Venice in Black & White - Days 2 and 3
(when the skies were largely gloomy and grey)
Trattoria alla Madonna
Calle de la Madonna
San Polo 594 Venice
Recommended by my guidebook which was good for everything else but food
Given 3.5/5 by Trip Advisor, I'd say we'd have gotten more for our buck buying fresh fish from the Rialto Market and cooking it in our kitchenette.
The Rialto Bridge
The Fish Soup at the Trattoria was really good, though!
This is only one of two generous portions
Acqua alta over Piazza San Marco
Acqua Alta over Piazza San Marco with high walkways for those without wellies to keep dry
The walkways being constructed on the first day of my visit
The (?Bell) Tower over Piazza San Marco
Gondola dock facing San Giorgio Maggiore
Under the arches leading into the Doge's Palace
Lido - Venice's beach
A month and ten days ago
Piazza San Marco from a distance
Gelateria Nico Giandiuotto da Passeggio - Hazelnut chocolate ice cream smothered in whipped cream
I loved going to the cinemas as a child. I guess the last movie I remember my mother taking me to was Aladdin. We watched it the first time together and the second, with some family friends. There was later to be a hiatus of moving-going until secondary school when I'd go with friends... And, any wish to watch a new movie would be met by something along the lines of, "you'd be paying 10 quid to watch a movie once". That was understandable. 10 quid could have bought possibly two meals those days.
Walking around London, I stumbled upon a few movie posters of movies I wanted to watch:
Another Earth
Another love affair type movie (yucks) but the poster looked beautiful and mysterious
So, I'd watch it. Meant to be out December 7
The Lady
Based on the relationship between Aung San Suu Kyi and her husband, Michael Aris
Starring Bond Girl Michelle Yeoh who met with Aung San Suu Kyi and later got deported
Unfortunately, the area I live in are not airing these movies. I'm not sure why but maybe the area I live in is a little to chav to want to watch movies like the above. Most of the stuff screening seems to be comedy or action, which is alright with me but.... does it say something about the people who frequent the cinemas around here? Anyway, there's always some time I'll wander into the deep centre of London or buy it on-line.
But for now, I have added one more movie to my list. Surprisingly, I found this queer-unrelated movie on a queer website. My eyes had to dodge everything else that was quite hurtful (I had been searching for something else).
Wallis and Edward
As we watched The King's Speech, who wondered about his brother's dilemma?
Directed by Madonna perhaps she's picked a thing or two from her time with Guy Ritchie
And we have Skylar Grey doing the soundtrack!
And finally, Apocalpyse which I watched whilst in NY. Because it said 'Mel Gibson' right at the top of the poster, I thought it was some shit movie about a white person acting as some indigenous superhero. I was so wrong. He was the director and the movie looked 100% for real (like I'd know what it was to live and survive in the forest as a true hunter!)
Wong Fu Production's shot at the generic hip hop sound.
All their outrageous clothes are from H&M. Yes, if I was ever a fashion designer, it would be my pride and honour to design for H&M and see my designs on their racks and the whole freakin' world wearing my stuff.
That's what they said. That's what I was taught at a young age. We shouldn't lie. Lying is bad. I am a very honest person. The teaching has been drummed well into me by my mother, my family. I cannot lie. I am a bad liar. When I lie, one can usually see it in my eyes or face. It takes pre-meditation and a conscious effort for me to lie even a white lie.
Now that I am older, I have come to realize that being honest isn't always the best thing to do. In fact, lying would then be the best policy. I have told truths and be punished for it. I am not a liar but I am beginning to learn to lie to protect myself.
But tonight, I want to be honest to myself and say this: I like rainbows and I love the colour of the rainbow. But, it hurts when I look at a rainbow because it is also the colour gay men fly. I once understood why Gilbert Baker picked the colours as we had been enlightened on our trip to San Francisco but now I want to ask Mr Baker, "Why? Why did you do that? Why do I have to see a rainbow and be reminded of the LGBT community and my phony ex-boyfriend? Why do you have to pick something I like that will remind me of something I do not want to remember?".
So, I said it. I have been honest again and I feel being honest makes one feel better. Talking about things has made me arrive at a happier place since the 1st of September 2011. Those of you who punished me can get lost. I do not need to lie and protect myself in this circumstance. If honesty was never the best policy, the saying would have never been a saying.
So, today I had gone hunting for an item at various H&M's and was rather unsuccessful. Finally, I ended up walking along Regent's Street and passed the National Geographic Society shop which said something along the lines of, "Relocation Sale! We cannot take everything with us". They are relocating to Knightsbridge, an area I rarely visit so this was probably the best opportunity to: 1) get into the shop and 2) buy something from NGS that's affordable and subjectively worth the money.
And, it was affordable and subjectively worth my money:
Souvenir paper bag
Two leather belts for £10 per belt
Left: On the tag it says 100% polyester but on the belt it says 100% cow leather. Maybe a little too long but that's OK. Original price: £35.9
Right: Double loop coin belt. Original price: £41.9
What's in this nice box?
They called it a compu organizer
Full leather
People were quite interested in looking at this but didn't quite know what to do with it and whether to buy it, I suspect.
Most said, "Nice colour!"
Original price: £105
Sale price: £30
Pretty good deal considering most leather items this size would be >£70
I thought it'd go well with my yellow Fossil bag :-)
And, maybe it'd fit my (future) laptop
My current laptop is a fits snugly in to the organizer
In other news, I'm totally gutted I put my merino wool, warm and fluffy cardigan in the warm wash. I had been avoiding washing it for several loads but absent-mindedly washed it two days ago! It's a snug fit now but I preferred it the way it was. Someone moved my cheese and I'm agitated. Gotta try and see if I can re-shape it tomorrow.
