2 April 2015

Landed, picked up the car, and then headed into Rome for food and to visit the pen shop to buy inks.

My journal:  “It was fun watching Mik navigate a rental in Italian!  Our van is the color of the tip of my Preppie fountain pen.  Took this nondescript hippie-looking hotel so we’d not have to drive far.”

“What is truer than truth?  The Story.”  Jewish saying.

While waiting for Mik drew Hotel Euro House, 9 Vai Rome la Valle.  Added the brochure which appears to be about the history of the Port.

Drew Cose Buone Dal Forno Trevisiol at Via de Val Telina 66 after lunch sitting in the market.  “We took a different route — back road — Vai Portense into Rome.  We actually saw countryside so close to the airport!  We took a chance, roughly, with a map of Rome in hand, to find lunch . . . We stopped at a market — alimentari — and across the street was a place to eat.  Yum.  Pannini w/ proscuitto & pesto & antipasta.  By the way, we passed Lago Traiano and it seems it is the remains of an ancient Roman port.  How it got so far inland is beyond me. . .  [bought} avancio (oranges) and bananas.”

“Where the spirit does not work with the hand,
there is no art.”  De Vinci

“Novelli (pen store) is near so many places I won’t feel guilty spending time here.  Dropped Mik off at 1-ish at Piazza Santi Apostoli and he is going into the church.  Thank God for cell phones.

Bought inks, and was bought by pens, including a gift for Mik.  Black, Brown (samples), Blue (samples) and a lovely Green Super5.  I haven;t filled them yet.  Amazing to test drive a pen — always I buy them sight unseen & I’ve had some dogs — including a Lamy that was cracked.  Stood to draw the view before meeting Mik.  I doubt I’ll pull watercolors out ever!  In hotel rooms?  Maybe.  I am leaving space below for pen drawings and ink samples.  Off to meet Mik.”

(Came back to add pen info so will translate later at time of writing.)

“Axes reach across space to draw together the important points in a place. . . paths are where your feet actually trod, so that what happens along the way becomes the important thing.”  Lyndon or Moore

3:30pm “Meeting Mik now at Santi Apostoli.  We agreed to meet in the portico.  Love this sad lion, guarding the Apostles . . . He reminds me of the fu dogs that guard Chinese temples.  But he is sad not fierce.  (This is our first separation on this trip and I am happy we have the cells, but what if they don’t work?  We need alternate plans . . .)  I did a quick pencil outline then began with my carbon pen.  Mik just showed his face.  (Hearts) Relief!”

“Back to hotel.  Beat.  I think we’ll park at the Collonna again tomorrow (Via de Santa Maria).  Mario at the front desk recommended a sushi bar not too far away.  M laid down but I am afraid to nap — I want to sleep deeply tonight.  HAHAHAHAA I almost forgot!  I wanted a roast chicken or sushi, and wanted to try for organic — “biologico.”  Turns out “organic” is understood, and I did “pollo arrosto” well.  Then I tried “crudo pesce” — raw fish — and Mario said, “Sushi?”  Well duh.  It’s Japanese!”

“The person who writes for fools is always sure of a large audience.”  Schopenhauer on Religion

7:30pm Fuji’s, Via Delle Ombrine 33  “Waiting at the sushi bar at Fuji’s — a sample or someone else’s order is [on the] glass, making our mouth’s water.”

9:30pm  Back at the hotel, added color to my drawings.   “Mik is asleep.  I am coloring my sketches and playing with the pens, filling the new pen.  This is the most gorgeous pen.  Reminds me of Bakelite or a green tortoiseshell, stunning.  Ahab Flex has a huge tip.  My first flex pen too.  Super5 ink: Dublin.  OH SO PRETTY!  FLEX Wow Take Some Getting used to . . .  Pressure!”

10:00pm “Adding color, took a potion to sleep, Benedryl.  Love my new pen (from the last page).  We talked a bit about Rome versus other travel, will stay 1-2 days before leaving & M gets acclimated.  May have to rush later on — OK!”

Moleskin 8×11 watercolor journal, Pentalic HB woodless pencil, De Artramentis Document and Super5 ink, and Daniel Smith, Holbien and QoR watercolors.

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