Ain't It The Life

There’s something about being able, when you’re stuck in a rut in front of the computer, to just grab your notebook and a pencil and disappear off to a nearby piazza.

A bit of exercise; a change of scenery; some fresh air… and a lack of distractions. I soon had all four of the designs finished where I’d spent the large part of the afternoon at home struggling with the first.

So I had time to relax… watch the other people in Piazza Carlo Alberto - the young couples hanging out, the mums with little ones in pushchairs, the group of accordion players chewing the fat and playing little tunes to each other, the lady working for the council pottering about in her recalcitrant orange Ape emptying the bins…

All while reading about North-west England from the time of my childhood in Tony Wilson’s 24 Hour Party People. Compare and contrast. Some things, like the piazzas and the people’s appropriation of the space so different; other things, like the industrial heritage and areas of deprivation, so similar.

Then after a while soaking up the afternoon on one of the many stone benches, Rebecca and I retired to the Sfashion Cafe, to a table on the edge of the piazza for an aperitivo (early evening cocktail - a Torino-Milano for me, which was rather pleasant) and some further brainstorming on my designs.

I couldcan get used to this.