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Published: November 22nd 2008
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This time I really have so much to say, as due to computer problems (again, *sigh*) I havent had the chance to write for a long time. Lots has happened, many more strikes, both transport and university. I've decided that i need them though, especially the odd university strike, in order to be able to make it to the rest of my 24 hours of lectures each week.
Recently I have been spending a lot of time with Italians. The very glamorous Italians everyone thinks Italy is full of: artists, photographers and the models (although sadly no fashion designers as yet). I've been delighted to discover, however, that they are suprisingly unpretentious and extremely nice. Last week I accompanied Edie to Silvia's studio (Silvia is a friend of francesco and professional photographer) because she had requested to take Edies picture for a project she was working on. Edie was a little nervous, as she said, she wasnt a model and wasnt sure she would be able to do what silvia wanted. Francesco, wanting to make Edie more at ease, wined and dined us at a fabulous sushi restaurant for lunch It was very unexpected yet extremely welcome. I have missed
sushi immeasurably while being in Italy. Afterwards we went to a coffee bar for a speedy espresso, and I feel compelled to mention this bar because the walls were covered with small paintings of the customers! The owner had taken pictures of regulars and someone had painted portraits of them all, it was extremely cool. Then we went to silvias were we stayed for the next ten hours. Edies make up was done by a make up artist from MAC, and it was stunning. It did take two hours though. And then hair and nails took another hour. I lounged around on the sofas looking at Silvia's art books and developing a taste for the photography of Miles Aldridge, while Francesco pranced around opening bottle after bottle of prosecco and topping up anyone who would let him. It was interesting to see the make up though, and also how Silvia set up all the lights. For the first shoot Edie posed with caviar, for the second she had to pour a bottle of jack daniels (actually diet coke) all over herself. the poor girl was shivering but she did fabulously. when the pictures come out i shall post them here.
By this time Viktoria, the model from bulgaria was there and Silvias assistant (a student from bologna university of work experience) and the make up artist and another model (chinese), so we were having a bit of a party. There was also a man there who is a show jumper and friends with Alexandra Tolstoy, the niece or some other relative of THE Tolstoy. She graduated from Edinburgh University and then rode 5000 miles along the silk route on Akhal-Tekes (horses, a bit like Turkey's answer to Arabians) with her husband. Now she organises riding trips for the public (the sort of public who can afford £4000 for a two week holiday.) Her story is pretty amazing though, so do look at her website http://www.alexandratolstoy.com/ if you are interested.
At about 22.00 we paused for dinner, and lo and behold were treated to sushi again (this time take away) but really, i felt soo spoilt as i dont think ive ever had so much sushi in one day or prosecco for that matter. We stayed until about midnight to watch the photo shoot of the chinese model, this time the style was a little bit more "fetish" which
is silvias area, but it was cool.
We all went out together to the November party at Decadence. Decadence is a club in a church that has a reptutation for being "dark" (people dress up and its a bit gothic) but I think its really good fun and not too scary. And its the best venue and the best music in Bologna (in my opinion) The atmosphere is quite crazy and its like another world; i think its the fantasy side of it that I love: it doesn't feel real. We had aperitivo first at Silvia's studio again, and many of the same people were there. It was surreal talking to Viktoria (model) as she suddenly spoke really good english, even though a month ago she hadnt spoken any, but it was because she had spent the last month working in london. She really loved it and we had a little "tandem" conversation going, where i spoke italian and she spoke english and we corrected eachother. I find that it's a really great way to learn as I feel far less self-conscious about making mistakes. Possibly the best part of the night was the end. At about 4 am
Wok pasta
Anastasia and Viktoria when we were still in the club, the model said she was absolutely starving (what wonderful irony, she is about the size of my little finger) so we all left and returned to mine and Francesco's where Francesco and Viktoria proceeded to make spaghetti al pomodoro. I discovered well and truly that pasta cooked by a personal trainer and a model in a Wok at 5 am is the best kind of pasta. Then Valentino, my other flatmate, returned with his friends, so there were about 18 of us all in my little kitchen eating spaghetti together at a ridiculous hour. We had to endure many questions from his friends such as "did you know halloween was LAST week?" "What do you do at these "dark" parties?" "what is the music like?" "are all the people crazy?" It felt a little strange to be explaining to grown men that no, the party was not too scary and generally the people were very nice and fairly "normal". They still seemed a little awestruck.
Another night out that I must mention is Cassero. Cassero is the birthplace of "arcigay" a society in Italy that pioneered the gay movement, and is extremely
important, as in a catholic country like italy, gay-ness is still not widely accepted. The venue is stunning, a medieval port conversion, quite vault-like all in red brick. The music was great and I went with Lotje, Francesco and Pierro, so that was amusing. Francesco told me before "hatty you really must protect me from the gay men" but from the way he danced you would really think he was desperate for attention. I know he wasnt though, beacuse he isnt like that (well, not always) he just gets very much into the music, but at one point we were surrounded by about ten men all mesmerised by his moves. It was nice though for once to be with someone else attracting all the male attention! (And of course rather thrilling to be the "protector" of the hulking great mass of muscle beside me.)
My lectures are going well, I feel particularly fond of all the Italian students because they are always so friendly and smile lots and always say "ciao". They are all very close in a slightly strange way as there is often a sort of ritual "hugging" and excited jumping around before classes, particularly Greek. Maybe
they just adore Greek. My Greek professor is still a little baffling, whenever I try and find out the official course contents he says vaguely "oh but you are erasmus, you just read what you want...." That exam should be interesting. I have my first proper exam (grammatica latina) in 3 weeks, eek. Its the only one before christmas though, and if I pass it will be amazing because it means less revision in January. And obviously a confidence boost for the rest of the exams.
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