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“What is the fatal charm of Italy? What do we find there that can be found nowhere else? I believe it is a certain permission to be human, which other places, other countries, lost long ago.” –Erica Jong
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Having just returned from the Milan Furniture Fair, I thought you might enjoy how much trouble I found for myself….
While in a cafe in Milan I became impatient waiting for my check. I flagged my waiter and asked for the check–again. I have been pondering his response for several days…
“Nota so fasta Americano–this is Italy. You sita and relaxa, enjoy being alive-a.” So I did as told and must say, I should do this more often…
The Milan Furniture Fair was ridiculously huge. Over 2.5 million square feet of furniture displays containing over 3 billion dollars of furniture. Mamma Mia!
Many more posts and photos to follow, but not this week. Between jet lag, my daughter’s wedding on Saturday and a new pup, Shelby dog, I just can’t find the time to work.
I have hundreds of images but I am saving the best for last. The image below is either a lamp or an elephant with a bad cold–you decide. At least I know where you can purchase it…I think it would look great next to an entertainment center STILL owned by Fred West.
-John
That is a LOT of furniture on display.
By my calculations, it’s the equivalent of over 43 football fields. US football. Or 32 Italian football fields.
Mama Mia!
The red cord above kind of kills it for me on the elephant lamp. If it didn’t look like a leash, I’d be googling that image to try and buy it with paypal!
Excited to see more photos. Welcome back John. The drivel starved nation is seeking inspiration with Expresso!
neil
Fred can mount it to the wall to the left of The Entertainment Center close enough to have to hacksaw out a side for the ear. Excellent idea!
Welcome back, John! We’ve missed you. Congratulations on your daughter’s wedding and your new pup. I’m wondering what your daughter thought of you leaving town for two weeks just prior to her wedding. But then again, perhaps you’re dispensable?
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I’m very much looking forward to hearing about the Milan Furniture Fair. And more stories about philosophical Italian waiters. And didn’t you go to Florence and Venice too? Can hardly wait to hear!
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Great picture of the elephant with a sinus infection. Lovely as it is, I don’t think it would go well in my house. But thanks for sharing.
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— Peter
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P.S. I’m assuming Shelby (as in Cobra?) is the same make of dog as Louie?
P.S. I think Fred is looking for a wall elephant more in the Mission style.
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P.P.S. I bet they didn’t measure the area of the Milan Furniture Fair in square feet. Did you have to use your Google converter?
Hi John,
Welcome back, congratulations and good luck.
Any chance the elephant artist took your Creativity class?
Best,
Rutager
The map of the fair actually did state the size in sq. ft. The place is huge.
Shelby is an English Setter, just like Jitter. They are not quite best buddies at the moment–yesterday the alpha war was one by Jitter.
There is something weird about giving away my daughter but that is what I am going to do. The bad part is her soon-to-be-hubbie is taller than me. That bugs me. 🙂
I have to organize my pics of the fair so I can share them thematically. Saw some really cool stuff! And yes, spent time in Rome, Venice, Seinna, Florence and Milan. The Amalfi coast is incredible. Needless to say, I won’t be eating pizza any time soon…
-John
John,
Since someone brought up creativity, I’m going to say that if I was going to make an elephant lamp, I would have put it’s trunk around a pole type lamp at an angle like it had ripped it from the ground.
Speaking of elephants; I was going to make a comparison between the look on the elephants face and the expression on Fred’s, most of the time, but I realized that wouldn’t be very nice- since elephants are a protected species.
Looking forward to seeing all the pictures and hearing the stories, and most important, seeing how it affects your next designs; you can’t experience that much culture and design without it impacting your own style.
Regards,
Rutager
John, it’s hard for me to feel too sorry because your future son-in-law is taller than you. But perhaps you could still hip-check him into the pews at the wedding.
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Sharon demands puppy pictures. I’m looking forward to thematically arranged furniture/design pictures.
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Neil – I’m sure that you could put the elephant cord in the wall, and mount it like a sconce. Warm up that Paypal account!
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John – will you be telling us about the food, too? Furniture’s great, but it only goes so far…
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— Peter
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P.S. Surprisingly little web-buzz about the CT-18.
Peter, there is no CT-18 web buzz because without a price there is nothing to complain about. We will fix that problem next week.
-John
Rutager, based on your argument, all your woodwork should be reminiscent of bacon…
— Peter
Peter,
It’s sure cost me a bit of bacon! Not that I’m complaining.
-Rutager
Blah-blah-blah. Make with the puppy picture.
Considering what the puppy has done to my carpet over the past two days, the pics can wait.
–John