Showing posts with label Our friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Our friends. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Gemelli separati alla nascita (Twins divided at birth)

Mi approprio di due foto di Riccardo scattate alla Festa di Ivrea per concludere il resoconto sul mio blitz alla Festa.

Ivrea è stata per me soprattutto l’occasione per rivedere Emanuele, dopo più di due anni. E nonostante attraverso i nostri Blog, qualche chiamata su Skype, e qualche email ogni tanto ci si mantenga in contatto, se non ci si riesce a rivedere di tanto in tanto, queste amicizie ‘a distanza’, come tutti i rapporti, corrono il rischio di diluirsi - forti sì di tanti ricordi e condivisione passata, ma incapaci di alimentarsi e rigenerarsi con nuove esperienze e nuove condivisioni.


I nostri lettori più assidui dovrebbero già conoscere Emanuele. Per chi non lo conoscesse ancora, posso semplicemente dire che lo ritengo il mio alter ego. Le nostre vite hanno percorso strade parallele, che qualche volta si sono intrecciate e sovrapposte. Ma è soprattutto una strana (sorprendente) affinità su tantissime altre cose che mi ha più volte portato a pensare che non potessimo essere altro che gemelli separati alla nascita.


E quando, dopo più di due anni, l’ho rivisto a Ivrea vestito uguale a me (la camicia in realtà era leggermente diversa), ma soprattutto con la stessa identica custodia della macchina fotografica, ho avuto nuovamente la conferma che sì, siamo proprio gemelli separati alla nascita.


E, senza parole, senza nient’altro, i due anni di distanza sono stati immediatamente colmati…

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Pic-nic al lago with friends

It’s interesting to notice how the process of identifying new friends and establishing new friendships has changed since Leo has arrived.

Before what we were looking for in a new friend or group of friends was the sharing of an interest or of a hobby. The general feeling of mutual understanding or the curiosity for something different they would bring.

These all remain important elements. But now a critical pre-condition for exploring the possibility of a new friendship has become the presence of a baby of, more or less, the age of Leo.

This pre-condition fulfilled, we agreed to go on Sunday on a day-excursion to a nearby lake with two recently met couples: Andrea and Sibyl, a Florentine-American couple, parents of Pietro (11 months), and Kevin and Melissa, from San-Francisco-California, parents of Nico (18 months).

And, at the end of the day, we were pleased to observe that Andrea and Sibyl, Kevin and Melissa, not only had a kid, but were actually sharing a lot with us.

A friendship to be continued…

(Photo credit: Melissa)

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Meet Ann & Neil

They say that Italians have a strong accent when they speak English, but have you ever heard a French speaking in English?

Well, one of Mathilde’s (small) prides is that when she speaks English, very few think she is French. Actually the majority believes she is American.

Well, most of the merits for Mathilde’s American accent go to Ann and Neil, an American couple from Louisiana who hosted Mathilde for a few months during her youth, allowing her to learn and improve if not the language of Shakespeare and Dickens, at least the language of Whitman and Hemingway.

And many years after, we are happy to have been able to return the favour and to have hosted Ann and Neil here in Rome, even if for one night only.

We hope people will now think you are native Italian when you order a pizza or a plate of spaghetti at the restaurant.


Nice to have met you Ann and Neil, and please, come back to visit us again next time you pass by Italy.

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Welcome to Ingrid

We welcome Ingrid to Italy. Ingrid left Brussels and moved today to San Vito di Cadore*, at the heart of the Dolomites.

But, above all, we welcome Ingrid among our ‘official followers’.

Welcome Ingrid!

(*) For those who wonder where we will spend our next winter holiday weeks (please note the plural), above the answer!

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Marseille-Ivrea

While Mathilde went to Marseille to celebrate Delphine’s bachelorette party (see picture below from our files), Matteo & Leo went to Ivrea to celebrate the Capobelsky’s renowned ‘Festa di Ivrea’ (photo credit: Capobelsky 2011).

Pictures and stories, of both the events, soon.

And tomorrow, back on the road - destination Kabul.

See you in a week.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

L’amico ritrovato (Reunion)

Catherine used to be my room-mate at the World Bank. We shared the office, but not only. Confidences, frustrations, aspirations… she was my office-mate, but she was a good friend as well.

And then, as often happens in our profession, someone leaves - in this case Catherine, destination: Nairobi. A few emails to keep in touch, but, with time, fewer and fewer, each of us taken up by our respective routines. I had heard she had moved to London after Nairobi, and then to Azerbaijan, but meanwhile I had moved to Delhi, and by that time we had completely lost track of each other.

Until yesterday, when I unexpectedly received a message from her. She is in Brussels now, got married, and got a beautiful daughter, Helena Chiara, more or less as old as Leo.

An Uhlman’s happy ending - which may become a Hollywood happy ending if we meet again eventually.

Who knows? Do keep on follow our Blog, and you will discover the end of this story...

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Here Ingrid is!

We already introduced Mathilde’s guardian angel: when I am travelling, she suddenly appears to keep Mathilde company and help her with Leo.

But when, sometimes, the guardian angel is off duty, here Ingrid is!

Merci Ingrid d’être venue, et d’avoir tenu compagnie à Mathilde. Et merci de nous avoir fait découvrir le Parc de l’Insugherata - un vrai bois en Rome!

(Ps: do note Leo’s new backpack. Thank-you Chiaretta!)

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Leo and his new friends

From DC, Parma, and - recently - from Tunis, we are getting news that Leo just had (or will soon have) new friends.

Congratulations to Renato & Carito, Agnes & Xavier, Annesophie & Mathieu*, and looking forward to meeting Leo’s new friends soon!

(*) Sorry, we don't have a post with Annesophie and Mathieu yet...

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Tutti gattonando appassionatamente (Crawling altogether passionately)

In the past days we received the pleasant visit of Muriel, Julien, and the little Valentine.

Crawling altogether passionately…

Saturday, May 5, 2012

In Anzio with friends

Marco, Marieclaire, Simone, and Leo...

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Parabéns, Tiago

Tiago, Leo’s best friend, is one year old today.

Parabéns, Tiago, parabéns a você!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Turistas en Roma

The weather is getting better and better, spring is just round the corner, and l’Auberge ‘Les M&M’s’ - despite Leo took possession of the guests room, and after Anne’s visit in January - is receiving the first bookings for 2012.

This week-end we received the visit of Patty (an old acquaintance of our Blog) and Andres - who brightened up our week-end with their ‘Spanish’ cheerfulness. And between breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, we managed to visit a bit Rome as well…

Mum and Chiara are expected next week-end and the following one respectively. And then Lili, Macha, Muriel and Julian, Ingrid, maybe Bertrand and his family…

So, if you have not booked yet, hurry up, before it’s too late!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Leo e zio Riccardo

“If you don’t behave, the evil witch will come”. “If you don’t finish your soup, I’ll call the Babau”…


Each family has its own deterrent to enforce discipline among their children.


In our case, our Babau is ‘zio Riccardo*’.


“Leo, if you don’t go straight to bed, you’ll see zio Riccardo!”


And zio Riccardo came to visit us on Saturday. Thank-you zio Riccardo for having passed by. Have a safe trip back, and see you in Beirut, hopefully soon J


(*) Ref. Our Guardian Angel; Riccardo la Bestia; Voices from the Thar Desert; Bambino e Trinità; Matteo and Riccardo.


Saturday, February 18, 2012

When you start getting older

When, at your birthday party, you realize there are more children than adults among your guests. And when your child receives more presents than you!

Monday, January 23, 2012

The world is small

The world is small. No, we are not talking about Anne, our neighbour at the Dorchester House in DC, who came to visit us for a few days.


We are talking about Anne, who came to visit us for a few days, who - while wandering about Trastevere - accidentally met a friend of her from the US who had not met for more than two years.


The world is small indeed!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Viva gli sposi!

It’s not the first time - and unfortunately it won’t be the last - that I miss an event because I am on mission.


And this time, with great great regret, I’ll be missing Fabio and Marieclaire’s ‘pre-wedding’ party.


But I’ll be there with you in spirit - and have already provided my 'blessing' before leaving... ;)


From Pakistan, with love…

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Desperate ills need desperate remedies

The Unbeatables


The results of the last Staff Survey have been the worst ever. The Survey showed a great degree of mistrust, widespread discontent, and low morale in general among the staff.


And so, what would you do if you want to bolster the spirits of your work force?


[...]


Ps: there is also a table-tennis table…