Tilly Greene's Blog, page 20
February 16, 2012
Unique Shoes from trip to Venice and I mean UNIQUE!
Walking through Venice I was astounded by the shoes I was seeing in shop windows. They were unlike any I'd ever seen before and clicked away to share some of the fun.
Ready to shell out $1200 for glittery wonders with a fuzzy tale?
Are you ready to purchase a pair with a snake head at the toe and wear them down your local High Street or Main Street?
Don't forget the men in your life...would any of these strike their fancy?
Ready to shell out $1200 for glittery wonders with a fuzzy tale?
Are you ready to purchase a pair with a snake head at the toe and wear them down your local High Street or Main Street?
Don't forget the men in your life...would any of these strike their fancy?
Tilly Greene
Scorching romances full of twists, turns and ties.
Facebook│Twitter│Blog│ARe Cafe
February 15, 2012
Get Ready...I'm visiting the Righteous Perverts!
That's right, the wonderful Kris Cook has invited me to visit the Righteous Perverts tonight at 8pm cst [9pm est] and I can't wait - it's going to be a hoot so stop by and enjoy the fun!
Tilly Greene
Scorching romances full of twists, turns and ties.
Facebook│Twitter│Blog│ARe Cafe
An Ancient Greek for Hump Day Hottie
Since it's been an Ancient Greek week thus far, although not on purpose, allow me to introduce you to Adonis Bosso as photographed by Rainer Torrado and found on Homotography.
Tilly Greene
Scorching romances full of twists, turns and ties.
Facebook│Twitter│Blog│ARe Cafe
February 14, 2012
Valentines Day a big day for Zeus, a big day of no sex!
Zeus, King of the gods, God of the Sky and Thunder, knows he has a pretty good existence, except for when it comes to Valentine's Day. For some unknown reason, this was the one day out of the 365 that his desires are ignored by all. With unfulfilled desire pushing him closer to being dangerously angry, he's ready to demand answers from the Moirae when a woman from his past comes to the throne room.
Suddenly, the day of hearts and love isn't looking so bad. Or is it? Leda is someone he wronged in the past and wouldn't blame her if she denied him again, but he cares for her, deeply.
He is ready to do whatever it takes to have her again, but will she forgive his past mistakes?
Excerpt
"Feeling lonely?"
The two words were whispered so quietly, he wasn't sure he actually heard them or if it was a culmination of what he had been thinking pushed the idea into his head. Casting a quick look around the cavernous room revealed no one else was there, but neither did he consider himself lonesome. Usually whenever he was in this room, he was surrounded by a crowd of people, many who were looking for something from him. The one good thing about being alone was that it rarely happened and it allowed him to think about what he wanted to reflect further upon, not what others put in front of him.
Relaxing back against the back of his throne, he took another drink from his cup and closed his eyes to savor the peace and quiet.
Except for his dislike of this particular day, his life was actually pretty good. There was nothing he lacked, although there were mistakes he'd made in the past, a few he wished he could go back and do over again.
"No women for the God of the Universe on Valentine's Day?"
"Who is there?" A mere mortal couldn't survive the wrath of his voice, much less the glare in his eyes as he stood up and searched the corners of the room. Whoever was out there had invaded his private time and he wouldn't allow that to go unpunished. "Show yourself immediately or I'll—"
"You'll what?"
From behind the last column at the far end of the room stepped a delicate figure in a bright blue short chiton. Because of the lighting and distance between them, he couldn't see the woman well enough to identify her by name, but he was able to see enough for his cock to stiffen between his legs.
"Who are you?" Now that he knew it was a beautiful woman, Zeus asked for help in identifying his visitor. Already he was turning away from intimidation and looking toward seduction. Hopefully The Fates would be too busy working on another string to see how his was changing.
"You know who I am, lover."
"Lover? We've been together before?"
"Yes, we have." The woman stopped moving and bowed to him. Instead of the usual gold rope twining around and through her dark brown hair, there was something white and fluttered in the light breeze. The more he saw of her, the more intrigued he was to discover everything.
"Don't you remember me, Zeus?"
©Tilly Greene, 2009
"Together Again?", the second installment in the Mythological Messes Redux series, is available at All Romance eBook [ARe] and Amazon.
Tilly Greene
Scorching romances full of twists, turns and ties.
Facebook│Twitter│Blog│ARe Cafe
February 12, 2012
Who is Cupid?
Originally posted February 11 2008
In two days time it's Valentine's Day.
One day out of the year we dedicate to roses, chocolates and diamonds, mixed in with pink and red visisions of romance and a baby wearing wings, carrying a bow and arrow. Wait a minute, a baby with a weapon? That's right. So, what makes Cupid right for the job? I'm not so sure he is, Eros might actually be better qualified for the position.
Both Ancient Greece and Rome had their own mythology and pantheon of deities to worship. Over the centuries the two groups have been combined, separated or listed side by side for comparison. Needless to say it's sometimes difficult to know what's true to their mythology and what isn't. That said we definitely know that Eros was the God of Love for the Ancient Greeks and Cupid is the God of Erotic Love and Sex for the Romans. Unfortunately, that's where it stops being clear-cut and simple.
In Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Edith Hamilton states Eros was depicted as a "beautiful serious youth". H.J Rose's says in A Handbook of Greek Mythology that he was "handsome young athlete", but before both of these characterizations were made he represented love, lust and intercourse as one of the oldest gods in Greece. Where worshipping of the god was important it's been discovered he was the deity for attractive young men and boys. Across the Adriatic, Cupid was depicted as a child who had the same traits as those already noted. Like Janus, it was questioned whether Cupid had two distinctive sides to his persona or was actually two separate individuals.
After gaining Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty, as his mother along with three prospective fathers, Eros image of male lust and sex was further encouraged. One probable father was Hermes, a phallic god and another was Ares, God of War. It seems even in the ancient world a warrior encouraged a woman's desire to grow exponentially. The third potential was Aphrodite's father, Zeus. This union was viewed as sexual passion so strong and out of control it has no limitations. This association with the uncontrollable made Eros a dangerous god. The parent issue was similar for Cupid. Jupiter and Venus were also noted as his parents, as were Nyx and Erebus. Both possible couples helped define and solidify various qualities of his character.
Both Cupid and Eros seem fairly interchangeable at this stage, except for their appearances and the Ancient Greek god having elements of danger associated with him. It's at this point the two figures actually appear to swap personalities.
It wasn't until Alexandrian times that women come into picture for Eros. This happened when the ideal relationship between men and women moved from being mere sexual desire to one of love from the heart. Because of this supposed softening to his characterization, the God of Love's importance to men was lessened. With this change in attributes, as well as society moving away from worshipping gods and goddess, he became a chubby child with a wicked bow, seen mainly in connection with Aphrodite and subordinate to others.
Cupid gained some clout as a god of love with an appearance on the romantic stage with the Cupid and Psyche's love story, written in the second century [A.D.] by Apuleius. The story depicted Cupid as a young man and involved very adult issues found in romance like love, jealousy, mistrust and forgiveness. Unfortunately, it seems as if it wasn't enough to allow him to be depicted as anything but a baby for Valentine's Day.
So, what do you think? Does it make sense for Cupid to be the image of Valentine's Day? He is a child afterall. Maybe Eros [erotic love] would be better suited for the holiday that encourages lovers to put their hearts out there for their lovers to see and experience.
In two days time it's Valentine's Day.
One day out of the year we dedicate to roses, chocolates and diamonds, mixed in with pink and red visisions of romance and a baby wearing wings, carrying a bow and arrow. Wait a minute, a baby with a weapon? That's right. So, what makes Cupid right for the job? I'm not so sure he is, Eros might actually be better qualified for the position.
Both Ancient Greece and Rome had their own mythology and pantheon of deities to worship. Over the centuries the two groups have been combined, separated or listed side by side for comparison. Needless to say it's sometimes difficult to know what's true to their mythology and what isn't. That said we definitely know that Eros was the God of Love for the Ancient Greeks and Cupid is the God of Erotic Love and Sex for the Romans. Unfortunately, that's where it stops being clear-cut and simple. In Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Edith Hamilton states Eros was depicted as a "beautiful serious youth". H.J Rose's says in A Handbook of Greek Mythology that he was "handsome young athlete", but before both of these characterizations were made he represented love, lust and intercourse as one of the oldest gods in Greece. Where worshipping of the god was important it's been discovered he was the deity for attractive young men and boys. Across the Adriatic, Cupid was depicted as a child who had the same traits as those already noted. Like Janus, it was questioned whether Cupid had two distinctive sides to his persona or was actually two separate individuals.
After gaining Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty, as his mother along with three prospective fathers, Eros image of male lust and sex was further encouraged. One probable father was Hermes, a phallic god and another was Ares, God of War. It seems even in the ancient world a warrior encouraged a woman's desire to grow exponentially. The third potential was Aphrodite's father, Zeus. This union was viewed as sexual passion so strong and out of control it has no limitations. This association with the uncontrollable made Eros a dangerous god. The parent issue was similar for Cupid. Jupiter and Venus were also noted as his parents, as were Nyx and Erebus. Both possible couples helped define and solidify various qualities of his character.
Both Cupid and Eros seem fairly interchangeable at this stage, except for their appearances and the Ancient Greek god having elements of danger associated with him. It's at this point the two figures actually appear to swap personalities.
It wasn't until Alexandrian times that women come into picture for Eros. This happened when the ideal relationship between men and women moved from being mere sexual desire to one of love from the heart. Because of this supposed softening to his characterization, the God of Love's importance to men was lessened. With this change in attributes, as well as society moving away from worshipping gods and goddess, he became a chubby child with a wicked bow, seen mainly in connection with Aphrodite and subordinate to others.
Cupid gained some clout as a god of love with an appearance on the romantic stage with the Cupid and Psyche's love story, written in the second century [A.D.] by Apuleius. The story depicted Cupid as a young man and involved very adult issues found in romance like love, jealousy, mistrust and forgiveness. Unfortunately, it seems as if it wasn't enough to allow him to be depicted as anything but a baby for Valentine's Day.So, what do you think? Does it make sense for Cupid to be the image of Valentine's Day? He is a child afterall. Maybe Eros [erotic love] would be better suited for the holiday that encourages lovers to put their hearts out there for their lovers to see and experience.
Tilly Greene
Scorching romances full of twists, turns and ties.
Facebook│Twitter│Blog│ARe Cafe
February 10, 2012
February Means Chocolate Time - Day 5!
The fifth and final stop on my hot chocolate hunt was in Munich and also one on the list of Best Hot Chocolate from Travel & Leisure Magazine I've been using as inspiration and trial since 2007.
Trachtenvogl Cafe-Lounge [Reichenbachstr. 47]
That's what Charolotte Druckman, the author of the list of four establishments, had to say and I don't disagree. It was fun, unique, hip in how it used a 50's vibe in a bright, front room kind of setting.
The cutie was there and he speaks German so he ordered for me, a heisse schokolade, a hot chocolate. I can't remember which he said it was, the menu was extensive, what I do know is that I enjoyed the delightful cup.
Was it my favorite of the four, actually two since that's all I've been to on the list, no but it was very good and the place was fun to sit and chat. What I've learned from this latest hunt is that the cafe itself played a part in how much I liked a cup of hot chocolate, but I'd also recommend you visit any that I've listed - there were others that, for some reason, didn't make the cut or even rate a mention.
Oooo, I'm so tough! I guess I am when it comes to a fantastic cuppa cocoa :-)
Trachtenvogl Cafe-Lounge [Reichenbachstr. 47]
"Thirty flavors of hot chocolate fill the menu at this cozy-chic retreat in the lively Isarvorstadt distrct. Our favorites: vanilla Cream, Chestnut, Orange Cinnamon, and the signature cuppa, Hot Chocolate Aztec, with its blend of chile, cloves, peanuts, and extra-bitter cocoa. Soy milk in on hand for nondairy drinkers."
That's what Charolotte Druckman, the author of the list of four establishments, had to say and I don't disagree. It was fun, unique, hip in how it used a 50's vibe in a bright, front room kind of setting.
The cutie was there and he speaks German so he ordered for me, a heisse schokolade, a hot chocolate. I can't remember which he said it was, the menu was extensive, what I do know is that I enjoyed the delightful cup.
Was it my favorite of the four, actually two since that's all I've been to on the list, no but it was very good and the place was fun to sit and chat. What I've learned from this latest hunt is that the cafe itself played a part in how much I liked a cup of hot chocolate, but I'd also recommend you visit any that I've listed - there were others that, for some reason, didn't make the cut or even rate a mention.
Oooo, I'm so tough! I guess I am when it comes to a fantastic cuppa cocoa :-)
Tilly Greene
Scorching romances full of twists, turns and ties.
Facebook│Twitter│Blog│ARe Cafe
February 9, 2012
February Means Chocolate Time - Day 4!
I took the hot chocolate hunt to a new country, The Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam.
This was a last minute stop and I had no clues what to do besides visit the museums and snack on frites with satay sauce. Well, I didn't end up having any of the latter, but through the Knopf MapGuides Amsterdam*, we found a gem of a place that I intend to take my cutie to when we go to Amsterdam. Yes, it was that good, in fact, it was my favorite cup of hot chocolate through the entire 2 months of travel and that's saying a lot!
De Bakkerswinkel [Roelof Hartstraat 68]
It was the cat in the window that encoruaged us to walk in even though the place was packed. We shared a large family-style dinner table with 9 other people and the garden at the back. I had a croque monsiuer and the other two I was with ordered the special...not one of us was disappointed.
The space isn't huge, its a neighborhood spot, and the smells coming from the kitchen teased the senses. The people who worked there were friendly, I mean genuinely happy, and the folks who we sat closet to at the table were a local family, older, and absolutely lovely to talk to. They finished their lunches off with a scone, cream and lemon curd and recommended we do the same. We did, of course, and oh yes, that was so very tasty.
Are you getting the gist of what happened at Bakkerswinkel? I'm not a fan of food, but everything about the place rang my bells.
Okay, okay, on to the hot chocolate!
As you can see from my pics above, it came in a glass with chunks of chocolate with a few other bits of nuts settled on the bottom, and a frothy layer at the top. Using the long spoon, I stirred it up and then set the spoon to cool down before repeating the process. The older gentleman we spoke with helped me out on this one - explaining the science of it all [that part made me miss the cutie]. Let the spoon cool and stir with it to get the hot chocolate down to drinking temp.
This glass of hot chocolate was light yet tasty, just a hint of spice and fabulous from the first sip to the last! If you ever make it to Amsterdam, make a point to visit Bakkerswinkel and enjoy the experience.
This was a last minute stop and I had no clues what to do besides visit the museums and snack on frites with satay sauce. Well, I didn't end up having any of the latter, but through the Knopf MapGuides Amsterdam*, we found a gem of a place that I intend to take my cutie to when we go to Amsterdam. Yes, it was that good, in fact, it was my favorite cup of hot chocolate through the entire 2 months of travel and that's saying a lot!
De Bakkerswinkel [Roelof Hartstraat 68]
"Very popular bakery and tearoom, renowned for the quality and freshness of its products. It has an extensive snack menu and excellent teas and coffees."*
It was the cat in the window that encoruaged us to walk in even though the place was packed. We shared a large family-style dinner table with 9 other people and the garden at the back. I had a croque monsiuer and the other two I was with ordered the special...not one of us was disappointed.
The space isn't huge, its a neighborhood spot, and the smells coming from the kitchen teased the senses. The people who worked there were friendly, I mean genuinely happy, and the folks who we sat closet to at the table were a local family, older, and absolutely lovely to talk to. They finished their lunches off with a scone, cream and lemon curd and recommended we do the same. We did, of course, and oh yes, that was so very tasty.
Are you getting the gist of what happened at Bakkerswinkel? I'm not a fan of food, but everything about the place rang my bells.
Okay, okay, on to the hot chocolate!
As you can see from my pics above, it came in a glass with chunks of chocolate with a few other bits of nuts settled on the bottom, and a frothy layer at the top. Using the long spoon, I stirred it up and then set the spoon to cool down before repeating the process. The older gentleman we spoke with helped me out on this one - explaining the science of it all [that part made me miss the cutie]. Let the spoon cool and stir with it to get the hot chocolate down to drinking temp.
This glass of hot chocolate was light yet tasty, just a hint of spice and fabulous from the first sip to the last! If you ever make it to Amsterdam, make a point to visit Bakkerswinkel and enjoy the experience.
Tilly Greene
Scorching romances full of twists, turns and ties.
Facebook│Twitter│Blog│ARe Cafe
February 8, 2012
February Means Chocolate Time - Day 3!
I've given you my suggestion for best hot chocolate in Rome and Florence so that leaves Venice.
From what I could gather through the various travel books and talking to folks who had been, there was no great place for sweets much less hot chocolate - shocking, because it would be a great place sure to thrive on the romantic aura of the city. Shame, but all was not lost. I actually found a wonderful cup of the liquid brown nirvana in:
Pizzaria Antico Panifico [Campiello Del Sol]
After walking over the Bridge of Sighs, we made a random left and stumbled upon this gem of a place looking for someplace to have lunch. It was perfect. Don't let the exterior fool you, I'd recommend this place in a heartbeat for more than the ciocolata. The pizza and pasta were to die for and I don't say that easily - not a fan of tomatoes or mushrooms, two things which tend to show up too frequently and in great quantity in American-style Italian food.
Inside this restaurant was a bright open feeling with a lunch crowd that was distinctly not touristy. You always hope to find those types of places and enjoy more of what they themselves like, not what a guide book says they like.
As for the ciocolata, it was thick and lovely.
There was no cream and that was fine, this was a cup of joy and needed no fussing. I find it interesting how, both in France and Italy, sugar is offered as if the hot chocolate needs it and I don't think it does. The flavor is perfectly balanced, the occassional dollop of cream is all that I personally want to stir in, but even it isn't necessary.
For me, Italy offered yummy ciocolata.
From what I could gather through the various travel books and talking to folks who had been, there was no great place for sweets much less hot chocolate - shocking, because it would be a great place sure to thrive on the romantic aura of the city. Shame, but all was not lost. I actually found a wonderful cup of the liquid brown nirvana in:
Pizzaria Antico Panifico [Campiello Del Sol]
After walking over the Bridge of Sighs, we made a random left and stumbled upon this gem of a place looking for someplace to have lunch. It was perfect. Don't let the exterior fool you, I'd recommend this place in a heartbeat for more than the ciocolata. The pizza and pasta were to die for and I don't say that easily - not a fan of tomatoes or mushrooms, two things which tend to show up too frequently and in great quantity in American-style Italian food.
Inside this restaurant was a bright open feeling with a lunch crowd that was distinctly not touristy. You always hope to find those types of places and enjoy more of what they themselves like, not what a guide book says they like.
As for the ciocolata, it was thick and lovely.
There was no cream and that was fine, this was a cup of joy and needed no fussing. I find it interesting how, both in France and Italy, sugar is offered as if the hot chocolate needs it and I don't think it does. The flavor is perfectly balanced, the occassional dollop of cream is all that I personally want to stir in, but even it isn't necessary.
For me, Italy offered yummy ciocolata.
Tilly Greene
Scorching romances full of twists, turns and ties.
Facebook│Twitter│Blog│ARe Cafe
February 7, 2012
February Means Chocolate Time - Day 2!
Yesterday was Rome and today is Florence.
There were so many piazzas with their own cafes dotted all around the historic district where we stayed and spent most of our time. We tried at least one on everyday, but only one place did we go to twice - okay, we were so tired we didn't remember we'd been there for dinner two days before. We don't consider it a mistake, we truly enjoyed:
Rivoire [Piazza della Signoria]
Even though it was November, the weather was so nice, we sat outside and watched tourists and Florentines alike make there way through the bustling piazza. This was also the one that had the David statue I wrote about earlier. Knopf MapGuides for Florence says:
It was all true.
The cioccolato con panna [hot chocolate with cream] was thick, not spoon stand up and stay up thick, but a sipable thickness that loosened with each dollop of cream added. Maybe it was the atmosphere again that helped push me to think this was the best of Florence because it was utterly delightful - who wouldn't enjoy sipping on something lovely while overlooking a piazza dotted with larger than life sculptures depicting many of the ancients.
After sampling hot chocolate in Rome and in Florence, I can say what I found was unfussed with hot chocolate that wasn't overly sweet but neither was it bitter.
There were so many piazzas with their own cafes dotted all around the historic district where we stayed and spent most of our time. We tried at least one on everyday, but only one place did we go to twice - okay, we were so tired we didn't remember we'd been there for dinner two days before. We don't consider it a mistake, we truly enjoyed:
Rivoire [Piazza della Signoria]
Even though it was November, the weather was so nice, we sat outside and watched tourists and Florentines alike make there way through the bustling piazza. This was also the one that had the David statue I wrote about earlier. Knopf MapGuides for Florence says:
"This smart confectioner opened in 1872 to sell what it is still famous for today: a heavenly thick hot chocolate. Unbeatable location too, on the city's most beautiful square."
It was all true.
The cioccolato con panna [hot chocolate with cream] was thick, not spoon stand up and stay up thick, but a sipable thickness that loosened with each dollop of cream added. Maybe it was the atmosphere again that helped push me to think this was the best of Florence because it was utterly delightful - who wouldn't enjoy sipping on something lovely while overlooking a piazza dotted with larger than life sculptures depicting many of the ancients.
After sampling hot chocolate in Rome and in Florence, I can say what I found was unfussed with hot chocolate that wasn't overly sweet but neither was it bitter.
Tilly Greene
Scorching romances full of twists, turns and ties.
Facebook│Twitter│Blog│ARe Cafe
February 6, 2012
February Means Chocolate Time - Day 1!
On my recent travels I partook, as I almost always do, in hunt for the best hot chocolate and thought I'd share my findings. This all started with a list of four places the articles author noted back in a 2007 Travel and Leisure magazine. I've been to one place on the list, Angelina's in Paris, but sought other cafes out at the same time and found, while wonderful in chocolate offering and ambiance, it was one of a few that were also good. The list is not final or by any means the ultimate list, it was and continues to be a starting point.
Now, back to this last trip when I visited a second of the four on the list, but because my brain works in a funny way, I'll begin where the trip started, in Rome, and my favorite cup there was found at:
Antico Caffe Greco [86 Via Condotti]
Is what the Knopf Mapguides to Rome said and, yes, it's all true and so much more. People came in and had a quick drink as they went through the day, others sat and read while drinking something delicious, and then there were those like us who were just taking a break and talking while I enjoyed the delightful café.
There were little room, hallways and a more private nook that were filled with tables and all were enticing. The front has a counter and glass cabinets full of sugary treats, but we chose to sit in the room beyond the front two with a great view of most of the happenings.
I ordered a cioccolato con panna [hot chocolate with cream] and the cup came with a separate of cream which I stirred a dollop in whenever I felt it was needed. By no means was this a large cup, but it was large on flavor. Not sugary sweet, but pure delightful unadorned chocolate. The consistency was a bit thick, which makes me think it was made with full fat milk.
Yes, I enjoyed this cup as much as I loved the cafe. The atmosphere was exactly what I expected from the brief description above.
Now, back to this last trip when I visited a second of the four on the list, but because my brain works in a funny way, I'll begin where the trip started, in Rome, and my favorite cup there was found at:
Antico Caffe Greco [86 Via Condotti]
"Stendhal, Leopardi, Ungaretti…all have sat in this prestigious café, founded in 1760 and concealed between the boutiques of the Via Condotti. The interior retains its velvet chairs, marble-topped tables, red -colored walls, pictures, sculptures and tail coated staff. Pastries, coffees and ice cream. Cheaper if you sit at the counter."
Is what the Knopf Mapguides to Rome said and, yes, it's all true and so much more. People came in and had a quick drink as they went through the day, others sat and read while drinking something delicious, and then there were those like us who were just taking a break and talking while I enjoyed the delightful café.
There were little room, hallways and a more private nook that were filled with tables and all were enticing. The front has a counter and glass cabinets full of sugary treats, but we chose to sit in the room beyond the front two with a great view of most of the happenings.
I ordered a cioccolato con panna [hot chocolate with cream] and the cup came with a separate of cream which I stirred a dollop in whenever I felt it was needed. By no means was this a large cup, but it was large on flavor. Not sugary sweet, but pure delightful unadorned chocolate. The consistency was a bit thick, which makes me think it was made with full fat milk.
Yes, I enjoyed this cup as much as I loved the cafe. The atmosphere was exactly what I expected from the brief description above.
Tilly Greene
Scorching romances full of twists, turns and ties.
Facebook│Twitter│Blog│ARe Cafe
