giovedi

last night was our best show so far. at least, in my opinion. it was a pretty full house again and we were having it videotaped for posterity, so there were two cameras and the stage lights were brighter than we're used to because of the taping. i got into some grumpy funk during our speed-thru rehearsal beforehand, and was having a hard time shaking it. we also started later than usual due to camera set-up. what kept my grumpy anger simmering were the sounds of glasses clinking and voices coming from the restaurant next door. we share a large open doorway, separated only by a curtain and we can hear everything. even though they finally closed the bar at 9:30, they didn't seem to care that we had a very quiet, intimate show going on. it's been like this all week. anyway, i know that javi was having a hard time during the show. he was battling a foot injury and all the distractions can be, well, distracting. regardless of all this, he was putting out a good performance and the show seemed to flow very well between all of us. a lot of laura's family was there and it was wonderful to have them and javi's boyfriend, oscar, in the audience.

we began yesterday in our new favorite place: the pasticceria.
i'd like to dive into this beautiful coffee.


and this,

and i did.

we were greeted with the same friendliness as yesterday, and after we started in on our coffees and brioche, the waiter came by and asked us something in italian. i said "si, si!", which is my usual reply to questions asked in a food establishment, and when he walked away, i wasn't sure if he'd asked us if we'd liked yesterday's granite, or, if i'd just ordered some more. when he returned, he had two more flavors of granita for us to try: pistacchio and mandorla (almond). they were both so good that i remembered to take a photo only after we were mostly done.


ej is starting to remember to bring his video camera with him wherever we go. and he's pretty happy about it.


we've been there all of twice, and now this is our "usual" table.


then it was off to an art installation that was funded by prada. gaby knew generally where it was, so ej and i just followed. we neglected to bring a map, but the weather was cool and overcast; perfect weather for a meandering adventure in the city. over the course of the next hour, we rode bus #54 not once, but twice.


we walked in one direction, and then the opposite one. took a tram. asked directions.


walked some more, did some sightseeing,




apparently, this is about as close as we're going to get to "the last supper".


and then we found the art space! the exhibit was called "turn into me" by a young swedish artist named nathalie djurberg. it was disturbing, to say the least and i can see why they put this sign at the entrance.


no photography was allowed, which is probably for the best. there were claymation videos playing, most of which were housed within mixed media sculptures. it was a strange and stifling world she created, and i was happy to get back outside for some fresh oxygen when we were done. laura met us there, then led us to a sandwich place. it wasn't The Best Sandwich Place that she keeps telling me about and where i plan to have a salame sandwich, because they were closed, but it was pretty good.


self-portrait by laura.


this is not a self-portrait.


art in the making.


later last night, after the show, we went out with matteo and some of his friends. we were hoping for food, but all that the bar had was ham and cheese on toast. i asked for mine without the ham.


this is how hungry ej was.


we took a cab home in the rain. i was exhausted. i woke up this morning in the exact same position in which i hit the bed last night.