A Bookish Affair: Review: Botticelli's Muse by Dorah Blume

A Bookish Affair: Review: Botticelli's Muse by Dorah Blume

People's March in Boston on January 21, 2017

A groundswell call-to-action to the people, by the people, for the people.

Mr. Trump, you owe us the courtesy of a response! We're all waiting . . .

Rome, then home, and back to the familiar

My last night in Silvi Marina I visited a miniature Luna Park, a name given to any place with a few amusement rides.

The next colorful sight was this street art in Rome just a few steps from the actual Vatican wall.

One of the biggest highlights of my visit to Rome was our trip to CineCittà where so many sets have been made for blockbuster films. Can you guess which two of the five shots of buildings are the real thing and not a façade made out of fiberglass?

Gatwick to Pisa to Florence to Perugia to Silvi

Words aren't coming easily tonight, so here are some pictures with captions to get current.

My one souvenir from London—a canvas bag commemorating the Queen's 90th.

My first view of the Arno from the bus from Pisa Airport.

The painterly view of the Umbrian countryside
from my room in Rancolfo.

The castle near Perugia where gifted artists spend six weeks
working on their projects. Civitella Ranieri Foundation.

Vanishing perspective on the tracks in Perugia
waiting for the first of three trains that brought me
to Silvi, a beachfront town on the Adriatic.

View from a beachside restaurant near my hotel in Silvi.

Crowds wait their turn to buy freshly made mozzarella and yogurt
at today's street market. 

A storm threatened but never broke.

European Adventure 2016

This all started when I moved to LA for April and May and rented out my Boston place as an airbnb destination. Can't go home again now until July 29. So I've been on the move enjoying my adorable granddaughter in LA and now finding long time friends in Europe. The European leg started on June 4 in London, continued on to Perugia, and since the 21st, I've been holed up in a little known seaside town called Silvi Marina where I'm attempting to "work" on the final stages of my novel Botticelli's Muse, which I'm expecting to release as an ebook by the fall of this year.

Rather than one long meandering post, I think I'll chop things up a bit with pictures and notes, starting with LA and London and catch up with the rest if I can do this on a regular basis. Do add comments, preferably on this blog or on Facebook. Climbing a steep learning curve on social media in an effort to be ready to launch the novel electronically, I've tiptoed into Instagram and Twitter and hope to get a better grasp of those vehicles (unlike the Tesla, they're not self-driving)....

Allora, here's a tiny piece of LA and then on to London where I was from June 4-15th. Thanks for tuning in.
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We've all heard of dog walkers but "People Walkers"? Only in LA

Granddaughter Raquel's first birthday cake, March 26, 2016

There's my son Michael (far left) at the conclusion of Foreigner concert at the Palladium
in London on June 7. Got to have him all to myself exploring London together on June 8.

Headless couple at London's famous Portobello market:

From a stall at Portobello Market

What drew me to London in the first place: a visit to
the Victoria & Albert Museum to see the show,
Botticelli Reimagined

Good writing can make the most mundane occurrence profound

Anime in Boston. Again.

Certain activities in my neighborhood mark my city calendar in my head telling me that time is passing. Spring brings Anime Boston, the Marathon, and this year the melting of the ice on the Charles River. Out walking a couple of days ago, I saw this guy in the open water negotiating between the floating blocks of ice. Then a few days later the street was dotted, then crowded with hundreds of folks young and older in full character.