My Time As a Fashion Model!

So today was spent with some interesting class trips to both IBM and Skin Italia. Both were different and unique presentations. After David the designer at Skin gave us his history and background on the leather industry, we had some fun watching the class model superior leather coats and jackets down the runway for the class. I tried to keep a low profile, because the last thing I wanted to do is trip and fall down the aisle! Also, many of my classmates were trying to capture it all digitally! I stayed as quiet as I could as different classmates were chosen to do the modeling. I checked the price tags of their various jackets and coats. Most were in the 1500 to 2000 Euro price range. Multiple that by 1.45 to get a rough approximation of what we are talking about! Wow. Some of the girls looked real sharp and played the role of model very well! I thought we were done when David turned to me and said Madame, It is time for you! "It's OK, I'm good!" I replied. Well to make a long story short, this guy was not about to take no for an answer. I guess his persistance is what made him the multimillionaire he is! David is someone who revolutionized the leather industry!

So I played the good sport and went to the back. I was given a leather cape to model. Seemed easy enough. I looked at the workmanship. I could get use to this! It was a reversable cape with the interior being fine sheepskin. I was put in the team of professors and a few stray students to go down the runway. I think I held my breath, praying I wouldn't trip and fall adding some humor to the day's event. The upbeat Italian music played and off I went!

Well I made it! Completed a full run, stopped and posed for pics at the request of faculty and came back to home base unscathe. Afterwards, I happened to glance at the price tag. It was nearly 4000 Euros! I turned to my professor and said this cape cost 4000 Euros!!! Well Alice that's about $6000, he replied. OMG!! My first car, a brand new Dodge Omni, didnt even cost that much!! Wow! Good thing for my family that my favorite one cost half that price!

After all this excitement, I retreated to the solitude of the Borghese Gardens. The timing was perfect for photos as it was early evening. I enjoyed dinner later at the Zeus Restauraunt. Made a mental note to self to try to make their version of Lasagna when I got home. Another good day in Roma!

Tomorrow I get to knock one thing off my bucket list!! A trip with my class to the Sistene Chapel and St Peter's Bascillica! Something I have been wanting to do for many years!

Buona Sera!

Did you know there is a pyramid in Rome?!

So now that I have seen all the main highlights of Rome, it was time to do things off the beaten path. I read up on a pyrmid just outside Rome Central and decided to check it out. After all its free!
Locacted just off the Metro stop, this pyrmid was built as a tomb for Cestius, a magistrate of Italy. It was my first structure that I saw built in the BC era. "Piramide Caio Cestio was built" in 12 BC and it's pretty spectacular! Because of my timing, I took the pictures around 6pm so the lighting was good for photos. Tombs were forbidden within the city walls, so at the time it stood in the countryside. The pyrmide is near the Porta San Paelo or one of the "doorways" to the city of Rome. From the info that I read, there were many pyrmids in Rome but most were demolished in the 16th century and this is Rome's surviving one. As with most of the historical sites in Rome, there are archeological digs being done in the area. Even though there was screening and fencing covering the area of work, I was able to find a hole in the screen to get some pics. I have now learned to look over my shoulders in both directions before taking pictures! The hole was just the right size! So, if you make a trip to Rome and want to see firsthand a structure built in BC times, check this out!

Ciao!