Holy Month in Rome - April 2011

Ciao,

So I have survived a few months and a few trips.  I should have realized that here April is more than  just a month with a few religious holidays but a full out National Holiday event. Like I said before I lived near Vatican City.  Now if you don't already know Vatican City is not part of Rome.  Yes its in Rome, but it is governed seperately like its own little country within Italy.  Weird I know but this is Europe. lol

Palm Sunday - I remember to tuning into service online listening to FCBC sermon, a Baptist church in Harlem, but did not see anything crazy in the neighborhood.  I did notice that there were no palms given out in Italy, they give OLIVE branches instead.  (Hmmmm food for thought why do American's collect palms then.  OK moving on. ) There was reminisce of the olive branches all over the street by Monday. 

Ok now before Easter Sunday during holy week I get another visitor in April (told you April was visitor month).  A friend of my brother's from NYC also was living in Italy but way in the South in a town called Reggio Calabria, he was playing basketball for the city.

Holy week was crazy around the neighborhood, they have all week events that where dedicated to the Die-Hard Catholics from all over the world come to Rome to hear Pope Benedict speak.  I guess I didn't think hard about me living in the center of Catholics' Mecca but it did helped me to realize that I have lost touch with my relationship with God while I was here in Rome. :( And of all places you would think that Rome where I see nuns, monks, and priest everyday, this was not possible.  But I realize from the Italians that I have gotten close to who are of a younger generation, they are very distant from Catholicism.  They grew up in a time where it was now being publicized about Priest raping children, not that didn't happen before, but maybe know when knew or talked about it in public.  They look at the Pope differently than their parents.  And this is very evident in the way that they act and  the way they communicate.  My friend was in town so we searched for all the holy events in the city.  I only made to the Bar with him! lmfao horrible!

Here are a few pics from Easter Sunday mass that my friends attended at the Vatican, but I was sleep at 7am.
Disclaimer: Angie I stole your pics but I wanted everyone to see this experience

Visitors month - April 2011

April,

Very excited my first visitor came to see me.  Feel so loved. My long lost friend (at the time) made his way all the way to Rome to ensure that everything was going well.  Immediately I started to plan things to do. This was his first time to Italy and we only had a week together. Though he is a world traveler thought it was important to see more of Italy in one week and still make the most of my time with him alone (wink) by traveling to the Isle of Capri!!

COMMERCIAL BREAK:
Here is the scope, he is a blast from the past that after talking to more recently while in Rome thought would be a nice friend to have in my future.  I knew little about his current life since speaking to him many years ago but I was hoping that he was the same genuine, kind, and sweet gentleman that I knew from before.  Yes, Yes, may have had a slight crush on him light years ago that ended.  But it was good to know that he wanted me too as much as I wanted him then.  O the joys of getting older, all the things that you thought were important before becomes trivial as time go on.

Ok back to the story.  I enjoyed my time with him in Rome and in Capri.  My time to be a tourist again with better weather.  Capri is a famous vacation hideway south of Rome and a ferry ride from Naples.  There are tons of tourist here! The food is amazing and since some of the more affluent tourist vacation here like this summer Alica Keys and her husband Swizz Beats. There is tons of high fashion clothing stores which explains the reason for this high priced island. We stayed on the other side of the small island called Anacapri, less tourist and we loved our B&B.  Luciana is now like a relative to us. We stayed The Sunset B&B, and trust me the view of the sunset was Ahhhmazing.  We did a lot of walking around the small island which is very hilly and rocky.  A lot of small streets and narrow roads.  We immediately fell in love with our atmosphere and with the people we met on this island.  We made our way all the way down to the Faraglioni Rocks, it was another Ahhmazing moment. (awwwwww)  One thing we didn't not get to do because of the tides were the Blue Grotto which is a tourist trap anyway.  IT is a cave where the sun reflects the blue on its limestone bottom. Typically the lines are crazy too.

Here are a few pics:
Just me our first night out, dinner at my Favorite Restaurant Mama's

 One thing to know about Italians is that they are SERIOUS about their Lemons or Limoni especially in the South.  They have this liquer called Lemonchelo that is smooth, sour, and sweet all at the same time. Make sure you try some, it is usually offered as dessert.

 Made it to Capri! Here is pics at our B&B

Mean Alexandar McQueen's in a Boutique in Capri.

Birthday Month!!! - March 2011

Buon Compleanno! Happy Birthday!


Originally rough after the beginning after Venice trip.  My Damn internet didn't work on my Birthday! So it was a hard day not speaking to any my family. Especially my mom.  Even at 26 you realize how important the small things are.  It was bitter sweet because I was excited to be in ITALY but missed my family and friends who I would normally be with celebrating.

I ended up finding a wax place and get my "siutation" worked out.  And finding one of my favorite restaurants in Rome Mama's.  This is place is near my old apartment close to the Castle San Angelo.  Sexy hostess name Andrea (male's name in Italy btw). Chilled there for lunch and had Sushi for dinner with friends.  So I survived!

So the rest of March I went to a few AS Roma Basketball games.  I love Basketball!! This was a great experience to be at there arena.

Bologna & Florence Italy

Couple of days under the Tuscan Sun!
Then Finally It was SPRING BREAK time!!!  I hooked up with a Fellow Blogger in Italy to do a photo shoot in Florence, Italy and I met her in Bologna, Italy.

Bologna, Italy is known its good food and education.  This is the home of Lambrusco Wine and Bologna (seems like it good, but not a meat eater).  There was very little to do in the area this is a small town in the North but big for its great University of Bologna where scholars from all over the world come to study.  My friend was her studying in their Masters program while still doing make-up for events and shoots on the side.


This is my first FASHION photo shoot it was quite an experience.  The creative director, Pasquale, was  inspired by the idea of the model wearing very modern and fashionable clothing but lost within her surroundings a foreigner in from a time. At the same time he wanted to capture  the historical structures of Florence.  Below are some of my shots during the preparation and on the shoot.

Florence which is north of Rome was a very beautiful city and is the Father to Italian Renaissance and is an amazing city cultural.  Florence is home to the Florentine steak (too bad I don't eat beef) and the original Florentine language is today's Italian is from.  My friend was very very well versus on the   I was working the entire time on the shoot but was able to see some cool places.  I did go shoping in the Italian leather market, and walked across Ponte Vechico  (Old Bridge) where some of Italy's Best Gold is sold. 

Here are some photos from the shoot and being a tourist in the city of Florence and Bologna
A market street in Bologna

 Main Square in Bologna

 My Friend, Tani is makeup artist who worked with Mac decided to have be look nice and neat for work today.  Almost forgot I was the photographer I was ready for the RUNWAY!! Woooorrrrrrrk!

 Made it to Florence! Now we WORK

 Some of my Prof. Shots

 Churches designed with the original Byzantine Architecture

 The Girls after a long day of Shooting

 Offical ITalian Fadora!

 I just bargained with this guy at the Leather market and he seemed more happy than me that I got it for a great deal.  Guess just the ole Cha Charm making more Italian men happier everyday

 Ponte Vecchio - Old Bridge is where some of Italian's Finest Jewelry is sold