Il était une fois Playmobil

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of Playmobil, the Musée des Arts Decoratifs in Paris had this spectacular exhibition of some of the classics alongside a selection of the new ranges. We particularly like the Noah's Ark range, with the gorillas helping the elephants up the plank!

Bella Parigi

A few pretty 'Jules et Jim'-esque pictures from a very cold and wintery Paris:

La Ville-Lumière

Paris really lived up to its name of 'City of Lights' while we were there. We made a beeline for the mammoth department stores of Au Printemps and Galleries Lafayette where each year they attempt to outdo one another with Christmas lights and window displays. Pretty spectacular, and just the thing to get us in the Christmas mood.

Ciao Sant-o!!

An alternative Christmas card from Rachel and Ben x x

San Lorenzo: The not so Immaculate Conception

To celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception, last Tuesday San Lorenzo became market central. All the main streets were shut off and market-sellers appeared from everywhere. Alongside the obligatory granny pants and assorted tack, there were sweeties, chestnuts, christmas trees, russian hamsters, terrapins (the size of 50p pieces), guinea pigs, chocolates and nougat, as well as more delectable treats:




Jazz-playing Santas ran riot (see above):

Blackpool comes to Roma

We'd been wondering for a few days why the lights in our flat have been flickering. It turns out the glow from the end of the street is neither burning car nor riot but Blackpool come to San Lorenzo. Typical of local fashions, it's all a bit random (tulips, at Christmas?) but festive nonetheless.

HelloWilson work for sale

Just a cheeky one to say that my work is now available to view, rate and buy on Society 6.


If you'd like to see it (and endorse/rate my work) go to:
HelloWilson on Society 6

More work will be arriving there soon.

Thanks!

Of Keats and cats

This weekend we had a trip to one of our favourite places in Rome, the 'cimitero acattolica' otherwise known as the Protestant graveyard, home to the grave of Keats and Shelley amongst others. It was a gorgeous sunny afternoon and we had a little sit on the grass and played with (Rowena) / tried to avoid (me) the very friendly cats.


Keat's grave is a very modest affair, sporting a slightly downbeat epitaph:

This grave contains all that was mortal, of a YOUNG ENGLISH POET,
Who on his Death Bed, in the Bitterness of his Heart,
at the Malicious Power of his Enemies,
Desired these Words to be engraven on his Tomb Stone:

"Here lies One Whose Name was writ in Water"

The cemetery also has a huge pyramid adjoining it, the late 1st century BC tomb of Gaius Cestius. A bit eccentric for a non-Egyptian but a striking way to be remembered.

We love Bar Necci

Probably our favourite find in Rome so far is lovely Bar Necci in Pigneto. Almost every Sunday morning since we arrived we've made the quick trip by rattly old tram from San Lorenzo to Pigneto. Necci's cappuccinos are perfect and throughout the morning tray after tray of freshly baked pastries appear from the kitchen at the bargain price of 70cents.

Necci has been open since 1924 and was originally an ice cream parlour. It's major claim to fame is its appearance in Pier Paolo Pasolini's 1961 film Accattone. Now it settles for being a local institution.

After breakfast on certain Sundays you can take your sugar/caffeine rush for a trip around the flea market just around the corner.

EUR local?

While Rowena was here visiting we had a quick trip to the very strange and striking Roman suburb of Esposizione Universale Roma (EUR). The centre piece of EUR is the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana building - a masterclass in Fascist architecture and, despite its associations, quite beautiful. The area, now a little deserted and eery, was built as an Exhibition Centre by Mussolini and couldn't be a bigger contrast to the chaos of central Roman architecture and life.

Oh Diana!

Here's something a little different now. We got around to actually getting the films from our lovely blue Diana camera processed today and look what we found! OK, so these aren't pictures of Rome but we think they're great. This is our narrowboat holiday from the summer, featuring Sally, Dave, Fraser and Micaela.





It's 1969 all over again.




More San Lorenzo based shots to follow, here and on HelloWilson