Wednesday, February 15, 2012
An Ancient Greek for Hump Day Hottie
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Valentines Day a big day for Zeus, a big day of no sex!
Suddenly, the day of hearts and love isn't looking so bad. Or is it? Leda is someone he wronged in the past and wouldn't blame her if she denied him again, but he cares for her, deeply.
He is ready to do whatever it takes to have her again, but will she forgive his past mistakes?
Excerpt
“Feeling lonely?”
The two words were whispered so quietly, he wasn’t sure he actually heard them or if it was a culmination of what he had been thinking pushed the idea into his head. Casting a quick look around the cavernous room revealed no one else was there, but neither did he consider himself lonesome. Usually whenever he was in this room, he was surrounded by a crowd of people, many who were looking for something from him. The one good thing about being alone was that it rarely happened and it allowed him to think about what he wanted to reflect further upon, not what others put in front of him.
Relaxing back against the back of his throne, he took another drink from his cup and closed his eyes to savor the peace and quiet.
Except for his dislike of this particular day, his life was actually pretty good. There was nothing he lacked, although there were mistakes he’d made in the past, a few he wished he could go back and do over again.
“No women for the God of the Universe on Valentine’s Day?”
“Who is there?” A mere mortal couldn’t survive the wrath of his voice, much less the glare in his eyes as he stood up and searched the corners of the room. Whoever was out there had invaded his private time and he wouldn’t allow that to go unpunished. “Show yourself immediately or I’ll—”
“You’ll what?”
From behind the last column at the far end of the room stepped a delicate figure in a bright blue short chiton. Because of the lighting and distance between them, he couldn’t see the woman well enough to identify her by name, but he was able to see enough for his cock to stiffen between his legs.
“Who are you?” Now that he knew it was a beautiful woman, Zeus asked for help in identifying his visitor. Already he was turning away from intimidation and looking toward seduction. Hopefully The Fates would be too busy working on another string to see how his was changing.
“You know who I am, lover.”
“Lover? We’ve been together before?”
“Yes, we have.” The woman stopped moving and bowed to him. Instead of the usual gold rope twining around and through her dark brown hair, there was something white and fluttered in the light breeze. The more he saw of her, the more intrigued he was to discover everything.
“Don’t you remember me, Zeus?”
©Tilly Greene, 2009
"Together Again?", the second installment in the Mythological Messes Redux series, is available at All Romance eBook [ARe] and Amazon.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Who is Cupid?
Originally posted February 11 2008
In two days time it’s Valentine’s Day.
One day out of the year we dedicate to roses, chocolates and diamonds, mixed in with pink and red visions of romance and a baby wearing wings, carrying a bow and arrow. Wait a minute, a baby with a weapon? That's right. So, what makes Cupid right for the job? I'm not so sure he is, Eros might actually be better qualified for the position.
In Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Edith Hamilton states Eros was depicted as a “beautiful serious youth”. H.J Rose’s says in A Handbook of Greek Mythology that he was “handsome young athlete”, but before both of these characterizations were made he represented love, lust and intercourse as one of the oldest gods in Greece. Where worshipping of the god was important it’s been discovered he was the deity for attractive young men and boys. Across the Adriatic, Cupid was depicted as a child who had the same traits as those already noted. Like Janus, it was questioned whether Cupid had two distinctive sides to his persona or was actually two separate individuals.
After gaining Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty, as his mother along with three prospective fathers, Eros image of male lust and sex was further encouraged. One probable father was Hermes, a phallic god and another was Ares, God of War. It seems even in the ancient world a warrior encouraged a woman’s desire to grow exponentially. The third potential was Aphrodite’s father, Zeus. This union was viewed as sexual passion so strong and out of control it has no limitations. This association with the uncontrollable made Eros a dangerous god. The parent issue was similar for Cupid. Jupiter and Venus were also noted as his parents, as were Nyx and Erebus. Both possible couples helped define and solidify various qualities of his character.
Both Cupid and Eros seem fairly interchangeable at this stage, except for their appearances and the Ancient Greek god having elements of danger associated with him. It's at this point the two figures actually appear to swap personalities.
It wasn’t until Alexandrian times that women come into picture for Eros. This happened when the ideal relationship between men and women moved from being mere sexual desire to one of love from the heart. Because of this supposed softening to his characterization, the God of Love’s importance to men was lessened. With this change in attributes, as well as society moving away from worshipping gods and goddess, he became a chubby child with a wicked bow, seen mainly in connection with Aphrodite and subordinate to others.
So, what do you think? Does it make sense for Cupid to be the image of Valentine's Day? He is a child afterall. Maybe Eros [erotic love] would be better suited for the holiday that encourages lovers to put their hearts out there for their lovers to see and experience.
Friday, February 10, 2012
February Means Chocolate Time - Day 5!
The fifth and final stop on my hot chocolate hunt was in Munich and also one on the list of Best Hot Chocolate from Travel & Leisure Magazine I've been using as inspiration and trial since 2007.
"Thirty flavors of hot chocolate fill the menu at this cozy-chic retreat in the lively Isarvorstadt distrct. Our favorites: vanilla Cream, Chestnut, Orange Cinnamon, and the signature cuppa, Hot Chocolate Aztec, with its blend of chile, cloves, peanuts, and extra-bitter cocoa. Soy milk in on hand for nondairy drinkers."That's what Charolotte Druckman, the author of the list of four establishments, had to say and I don't disagree. It was fun, unique, hip in how it used a 50's vibe in a bright, front room kind of setting.
Was it my favorite of the four, actually two since that's all I've been to on the list, no but it was very good and the place was fun to sit and chat. What I've learned from this latest hunt is that the cafe itself played a part in how much I liked a cup of hot chocolate, but I'd also recommend you visit any that I've listed - there were others that, for some reason, didn't make the cut or even rate a mention.
Oooo, I'm so tough! I guess I am when it comes to a fantastic cuppa cocoa :-)
Thursday, February 09, 2012
February Means Chocolate Time - Day 4!
I took the hot chocolate hunt to a new country, The Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam.
This was a last minute stop and I had no clues what to do besides visit the museums and snack on frites with satay sauce. Well, I didn't end up having any of the latter, but through the Knopf MapGuides Amsterdam*, we found a gem of a place that I intend to take my cutie to when we go to Amsterdam. Yes, it was that good, in fact, it was my favorite cup of hot chocolate through the entire 2 months of travel and that's saying a lot!
"Very popular bakery and tearoom, renowned for the quality and freshness of its products. It has an extensive snack menu and excellent teas and coffees."*It was the cat in the window that encoruaged us to walk in even though the place was packed. We shared a large family-style dinner table with 9 other people and the garden at the back. I had a croque monsiuer and the other two I was with ordered the special...not one of us was disappointed.
The space isn't huge, its a neighborhood spot, and the smells coming from the kitchen teased the senses. The people who worked there were friendly, I mean genuinely happy, and the folks who we sat closet to at the table were a local family, older, and absolutely lovely to talk to. They finished their lunches off with a scone, cream and lemon curd and recommended we do the same. We did, of course, and oh yes, that was so very tasty.
Are you getting the gist of what happened at Bakkerswinkel? I'm not a fan of food, but everything about the place rang my bells.
Okay, okay, on to the hot chocolate!
As you can see from my pics above, it came in a glass with chunks of chocolate with a few other bits of nuts settled on the bottom, and a frothy layer at the top. Using the long spoon, I stirred it up and then set the spoon to cool down before repeating the process. The older gentleman we spoke with helped me out on this one - explaining the science of it all [that part made me miss the cutie]. Let the spoon cool and stir with it to get the hot chocolate down to drinking temp.
This glass of hot chocolate was light yet tasty, just a hint of spice and fabulous from the first sip to the last! If you ever make it to Amsterdam, make a point to visit Bakkerswinkel and enjoy the experience.
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
February Means Chocolate Time - Day 3!
I've given you my suggestion for best hot chocolate in Rome and Florence so that leaves Venice.
From what I could gather through the various travel books and talking to folks who had been, there was no great place for sweets much less hot chocolate - shocking, because it would be a great place sure to thrive on the romantic aura of the city. Shame, but all was not lost. I actually found a wonderful cup of the liquid brown nirvana in:
After walking over the Bridge of Sighs, we made a random left and stumbled upon this gem of a place looking for someplace to have lunch. It was perfect. Don't let the exterior fool you, I'd recommend this place in a heartbeat for more than the ciocolata. The pizza and pasta were to die for and I don't say that easily - not a fan of tomatoes or mushrooms, two things which tend to show up too frequently and in great quantity in American-style Italian food.
Inside this restaurant was a bright open feeling with a lunch crowd that was distinctly not touristy. You always hope to find those types of places and enjoy more of what they themselves like, not what a guide book says they like.
There was no cream and that was fine, this was a cup of joy and needed no fussing. I find it interesting how, both in France and Italy, sugar is offered as if the hot chocolate needs it and I don't think it does. The flavor is perfectly balanced, the occassional dollop of cream is all that I personally want to stir in, but even it isn't necessary.
For me, Italy offered yummy ciocolata.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
February Means Chocolate Time - Day 2!
Yesterday was Rome and today is Florence.
There were so many piazzas with their own cafes dotted all around the historic district where we stayed and spent most of our time. We tried at least one on everyday, but only one place did we go to twice - okay, we were so tired we didn't remember we'd been there for dinner two days before. We don't consider it a mistake, we truly enjoyed:
Even though it was November, the weather was so nice, we sat outside and watched tourists and Florentines alike make there way through the bustling piazza. This was also the one that had the David statue I wrote about earlier. Knopf MapGuides for Florence says:
"This smart confectioner opened in 1872 to sell what it is still famous for today: a heavenly thick hot chocolate. Unbeatable location too, on the city's most beautiful square."It was all true.
After sampling hot chocolate in Rome and in Florence, I can say what I found was unfussed with hot chocolate that wasn't overly sweet but neither was it bitter.
Monday, February 06, 2012
February Means Chocolate Time - Day 1!
On my recent travels I partook, as I almost always do, in hunt for the best hot chocolate and thought I’d share my findings. This all started with a list of four places the articles author noted back in a 2007 Travel and Leisure magazine. I’ve been to one place on the list, Angelina’s in Paris, but sought other cafes out at the same time and found, while wonderful in chocolate offering and ambiance, it was one of a few that were also good. The list is not final or by any means the ultimate list, it was and continues to be a starting point.
Now, back to this last trip when I visited a second of the four on the list, but because my brain works in a funny way, I’ll begin where the trip started, in Rome, and my favorite cup there was found at:
“Stendhal, Leopardi, Ungaretti…all have sat in this prestigious café, founded in 1760 and concealed between the boutiques of the Via Condotti. The interior retains its velvet chairs, marble-topped tables, red -colored walls, pictures, sculptures and tail coated staff. Pastries, coffees and ice cream. Cheaper if you sit at the counter.”Is what the Knopf Mapguides to Rome said and, yes, it’s all true and so much more. People came in and had a quick drink as they went through the day, others sat and read while drinking something delicious, and then there were those like us who were just taking a break and talking while I enjoyed the delightful café.
There were little room, hallways and a more private nook that were filled with tables and all were enticing. The front has a counter and glass cabinets full of sugary treats, but we chose to sit in the room beyond the front two with a great view of most of the happenings.
Yes, I enjoyed this cup as much as I loved the cafe. The atmosphere was exactly what I expected from the brief description above.
Friday, February 03, 2012
Do You Know What Today Is? Think Red!
Put on something red and stop women having heart disease and strokes. No, it's not the simple, but every bit helps and if your red dress or t-shirt reminds a woman you know to take control of her health, then it was worth it!
Thursday, February 02, 2012
The hotel is right there in the heart of Bourbon Street and there are some seriously cool happenings scheduled. Personally, a few of the things I'm doing is talking odd shifters, BDSM and contemporaries, reading a menage scene or two, and going on a pub crawl...watch out NOLA!
I'll be there and hope you can make it as well.
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Sharing the Love Blog Bash starts on Hump Day!
The lineup for the month of passion is:
1st - Alessia Brio
2nd - Lisabet Sarai
3rd - Remittance Girl
4th - Heather Lin
5th - Ann Regentin
6th - Victoria Blisse
7th - Lisabet Sarai
8th - Sacchi Green
9th - Gia Blue
10th - Xan West
11th - Erobintica
12th - Andrea Dale
13th - Jean Roberta
14th - Rick Reed
15th - Robert Buckley
16th - Brenna Lyons
17th - C. Sanchez-Garcia
18th - Amelia June
19th - M. Christian
20th - Teresa Lamai
21st - Tilly Greene [and yes I shall be giving something away as well :-)]
22nd - Giselle Renarde
23rd - Aliyah Burke
24th - Annabeth Leong
25th - Raziel Moore
26th - Allison Wonderland
27th - Gayle C. Straun
28th - Daniel Burnell
29th - Lee Benoit
That's an author every day, including leap day - shall be fun!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Football, Sex and Giving are All Wrapped up Together in And She Scores!
I can't wait for the Superbowl! It was a hard road to get the season started, but it did, wss great and now it's about to end. Once before I was sorry for it all to end and ended up writing an erotic romance about a player and then I passed it on to All Romance / OmniLit to publish as part of their 28 Days of Heart campaign where all proceeds go to the American Heart Association.
So, if you fancy some football, sex mixed in with some giving, then let me introduce you to:
Originally posted Feburary 22 2010
“Patrick Conway, defensive end and captain, is in top form, physically and mentally. He sounds ready to help lead the team to the ultimate game in February. First, they need to make it through their first match against last year’s winners. It isn’t going to be easy, but then again, there’s nothing effortless or painless about football. Next week, we’ll be in Denver, where we’ll see how the hunt for a quarterback is going.”
Sarah mentioned a few more items they’d be looking into and then formally signed off. When they made the final edits, the latter portion could either be kept with the final interview, or separated. There were specific time lengths she needed to adhere to and she would.
“Excellent work, everyone. Thank you, Pat, for sticking around to do the interview. We know you’re busy getting ready and really appreciate your taking the time out to do the interview.”
The producer passed on his thanks and then started to talk with Pat and the trainer directly. After stepping off the box, she walked over to the sound man, and returned the microphone before gathering up her papers. There was a bustle of activity and people talking as everyone took care of packing up their equipment. Kneeling before the bench, she worked on gathering her notes up, and putting them in some semblance of order before she put them back into the folder. She was so intent on what she was doing that she jumped with a gasp when she felt a hand touching her shoulder.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you, I just wanted, um, can we talk?” Pat towered over her and when her eyes rose to meet his, she had to pass a part of his anatomy that she had fond memories of, and from the look of things, it seemed as if his cock remembered her as well. It wasn’t that he had a hard-on, but he was delightfully firm, and the stiffness tempted her to reach out and test its strength.
Looking around the locker room, she noticed everyone else appeared to be busy, and wasn’t paying them any attention.
“I don’t want to do this, Pat. These guys are the ones I’m working with for the next four weeks and don’t need to give them any ideas about us being connected in anyway, because we aren’t.”
“You have it wrong. I didn’t tell Charles to call you.”
“It doesn’t matter. Our jobs draw a line between us that shouldn’t have been crossed.”
“That’s not true. Have dinner with me tonight and I’ll prove it to you. We were good together.”
“No, we can’t be anything. I have a deadline. We need to work on the segment and send it off to the station.”
“Dinner, Sarah, that’s all. I promise nothing else will happen unless you want it to.”
“Ah, now I get it. You’ve been so intent on getting your leg ready for play, that now you want sex, and here I am. A guarantee lay. Well, no thank. I can get that anywhere and so can you.”
“You aren’t—”
“Not like that? I know I’m not and I won’t be treated like I am either.” She stood up with her folder in hand. “Goodbye, Pat, and thank you for the interview.”
Sarah wanted to cry, but wouldn’t, not until she was alone. As she passed by the producer’s side, calmly, she let him know she had some calls to make and would meet him back at the truck, then left the locker room without looking back. Stadiums were all fairly similar, which meant she knew if she followed the hallway in the opposition she’d arrived in, it would lead her to a place she could be alone. The field.
Once she made it to the end and walked out beneath the bright blue sky, she realized it wasn’t the most comfortable place to gather herself back together. It was hot, so she retreated back into the cool opening, and took her sweater off. Looking over the empty field and seats circling it, she had a new view of the massive structure. When full, the stadium was a hive of noise, with an air of excitement rushing through it and yet it somehow managed to feel intimate. As far as she was concerned, on game day, it was the place to be. Only there was no game being played and she wasn’t excited to be there, far from it, and tears silently slipped down her cheeks.
No matter how hard she tried to think otherwise, Sarah knew she loved him as much now as she had before his accident. Of course she couldn’t be happier to see he made it back to a place where he could physically play the game he loved. Unfortunately, it was at the cost of their budding relationship. By no means was what they’d had perfect, but they had been content to wait until things were easier. Or so she thought. Obviously he hadn’t been.
When the tears slowed down, she started to think about what he’d said about his agent, and accepted it could very well be true. Maybe he hadn’t asked the other man to make the call telling her to stay away from him, but he hadn’t sought her out either. She had to accept the fact that there’d been a part of him that hadn’t wanted her around when he was vulnerable.
“Sarah?” She’d been so intent on trying to stop her tears that she hadn’t heard anyone coming up behind her. Pat placed hands on her shoulders and pulled her back to rest against him. The tears gathered again and freely fell. She didn’t want him to know how much he’d hurt her.
“Shhh, please, don’t cry.” He turned her around, held her head between his big hands, and she was lost in his beautiful grey eyes. There was so much she wanted to say to him, only anger and love were mixing around inside her head, robbing her of coherently threading them into a cohesive sentence. Maybe it was wishful thinking on her part, but she thought there was something he also wanted to tell her, only couldn’t put what he was thinking into words. Instead, they reverted to what had worked for them in the past. They made what was most like going to be a very stupid mistake, on many different levels, but that wasn’t what they were thinking about. Not when they were once again in each other’s arms.
Pat leaned down, placed his lips over hers so neither of them had to speak out loud what they wanted or needed to say, and kissed her. They were connected in a basic way and she couldn’t think of anything other than seeking the satisfaction only he could offer. In mere seconds, their passion took control of them both, and talk became useless. She’d much rather take his kiss full of desire for her and hold it close to her heart, than hash out the problems that rested between them.
Buy Book from All Romance / OmniLit and Apple iBooks - all proceeds go to support the American Heart Association.
February 3rd 2012 is National Wear Red Day - show your support for women fighting heart disease and wear red!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Naughty Thought for Monday
The pink splotches on these guys backsides say this chick has a firm spanking motion but I'm wondering whether it will sell fashion.
What do you think?
Actually, the jokes on us! This is 1 of 9 ads from Steven Meisel's Fabulous Fakes campaign for W Magazine as seen on Homotography.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
It's Burns Night and that means it's time to address the haggis!
Originally posted January 25 2010
1.
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.
2.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hudies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.
3.
His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut ye up wi' ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reeking, rich!
4.
Then horn for horn, they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
'Bethankit!' hums.
5.
Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect scunner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?
6.
Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As fecl;ess as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Tho' bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit.
7.
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll make it whistle;
An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned
Like taps o' thrissle.
8.
Ye pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware,
That jaups in luggies;
But if ye wish her gratfu' prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!
What? Oh, you need the English translation? Not a problem, That and more can be found at the Robert Burns World Federation.
Sláinte.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
It's almost time to heat up your reads
By the way, there's a Kindle Fire from Coming Together creator Alessia Brio and an ebook of the winner's choice from me to be won amonst other things!
Told you was going to get hot...keep your eyes peeled for more details :-)
Saturday, January 21, 2012
3 Must See, Do and Try in Munich are ...
The month of December Munich is full of markets. They're in the city center with lights and carolers, smaller squares and in parks. What they have in common is plenty of stalls that sell glühwein [warm mulled wine], sausages, sweets and a plethora of beautifully handmade items. I bought a scarf and a couple of pewter ornaments, but there were so many interesting items available it made a night of shopping, eating and drinking an event for family and friends to share together.
Something I noticed and enjoyed about this large city was that even though it was a bustling time, people were genuinely happy, full of the holiday spirit. The beer halls are always a meeting place and this was no different. Tables are often shared and makes for a great experience. Not being a big eater I thought would mean restaurants would not be all that fun, but I was so wrong.
It was snowing lightful and I fancied sitting down for a hot chocolate. This place is on Marienplatz, overlooking the active center and an incredible offering of sweets. One I wasn't so sure of that the cutie loved was called hausgemachter kaiserschmarrn and we shared a plate. He was right, ryummy!
It's a pancake cut up, a few raisins and powered sugar sprinkled over the top, and an apple sauce dipping sauce. Oh yes, this was a treat and a half!
I had no time to look into the museums in Munich before we left and to be honest didn't think I'd get a chance to go in any, but I did, and he was truly stunning. There are not that many sculptures of this particular mythological character still around and many are in bad shape, but this was wonderful in his incompleteness.
There's no doubt I'll be visiting Munich again and I look forward to finding more gems.
Friday, January 20, 2012
3 Must See, Do and Try in Amsterdam are ...
Flowers, copious amounts of flowers and while it wouldn't be easy to bring any back with you, it is a sight to behold and smell. Each stall is a boat moored on the canal and the sidewalk belongs to the shopper. There are stores and cafes opposite so this stretch is bustling with activity.
Now, we were there in November and there was only one stall with flowers, the rest held bulbs and stuff for the holidays, but the scent of that one stall was incredible. It was truly beautiful.
Amsterdam is another city for walking, watch out for the bicylists - the tourist riders, the locals work magic on two wheels. On one such walk we found a few wonderful places to eat and found
Yum, omg, yum!
There's a kitty in the front window, bikes on the sidewalk and we were hungry. It's a bakery, tea room, place you don't want to leave. Some tables are for a few people, but we sat at the big one that sat in the center back with about 10 other people. Met a lovely local family and the dad gave me a wonderful hint about stirring my hot chocolate*. I had a croque monsuier which was lovely, the bread was divine but this wasn't a surprise it being a bakery and then we shared a scone with cream and lemon marmalade. Oh man, I must go there again - it's just my kind of place.
We went to both the Rijks Museum and the Van Gogh Museum. The latter was my favorite for the entire trip, mainly because it was a surprise - a surprise for me, probably not for others. That said, this is the painting that held me transfixed.
There are big paintings surrounding her that demanded more attention, but she quietly goes on reading. The fabric of her headress and coat are incredibly renderd. I appreciate Rembrandts work even more after seeing her, interesting that didn't happen when I came upon the oh so important The Night Watch.
Amsterdam may be the Las Vegas of Europe, but there is much more to it than drinking, smoking and red light district. I can't wait to go back again and explore more and revisit what I've seen this time and enjoyed.
*=Look for the hot chocolate taste test I made through this entire trip in February!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
3 Must See, Do and Try in Venice are ...
... the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.
Inside is a home with fabulous art, sculptures and paintings alike, and they are just right there. I have to say this wasn't someplace I was chomping at the bit to see and, since going, have totally changed my mind. Maybe it was the garden area with sculptures here and there, maybe it was the idea of a hidden gem people couldn't find and crossed off their list of must see's, and maybe it was the incredible art [Duchamp, Picasso, Magritte are just a few] I found there and hadn't expected to find. Actually I think it was Peggy Guggenheim herself and her mindset to help artists survive during the war - I liked that, a lot.
While I fell in love with and would enjoy sharing the Silver Bedhead by Alexander Calder, a wall piece that was literally Guggenheim's headboard, it's another piece at the Guggenheim that is a must see and that is ...
... The Angel of the City by Marino Marini.
No, he isn't just about the penis, he's so much more than that, hence the pics below.
I opened the doors and saw The Angels back and was immediately drawn to the view - it is absolutely stunning. I walked down the steep steps to take it all in and looked to the side and, hello hard-on! It was funny how many people were taking pics of this and yes, I did as well. As I was waiting for people to get out of the shot, another person also waiting filled me in on what makes this sculpture even more spectacular - his penis unscrews. Yes, it is removeable! Apparently when the nuns were set to float by, they would remove the penis so as not to upset or offend. Totally Peggy Guggenheim was a great lady!
... while the vaporetto was good to ride, walking definitely offered the best view of Venitian life. It was so easy to get lost and that was all right, the adventure of discovery was fulfilling. Yes, St Marks Square is wonderful, but to be honest, it was the back streets that I loved. I want to come back to Venice again and see what I missed by making a left instead of right, or the other way around.Tuesday, January 17, 2012
3 Must See, Do and Try in Florence are ...
This was a monastary and now acts as a convent and museum. There was so much to learn about the life of a monk and the broader religious happenings back in the 15th C. It was all so political.
Anyway, the building itself is really not much to look at from the outside, but inside is a wealth of subtle beauty. We'd be walking down a hallway, go into a room, and it was massive and the next beyond small. Best way to put it, we never knew what we'd find and that includes when we moved into the museum part.
The museum was on an upper floor and it was the living quarters of the monks. Not horribly exciting, right? So very wrong. Each room possessed a fresco by the artist known as Fra Angelico, who also happened to be a friar who lived in San Marco when it was first built. I was not a fan of his work before this visit and now I have a new appreciation for his work.
Now, while we went in the fall and not the best time for gardens, I imagine the inner courtyards are stunning so I'll have to go back again.
Thank you to The Pilgrim Project for the beautiful picture of the Cloisters above, it does the site justice.
Let me clarify that by saying while I absolutely enjoyed seeing this large sculpture in person at the Accademia Gallery and being able to walk all the way around it, I preferred the copy amongst other statues in its original location on the Piazza della Signoria.
One of my favorite our haunts was on this piazza, two turns away from our hotel. We'd sit there at the end of the day, sipping whatever we fancied that day - often it was a chianti - and relax, take in the sites and sounds of Florence. A few steps to the right is the Uffizi, which had 2 sculptures of Marsyas. They sat on opposing sides of a corner that I was not expecting to see - what a joy - and now one of my all time favorite museums to visit, ever. Yeah, it's that kind of great, but this copy of David caught and held my attention, go figure.
We stayed in the historic center where it was mainly pedestrian only and cobbled. Despite this being where the tourists flock to see the sights, it actually didn't feel crowded. There were a variety of markets and stalls, gelato shops - a true treat for the eyes, and all conducted at a fabulous pace of life for a city.
Maybe it was going in November that made this trip not all that crowded and therefore easy to enjoy walking around.
Yes, I'll absolutely be visiting Florence again.
Monday, January 16, 2012
3 Must See, Do and Try in Rome are ...
Yes, the Colosseum, Vatican, all the unique little piazza's and so much more were all wonderful places to visit, but the Pantheon stopped me in my tracks.
The proud, strong yet wonderfully quiet presence of historical architecture built in 118-125AD is located on the small Piazza della Rotunda. There's a fountain in front and I was eager to walk between the columns that still stood before going into the Rotunda with its magnificent coffer ceiling.
Space is very limited in this piazza, but the mood was great. There were two restaraunts with outdoor sitting, perfect place to sit back and enjoy the view. It looked like the other buildings higher floors that overlooked the Pantheon were residences - how wonderful would that be to live there.
My pictures of the Pantheon didn't turn out so I borrowed the external shot from Virgin Media and the one to the left from Italy Guides.
Powerful. That's the word that comes to mind when I walked up to this glorious figure.
He sits in the middle and center of the Room of the Muses floor with his back facing the entrance [he's missing his backside and there's a bit of a lion skin draping down the pedestal] and there's no hint of what you'll find on the other side.
I'm not someone who takes the crotch shot on purpose, but in my defense, I was so surprised he didn't have a fig leaf covering his bits and pieces, I clicked!
The Vatican Museum was full of incredible pieces, including one of Marsyas, and had gorgeous outdoor space to explore, but if asked what my favorite museum was in Rome, it would be the Galleria Borghese. If you ever go to this wonderful city, definitely visit both of these institutions.
A first stop on the day we arrived was a smallish restaurant tucked in a nook off of the bustling Corso Vittorio in the Centro Storico section and, even though their time to serve lunch was over, they still cooked for us. We shared a bottle of their wine and prepared to see Rome. After all the meals we shared throughout Italy, I think this one was my favorite and, unfortunately, I don't remember what it was called but I know it was some sort of gnocchi with spinach and cheese and a light sauce dribbled over the top. Yeah, yum!
Anyway, I don't do this often but it was very handy to do so, here's a tip for someone who plans to see this large city and doesn't want to drive - no way was I going to do that! We bought a ticket for the hop-on hop-off buses and used it like a taxi! It was a great way to see the all the sights and not have to deal with trains or taxis.
I am in the Spotlight at That's What I'm Talking About!
Come on over, read what I reveal under the hot lights, ask a question or comment and you could win a copy of Missing in Paradise!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Ready to take a trip?
So, next week I'll take you to Rome, Florence, Venice, Amsterdam and Munich - all without having to pack, deal with airports or airplanes.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Books, eBooks, Gift Certificates and More, Oh My!
Massive Book Giveaway time, and I mean massive!
I'm giving away a copy of Konnichiwa Cowboy and also a gift certificate to All Romance.
All you need to do to enter is go to The Romance Studio and sign up - that's it...so easy...but you have to do it by January 31st, so go!
Go Now!
Enter and you might win, nice!
Friday, January 13, 2012
17-20 of the Strangest Sex Laws
An interesting list I found on Are The Most who shared 20 Strangest Sex Laws and I'll be sharing the rest of the list throughout the week.
Does this mean #18 was done? Might have try that one in a story, although I won't have it located in Newcastle, Wyoming. If I ever visited there, they might have changed the law to include writing such a scene. Then again, I'm all about bucking the system :-)
Click for bigger image - it's worth it to read these laws.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
13-16 of the Strangest Sex Laws
An interesting list I found on Are The Most who shared 20 Strangest Sex Laws and I'll be sharing the rest of the list throughout the week.
#13 makes me think the costume isn't really all that necessary for a Nevada legislator to resemble a penis - just saying, and #15 is down right thoughtful.
Click for bigger image - it's worth it to read these laws.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
10-12 of the Strangest Sex Laws
An interesting list I found on Are The Most who shared 20 Strangest Sex Laws and I'll be sharing the rest of the list throughout the week.
If these three weren't so absolutely ridiculous, they'd be even funnier.
Click for bigger image - it's worth it to read these laws.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
7-9 of the Strangest Sex Laws
An interesting list I found on Are The Most who shared 20 Strangest Sex Laws and I'll be sharing the rest of the list throughout the week.
I'd like to know how #8 works, seriously.
Click for bigger image - it's worth it to read these laws.
Monday, January 09, 2012
1-6 of the Strangest Sex Laws
An interesting list I found on Are The Most who shared 20 Strangest Sex Laws and I'll be sharing the rest of the list throughout the week. Click for bigger image - it's worth it to read these laws.
I found #3 more than wrong and #5 plain old worrying.
Click for bigger image - it's worth it to read these laws.
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Authors After Dark 2012 Reading Challenge
This August I'll be going to New Orleans for the 4th annual Authors After Dark Readers Convention. I've been to them all and each year it gets even more exciting than the last. Besides all that, I've never been to NOLA and am looking forward to spending a little extra time taking in the city. By the way, I heard through the twitter-vine that it's almost full so if you're thinking of going, best get signed up.In the meantime, Midnyte Reader, a fellow attendee, came up with a readers challenge and I wanted to do it. I shall read the following books for this fab challenge:
Summer Surrender by Bronwyn Green [bought]
Branded Sanctuary by Joey Hill [bought]
A Rush of Wings by Adrian Phoenix
Power Play by Eliza Gayle
Destined Mate by Katie Reus [bought]
How to Dance with a Duke by Manda Collins
Battle of the Network Zombies by Mark Henry
Hopefully I'll be able to add more as time goes on, but this is a list I know I can do - watch here for the reviews [something I never do].
Hey, whether you're going to this event or not, join the challenge - you can do that anytime through the year as it is running from January 1 - December 31.
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