Unfinished notes in Rome & Sicily
Letter #81: Journal entries I never completed but had the promise of substance...
5/30/24 Rome
Working while in Rome has been interesting. Actually, when I first visited this city in 2016, it was when my best friend, Alie, and I had just turned 30. I’m sure I imagined myself renting an apartment for a longer period of time, working during the day and heading to a little trattoria around the corner for dinner in the evening.
And my time here feels exactly like that. I love being able to work out on the terrace of my third story walk-up apartment, the low din of the guests at the restaurant below keeping me company while I typed out emails on my laptop. I’ve been working somewhat regular hours to keep up with the rest of my team, starting my days around 1 or 2pm and finishing around 8, 9, or 10pm (sometimes even later).
My neighbors would open their windows and shake out their blankets or sheets, and I’d stare up, watching their daily rituals, as they retreated back into their homes, the curtains billowing in the breeze. From the moment I wake up until I go to sleep, I have my little JBL bluetooth speaker playing music to fill the space, creating a soundtrack for everything I observe around me.
On Wednesday night, I was craving steak. So I closed down my laptop around 9:45pm and headed down to the restaurant on the street just behind the entrance to my apartment. I realized when I walked up it was the same restaurant where the din of noise kept me company while I worked on the terrace. ❤️
It was my ideal place—intimate, cozy, rustic, busy—but mostly with couples speaking quietly across the table with one another. The server looked around and resolved to set up a table for me near the back.
Another server—a lanky guy with a kind face and a gentle demeanor—came over with a huge decanter like pitcher of…olive oil?! This was something I’d never seen before! He slowly swirled the oil around the pitcher, the liquid gracefully clinging to the side of the glass, as he explained to me that the oil is made locally and pairs perfectly with their homemade rustic bread. He poured the oil into a small bowl for me, and I eagerly ripped off a piece of bread to soak it up. It was acidic and smooth and I instantly fell in love. This place was heavenly!
I proceeded to order a steak with rosemary and sea salt, medium rare, with a side of spinach. I journaled while I waited for my meal to arrive, and took the remainder of the time to daydream, people watch, and enjoy the decadent food before me before retiring back to my cozy Roman apartment.
5/22/24 Brucoli, Sicily
I stopped for a mid afternoon snack and a glass of wine at a restaurant in a small sea side town…
Giulio, the restaurant owner, told me he wished all the girls looked like me, that my smile could bet me hired for a movie
of course made the typical innuendos about what it would be like to cook for me at home, and proceeded to put together a dish with two shrimp facing each other, in love 😂
a family of white ducks waddled by down the street, searching for food
a car screeches to a stop outside the restaurant and a short, disheveled man with a look similar to George Costanza jumps out to embrace Giulio in a hug
the man pulls away to look Giulio in the face and begins to cry, shamelessly holding his friend and crying while I avert my eyes to try to give them privacy—although this is happening in the middle of the restaurant in the middle of the day
I couldn’t understand what they were saying, but they shortly after headed into the restaurant…maybe for food?
I found out later that the man was in desperate need of a job and was asking Giulio for work. Giulio said times were slow and he did not have much work to give, but would allow his friend a chance in the kitchen a couple days a week…
a young girl walks by the restaurant holding a small puppy, a street dog by the looks of it
Giulio offered to take me out on his boat later, but I knew I wouldn’t follow up
As much as I insisted on paying for my meal, he insisted on not charging me. I took his instagram information with a loose promise to contact later…
Hey! Would you like to connect over creativity, self-growth, and problem-solving? Please book a time on my Calendly for us to chat! I can’t wait to see you. XOXO.
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Sounds just like heaven. Such beautiful descriptions; as beautiful as the photographs.