Guilty Pleasures

I have two guilty pleasures on my mind today: MySpace and chocolate. The former has to do with my new roommate, Gianni. He kindly let me check my email on his computer, where I noticed a link to MySpace. The social networking site, which has already exploded and somewhat fizzled in the U.S. due to the more user-friendly Facebook, is still on the rise here in Italy.

And with all new internet sites, there are bound to be some kinks.

As we were looking at Gianni's MySpace page I noticed the Relationship Status section and there it was in big promiscuious letters, "SWINGER"! Now don't get me wrong, I'm a very open minded person...whatever floats your boat. I thought, I can share a house with a swinger, no problem! At least I have my own bathroom in case there is an influx of overnight guests.

But as we were perusing Gianni's MySpace photos he just didn't strike me as the swinging type. So I ever so politely asked him about it...and herein lies the MySpace glitch:

In the Italian version of MySpace the relationship status, "spirito libero" implies
a free spirited person/single. But when MySpace Italia is translated into the English site, "spirito libero" defaults to SWINGER! I did some necessary (and quite enjoyable) blogging research and checked out dozens of Italian men's MySpace profiles only to find that, sure enough, MySpace has unintentionally created a cyber community of Italian swingers! I've gotta believe they are recieving some odd propositions in their MySpace inbox...

So I just wanted to set the record straight. All Italian MySpacer's are NOT swingers.

And on to my other guilty pleasure...chocolate. I'll have you know that I have yet to buy my first jar of Nutella (shocking, I know). But this weekend some even more tantalizing treats are taking over Treviso. Every piazza in the historical center is overflowing with vendors selling chocolate of every shape and size. Truffles, candies, bars...you name it.
My favorite is the cioccolata calda (hot chocolate). Nestles has nothing on this, my friends. This hot chocolate is indulgently creamy and gloriously gloppy. Just a small swig will give you your fix...it's heaven in cup.

MMmmmmm