hellobea

multilayer mode

2012-03-14T21:44:00.000+01:00

This is the totem I drew while talking with my friends yesterday :)

I follow rivers

2012-03-14T01:35:00.000+01:00

This is definitely one of my favourite songs. I already posted it here some time ago as a bubble and now I drew it. I can't describe how good it makes me feel, but I can say that it blows the dancefloor and whenever I play it I am sure that all the people feel the same. It's just a masterpiece. Nothing more and nothing less :)

Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix)

bubble #29

2012-03-12T18:04:00.000+01:00

This is one on those song that I will keep in my heart forever. I still remember the first time I heard it: It was the year 2000 and I was driving in my car. I suppose it was summer, because it was a sunny day and all the windows were down. It reminds me of a bright period before a long, darker one and always makes me feel as I was 22 :)

self portrait

2012-03-09T20:09:00.000+01:00

Just a self-portrait of Mina and me :)

at mine or at yours?

2012-03-03T21:03:00.000+01:00

Bologna is blessed by an early spring breeze so today I went drawing at the park. A couple of blackbirds was fluttering very close to me so I followed their flirt and drew it my way. Wondering what they were saying, I remembered about a bar in Berlin named zu mir oder zu dir, where I went last summer. Its name means "at mine or at yours?" and was the perfect cue for my two blackbirds :) The first one says "at mine or at yours?" and the second one says "here". There it is!

hey

2012-02-29T17:22:00.000+01:00

If you want, it's easy to find some nice surprises on your way :)

atlas ufo robot

2012-02-28T01:53:00.005+01:00

Con questo post inauguro la sezione italiana del mio blog, quella dedicata alle siglette, che solo i bambini italiani della mia età possono capire (ed apprezzare) :) Esistono già milioni di siti e di blog dedicati alle siglette dei cartoni animati giapponesi che sono arrivati in Italia negli anni '70 e' 80. Io, nel mio piccolo, voglio provare a riproporvele dal mio punto di vista: quello di una bimba nata nel 1978 che ha avuto la fortuna di viverle tutte. E lo farò, quando posso, raccontadovi i ricordi che ho di ognuna di loro. La prima non può essere che questa, la mia preferita, quella che mi ha fatto sognare più di tutte al mondo, quella dedicata al mio eroe di sempre, il più bello, il più forte, il più grande amore della mia infanzia: Goldrake ♥ Questo era il mio Goldrake: a me sembrava veramente lui in persona (anche se in realtà era un po' cacato, come erano quasi tutti i giocattoli degli anni '70) sparava i missili dal pugno sinistro, aveva le rotelle sotto i piedi (così potevo prenderlo per mano e trascinarlo) e me lo portavo perfino a letto :) L'ultima volta che l'ho visto era senza una gamba e senza braccia (da piccola ero piuttosto molesta) ma ne ho un ricordo bellissimo e se potessi averlo ancora con me sarei la bambina più felice del mondo :)

feel good tip #19

2012-02-24T01:52:00.001+01:00

As usual this man drives me crazy! I love the Magician! ♥

three owls on the dresser

2012-02-22T22:13:00.000+01:00

The today's sketch is inspired by a very (perhaps the most) popular italian counting rhyme. It goes: "ambarabà ciccì coccò, tre civette sul comò, che facevano l'amore con la figlia del dottore, il dottore si ammalò, ambarabà ciccì coccò" and it is translatable like this: "ambarabà ciccì coccò, three owls on the dresser making love to the doctor's daughter, the doctor became ill, ambarabà ciccì coccò". In english it doesn't sound musical at all, but in italian sounds very funny, and I really don't know how many times I've sung it! :)

obabaluba

2012-02-21T18:02:00.002+01:00

This drawing is inspired by an old italian tv-tune from the 70s which sings about a magician with the blue face :) It is a very precious memory of my childhood and I am very fond of it.
This is the original video. Uh, by the way: Obabaluba is the magician's formula!

feel good tip #18

2012-02-19T16:32:00.002+01:00

Hands up for Chris Jylkke and his beautiful Tropico Disco mixes :) I'm addicted to the first track, but there's no tracklist so I can't get the title :( To be honest, I really don't understand this habit of not sharing the tracklist. I mean, what's wrong with it? Anyway, enjoy.

try again.

2012-02-16T16:44:00.009+01:00

Unfortunately, the works I submitted for the Bologna Children's Book Fair 2012 were not accepted (but I'll receive a free ticket!). To be honest, it's better this way: looking at them, I see that they are missing something and I am not satisfied as I was some months ago. But I did my best at the time and I will try again the next year, when I will surely do better :)
By the way, here they are: watercolour, ecoline and ink.

vote for the owl

2012-02-16T14:20:00.003+01:00

Yesterday, my boo t-shirt design has been selected for scoring on Threadless.
If you like it, please vote it 5!

http://www.threadless.com/submission/402124/boo

half empty or half full?

2012-02-14T01:25:00.000+01:00

I just painted this for my friend Silvia, who is the owner of the amazing blog Santa Parmigiana. She does miracles in the kitchen and some day I want to try one of her delicious recipes :) Take a look! Here I used watercolours and, obviously, the pencil.

bubble #28

2012-02-13T11:55:00.001+01:00

This is one of my favourite house tracks from the 90s and I gladly play it whenever I can.

cookie!

2012-02-11T01:49:00.001+01:00

(please)

tin and feathers

2012-02-07T23:00:00.001+01:00

The cheery green robot is glad to do the perch for his feathered little friends. They love him so much ♥

bubble #27

2012-02-06T16:57:00.001+01:00

Heard for the first time yesterday, I'm already addicted. It gives me sense of peace, hope and love, which is what I lately need :) I feel that this precious little diamond will bring me good luck. Love! ♥

poo poo!

2012-02-03T21:44:00.001+01:00

BettyBoop ❅ White Mix ❅ Feb 2012

2012-02-03T02:08:00.000+01:00

Enjoy my new freeeeezing mix :)

the snow monster

2012-02-02T23:51:00.002+01:00

Snow keeps falling on Bologna and I'm ever more happier :) The snow monster must be very busy!

let it snow, please.

2012-02-01T18:04:00.004+01:00

Finally, it's been snowing continuously since yesterday in Bologna. With no intention to stop until friday, they say :) We now have about 60cm and someone is even skiing in the streets (idols). Me I think I'm going to go bobbing at the park tomorrow. In the meantime, Winston left me under a bunch of snow and I'm shouting: "Winston! Where the f**k are you going?!".

feel good tip #17

2012-01-31T23:46:00.053+01:00

I'm lazy lately, I know. I'm not drawing as much as I would and I really don't know why. Maybe because I'm busy with (too) many other things and cannot focus well on my works. January has been a total chaos, but I'm going to devote February to my illustrations and work hard on self-promotion and on the projects I'm thinking about. Besides resuming my everyday sketching.
Meanwhile, enjoy this stunning mix by Xinobi, found today on my wall :)

bubble #26

2012-01-30T02:01:00.000+01:00

There are days when I look around and feel thankful. Today is one of those. I'm thankful for the precious ones I had the good fortune to meet, for the love they give me, for each single affectionate gesture I received, for my family, for every single smile and for what I have become. I could not really wish for more. Love!

freedom

2012-01-28T14:33:00.000+01:00

The yellow balloon is free!

feel good tip #16

2012-01-27T11:21:00.003+01:00

This mix by Faze Action made my day. Hope it will made yours as well :)

boo!

2012-01-24T16:15:00.000+01:00

As I predicted, the new moon in Aquarius brought a bit of fresh air. The dark clouds are gone and I recovered my usual good humour ;)

coffee tea me

2012-01-22T17:39:00.001+01:00

Today is one of those days where I feel like the ball in the pinball. Undecided, confused, tired, insecure and blue. I need company but I don't want to bore anyone with my lunar confusion. In fact, this weird situation lasts since the beginning of this moon. Luckily, tomorrow a new one starts and I hope this will be just a bad memory. I hope.

feel good tip #15

2012-01-21T19:21:00.002+01:00

Just found this brand new gem on my wall. Super cheers to Deep88, who is officially my new idol!

Deep88 feat The Huge - Italo82 @ Discos Paradiso BCN by deep88

vanilia & comics

2012-01-19T16:48:00.001+01:00

These are the visit cards I made for my friends of Vanilia & comics. They needed a more comics-oriented image, so I re-arranged the original logo into a balloon. Since they love my puppets and expecially my faces, I drew theirs on the back :) Their display is a computer component (a heat-sink, I suppose), which fits them f***ing perfectly! :)

the luckbeagle

2012-01-18T23:30:00.000+01:00

The luckbeagle loves to fly over the city with his little friends on his back :)
click to enlarge!

bubble #25

2012-01-13T19:11:00.000+01:00

The first time I heard this song I went hog wild. It was about 2005 or 2006, nu-disco was in its infancy and I'm sure I'm not wrong if I say that this track had a key role in its blooming. The space mood, the perfect clearness of the sounds, the slower beat and the dreamy melody together made a bomb. And it blew up in my head like a firework. Thanks to Lindstrom, the world's dancefloors have never been the same.
I consider it one of the best disco tracks ever and I still play it from time to time, jealously keeping the vinyl safe in my collection. So turn up the volume, close your eyes and fly!

the onion comes up again

2012-01-10T16:48:00.003+01:00

My friend Emanuele liked the onion so much that asked me to paint one for him. And here it is: I used watercolour, pencil and some tiny touches of white ecoline for the light points. It is about 22x30 cm.

the smiling flower

2012-01-09T23:48:00.000+01:00

This is a smile for you. Love!

no way

2012-01-05T16:34:00.008+01:00

At age 6 I faced the cruel reality: that was my last day at kindergarten. It was located right in front of the primary school, which was until then just the place where the older kids went. But no one knew what was going on in there and nobody ever cared, after all. That day, the teachers started telling us terrifying stories about homeworks, desks, books, being good, being quiet, going to bed earlier, waking up earlier and whatever. I thought that they were exaggerating, but I was wrong: they were even optimistic! The very next day I knew: the party was over. For the first time I had my own pencil case full of colours but I couldn't use them, my best friend was assigned to another class so we could not even chat about our serious businesses, because you couldn't talk. There were no swings, no swords, no music, no building blocks, no flowers, no trees, no robots, no lizards to hunt, nothing at all! I couldn't believe that. Poor me.

flute & bass

2012-01-05T14:32:00.001+01:00

I can barely play the flute and I always wanted to play the bass. What would you think if I started now? :)
(this was the sketch for December 26th)

random kids

2012-01-05T13:49:00.003+01:00

They say: Hello, we are the random kids. Blaaah!
(this was the sketch for December 25th)

hurray!

2012-01-05T13:05:00.001+01:00

The little man in the red hat reached the top of the hazelnut cake mountain. Hurray!
(this was the sketch for December 23rd)

serendipity

2012-01-05T12:06:00.002+01:00

This morning, a message by my boss woke me up telling me that I could stay home for today, delaying everything to monday (tomorrow is Epiphany and in Italy is a feast day). Yay, but that meant that I could not scan my drawings until next week. It was definitely a sign so I didn't think twice and got out of bed, straight to the nearest shop to buy the scanner I needed! I'm going to devote this day to posting all the backlog. What better time to inaugurate a new section of my blog, the pitturini! Pitturini is a bizzarre word that sounds like little cute paintings and I often use it when I'm absorbed into my creative side. This one here figures a little hippie girl. As usual, I drew a light pencil trace and then I used watercolours, ecoline and coloured pencils.

bubble #24

2012-01-04T01:34:00.027+01:00

Well, this seems to be the first post of 2012 :) In these days I'm off to work for the Christmas holidays, so I cannot post any of the sketches and paintings I did, because I don't own a scanner but don't worry: tomorrow I'll be back on my desk and fix everything, and the first New Year's resolution will be to buy one :)
While I was digging through my hard disk to find a bubble, I found this little gem from 2009: I'm mad about the piano riff in the middle, it gives me goose bumps and I cannot stop playing it, as I did the first time I heard it. Don't you think it is simply divine? How I wish I would be able to play it myself! I must ask Leo to teach me.
By the way, happy new year to you all: I really hope that it will bring all the best to all of us. Love!

feel good tip #14

2011-12-30T02:15:00.002+01:00

With my heart full of pride I share the first A Tropical Clash compilation! It has been our Christmas gift to our beloved clubbers during the last December 25th party and now it is available for download on our brand new Soundcloud page. As its name tells, it has been carefully created to cheer those beautiful moments of life :) A panty jerker selection made by Cevo, Glorioushead and me. This time more than ever: enjoy!

A Tropical Clash Sex Mix by atropicalclash

BettyBoop's 2011 in 10 minutes ♥

2011-12-30T00:16:00.003+01:00

This is a 10 minutes summary of the top 10 releases of 2011 that I loved and played more during the year. For better or for worse, it has been very challenging, filled with joy, love, satisfaction and stars but effort and some bitter tears as well. I have no idea of what 2012 will bring us, but it will but I wish the best to you all. And it will be another fabulous musical year! Love! ♥

BettyBoop's 2011 in 10 minutes ♥ by Bettyboop on Mixcloud

bubble #23

2011-12-28T19:48:00.002+01:00

In these days I'm busy all day with the preparation of the New Year's eve party at Locomotiv Club, named Apocalypso Now, with a view to 2012 :)
We are setting up a post-apocalytic world where we will have fun with what's left, so we are creating objects, musical instruments, ornaments, toys and whatever else using recycled materials. It is very exhausting but extremely stimulant and creative, and I am excited as I was when I used to build my own toys as a child :)
At the end of the day to relax a little, there is nothing better than good white wine and progressive rock. This is undoubtedly one of my favourites by Pink Floyd and if you do not already know, I hope you will enjoy it :)

merry!

2011-12-24T13:31:00.000+01:00

To be honest, I don't like Christmas so much. People go mad and spend their money in crap, everybody prentends to be good, you must eat the impossible and all this produces pollution and waste of energy. But there is one thing I really love since ever: the Christmas Eve dinner with my whole family. It is the only tradition that I'm glad to meet and I am proud of it, because it is simple and loving :) So, while I'm watching the snow falling out of my windows and my bath tub gets filled, let me introduce you my three little astronauts. I used acrylic on balsa wood. ;)

la sirena ortica

2011-12-22T17:52:00.001+01:00

Last night I met a new character, la sirena Ortica (in english the Sirenettle, siren + nettle). Today, while I was drawing her, a new friend appeared: la Margheriga (in english something like a striped daisy).

mother pot

2011-12-20T15:47:00.000+01:00

Where are Mother Pot and her kids going?

per fare un albero ci vuole un disegno

2011-12-17T13:12:00.002+01:00

Mercoledì 21 Dicembre (il prossimo) ultimo appuntamento del 2011 con Favanilia al Vanilia :) Questa volta la protagonista sono io! Uuu!
Vi dico quello che succederà: tanto per cominciare disegnerò un albero gigante su una delle vetrine del bar, poi darò un foglietto ed una matita ad ognuno degli ospiti e lo inviterò a disegnare. Tutti i disegni che nasceranno andranno poi a decorare l'albero :) In tutto questo, appenderò qua e là i miei sketches of the day, Happy Coridon avrà un angolino per le sue meravigliose creazioni di lana e compare Cevo ci delizierà le orecchie con i suoi dischi :)
Se siete a Bologna, venite a disegnare con me, dalle 19.30 circa!

feel good tip #13

2011-12-16T16:05:00.005+01:00

What a great tip this time. Just posted on their facebook page, this amazing mix by Discodromo made my day (and tragically increased my berlincholy). Sexy and pacifying at the same time :) Well done guys, thank you! ♥
Warning: highly addictive!

Discodromo - NiteMix B4 Xmas (for friends and lovers) by Discodromo on Mixcloud

meow

2011-12-14T17:14:00.000+01:00

The stripe-tailed cat is more wakeful than it seems...

bubble #22

2011-12-14T15:34:00.002+01:00

Lately, I'm obsessed with this song. It makes me feel in love with the whole world :) Enjoy.

forward march!

2011-12-13T16:46:00.000+01:00

This is the only army I recognize.

rainy monday

2011-12-12T15:52:00.000+01:00

Love is raining from the sky, but we keep on using our umbrellas and wondering why we get wet anyway. I suggest we all walk in the rain, eyes to the sky, as I did this morning. ♥ Love!

hey you

2011-12-09T18:14:00.001+01:00

The girl in furry boots seems to have found a new boyfriend!

weee!

2011-12-07T20:27:00.000+01:00

The chicks are partying!

drawing in the rain

2011-12-07T13:43:00.005+01:00

Domani pomeriggio alla Libreria Golconda, Favanilia prosegue il suo trotterellare con Drawing In The Rain, una piccola asta di beneficenza in favore dei comuni della Liguria colpiti dalla tremenda alluvione dello scorso ottobre.
All'asta saranno battuti i disegni degli artisti che parteciperanno e che rappresenteranno le loro visioni di una canzone a tema pioggia. Io di per me, ho scelto È la pioggia che va dei Rokes, del 1966: oltre ad essermi sempre piaciuta fin da bambina, trovo che sia assolutamente attuale. Ma anche ottimista. Un po' come me di questi tempi :)

BettyBoop ★ Purple Mix ★ 2011

2011-12-04T14:10:00.003+01:00

This is more or less what I played last night at A Tropical Clash :) We were totally in the mood for electroclash and electropop from the 00s so I dug in my old stuff and gladly jumped back in time for a while. The club was packed and I had the honor of having a stunning dancefloor. Thanks to all, enjoy!

BettyBoop ★ Purple Mix ★ Dec 2011 by Bettyboop on Mixcloud

zzz

2011-12-02T13:35:00.001+01:00

The princess with her hands in her pockets is always sleepy.

gloo gloo gloo

2011-12-01T16:45:00.001+01:00

The underwater piratess and the yellow cat cross the seven seas looking for the golden starfish.

coffee, tea, me?

2011-11-30T16:14:00.003+01:00

Today I feel sleepier than usual. Or bored. Or both. Anyway, my friend the scary owl would be sleeping if I had not bothered him with my requests.
Sorry owl, one spoon please! :P

always

2011-11-29T18:04:00.002+01:00

Sketch and hint of the day :)

sarcasmo

2011-11-28T18:29:00.000+01:00

economy

2011-11-25T12:32:00.002+01:00

Who likes drawing with short pencils? Not me for sure. But instead of trashing the stubs, you can tape two together to make a long one :)

bubble #21

2011-11-24T13:33:00.001+01:00

20 years ago today, Freddie Mercury passed away. I remember that day: it was very cold, humid and foggy. I knew about it on tv when I went home from school for lunch. I was 13 and deeply sad about the bad new: the Queen was my favourite band, Freddie was an idol and I didn't know so much about AIDS. Sure I grew up a little bit more that day and I began to understand many things, while playing the greatest hits all that grey afternoon long.
Killer Queen is my favourite ever. Thanks, Freddie :)

bubble #20

2011-11-23T14:40:00.014+01:00

This beautiful song by Tesla Boy fills my heart with joy. The same joy that you feel joining with the dearest friends you don't often see because they live in another country or are just busy doing other things, but each time you know that time has not passed. This is what happened last night to me with my two magic fellow pirates, Ale and Red: someday I'll tell you our fabulous story :) As usual, we played pinball and strolled around with our usual million beers. Thus I recharged with positive energy and the clouds of yesterday are gone. Love! ♥

feel good tip #12

2011-11-22T15:26:00.004+01:00

This week I'm working hard in the total confusion. Then I'm not serene and I have no free time enough to draw :( Why aren't days 48 hours long? When will I find the courage to take over the reins of my life and say no? What am I waiting for? Another unsolved mystery. But! Today the Magician released the Magic Tape 17 and the pill is suddenly sweeter :)
Enjoy it, wherever you are.

Magic Tape Seventeen by TheMagician

there's no place like home

2011-11-19T13:50:00.002+01:00

Today is the cleaning day. I must tidy up before the rats move here: three minnows and Leo are enough in my zoo. So roll up our sleeves and go!

slow and steady wins the race

2011-11-17T17:50:00.000+01:00

I love snails! :)

fingers

2011-11-16T18:02:00.003+01:00

This is the rhyme with which I learned the names of the fingers.
All the children in my family did the same. It says so:
Thumb fell in the well, Index takes him out, Middle dries him, Ring cooks the soup. And Little? Eats it all! :)

observations

2011-11-15T18:02:00.003+01:00

The cactus says that the normal seasons no longer exist. The cat answers appreciating a nice topa who is walking down the street (topa is an italian slang to say pussy, but it also means the female of the mouse).
Lately, I'm feeling the same as the cat: everybody is pretending to talk about serious things but I don't care and just contemplate the world around me.

bubble #19

2011-11-15T13:01:00.001+01:00

The first time I heard it, it was the Spring of 2006, I didn't play anything else for at least one month. It also reminds me of a nice and joyful period and I always gladly play it.

feel good tip #11

2011-11-12T14:27:00.002+01:00

I have the best djs as friends! This mix is by my friend, mate and party brother Cevo: a member of the Locomotiv Club family :) Bella vez!
Today is saturday, so it's A Tropical Clash time. Enjoy this stunning november mix while I'm going to help setting up the club for tonight ;)

CEVO GT November mix by CEVO

thanks.

2011-11-11T18:07:00.001+01:00

There is nothing else to say today. I feel thankful for every single day of my life, the good and the bad ones. For my gifts and my defects. And for every single person I met. Love!

11.11.11

2011-11-11T11:11:00.154+01:00

Today smile and make your wishes, the serious ones, those that will change your life and you feel happy just thinking of. Wish as hard as you can. Today a door closes and a gate opens: leave the unwanted, what weighs and makes you suffer behind the door. The best is yet to come: this is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius ♒ ☮ ∞ ♥ ☆

Oggi sorridete ed esprimete fortissimo i vostri desideri, quelli seri, quelli che vi cambieranno la vita, quelli che solo a pensarci vi sentite felici. Oggi si chiude una porta e si apre un portone: chiudete dietro la porta tutto quello che non volete più, che vi pesa, che vi fa soffrire. Il bello deve ancora venire perchè è questa l'alba dell'Era dell'Acquario ♒ ☮ ∞ ♥ ☆

is there life in outer space?

2011-11-10T18:16:00.000+01:00

I bet!

feel good tip #10

2011-11-10T15:03:00.003+01:00

Some posts ago I told you about the italian afro/funk movement of the late 70s and early 80s. This mix by djs Ruben and Mozart recorded at Chicago Disco in 19?? during a Festa della Luna (moon party) is an example of what I was talking about :) Today is full moon, so enjoy!

Chicago - DJ Rubens e Mozart - Festa della luna by Italian Afro Funk on Mixcloud

beware of the alarm clock

2011-11-08T17:29:00.000+01:00

I don't know about you, but I can't stand it. And I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual because I'm not able to get to work on time. Since ever. Why can't we live in harmony with our internal clock? That's another of my unanswered questions.

favanilia @ vanilia & comics

2011-11-08T01:20:00.004+01:00

Con nostra somma gioia, il progetto Favarama proseguirà in una versione invernale con 3 appuntamenti al Vanilia & comics. Il primo è previsto per domani, 9 novembre, ospiterà i Comic Cocktails e la loro divertentissima sfida a fumetti, una sfida in cui si disegnano fumetti dal vivo in tempo reale. Vengono estratti diversi temi e altrettanti parametri (ad esempio veloce, freddo, romantico, surreale). I disegnatori, divisi in due squadre, devono di volta in volta rappresentare il tema tenendo conto del parametro. Una giuria stabilisce, per ogni tema, la squadra vincitrice dei ricchi premi e cotillons in palio. Ideato e condotto da Emiliano Mattioli e Emanuele Racca all'interno del favolosissimo Vanilia & comics di Elisa e Max, uno dei miei bar prediletti (hanno pure la Urquell!) situato nel mio amatissimo Pratello al civico 100: ultimo avamposto prima delle mura, sotto il portico sulla sinistra andando verso fuori :)
Se vi trovate a Bologna, di passaggio oppure no, veniteci a trovare, all'ora dell'aperitivo!

don't try this at home!

2011-11-07T22:30:00.000+01:00

I feel like eating roast chestnuts and I think I'll buy some tomorrow :)

strawberry thieves

2011-11-04T17:48:00.001+01:00

Well, sooner or later it had to happen: someone (a young woman, I realized shortly after, but too late) stole my strawberry purse from my bag today, while I was buying the faux fur coat I was searching for. Nothing to say: just the best wishesh to spend my money with good taste for some clothes or the hairdresser, since it seemed that she never did it before.

bubble #18

2011-11-04T13:25:00.005+01:00

This jewel produced by Pete Bellotte is one of my favourites from the afro/cosmic disco age which - I can proudly say - originated in northern Italy in the late 70s. The place I come from indeed. Yes, because I was born near Bologna and grew up even nearer one of the most important afro/disco/funky clubs, the legendary Chicago, in Baricella. When I was a little girl, my friends and me used to play around the residential area where it was located: sometimes we could even see what there was inside while the crew was doing the cleaning, I suppose. Good kids used to say "mommy says that there's the drug inside there" and stayed away. Bad kids used to say "when I grow up, I'll go dancing there" and buzzed around all the time hoping to see the mirror ball above the dancefloor. Unfortunately, it closed in 1987 and was demolished some years later. So we went dancing elsewere. But I had the time to see that mirror ball once, and nothing has never been the same :)

autumn's spring

2011-11-03T20:45:00.001+01:00

Is it Autumn? Who cares: today I have been feeling like drawing about Spring :)

wanda & banana

2011-11-02T22:41:00.000+01:00

The day before yesterday we adopted two new minnows: Wanda (on the right) and Banana (on the left). Unfortunately, Banana kicked the bucket about 15 minutes ago. I found him stuck in the hole of the lighthouse he was living by. Rest in peace, little boy: thanks for the last amazing 48 hours. Now Wanda is missing you alone in the third fishbowl of this house and I'm thinking about moving her in the transilvanian one with Igor and Boris. Amen.

feel good tip #9

2011-11-02T18:24:00.001+01:00

Sorry I've been away for a while: my Halloween holidays have been truly hardcore: I didn't party so long and hard in years. No, ok, maybe months. Or maybe weeks... Well, let's say in many many days.
Now, to flush booze out of my blood I'll drink tanks of water and have vegetable soup. To clean my ears from the musical overcrowding of 5 completely different nights, I'll dive into the prog rock ocean by watching this BBC documentary that I nearly know by heart: Prog Rock Britannia tells the history of british prog rock, feautiring its main heroes in the flesh and movie pieces of the time. In a superb way. Just enjoy.

Part 1 of 9 | Part 2 of 9 | Part 3 of 9 | Part 4 of 9 | Part 5 of 9
Part 6 of 9 | Part 7 of 9 | Part 8 of 9 | Part 9 of 9

the diva's birthday

2011-10-28T17:04:00.011+02:00

Today is Leo's birthday, so this sketch is dedicated to him. He is really too handsome to be drawn, so I drew what he is: an actor, a stage animal, an old-fashioned gentleman, a hysterical diva, an excellent pianist and a natural born artist. He loves mint ices, lamps, lighting bulbs, teaspoons, strings of pearls, diamonds, candles, striped t-shirts, glass drops and feathers.
Yes, but is also the one who eats all my cookies and spreads coffee all around our house. And I love him for that as well :) This drawing is absolutely simplistic compared to the wonder that he is, but it's what came out from my heart :) Happy birthday BD, which means my Bette Davis ♥

flowers and berries

2011-10-27T19:45:00.000+02:00

Alkekengi is my favourite plant. When I was a little girl, my granny had many in her garden and I loved to pick them up and open the flowers to steal the berry inside. I also remember that she used to dry them to make table flower arrangements. I think I'm going to buy one tomorrow :)

yeah, right.

2011-10-26T15:57:00.001+02:00

You might be able to bark, but you still remain a cat. Tip of the day: follow your nature!

BettyBoop ★ Fluo Mix ★ 2011

2011-10-25T14:30:00.004+02:00

Today is the day: at 8 pm my illustration exhibition, A come Alfabeto, will start at Bar Osvaldo. Everything is ready, I just have to hang the pictures on the wall with Leo's help - he is the master of mise en place :) - so after an exhausting - but extremely satisfying - week, starting from tomorrow I'll be back posting my daily sketches.
Meanwhile, enjoy my last totally 80s italo disco mix, which I played last saturday at Locomotiv Club during A Tropical Clash :) Stunnning party, thanks again to all the hundreds of people who attended and, obviously, to all the crew: I really love you guys ♥

BettyBoop ★ Fluo Mix ★ Oct 2011 by Bettyboop on Mixcloud

bubble #17

2011-10-18T15:54:00.002+02:00

In these days I'm totally absorbed in the preparation of my exhibition and, for a change, I'm doing everything last minute. Thus I think that this is going to be a silent week, in a special way for the daily sketches :( But don't worry: they will be back after the exhibition opening, on October 25th.
About silence, this song is another one of those which remind me of my past life. This one maybe more than others. What this song reminds me is cold weather, some fog, a car, a smell of home, a sunny afternoon, chestnuts, a tree, the sensation of walking, love, nostalgia and other not yet clear things.
Who knows where they come from? But if I still don't know, perhaps there is a good reason :)

hello world!

2011-10-15T19:44:00.003+02:00

Today, while I was helping dressing the Locomotiv Club - where I proudly work on saturdays - for tonight's party, I found a piece of cardboard with two holes in the middle and two wings sidewards. The temptation was irresistible!

goodbye dark clouds

2011-10-14T15:57:00.002+02:00

artemio does knitting

2011-10-13T14:54:00.002+02:00

The today's sketch is dedicated to Artemio, the spider who lives in my bathroom: he is an old fashioned gentle-spider who loves chatting and knitting while drinking Martini and listening to Wagner.
Winston has great respect for him.

a come alfabeto

2011-10-13T01:29:00.002+02:00

My heart is full of pride because I can finally announce that on October 25th I will attend my first personal exhibition ever! Right after one year from the first pencil mark, the 26 letters of my alphabet will be displayed at Bar Osvaldo in Bologna for about one month :) The exhibition will start inside the Osvaldo's musical tuesday, accompanied by the Dobro Duo's live improvisation: I can't wait to listen to my friend Simona singing. And many many thanks to my friend Emanuele, who is the curator of this adorable weekly appointment which hosts various musicians and artists. This is the wallpaper I made.
If you are in Bologna, come and meet us!

dear moon

2011-10-12T11:11:00.077+02:00

Full moon today! Full moon is a blessing but sometimes can be very hard to deal with: this one in particular is being extremely challenging to me. I think that it depends on the zodiac sign it is in: this time is in Aries. By the way, are you feeling tired, nervous, horny, uneasy, aching, stiff, anxious, mad or sad without a reason, lately? It's the moon's fault. Don't worry: tomorrow the waning phase will calm us down, as we are made of water like the sea :)

in the perfect world...

2011-10-11T16:53:00.004+02:00

..beers grow on trees :) This sketch is dedicated to my dear friend Gabri (well known as Manolo Sanchez) because today is his birthday. The cat on top of the tree is la Topina, the coolest cat ever seen in the world: wherever there was a party, she was there on someone's shoulder (or croup, or head, or chest, or knees, or neck) in that exact position and she lived in Gabri's house until she was called back to rule the parties up there. We are now looking forward to see who she reincarnated in :)
When we grow old, we will move to a commune farm and plant beer trees, so we won't never have to tell the guests that we ran out of booze anymore.

by the way

2011-10-10T17:39:00.002+02:00

Even at the risk of sounding repetitive, let's put the record straight:

feel good tip #8

2011-10-10T12:39:00.005+02:00

Monday, monday, monday, holy crap it's always monday. Why the hell? Why me? Bah. I'll never resign.
Anyway: if I can't stop Mondays, at least I can sweeten the pill and this is a good way to do it. Thanks Rotciv for sharing some berlin-ness to the world! This mix is exactly what you can find in the clubs I usually go pirating when my feet sail the berliner ground. Oh, shit! How I miss it :(
Well, I suppose that this is not my happiest day. Better if I start doing something and stop thinking... Enjoy! And, trust me, book a flight to Berlin ♥

MDD MIX 041 . mixed by Rotciv by Mischio Dischi Disco

hello rain!

2011-10-07T19:44:00.005+02:00

Today, after an unusually warm beginning, Autumn has arrived in Bologna. The rain is falling, a fresh cold wind is blowing and you can finally wear long sleeves without asking yourself if you're going to feel hot during the day. This is me this morning, when Leo woke me up and said "so welcome, Autumn..." with a twisted smile (he doesn't like the cold weather at all!). Now, all I can happily do is enjoy the next 6 cold months!

bad ideas

2011-10-06T18:20:00.000+02:00

Today, for lunch I had the brilliant idea to put some red onion in my salad...

obviousness

2011-10-05T16:45:00.003+02:00

The unicorn says: "you've never seen me because I fly over the rainbow".
Have you ever been over the rainbow? Perhaps that's why you never saw me.

bubble #16

2011-10-05T08:43:00.006+02:00

I'm not listening to anything else for days. At home, at work, cycling, walking, in the bathroom, at the supermarket... even waking up and going out at morning has become pleasant. I think I've found the talisman of happiness or, at least, of feel good. Which is luxury, these days. A trillion chapeaux for Lucio Dalla, of whom I am proudly fellow citizen (Bologna, when she wants, is genius). This song from 1977 talks about a guy being dumped by his girlfriend who supposedly joined feminist ideals (it used to happen, those days) and, after an inconclusive walk in a freaky Bologna, looks for comfort in self-eroticism. Unfortunately, it's pretty impossible to translate the elegant dirtiness of the lyrics, but I'm absolutely sure you're going to love the music and enjoy your life a little more as I'm doing :)