Unfortunately, it never lasts for long...

If would if people could tell each other they're gorgeous ALL the time.

Since inner beauty lasts forever, I think that is truly a great idea, and a wonderful morale booster. You are some of the most beautiful people I have ever met. Thank you.

�glowing� And you are the kindest and most knowledgable, and sound just like the place you live in.

�beaming�....�hugs�

And as such, I'll ask you something really stupid. What does 'l'alimento' mean???

Italian for "food stuffs". Italian food stores are called "Alimentari".

Oh. I spoke out of turn. Sorry, ladies!

Anyway, go south and look for your self, Ri�tte! Florence (Firenze) is not too far from where you live, and as well as Siena worth visiting. Especially for people who care about art history... intrigues... feudes... and good food. In the region around it, the Toscana, many artists give courses. And there are hot springs! While in the area, do not miss Pisa and Ravenna. I did. I regret it. While driving around the motorways, stop at least at every second service station for a caf� (another expression for espresso), or a cappucino. And sample the wonderful sandwiches! Nice alimentari are the sun-dried tomatoes, the olives, the Parmigiano cheese (if freshly grated), ham from Parma (sliced so thin you can read our postings through it), Pesto (a mix of herbs, olive oil and Parmegiano, perhaps even pine seeds, that is e.g. stirred into cooked pasta to provide for a simple, fast and delicious dish; also nice as sandwich spread - very thinly spread!) and of course the very nice pasta. Not to forget the extremely superb olive oils (even IBM uses them in their commercials thes days...)! Amaretto comes from Florence, too. May I recommend a wine? Be sure to sample some Vernacchia, grown around the small town of San Gimignano (thus called Vernacchia Di San Gimignano). It is a wonderful dry white wine that is quite an experience and contrast to all the Chianti, which is rather heavy and not be as becoming. (For those who get an allergy around Germans: Do not visit during Summer. Fall is quite enjoyable, Spring (Easter!) a treat.)

Alexander, light of my life, WHAT do you think I DO over here? Go around with my eyes shut? I'm an artist - for me not to have seen Florence and Pisa and Rome would be like a clown who never visited the circus. And I eat spaghetti with pesto sauce every other night, even when I'm not in Italy, I order a crate of heavy red whine from the different little towns just across the border every year (don't care for white wine), and when I feel like Italian food and have no money, I just go to Lugano or Ascona or wherever in the south - food there is just as good. But ALL that doesn't mean I know the word 'l'alimento'. Sure, I knew it had something to do with food (otherwise it wouldn't be here, right), but it might as well have meant 'cook' - so, I thought I'd ask. See? �shaking head, grinning� I don't know - male logic!

Good Morning (at least in Hawaii) Riette and Alexander. I am afraid my sources would not have given you a better answer to your question than his. I do envy that lovely trip you are taking...and (for the record, there is no such thing as a stupid question.)

R., I just thought anybody who has ever been anywhere in Italy would have seen the shop signs all over spelling it out. Please excuse me. My fault.

No, I actually didn't notice! ha-ha! How embarassing. I think there are 2 reasons for that, the first being the obvious: I usually live on McDonald's from the 2nd day of holiday onwards, since I spend too much money on other useless things. And the second is, I think, that I tend to notice places only when they look strange. For instance I can't remember looking at the names of shops and restaurants when I was in Cyprus, but I vividly remember a sports shop in Nicosea (spelling????), called 'Athlete s Foot'. Almost make me wet my pants!

They're a huge chain here! But I digress. Hugs to all my fellow springeurs! You are beautiful.

Hugs, Autumn. One great thing about hugs is when you give one you usually get one =)

It's hard not to reciprocate a hug, isn't it?

Virtually impossible, I'd say.