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Friday, May 21, 2010

Catching Up

Things have been busy and so I have neglected my blog. I will try to be better about it.

Bill has been teaching and having a great time talking science with his colleagues here.

We even put up a vinyl blackboard for him in the apartment and gave several sets of the blackboard to the various children we know here, Anna Laura, Elsa and Ciccio.  I hear they are very popular.


I have been getting used to Roman house keeping (bought a "cloth rope" for hanging laundry) and been renewing my understanding of when what shops are open, where to find things like "cloth rope" and drain cleaner, "Mr. Muscolo," and I am still not sure when is the best time to go to the pescheria although I know that the mornings it is open are wonderful fun with beautiful displays and lots of people talking all at once buying fish, clams and shrimp. (This photo is actually of two fishes one wrapped around the other - very beautiful!)

We have found a local cafe we like, the coffee is good and there is even dog parking outside.


Last Friday I went to the La Natura Secondo De Chirico, a fairly representative exhibit focused on his ideas about nature.  I found the paintings about interiors and exteriors the most interesting, not only the paintings of spaces with furniture outside and ponds and forests inside, but also his images of professionals such as archaeologists, with artifacts of their work and thought as physical parts of their bodies...


On the way to the exhibit I stopped in at the little church of San Vitale, on Via Nazionale. I used to pass by frequently but rarely found it open.  This day the doors were wide open and I went down to find interesting work by a modern sculptor in the portico and inside the church.  I couldn't find any useful references to the name of the sculptor (Severino?) but will keep trying.  He or she does marvelously expressive hands that I hope to practice emulating.


Inside it is modest - a welcome change from some of the bigger basilicas in town.  Work was being done to clean up the capitals the light and scaffolding of which gave a lovely backdrop for another of the sculptures.


Ah!  It is noon and I need to wake up Fannie and Andrew.  They arrived yesterday and are sleeping off several all-nighters and jet lag.  They are here for a week of exploring and eating - big splurge (they bought their own flights but with housing paid for, a not-to-be-missed opportunity.  Today, I think, they will be in search of great gelato, ancient monuments and the Capuchin cemetery.

More soon.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Roman coffee should wake up those tired studenti. They can sleep on the flight home. Have fun! Loads of love, Sarah

Rick in Seattle said...

Found your post while trying to research your sculpter, Frederico Severino. I don't know much about art, but a few days ago found several of his sculptures and a drawing on display in Positano and was fascinated. Have you learned anything about him?