NYC Magic + My First Volunteer Gig in Italy {Solo Summer Travels 2010}
Okay, so - in the spring of 2010 I was 25 and had geared up to spend the summer in Europe by myself. No, I had not read Eat, Pray, Love. But it was sort of like that. I was divorced, though not technically, yet. And as much as I can remember back to 11 years ago - I felt like I needed to shake things up. Which funnily enough, became a theme for the rest of my life. I think that was / is a good thing though. I started the trip in New York City with my also recently divorced friend, Laura, who was going to spend a few days with me there and then go home as I headed off to Italy. And that’s where this blog starts, with day one.
May 22, 2010
Today was the day. The beginning of this amazing journey I'd had in the back of my mind for years, and had been seriously planning for several months, but still didn't seem real. I am scared of going without a partner. I am grateful to be able to go. To have the money, to have the courage, to have the resources. David, Nathan, Danielle and I were squeezed in the backseat on the way to the airport. That was perfect. It was exactly how I wanted to be. They all got out of the car and we said our goodbyes at the curb.
Laura met me at the airport and our flight was awesome. We hopped on the airtrain and then the subway, and Magda met us outside the station in Brooklyn. We were renting an apartment that was just one large room with two beds and a bathroom, but we didn’t care. We weren’t going to spending much time there anyway. We dropped our crap off and then hopped back on the train into Little Italy. We shared stuffed manicotti at Rudi’s and then walked up to Rice to Riches and shared an Epic bowl filled with half French Toast rice pudding and half Cheesecake rice pudding. It was amazing.
We walked over to Washington Square Park and there a big ass piano in the middle of the square and a few other dudes with guitars and a drum set. They were doing covers and it was awesome. Madonna, The BeeGees, Stevie Wonder. It was a very only in New York moment.
After that, we thought it'd be fun to get a drink and maybe talk to some boys so we found a random bar downtown that looked cute enough and we popped in. We sat in the window and we were playing 1 in 100. Basically you keep track of the first hundred people who pass by and keep track of how many you would bone. That was super fun, but I lost count after like 30. It's hard to keep track of two changing numbers in your head like that. Then we looked around and the bartenders were holding hands with people across the bar. Then we picked up a free publication and it was totally homo. Then we saw this jar of free condoms along with advertisements for free needle exchange. Ha! We were in a gay bar. Now wonder no one was paying attention to us.
Day 2, May 23
Today we started with brunch at GustOrganics. Totally unplanned, we were just walking by and it looked too cute to pass up. I had the best breakfast ever!
Then we explored a bunch of parks: Union Square, The Highline, and then Hudson River Park. Later that night we were walking home, but came across this beautiful bar called The Paris and decided if it was open we would go in. It was open, and it was gorgeous. It was built in the 1800's. We sat at the bar and Laura ordered a drink and we each wrote some postcards and it was so fun.
Day 3, May 24th
Today was the best day ever. I went to Central Park by myself with a bag full of picnic food. I found the perfect spot, had my picnic, took a nap and woke up the cutest little family of ducks right next to me. I checked Facebook and someone on Facebook saw in was in NYC and was like - omfg my friend, Terra, is there - you two have to meet, here’s her number. And I texted her right away because why not. And it turned out, in a city of 8 million people, that she was literally on the same block as me. It was pretty wild. We met up and were instant friends - it turned out we had actually met briefly in Phoenix and had lots of friends in common.
We spent the day talking basically non stop while we wandered down 5th Avenue for 45 blocks. We were talking about love and relationships and what we wanted and where our lives were going and who we wanted to be with and what that looked like. Then we went into Trump Tower because that is my absolute favorite public bathroom.
We ended up taking the train to Brooklyn to meet my friend Magda for dinner at Sea and it was amazing! It was very dark and there were lanterns hanging with red lights in them and candlelight on all the tables. There was a shallow rectangular shaped pond in the middle with beautiful wood boats filled with pink and white orchids floating in it. Terra and I shared the most delicious curry and then we all went to a nearby park and hung out for the evening.
Day 4, May 25th
I spent another lovely morning in Union Square before meeting up with Terra - we went into BCBG and tried on a fuck load of dresses and then into Tiffany’s and tried on a bunch of huge diamond rings. Later on we met Terra's friend, Alex, for dinner. She was super cute and took us to this great restaurant - Vintage on 9th Avenue. We sat in the garden out back and shared a bunch of delicious food. Then we stopped at this beautiful spot near Radio City where is a thick marble bench surrounding a huge fountain so it was perfect lounging. The fountain sits in the middle of this plaza and we were surrounded by tall buildings on all four sides. What a great spot!
Day 5, May 26th
Today I spent the day alone and had a great time. I first went to Union Square and the farmer’s market was set up so I spent the morning lounging in the grass eating fruit, then I went back to Central Park to my perfect shaded nap spot. I was just reflecting on my life and everything that had happened and all of the synchronicities. Eventually I had to pee so I walked from the park over to Columbus Circle to use the bathroom in Border's and I stumbled into Keane doing a free live show inside Border's. It was so awesome because I had been listening to Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know" a ton that day on my IPOD. I love that song. He played like 5 songs from his new album. And then he closed with an old favorite...wait for it....Somewhere Only We Know! How cool is that? Then I met Magda and she took me to Ara Caracas for dinner and we had some bangin Venezualen food.
Day 6, May 27th
Today I went to Magnolia Bakery and got this totally cute "Carrie" cupcake that was out to promote the new Sex and the City movie. Then I went to Bryant Park with Terra. In the afternoon we went to a coffee shop where I had the most beautiful (and the strongest!) cappuccino of my life and eventually we made our way over to see Sex and the City 2, which had just premiered. I was starting to feel a little woozy, but figured it was just from the uber strong coffee. And I really wanted to see the movie. The first theatre we went to was insanely crowded and sold out so we walked about 20 blocks up to the next one and I had a banana in my hand the whole time. The jokes were endless.
The movie theatre in Chelsea was way better, but the next show that had tickets available was two hours away so we went and waited at Starbucks until it was time. I had to pee and may I just say that my experience urinating at this Starbucks made a porter potty look like a fucking golden toilet:
I was waiting outside the door (it's a one person at a time kinda bathroom) and I noticed some crap smeared on the ground, but didn't really think anything of it. This is New York. People walk everywhere. Floors are dirty. Then this dude came up behind me and got in line and all the sudden started exclaiming that there was shit on the floor. Like actual shit. He walked in front of me to get closer to the shit and he said that it was fresh because it was still glistening. I'm still pretty unphased by all this and really don't understand what all the fuss is about. So there's shit on the ground outside the bathroom...whatever. Worse has happened. And I'm still waiting.
There's lots of banging around going on in the bathroom and it occurs to me that it's probably an employee in there cleaning up whatever shit storm started with shitting outside the bathroom. But nope. A few minutes later out walks this grey haired man in a really nice three piece suit that was almost completely saturated from the waist down. He sort of blocked his face and scurried out saying, "There's no more toilet paper in there".
I grabbed a stack of napkins and went in to face the storm. And whoa, was it ever a fucking storm. There was shit EVERYWHERE. I shit you not. There was shit on the floor, all over the toilet seat, on the trash can, in the sink, on the guard rail next to the toilet. EVERYWHERE. And the smell. Oh christ, the smell. I seriously considered squatting in the corner and just peeing there. What would the fucking difference be? There was shit everywhere anyway. But I didn't. I laid napkins down covering the toilet seat, which actually kind of pained me because it seemed so wasteful. But I wanted to save my ass from having some strangers shit all over it. That was just more important in the moment. And I peed and got the hell out of there. I also did what I swore I would never do - flush the toilet with my foot and open the bathroom door with a papertowel.
After that debacle we headed back to the theatre.
The movie was good, but I felt like I was watching it going back and forth between two different people. The one part of me that could totally appreciate the glitz and the glamour. And the other part of me that was annoyed with the relationship drama. And annoyed with the over indulgence.
During, and especially afterwards - whatever bug I had caught was catching up to me. I was shivery and achy and felt like I was dying. Terra was sweet as pie and we were right near a Whole Foods so she went in there and got me some real food. All I had eaten that day was crap from Magnolia, that really strong cappucino, and a banana. Not a good idea. And I was dehydrated. She took me back to her house to continue taking care of me and I got to meet three of the sweet guys she is staying with - Matt, Corey and Elliot.
Day 7 May 28th
This morning I woke up feeling better, but still pretty shitty. Terra and I went to Whole Foods for breakfast. Then we went over and napped in Central Park. There was a dude trying to sell us stuff and Terra was politely saying no at first, but he was super persistent. She squealed in her sweetest voice ever "Absolutely fucking no!" and I think I will laugh about that til the day I die.
I was still feeling like crap and I knew that I needed a hot shower, a warm bed and some more good food or I was really in for it. So I went on Priceline and got us a hotel. And a bangin hotel at that. We grabbed more yummies at Whole Foods and checked into our fabulous paradise. I took the worlds most amazing shower and just stayed wrapped in a towel under the covers. Terra made me some tea and spread out our feast on the bed. I talked to Pam and she helped me (in addition to all that Terra had done) process a lot of what was going on that I think also contributed to me not feeling so hot. I did a lot of writing, took another hot shower and then we went sleep.
Day 8, May 29th
This morning I slept until after 11. It was exactly what I needed. I was still feeling sick, but definitely getting better and better. I checked out and then went to a coffee shop and waited for my dad to pick me up. We were going to stay at the Grand Hyatt Midtown right on Park Avenue. I was super psyched. And it was just as Grand as it sounds. Our room was huge.
We went to dinner at The Oak Room at the Plaza and then he went back to the hotel and I met Terra and Jim for a drink at the Belmont Lounge. What a beautiful place! I loved it. We sat in a private little booth with big thick curtains that you could pull shut (we didn't). Jim was the cutest thing ever and I totally loved him and Terra together. We all had Peppermint Patty's and hung out until it was time for them to go to their late dinner reservation.
Day 9, May 30th
This morning we ate across the street at Pershing Cafe. It was actually really good. I was still feeling off so I just had a fruit smoothie, but it was the bomb. Terra met up with us and then we all rode up to Yankee Stadium together for the game.
I swear, the shit you hear yelled and chanted from the stands at that stadium is like a fucking stand up comedy act. "Keep those balls comin douchebag!" "Asshole! (to a Cleveland Indian player) Your mother is a Yankee fan!!" "Get off your knees, you're blowing the game!!" Priceless. I love New York. And that new stadium has the coldest, most amazing drinking fountains ever.
We got pizza after the game and then Terra stayed the night with us in the hotel and it was so fun.
Day 10, May 31st
This morning it was so fun waking up with Terra! She is the bomb. I told my dad that once again he snored like a wild animal. He didn't believe me. Even after I played him a recording I made on my cell phone when I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. We checked out and I said goodbye to Terra and then dad dropped me at the airport.
The flight was great and t plane food was the bomb. I watched Glee. I listened to my Italian book on CD. Then we landed. A 6 hour flight totally flew by.
Day 11, June 1st
It was morning and I was in Dublin. I made my way through passport check and security, and then....I got to walk across a runway to my other plane! I have always wanted to board a plane like that. It was so cool! I was headed to Rome and I was so antsy on the flight. Yet I was falling asleep. It was weird. I had been up a long fucking time at this point and was just running on fumes.
The plane landed in Rome and we walked onto the runway again. Two huge busses picked us up and brought us to the terminal. I was feeling nauseous, but I couldn't tell why. Bad food? Nerves? Whatever. The line for passport check was sooooooo long. I was dreaming of having my Italian passport and one day not having to wait in the line for 'Non EU passport holders'.
The Rome airport is huge, but fairly easy to navigate. My bright orange bag was not hard to find at baggage claim. Neither was the train. I bought a ticket and waited. The train ride was so weird. I kept falling asleep and was worried I was going to miss my stop. Then I had my first Italian interaction. Train stopped. I didn't know where I was. I turned around and asked, “Scuzi.....Centrale Statzione Termini?” And the person said, “Si, si”. A small victory.
Then I had to find a train to Arezzo to get to my first Workaway. Termini is bigger than Grand Central. So it was a long way to the next train. I decided in that moment that I don't like big cities. I was feeling totally blah. I just needed sleep. There were self service ticket stations so I tried my luck at that and had another success.
I sat in a car on the train across from three very well dress Italian business peeps. One lady who looked like she might burn a hole through me with her eyes. She was wearing a Gucci suit and carrying a Louis Vuitton Bag....so I probably looked pretty scrappy in my dirty skirt with my bright orange Jessica Simpson suitcase. But whatever. The two dudes next to her were smokin hot. And they helped me with my bag.
I started to feel better as the train got going and it was a beautiful ride to Arezzo and I saw the Italy that I came to see. Not the dirty old Rome train station.
In Arezzo I had another interactive Italian success asking the newspaper man for a train ticket. Check this out:
Me: Scuzi...treno to Bibbiena?
Dude: Si, si
Me: Grazia....uno per favore
Dude: Due ottanta
I am really good with numbers so I love buying stuff and using euros. I forget to ask where the train was though. I turned back around and there was a huge line that I didn’t want to wait in so I asked another newstand lady. 'Uno ene' (1N)she says. Not that 'ene' would be hard to translate, but I am happy that I at least memorized the alphabet.
This train ride was even better. And my host, Armando, was waiting for me at the station. He was tall and thin with messy curly hair in a ponytail and rough tan skin that looked like he had been working outside most of his life. He was very nice. We started driving up the hill to his house and I felt like Heidi going to the top of the Alps.
We arrived in their little hilltop town of Biforco and his wife, Fiona, has this great dinner all ready and waiting. The kitchen was amazing too - like Julia Child's. Open cabinets, pots hanging on the wall, little pockets of shelves everywhere, my dream kitchen.
We ate white lasagna with chard, salad, hunks of cheese, bread, and freshly picked cherries for dessert. We put olive oil, salt, yeast flakes and apple cider vinegar on our salads. What a nice combo!
They had a son - Arjuno who is 16. And two daughters - Nila was 10 and Gaia is 5. Arjuno is polite, but seems annoyed with me. Nila is super sweet too, but seems weary. Gaia is just an all out entertainer so she likes anyone who pays her any attention.
Fiona took me outside and showed me this sort of guest house they have in the back yard. I wasn’t feeling that at all so she took me back inside to the spare bed in the girl's room. That felt better. I brushed my teeth and was so happy to go to sleep.
Day 12, June 2:
I still felt a little sick today and I woke up with practically no voice. I took a hot shower, drank loads of tea and gargled salt water and felt a little better. I had barely coffee this morning. It was way yummy.
Fiona and Armando talk to each other a lot. It is really cute. You can tell they just like being around each other.
This afternoon we drive down to Rimbocchi to get water. It comes out of a random fountain in the wall. There is a sign that says 'Non Potabile'. I don't say anything. I figured Fiona knows what's up. She comments that all the water in Italy has been privatized so the rates are sky high. This water says non-potable because it's not treated, but that's why the drink it - because it's not treated with chlorine.
After we got home everyone took siesta. After I woke up, Gaia wanted me to make her crackers with cream cheese and sliced tomatoes. What a funny thing for a 5 year old to want. They are all into food though. Gaia and Nila both reach for the veggies on their own. And it is all so fresh and healthy. Then Fiona and I start dinner and I get some more amazing recipe ideas. A layer of thinly sliced potatoes, then salt and a drizzle of olive oil, then repeat. Top with warmed oat milk mixed with turmeric and bake until crispy and brown on top. Delish! We also had veggie burgers made from white rice, chopped sunflower seeds, shredded carrots, finely diced onion, oregano - shaped and fried in olive oil.
The kids don't watch TV or go on the computer at all, and everyone is outside until 11 o clock at night. It is so relaxed and stress free.
Day 13, June 3rd
Today I was in kind of a funk. I woke up and felt lonely. It didn't help going downstairs and having it be empty. I got some breakfast and then Armando came back. He was running off somewhere for the weekend though. We took a quick walk through the fields and he showed me three huge piles of manure that needed to be spread on the rows of potatoes that are just starting to come up in the field. Working in the field is the most beautiful place on earth, but it started raining so I couldn't finish shoveling the shit.
I went inside the shed and started priming pieces of fencing that will be put up to keep the neighboring farms horses out. Still feeling lonely though, I wish I wasn’t working alone. Later that afternoon Fiona and I left for San Sepolcro - she teaches there Thursday nights and thought I might like to explore the town. I started walking through town and felt totally scared and weird. I felt like everyone was staring at me and knew I'm American and don't speak Italian. It started sprinkling rain though and I felt a little better.
I decided I don’t like traveling alone. I went inside the basilica and I just love the way old churches smell. Like old library books. I sat in there for a while and then wandered around until I saw a fruit & veggie stand to get some food. I filled up my jug at a water fountain coming out of the wall and then went back to the basilica steps to eat.
Afterwards I work up the nut to go into the gelato shop. The girl at the counter starts saying something really fast in Italian and thank the fuck christ Italians talk with their hands or I would've had no fucking idea what she was saying. Also is there anything more Italian than wandering thru a piazza with gelato?
There aren't many fat Italians I notice. There is very little traffic. Most town squares are closed off to traffic. An old woman walks by wearing a tight white t-shirt with necklaces printed on it. There’s lots of old ladies on bicycles and then I passed by a big group of people with bags full of fresh rose petals making amazing designs in the street. I started walking back to the school and it was sunset - my favorite time of day. I felt like I was on top of the world, oh the roller coaster of travel.
Later Armanda askes me if I am a writer? I wasn’t sure what to say. He asks what I do....do I paint? No. Do I sing? No. Do I play an instrument? No. Then he sees me writing and exclaims: 'OH!! You are a WRITER. Ok, this is good, this is your art'.
Day 14, June 4th
After breakfast this morning, Fiona and I worked outside for a while. I finished covering the potatoes with all of that awesome poop. Then I weeded the carrot patch. Then the bells rang, which meant it was noon. They ring ever day at noon and 6:30pm. Fiona and I went inside and made lunch. Rice, lentils, fried zucchini and this cauliflower/potato/ginger mash up. Yum!
I do not like being bored. Or lonely. Both really suck. It's funny because I feel totally welcome here, but at the same time like such an outsider.
Later in the evening Fiona dropped me and the girls off at the field at the bottom of the hill. She had a private English lesson and figured Gaia and I could watch Nila's football game while she was gone. Seemed easy enough, but jesus christ Gaia is a handful. She is non stop and can be super obnoxious. But I love Italian accents speaking English. She drew a picture and came up to me and said "Thees ees a weetch." I love it.
Everyone got really into the game and it was funny hearing all the stuff they were screaming. Also - Italian snack bars are insane. Fresh bread with thinly sliced prosciutto, crepes with nutella, a pita with tomato, mozzarella and balsamic. Seriously. None of this hot dog and nacho shit.
By the end of the game though Gaia was starting to get to me and I was checking my phone every few minutes dying for Fiona to get there. I was so happy to see her. I do babies. I don't do kids. No thank you.
Day 15, June 5th
Today was one of the most boring days on record for my life I think. I wrote a lot and ended the day with a big fat cry. So I suppose maybe it was absolutely necessary.
Day 16, June 6th
Today started out as another super boring day stuck on top of a mountain. I think I need to move on to another farm. This just isn't my scene at all and it's making me a little crazy. I don’t like being the only worker.
Thankfully we went to the river in the afternoon and that broke up the monotony, but I still feel like I need to go. I specifically avoided contacting farms that said they were in remote areas. I can't imagine what they must be like since this farm does not consider itself remote. It's insanely beautiful, but there is just nothing here. There is a bar that sometimes opens in the evenings. And it's really just for old people to play cards. And there is a post office that is open two mornings a week. I think I need more stimulation than that. Or maybe I don't. Maybe I just need different people and a place where the energy is better. So stimulation in a different way. There is only so much reading and writing and meditating and yoga-ing and self discovering that one can do before they want to pull their hair out. Or maybe I am just a whiny little bitch who needs to put her foot in her mouth. Who knows.
Oh, and Gaia? I might murder her if I stay. So this is another reason to go. She creeps me the fuck out. Even when she sleeps she looks fucking creepy. I keep fearing I am going to wake up with her standing over my bed, speechless, with a big cleaver and chop my fucking head off. After we got back from the river I was able to take a shower. It's only cold water unless someone hikes up to get wood for the water heater. Anyway, Gaia came into the bathroom in the middle of my delicious shower and took a fucking dump! I know she's five and has no concept of personal boundaries, but it was just so perfect. I already want to smack the crap out of her and then she comes in and shits. What a bitch.
Day 17, June 7th
This morning I shoveled more shit onto the potatoes. I know I should be grateful to be here and be doing this work, but I really am not. And I don't want to do the same thing every day. It is just so boring. And I don't like working alone. Blah. It makes it feel like work. I came in a few hours later and freshened up. Then I went with Fiona again to the university. I had already seen most of San Sepolcro last week and it didn't excite me. I figured I'd just grab gelato and some fruit for dinner again and head back to the school to use the internet. I used the computer for a few hours until Fiona was done teaching. She comes in after and says she doesn't understand how I can be on the computer for so long. Oh really? Well I don't understand how you can live in such a bull shit town without going fucking crazy. So I guess we're even.
The drive home was hilar. These fucking little back roads on the mountains are ridiculous. There are no lane lines and I would swear there was not room for two fucking smart cars to pass each other. But there is. My asshole puckers though whenever Fiona is cruising along fast and then all of the sudden breaks and swerves for an animal. If it is like a fucking moose, then ok. But a goddamn little bunny? I love animals, but I'd rather have that furry carcass smeared on my tires rather then drive off the fucking mountain and plummet to my death. Wouldn't that be a funny way to go though...."Katie went to Italy for a summer of change and adventure....and her WWOOF host drove her off a cliff. The end."
Day 18 June 8th
This morning I woke up light as a feather because I was leaving. I did a nervous poo though. Part of me was so afraid that the next farm was going to be even worse. And that this whole summer was some unreal fantasy in my head and I'm fucked basically.
I took the public transport van to the Bibbiena train station. I got my ticket, but was totally confused. I asked for a ticket to Siena and was handed two tickets. Eventually I understood that I had to take a train to the next town, and then catch the bus. I went out to the tracks and waited on the opposite side as when I arrived, since I was going back the way I came from. This made sense in my head, but then all of the sudden everyone runs to the underpass and pops up on the other side on a different track. I hear some sort of announcement and realized I needed to get to the other track, well fuck. I lugged my suitcase down the stairs and then back up the stairs and popped up on the other side just as the train rolled up. The dude came by to punch our tickets and he started rambling some shit in Italian to me while he's scrutinizing my ticket. I said, "Mi dispiatche...non capisco Italiano". He scribbled something on my ticket and handed it back. Maybe I was supposed to take a bus and not a train? So I had a bus ticket instead of a train ticket? Well it doesn't matter because I got to where I was going in the end.
Italy is great and I love how all of Europe is basically connected by rail...but for fucks sake...would it kill them to announce stops, or at least label them? How bout some signage people? Especially since there's not much distinguishing each stop. They all look the same. I heard an Italian woman speaking English so I asked her about my stop. She was getting off there too. She pointed me to the bus depot once we got off. Which was a fucking good thing because it was sort of out of the way.
There was an assload of buses parked there so I walked up to a random driver and asked about the bus to Siena. He pointed down. I asked the driver down there. He said the next bus wasn't for four hours. For a split second I was like...fucking great. Four fucking hours to sit on my fat ass. But then I was like...oh wait, this is perfect, I can explore Arezzo for four hours, what the fuck am I saying? And Frances Mayes talks about this town a lot in the book. I can see why.
It is a totally classic Tuscan hill town. I started walking uphill up one of the main roads and there were tons of cute shops and restaurants. But fuck, my goddamn orange suitcase. I just kept praising whoever invented wheely suitcases. Because I would have fucking died had I had to carry that mother up those steep as shit streets. I was sweating balls by the time I got to the top, but the road dumped me into the most magical park ever. It was basically on the side of the hill and had one of the most stunning views I had ever seen - rolling hills, cypress trees, more shades of green than I had ever seen - and all of this for as far as the eye could see.
After I left the park I stumbled onto the visitors office where I was able to dump off my bag for free, although I thought it was ironic how the office was at the top of the fucking hill. They couldn't have put it down by the station or something? You gotta make people hike with all their shit?
Then I started off to find lunch. I got a sandwich and sat on the church steps and enjoyed basically the best sandwich of my entire life. It was on what looked like a plain french roll, but when I bit into it, it was more like a croissant. Fucking light and buttery and perfect. There were generous slices of creamy provolone cheese and lots of thinly sliced juicy tomato. And a sprinkling of oregano. Heaven. And for only 1.50! I totally could've eaten another but I thought it would be fun to go somewhere and experience another place for more food.
About half way down the road I saw this guy sitting in a folding chair outside of a shop. He was just cute. And there was a sign in the window above his head that said "Home made scones with jam, cream". I walked passed it, but then something made me turn around. I walked in and the dude leapt up from his chair and ran inside to go around the counter to greet me. It was so cute. And he was the spitting image of my ex boyfriend’s brother, Keith, who I had a mad ass crush on.
He paid so much attention to detail, it wasn't like getting a scone at Paradise Bakery where they just throw it on some piece of shit doily and chuck it at you. He sliced it, warmed it, buttered it, spread some jam and then topped it with a cute little mountain of whipped cream. Then he offered me some tea in the cutest little cup on a saucer with one of those tiny spoons that I love.
To continue my perfect day, I went to retrieve my bag and head to the bus depot. Turns out 4 hours was the perfect amount of time. I popped into another beautiful bar and bought 25 stamps and an orange pellegrino. That was one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth.
The bus to Siena was beautiful. It was new and very comfortable. I got a seat right up front so I was able to see out the big window in front of me and on the sides. Siena is so beautiful. Literally the bus rounded this corner and you could see the duomo and the square and half the bus gasped. It was breathtaking. I got off my bus, went into the bar and bought another bus ticket, and then continued on my final leg of the journey - this last bus to Grosetto. Once again, another insanely beautiful ride through the countryside.
My new host, Paolo, picked me up and he had another American WWOOFer with him - an adorable kid named Kyle. It was funny - I spoke to both of them on the phone and neither looked at all how I pictured them. I pictured Paolo young - sort of like the Paolo Rachel dated on Friends. I pictured him tall and lean with jet black curls and dressed a little metro. Kyle had a bit of a southern drawl and sounded like a big gay man of society. As it turns out, Paolo is in his 60s and Kyle is a skinny white college kid.
The ride to the house was so much fun. We all talked the whole way. They are both fascinated by doula work and we talked about that a lot. Kyle studied attachment disorders so he had actually heard of a doula. He is going to Yale to get a doctorate in Italian Literature. He is also the leader, or at least a part of, a bunch of interesting extra curricular groups. He sounds like the biggest nerd ever, but he is adorable. Very well spoken and super easy to talk to. He had some very funny stories, like this one:
Last summer he worked as a paralegal for an Atlanta law firm that specializes in sexual harassment cases. He had two main jobs - to answer the phone and weed out people who had legitimate cases, and then to write demand letters - basically a letter that says we're about to sue you, but if you want you can pay us a bunch of money and then we'll all sign papers saying we won't sue you. Hahaha. He had a woman call once and he put on the best black southern woman accent to recreate the moment for me. She said, "So I done and gone in for one a them stress tests. And they aks me take off my bra...can you believe that? Then I find out they only aks obese people tah take of them bras and I am not obese! I am a beautiful woman! I am 5 foot two and 193 pounds brothah! Then they done put them nodes close to my breasts and they was playin with em - with the nodes, I swear to you. They was tweaking them nodes like they was nipples! Doin stuff to em that I only let my boyfriend do!"
Kyle said basically at this point he was hyperventilating and he put the call on speaker and called the rest of the office over to hear. Then he politely referred her to a law firm that specializes in medical malpractice.
I asked him what the dating scene was like at Yale. He said everyone at Yale is super competitive and its mainly hook ups because people don't have time for relationships. He said one time he had been with this girl and they were laying there looking thru the paper together. He said outloud to her that he just couldn't believe that Caroline Kennedy was going for the empty New York seat since she wasn't qualified at all. She was just a Kennedy. The girl he was with said "I know. That's what I keep telling her". Kyle said "As it turns out, I was sleeping with Caroline Kennedy's daughter."
He also said no one really talks or bonds at Yale so he started the Porch Club where everyone comes over, sits outside, drinks spiked sweet tea and shares stories just like they do where he's from in Georgia. How cute is that? We should all do that. I asked him what the fucking big deal was with sweet tea - was it just tea that was sweetened? I swear you'd think I told him I just fucked his mother. He took a few deep inhales and stuttered trying to find the proper wording to accurately describe this issue that is so close to his heart. He starts describing brewing the tea and then pouring in a bunch of sugar while the water is still very hot. And then filling it up the rest of the way with cold water. But he's describing it in a very detailed way. I cut him off and said again "So, it's just tea that's been sweetened?" I mean really it is just tea that has been sweetened. That cracks me up.
The property here is stunning. I couldn't believe it when we pulled up. It was so beautiful - and it just keeps going and going and going. This is the main house:
I don't even know how much land Paolo owns here, but it seems endless. And words just couldn't even describe it. It is literally in the Tuscan hills. I am under the actual fucking Tuscan sun. Amazing. It is called Terranera. They do organized retreats, but mostly people come to camp and hang out and be naked. There are two pools, a tennis court, an orchard, lots of little gardens, a vineyard, tons of room to camp and sunbath. I'd pay loads of money to be here.
I took a shower to wash the train and bus stink off of me. It is an outdoor solar shower. So steaming hot water with a view of the countryside. Then I met Alexandra - she is from Romania and has been here working for Paolo for 10 years. She speaks fluent Italian at this point. And she basically has my dream job. She cooks and she cleans and she takes care of everyone in the house and all of the guests. She was cooking and Paolo was carving prosciutto. He just had this giant cured leg sitting on this stand.
Alexandra made an amazing meal for dinner. Which we enjoyed outside. At a table under grape vines. While the sun was setting. Fuck. There was pasta with cauliflower and pine nuts, a plate of tomatoes and basil, a big salad, home made bread, a cheese plate, and pitchers of Paolo's wine and his olive oil. And the table was beautifully set with white plates and sparkling glasses. It was the meal I've had in my dreams like a million times. But real life was better.
After we feasted we just sat there talking forever. Kyle asked Paolo what he wanted to do the next day and Paolo said he never made plans that far in advance. He said he doesn't understand people who live in so much certainty. Soon it was time for me to go to sleep. Alexandra had set up a tent for me outside and it was really sweet. Very big and a padded mattress and comfy pillows and blankets. A small part of me was not looking forward to going to sleep. It was very dark outside and I've never slept in a tent outside alone before. But it was really great. I didn't feel alone. And I slept like a baby. Best. Day. Ever.
