Art life musings poetry strip club 

“Sexy Disco” Haiku [poetry]

When I traveled to Italy in 2011, I learned the phrase “sexy disco” from Matteo, my sexy Italian tour guide on my ride to the Amalfi Coast. I found that “sexy disco” is the term for strip clubs when I told him where I worked at the time. From what I understand, they are nothing like the gritty clubs of the US. Matteo wanted to take me to see a “sexy disco” when we returned to Rome. Unfortunately, I did not take him up on that offer.  The following haiku (I took some Jack Kerouac…

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life travel 

The Strays of Rome and Pompeii [gallery]

When I visited Italy in March 2011, one of the wonderful things I noticed is that the strays are well cared for, especially in ruin areas, where they run free and happy. It only makes sense that I found these refuges, being an animal lover myself.   The first of these areas I visited was Largo di Torre Argentina, or the Area Sacra. These stray cats, under the protection of Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary, are in essence protectors for the ruins and the place where Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by the senators…

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life travel 

Napoli: Day Trip with a Side of Gigolo

When you are in Rome and need to get around town fast, you learn to do as the Romans do – you buy a bus pass. I was a nervous wreck when I first started riding the buses in Rome; I never rode buses or the mass transit at home. I went to the nearest tabbachi (tobacco shop) and purchased my 7-day bigliettio (ticket) to ride. Surprisingly enough, I picked up on the routes fairly quickly. My favorite activity was to take the bus to either the southern or northern…

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