It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

On Saturday night, Mark and I headed downtown to check out the Christmas decorations at night and to see a free concert that was being held at the Piazza Duomo. A mere 25 minute walk from our apartment, we decided to take Cooper. Coop picked up a stick along the way and we found ourselves waylaid by many passers-by who wanted to coo at our adorable dog and ask us where he's from (answer: America but he's an English Lab, breedwise).


Along the way, we noticed an unusual sight at the Piazza Cavour - a tram decked out in holiday lights! Blindingly bright, I managed to whip out my camera quickly enough to grab a photo. While we see trams all the time, this is the first decorated one we've seen and it definitely set the tone for an evening filled with the Christmas spirit, thanks ATM (Azienda Trasporti Milanesi)!


I recently had a meeting for work near the Piazza Duomo so it was no surprise to see the Christmas decor set-up. However, seeing the tree lit up in front of the Duomo was stunning at night. There was a decent crowd gathered around the stage to hear Natalie Cole sing a mixture of her own songs and Christmas traditionals. While I'm not wild about Cole, I know enough to enjoy her music in the background and though a little slow, it was an enjoyable show. Apparently, the commune of Milan books an artist for a holiday show each year. Our friends informed us that, last year, Michael Bolton had done the honors. Hearing this, I was particularly glad to be seeing Natalie Cole!


We arrived after the show had already started and claimed a comfortably uncrowded standing spot in the back (with a good view of the broadcast screen). I wasn't familiar with the first couple of song we heard but when she busted out "Unforgettable", the crowd was clearly pleased! She sang the song as a duet with her late father, Nat King Cole, and the screen showed footage of him singing the male portion. It was a nice and memorable song and the audiance ate it up. She followed with Jingle Bells and, later, the Christmas Song (you know, "chestnuts roasting" and all that).


On our way back home, we passed through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Instead of peering into the windows of Louis Vuitton and Prada, our eyes were focused above on the magical Christmas decorations. The great glass dome is currently covered in thousands (maybe millions?) of blue lights. In the center of the dome is the crest of the city of Milan. Though close to midnight, plenty of tourists and locals still crowded through the shopping galleria, either to take in the lights or head to another destination...or possibly both.