Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Milan Weekend
This past weekend I went on an excursion with my Inside Italian Design class to Milan. It was an interesting weekend. Certain parts were really fun and others really sucked. We had to get on the train at 7:30 AM and so that sucked. Then at about noon we arrived in Milano and we have to walk with all of our stuff to the hotel room because there was a national metro strike. But actually that was not that bad. When we got to the hotel we had about and hour to take a shower or whatever before we went out and starting doing things and in that time period I discovered that the hotel beds were extremely comfortable- way momre comfortable than the beds in my apartment and so that made me extremely happy. Anyway, so Friday around 3 we went out and starting going to all of these showrooms. We went to a lot of famous furniture design showrooms, like Boffi, Cassina, Kartell, Dilmos, etc. Anyway, they were kind of interesting because we got to walk around and try out all of the really expensive furniture but it kind of got irritating, and the couches were so inviting that eventually we all just plopped down on the couches in each of the showrooms that we went to. This did not make the sales people happy because we were lounging on 30,000 euro couches. We went to about 3 or 4 each day and so it was broken up but still it was really boring. Then on Friday night after we were down I went with some friends down to the famous cathedral in Milan and we took pictures of that and everything. We tried to get inside it and up it to the roof but both were closed. Then we did some shopping which was crazy because there were about 4.8 million people trying to do the same thing. We had to head back to the hotel for a group dinner anyway, and so we walked back. About twenty of us went to a very cute little restaurant and I had an amazing dinner which consisted of green gnocchi in a salmon and asparagus cream sauce, vino rosso della casa, and pear cake for dessert. It was amazing and it was not really too too expensive. The whole dinner only cost me 17 euros which is great. Anyway, by the time we got out of dinner and got home it was already 10:30 and so I just enjoyed the comfortable bed for the rest of the night.
Saturday morning we had to be up pretty early but I didn’t mind because we had a complimentary breakfast at the hotel which consisted of all sorts of stuff…my favorite being the chocolate filled pastries and banana yogurt. So…that was a great way to start the day. We actually did two very fun things on Saturday. First, we went to a museum that is not really a museum. There is a famous designer named Achille Castiglioni who died within the last couple of years and his studio was turned into a museum by his family. The cool thing is that they are the ones who run it. So, we went inside and everything is the way he had it when he was still alive because they are still in the process of cataloging everything and trying to scan things into the computer. His daughter talked with us about her father’s life and the way that he thought about design and all sorts of interesting things. He took inspiration from all different kinds of everyday things, and she showed us his collection of stuff that inspired him. This guy was the biggest packrat. He designed all sorts of things from watches to TVs to lamps to hats. Anyway, his wife was also there and she was talking to me as I was looking at this corkboard full of scraps of paper and pictures. The only problem was that she only speaks Italian but it was kind of nice because we were still able to communicate in a way. She was telling me about all of people in the pictures. It was a very cool experience to hear about this very famous designer from his family. Okay, and then after one amazing salad with tuna in it we went to yet another showroom, Baleri Italia, but this time we actually were able to sit down with the Art Director and talk about the company, his life and career path, and design. It was really interesting because he is just so passionate about design and he took over right after the company almost had to file bankruptcy and so it was fascinating to hear him talk about how the company has turned itself around in the past 4 years. Also, he showed us some pieces of furniture and took us through the process of designing and eventually producing the final product which only made me appreciate the piece that much more. So, that was cool. Then we had some free time and we went back to the cathedral and actually went inside of it this time. It was impressive because it was so large and in charge, but it was not as beautiful as the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore that I saw a couple of weeks ago. Again we tried to get up to the top but it was again closed by the time we got there. So…we went shopping. It was actually okay because we went into this cool store and I found a lot of clothes that I wanted to try on but the lines were crazy and so I just said “no thanks” and left. Then I went out for dinner with friends and my teacher accompanied us and so that was okay. She is interesting to talk to but she is also a bit on the eccentric side. Then it was time for bed for me, although some of my friends went out. I was just so tired from walking around all day and I am telling you those mattresses were amazing.
Believe me, the next morning I was glad that I didn’t go out because they didn’t get back till 4 AM! So, they were all dead and I was able to enjoy the “free” breakfast. Sunday morning was the worst because we walked all around looking at buildings done in a style that we haven’t even learned about and then we went to a museum to see a Franck Albini exhibit. Now, you are probably saying who is Franco Albini…and we were all saying the same thing. Out teacher hasn’t mentioned him in class once and we were so confused the whole entire time. After that we only had a couple of hours before we had to be back at the train station and so Amanda and I walked around a park and then grabbed some lunch and headed back to the hotel to pick up our stuff. Then came the walk back to the train and the 4 hour train ride. I actually don’t mind long train rides. I think that they can be fun and I actually was able to study some of my Italian so that was great.
So…that was the whole weekend. This week I am super busy because next week are my midterms and I have three papers also due. Since everything is squished into only four days I have to get a lot of the work done this week. Also, photography takes so much time just to develop the film and print pictures even though I enjoy it (most of the time). I also have some things planned for this weekend, just local things, and I don’t want to have to do a lot of work this weekend. I think I might go to Perugia on Saturday and eat chocolate all day and have an amazing time. I am not sure of anything yet though.
Monday in a nutshell: I woke up and went to class for 8:30 AM, spent the whole day either in class or in the darkroom and finally got home at 9:30 PM. It was basically the best day of my life. Actually, it was because I got a great package in the mail from my Mom and it had a lot of life essentials such as honey bunches of oats cereal and 3 musketeers bars. It was great, plus people kept asking me if I had bought a gumball machine because it was in Momo’s gumball machine box. It was great. The other reason it was a great day is that I learned that in Bologna somebody had peanut butter gelato with chocolate chunks in it!!! I may be crazy, but I have to go up there just to get some. I think that I am feeling some gelato tomorrow. That’s it for now.
By the time you read this it will probably be Tuesday which means….Happy Birthday to my gorgeous sexy smart cute snazzy freckly studious fun crazy purple glasses wearing RA sister Ali!!!! Yay! Also, I am going to be able to skype her today (Tues) so I am very excited. That’s it for now. Ciao Ciao.
Saturday morning we had to be up pretty early but I didn’t mind because we had a complimentary breakfast at the hotel which consisted of all sorts of stuff…my favorite being the chocolate filled pastries and banana yogurt. So…that was a great way to start the day. We actually did two very fun things on Saturday. First, we went to a museum that is not really a museum. There is a famous designer named Achille Castiglioni who died within the last couple of years and his studio was turned into a museum by his family. The cool thing is that they are the ones who run it. So, we went inside and everything is the way he had it when he was still alive because they are still in the process of cataloging everything and trying to scan things into the computer. His daughter talked with us about her father’s life and the way that he thought about design and all sorts of interesting things. He took inspiration from all different kinds of everyday things, and she showed us his collection of stuff that inspired him. This guy was the biggest packrat. He designed all sorts of things from watches to TVs to lamps to hats. Anyway, his wife was also there and she was talking to me as I was looking at this corkboard full of scraps of paper and pictures. The only problem was that she only speaks Italian but it was kind of nice because we were still able to communicate in a way. She was telling me about all of people in the pictures. It was a very cool experience to hear about this very famous designer from his family. Okay, and then after one amazing salad with tuna in it we went to yet another showroom, Baleri Italia, but this time we actually were able to sit down with the Art Director and talk about the company, his life and career path, and design. It was really interesting because he is just so passionate about design and he took over right after the company almost had to file bankruptcy and so it was fascinating to hear him talk about how the company has turned itself around in the past 4 years. Also, he showed us some pieces of furniture and took us through the process of designing and eventually producing the final product which only made me appreciate the piece that much more. So, that was cool. Then we had some free time and we went back to the cathedral and actually went inside of it this time. It was impressive because it was so large and in charge, but it was not as beautiful as the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore that I saw a couple of weeks ago. Again we tried to get up to the top but it was again closed by the time we got there. So…we went shopping. It was actually okay because we went into this cool store and I found a lot of clothes that I wanted to try on but the lines were crazy and so I just said “no thanks” and left. Then I went out for dinner with friends and my teacher accompanied us and so that was okay. She is interesting to talk to but she is also a bit on the eccentric side. Then it was time for bed for me, although some of my friends went out. I was just so tired from walking around all day and I am telling you those mattresses were amazing.
Believe me, the next morning I was glad that I didn’t go out because they didn’t get back till 4 AM! So, they were all dead and I was able to enjoy the “free” breakfast. Sunday morning was the worst because we walked all around looking at buildings done in a style that we haven’t even learned about and then we went to a museum to see a Franck Albini exhibit. Now, you are probably saying who is Franco Albini…and we were all saying the same thing. Out teacher hasn’t mentioned him in class once and we were so confused the whole entire time. After that we only had a couple of hours before we had to be back at the train station and so Amanda and I walked around a park and then grabbed some lunch and headed back to the hotel to pick up our stuff. Then came the walk back to the train and the 4 hour train ride. I actually don’t mind long train rides. I think that they can be fun and I actually was able to study some of my Italian so that was great.
So…that was the whole weekend. This week I am super busy because next week are my midterms and I have three papers also due. Since everything is squished into only four days I have to get a lot of the work done this week. Also, photography takes so much time just to develop the film and print pictures even though I enjoy it (most of the time). I also have some things planned for this weekend, just local things, and I don’t want to have to do a lot of work this weekend. I think I might go to Perugia on Saturday and eat chocolate all day and have an amazing time. I am not sure of anything yet though.
Monday in a nutshell: I woke up and went to class for 8:30 AM, spent the whole day either in class or in the darkroom and finally got home at 9:30 PM. It was basically the best day of my life. Actually, it was because I got a great package in the mail from my Mom and it had a lot of life essentials such as honey bunches of oats cereal and 3 musketeers bars. It was great, plus people kept asking me if I had bought a gumball machine because it was in Momo’s gumball machine box. It was great. The other reason it was a great day is that I learned that in Bologna somebody had peanut butter gelato with chocolate chunks in it!!! I may be crazy, but I have to go up there just to get some. I think that I am feeling some gelato tomorrow. That’s it for now.
By the time you read this it will probably be Tuesday which means….Happy Birthday to my gorgeous sexy smart cute snazzy freckly studious fun crazy purple glasses wearing RA sister Ali!!!! Yay! Also, I am going to be able to skype her today (Tues) so I am very excited. That’s it for now. Ciao Ciao.
# posted by sarahconcannon @ 5:51 AM 
