Sanremo on the Riviera

Sanremo on the Riviera

The locals write “Sanremo”, a conjunction of the saint’s name. The rest of the world splits it into two words: San Remo. It’s a beautiful and small little town that has palm trees befitting any seaside resort, as well as the narrow, pedestrian-only, rabbit-warren paths that are so characteristic of towns around Italy. Just a breath away from France, if I threw a rock into the air it would land on the other side of the border. (It’s actually about 15 miles away). I’m glad I visited in February; I can only imagine this place having standing-room-only in the summer!

From my journal. Sunday, 7 February 2010
“Saturday morning woke us to blue skies and warming temperatures that spoke of Spring. We had a breakfast of prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and toast before heading into the town of Sanremo. We inched through the very crowded market which sprawled over many blocks. Hawkers sold housewares, handbags and cashmere, most at dirt cheap prices and most at acceptable quality. I bought nothing.

A lovely day, with my light jacket unzipped and open under the sky, fresh air in off the water, and the clarity that follows a hard rain. the sun was brilliant in my eyes and the mimosa was just beginning to bloom.”

As is common in other big cities around Italy (the rest of Europe, too?), there are “human statues” that pose for money, either with a tourist or without. I’ve seen them in Rome, usually dressed head-to-toe in all white or gold, mimicking the old statuary. This man, however, was clad in silver painted junk, tied and heaped onto his body. He stood stock-still, shimmering. I enjoyed his fresh take on the well-worn statuary vision.

Signage & Storefronts

Signage & Storefronts

As a designer and artist, being here in Italy is a pilgrimage to the home of all the motifs, patterns and visual elements I’ve studied and heard of all my life. At times I’m overwhelmed, excited by the visually lush surroundings.

The storefronts and shop windows are delicious with their old-world signage and embellishments.

BOLOGNA-LaborPrimaVirtus

BOLOGNA-Palomba

BOLOGNA-LibreriaNanni

BOLOGNA-GelateriaForYou

BOLOGNA-Bianchini

BOLOGNA-Tabacchi

BOLOGNA-Veronesi

BOLOGNA-Pasquini2

This is a contemporary storefront for a high-end clothing store. All of the furnishings are made of corrugated box stock, as well as the “chandeliers” at the ceiling.

BOLOGNA-Armadio

THIS is the place to buy Bolognese classic foods! The meats! The cheeses! The 40 euro ($60) 8 ounce bottles of balsamic vinegar! Mmm.

BOLOGNA-LaBaita2

BOLOGNA-LaBaita

100% Italian Meat

100% Italian Meat

Walking past the bus stop, this ad stopped me in my tracks. McDonald’s. (A stranger in few parts of the world.) The assurance of 100% Italian Meat. The seared map of Italy on the big Mac meat patty. “When you eat our meat, it’s a whole other story, all Italian.

CarneItaliana

Here’s a link to their website.

As long as we’re on the subject of McDonald’s… When I was traveling around Toscana – Tuscany – a year and a half ago with 17 college students, there were two guys in the group, ages 19-20ish. I remember how relieved they were when we’d see a McDonald’s. “Finally! Food I can recognize!”, one of the guys exclaimed. What?! He didn’t recognize pizza, spaghetti or lasagne? He was in Italy, for God’s sake. This is the land of good food, and he was overjoyed at the sight of the golden arches!

While we were walking around Rome, we encountered one of those sidewalk-chalk-artists, redrawing a Botticelli painting on the asphalt. He must have been tired of answering “Where’s the ____ ?” questions, because he had these responses, with arrows, on the pavement next to him. I like his last answer: “So… you travel to a new country, famous all over the world for its food and wine, and you want to eat at McDonald’s…”

Lost-Tourist-Graffiti

“Obei Obei”

“Obei Obei”

It’s the holiday season, and it starts with a rush here in early December. Today, December 7, is the Feast Day of Milan’s Patron Saint, Sant’Ambrogio; it’s a citywide holiday. This day is followed with a national holiday tomorrow, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and all the Italian world is shut down for a very long weekend, (except for a few essential services).

On Saturday, I went to the Fiera Artiginiale at Milan’s space-age, ultra modern, expansive fairground, Rho Fiera. Aye! Many city blocks-worth of vendors presenting regional foods and handgoods from around Italy, Europe and the world. The Fair is an amazing gathering for taste-testing oils, jams, spreads, salami, olives and wines. One can oooh and aaah at textiles and handcrafts. In under 4 hours, my energy was spent, my feet were spent and my wallet was spent… and I was carrying home a heavy bundle to ship back to the States for gifts.

Here’s a map of the pavilions, showing the regions and countries represented:
http://www.artigianoinfiera.it/ita/visit_miniguida.php#

RhoOrbWeb

RhoRedWall

RhoRedLitWeb

And then there’s “Obei Obei“, or “Obeh Obeh”. The name is inspired by “Oh Belli!”, the shouted calls from vendors luring passersby to stop and look at the goods for sale. What started years ago as a smaller market near the Sant’Ambrogio station, grew to a huge event. It was moved, and now surrounds the Castello Sforzesco with booths of food, crafts and antiques. I came up out of the subway to a chilly afternoon and a men’s chorus singing Italian Christmas songs.

ObeiObeiChorus

The conjunction of the old Castello Sforzesco and the mylar Babbo Natale (Santa Claus) made me chuckle.

ObeiCastelloBabboNatale

Along the way, I sampled spicy salami from Calabria, nut-studded Torrone, and cheese with flecks of truffle.

ObeiTorrone

I photographed, but passed by, the Sicilian sweets vendor. (When I bought a few goodies from the same vendor before, the macaroons and pistachio-paste cookies were dried out. They must bake for weeks in preparation, and therefore, the treats get old.) But these guys have got signage down pat!

ObeiIlPadrinoStall

I decided against either a hotdog or hamburger (of course not!) and finished with a hot sandwich of grilled sausage, peppers and kraut with mustard and a long bun.

ObeiHotdogHamburger

Or I could have gone for a sandwich of porchetta

ObeiPorchetta

As a highlight of the holiday weekend, this fair is an intense, people-packed, push-and-shove opportunity. It was pretty difficult to move, and therefore, hard to see much in the booths. (I recommend the Fiera Artiginiale for it’s greater variety and higher quality of goods, although it’s also jam-packed with people.) It was dark and 6:00 p.m. by the time I made it back through the crowd. The holiday light show was underway and enjoyed by many who stood watching the display of changing lights on the castle.

ObeiCastelloLights

Though I could have walked, I caught the subway to the Duomo to enjoy a champagne-tasting that I had been told of, underway all afternoon and early evening.

“MysLand”: Milano’s Supergraphic Seaside

“MysLand”: Milano’s Supergraphic Seaside

It’s August in Milano. It’s hot and humid, and most people are part of the mass-exodus out of the city for the month. (The whole country takes the month off.) But some of us are left behind (or haven’t left yet). What’s the average relaxation passtime on a hot summer day? A day at the beach. But there is no beach in Milano, up to two hours away from the sea, so someone brought the seaside to the city. And the beach was packed.

Mysland-DoubleHorizon550

Dubbed “MysLand” (with a silent “s”, like “island”), the in-city beach was constructed on 10,000 square meters of former fairgrounds, not far from the center of town. The cost was 1.8 million Euro ($2.56 million) to create the semblance of the sea, complete with an imported sandy beach, palm trees, an odd-shaped “ocean” (pool), boardwalk, dressing cabins and café. The real kicker to me, though, was the supergraphic panel that encircled the whole “island”, giving us our view of the wide open ocean with blue skies overhead and  occasional puffer-belly clouds.

Mysland-DoorInTheSea550

When we arrived at 10:00 a.m. the place was so empty we thought they were closed. By the time we picked up our towels off the beach chairs at 2:00, there was lying-room-only. Many people sprawled on the astroturf sport court fronted by the big, beachside banner.

Mysland-AstroturfBeach

The whole concept was a hoot!

Sun-bathing in Italy was a lesson in body-consciousness and body-acceptance. Women of every size and shape sported two-piece bathing suits, no matter how abundantly they overflowed the seams or how sparsely their body parts were covered. And they didn’t seem terribly concerned either way. Men wore enough to cover their privates, some more private than others. I’m afraid my bone-white, sun-starved, Irish-German, Seattleite skin was like a beacon amidst the deep bronze I was surrounded by. Part of my lesson in body-acceptance. My new love of Italian cheese and lack of gym-time also lent opportunities for self-acceptance!

Mysland-OceanPool

By the way, I spent the day at the beach with Ewa, the one I enjoyed my octopus with two weeks ago after strolling the antique market. After our seaside Sunday, we went home to a delicious lunch of lamb cooked by Piotr, Ewa’s husband. We’ve gotten together several times and will meet up in September after they return from their Milano exodus.

Fourplex Postings

Fourplex Postings

Mount a poster and you’ve got public notice. Mount 2 or 4 together and it becomes art. The repetition of one image creates a pattern perhaps unintended by the original designer, but SO effective by the one with the glue! 

Scienza Mondo

Orchestra Faces

Metro Poli Duomo

Voom Portraits

Spagnolo Peppers