You, too, can walk with us.

You, too, can walk with us.

We’re just a bunch of folks, of various ages and abilities and speeds, out for a nice walk together. We show up once a month, whomever wants to amble on two feet, and we go from here to there in Volksmarch fashion. Today we walked from Burien’s Town Square westward into and around the Seahurst [...]

Bike SaFaRis: Safe Family Rides

Bike SaFaRis: Safe Family Rides

Ignite an early enthusiasm for being on two wheels. Teach “bike sense” and street smarts to little ones. Gather people from the community for fun, conversation, fresh air and healthful exercise. These are the goals of Burien’s Bike “SaFaRis” – Safe Family Rides, launched by the enthusiastic, former Burien City Councilmember, Sue Blazak. The first [...]

Burien’s Walk-n-Talk

Burien’s Walk-n-Talk

Burien’s Walk-n-Talk is being launched this coming Sunday, August 7 at 2:00! Put on your comfy shoes and come for a casual Walk-n-Talk with friends and neighbors. On the first Sunday of every month, meet up at Burien Town Square with friends, old and new. Enjoy conversations and a walk through town. Grab a local coffee or snack before or after [...]

Beach Walk

Beach Walk

Hour and a half. A slow 4 miles. Beach. Hill trail. Neighborhoods. Wind, rain, hail, sunshine. Singing birds and seaweed. I needed that.

A Merchandising Puzzle

A Merchandising Puzzle

While you’re shopping for Chocolate Pudding Mix, don’t forget the garlic! Really? I’m still scratching my head over this one. I asked the guy stocking shelves and he said they hang garlic all over the store. OK…

Milan Thoughts in the Rain

Milan Thoughts in the Rain

On a rainy day in Seattle – there have been so many lately – the car in front of me was branded “Milan” and my thoughts flew around the world. I’m 25 days away from returning to the land of “ciao” and dear friends that I look forward to sharing aperitivo with.

Figure of Speech

Figure of Speech

Ten years ago today, the earth shook both Seattle and my life. “Scared to death” is not just a figure of speech.

Catkins Poppin’

Catkins Poppin’

In spite of the snow and hail that keep passing through… and the continued temperatures in the 30s, signs of springtime surround the observant ones here in Seattle. Swelling buds on trees and daffodil stalks. Wild violets blooming. Lenten roses braving the cold. And deciduous catkins popped open, lengthening out and pendulous. A year ago, [...]

Milano Coat

Milano Coat

While waiting to meet with a client, I stopped in a book store to browse and get a coffee. This man was in line in front of me. I smiled. Fun to encounter little reminders of Milano and Italia and my friends and time there.

Shadow Tree

Shadow Tree

The most beautiful thing I saw today. The scene: a building along the west of a busy mall parkway in south Seattle, with a drive through and plantings along the roadside. The headlights from westbound traffic in the right-hand turn lane across the street, are intercepted by this low, trimmed tree and then play across [...]

Bubblegum & Basketweave in Seattle

Bubblegum & Basketweave in Seattle

As a designer and photographer, one of the most stimulating aspects of being in Italy was its visual lushness. Every surface and every structure caught my eye. (Hence, the 16,300 photos I shot in my almost-14-months there!) Before leaving Milano, I told a few friends back home that I was concerned I’d be visually bored [...]

My Dear Neighbors!

My neighbors are so wonderful. They show up at my back door with slices of fresh, cold watermelon. They loan me pasta machines. They invite me over to sing camp songs along the shoreline. They tote my garbage and recycling bins up the steep driveway. They chat at the roadside with me, in front of [...]

Italia in America

I’m grateful for the little reminders of Italia that I encounter here in Seattle, going about my day. Names for cookies and chips. Old ladies wearing tavern jackets in the “pot pie” frozen food section. “Proud to be Italian” License plate frames. Even shrink-wrapped prosciutto piques my nostalgia, though it’s a far cry from having [...]

Blogging On

Just because I’ve returned to Seattle, will my blog come to a halt? No. There’s still more to say. I have more mulling over to do. Comparisons to draw. Reflections to note… And having shot 16,314 photos in my close-to-14 months in Italy, I have more images to share. I’m not sure how often I’ll [...]

Rhubarb Homecoming

Rhubarb Homecoming

Sunday Morning. August 1. (I arrived home yesterday in late afternoon.) Home in the summer chill of Seattle with a 60 degree morning. I slept well with the window open to fresh, cool air. Absolute silence filled the night until the crows started talking as day dawned. No neighbor above me in spike, high heels. [...]

Reconciling What Remains

It’s Thursday afternoon. On Saturday morning a car and driver will meet me here at my apartment and drive me, with whatever I’m carrying home to Seattle, to Milano Malpensa Airport. Though I’m not much of a shopper, I still have too much stuff to manage the taxi-train-plane, with all the transfers, on my own. [...]

One Week ’til Blastoff

One week from today, at this time, I will have schlepped my bags by taxi and train to Milano Malpensa airport; checked in, with machine gun carrying guards in the mezzanine above me; gone through security; waited; flown over the Alps to London two hours north; gone through security again; eaten an airport meal; wound [...]

For Grace Received

For Grace Received

Two years ago, in exploring one church after another, I noticed cathedral walls laden with silver framed medallions bearing the letters “GR”. Some were tied with a pink or a blue ribbon. There may have been 50 in some churches, or hundreds in others. Here’s a wall in the Duomo of Sienna (from 2008). With [...]

U.S. Geography & Culture Lesson

U.S. Geography & Culture Lesson

More often than not, when I’m talking to Italians and they tell me they want to travel to the U.S., they all say the same thing: they want to go to New York, Miami… and Niagara Falls. (Huh? Niagara Falls?) They tell me that TV and movies have influenced them; they’ve seen more mention of [...]

Mako & Ma Qing Sheng

Mako & Ma Qing Sheng

Two Chinese and one American strolling together along the Naviglio Grande speaking Italian, their only common language. Now if that doesn’t make you smile, I don’t know what will. I had gone back to the Mercatone Antiquariato – The Big Antique Market – (the last one before my departure) in search of the few, last treasures. Three [...]

The Milanese Man Purse

The Milanese Man Purse

Two “fashion” trends persist for men around here: orange-colored pants and the Milanese “man purse”, a sleeker, chic-er version of the multi-pocketed, safari vest. U.S. travel outfitters sell them as “travel vests”, but here in Milano, they are daily wear for the 60-80 set. Now that winter has gone, these functional garments have come out [...]

Memorial Day

Memorial Day

This day was not set aside to mark the beginning of barbeque season. Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor those that have given their lives while in service to their country… OUR country. The bell is rung at the calling of each name, newly engraved on the memorial wall. A salute goes [...]

Early Bird and a Late Night Girl

It is 4:14 a.m. No. I haven’t gone to bed yet but the first bird just sang! I could say I’m in the throes of jet lag, but really it was the seduction of a book given to me by my friend Anne and her kids before I left Seattle. “The Glassblower of Murano” by [...]

Lycra or Linen?

Seattleites wear fleece, gore-tex, lycra and denim. Their fashion sense is inspired by the sporty, athletic look, whether or not they’re either sporty or athletic. Some are so casual as to be sloppy. The Milanese wear cotton, linen, silk and wool. Denim seems reserved for the colder, winter months. More women wear skirts and dresses, [...]

The Air is Fresh and Clean

The Air is Fresh and Clean

It’s a lovely day here in Seattle. The sun was shining first thing this morning while I scurried around to get the irrigation system up and running. Now it’s pouring rain and my dry yard is thankful. I stepped outside, heard the birds singing and enjoyed the cool, fresh, clean air and smell of salt [...]

A Question of Perspective

A Question of Perspective

My house in Seattle is a mansion. My living room here is as big as my whole apartment in Milan. All of this space for one person? Really, it’s just a two-bedroom, 1950s rambler with a basement and a great yard. But after almost a year in Milan, my house seems enormous. I can’t imagine [...]

Twins Arrive, Fans Riot

Twins Arrive, Fans Riot

Boy! My two cousins come into town and a riot ensues! Connie and Gerry arrived yesterday morning, crashed out for a nap then wandered the town for a while. I met them in the evening at their Duomo-close hotel and we goofed around the piazza for a while. Connie succumbed to the bird food man, [...]

Goin’ Home

Goin’ Home

One month ago I wrote this entry in my journal, and am now ready to post it, announcing that I’ve decided to move back to Seattle at the end of July. I now have less than 4 months remaining here, and that perspective is very much affecting my time and my outlook. Sometimes I catch [...]

Out with The Girls

Out with The Girls

It’s been great fun to get to know the group of women from the schools here. Now and then, when a few of us are available, we’ll go out for aperitivi. Here, from left to right, are: Keryn, from Australia Ashley, originally from the U.S. (but recently London) Anna, from Iceland. Now her parents are [...]

A Cute, Little Italian

Hmm. I might find me a cute, little Italian. All the right curves and straight lines. Just my size. Fits into tight places. Agile and responsive. Yah. Sounds good to me! (I don’t know what YOU were thinking. I was talking about a CAR!) Before I came here, I sold my Honda CR-V and figured [...]

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