Our Man in Europe/take five/ "DO U know how to whistle?

Hotel Dave: DO U know how to Whistle?


It's Market dfay, (again); Piazza Cavalli.
Holler-ba-loo.
Last day in April.

I sing of Deborah. Italiano fashion-ista: Bella-donna!
Every time I see her?
New outfit; right out of Milano; spectaculo!

She's a "Desperate Housewife"
who never got married;
Everyone loves her for it...

She's "debonair", probably?...goinmg nowhere.
It doesn't matter: She's LIFE.

When, someday? -she's a little old Lady?
She will have NO regrets.
........
........
Do U know how to Whistle?

You just put your lips together
and blow.


c 2012/davedelacroix/Lord Borgo/Inventor of Mental Taxi-dermi, etc.

Our Man in Europe/HOTEL DAVE/part 4: "Ciao Rigazzi!"

Our Man in Europe/HOTEL DAVE/part 4/ "Ciao Ragazzi!!!"


AGAIN, yet again, I have been reported DEAD.....!?

Again?.... I'm not. (sic)

THIS time...by LIBERTA...the "big Kahuna" Press 'round these parts, out of Milano. (big city in North Italy)

Apparently, I died on the Via Borghetto...in Piacenza, last Monday at 2 p.m.

(JEEZE!!!? Who the hell dies at 2.p.m.?)

And I quote:  "Bianco dude, age; 55; NO "legable documents.....a Ukelele....wearing Red shoes..."

Friends? RAGAZZI!? ....I will NEVER die wearing RED shoes.

"N'uff said". Now? Please pop that Cork; yours sincerely?

 -the Grateful Dead.


c 2012/April/Piacenza/HOTEL DAVE/via Campagna/Hoping my USA buds heard about thee "Rock Star Discount" at the HOTEL DAVE... (€35 per nite/ask about our "Rock-star Discount")

"WE'LL KEEP THE CANDLEBRA ON FER YA...:)"

Our Man in Europe/HOTEL DAVE/part 3: Piazza Cavalli

Part 3: Hotel Dave: Piazza Cavalli

...Spinning my wheeels... It's "Politico" day, here, Sunday, 22nd April...in Piacenza.... Sun came out/went to "super" market (the size of an Amish kiosk) and bought milk, beer & vino.
 (€7.00)
Some "Cat" named Paolo Minnestrone is running for office. (Gave ME a mean stare!)
Distinctly Mafiosa, I think.
Marquees, in the Piazza Cavalli; errected, buntings, boog-a-loo.
Probably? (Paolo) "Il Duce!"...has an E-mail address.
Beware.

Bought milk, beer & vino. Sun came out. Politico day (giorno). Marquees, buntings. Some "mini" basket-ball courts/netted; all errected.
Not an Afro-American...or for THAT matter; not a SOUL who looks/speaks like Matt Damon, in sight!?
But? Right there; errected, right under the Romanesque arches of the Palazzo Gottico....?  Boing-boing-boing! Frickin basket-ball.
A tutorial on Machiavelli, Da Vinci, the intracies of the concertos of VIVALDI?....This, I could understand....?
Sacrilege.

The "bambini" (Italian kids) go at it, collectively, (the mini basket thingy) like Junkies at a free Morphine fest.
Like I say? -the sun came out. "Cougars" parade the Piazza with their hounds; cannine or otherwise. It's - per norm - bycycle City. Smart Cars, designed for the mentally challenged,  fight over parking spaces. Paolo (the Politico) shakes everyone's hand except mine. Indigenous music, inter-spersed with "Vote for ME m'fricker" orchestrates the solubriously piazza dynamic.

(My mind wanders...) One LONE piece of advice I can give to "mio vecchio Americano amici"...IS? -when U visit, if it's HOT?....walk on the shady side of the street.
Whichever STREET U are on is of NO consequence.
If it's NOT (hot)? Go FIND a Street where there's - leastways - a ray of SUN; then?....walk down it. In Winter, you will thank me.
Meanwhile? Sunday. (Domenica) Politico Day. Went to the "super-market. Milk, beer & Vino. Free coffee, coutesy of "The Good Woman of Shechswan" (spell?) via Mazzini; Lady Chan.
Like I say... The sun came out.

I think I need to lie down, now.


c 2012/april/davedelacroix/LORD BORGO/piacenza/italia/NEVER trust ANYONE U love....on Sunday....:)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx! hugs to Carole & Molly.

Our DUDE in Europe: HOTEL DAVE, Part 2: Song for Amy Whinehouse

Part 2: Song for Amy Whinehouse

Milk: €1.00
Eggs: €1.50
2 bread rolls: €0.45
Toilet paper: €1.50
Can of tomatoes: €0.45
SMOKES, of course: €5.50
Vino: €2.50
And a 12 pack: €8.00 (beer)

Got garlic. Got onions. Got spuds. The "D" string on my Guitar is kind'a "iffy"; but we'll get by.

Raining, incdentally, here in Italy. London? Probably there, too.

Local Music radio sucks. But YOU would be happy, I know.
I got TWO Butterfly stickers on my HOTEL DAVE wndows...
for the Living,
 for THEIR future;
and all the Smiles, for better or worse...that passed you by.



c 2012/dave delacroix/lord borgo/piacenza/italy/less we forget.....

Our Man in Europe: HOTEL DAVE.....(the 3rd & final part of this blog.....Part 1: Italian Psycho

Part 1: HOTEL DAVE: Italian Psycho

...I use SEA & SKI 30 PLUS Byzantine Sunscreen...and brush my "tooth" with ERBE DENTI-FRICKIO. (it's a toothpaste)
Both come in tubes.
As for Razors?
We'll come around to that later.
...
Under-arm deodor-rant? (armpit-crotch-stuff)
I use MEDI-CHOICE.
It's a "roll-on"; the legacy of a previous HOTEL DAVE guest, now deceased.

Shampoo? (€1.00) I get it from some super-market called LIDL.
They're Germans.
Blood fresh meat?
Some Arab guy called EE-OH. He has a Butcher's shop across the street from the HOTEL DAVE, next to the Church.
I ask him (EE-OH) many questions: Spices? Rich sauces? What's his "take" on Ghoulash?

The only question he ever asked ME was, what's the English word for "Carving Knife"?
I answered: Bloody Mary.
Now? Every time I go to buy €4.00 of diced, blood, fresh meat? -he says:
"No problemo, Dave. Let me just sharpen my Bloody Mary."

(...to be continued.)


c 2012/April/davedelacroix/lord borgo/piacenza/I think I just broke a nail!....

Our Man in Eurpoe/dave delacroix/take 36: Buono Appetito!

Take 36: Buono Appetito!


The predominant religion in Italy....is LUNCH. 1.30pm thru 3.30. It's the apex of daily life and if U want to piss off ANYONE, go cause a "ruckus" during this sacred afternoon ritual.
Italians will put up with just about anything, even bad government; though as any Politician will tell you (probably coyned by Napoleon): "It's NOT difficult to Rule the Italian People. It's USELESS."

As for Lunch? Most business's shut their doors. Church bells go on "stealth" mode. Traffic stops. Cops chow on down. NO crook will will rob any bank at this time. Forget the bus. Taxis? U might get lucky. The cabbie will be a foreigner. Morroccan, maybe. Any American style business, i.e. McDonalds or chain Supermarket will - to be sure - staffed by SEETHING personnel.

In the home? Turn off the stereo/ALL electrical appliances. Do NOT play - if U have one - the Piano Accordian... OR start vacuuming.
If U have to sneeze? Do it quietly. And, obviously, do NOT get loaded and start singing "O sole Mio", no matter how sweetly.
Better U pop a cork, "graze", then take a nap.

Lastly? And, GOD FORBID!!! -do NOT telephone anyone, not even your Priest. They'll respond sharply: "I'm EATING, numbnuts!"
(With the Priest?) "You're frickin Excommunicated!!!"
It goes without saying, if U DO...you will (ahah!) never eat Lunch in this town again!

That's in the North.

South of Napoli?... You'll get "wacked!"

Buono appetito!.....:)


c 2012/davedelacroix/lord borgo/piacenza/ides of March.

Our Man in Europe/davedelacroix: take 35: Greek Salad (a riddle)

Take 35: Greek Salad (a riddle)


Is NON-ART not ART-ART; a question, recently poised (obliquely) to me by the lovely Giada...with ample portrusions...?
The question, of course, was rivetting. So were her portrusions.

(Nevertheless) I explained: NON-ART is just fine as long as you can hang it on your dining room wall.

ART-ART? Ahah! -THAT is the question!?....Like facing your WIFE after you've just been busted for sleeping with your best friend's fiance.

Your best friend "goes away" and joins the Foreign Legion (so does your Wife). The fiance dosent give a "Monkey's Uncle". And you?... Well? -you get some sleep.

c 2012/davedelacroix/lord borgo/piacenza/march/on my way to gig at the CIRCOLO RECREATIVO VIK, via Campagna: cool vino