meanderings, wonderment, and observations

  • Social-izing

    Social-izing

    I have travelled a fair amount – much of it abroad. Even lived in Rome for three months. Go to my Archives, if interested. rulingwoman.com began as a tool to let friends know about my adventures. Primitive social media when you think about it. In “those days” Instagram (October 2010) and Twitter (March, 2006) didn’t…

  • Tic Toc

    Tic Toc

    Over one year ago, I booked the train trip of my wildest dreams: Istanbul to Paris on the Orient Express. Today a Travel Journal came in the mail – 8 days before my departure to Europe. Plus a couple of luggage tags. It is essentially my ticket. Wow!!!

  • Another Year: Two New Countries

    Heading out on a much-deserved summer vacation, mainly to hear my friend sing the Brahms Requiem with a chorale group in Budapest. Then, we shall take a quickie jaunt to Vienna.  I have neither travelled in the deep heat of summer to (Central) Europe. Nor, for such a short time: just a week.  Many adventures…

  • I Puffi

    I Puffi

    Or, How I Fell in Love with the Kilogram Scale I burst out laughing when I saw that the Italians call “Smurfs” “Puffi”. Or, to take the grammar to its proper usage. A “smurf” would be a “puffo.”  Or, “puffa” (feminine). It became the leitmotif of my culinary – how you say – overindulgences.  You…

  • Fathers Day

    Fathers Day

    I have decided to take full advantage of Easter in Roma. I do not usually travel to la Bella città this time of the year. And, as with all my vacations, I generally don’t choose the dates for any other reason than “it’s been long enough without a break, pick some dates from the calendar”. Which is…

  • Everywhere You Look

    Everywhere You Look

    I cannot believe it has taken me this long to visit Lake Como. I guess I thought it was only for the elites. Certainly, it has a rich history of being the relaxing playground of the rich. But, Varenna – where I am staying — has its own history. Once a fishing town, its only…

  • Still Moving

    Still Moving

    I am on vacation and I have yet to stop moving.  24 hours door to door with a 7-hour layover in Bruxelles – turns out there is a cost to a $500 round trip to and from Roma. Oh, did I mention, I had a center seat to BRU and no seat – in fact…

  • I’m Back

    I adore this one picture of my father, that funky little homemade wheel barrow and oh that dog!!  Pretty sure that skeptical baby is my brother! I have neglected Ruling Woman for too many years to count. I’ve been ruling all along — just too busy and okay I have kinda forgotten how to do…

  • An Afternoon with Signora Maria

    An Afternoon with Signora Maria

    Visiting the cugini in Bologna, I had two missions: to enjoy the company of family, and to get my very own Signora Maria! Anyone who calls Signora Maria a terra cotta figure has clearly not met this delightful, whimsical character. Her creator is Anna Tazzari, an exquisitely talented artist in Bagnacavallo (outside Bologna).   My first…

  • Little Tiles of Ravenna

    Little Tiles of Ravenna

    What a lovely little Italian town is Ravenna. My Italian friends say “oh, che belli mosaici!!” (pronounced moh-ZAI-ih-chee). And yes, the mosaics here are unbelievably beautiful.  The little tiles of Ravenna are abundant and extant. Colorful and glimmering – golden little chips festooning the ceilings, the walls. Beautiful, indeed. Ravenna has it – and it knows it.…

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