The Beginning of the End

My European adventure has come to an end! It has been a bittersweet goodbye, as Florence had become a home for many of us, but there is nothing else like coming home to family, friends and Christmas time. Don't worry though...I have no doubt in my mind that I will someday return again.

I think that it is necessary to give credit where credit is due, for this trip would not have happened without the help of several people. First, if it wasn't for my parents I would have had no means of even getting a plane ticket to anywhere! Second, I must tell you that if it weren't for my Nana, I would have had no desire at all to go to Italia. She was the one who would tell me things about Italy and where we came from. I will never forget her describing to me the leaning tower of Pisa or telling me stories about how her parents (who were first cousins!) came over from Sicily. I even made her sit down one day and tell me everything she knew about our family genealogy.

Whether or not my desire to learn more about Italian culture is an innate one or something that simply grew out of the experiences I have had throughout my life, it has become more than simply a desire now. It has become my passion (dare I say obsession?) and I will forever hold on to it deep within my heart.

Il Dolce Far Niente...revisited

Everytime I try and describe what it is that I love so much about Italian life, I can't help but think: il dolce far niente, il dolce far niente... For as long as I have been here, I have seen this phrase in action over and over again. I have experienced it and fallen in love with it again and again...

One of my absolute favorite things that I have experienced is a full-course meal. This past weekend, John and I were invited into the home of a young, Italian couple who live in the quieter part of Florence. John has been teaching a young man named Claudio english for the past month or so. Claudio's girlfriend, Anna Maria is a fantastic cook and both of them are very down -to-earth and hospitable people. Their home is situated on the other side of the Arno river, way up on a little Florentine hill that overlooks the Tuscan hillsides and has a beautiful view of the stars at night. It is a small condo-like home, but warm and spacious enough for two.

As I said before, Anna Maria is a wonderful cook and everything we ate was out of this world. For our antipasto, she made baked prunes wrapped in speck (like prosciutto, but a little dryer and saltier). Our primo was a white-bean pureed soup, with giant, whole prawns. Secondo was some sort of beef filet served with mashed chesnuts. If you have never had a chestnut before, it is a very sweet and soft nut when cooked. They are a Tuscan specialty and they even sell them on the streets and make chesnut cake around christmas time. Dessert was Claudio's specialty: mini chocolate cakes with vanilla cream...

But although this was probably one of the best tasting meals I have had here in Italy, it wasn't necessarily the food that made it so wonderful. Rather, it was the good company, the conversation (half italian and half english...), the relaxing atmosphere. We talked about how our cultures differ. Anna Maria is from Sicily, Claudio is from Tuscany, John is from New England, and I from the South.... there are many differences, but then again there are also many similarities.

1 more day left of my life here in Florence. Wish me luck and more importantly, dolce....

London & Liverpool

After 1 hour on a train, 2 hours on a plane, and 1 hour on a bus, we had finally made it to the UK! It was a nice change to be in a country that speaks your language, even though many British accents were thick enough to be a different language all on its own. Still, London was probably as close to being home in the U.S. as were were going to get. It's almost like a cross between New York and Paris. Like New York, it has just about everything and there is so much to do that no matter how long you live there you will never be able to see it all. Yet it has the history like Paris....the old buildings where kings and queens used to live. Of course there is one thing that you won't find in either New York or Paris: true pub atmosphere! There really isn't anything else like it. People go to the pub to relax, have a drink, and catch up with an ole mate. They sit at tables, drinking their ale and only around dinner time do they order their mushy peas and fish and chips. I liked it far better than the loud, bouncing Italian discoteca's...

Aaaand after another 5 hours on a coach bus we made to Liverpool! It was, needless to say, much smaller than London but still a city all on its own. Liverpool is just along the bay in northern England. Most people think of the Beatles when they hear the name Liverpool said but even though it is where the Beatles got started, it is becoming much more than just that. They have begun to build up and clean up much of the city. It now has a huge outdoor shopping mall, as well as a few sky scrapers and quaint part of town with pubs and little shops. I have to say, I think I liked it better than London.

When we got there, we went straight to the Beatles museum, as it was only a 5 minute walk from our hotel. It was definitely worth seeing! After that, we walked around the mall area, surrounded by all the Fiorentina and Liverpool fans who were getting excited for the match! We bought our Liverpool scarfs and at about 2 hours before the game, we headed over to Anfield Road, Liverpool's home stadium. We found a bar just outside the stadium called The Albert where we were able to have a Carlsburg beer (Liverpool's sponsor) and sing a few "song-cheers" before the game. There is nothing else like it...nothing else like soccer fans getting excited for a game.
Well, unfortunately Liverpool lost to Fiorentina 2-1. Still...we got to see some of the best players play: Torres, Gerrard and Aquiliani. The Florentine fans were ecstatic and I can at least say that I was happy for them because they have played some really tough teams this year. It was also quite nice to travel with happy fan group back to Italy and to come home to a proud city.

Here is an example of something you might see if you go to Liverpool before a game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0Fxie-2XTI

Steve Gerrard & Fernando Torres

The line up.

Fiorentina fans going crazy!

As the days go by...

We are getting down to our last few days here in Florence. For those of you who are wondering, I have been checking things off my "Florence-to-do List".
-Climbed the Duomo at sunset with my cousins and friends..it was awesome
-Eaten at Gusta Pizza TWICE. Best pizza in Florence. Probably the best pizza of my life.
-Saw the David...twice.
-Eaten a full course meal 2 nights in a row. Thought I was going to explode but it was totally worth it.
-Tried Bistecca alla Fiorentina at a restaraunt called Il Latini. The whole meal was an experience to say the least and the steak that came out was 2 pounds (don't worry..we shared)
-Tried gelato at La Carabe with Ray! They didn't have Cassata Siciliana but their almond gelato was the best I have ever had.
-Found a NEW secret bakery on the other side of the city. Went 2 nights in a row.
-I have been to numerous wonderful restaraunts in Florence! So far, Francescano is a hands down favorite.

Yet there is one thing that Florence was not able to offer: Thanksgiving. This we took into our own hands, cooking up all our favorite family recipes for a giant thanksgiving feast. Friends (and even family!) came to celebrate this very special meal. Although it had been difficult to find some specific ingredients in Florence, we made it happen. We found an 8 lb turkey at the market, stuffed it, and managed to fit it in our tiny little oven where it cooked all day. We made all the goodies: mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, macaroni and cheese, broccoli casserole, green bean casserole, corn bread, apple pie, pumpkin torte... I insisted on making sweet tea as thanksgiving at my house never goes with out it. The only Italian thing we allowed in was the wine. It was to say the least a good ole' American Thanksgiving.

And now, Christmas is just around the corner. While you wouldn't know it was Thanksgiving if you walked the streets of Florence on thanksgiving day, you definitely can tell that Christmas is in the air here in Italy. Lights have been strung throughout the city and shops have been putting their best christmas things in the windows. There is a giant christmas festival in the Piazza Santa Croce, filled with German made goods, beer tents, and sausage & pretzel stands. More and more italian people from the outskirts of Florence are coming into the city to do their shopping. Yes, Christmas is almost here...

Although excited to go home to see friends and family, it is difficult to immagine waking up and not hearing the sounds of the cathedral bells ringing. It is difficult to immagine not saying "grazie" and "buona sera" everytime you walk into a store. It is difficult to immagine having to get into a car to go anywhere and not being able to walk the streets full of life, full of history. I pass the same shops everyday, the same poor gypsies, the same churches, the same bars, the same graffiti. Here, I am able to walk 10 minutes in one direction and see the most beautiful bridges over water and walk another 10 minutes in the other direction and see one of the most beautiful cathedrals built by man. I can go into the Uffizi or Accademia almost anytime I want and visit and re-visit the same paintings, getting a different reaction everytime, noticing something new everytime. I can walk two blocks and order a cappucino and it will somehow still always be better than any coffee I order in the united states. I can go to the market and have no trouble finding taleggio cheese, proscuitto, or a Chianti classico. It has been a most wonderful way of living and I hope that I can bring bits and pieces home with me. I do not know if I can make you understand what it is exactly that I love so much about Italy, but I hope that I can at the very least give you glimpse.

ROMA: Dove vita vive su vita.

Roma: Dover vita vive su vita --- Where life lives on life.

Rome has so many different aspects to it that it is a difficult city to describe. It is full of ancient ruins, hundreds of years of history and the layering of different structures from different time periods makes it this giant patchwork of life. Essentially, life lives on life. Considering that Italians like to reuse buildings over and over again, only making changes when a structure is crumbling and needs repair, this layering of time is made possible.

It is strange to walk by a United Color of Benetton (a popular clothing store in Europe) and see that the store is being held up by ancient Roman columns. Or to walk into a mall that was intricately designed during the High Baroque period. Or even see the Trevi Fountain...still standing, with it's water flowing from the same aqueducts built in 1453.

And still...life lives on. The people currently living in Rome continue to live and pass the same beautiful structures everyday as if they were a part of ordinary life. Well, I guess I would do the same if I were them.

But there is something else fascinating about life in Rome. Have you ever heard of La Dolce Vita? I myself have not seen this classic film which takes place in Rome, but I can see why it was named so. Sure, it is probably almost as crazy at New York City and you will get run over by a Vespa if you don't keep your eyes and ears open, but there is something about slowly sipping your espresso at the famous Sant'Eustachio cafe while looking out of your fashionable "glamour" sunglasses and perhaps seeing a couple passionately kissing in the street. And there is something about walking past the Pantheon on a beautiful sunny day, hearning a saxophone playing throughout the piazza and seeing a horse and buggy pass you by. And...there is something about walking by the Trevi Fountain at night, seeing it completely lit up and surrounded by visitors and couples, young and old, who have come to throw their coin in in hopes that they will someday return to such a spectacular place. Yes, life in Rome is surely the sweet life.

The Pantheon

The Coliseum

Michelangelo's La Pieta

Vatican City

La vita e' troppo breve.

La vita e' troppo breve--Life is too brief.

My Uncle George was Mr. Holland's Opus meets School House Rock. He loved music more than anything and teaching it was his way of sharing his talent with the world. I'm not sure what his students thought of him or how he even acted in the classroom, but I do know the kind of man that he was during family gatherings and holidays. He would sit in the living room, while playing his guitar and singing some ridiculous song that he had just made up off the top of his head. He had serious talent, but somehow seriousness just wasn't his thing. He couldn't help but make some corny joke while helping himself to a second piece of pumpkin pie, at which my Nana would scoff "Oh George! You're bad!"-- and then she'd laugh. I can still hear his kind of stuttered laughter...it was the kind of laugh that you could recognize in an instant.

The only thing that he loved more than his music was his family. Of this I am sure because he was always there for his sisters, his brothers, his children, his wife and his mother.

He tried to teach me how to play the guitar once: James Taylor "Fire and Rain".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwugjyeSKx4

http://www.mathewsfuneralhome.com/obit18.html

Florence-to-do List

35 days left in Florence.

Despite the fact that I have been living here for almost 2 1/2 months now, there are still many things that I have yet to see and do in Florence and only a month left to do them. So, I made a list...

1. Climb the Duomo. Yes, I live next to the thing and I still have not climbed it yet. I have been waiting until tourist season is at its minimum.

2. Climb the campanile (bell tower next to the Duomo). Supposedly, the view is even better from the Duomo's neighbor because you can actually see the Dome itself when you climb the campanile.

3. See the David. Once again, I have been waiting until tourist season dies down...

4. Eat a full course Italian meal. I'm talking the full works: Antipasto, Primi, Secondi, Contorni, Dolci...don't forget the wine and espresso.

5. Try Bistecca alla Fiorentina. A Florentine specialty.

6. Go to mass in the following churches: Chiesa di Dante, Orsanmichele, Santa Croce.

7. Go to a bar in "L'Oltrarno" (the other side of the Arno). This is where the true locals hang out.

8. Try Gelato at La Carribe. Sicilian gelateria. I have become obsessed with this one type of Gelato called "Cassata Siciliana". It is gelato made with ricotta and dried fruit. SO GOOD.

9. Go back to the Secret Bakery. Bakery that is only open from 2-4am and is quite literally hidden. The men that work here make all the croissants for the bakeries all over Florence and will sell them to you for 1 euro. Delicious.

10. There are of course, numerous restaurants that I am dying to try: La Giostra, Il Latini, Cibreo, Gusta Pizza, Francesovini...

We will see how far my bank account takes me. I will keep you updated...

Ooh la la, Paris!

I have finally found the time to sit down and tell you about my short, but wonderful trip to Paris! It is an absolutely beautiful city and I was lucky enough to have a place to stay with a good friend from home who is currently studying abroad there.

The first thing I noticed about Paris was that it is a HUGE city. Coming from small little Florence, I was a little bit taken aback at first at it's size. Fortunately, they have a wonderful public transportation system. It's cheap, fast and takes you anywhere in the city in less than 30 minutes.

The next thing I realized was how elegant, how glamorous Paris is. Again, compared to Florence and other cities in Italy, Paris has got something about it that just makes it glitter. Yet it is not flashy or gaudy like New York...it's much more graceful, and the city's rich history only adds to it's elegance and delicateness.

Of course, I cannot tell you about Paris and without mentioning something about FOOD. Of course, the French are known for having the most wonderful pastries and breads and I can testify that this is most definitely the case. Now, don't get me wrong, I am Italian and I love almost all Italian food. But the French know how to make bread better than anyone (You know bread is the best when you eat a three foot long baguette by itself for lunch). The other thing that I must confess is that French pastries are way better than Italian ones. I ate the most delicious, buttery, warm "Croissants aux Raisins" every morning that I was there for breakfast. Can someone please tell me why Italians don't believe in butter?!?!

There are of course other things culinary delights that I had to try while I was there: french onion soup, crepes, omelettes, creme brulee... I successfully tasted them all, which, for me, was a large part of what I wanted to do while in France.

Venus di Milo (Louvre) Eros (Louvre)

The other part of my list of things to do while in Paris was, for the most part, completed as well. I saw the Eiffel tower (multiple times each day because Hillary's a beautiful view of it from her apartment), spent a good 2 hours in the Musee de Louvre where I had the pleasure of meeting the Mona Lisa (and many other priceless works of art) and I walked around the gardens and palace of Versailles, learning a great deal about all the silly things that the kings and queens of France used to do. I also got to experience the Paris nightlife, which like New York, never ends and never sleeps and I enjoyed the most peaceful afternoon in one of the lesser known areas of Paris.

It was, needless to say, a successful and enjoyable trip. After boarding the plane with my souvenir box of mini colorful French Macaroons, I realized that Paris had somehow found a small, special place in my heart.

Che Pazzesco!

Napoli: people say you either hate it or you love it. And they are totally right. It is an absolutely crazy city that doesn't believe in traffic laws or pedestrians. The people there have the attitude of "what you get is what you see" and the streets are entangled with each other to create the most confusing city for any visitors. It's dirty and everything is dirt cheap. So...why would anybody love this city?

Well, for one thing their pizza is by far the best! It's a simple pie...usually nothing too complicated. Yet, it focuses on what makes a pizza a pizza. For a pizza to be a true Napoleatano pizza it has to meet certain requirements such as being cooked in a woodfired oven. John and I ate pizza two nights in a row because it was so good (not too mention extremely affordable?). The first night we stuffed ourselves at a place called Borgo Antico with bruschetta, pizza (1 whole pizza for each of us) and a bottle of wine. After hour and a half of being lost, roaming the streets of Napoli, we made it to our hotel room stuffed and exhausted. After that, getting lost seemed to become a habit of ours.

The second night we went to a famous pizza place in Napoli that I had heard wonderful things about. Da Michele's only serves two kinds of pizza because they are just that good. The marinara pizza was simple: sauce, oregano, garlic. The margherita, a pizza legend in Napoli, was just as good: sauce, buffalo mozzerella and basil. The place is really just a whole in the wall. It's not romantic at all because you're seated next to strangers at wooden tables lined up like a cafeteria. Pizzas are flying in and out of the woodfired oven, as the waiters and pizza chefs yell at each other for the next order. Before you know it, a pizza pie is plopped down in front of you and with a fork and knife, you're almost expected to eat the whole thing (and we did...). Yet, despite the unformal, uber-casual setting, the people (even the locals) still line up outside, waiting for a table or their pizza-pie to go. And the service is prompt...we probably were seated and done eating in less than hour. Let's just say the guys at Da Michele's know how to do pizza and know how to do it well.

Okay, so you're probably thinking to yourself, "Will this girl please stop talking about pizza?!?!". Well...yes. Although I do secretly hope that I made your mouth water for a big slice of cheesy pizza, there are other things I want to tell you about and they have nothing to do with food.

Did you ever wonder what it was like to live 2,000 years ago? The ancient ruins of Pompeii seem to give us some idea. Art, in many different forms, is everywhere. The city was built out of stone and a special form of uber-strong concrete. Intricate mosaics line the floors of many houses and the remnants of brightly colored frescoes still remain. The coliseum and the political buildings are by far the coolest architecture of the city. You can almost picture the roman people sitting in the stands of the coliseum, screaming with delight as they watch some fight between men and animals take place. The coolest part about Pompeii (in my opinion) is the mosaic art. Tiny little pieces of colored tile put together to form a picture that might as well be as clear as a photograph.

The rain was so bad in Napoli that after our morning in Pompeii, we decided to skip going to Capri :/ (which was our original plan) and just got back to the hotel to rest up and get dry.

The last day of our trip was spent waiting for train after train! Trying to get to a small town in Calabria called Soverato (this is where John's family was from) was by no means easy...We had to switch trains at least three times! Still, once we arrived (around 4 in the afternoon) we were at peace. Soverato is a quiet little town that is located on the coast of Italy, facing the adriatic sea. It's the kind of town that you would want to grow up in, where everyone knows everyone, but there's enough to do that you wouldn't get bored. We went and sat by the sea, picking up seaglass as we walked and enjoying the beautiful, tranquil scenery.

Our trip came to a quick end when we had to catch our overnight train back to Firenze at 8pm. Let me just say, this was not a fun train ride. After 10 hours of sitting in a stuffy train cabin, unable to stretch our legs or sleep soundly, we were very glad to be off that train and I was very glad to see the Duomo: home.

*Unfortunately, I can't upload any pictures from this trip because my memory card for my camera is broken :(

eUrOcHoCoLaTe

Imagine Oktoberfest...only instead of beer gardens, there are tents full of CHOCOLATE!

Eurochocolate is a chocolate festival celebrated every year in a small city called Perugia. Yesterday, my 2 other roommates and I decided that we would hop on a train and check out this festival of deliciousness. Of course, we were not expecting it to be such a big event. As we we were nearing the city center (which is located way up high on top of a mountain), we began to see more and more people walking down with bags full of chocolate delicacies. Escalators took us up the rest of the way, where we were jostled by thousands of anxious chocolate seekers.

There many different european chocolate brands present, and even more types of chocolate treats: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, hot chocolate, chocolate with nuts, chocolate shaped into hammers, chocolate spreads, chocolate covered fruits, chocolate sculptures, chocolate kebabs, crepes with chocolatey nutella....are you getting the picture? It was a chocolate lover's dream and let's just say I was in heaven.

After treating ourselves to creamy hot chocolate, chocolate covered apples, and crepes con nutella our chocolate cravings were more than satisfied. It was a chilly evening and we had to catch a train back to Florence, so our Eurochocolate adventures had to end there. If you're ever in Italy during this time, please go. It is like nothing else you will ever see.

Lindt Chocolatier, passing out free chocolate!

Me, Chill & Meg. Top of Perugia.

Meg with Crepes con nutella :)

Why Italy?

Some of you may be wondering--why Italy? Why did I choose to come here? I must admit I have asked myself this questions several times already. Of course, who wouldn't want to come to Italy?! Still, I feel as if this question deserves a better answer.

Coming here for me meant having the opportunity to follow my passion for Italian food, as well as Italy's rich history and culture. It meant "il dolce far niente". Living life differently. Slowing down. Savoring every bite. I recommend to all of you: slow down. Stop being so busy just for a moment. Look around you and savor what it is that you love. Il dolce far niente, il dolce far niente.

Our time here in Italy is almost half-way through. Sometimes, I have to slow myself down and really just enjoy where I am. It is easy to get caught up in thinking about next week's travels or what we should do the next day. Of course I know I cannot slow down time, but I can most certainly make the most of it...

Just in case you're wondering what you should make for dinner this week, I'd figure I would share with you an Italian dish we made a few weeks ago in my Food and Culture class. It is a perfect meal for a cool, brisk Fall day.

Ossobuco alla Milanese con Risotto allo Zafferono

(Veal Shanks with Saffron Risotto...Milan style)

Ossobuco

Ingredients:

4 thick (3/4 inch) slices of veal shin (shanks)

All purpose flour (for dredging)

salt & pepper

1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

1 carrot, finely diced

1 celery stalk, finely diced

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup dry white wine

2-3 cups chicken/beef broth

3 tbsp flat Italian parsley

1 tbsp lemon zest

2 anchovies (optional)

Directions:

Trim the fat just around the edges of the veal shank. Lightly salt and pepper and dredge the veal in the flour until lightly coated.

Heat oil in a large pan. Place the veal in the pan and brown just the outsides of the veal, not cooking all the way through. Remove veal and set aside.

In the same pan, add the finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Season with salt (this will help dry out the vegetables when cooking too). Saute until soft and translucent. Add tomato paste and mix well. Return the veal to the pan, add the wine and reduce by half. Then add 2 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer until almost all the broth is gone (about 30 minutes). If mixture becomes too dry, you can add more broth. The vegetable mixture should be a thick consistency and not soupy. The meat should be cooked all the way through and you may even notice the tiny hole in the bone of the meat. This is why the dish is called "ossobuco" which translates to "bone hole".

Risotto allo Zafferono

Ingredients:

1 onion, finely diced

12 oz Arborio or Carnaroli rice

6 cups of chicken/vegetable broth

2 oz butter

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 small package of saffron

1 oz butter

3 oz grated parmesan cheese

salt & pepper

Directions:

In a large pan, saute the onion with 2 oz of butter until they are soft and translucent. In a separate pot, heat the broth. Add the rice to the onion and stir to coat the grains well (toasting them). Pour the wine in and let it evaporate.

Gradually add the broth by using a ladle. Each time you add more broth, let it be completely absorbed by the rice, stirring it as you go. Season with salt. Once you have added half of the broth, add the saffron to the broth and continue to ladle the broth into the rice. When the rice is done, turn off the heat (the consistency should be creamy, but the rice grains should still be firm or "al dente"). Add the rest of the butter and the grated Parmesan cheese (this last part of adding the butter and cheese is called "mantecare" in Italy). Serve immediately.

I don't know why, but I have fell in love with this dish.

Il Dolce di Firenze

Il Dolce Far Niente. So far, I have not really explained this phrase which has so much meaning not only in Italy, but in my own personal life as well. In english, this phrase translates to: the sweetness of doing nothing. It is in some ways a way of life which many Italians follow in some form or manner. Despite the "hustle-and-bustle" of central Florence, il dolce far niente can be found in little ways. Early mornings in Florence are taken slowly. Unlike New York City, Florence doesn't really wake up until 8 or 9 am. Breakfast, which usually consists of a croissant and cappuccino, is never eaten "on-the-go", but rather Florentines slowly sip their caffe' at the bar counter and usually enjoy their small meal with a friend. Lunch and dinner are also eaten with care. Italians take their meals seriously, savoring both the taste of the food and the good company of a friend.

I didn't have to travel far to discover this little taste of sweetness this weekend. Friday night I was invited into the home of a true Italian family. My boyfriend, John, is living with a host family this semester and so I had the honors of joining them for dinner. They are a small family of three, with three-year-old Giaccomo ruling the house. Walking into their small apartment, I was surprised at how real they were. They did not try to make a fancy impression or put on any airs. No, I was immediately greeted with "Ciao! Ciao!" and offered a place at the small kitchen table with a plastic cup of wine. Giaccomo was watching The Land Before Time (in Italian, of course) and even he would not break his gaze on the TV to stop and say hello to me.

The dinner was of course delicious. Il Primo was a sort of ravioli shaped like little purses and stuffed with a spinach and ricotta filling. There was no sauce, but it didn't need it--the parmesan cheese sprinkled on top was enough. Giaccomo stole most of the coversation of the first course and by the time we were ready for il Secondo, he has throwing a fit, insisting that he be allowed to watch more Land Before Time. Babbo and Mamma conceded because, like I said before, Giaccomo rules the house.

Il Secondo was just as delicious as il Primo: grilled zucchine, roasted peppers, and sliced tomatoes with melted Tomino cheese (similar to Brie). Strangely enough, we talked mostly about le zanzare, or mosquitos. Italians don't have window screens so mosquitos are a huge problem in the house. I myself have been eaten alive by mosquitoes since I have been here. Towards the end of the meal, la Mamma was up on her feet, jumping and determined to swat a giant zanzara with a rolled up magazine. Of course, we talked about other things than just mosquitoes. We spoke mostly in Italian which was a little bit difficult for me, but it didn't seem to matter to them how bad my Italian was. The meal ended with a bowl of gelato and grilled peaches. Giaccomo, who does not like gelato (!), ate a few wads of proscuitto crudo for his dessert. Then it was off to bed for him, and time to say good night.

Recap: Week 5

After re-reading some of my old posts, I realized just how many grammar mistakes and typos I have made. So, I am just going to apologize now for any illegible postings. It is difficult to say everything I want to say in a timely fashion without some mistakes. Please don't judge me!

This past week has been a relatively simple one. It is now that I finally feel settled in, finally feel like Via Martelli 3 is my home. When I see the top of the Duomo peaking over the buildings on my way home, I do not feel the same surreal amazement that I did the first few weeks I was here. Instead, I think to myself: only a few more blocks, and I will be opening my front door. Even though sometimes I still do get lost trying to take a new way home, I always have some vague idea of where I am and it is when I see the big red dome again, that I am reassured that I have found my way home.

Not only does my little apartment feel like home, but we have all pretty much figured out the Italian way of doing things. We now know Grana Padano cheese is way cheaper than Parmesan and tastes exactly the same. We now know that if you want good bread, you have to go shopping early in the morning or else it will be all gone or stale. We now know that you have to distinguish between Acqua Naturale (regular mineral water) and Acqua Frizzante (sparkling water) and the house wine is always the cheapest wine to order (and never bad!). We know that you can't expect to go out to dinner before 7:30 and that ordering a Cappuccino past noon is a big Italian no-no. Meaghan finally figured out what baking soda is called in Italy and we discovered that you simply cannot find cheddar cheese in any Italian grocery store. These are only a few of the many things that we have simply learned to adapt to...

This week I accomplished many things: I finished my first real painting in my painting class. I learned how to make simple, yet delicious, seafood spaghetti in my Food & Culture class (which also included learning how to clean and dissect calamari, squid, mussels and clams). In my Religion & Women's class I learned that there are many open doors in Florence that I have yet to explore. And in Ethics, I was reminded that happiness is not just about momentary pleasures and that the simple things in life are what truly make me happy.

This is all for now. Tonight, I have been invited over to dinner at John's host family's home. I am a little bit nervous about speaking Italian with them, but I am also very VERY excited about experiencing my first true home-cooked Italian meal. Wish me luck and arrivederci!

Venezia e Bologna

Ciao tutti!

We have now returned from this weekend's travels to Venice and Bologna! It has been an exhausting, but exhilarating trip.

We started out early Friday morning and took a train into Venice...well, not directly to Venice because our hostel was located in Maghera, a town on the mainland of Italy. We stayed at the "Nice Hotel" and well, let's just say it was nice. We then had to figure out how to get off the mainland, and get into Venice. After a few minutes inside of the Tabaccheria (kind of like a drugstore...it's a place where you can buy stamps and bus tickets), we were directed "Italian-style" to a bus stop. It was a rather confusing ride because we weren't quite sure how to use our bus-tickets. Nevertheless, we made it to Venice without any questioning form the transport authorities...

The minute we got off the bus we became aware of the hustle-and-bustle once again. Venice is full of all kinds of tourists and the narrow alleyways and streets don't help. The girls decided to take a boat ride over to Murano, the island that is known for making colorful and unique glass. John and I decided to stay on the mainland and explore Venezia a little more. We saw a lot: the Rialto, the Basilica of St. Mark's, Gondola's. After walking around all afternoon, we were in much need of a break and so we sat on the steps that line the Venetian coast. While waiting for the other girls to return from Murano, nostalgia got the best of us and so we found the Hard Rock Cafe of Venice. There is so much to see in this city, but after passing store after store after store, we needed a different scene.

That night, we walked off the beaten path and found a nice little restaurant along the water to have dinner. It wasn't anything to rave home about, but it hit the spot after all the walking we did that day.

The Rialto; Me & John on the Rialto; Gondola's near the steps.

In front of the Basilica di San Marco!

The next morning, we went back into Venice. Our original plan was to go to the Galleria dell'Accademia, an art museum in Venice. Yet, on our way over there, our attention was caught by something else. In front of the Basilica di San Marco, there was an Italian flag ceremony setting up, in order to honor the Vigili di Fuoco (firemen). We decided to stay and watch the ceremony. To give you an idea of what it was like, I've uploaded a couple of videos.

Italian Flag Ceremony

That afternoon, we hopped on another train and headed for Bologna. Bologna was much less touristy--and much more of a college town. Bologna is home to the first university in Europe: La Universita di Bologna! Thus, there are students everywhere and the city has got a hip-scene. I almost felt as if I was in the Boston of Italy! Aside from the University, Bologna is also known for it's Basilica di San Petronio. This Basilica was originally supposed to be bigger than St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, but the Pope stopped it's construction before it became to big. Although most of the Basilica is finished (and beautiful), the outside isn't much to look at, for they never finished sculpting the outside facade.

During the late afternoon, we walked around for awhile looking for a good place to eat. Bologna is known for some really great restaurants. Unfortunately, we were out of luck because none of the restaurants open before 7-7:30. This is common in a lot of Italian cities, especially those that are less touristy. After looking and looking and looking, we finally found a casual "Ristorante Bolognese" near the train station. Again, nothing to rave home about, but our hungry stomachs were satisfied. Exhausted, we made our way home to Florence by 9 o clock that night.

Beware: City-life may run you down.

I learned today how overwhelming living in a city can be. Everyday requires patience and tolerance for the Florence's hustle and bustle and let's just say I'm exhausted! I hope I do not sound as if I hate Florence, for that is certainly not the case. It is a beautiful city with so much that I have yet to discover. Yet, it is the discovering part which requires so much effort. To get anywhere in this city, you must be willing to push your way through throngs of people (many of which are tourists!) and be able to overlook the many, many tempting shops, bars, and restaurants you may pass along the way. Let's just say this: to travel in Florence you must be very focused on where it is your headed. Otherwise, beware: you might get run over by a Vespa, lured into a leather store, or tempted by one of thousands of Gelaterias.

Well, at least tomorrow I get to experience the hustle and bustle in a different city: Venice. Updates coming soon...

Cinque Terre

This past Friday, we set out for another exciting adventure in Italia! Cinque Terre, which means "Five Lands" in Italian, is one of the most unbelievable sights you can ever imagine. It is 5 towns spread out along a mountainous coast which meets the clear blue waters of the Ligurian Sea. We began in Monterosso and hiked to the next town over, Vernazza. The hike took 2 hours long and every minute of it was breathtaking (physically and mentally!). Most of it was uphill, through the vineyards and around the mountainside. Some parts were rather narrow and steep, but it was reassuring to be able see those ahead of us, across the valley and on the other side of the mountain. 

Italian man selling grapes on the mountain.

The sight of Vernazza from up above filled us with excitement and relief (we were all hungry and exhausted!). Once down into the town, we sat down for lunch at a ristorante tucked away on a small street. Every single one of us ate a big bowl of pesto pasta (Cinque Terre is known for its pesto and foccacia) served by an Italian waiter wearing flip flops and jeans. I am pointing this out because it just goes to show how laid back the towns are. It was almost as if we were on a tropical island!

Vernazza.

Lunch: Pesto Tortellini

Amore :)

From Vernazza we took a boat to the second to last town, Manarola from which we walked through Via dell'Amore (Tunnel of Love). This romantic tunnel is filled with grafitti, couples names engraved together, and locks with thrown away keys. My only wish was that John could have been there with me!

Outside of Florence

I have neglected to fill you in on perhaps the most beautiful places I have been to so far. I promise you, I am trying to write as often as I can, but internet access around here is scarce, as my other 2 roomates and I have been sharing one computer for the past three weeks. Finally, I have found some time to share the details of my travels. 

Two weekends ago, we traveled to Assisi, Perugia, Siena and San Giminagno. However, on our way to Assisi, we experienced a major delay. We had only gotten about 10 minutes outside of Florence when all traffic came to a dead stop. After a few minutes of not moving, people began to turn off their cars. Then people began to get out of their cars and walk...down the highway. It was only about 20 minutes later that we had learned that a giant meat truck had completely tipped over and was blocking the entire side of the highway. Amazingly, the truck driver was okay and nobody else got hurt. Yet, the crash created a huge mess. All kinds of salami and prosciutto were strewed about the road, not to mention the truck was completely totaled. So, here we are, all 80 of us on 2 coach buses, simply stuck on an italian highway, anxious to make to Assisi. It was about 10 a.m. when we were told that the mess would not be cleared for another 4 hours. Luckily, there was a huge rest stop about 1/2 a mile down the highway which we able to walk to. Never in my life did I think that I would have the such an opportunity to climb over a crashed Italian meat truck. 

Bus boredom & Highway tour

After sitting at a rest stop for 4 hours, we finally were on our way to Assisi! Around 3 o clock we were standing in front of the Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi. I can't really say anything else except that it was beautiful. We were able to go inside the Basilica and see Giotto's (and many others) famous fresco paintings, as well as the tomb of St. Francis. I think you can imagine how unreal the entire tour felt. 

Basilica di San Francesco.

 The temple where St. Francis stripped completely naked and vowed a life of poverty.

Giotto's Preaching to the Birds. This was my favorite fresco we saw in the Basilica. 

After the Basilica, we walked up through the town center. There, we saw the temple where St. Francis stripped completely naked and gave up all his possessions to follow a life of poverty. At the top of Assisi, there is another Basilica, the Basilica di Santa Chiara, where the body of St. Claire is preserved. 

Originally, we were supposed to tour Perugia as well, but because of our delay, we had to skip this and go straight to our hotel for the night.

Sunday morning, we woke up early to travel on to the next city: Siena. Siena is a very unique city. Divided into 17 different "contrade", or provinces, the city looks very Medieval. Each contrada has their own symbol, which is displayed proudly on their flags within their province. You can always tell which part of the city you are in simply by looking at the flags that hang above the street corners. Siena is also home to Il Palio, a horse race that occurs that occurs every summer in the town center. 10 of the 17 contrade compete against each other in this race. Unlike the winner of the Kentucky Derby, the winner of the Palio is the horse, and only the horse. The jockey doesn't receive much credit. 

The city center of Siena, which also makes up the track for Il Palio.

The last city we visited that weekend was San Giminagno. I was so toured out by the end of this weekend I honestly don't remember anything too interesting about this city. It was beautiful, of course, with a beautiful view. I will let the pictures do the talking...

City center of San Giminagno.

Il mio amore, Giovanni :) Can you tell he's happy?

The girls! From left to right: Me, Brooke, Maura, Christina, Marissa, Vanessa, Alexis, Clio, Caroline & Claire.

The view from the top of San Giminagno.

Just a little update

Ciao amici!
I don't have too much time to write right now, but I'd thought I would fill you in on what it is that I am studying here and what the classes are like.
The university that I am attending is called Florence University of the Arts, or FUA. I only have classes three days a week! On Mondays, I have Religion and Women and Italian. Tuesdays I have Foundations of Painting from 9-2:30 (yup, 5 1/2 hours of painting!) and then Food, Culture and Society from 3-5:30. Wenesdays I go to Ethics in a World Context and then Italian again.

Can you guess which class is my favorite? If you know me, then you know that anything to do with Food fascinates me so yes, Food, Culture and Society is my little afternoon in heaven. The first class we got to make Crepselles alla Fiorentina, a dish that was actually introduced by Catherine de Medici, a woman who loved food and who practically introduced the French to Italian ways of cooking. Crepselles alla Fiorentina has 3 basic parts: the crepeselle, or pasta shell (which is made in the same way that a crepe today would be made), the filling made of ricotta and spinach, and the bechamel sauce, a creamy sauce spiced with a little bit of nutmeg. After making the crepe, filling and sauce, you stuff the pasta, pour the sauce on top, and bake it....Bon Apetit!
This past week, we had a "market" tasting. We learned about several Italian cheeses and cured meats which you can find at the local fresh markets. Out of the 4 cheeses we tasted, I thought that Taleggio was the best. It is a soft, rich cheese, that his rich in fat but absolutely delicious! Of the meats, Finocchiono was my favorite. Finocchiono is a salami that has been spiced with fennel (finocchio means fennell in Italian). Least favorite meat: Lardo, or LARD. Italians actually eat it by itself sometimes, although they use it for cooking as well.
As far as my other classes go, surprisingly painting is the most difficult so far. It's pretty exhausting, not to mention time consuming. One small piece of work can take 5-6 hours, especially because I am so new at this! I've never really painted anything before in my life and it is taking some time getting used to how all the materials work. I guess that is how a lot of things are here. It takes practice, patience and an open mind to really grasp something you've never experience before whether it be something like painting or living in a whole new environment. 

A whole lot of Italy

So, incase you haven't noticed, the past few posts I have been trying to play "catch up". The dates on the blog don't really match up with the day that I actually wrote the post because I haven't been able to post right away due to the lack of internet access here! Yet since today is a rainy day and I have a few hours to kill before my first class, I think I will try and fill you in on the past week and a half in one giant posting. 

For our first weekend in Italy, our school program (Fairfield) took us on what I would call the best field trip ever. Saturday evening all 80 of us hopped on a coach bus, rode through the tuscan hillsides surrounding Florence and arrived at Villa Medicea di Lilliano, now the home and winery of the Malenchini family. We got to tour the Villa, sample the wines and learn about how the wine and olive oil are made. What's more is that we got to eat dinner on the rooftop of this villa, which overlooks the tuscan hillsides. There was music (even some beautiful Italian karaoke by our group leader, Chiara), dancing and absolutely wonderful food. The weather was perfect, the sky was clear and there was even a beautiful, glowing moon hanging above us. I won't try to say more because I think the pictures can tell you more than I can...

La Villa Medicea di Lilliano.

      The view from the rooftop.

L'antipasto and wine tasting.

 

            Risotto and Pasta Primavera.          

 Grape cake and Tiramisu.

The following morning (sunday) we woke up early, hopped on a bus again and went to Pisa! And yes, we got to see the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. There were two things that surprised me most about Pisa though. First, it is not exactly the nicest little town that you would expect it to be. It seemed very run down and poor. The second thing that I never realized about Pisa was that the Leaning Tower is actually part of a church. Believe it or not, the tower was meant to be the bell tower, or campanile. Every cathedral was supposed to have three parts: the baptistry, the campanile, and the cathedral or "duomo". 

Unfortunately, this tower was built on too soft of land and was poorly designed. They think (but aren't sure) that a man Bonnano Pisano designed the tower and ran away after he realized it was sinking. For a long time, the tower sunk 1 mm per year, but now they have done reconstruction to try and save the tower from toppling. 

John and I infront of the La Torre di Pisa!

That afternoon, we went to our first Italian beach in a place called Viareggio. Although absolutely beautiful, it was also very different from the beaches back home. The water is cleaner and clearer and the sand is soft. If you are facing the water and you turn to look behind you, there is an entire mountain range which forms a beautiful (and strange!) skyline. There was, of course, some other not so beautiful sights to see. Old men in speedos that look waaaay too small?!! Still, the scenery was breathtaking and the afternoon was relaxing...

That is all I have time for now. There is still more I need to catch up on, but for now I think I've given you all enough to read :)