Guilty Pleasures

Guilty pleasures = Charmed (the critically acclaimed 1990s television show), the Outlander series (Diana Gabaldon), bubble baths (with candles and wine), Recee's peanut butter cups (the dark chocolate kind) aaaaaaaand...rap music.  Lots and lots of nasty rap music...

I can't help it.  For all of its cussing and lewdness and complete objectification of women of all races, shapes and sizes...I love it.  It makes me want to dance and it gets me through though runs and it helps lessen my tendencies towards road rage in afternoon Houston traffic.  Imagine my surprise when I learned that Gianluca is also and avid fan of "the rap."  His interests include but are not limited to: Kanye West, Jay Z, Timbaland, Drake and Lil' Wayne... Of course he has the plausible excuse of enjoying it based purely on the beats, being able to understand little to none of the actual lyrics themselves...

So, what do you do when you discover that your host papi has similar interests in music...?  Dance party of course!!  After a fabulous day of shopping with Silvia (sans kids!!!) we came home to prepare a delicious dinner of grilled veggies, chicken, and cheese for the family and Julia, a really cool family friend who I'm hoping to see much more of.  I'll get back to the grilled cheese in a minute, I've never had cheese that you grill before and it was an experience that I'm bringing back to The States.  Dad/Marla...you'll love it.  Julia is an architect with impeccable taste and beautiful english.  We fed the kids early and had an adult dinner where the Prosecco was flowing as freely as our mouths were.  Silvia and I had taken over the chore of grilling for the evening while Gianluca finished up some work from home.  We grilled mountainous piles of tomato, onion, bell pepper, and zucchini, sausage and chicken for the meaties, and these thick slabs of GRILL-ABLE cheese for the veggie!! I've never seen such a thing...it was awe inspiring.  I'm in love.  When we had finished dinner the kids came downstairs for pudding and dancing.  A truly winning combination. My only regret is that my pictures didn't turn out as well as I wanted them to. Too much movement?  Too much Prosecco?  Too much both...? You be the judge.  Sending you all hugs and kisses from the discoteca, in the immortal words of 50 Cent..."I love you like a fat kid love cake."

Peace, Love and Travel,
Reba

This is what summer should look like.

Papi

Fratello

Sorella

Ummm...a new guilty pleasure introduced to me by mamma...