Last night my husband encouraged me to get out of the house, so I went to see a movie called Letters to Juliet. I went by myself, which I do not mind at all (I get to see whatever I want, no one whispering to me during the movie, and I don't get embarrassed about tears on my cheeks). I thought it was going to be a tear-jerker because I'm pretty sure I cried during the trailer some months ago. But no. I guess it's more of a romance-comedy than a drama.

But this isn't really a movie review. Well if you want to know, I enjoyed the movie, it was very light-hearted, romantic, sweet, and I think the leading lady Amanda Seyfried is adorable. It was also very predictable. The thing I hate about sappy love stories is that it reminds me that although my husband is a wonderful companion for me, he is lacking in the romance and spontaneity department. There are, of course, more important things in a relationship.


Anyway, ITALY! It begins in Verona and moves to Sienna. I was drooling over the Italian countryside in this movie. How can I be so in love with a country that I've barely been to? (I spent one day in San Remo when I was 16). It's been my dream to go to Italy since I was a teenager. I'm completely infatuated with it. I will go see a movie simply based on the fact that it takes place in Italy. When I studied art history in college, my favorite sections were on Italian art (is it just me, or were all the best artists born Italian?). If Italian language was offered at my high school, I would have studied it there, but I had to wait till college, and I loved it much better than French and Spanish. If my college had a study abroad program in Italy, I probably would have gone (I was SO jealous that my best friend went with her school). Any book I read or photograph I see that relates to Italy makes me want to go there. My husband and I were going to go before we had children, but super-practical him changed his mind and wanted to save up for a house instead. We acquired said house and I'm decorating the lower story Tuscan-style. Can I please go to Italy and see it all for myself??


I want to go and eat, and look at art and architecture. I want to eat and see the countryside. I want to eat and listen to people ramble in the the most beautiful language in the world. I want to ride a gondola in Venice (I hear it's overrated, but I don't care!) I want to have a snack on the Spanish Steps in Rome, write in my journal as I observe the pigeons in Sienna's Central Square, and be in awe over the destruction of Pompeii. I want to go to Naples and taste the best pizza in the world! (Did I mention I want to eat?)


I always thought I might enjoy it more with a companion, but now I think waiting was a bad idea. Not that I ever had any money to go before (I've always been bad about that). Oh, well, one day. It's on my to do list.