Yesterday

Ok do I look like someone? Italians keep staring at me! The other day in the library I was photographing some books on the camera stand and this woman came in and was browsing books and kept looking at me and smiling and then went and got her friend and they both stood in the doorway looking at me and whispering about what I was doing. Then today in the cafe this table of women kept looking at me, and then nudging each other. Then I was in the bookshop after and just browsing and after I left I was walking away and had dropped my scarf and turned around to see they had both come out of the bookshop and were pointing after me.

grrr

I hate having depression and anxiety. It sucks. the end.


p.s. I am fine just having a rant, don't get worried.

more weekend

aw my picture page has gone, you all have to go back and look at my photos mmm-kay.


More updates.

Rest of Saturday was good, went to the 18th century exhibition with the curator at the Palazzo Venezia, was good but I staretd to completely go to sleep, utterly and impossibly tired, but was trying to stay because the curator was so nice. Then walked home with Edward Corp who is professor at Toulouse and writes alot on music and we had the best chat about my work and his work and the area in general. Gah so good, and such such a nice man.

Then I had an hour before going out again so I plonked in the tv room with Ian and watched the olympics and he made me tea, bless.

Then we had drinks at one of the speakers apartments, bloody unbelievable place, full of beautiful 17th and 18th century art and antiques. We drank Veuve Clicquot and ate delicious snacks and I got to chat to more illustrious types.

Then a smaller group went off for yummy dinner, and one of the speakers paid for my dinner 8) and my taxis 8) he was such a flirt, so too old for me even if I was available. But lovely and charming and english, haha, fun times.

Went to bed early and then mooched all sunday morning, watched eastenders, then because the wetaher was gorgeous me and Ian walked down to the market near the mausoleum of Augustus, so unbelievable, all this vintage stuff, postcards, clothes, hats eek, not heaps cheap though. So we just looked and I tried on all the hugest sunglasses I could find, haha.

Then I made him look at churches, I am trying to convince him of the delicious goodness of the Baroque, went and said hello to Raphael at his tomb in the Pantheon, saw Caravaggios, felt too cultured and got ice cream (tiramisu :drool: ).

Walked to the campo dei fiori and stopped for a campari at this bar and ate peanuts they have these big barrels and you just crush them and leave the shells all over the place. Then campari turned into a whole bottle of wine. oops. Then we went back for drink at the director's apartment, then dinner, then we had a photo show of my silly pictures, and ended up shotting vodka. I don't know when I went to bed, it was late.

So yeah yesterday was quieter. Cept other Will is back now, hurrah, we all played scrabble.

palazzo quirinale

Okely pic time again, but sensible culture this time.
At the palazzo quirinale on saturday. I had to get up at 8am after that Friday night It was fantastic though, the apalce is hard to get into because the president of ITaly lives there now. It is gorgeous though, plus I also got to go around with some of the leading experts in all the art.







peekaboo! (this ceiling was so ugly, gah baroque too far gone)


the view was ok I spose


cute library, the guy in the middle, tommaso, works on the same architect as me and was so charming, after I did my paper he got up and shook my hand bless


want this clock

Sooooooo anyways I am a bit wrecked today. I haven't updated anything for a abit so lets go back to Friday. Friday was the last conference day, as excellent, pretty much all the papers were excellent and none of the them were broing (a couple of people ran over bloody academics). And we ahd a funny paper on all these rude drawings with penises in them haha. Then we had drinks and I chatted to lots of people and downed alot of prosecco. Then it was dinner and very nice too. Then we all went bowling (well me and the artists not the conference people!). Gah it was sooo funny, I was drunk and couldn't bowl for crap. Us bowling Aww happy times mr strong man My bowling coach, he sat behind us and I thought he was strange and was getting annoyed but then I staretd chatting away in broken Italian and then he introduced me to his coach who was a champion, sweet old man who gave me tips and said I should drink less then we left and things got slightly silly I am surprised that Ian didn't ditch me, Juan and Will we were so silly. on some random vespa lying on a porsche my belly is sticking out hmm good times

The paper

OK update time!! THe last few days have been bloody amazing, I am so hyped and happy, weeeee.

But first things first.

Wednesday was opening night of the conference, Had a great lecture by Edward Corp on the Stuart court in Rome in the 18th century. Then dinner, met great people, dircetor of christies, director of the scottish portrait gallery, both lovely. Also one of the head honchos of the English National Trust.

Thrusday was paper day, eek, was sooo nervous, but still enjoyed the mroning sessions, it was such a good conference, I honestlyenjoyed all the papers, a few people went a bit over, but it was all interesting and that NEVER happens!

After lunch had my paper and my talk went so well, eeee, I am really excited. I got more questions than anyone else (during the whole conference!) and afterwards I had about three directors of important institutions congratulating me and saying they were convinced by my research. Plus all my artist friends came to hear me and said they loved it and it was all clear and interesting. Ahhh such a relief, but also so great to have such good feedback.

I am like this

Even the durector of the Hertziana who is an absokute expert in my architect and one of the most important people in Rome was so charming and really interested and we have had lots of chats about my work. eeek all these professors and directors have kept talking to me about how new and exciting my work is and how I have a coined a new terminology and driection in garden research. Argh I could not have imagined every doing this well.

Ahhhhhh.

More soon.

I just got these delievered

How sweet, from a secret Valentine, ohhhhh.


I'm not even romantic but I am touched, I wonder who they are from. hmmmm

the important things....

Ohh the cricket is sooo exciting, none out after 28 overs. WHEN am I going to get work done?! Haha Here is my conference outfit with my round toe green heels and a green flower necklace and for the outings on Saturday I think for the opening tomorrow night I will go for my full green flower skirt that Carla thinks is very 50s moviestar and a fitted black 3/4 sleeve top with my new striped stay-ups. Then I need something for Friday, might do the thursday pants with a black top and my scanlan wrap cardi with its oodles of ties and my tunisian silver necklace, I would love black heels for this outfit, hmmm. Then saturday is outings so will go for my purple jacket and green mohair scarf and wither pants or a skirt dpending on the weather, with boots and my little red beanie, weeeeee.

I was just sick when I tried to brush my teeth and I have a splinter in my foot

I am just back from the Archivio Vicariato looking at Census records for 1715-1718 trying to find my artist, he wasn't there which is annoying but it was still useful. The archive was soooooooo cold I was nearly frozen by 1pm so I went and got lunch, delicious pizza, and then came back into the centre and realised I needed to go shopping, ha, so I went to Zara and bough a jacket, some pants and a cardi. Ahhh so many beautiful shirts that I want, but I think shoes are next on my list. Must get some boots, I want some knee high ones, maybe black or red if I can find them.

bedtime

Just getting ready for bed, I am very sleepy, I feel as though I have just been on the go since Wednesday, which is true I suppose. Such crazy times, lots of fun though, I am thoroughly enjoying my time here. Though now I am starting to calmly freak out about the conference, grr, was meant to finish my paper this arvo to email to David but it just isn't finished, it is soso close though. I was going to work after dinner but I couldn't, I feel a bit down and lonely actually, I could do with a big hug.

Yesterday was loverly.


























Went to the pyramid of cestius

























Sooooo big, ha!















Woo arty group photo

























THere it is again, still big.

























Then wandered to the prodestant cemetery and found shelley.


























And darling Keats, I have so many photos of this grave, hmmm.