My travel essentials

Hi EKA,

I hope all is fine!

I think I might have mentioned that in a week or so I’ll be off to Cuba? I surely have mentioned it. Maybe a hundred times?

Anyway, I am already making lists of things I need to take with me and I decided to share it, since I know you are a traveller. Also, maybe you can give me some good advice?

Let’s get started.

Passport
Tickets
Medical travel insurance (compulsory in Cuba)
Visa
Cash (£50 a day, but I hope it’ll be less!)

Paracetamol
Cystitis tablets (just in case)
Candida cream (as above)
Anti-anxiety drugs (for the plane)
Melatonin (for jet lag)
Insect spray (bought it for D’s trip to Morocco, might as well take it)
Plasters

Toothbrush
Toothpaste
SPF cream face
SPF cream body
After sun
Coconut oil (multiple uses)
Argan oil? (for my hair)

Travel pillow
Books (9 hours on a plane!)

That’s it so far. Obviously I will add some clothes and shoes. And underwear. And a straw hat. 

Any tips?

xx G

Me Time

On Friday I decided to spend some time with G. It’s been ages since the last time I showed myself some love and attention so I decided to stay in (D is in Morocco for the weekend) and dedicate some time to self TLC. 

The night started with some exercise from my new favourite app, Nike+ Training. I only did a 30 minute session, while I was roasting some vegetables. After the workout, this was my dinner. 

   

   

Cucumber water, kale chips and a chickpea flour wrap with falafel, hummus, sun dried tomatoes, roasted vegetables and salad on the side. 

I put on my favourite dance movie, Centre Stage and I dived into my wrap!

After that I did a manicure and pedicure and then a hair mask with coconut oil. I had planned to do a full body scrub and a face mask and to put two cucumber slices on my eyes. But I was feeling snoozy and it all seemed to much of an effort after all the food I had. I definitely should do this more often! What do you do when you have time for yourself?

xx G

Dear London

Thanks for being so beautiful in the Spring.

Yours,

xx G

  

Cose che non pensavo potessero succedere davvero #wtf?!!

Ciao G,

Sono stata così presa dalle inutili cose che si fanno ogni giorno (lavorare, illudersi che sia Primavera, mettere via i cappotti, ritirarli fuori…) da essermi completamente persa la notiziona dell’ultimo periodo. Sarah Carrie Jessica Parker Bradshaw ha compiuto 50 anni. Cosaaaa??? Ma è legale?? Quindi la mia figlia cinese adottata è già maggiorenne?? Quindi devo iniziare a usare l’antirughe??! Io non sono pronta all’ invecchiamento, ne’ al suo, ne’ (figuriamoci) al mio. Mi oppongo. Non prendo atto. Cerco la prima sabbia e ci metto la testa dentro.

EKA

My dear G,

I was so overwhelmed by all of the unnecessary daily commitments (like, you know, going to work, thinking that Spring has finally come and put the winter coats away, then taking them out again…) that  I’ve missed what is probably the biggest news of last month.
Sarah Carrie Jessica Parker Bradshaw turned 50. Whaaaaa? Is it legal? Then I presume that my chinese adopted baby girl is already an adult? Should I start using an anti-ageing cream? I’m not ready for this, I can’t accepted her ageing. And especially not mine! I can’t do this. I refuse. I’m going to find some sand and bury my head in it.

EKA

My British weekend

Last weekend D and I went back to his parents’ for some quiet time in the countryside. They live in a town near Gatwick and luckily there are direct trains every thirty minutes from Clapham Junction. D’s sister has just got a new job and was coming with her boyfriend, so we could have some celebration together.

A British weekend is all about food. And drinks. You are offered the first cuppa as soon as you step in, followed by a bacon sandwich for lunch. I don’t usually eat animals and especially bacon but I decided to go for the full British experience (and I didn’t want to be fussy). After washing down the sandwich with a second cup of tea, I decided to have a nap. Yes, I am still recovering from last Friday’s party. Yes, I am 50 years old.

When I woke up everyone was having a slice of fruit cake as an afternoon snack. Do you remember the Christmas cake I made for you a couple of years ago? Well this is the same thing but there’s no added alcohol. And I then had cup of tea number 3.

For dinner D’s parents booked a table at a local pub. We always have food in amazing places when we are visiting them and this one was lovely too.

I should probably apologise for the poor quality of the images. I’m sorry. I was hungry. And apparently my iPhone is not that good. There I started the evening off with a G&T followed by Squid Chips (fried calamari) and a shallots and blue cheese quiche. Awesome. We chose a nice red wine to go with the food and us “children” had a bit too much because the adults were driving. The dessert was supposed to be a chocolate fondant but there was no melting heart. It looked just like a brownie shaped as a cupcake. Still chocolatey enough to make me happy though.

On Sunday I went for the best British breakfast I can think of: porridge! D prepared it for me with maple syrup and dried fruits and nut, along with cup of tea number 1 of the day. Porridge is so creamy and warm and the maple syrup makes it sweet and is the best winter breakfast. Did I say winter? It’s because we had spring for a couple of weeks before spring officially arrived and now it’s winter again. When we go to D’s parents for Sunday lunch I now know I have to eat a lot beforehand. Because, for some inexplicable reasons, lunch is not served until after 3:30pm and by that time me and D are starving and being really grumpy. This time I was smart and had a second breakfast. Since it’s Easter time the supermarkets are full of this delicious Easter treat they have here: hot cross buns.

Credit 

The softness of the dough and the dried raisins infused with spices and a hint of orange make these buns something to look forward to all year.

D’s sister was out all morning because she was walking a lama. Apparently near there, there is a lama park. You pay £25 and they give you a lama to walk. You can take pictures with the lama and feed it.

As soon as she got home it was Spritz time! Yes because I have imported this very special Italian tradition to the English countryside and now they just can’t live without it.

And then we had lunch. A full Sunday roast, with beef, potatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, parsnips and Yorkshire pudding, all covered in gravy. D’s mum knows how to cook. And we all know how to eat! For dessert she made apple and blackberry crumble with vanilla ice cream. D found me in the kitchen having a second serving straight from the tray. Oh yes.

xx G

Last week in highlights

EKA I’m so sorry for having disappeared like this! I had one of the busiest weeks ever. I’ll just run through it to give you an idea of what I have been up to.

Wednesday: Penelope Retold

On Wednesday I volunteered at the Battersea Arts Centre. The building, as you know, recently had a fire destroying a big part of it, the Grand Hall and all their offices.

The show I volunteered for is about Penelope, Odysseus’ wife. It tells you the story from her point of view, of abandoned wife, bringing up a child alone in a land that is not hers, with no family, no friends, knowing that her husband is having fun in the Mediterranean Sea having sex with all those cute girls he is meeting. Bastard.
The show was great, I really enjoyed it and the performer, Caroline Horton, was really good.

Thursday: Tramontana Brindisa and the gig 

So that was meant to be a date night for me and D. We were going to see his friend James, who is an amazing musician, playing at Concrete in Shoreditch with a singer called Mike Davies. Shoreditch is in East London and a long way away from our area. I was actually quite excited to go out somewhere new and Shoreditch has that great vibe that makes you feel so cool and young again!

I wanted to have dinner in a restaurant called Andina which is Peruvian (what do Peruvians eat??) but it was full (too popular even on a Thursday) so I booked a table at a Spanish tapas place called Tramontana. The restaurant was nice, the food ok and the prices not too high. But for the same price we could have had much better food in out favourite tapas spot, Carmen.

We then headed to the gig which was supposed to start at 9pm. It didn’t. It started at 10pm. At that point I was really tired, (went to bed late on Wednesday after the show) and I couldn’t afford another late evening because I knew I had to work all night on Friday. We still managed to have a beer and a shot of Frangelico, which is not a shot but something to sip after dinner and enjoy. Those English will never learn. We only stayed for a couple of songs but then had to leave early. D came with me and we had a little discussion because I wanted him to stay and enjoy the gig.

Friday: the 18th birthday party

Not mine obviously. Nor any of my friend’s. But a party we organised and I had to work at, after the whole day in the office (started at 9:30am, finished at 3:30am).
Great party for 120 “young adults” (I don’t think we knew 120 people when we were 18, did we?) in an amazing massive house in Barnes.
I was in charge of emptying the vodka luge dripping bucket and briefing the stripper. Yes, it was a present from the mother to the daughter. Yes, it was extremely embarrassing. The birthday girl hated it. All her friends were like “Yuhuuu, *** him, *** his ***, let him *** you!”

The highlight of the night was when I realised that someone has left with my bag with all my make up, my wallet, my phone and some clothes. I then started hating drunken teenagers more than ever. The bag was found but the day after I then realised my favourite cashmere jumper was MIA. It still is. Will come back to you with updates on this.

Saturday: sleeping and running

My Saturday was spent trying to stay awake and going for a run with my friend T. Also I was on my period and I was feeling shite (not a typo, these British people say it like this sometimes and it’s pronounced sciait). D went out in the evening, I stayed in and had porcini mushrooms risotto, that he hates and I love.

Sunday: more work

Last Monday at our weekly meeting I volunteered to help at the shooting of a music video that we are going to use to promote our band with clients. Great idea on Monday, bad idea on a second-day-of-period Sunday. I still had very bad cramps, pain in my lower back, nausea and headache and I hated everyone: the full package basically.  I went to the studio but when I realised that my help wasn’t really needed I decided I could just leave earlier. I stayed a few hours, enough to fall in love with the percussionist, and then I told my colleague I wasn’t feeling very well and I left. As soon as I arrived home I made a home made bar of chocolate! And that’s the only picture I managed to take all weekend. Other than the percussionist ones I have already sent you.

xx G

Recipe from Deliciously Ella

First day of Spring

E comunque qui piove e fa freddo. Ma le mappe mi piacciono sempre. 

EKA 

 

I love maps. And books.

The literary map of London

Hey G, I know that I’m supposed to be the one that writes about Italy but how can you not fall in love with a literary map?

EKA

#BACphoenix



http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/mar/13/major-fire-at-battersea-arts-centre

The things is when a theatre is on fire (as in literally) not only an amazing Grade II listed building is getting damaged, not only many people were in danger, not only they will have to spend so much money and time trying to re-open, but a little bit of us is burning. 

The Battersea Arts Centre means so much for so many people. It’s a space for artists to explore their creativity and for kids to have fun, for people to meet and talk about culture and dance and theatre or just have a drink in the lovely bar. People even got married there. 

I felt very emotional when I saw the pictures online and I then could smell the smoke in the air. And just I volunteer there only every now and then. I wonder how everyone that works there must have felt seeing the flames swallowing the Grand Hall and the ceiling collapsing. 

This is why I decided to support them with a small donation. D said he didn’t agree with me because “the insurance will pay everything back and they will just have so much money after this”. It really doesn’t matter. I know that even if the insurance is already paying for everything my £10.00 will still be used for something good. This is why I donated here. 

xx G



Credit: @londonfire



First Step: Know Yourself

Anni di conversazioni infinite con le amiche, di paranoie mentali da far invidia a Joey Potter, di attributi sminuzzati ai poveri malcapitati e devo venire a scoprire da Google che è tutto teorizzato. Che la mia è una sindrome sulla quale proliferano studi di primo e quart’ordine nonché la letteratura più disparata. Ma soprattutto, che ne soffriamo in tante, amica mia. Tante piccole Psycho come me là fuori. E io che alla cura (l’importante è crederci e comunque sì ho ricadute occasionali) ci sono arrivata da sola e dopo sbagli dolorosi quando la soluzione era qui e aveva anche dei ranocchietti stupendi in copertina.

Mi sa che lo compro comunque, può sempre tornare utile.

EKA