Free organ concert tomorrow evening, San Babila

Like organ music? I do.

There'll be a free organ concert held in San Babila (Piazza San Babila) by the Fondazione Organo of the basilica tomorrow, February 16, at 8 P.M. It's their first concert of their 2012 season. Maestro Matteo Venturini will be playing.

Every time you visit a church in Italy for anything other than strictly religious purposes, find the maintenance ("mantenimento") and/or restoration ("restauro") money boxes, and be generous.

The churches you are visiting as if they were museums have cleaning staff and electric bills to pay.

Plus, San Babila needs a new roof.

Have a heart.

Enjoy!

My dream house (sigh)

Palazzo Bolchini by P.G. Magistretti, 1927-30, Piazza Meda. My dream house. The "condo" with the (entire half of the floor) terrace on your upper left. The one soaking up the happy sun. Sigh...More...

I snapped this picture on the 17th of April 2009, at 5:30 P.M., before the years long renovation (recently completed) of the piazza, in order to install a much disputed underground parking lot, which destroyed ancient house foundations. Oh Milan, my Milan, so dead set on being modern that you constantly destroy your past.

Thankfully, the piazza is almost as before, including the sculpture by Pomodoro (see my http://mymilanitaly.blogspot.com/2010/08/understanding-milan-01.html), and the exit and entrance for the parking are surprisingly (and thankfully) non-invasive.

For info about the building, see http://www.lombardiabeniculturali.it/architetture/schede/3m080-00066/

Bike Me!

About a year ago, ATM (Milan's public transport system) finally introduced this system of rental bikes called "BikeMi." For those, who don't know Italian, the "Mi" is pronounced like "Me"--and so tickles the fancy of literate Italians knowing English--but is short for "Milano."

If you're interested, drop into one of the ATM information points scattered around town (there are two in the subway system under the Duomo) because the BikeMi handy dandy info kiosks work only for those already signed up to the program...pretty smart, huh?!

This shot was snapped in Piazza San Babila on Saturday, August 7, 2010, at about 2:40P.M.