Lola at the Coffee House, Cafe 101

Good book for anyone avid for italian peninsula lore -

Chianti by Raymond Flower...

he was the first in our era to descend on the area, though of course many have gone before, and aft.

His book, Chianti, is rather dry, but turns out to have held up well in my reading, re history. He starts with very early history, and works up to what was then current wine discussion. Pretty concise history in the middle of it.

I hear it is out recently in paperback

He's the guy who made any sense - for me - out of the guelphs and ghibbelines, for example. Not that I want to dwell on all that, but I don't mind having more of a clue than that they existed.

Thanks for the baubles, HofT! They'll look just splendid for the party. Except I'm having a little trouble with the toga. Now, how do I tie this thing? Does this end of it go over my shoulder or under it? Drat. That's not right. Somebody help me!!!

Eva, use one of those lovely pins in the picture HofT left. You look Mahvelous!

Now for togas and wine and forgetfulness. Ahhh, yes, that tastes wonderful!! A light silken toga, some gold jewelry for every imaginable body part and more of that extraordinary Australian wine (those Romans really got around) and the cafe is THE place to be. Too bad I don't come here very often, I miss the ambience, the people and the imaginative escapism--all necessary for retention of sanity--what little I have left...

george darling.........so nice to see you. Sit down and stay a while. This is the place where we all just debauch ourselves and don't worry about political affiliation. Nice poem too.............what does it mean? LOL.......never mind, I think I get the point. No sense in making any sense around here.

HofT..........great Roman guy..........is he the tool belt person, or was he banned? Yummy.

Eva, the toga looks great just the way it is.........never mind if it's not exactly right. I'm not sure I have mine on front wise.........look here........there's a little bit too much neckline.....oh dear, whatever shall I do?

Wassau.........more wine please.

Osso.....guelphs and ghibbelines? Am I behind the times? Chianti.....yes, let's have some of that.

The guelphs and ghibilines, however you spell that, weren't all so different from us. Various intricacies abounded. and compounded.

I have low attention span myself, but I sense that it would be useful to reread some of this detailed matter..

Ossobuco - you know it's impossible for most of us to argue with anyone using puppy eyes in his avatar, so are you sure you want to introduce politics in this thread?!

Lola - these political parties (Guelfs et al) were around in the days of Dante, so you're not behind the times, you're way ahead. That's if we're still in Roman times in the Cafe - and when is the party, btw, I have to order a new haute couture toga!

Pity those blood-thirsting Romans didn't do a full job up in Ireland.

As for jewellry, you want to go Etruscan...

Skip that last, it's a Victorian interpretation. But this ring isn't...

Women, in Etruscan culture, were considered somewhat as they are in the Southern Baptist Confederation. That is, less like equals and more like asphalt...

I like this one.

This is the classic Etruscan representation of the ideal political leader. The exact provenance of this figurine is unknown, but they were commonly found in outhouses and dumpsters.

Note the handy alphabet which facilitated the leader's use of words, sometimes in sentences.

Note also the curious hump under the back of the jacket.

Note also the "if it waddles like a duck..." overall motif.

For those of you unfamiliar with Etruscan arts and letters, the illustration below is taken from the cover of a short novella written by, we think, Desdemonidithopolis, a dainty prostitute from the north end of town. Her tale speaks poignantly of the demise of the Etruscan culture, represented by, on the left, a tree-hugger and on the right, a corporate henchman who shot the tree hugger. Note however, in the center panel, the hopeful yearning that a better time might return, as in mid-swing, the Swan-Bonker (variously, Ralf, Ruve, or Rove, in Etruscan) realizes that he won't be visiting dainty prostitutes ever again...

Personally, I prefer my haute couture and designer jewelry straight from Milan. F**k those Etruscans!

(Well, maybe that's what they had in mind--oh forget it)

Good thinking Diane, I'll send word to bring around the new chariot to the Cafe's front door to drive us to Mediolanum.

Meanwhile, you find how to say in Latin "Gianfranco Ferre"!

Oh yeah, "Bulgari" is another stop we want to make - I think that works in Latin too......

Gianfranco Ferre=amore, amore, plenty money.

Bulgari works in any language.

Hey HofT, where've you been and what are you up to now???

Ave, HofT!
I noticed a Nicean bark tied up outside and figured it had to be you.

Ave Georgius! Great to see you!

Diana - I'll tell you my recent adventures on our way to Mediolanum, let's get a move on <G>

Hmmm... Georgius.... tell nobody else about that Nicean bark hovering outside, I'm in trouble with the FAA as usual. Hope to see you at the party!

Ahh, those Nicean barks of yore. . .

<George will understand the reference>