An Evening at the Ballet...

I just spent a lovely evening at the ballet watching Serata Picasso - Massine. The orchestra and corps de ballet of the Teatro dell'Opera, Roma performed three ballets in one night. All the sets were designed in the spirit of Picasso. I didn't take the picture to the left as photography was prohibited but it is of the ballet and dancers I saw that evening. The Teatro dell'Opera's (pictured) fascist era exterior is not indicative of the beautiful red plush, ornate and elegant interior. Outside of the opera house before the start there were little bow-tied little boys and little girls with pulled back hair in buns like future ballerinas. I was watching a group of fireman standing in the courtyard. (No explanation needed...ladies will understand). They all looked up and smiled in the same direction. I

figured some beautiful Italian lady walked by but there was the cutest little toddler dressed up as a fireman (as it is Carnevale here, you see children walking around in costumes etc.) That was the cutest thing! He called out to the real firemen "Ciao!"

I snapped the following picture while walking home through Piazza Della Repubblica at night. It is a very busy area and has a theatrical fountain in the center (Fontana delle Naiadi). It has 4 water nymphs that the city thought were too erotic at first. They put up a fence to hide them but then later removed it.

You would think that I get tired of museums...but I don't! There are so many different museums in Rome I will never tire of them. I recently walked through Villa Bourghese (park) and visited the The Galleria Nazionale D'Arte Moderna (Modern Art Museum) pictured with the red banners in the front. OK..I must say I enjoyed seeing VanGogh's Il Giardiniere and a painting by Claude Monet and some of the beautifully crafted (pre 1950) paintings that looked like photos...but the stuff after 1950 ...

not so much. I did enjoy a wonderful snack at the beautiful Caffe' Delle Arti in the back of the museum. It was large and sunny with a wonderful coffee bar and paintings and had nice patio tables in a little garden setting. (Interior Pictured and then exterior pictured)

Even though my teacher comes to my apartment to give me my individual Italian lessons I go to the school sometimes for cultural activities.

One of the instructors provided a tour of that neighborhood (Monti). After the fall of Rome, the city was concentrated in a small center surrounded by woods etc. That is how that neighborhood named some of the streets. The school is on Frasche (bushes) surrounded by Via del Serpenti (snakes) , Via del Boschetto (woods) etc.

We walked down Via Panisperna. Pilgrims used to walk down this

this street leaving Santa Maria Maggiore heading towards St. Peter's. The locals would give them bread and prosciutto to eat (Pane = Bread/Sperna) hence the name. If you look closely at the picture, at the end of the street you can see The Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore. (Last Picture)

We also walked through Piazza Degli Zingari (Piazza of the Gypsies) that had some charming architecture.

This fountain is found in Piazza Madonna Del Monti. It is a quaint little square that is frequently used in movies. It has one of the fountains around Rome that is named after the how it looks like a nose (nasone). I was with a young lady from Australia and she was astounded that the city allows the fountains to run continually as they have to work to conserve water in her home country.

OK, I can't end this entry without discussing food of course. Although Rome doesn't have a collection of ethnic restaurants to speak of, I had heard that there was a pretty good Indian take out spot. I found it in a neighborhood near the Termini train station....like any big city you have

to remain cautious in the area around Rome's train station. It was actually very good. Some of the curry was a little too spicy for me but I couldn't stop eating it it was so tasty. Funny little tidbit...I was looking up a word in my Italian/English dictionary and guess what was in there?!? "Diet Coke" (Coca Light). It is interesting how some things find their way in our culture. What is even more interesting is that the dictionary is for the English spoken in Great Britain. Oh, in case you weren't aware...I guess we speak "American" and not really "English". (wink)

I also did manage to find my way to eating at Hard Rock Cafe. You can't explain to your other expat, non-American, friends that it really isn't cool for an American to eat at Hard Rock Cafe when they should be trying to get the real Italian dining experience...but I didn't protest too hard because I had heard that they had some tasty chocolate cake there. The ceiling had a fresco on the ceiling of little angles playing rock music. The video screen was playing a U2 song. Above the door was "Break on through to the other side" The Doors. All the guitars hanging up reminded me of my Fender Stratocaster I left back in the States in my living room. I had been so busy with my job I hadn't played it for about 5 years. Mental note: Take time to play your guitar!!!

I received a little love from home today. My #1 Valentine sent me a Valentine's Day care package. Thanks MOM!! I wasn't surprised. (smile) Her care packages are legendary. I still have friends from Michigan State U (undergrad), U of New Haven and Purdue U (Grad Schools) and GE co-workers in Chicago and Atlanta talking about them. I'm 35 and still receive care packages throughout the year....I LOVE IT!!! But Mom....You can leave out the Wedding and Birth Announcements from the local newspaper....I get the hint! (smile)

Happy Valentine's Day all! Un Bacio! (a kiss!)