My Italian Getaway: Eat, Eat, Eat!

Did you read the book or see the movie “Eat, Pray, Love” written by Elizabeth Gilbert? I have a few friends who simply hated it, saying that Gilbert has to be the most self-possessed creature ever, but I loved both the book and the movie. And so began this small seed of an idea for my bucket list: to live in Italy for a month.

As far as the other two parts of Gilbert’s journey go, I have no unsatisfied spiritual yearnings (maybe I’m just shallow?) and I’m already married to the love of my life. So the only thing that really spoke to me was the “eating part!”

I told my girlfriends, I told my daughter, I told my husband: one day I’m going to do this. I put it on my To Do list, under the category “Someday Maybe.” I had already been informed by hubby that staying in an apartment in Italy sounded like a slow form of torture for him, and he was not in on my dream. I should go, he said, and be happy.

So, the idea sat around, getting moldy, until Spring Break when my daughter was home from college, and announced that she had 2 free weeks at the end of her semester … and she was available to go to Italy with me! Why that sounds like a great idea, chimed in my step-mom. She, by-the-way, is also available to go to Italy! Why not, we asked ourselves? Three generations of women on a girls-gone-wild “Eat! Eat! Eat!” trip to Italy. And so it came to be. Just thirty days ago we bought our airline tickets and booked a two-bedroom apartment in Florence.

I can’t believe we are doing it! Life has tried pretty hard to stop me … nearly causing me to back out several times … but now our departure is just 48 hours away. It’s starting to sink in. Wow.

So, if you would like to follow along with me, with snapshots posted to the Surfnetkids Facebook Fan page, please jump over there now and click “Like.” I am looking forward to YOUR COMMENTS and feedback as we dip our toes in the La Dolce Vita for a dream trip to Rome, Florence and Tuscany. Not a rush around the country on a tour bus full of Americans (been there, done that!) … just the three of us on our own, living like the locals, shopping in the markets, doing Italy our way!

P.S. If technology cooperates, I will be simul-posting updates to:
1) Facebook Surfnetkids Fan Page
2) BarbaraFeldman @ Twitter
3) This blog also carries my Twitter stream, and allows comments.
4) Photos will be cross-posted to Flickr: Barbara Feldman.

I hope you can join me, I really look forward to our conversations.