Estate Romana - I want to dance with someone?

Summer along the Tiber, complete

with multiple outdoor cinemas

Just lounging along the Tiber

The Tiber river transformed with bars and

restaurants along its banks
Happy 4th of July to me and America,

found some hot dogs to grill up

Discovering beachside grilled corn

on the cob at the beach in Ostia

Summer nights in Piazza Trilussa, Trastevere

Enjoying my beachside corn on the cob,

but mostly I posted this picture so you

could enjoy a taste of the awesome people

watching that the beach in Italy affords.

Exhibit A over my right shoulder (left in photo),

of some of the hot bodies and swimsuits that

make the beach even more enjoyable. Bathing

suits in Italy never cover more than 1/4 of your

butt, no matter your size - at first it can be

intimidating, and then it is just awesome especially

because as stated previously ogling is not only

welcome but encouraged

Embracing summer

The Italian countryside in summer

New visitors arriving shortly for vacay in Spain/Italy-

A testament to what happened the

last time we went on vacation together,

Espana - I hope you're READY

for this trio

And this is what happened last time

the three of us got together - in case

you're scratching your head about

your track of time - yes indeed we did

turn 30 this year.

I've had so many visitors (THANK YOU FRIENDS) and travel (THANK YOU WORK), and thesising (I guess I'll thank you again Fulbright, although right now it's hard to) - that I haven't been able to even tell you about what Rome is like in summer or fill you in on my latest exploits a la Italia. This Friday I have another set of visitors descending on Rome, so better get this in while I can before summer is over.....here's a bit of my Estate Romana (Roman Summer)

Summer transformation - Now while Rome is always romantic and beautiful, in summer it's on another level. As I explained previously, for some reason it is not considered 'summer' in Italy until June 1st, and then really not fully until July 1st - which is a shame because it is hot starting May 1st or earlier, but anyway. I came back from Thailand and went for a run only to discover that all of a sudden there was a bar/restaurant at my favorite look-out hill, and then another one at my favorite fountain, and then whoa - 100s of them along the Tiber. Basically Rome decides to construct a million temporary bars/restaurants at the most scenic/grassy/outdoorsy of areas just for summer, and they look like they've been there all year - complete with comfy couches/murals/wooden sculptures, etc. I should also mention that normally the Tiber is either a) flooded, or if not and you venture down to its banks, b) smells like a mixture of rotting bodies, feces, and the fish from two weeks ago - BUT somehow they turn this into a very pleasant summer dining/drinking/music/cinema experience where you don't even feel like you're in the city anymore. I was so excited to tell you all about it, and then the NY Times went and blew up my spot,http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/20/roman-festivals-offer-al-fresco-dining/

Fashion D'Estate - People warned me about the temperature come this estate in Rome, but I always thought it couldn't be worse than DC. I quickly learned that DC is no match for the Mediterranean sun. My first challenge with the summer in Rome is the fact that I walk everywhere. My walk to/from work is about 40 min each way and even in cool temperatures, one can work up a sweat if I walk above the normal passegiata pace. But I refuse to change my habits because frankly the bus is only marginally cooler, and instead of sweating in the freedom of the outdoors, I would be sweating smashed against people. On top of my transport options making me sweat, I work on the top floor of our office building that was maybe constructed in 1945, and lacks real air conditioning, so at times when it is 40 degrees (that's about 100 in F) outside, its about 34 (93F) in my office - hence this has severely challenged my summer wardrobe options. I basically have to find something that keeps me cool/airy AND also hides the rivers of sweat pouring down my body the entire day WHILE looking professional - as you can imagine a conundrum. So having to get real creative made me realize that bridesmaid dresses are ideal to fill all of these requirements, given their thick fabric and petticoats to keep the air moving. Last week I managed to wear two of my bridesmaid dresses to work. With the first one I was bit nervous that everyone would know I was wearing a bridesmaid dress, and then I remembered they don't do bridesmaids outside of the US so no one would even have any idea what it meant - and I was pleasantly surprised by many people asking me if I bought it in Rome and that they really wanted something similar. Thank you Eve and Rebecca for honouring me in attending your weddings AND keeping me cool, fashionable, and professional at work during the heat of d'estate Romana. I wish I had pics, but I'm sure I will need to wear them again given this heat, so please stay tuned....

Aggressive Males - A lot of people have asked me whether Italian men are aggressive, and I've always said no, they've mostly left me alone, haven't bothered me. Well, apparently with the summer heat so comes the male population of Rome, and they can not be deterred, but I've gotten crafty.....Oh yes, Italian men I will also beat the heat of you until we can be friends again in the Fall, back into our nice respectful routine where you hold my bags and I graciously smile at you - and that's it

Making a house a home - yes I've now lived here six months (crazy) and I can confirm that time moves faster even in the not so far future as New Zealand. I was lucky to find an apartment with nearly everything (sheets, towels, artwork, dishes, books, etc.), but none of it is mine, which is fine as I'm not possessive, but there are certain things you want in order to feel like yo u really live somewhere. For me, this amounted to a loungechair for my terrace and a barbecue in order to fully enjoy the luck of having a large outdoors space in d'estate Romana. The problem is, these items can really only be purchased with a car and far outside of Rome so I have let them slip by and have made the best with what my landlord had so nicely provided. This weekend I finally ventured to IKEA again, AND a Home Depot like store, AND a super grocery store - I almost felt like I was in the US again, and I've literally spent the whole day in my loungechair (typing away on my thesis, but enjoying it so much more sitting outside). Granted my new loungechair sort of looks like a dentists chair and my bbq cost 5 euro and may melt when I actually light a fire to it - but they have combatted my newest bout of homesickness - next week I might buy a kiddie pool. The only downfall to the summer in Rome on my terrace is the mosquitos are sort of like the men, extremely aggressive and undeterred. I have tried everything from lathering myself in repellant (which I hate), to buying candles, plug in zapping devices, and weird smelly coil things - and they somehow still get me. And somehow, nowhere sells mosquito nets. When I asked where I could find some, someone told me I should just look for them when I got to Africa - ummm, I'm not going to Africa, it's for here. But yes I'm basically living like I'm in Africa but without the malaria

Home sweet home - I originally was told by my landlord that I had to leave August 1st, but just as I hoped, he has been charmed by my wit and is allowing me to stay until Dec. He continues with his ridiculous quirky/grandpa-ness in the form of - last Sunday my doorbell rang and when I opened it no one was there but there was a new basil plant (mine had just died) and at first I got scared cause how would somehow know my basil plant had died and then I remembered Pietro and his adorableness. Or the fact that I have been stealing internet since I arrived hence my slow connection/dropped calls/slow upload of pics/no streaming of video and after two months of asking he finally installed real internet (granted through my shower, which is weird, but alas its Italy)!!! It's like 1996 all over again and I am currently typing this from the comfort of my dentist/loungechair with a full internet connection - happy summer indeed! I only have to contend with my neighbor who has taken up opera lessons - at all hours of the day. Pietro instructed me to just turn up the top hits from the radio to drown her out

And with that, I'm ready for more visitors!! So Spain get your hams ready, and your tapas filling. The last time I was in Spain I was 17. I'm excited to return as an adult to a place that I know respects a proper dance party. A few words about my guests and fellow travel companions -

-These ladies and I ventured to Italy 2.5 years ago to what will always be remembered as an epic vacation, but little did we know we would be back so soon - oh Trevi, you really do hold your end of the bargain up. We lamented not having enough time to spend in Tuscany or get to experience Italy in the warm weather - ask and you shall receive

They have been talking about Spain for over two years now, even though Stephanie hates tapas and Erica hates lisps - so it's going to be a true cultural experience

They're going to put me to the test and make me host them in both Spanish and Italian to see if I can really go between and come out with anything more than gobblety gook from my mouth - como se dice, come se dice?

Eroc arrives in Rome and we hit up some villas and Italian family laughs in Tuscany, followed by some days in Rome to show off d'Estate; then we head to Spain and stuff ourselves with ham and cava with Steez in Barcelona and the Costa Brava for a week, then Steez heads back to Italy with me (and Eroc goes home (sad) but hopefully with a ham in her shoebag), and Steez and I have a romantic weekend wine tasting in Montelcino and risk our lives amongst the Italian fervor that is the Palio in Siena.

Oh besties, I can't wait to reunite in Europa and have a ham/wine taste off between Italy and Spain, while we unleash our best onto the respective dance floors.

Ci vidiamo presto/Nos vemos pronto, regazze/chicas