leslieconner

Italy in October....

2011-05-15T05:51:00.000-07:00

Italy in October...for some reason, that sounds incredibly cool. I know most people go in the summer, but I'm not one of those people who craves extreme heat. I live in the South, so I get extreme heat and humidity for about six months a year.

Italy is probably much like the South, weatherwise...I imagine anyway. So, October would be a perfect time to go for milder temperatures and less crowded streets. And from what I've heard, prices are cheaper then, too. Win, win...:)

And the Heat...My God, the Heat!

2011-04-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

You know, I spent the last couple of months waiting patiently for winter to pass (of course, grumbling under my breath, but waiting patiently). And now that Spring has arrived (it is still Spring, yes?), I find myself grumbling, not so much under my breath. It is currently, on this Sunday afternoon, 89 degrees outside. And not just a dry 89 degrees (like those crazy people in Arizona talk about), we have humidity here, too, which makes it feel like the surface of the sun.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not a person who complains about the weather all the time...like an 80 year old Jewish man, for example. But, come on! Where did Spring go?

We had quite a brutal winter, especially for the South...lots of snow and ice, frigid temperatures. No one was more happy than I that April was upon us. But we had two days of 65-70 degrees, and Mother Nature decided that it should be summer two months early.

So, now we're trapped in our houses again, not avoiding the cold, drinking hot chocolate, but hovering over the air conditioning vents, trying to avoid heat stroke. Sigh...

Come on...give me some Spring!!!

The American

2011-03-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

So, I just recently watched the George Clooney movie, The American...mostly because, well, it has George Clooney in it. But, it is set in Italy, and I thought what better way to incite my lust for both George Clooney and Italy than to watch a movie that focuses on them?

My time would have probably been better spent learning some Italian phrases, like "where is the bathroom?" ("Dove si trova il bagno?") or "Can I have a gallon of red wine, please?" ("Posso avere un gallone di vino rosso?")

The movie was so boring I almost (almost) blamed George for it. But it did not dampen my spirit for visiting the lovely country. And I'm quite sure when I get there, I will have a better time than his character did.

Kindle...Evil or the Best Thing Ever?

2011-03-24T05:33:00.000-07:00

I will admit I am a hardcore book fan...you know, the hardcover, the pages with some wear on the edges, the nice musty smell of antiquity. One of my favorite things to do is roam through a used book store looking for rare and exquisite finds. Yes, I know, I'm a nerd.

So, this is coming from a person who enjoys the brick and mortar experience, holding a real book in my hand. I mourn the loss of mom and pop bookstores, all falling by the wayside to make room for technology. But....

Then there's a part of me that says, "how cool is a Kindle?" Especially when I think of traveling, I am drawn to the Kindle like a pig to a mud puddle. It's offers convenience, versatility, and mobility. I imagine myself having 3,000 offerings at my fingertips, while sitting on the plane, wondering what I'm in the mood to read. There would be no lugging those heavy books on my back, their weight and space taking up room in my carry on. It is enticing.

And for only $139, I really can't see the wrong here....well, besides the ultimate destruction of what I value most about the literary world: the actual book.

It is a conundrum. Maybe if I received it for my birthday, it wouldn't be like I was actively contributing to the destruction. I could protest, "It was a present. What could I do? Not use it?"

I believe there is a nice middle ground to be traveled here. I can enjoy the modern conveniences while still keeping a foot in the "old school" pool. Any time I walk past a cool bookstore, I will still be lured inside, whether I have a Kindle or not. And I'm sure there are many other people like me. If not, then I'll have the bookstore to browse by myself.

A St. Patrick's Day Limerick!

2011-03-17T11:31:00.000-07:00

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I offer you a limerick:

There once was a girl who could fly
Any place on the map she could spy
Then the gas prices rose
Had to pay through the nose
Now she must sit home and cry. :(

My Irish lament about not being able to afford a ticket to Italy. Now I must drown my sorrows in green beer.

Rick Steves, Be My Friend!

2011-03-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

Rick Steves...is he married? Because I would love to travel with him. He's that very well-connected guy who always finds the best restaurants, can get into any event cheaply and quickly, and can speak every language that you're liable to encounter on this planet.

And I want him to be my friend.

Seriously, I want to start a campaign to woo Rick into my friend camp. No, silly, not just to use him for his extensive world traveling knowledge, although that would be a perk. I have many things to offer, that I'm sure he would value in a person he calls "friend."

I can make a bitchin' pitcher of sweetened ice tea...I have an awesomely sweet dog...and I have Monty Python's Holy Grail on DVD (which I can watch ten times in a row and laugh hysterically every time). Okay, so maybe my contribution to the friendship isn't AS valuable, but I'm a hoot to be around. And I would never, after eating copious amounts of pasta and gelato, ask if my pants make my ass look big. Because I won't care...

So, Rick, if you're out there, call me. Let's do lunch.

Flight to Italy or My Kidney?

2011-03-11T05:06:00.000-08:00

Which is more valuable: A flight to Italy or my kidney? I'm beginning to think my organ would come in a distant second. I have to believe that the enormous increase in gas prices in the last couple of weeks is responsible for the $1,200 price tag on airline tickets. And I'm hoping that if I wait a few weeks, the horrors at the pumps will have subsided.

Or am I just deluded? Does it really take that much money to fly me over the ocean? It's not like I'm bringing a pet Emu with me....although I would love to see how that would play out.

I am anxious to go, but I want to find a reasonable deal on getting over there. Because I think my money would be more productively wasted on pasta and gelato.

To Stink or Not to Stink...That is the Question

2011-03-09T05:12:00.000-08:00

So how, exactly, do you pack for a trip to Italy? As an American, I find that it’s necessary to take nearly everything I own wherever I go…which would make a Kindle a perfect birthday present idea…and then complain incessantly about having to lug it all around with me. I realize, of course, that it isn’t imperative that I have six pairs of shoes, but how could I possibly leave my hair accoutrements (straightener, curling iron, hair dryer) at home? (And yes, I do see the ridiculousness of having a straightener and a curling iron).

I was told by a well-traveled friend that anything that you need, they have there, too. You can buy it when you get there. And that makes sense. I mean, everyone on the planet pretty much uses the same hygiene products, right? It’s not like no one in Italy owns a bar of soap or a toothbrush. They have to purchase them somewhere. I may not see a Walgreens on every street corner, like in America, but there has to be some sort of store where items can be purchased.

I suppose I have this idealized notion that all of Italy is rolling countryside, where the women are rolling out dough to make homemade pasta, and the men are all artists and winemakers with tans and unruly long hair. This romantic vision doesn’t include a store that sells deodorant.

Italy conjures a feeling of romance. One of the most common phrases in their language is Ti amo (“I love you”). How could all this sensuality and romanticism have been cultivated if everyone there smelled like a feces-covered rhinoceros on a hot day?

Common sense tells me that I shouldn’t worry about where to buy anything that I forget. But, just in case, I think I’ll still bring my own deodorant.

Holy Moly Cannoli

2011-03-07T16:49:00.000-08:00

So, in the interest of celebrating the Italian adventure I plan to experience, I've decided that I'm going to find a recipe for Cannoli. Yes, for all you doubters out there (which would include my family, friends, and any random passersby who have tried my past cooking attempts), I'm going to do it. I'm going to make Cannoli...and it's going to be benissimo!

I feel I need to prepare myself for the indulgent and voracious eating that I will do...like they say, "when in Rome."

I will make Cannoli, and to prove it, I'll take a beautiful picture...just like the ones in Martha's Stewart's magazine....right before I devour it all in one sitting. (Like I said, I have to prepare).

So, I must leave you now....to begin my hunt for the perfect (and hopefully idiot-proof) recipe.

I'll let you know how it goes. :)

Tour of Italy

2011-03-05T13:35:00.000-08:00

I know, how many times have you heard of a starving artist’s plea for attention? Yeah, I’m sick of it, too. But, listen. This is different. I am a starving artist, sure. And I am pleading for attention.

Okay, so maybe it’s not so different. But I do have a goal. It isn’t just attention for attention’s sake. I mean, I’m not that pathetic and needy. (Well, that’s a whole other blog post).

Okay, I do need something. But, I’m willing to give, too. I have a CD, Blackthorn Winter…a collection of original songs that I wrote, sang, and played. I would love for you to buy it. And the cool thing is, it’s cheap. And, believe it or not, it’s worth every penny. And those pennies will be used to fund my bucket list trip to Italy.

Go to my website: www.leslieconner.com where you can find the links that you need.

You can listen to the songs on MySpace first. I understand...you gotta kick the tires before you throw down the green. And you can purchase an honest to goodness CD or download the tracks on CD Baby.

I offer you sincere thanks in advance...because I don't want my pleas for attention to go Britney-style.

Ciao!