After nine hours night flight here I am back to Italy. Luckily enough the airplane was half empty and I’ve spent most of the night sleeping. I’ve been just a week in NYC and I’m a little sad already. Damn, I definitely like that place. People working in our local office are fun to deal with and, oh man! in SoHo you can see lots of gorgeous girls walking on the street all day long! I can’t stand it!
I learnt interesting new things about newyorkers. For example they love to keep in-house rooms very warm. I knew the winter is very cold there (and believe me, it’s the wind makes you lacrimate) so I brought heavy clothes, but at home or in office they proved way too heavy. I felt like in an oven: just a shirt was enough. When they feel the temperature is too high they don’t stop the heating system, they’d rather open the window or turn on some fan. Kyoto anyone? I also learnt new interesting idioms, such as it’s so whitebread (it’s boring) and heard through the grapevines (learnt from informal undisclosed contacts).
OK OK, time to return to my normal life 
Yesterday night the few blocks between Rockfeller Center and Times Square were really crowded. People from all over the world were gathering there to see the recently lightened Christmas tree, buy very expensive fancy clothes, and feel like they are in the wealthiest place of the world. Rockfeller tower was beamed in blue and white gigantic snowflakes made of light were dropping down. A gorgeus effect. I felt like it was Christmas already. Times Square was a crazy circus of moving light, huge ads and traffic jam. By contrast, downtown in SoHo or in the Village you see no Christmas decorations at all, you feel like in a completely different space-time. Amazing.
This is posted from a penthouse in 10th street. I’ve just landed today and will stay here for a little more than a week, for work. Our American offices moved from mid-town to SOHO, and the new location is very nice. Lots of oriental people walking down the streets, artist studios, a relaxed atmosphere. I’ve also been to the Apple Store. I’m not a fan of apples, but I must admit it’s been an impressing experience. Now I’m a bit tired, I woke up 24 hours ago! More infos and pictures in the next days, promised!
UPDATE: this is picture is what I see from the penthouse balcony, looking to east.
This week in Florence there has been France Cinema, a festival dedicated to french movies. This year’s edition was dedicated to world class actor Philippe Noiret, an actor that both France and Italy literally love. I’ve had the opportunity to watch several movies, and Zazie dans le métro is just one of them. As soon as I have time I’ll write something on Coeurs, definitely a masterpiece.
Last night I’ve been to Roberto Benigni’s show in Piazza Santa Croce. In the last few days Benigni has been reading Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, one different chant every night. Foreign people maybe don’t know, but this collection of three books (Hell, Purgatory and Heaven) and one hundred Cantos written in the 14th century is the foundation of italian language as well as a mandatory reading in our secondary school. More or less similar to Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the Anglo-Saxon countries. Well, maybe more 
Since they were forced to read it in their young age, many italians have nightmares when you talk about Dante, but actually everybody agrees is a great masterpiece.
Last night Daniele invited me and some more coworkers to have dinner at his family’s house. They live just outside Firenze, on the first hills of Impruneta. From their windows you can enjoy a breathtaking landscape over the valley. When you are there, in the middle of country and greenfields, it’s hard to believe that place is just 10 minutes from the city.
We’ve paid our dues time after time
We’ve done our sentence but committed no crime
And bad mistakes we’ve made a few
We’ve had our share of sand kicked in our face
But we’ve come through
We are the champions my friends
And well keep on fighting till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers cause we are the champions…
of the world.
Two years ago I’ve been to Tel Aviv for work. While I was there, a guy called Yaron (who worked in the company I went there for) tried all the best to make me feel at home. For example he brought me to Jaffa, the Dead Sea and more amazing places. One day I’ll blog about that travel. Last week he’s come to Italy along with his wife and I’ve had the pleasure to meet them in Ferrara, my birth town. I definitely love talking with foreigners, trying to understand their culture. This is how we discover we’re different and there are things we take for granted but shouldn’t. They told me they love Italy, except it’s too expensive and crowded by tourists. They’ll come again, I’m sure
Last night we’ve been at Cesare’s farewell party and it’s been fun. After the party we ‘ve had even more fun girl-hunting between Piazza Duomo and Piazza Strozzi
Last night I’ve been at a party organized by Carrie in her flat. Carrie works in our Asian marketing dept and is very cool. She cooked amazing dishes, but I don’t know their names. Something like rice with meat, noodles, pork ribs cooked in wine and coca cola and even more weird and delicious things. But the thing I liked the most was the tea. She carried some jasmine tea from Taiwan and it’s the most flavoured and good tea I’ve ever tasted. I’m a tea lover so I definitely need to buy some. After dinner she managed to take some artistic and fetish pictures of our feet, an hilarious exercise. It’s been a wonderful night!
