It’s hard to sum up the difference between Milan Design Week and Paris’ Maison et Objet. They are both huge, but I’d give the edge to Milan. There are definitely more interior designers and small retail buyers in

Paris while Milan has few small vendor type exhibitors but lots of small design manufacturers. Paris is for retail and Milan is the cutting edge of design.

Besides the exposition center at Roh the entire city has exhibitors tucked in nooks and crannies all over the place making sight-seeing a whole new sport. Nothing like going into an exhibit–say from Japan–with two dozen designers showing prototypes and small new manufactures looking to attract attention and walking out onto the street and going next door to a local restaurant for lunch or dinner. That’s another thing: in Milan, the party goes from 10am to 10pm with the partying spilling into the streets, especially in the Tortona district. Right next to our exhibit are the offices of designers like Fendi, Emilio ermanolia and other big names. It’s alive and kicking for sure.

Tomorrow I will visit the Brera neighborhood, probably the trendiest area of Milan for local shopping. There’s a gelato store there that has the best zabillione on the planet.

Arriving late in Milan after a full day of flying and being able to walk from the baggage claim through two doors and arrive at your hotel is a real luxury. No, I’m not in the Centro, nowhere near the action and have to travel each day by train a half hour plus to and fro but my room is clean and modern and after a long day of meeting people and walking the exhibitions it’s nice to have solitude. I’m an SPG man staying at the Sheraton. Whether in Rome, Paris, San Francisco or Milan there is a hotel if not in the airport, nearby.

I move heavy and large pots and other weighty things everyday, I don’t want to lug a giant suitcase all over Europe, too. I don’t need to travel fashionably; I’ve learned to launder in my room. Another advantage of staying at the airport is the other travelers are not there for a convention and all of the ancillary activities that many go for but working stiffs just like me.

Sitting in the bar with a dozen or so guys, watching Barcelona play Madrid, drinking beer and eating pizza and pasta doesn’t get much better. Everyone is here for work. A virtual global dining experience: beer, football, BO and camaraderie. An oil and gas guy from Norway, a

Frenchman from Nice here buying vales for pipeline work. A couple of Spaniards, another American; we’re all here to work.

Speaking of work, that’s me with Brent with Marcello from Terrecotte San Rocco. The buzz around San Rocco is exciting and there is a new color too: Ash. A light off-white, with a more grayish finish that the designers should really go for. More big pots. I love their scale. Come see them in person at our exhibit with Terrecotte San Rocco at Milan Design Week.