see Cappella Palatina and Morganata..I stayed back to work on my mosaic as I have seen the sights a couple of times and have so much left to do ...tomorrow is the last workshop day, and we will finish up, have a final crit, a group of students tour the studio plus a visit from the Mayor! After this I am on to Taormina for a meet up with Sebastiano....and of course the famous architect...Francesco Cavallaro..ok ciao for now..and i promise,,pics soon!

una pausa

and an update...By the time I arrived in Palermo, I was dead tired, slightly wrinkled but very excited and met Sato and Kammalish of Australia while boarding the flight from Rome to Palermo..Annette found us and managed to get us to Cefalu' and into our apartments with about 5 minutes before our first dinner meeting at Piazza Duomo.....today is day 3.. have already had 1 day or workshop, 1 day excursion to Monreale and today is our 2nd workshop and lecture. The food and wine has been coming fast and furious.....never a hungry moment...am missing the "I'm hungry feeling" ..Tonight is Sicilian night at a local farmhouse...should be very interesting...The workshp is very intense and Martin is paying close attention to our work and providing good guidance and direction to all. While in studio we are being interrupted by a constant flow of the curious...due to the the sign out front reading "Mosaic workshop". I have been taking losts of pics and will post photos later....am enjoying immensely my new Canon Rebel XT....OK gotta run have lots to do on my mosaic before we leave.I am using some titanium tesserae from Murano.. really nice....ciao....apresto.

Just about 1 week before I leave and out of the blue. IM from Ezio this afternoon. Will somehow fit he and his clan into my itinerary...is it possible that I may "extend" my trip??? so looking forward to the Sicilian warmth, my friends and some concentrated work/creative studio time! I will see Sebastiano, Francesco, Salvatore, Ezio and Faith and Doug,..in 1 week? Magari! Vediamo come'..,,

PREPARATION FOR SICILY

2 weeks left to finish up gathering all my tools, materials and design for the mosaic workshop in Cefalu'. Though I have been there a few times before, never for a whole week and having my own apartment....whoo hoo!! As always the time will go by too fast, but I am looking forward to some good instruction and meeting Martin and Peter.