:)

"Mom, you are the best of moms because you always smile!"

No more than a simple :) is necessary here.

Hasta La Victoria!

And so we made it, Ali and I. We arrived at the end of all our chores and are about to enjoy our deserved holiday in London. It'll be a fortnight, just me and her, and it'll be memorable, no matter how many rain showers are forecasted for the next 10 days. Because London isn't London without rain. Groucho Marx left when the waether was too good. He hated London when it wasn't raining. It must mean something. 

 

I'm tired but happy. I spent the last few days preparing a strict itinerary of all the things I want to see, trying to concentrate all the new areas I miss, the things that were erected whilst I was away with my daughter's needs. She has quite a lot now. We had so much fun studying the various possibilities together. I just long for this awaited getaway, not long now, only 12 hours left and tomorrow night I'll be checking my emails from Lisa's house. 

Many things happened in the meanwhile. Alice concluded her second grade with flying colors. It was a milestones year for her, learning the multiple tables, perfectioning her reading skills and, mainly, writing using her handwriting. I'm proud of this pretty little soul who tries her best and is succesfull in everything she does. 

The last 6 months were pretty intense for me too. The photo course I attended completely absorbed me. All my efforts were rewarded, though, since I ended up being the best student, with my Portfolio winning first place out of 37 others during the final competition. It's incredibly flattering and motivating. I was so emotional over it that I don't remember much about those minutes of fame. It's the first time since adolescence years that I don't get such a public ovation, so it made its effect. 

Here i am with my group and my instructors. Thank you, guys, for sharing such a honor with me. I'm just feeling ... ecstatic beyond words!

I now have full credits to take the beauty out of things. Not that I needed a Diploma for that, but I'm entitled to create my own site, which I'll launch soon. And as soon as I create it, I'll link it to this blog. I'll have to update my Flickr account too, since I left it untouched for ages now. And, most of all, I have to think about a nice signature for my photos. 

Time to think about it, I want to relax in London now. Needless to say, I've a detailed list of things to capture. It's so nice to look behind and see I'm going somewhere with my dreams. 

I may be absent from this blog, due to all the new and exciting things that keep me distracted, but I'll be back to regular posting soon, and with a renovated energy. Let me go and explore more London now. The rest is up to history. My history, the one I'm sharing here with you!

The Undoubted Queen

I followed the Diamond Jubilee celebrations on line like many others in the rest of the world. The inner British freak in me enjoyed it all. I'm convinced that if I lived in London I'd celebrate in the streets. I'd probably never wear a mask or hold a flag, since the unpatriottic Italian in me find it tedious and admirable at the same time (I wish we had at least one symbol to believe in like the Queen), but I'd surely wake up very early and gather outside St Paul's Cathedral to catch a glimpse of the Royals too. 

Collage created with phtos from The Telegraph

Monarchy can be useless and aesthetically decorative, but it's the only institution that hasn't let the family, the nation and a whole Commonwealth down through the years. Queen Elizabeth II has always been there, stable, intelligent and honest, getting in return respect, affection, even love from her people, "insisting on finding common ground with a woman whose life is so singularly uncommon, on seeing the ordinariness in a figure who by definition must be extraordinarily other." - credits

60 years of amazing fashion history, too. The Queen has always been a reassuring matronly solidity in her elegance, which developped through the years but didn't change a bit: always impeccable. I'm used to the image of her wearing coloured outfits with a matching hat, neat handbag and shoes, so I was surprised to see she was glamorous in her youth. She was vibrant, exciting and spontaneous, and even wore a seductive tight dress on the day of her coronation. 

via Vogue

I loved the way throughout the 1950s she channeled Grace Kelly glamour through fitted bodices and full skirts during the day, and outfits of duchesse satin and tulle paired with furs and tiaras at night. I also loved how through the 1990s a more relaxed image of the Queen emerged, as images of her relaxed clothes enjoying the British countryside in colourful headscarves and down-to-earth tweeds.   

It must be hard to work with her to assure her outifts are always away from wardrobe malfunction. Since she's aided by Angela Kelly, her First Assistant, I notice an even better look on her Majesty. I'm so glad the Queen keeps trusting this lady's taste against all great stylists out there who would like to dress THE Royal, like disgusting Karl Lagerfeld dreamed.

"I don't know why the Queen seems fond of me - Because I don't give her an easy time!" spoke Mrs Kelly about her role to the The Telegraph for the first time, after seeking permission from her special boss. "I do think she values my opinion, but she is the one who is in control. She always makes the final decision,"

Queen Elizabeth looked utterly majestic with all her Jubilee outfits. The only sad thing on these happy Diamond days was that she was alone, with her husband hospitalized for an infection. Long live the Queen and Prince Philip, then. I hope they can keep sparkling with their marriage, the longest for any reigning king or queen in the history of British and a symbol of devotion to their dominions.

via People

It was, in 1947, that rarest of unions: a royal love match. Just like mine with London, which took a piece of my heart and keeps it there. London calls and I have to respond: I'll go next week with Alice and stay a fortnight. A bit late for the Jubilee, but surely in time for restoring a sane nostalgia :)

Belle of the Ball

Great day ahead: my lil princess is all set for her ballet show. She's used to the stage, this isn't her first performance, but it's her first debut in classical ballet tonight indeed, thus she's pretty excited and a bit scared too. 

Any filming or shooting it's strictly prohibited inside the theater, so I snapped a few shots this morning on our way to the final reharsal to have some decent memory. I don't expect anything good out of the photographer,  and I'm pissed off about this rule he imposed, if you ask me. As long as you don't use your flash and don't go near the stage to take photos, why not allowing people if they want to?

This ballet show concludes a magical year. Princess Ali matured a lot with classical ballet helping her on the way. There're many benefits I notice, from physical strength, agility and strong concentration skills to a sense of pride and accomplishment which improved her self-esteem. As she began to improve, she gained a new sense of self-confidence which are helpful in other areas of her life. Watching my daughter slowly transform into a lovely, beautiful, wise little lady is very rewarding.

Looking forward to enjoying the show then tonight. I love you, Alice, I love you so! Good luck, baby!

Poppies Day

Driving 1 hour to go to a poppies field just because you want to dive into your childhood again is priceless. Spending quality time in there perfectly at ease with yourself is double joy.

I love poppies, they're delicate in shape but still so fierce, a perfect symbol of my childhood years, where all I could do was surviving my dysfunctional role models.

That we find a crystal or a poppy beautiful means that we are less alone, that we are more deeply inserted into existence than the course of a single life would lead us to believe.

John Berger

That's the Latest

A lot is happening here. The fact I'm a (forced) sporadic blogger doesn't mean I'm not writing at all. I am, I keep writing all the time but I'm too busy to sit down and post properly and make it all nice for you like I would like to. Sooner or later all of my drafts will pop out and flow on these pages like they deserve to be, and you'll be happier (I hope LOL) after catching up with me :)

For now, please enjoy this combination of photos and my Facebook status updates, before it's too late and I get too emotionally distracted to sum it all up.

May 2

Lovat Bookstore, during a peaceful afternoon of readings. Alice sips her hot chocolate and exclaims "Mum, I feel at home here!" and I'm the proudest mother.

May 3

"Good morning with a smile from us!"

May 4

Last photo correction approaching. I feel like crying.

 

May 5

www.pissedoff.com 

Delirium of a pissed off girl: Into the Wild is one of the best movies of the universe. Bows to Mr Penn. Period.

May 6

CONGRATULATIONS, FRANCE! 

"Le changement, c'est maintenant. Let's all follow this step!"

May 7

"Go fuck yourself. And u know who you are. Excuse my language, people, but she truly deserves this!"

May8

"Wow, mum, isn't the bartender handsome?"

"Yes, honey, he is, but I think he's gay."

"Oh. But he can always change, right?"

May 9

Nutella or not Nutella? Dammit!

May 10

"Alice, have u made your bed?"

"Yes, Madam!"

May 11

Racism against gypsies, regular parents beating scares and lots of disturbed questions. Should I put a limit to my daughter's friends in our house? Where's the borderline between accepting others/wanting to teach them right and being scared/snob? PS: Happy birthday to the man of my life!

May 12

The sound of my baby's voice whilst reading loud before falling asleep ... awwwwwww!

May 13

"Greetings from Venice!"

May 14

Can someone please explain to my hubbie that the fact he works from home at times doesn't mean I'm his secretary? :)

May 15

Slightly panicking. No photo inspiration for Sunday, on a writer's block and eating like crazy. This can't go on!

May 16

This pic scored 2 nd place at a month Photo Competition yesterday. I want to dedicate it to Valentina, Sandra, Lisa, Nesli, Roula, Asun and Zeina. Thank you, girls, for your constant support in my work. This was possible because of your motivating comments!

May 17

Waiting for lil princess to come home, on her first night out without parents -yuck! :)

May 18

"Alice, look at that glorious sunset, come and see it yourself. Call daddy, rush!"

"Daddy, daddyyyy, come and see you too!"

"Ohhhh, so is this what you disturbed me for?"

May 19

Calling nana is harder now: she's deafer and deafer. Happy birthday anyway!

May 20

Hazelnut milkshake and I'm ready for this final day out shooting in Nova Goriza, whilst the earth shaked again and a quake hit Emilia Romagna. It never rains but it pours!

May 21

Scared and demoralized by these bomb attacks, so close to another tragical anniversary. Even God refuses to bless Italy :(

And then today:

"One more week, Elda, hang in one more week and then life will be normal again."

Misenderstood Artist

"The sea is more beautiful with this color, right, Mom?"
"Looks like a dolphin swimming in blood to me."
 "Please! It's sunset colors!" Rolled eyes, combined with a sigh.