Here are the pictures from last weekend’s ski trip to Soux d’Oulx! My first time skiing in eight years, and of course it had to be on the biggest freaking mountain range in Europe too… Can we say “professional Olympic skiiers competed on these slopes last year”?!  The town was great–tons of pubs and stone houses–apparently there’s a big English population in this area.  Lucky for us, Claudia bought a condo right in the center of the town when she was in college–so that’s where we stayed.  An extremely fun time was had by all–as evidenced in the photos below:

Claudia & Fabrizio browse some architecture journals before dinner.	On our way to the cafe downstairs for the best doughnut I’ve had in three years!
Getting dressed for skiing.	Claudia is big into fur–she has hats, scarves, coats, keychains you name it–all made out of fur! She calls them her ‘cats’. Here’s Luca with the white cat on his head.
Because I was the one with the camera, this is the only picture I’m in. Lovely. And we’re off!	This picture pretty much sums up our ski lift experience. There was only one time when we all managed to get on the same seat together!
The weather couldn’t have been nicer. Enjoying the day…	The Alps
We stop to meet some friends for lunch at a little lodge on the slopes.	It’s nice to sit in the sun for a while.
Bunny & Piero stayed at the lodge last night–it’s totally cute!	Bon Appetit!  Waiting for our polenta to arrive.
“I hope I get tan today”	Heading down the mountain at the end of the day.
I love Luca’s ducky-yellow ski jacket. I can always find him!

For Christmas, our old neighbors, The Bennetts, gave me Andrea Bocelli’s CD Vivere.  It’s fantastic.  My favorite CD of the moment.  My parents liked it so much that they burned a copy of it before I left.  There’s really something for everyone in this compilation of Bocelli’s best works–it’s opera-y but not too opera-ish, most of the songs are in Italian, but lots of them are duets with the woman singing in English (but these duets are well done.  Often times when artists start mixing languages, it’s a big mess, but this is not the case here).  Some of the songs are modern, some more romantic…if you like going to the theater, you’ll like this cd because it’s full of drama and passion: providing plenty of new material for your private operatic auditions.  Kenny G, Sarah Brightman and Celine Dion are a few of the artists that collaborate.  Listen to clips here. 

What is up with the world’s female pajama situation? I’m sorry but it is way too difficult to find a decent pair of pajamas these days. They’re either super sexy with fake red fur attached wherever possible or the dorkiest piece of clothing you’ve ever seen in your life. Can’t someone come up with an attractive, sensible pajama for women?

We went skiing this weekend with Claudia and Fabrizio (the architects from Torino) and stayed in Claudia’s condo in Saux d’Oux. The condo was small so the four of us slept in the same room (in two different beds). I was sporting my new nightshirt from Sarah Jessica Parker’s line Bitten (which I picked out myself with a gift certificate from Mom and Dad, thinking that this could be the answer to my pajama problems.) I had chosen a not-so-attractive pair of pastel green capri style pajama pants from my old collection to go with the nightshirt, seeing as how we would all be sleeping in the same tight quarters.

Well, there I was, in my part-new part-old pj’s ready for bed, when Claudia comes out of the bathroom in what was decidedly not your average slumber party sleeping attire. (Unless you’re into the slumber parties that are often held at the Playboy Mansion). It was a black bra with three rows of (what I’m sure was the best French lace) and a pair of matching short-style underpants. She had a sheer tie-on wrap over the whole thing, but still, I have to say it kind of burst my pj balloon. So much for the idea that I had passed from old granny to attractive but sensible pajama realm. Definitely still old granny.