The Magnatic Anita Ekberg

There can be few more iconic scenes in world cinema than Anita Ekberg's plunge into the Trevi Fountain - and few more beautiful images than Ekberg eyes closed, head thrown back as Marcello Mastroianni traces her features in the air. Apparently the sequence was shot on a cold March night and Ekberg stood for hours without a complaint. But Mastroianni had to wear a wetsuit and consume a bottle of vodka before he could do the scene.



And talk about serendipity, as today's update our friends at Italian Notebook have posted a lovely photo essay on the Trevi Fountain.

And - how's this for a tie in - the La Dolce Vita fridge magnet will be on its way shortly to our blog buddy and brilliant cartoonist Speck. All of the comments gave "good" explanations and a few were actually logical but I think hers was the one I'd use to explain it to that hot leather number Jeff was talking about.

If you turn it slightly clockwise, you will clearly see it is a reminder that there should be no farting by exclamation points in this room at any time.

There is a danger that said farts could be ignited by smoking materials and cause an explosion.

So, if you don't have any punctuation marks with digestive difficulties around, fire up a nice cigar.

And Sling would a lovely "My Mom went to the Vatican and all she got me was a Papal Blessing!" ashtray do instead?

01 settembre - Sant' Egidio abate