Amanda's Italian Adventure

La Verità

2010-05-05T01:22:00.001-07:00

Want to know the difference between Italy and the rest of the E.U.?
Everything about this video explains it!

More Paris Photos

2010-04-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

-----------------------Eating Snails at Amelie's Cafe

----------------------Here at the Moulin Rouge

-----------------------Pere Lechaise. RIP Jim Morrison

-----------------------Even the Metro signs are Arte Nouveau

----------------------Chelsea killing it at the Shakespeare and Co. Book Store

Je suis parti mon coeur à Paris

2010-04-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

Paris is a sexy, sexy city. Parisians turn everything they touch into art; food, fashion, music, and lifestyle in general. Chelsea and I spent a few days in the amazing spring break and I loved every second of it. We set a schedule for ourselves because we had limited time there, and we managed to see everything on our list and still have time on our hands to relax. - The Louvre. As pessimistic as it sounds, it was the first thing we wanted to get done on the list just to get it out of the way. We woke up sometime before the sun on our first morning there and took the subway straight there. We did not make reservations because the museum is free for European Union citizens, and the reservation fee is something like 30Euros. So, figuring we are young and able we got there an hour before opening time and got in line. There were maybe 20 people there when we got there, and within 15 minutes the line had at least quadrupled. Our timing was perfect. Massive is not even a sufficient word to describe the collection there. There are 35,000 pieces of art currently on display there. (If you looked at each piece for three minutes, you would be there for three months solid.) We booked is straight to the Mona Lisa as soon as we got in before the crowd. After that, it was just masterpiece after masterpiece. I mean, really as an art historian I was just speechless. The museum is enormous though, and always packed so we were ready to leave after only a couple hours.
- Musee D'Orsay - This museum is more manageable in both size and collection compared to the Louvre. I enjoyed the Orsay much more than the Louvre, mainly because the collection was much more concentrated on modernism. It is the home of numerous masterpieces of Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Arte Nouveau, Cubism, some Fauve work and some Sublime work. If you know and appreciate Henri Toulouse-Lautrec then definitely catch this museum.
- Notre Dam- An early gothic cathedral famous of course for its hunchbacked bell ringer. It’s a great sight for anyone who is interested in Gothic architecture, and its free!
- Eiffel Tower- Its huge. Acclaimed to be Arte Nouveau in style, it is a massive steel beast. Go see it at sunset because when it gets dark there is a light show. Its just gorgeous . If you plan to take the elevator to the top, however, make reservations because the lines are hours long. - Montremarte- The district in Paris that overlooks the city. It is the home of the Moulin Rouge, the Moulin De La Gallette, Seplechure Church, and all kinds of interesting café's and shops.
- Café Des 2 Moulins- Most people would have no idea the significance of this café, but if you know and appreciate the French film Amelie, you must go. The story follows the life of a strange and interesting French girl who works at this café. The menus now sport a picture of her face, but it is clear that at least 80 percent of the people who frequent the café have no clue that the movie was filmed there. It is in the Montremarte district and not difficult to find. Chelsea and I sat right at the window in the sunshine, ate some escargot and people watched. I think it was one of my favorite moments throughout the entire trip.
- Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore- An old English bookstore, lined floor to ceiling anything you could ever desire to read. Everything from antique classics, to poetry, to Dr. Seuss to Harry Potter (the original British versions, which were weird). The upstairs is strictly for leisure. The books up there are not for sale, and there are beds and couches scattered about for comfortable reading. There is also a piano for anyone interested in practicing. Chelsea by the way, has 12 years of classical piano training under her belt and blew me away with her talent.
- Pere Lechais Cemetery- Slightly outside the center is the cemetery housing the tombs of hundreds of famous figures. Artists, scientists, musicians, writers, everything. It is enormous, so we set to find three in particular. Oscar Wilde, Chopin, and Jim Morrison. Conveniently I had just read a book about the life of Morrison, and seeing his grave was quite unreal. He was a true artist.
- And Finally, the Food! - Crepes, crepes, crepes! They are everywhere, they are cheap, and they are delicious. I recommend the cheese and chicken if you are hungry for lunch, and the butter and sugar ones for desert. The nutella ones are obviously fantastic too. The crème brulee is great, and it is quite fun to crack the sugar layer on top. And for the daring, Escargot (snails, a traditional french gourmet) is actually quite good. They are a little tricky to get out of the shell, but taste similar to muscles.
Paris has not seen the last of me either. And by the way, French people are actually quite nice, contrary to popular belief.

--------------------------------Eiffel Tour

--------------------------Cityscape

--------------------------No hunchback at Notre Dam

-------------------------This is as close to the Mona lisa as you can get

Amsterdam, Netherlands

2010-04-14T08:08:00.000-07:00

Amsterdam; the home of hash bars, the red light district, liberal laws, art and stroopwaffles. Chelsea, Emily and I jetted off to the city in the heart of the Netherlands for a weekend before spring break. It’s a must see city for hippies and art lovers for sure. Amsterdam is famous for its liberal drug and prostitution laws. The streets downtown are lined with coffee shops that serve a gram of pot with your coffee. If you are itching to try 'magic mushrooms' just pop into the local smart shops and pick your poison. The red light district is a strange phenomenon that really intrigued me. Right in the heart of the city there are buildings with windows where prostitutes lure men into a 50Euro fun time. They don’t give a flying terd about the women walking the streets, but they will put there best show on when men walk by. The setting is just surreal.

Aside from the drugs and prostitution, the city itself is quaint and beautiful. In a way it resembles Venice because it works on a system of canals. The buildings are what you would expect when thinking of Holland. If you have ever been to Salvang, California then you can understand what the architecture in Amsterdam resembles. It was still quite cold when we were there, but the spring tulips were surfacing. A couple of sights not to miss in Amsterdam are the outdoor markets and the Heineken factory. There is an enormous flower market downtown that was very interesting. And of course, Heineken beer was born in Amsterdam, so the first brewery serves as a kind of museum. The "Heineken Experience" includes demonstrations of the brewing process, the history of Heineken, and three free beers. Sweet deal right?

Another popular place to visit in Amsterdam is the Van Gogh museum. It cost around 15Euros to get in, which is insane for a museum. They had some of his good paintings sure, but nothing of his that blew me away. As an art lover, I suppose I am required to see it. If you are on a tight budget, however, I don’t think you would be insane to skip it.

As far as food goes, Amsterdam has every kind of restaurant you can think of. We grubbed on some delicious Thai food and stroopwaffles galore. They are a traditional cookie/dessert type thing. Imagine two flat cinnamon waffles stuck to together with a layer of caramel. Yeah, definitely can't eat just one.

All in all, Amsterdam was a good time. I would like to return someday when I have the time.

Hey, a giant Shoe!

Welcome to Amsterdam

Brewing some beer at the Heineken Experience

Love.

2010-03-22T03:44:00.000-07:00

It has been seven months now since I left the states, and although homesickness hasn't been an issue, I am missing the people that I love that are still at home.
I couldn't ask for a better family.
My mom is awesome. I am lucky enough to have a mom that's not only a great mother figure but one who is also one of my best friends. Its impossible to spend time with her without cracking up, but she is also the person to go to when you feel your world crumbling under life's pressures. So maybe she cant bake the best cookies in the world, but she can sure cook the hell out of meatballs and serve it up with a bottle of wine when you're refrigerator and bank account hit empty at home. She is always trying her best to make things possible for my sister and I even if we don't deserve it.

My Dad is one of the best people I know. He is the dad that helps with homework, the one who coaches your sports teams, the one who teaches you important life lessons like how to change your oil and fix a leak in your bathroom, the one who buys you a Beatles album and a guitar for your 13th birthday and the one who takes you to sushi when all you have had to eat for a month is potatoes. He is so open-minded about life I always feel comfortable talking to him about politics, religion and life choices without feeling disdained. He can sure rock out on the guitar and outrun most 20 year olds. I can count on chocolates and flowers every year on Valentine's day, the day that single women hate, and a letter every week from him to brighten my day. He is the kind of person that never thinks about himself and does amazing things when people aren't watching. He's a goofball half of the time and some sort of philosophical genius the other half.

I couldn't ask for a better sister either. Sure, we fought like animals when we were younger, all sisters do. But we have really grown to like each other in our adulthood. She seems to be the person I call when I am freaking out about one thing or another, she has a way of calming me down. Shes the kind of person that can really make you laugh when its time to have fun but can also put on a serious face if someone messes with her family. (I mean, she hosed our neighbor down when he started criticizing our dad, how rad is that?) She's stong willed and proud of it. She is the last person to let someone talk down to her and the first person to stand up for what is right.

Kelsie Brooks isn't technically part of my family but someone I consider as part of it anyways. Blame basketball in the 3rd grade for linking us at the hip. We have been inseperable since then. She is really my other half and I dont know what I would do without her. I cant think of anyone with a better heart and intentions than hers. She is the only person I can go a month without talking to and still know that she is my best friend. She and I are different in so many ways its incredible, but we somehow manage to fit together like puzzle pieces. She has this way of being the best at everything she does, whether it be sports, school, or whatever else. She inspires me all the time to be a better person. She is coming to Europe in June and I cant wait to see her face.

Sud di Italia pictures 2

2010-03-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

-------------------Pompeii

----------------Rosie and I in Pompeii

---------------In Sorrento with Vesuvius in the background

---------------Streets of Napoli

--------------Pizza on Napoli

Il Sud di Italia, Napoli. Pompei. Sorrento. Ercolano

2010-03-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

I had my first experience in Southern Italy last week. We had a five day school field trip to Napoli, Stabiae, Pompeii, Herculaneaum, and Sorrento. It was a busy but awesome week.

First stop; Napoli (Naples) - Northern Italian always send precautions to people visiting southern Italy, Napoli in particular. They have this misconception that Napoli is full of criminals and thieves. It is quite the contrary actually. Southern Italians in general are some of the most open and friendly people you will meet. Sure, Napoli is bigger and has less money than most Northern cities. Maybe some people aren't attracted to the grungy liveliness of the city. But I found it fantastic.

-Things to do in Napoli: GO to the Museo MADRE. It is the contemporary art museum in Napoli. Although our school only allowed us one night in Napoli before heading to a town called Stabiae (aka snoozville), some of us rebels ditched a day of looking at old stuff and took the train back up to Napoli to go to this museum. They have a rad exhibition up right now called BaRock. There are tons of huge name artists in exhibition there right now, (Damien Hirst, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Jim Dine, Jenny Holzer, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Richard Hamilton, Anish Kapoor, Matthew Barney, Jeff Koons, to name a few) and an awesome exhibition called The Obsessed by Ryan Mendoza.

- Eat the Pizza. Napoli is the birthplace of pizza, so naturally it is the best. And eat it at a place called Pizzaiolo del Presidente. Although we more or less stumbled upon it, it is a world famous underground pizzeria. Translated the name of the place is "Pizza maker for the President" because Bill Clinton ate there and loved it so much they couldn't get him to leave. There are pictures of him and other famous figures who have grubbed there lining the brick walls. I have never tasted better pizza in my life.

After a few hours in Napoli, we took the train about an hour south to Sorrento, which is the first town of the Amalfi Coast. It is a stunning vacation hotspot. It is a small town, but with reputable beauty. The coastline is studded with cliffs and harbors, with Mt. Vesuvius in plain view from all angles. We walked down to a pier and watched the sun set in the clear sky. Amalfi is known for its crystal clear water and coral reefs. It consists of 30 kilometers of nationally protected shoreline. The unfortunate thing about Amalfi is that it costs about an arm and a leg to get there from Florence. Otherwise I would be back in a heartbeat.

Pompeii and Herculaneum are pretty interesting. Its amazing to see things that are so well preserved from the volcanic ash. Pompeii is actually pretty monstrous for being an excavation site. Its strange to walk the streets knowing that the mountain (actually still active volcano) above you covered the town almost 2000 years ago. There are still frescoes on the walls, tile floors are still intact, and the most interesting thing was seeing the people mummified in ash. Herculaneum is another city that has been excavated after the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. It is much smaller and actually just as interesting. Worth a visit if you are in Pompeii already.

Overall, Napoli really caught me by surprise. Maybe it is the coastal atmosphere that I am drawn to, or the larger city environment. Either way, it was a pretty awesome visit.

----Pizzaiolo Del Presidente

------Ryan Mendoza Posessed

---------BaRock Exhibition, Museo MADRE Napoli

--------View from our hotel, Napoli

Barcelona Pics 2

2010-03-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

Sangria

Paella

Dancing

Gaudi House

Locals

Barcelona

2010-03-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I expanded my international horizons by visiting Barcelona, Spain. I know that I keep repeating myself when I say that I have visited my new favorite European city , but I really mean it this time when I say it. It is a city that I could easily see myself forging a more permanent residence.
I liked it for a few key reasons;
1.Weather. Barcelona is a coastal city with weather very similar to Los Angeles. It was warm and sunny during the day, slightly rainy at night but never freezing. I spent quite a bit of time wandering the sandy beach and listing to the waves. (Which are hard to find in Europe) What a beautiful escape from the frigid Florentine winds.
2. Diversity. Barcelona at one point was an international trading hub that brought both temporary and permanent residents from every corner of the world. Naturally, everyone is beautiful and exotic because of it.
3. Culture. The culture of Barca is young and refreshing. It can easily be labeled as a Left leaning, forward thinking city. Antiquity is something of the past, remembered but moved away from. Anyone who says Spanish food is gross is out of their mind. Its cheap and its seafood and its delicious. The sangria is out of this world and do not ever leave Spain without tasting Paella. (Unless, of course, you are allergic to shellfish *Chelsea*) Nightlife is abundant and does not begin before 3am. If you go out dancing don't count on being home until around 7 or 8am.

Our itinerary while there:
- Architectural explorations: Barcelona was home of the famed architect Antonio Gaudi. He was working in the early 1900's but his work reaches something of the future. Organic and reminiscent of sand castles, his structures draw more attraction than anything else in the city. (La Sagrada Familia, Casa Gaudi, Guell Park just to name a few)
- Art Explorations: While our architect friend Toby got his fill of architecture, us art students also got to see a nice treat. Barcelona houses the best Picasso museum you will visit. Pablo Picasso spent a lot of his time there, and its only suitable that his work remains. It’s a small museum, easily managed in a few hours, but the design is fantastic. Each section of the museum displays a different period of Picasso's work, all in chronological order. It makes it easy to see his development in style from his early figurative works, to his later blue and rose periods, and finally to his period of complete abstraction.
- Olympic Explorations: Finally we had to fill our friend Matt's plate with things he is passionate about. So, being a sports lover we went and explored the Olympic Stadium. Barcelona hosted the 1992 summer Olympics. It was really just a huge place. Pretty cool to see
- Cultural Explorations: Las Romblas is a notorious walkway that runs in the middle of the street in downtown Barca. Its always packed with people, performers and pickpockets. Fun to see, but be careful after dark. Mercat de la Boqueria is the central food market full of fresh (by that I mean still alive) seafood, fruits veggies, chocolates, juices and cheeses. Its pretty cheap and pretty interesting. Of course my favorite thing about it was the Arte Nouveau sign that hangs in the entrance.
Barcelona is great. I WILL be going back sometime.

Carnevale, Venezia

2010-03-18T07:37:00.001-07:00

For those of you who don’t know, Italy is 98% catholic. Which means there is always a reason to party.

The biggest party happens every year in Venice for the 3 weeks before lent. It is essentially a giant masquerade party on the streets. Knowing that it would be packed, we booked way in advance. Thank goodness. The city was at its peak capacity. We went on the very last weekend, which is the biggest weekend, so it was particularly insane.

The whole weekend is was a blur of strange shows including drag queens and giant bugs, DJ sets in packed piazzas, people dressed head to toe in insane costumes, and confetti. There were performers scattered about the piazzas. The city didn't sleep, and neither did we.

Minus the giant party, we did actually see some the entire city of Venice. It’s a beautiful city, my favorite in Italy at least. However, it really is sinking, so if you get the chance in your lifetime go see it. Every evening at high tide the water level rises and floods St. Peter's square to about knee high water (if you're vertically challenged like myself).

There are many small excursions you can do in Venice that explore other smaller islands near it. We took one that brought us to three different islands, including Murano, the glass blowing capital of Venice. We got to watch a demonstration and peek around the shop. It was pretty neat.

And finally a word of advice; it is A-Okay to take the slow regional train there for Carnevale but be prepared if you take it home. My friend Zach and I, being the cautious spenders that we are, opted for the slow train. The thing about it is, there are no assigned seats and they sell unlimited tickets. So the idea is that you go to the station, and when a train comes that is going where you need to go, you validate your ticket and hop on. When there are thousands of people trying to get out of the city at the same time, its chaos. The station was full of police trying to manage crowds on the verge of riots. I actually felt slightly afraid for my life, but thank God I had a guy with me to keep me safe

Prato Exhibition2

2010-01-31T07:54:00.001-08:00

Here are a few more pictures of the contemporary
exhibition.

Sandals, a traditionally easy shoe to remove seem stuck. sedentary.

"Ma sarebbe che tutto il mondo potesse avere l'idea dell'universo che noi abbiamo, allo stesso tempo, ci umilia e ci incanta. Ora cuando noi guardiamo al cosmo ci sentiamo piccoli."
-I wish that all of the world could have an idea of the universe that we have, but at the same time be humiliated and encahanted by it. So now when we look at the stars, we feel small.

US dollar in reality is worth nothing over here.

New Adventures. Pisa and Prato

2010-01-30T09:36:00.000-08:00

Finals oh finals.
I never realize how many classes I am taking until the week or two before finals. Suddenly I have 6 classes to study for, two 10 page research papers and a 5 museum analysis due. Not to mention whatever 'take home' essay portion of the finals I get assigned.
Only two more weeks of this semester and then onward to spring I go!
Italy has held me captive for the last couple of weeks. Partly because of the work load and partly because well...the money is gone for the semester!
So all that I have to report are a few small trips within Italy.
I spent one VERY long day in Pisa and Lucca last weekend. My lovely (not so much) Medieval Art professor decided to make a mandatory trip on a Sunday. It was long, and quite boring to listen to her blab about some old art, but I did get to see a few neat things.
The Pisa Cathedral complex is pretty amazing. Of course, the infamous Leaning Tower sits within the lot. Its pretty hilarious to watch all the tourists pose for pictures of the tower.
Lucca is a small town just east of Pisa. The entire city is closed in by Roman walls. It was a beautiful little town, but we didn't get to explore much as we were on a very tight schedule.

Last weekend I went to Prato for a contemporary art exhibition. Ahhh...so refreshing. Prato is a city about a half of an hour (via bus) out of Florence. There are some really awesome pieces on exhibition right now by some local and russian artists. Some pieces focused on the relation between time and space, others on personal history and some cool Op Art.
Lately I have been questioning why in the hell I am studying art. Dont get me wrong, I really appreciate all forms of art, but this Renaissance and Medeival stuff just gets pretty redundant. I think I need to make a point of finding all of the Modern Art exhibitions going on around here in order to keep my eye on the prize. Seeing more contemporary exhibitions like the one in Prato remind me that I really do love what I am studying.

On a side note, one of my favorite authors sadly passed away the other day. I am sure you have heard, JD Salinger died at the ripe age of 91. It is my recomendation to all of you who havent explored his work, please do. Hes really fantastic, and his work is timeless. Two of my personal favorites are "Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters and Seymore" and its counterpart "Franny and Zooey". Of course you all we required to read his famous one, "Catcher in the Rye".
Either way, send some good Ju Ju his way.

Shallow water, Deep Secret

2010-01-13T14:34:00.000-08:00

I am going to deviate off of my usual path for a minute here. A couple days ago I watched a documentary called 'The Cove' and I have been thinking about it since. Despite leaving you with one of those existential "what the hell am I doing with my life; I could be saving the world right now" type thoughts, it is a great film. It follows the efforts of Ric O'Barry (former dolphin trainer and producer of Flipper) to set things right in the whaling industry. Ric and his team focus their efforts on the small town of Taiji, Japan, where thousands of dolphinsare killed each year. Fisherman are using sounds to scare migrating dolphin pods into a cove that is off limits to public. This cove is out of sight, fenced in with barbed wire and gaurded by other local fisherman and the Japenese government. And why? Because in this shallow water they slaughter hundreds of dolphins each day and sell them to the local fish markets and even the Japanese government. They are sold at the market, claimed to be other whale products because the mercury ratio in dolphin meat is hundreds of thousands times the legal amount. Not only that, but the meat is given to the local schools and fed to the students. The Japanese public has no idea. What is just as bad, is that dolphin trainers from all over the world (yes, including Sea World) come to Taiji before the slaughter and pick out young females to train for shows. They sell for over $100,000.
Dolphins are one of few creatures in this world that are self aware. Their intelligence level rivals (if not exceeds in many cases) that of the human mind. They are animals known to experience a wide range of emotions and are the only other creatures that used an advanced form of communication.
Many members of the OPS (Ocean Preservation Society) and the International Whaling Commission have been trying to ban whaling on dolphins in Japan, however Japan keeps bribing small and poverous countries to speak on their behalf during meetings.
The team attempted to get legal permission from the Japanese government to film this documentary, but in the end were turned down. Every part of this movie was filmed against Japanese law. The filmmakers were targets of the Japanese government, the Japanese Mafia and the fisherman throughout the entire process. Special night technology and spy cameras were used, the crew was risking their life to make this film.
The reality is, these creatures are just not meant to be in captivity. No matter how happy they may seem at the dolphin show at Sea World because they always look like they are smiling, its not the right place for them.
Its very sad, but definately worth your time to check it out.

More Switzerland Photos

2010-01-08T01:45:00.000-08:00

The View from the Top.

Chelsea and I taking a break

Free-Ride. No trail.

Some of the crew getting ready for day 1

The last day that we were there we took a trip to a place called Therme Vals. It is a Bath House connected to a hotel designed by the architect Peter Zumthor. Zach and Jen are both architects, and according them seeing one of his works is a very rare privilage. Hes a modern architect who only designs buildings in remote areas of Switzerland. (It was only a 30 minute drive from our hotel, but on a very windy road out to nowhere) This is the 5 of us on a couch in the entrance. It was a really cool building.

Snowboarding in Svizzera!

2010-01-08T01:33:00.000-08:00

I spent January2-6th snowboarding in Switzerland. I have to admit, it has been the most fun I have had on a trip so far. We opted to rent a car because it was far less expensive. My friend Zach and I took turns driving. It was actually a really easy drive once we got out of Florence. (There really arent traffic laws in Florence, and its filled with one way streets.) We left around 4:30am and arrived in switzerland 5 hours later.

There are three towns that surrounded the mountains we were snowboarding in. We stayed in a town called Flims, and snowboarded in Laax, Flims, and Falera.
Our hotel was about 150 yards from the Gondola that takes you up to the chairlifts, and our balcony overlooked the mountain.

Snowboarding there is just outrageous. Each run is anywhere from 8-14 Kilometers (6-12miles) long. Needless to say the mountain is not for beginners.
Another really cool thing that is different from the US is that in Switzerland, you snowboard at your own risk. They have arrows follow where the runs go, but there are no ropes or employees keeping you from going off the trail. The whole mountain is at your fingertips.
At one point, my friend and I broke off from our group and snowboarded off the trail into an empty cloud of powder. There were no trails or other boarders in sight. We snowboarded across two towns and ended up in somebody's backyard!
Just unreal.
I wish I could still be there.
Chelsea Zach and I goofing off.
Yep, -16c when we got there! (Thats 3 degrees farenheit) Makes for great snow!

At the top of the world! When Zach and I went off the trails.

Pit Stop in our car! Driving through florence was bonkers, but easy once we got to switzerland. Thankfully we had a navigation system

Mia Famiglia Qui in Italia

2010-01-08T01:22:00.000-08:00

It was so amazing to have my family here in Italy. It has been really difficult having them so far away for such a long time. It was their first trip to Europe so they got to see how different things are here. This is a picture of my Dad inside Santa Croce church a block from my house. He is standing in front of the tomb of Galileo. Next to that tomb is the tomb of Michelangelo.
We were at the Vatican two days after Christmas and got to listen to the Pope speak! I was very surreal. Click on the picture to make it bigger, you can see the pope better.

St. Peters square in Rome

My mom, my sister and myself laughing it up at the apartment that my parents rented. I have a fun family.

New Years

2010-01-08T01:07:00.000-08:00

We spent new years here in Firenze. A couple of friends joined us at our house for dinner and drinks and then we head out to the main Piazza here (Piazza Signoria) to light some fireworks and do the countdown. We ended the night with some good dancing and exploring the crowded streets. It was a good night
Piazza Signoria was full of people, umbrellas and all kinds of smoke from fireworks and firecrackers.

Another view of the Piazza

Toby caught a firework!

Updates!

2010-01-08T00:54:00.000-08:00

Well, here it goes again. I have discovered the secret to posting on my blog; step one-turn off all firewalls. Step two;post very quickly before internet goes down. Step three-exit explorer and turn firewall back on.

Since it has been so long sine my last post, I will give you guys a breif update on what has been going on in this end of the world since my Thanksgiving week trip to Vienna.

December has been an eventful month. A few weeks into the month I had midterms for all six of my classes. Needless to say, sleep was a thing to be reminisced upon during that time and coffee was my best friend. Conveniently enough though, the last day of midterms happened to fall on my 21st birthday!
That Friday was the best pin-the-mustache-on-amanda party I have been to yet. (My roommate printed out a 3'-4' picture of my face and cut out stick on mustaches. Everyone who attended had to wear a mustache and attempt to pin the mustache on my face. Needless to say, they got farther and farther away from my face as the night went on.)

A couple days after my birthday my family arrived here in Florence. It was so amazing to see them here. We spent a few days in Rome and the rest of the time here in Florence. All of you who know my mom have heard all about it already. Ill put some pictures in a seperate post.

My friends and I stayed here in Florence for New Years Eve. It was important for me to start off the new year here in the place I an living. It was a blast.

Two days later, we took off to Switzerland!

These two pictures are of the snow we got here in Florence. It snowed a few inches and actually stayed on the ground for a few days! It was beautiful here for a while.

Turkey Day!

2009-12-02T23:44:00.000-08:00

Some frinds in our program hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for us last week. Everyone brought a different dish and we filled our bellies just like at home. I was suprised at how successful my peach cobbler was! It was nice to feel like a part of a family during the holidays when your real family is so far from away.

Northern Italy. Vincenza, Padova, Mantova and Verona

2009-11-20T00:25:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the late updates. My internet is out, yes, again. What a frustrating problem, but I am growing used to the disconnection. Last weekend we had another university field trip. The really cool thing about the field trips is that all the traveling and lodging is handled for us by the staff, we just get to sit back and enjoy the ride.

This was our weekend exploring Northern Italy, which is absolutely beautiful.We had stops in Vincenza, Podova (Padua in English), Mantova (Mantua), and Verona.

So think in terms of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet.Because about half of our program consists of architecture students, we spend most of the time exploring important architectural site such as Villa Rotunda (Palladian architecture) and a cemetary designed by famous contemporary architect Carlo Scarpa.

Padova was my favorite city of the trip. It was more modern than Florence and had a hustling bustling night scene with tons of Italain college students. We were also fortunate enough to be in Padova during an exhibition of the contemporary architect Zaha Hadid. Her work is incredibly foreward and dynamic. I am a sucker for clean organic lines so I fell in love with her work right away.

The highlight of the trip for me however, was being able to get into the elusive Scrovegni Chapel outside of Matova.

The chapel was comissioned by the Scrovegni Family during the early Renaissance time built in hopes that its dedication would bring salvation to a family surely banished to Hell at the end of their sinful lives.

It is a small chapel maybe 40 feet or so long and 30 feet high, completely covered in frescoes by one of the fathers of Renaissance art, Giotto. This chapel is very difficult to get into and I never expected to see it in my life.We were required to sit in a de-ionization and de-magnetization chamber for 15 minutes before entering, alotted only 15 minutes inside, and taking photos is strictly forbidden (but I'm kind of a ninja and snuck a few anyways shhh..).

I was speachless after leaving the chapel. What a treat.

ALRIGHT...so Im about to throw my computer through this window. For some reason I cant upload pictures, so they are soon to come

sketchbook 2

2009-11-11T05:18:00.000-08:00

sketchbook

2009-11-11T04:59:00.001-08:00

I have been sketching a little bit more often since I have been here.

Heres a couple pages in my sketchbook

take them with a grain of salt. I am an art HISTORY student, not studio art. But I try anyways

Uffizi Pictures

2009-11-11T04:38:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more pictures of storing, moving, and restoring art pieces at the Uffizi

Uffizi Behind the Scenes

2009-11-11T04:12:00.000-08:00

Fall semester has officially begun. I am taking a few Art History courses, a few Italian courses, an Opera course, and a Museum Studies course. I have been really looking forward to the Museum Studies course because it is taught by one of only four curators working for the Uffizi Gallery here in Florence. The class is designed to teach us the inner workings of a museum and what is involved in setting up exhibitions, trading art, restoring art, and displaying art. This class is particularly perfect for me because I am planning on getting my Masters Degree in Exhibition Design so I can eventually do curitorial work.

Our first class at the Uffizi was on Monday and it was a real treat.

The Uffizi was closed to the public on Monday, but our class was given full access. We got to go into private storage rooms, we walked through secret passages, watched restorations of works, and the witnessed the development of a new exhibition. Not to mention, we got to see amazing masterpieces by Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Fra Angelico, Filipo Lippi, Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaelo, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Dürer, Rembrandt, Rubens, Botticelli, DaVinci, Duccio, and Massaccio. (Just to name a few) There were no lines, no crowds, and no security officers. It is truly a treat.

Taking pictures of this is strictly forbidden, given nobody is really supposed to see how a gallery works. Thankfully, Emily has a knack for stealth and was able to snap a few anyways...such a criminal.

More Greece

2009-11-09T08:11:00.000-08:00

Greece

Greece and Beyond

2009-11-09T07:56:00.000-08:00

Additional pictures of Greece

-Greek Violenist

-follow the music

-pride

-donkey

-yoga at the temple of Zeus

Greece, Santorini

2009-11-04T04:40:00.001-08:00

Sightseeing is really fantastic, but can be pretty exhausting so it was great to finally make it to a place that we could relax. Once we got to Santorini, everything became a lot easier, especially transportation. We were picked up directly from the port by the owner of the bed and breakfast we stayed at and he pointed out places to eat and things to see on the drive to our rooms. The rooms that we stayed in were beautiful and clean and both rooms had balconies with amazing views of the ocean.
We rested for a little while in our rooms, then set out to see the town of Fira. We rented a couple of ATV's for only 15 euros per day and explored the island a bit. We found some donkeys to pet and feed, ate some really delicious pastries, and went window shopping in the town.
We spent the rest of our time in Santorini exploring the beaches and the picturesque town of Oia, famous for its cascade of whitewashed buildings and of course, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Stephanie and I found Permissa beach, a local favorite, and were even able to get Mexican food at a place called Senor Zorba's! (If you have seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you should remember Dancing Zorba's)
Greece is an amazing place that everyone should try to see at some point in their lives, but after it was all over, it felt good to be back home in Florence.

Greece, Crete

2009-11-04T04:31:00.001-08:00

The following night we hopped on a midnight ferry to Crete. It was a pretty awful 8 hour journey between the uncomfortable deck seat and sleeping in rotation to make sure our bags didn't get swiped, but hey, it got us there overnight so we didn’t have to pay for another night in a hostel. Crete was a beautiful island, but could have been skipped if you have no interest in Minoan art. Being an art historical nerd, I was thrilled to be able to go to the Herakloin museum to see the Bull Jumping fresco, the Snake Goddess sculpture, and some fantastic Cycladic Plank figures. My poor roommates took one for the team so I could have the opportunity to see this stuff.
We only stayed in Crete for one night, and then headed off on a day ferry (thank goodness) to the vacation island of Santorini!

Greece, Athens

2009-11-04T03:59:00.000-08:00

Welcome fall semester! I just got back from Greece late Saturday night and started my first class of fall semester this morning. Greece was absolutely amazing, and impossible to explain in one blog, so I am going to split up my adventures into three for ya.

Being students, we used the 'travel by budget' technique to get us to and from Greece. Needless to say it was not the most direct or convenient way to travel, but it didn’t put too big of a whole in our pockets. We left on last Friday after class to head to Rome, which was where our flight departed from. We took a four hour train ride and stayed in a hotel (meant for two people, there were four of us) for the night. Our flight to Athens took off early in the morning, and we arrived in the afternoon in Athens. We stayed at the "Easy Access" hostel in the city, which was a decent hostel, but the location also gave us "easy access" to heroin addicts and prostitutes…yikes.
We grabbed a yummy Gyro for dinner, complete with a private show from a Greek duet, and headed back to the Hostel for some much needed sleep. We woke up early the next morning to get a head start on our sightseeing. We started at the Sunday open air market and ended at the Acropolis.
The streets of Athens are bustling and busy like New York, but once you make it to the top of the Acropolis, the view is breathtaking. Being an Art Historian, seeing the Parthenon and the Temple of Athena is humbling. After years of studying about these ancient structures and seeing the images in books makes me feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to see it in real life. The size and volume of these structures cannot be captured in the photographs.
Because our ferry didn't leave until midnight, we spent the majority of our last day in Athens burning time at the Starbucks near the port. We got some American style coffee, played cards, and met a Greek man who said "give me a word, any word, and I will tell you how its root word is Greek". (Not a joke)

Rome and the Week

2009-10-23T04:24:00.000-07:00

This has been the craziest week ever! Its Friday, and we all just finished our final exams for the Summer semester. Finally! Somehow within the last week, we managed to fit in a trip to Rome, finishing our journals for our Italian Life and Lanscape class, writing and memorizing a 10 minute oral presentation for our Italian exam, studying for our written exams, and planning our trip to Greece! Phew, its time to take a breath. But only for a second, because we are leaving again in an hour for a week in Greece.

Last weekend we had a school field trip to Rome, and it stole a piece of my heart. We left early saturday morning and stopped at two Etruscan sites called Tatquinia and Cerveteri. We visited the Necropolis (land of the dead) at both sites. There were fantastic tombs at both sites, some complete with frescos and carved weaponary. (You know, just the essentials for the after-life.) The tombs we explored were enough to make Indiana Jones jealous.

We got to Rome late saturday night. We checked into our hotel, which was actually quite swanky, and opted to go on the optional walking "night tour" of Rome. How fantastic. Between Saturday and Sunday, we saw the Spanish Steps, the Treve Fountain, The Forum, The Pantheon, the Colosseum, and Church of San Luigi de Francese. It was so surreal to see all of this stuff.

Pictures and postcards do not do these structures justice. Everything in Rome is just enormous. Standing next to the Pantheon is incredibly humbling. To think that something like that could be built or even designed in 27 b.c. is mindblowing.

Rome was way to extraordinary to be seen in two days, so it is definately a place I will return to in the near furture.

But for now... its off to the land of Gyros and Ouzo! (Oopah!) We land Athens, and have two days scheduled there. We haven't booked hostels after that, because we aren't positive which places we want to see yet. We definately have Santorini and Crete on the list though.

I look forward to updating you guys next week.

Halloween Italian Style

2009-10-12T06:01:00.000-07:00

Since Italy doesn't really celebrate Halloween, (just Carnivale in February) we took it upon ourselves to have our own celebration. The party was a couple weeks early due to our school schedule, but it was fun just the same! We decorated our apartment and got as dressed up as we could (on a student's budget). We invited everyone in our program and our spanish and italian neighbors. I'm pretty sure just about everyone showed up, totalling about 80 people! I was very impressed by everyones costume and happy to keep the tradition of Halloween alive even while far away.

Pub Quiz!

2009-10-12T05:52:00.001-07:00

We went to an English speaking pub last night! It was actually pretty relieving to be able to communicate well with the staff and the other people there. It was an Irish bar called Killian's and one wednesday each month they do what is called a 'Pub Quiz'. We get into teams of 5, and there a 8 rounds of very difficult questions about italy, art, politics, music, etc. Our team (the "Crumple Headed Snorcacks" for all you Harry Potter fans) came in a whopping 5th place. Good Guiness and good friends. Another great night in Florence.

Bebop! Florence Nightlife

2009-10-12T05:21:00.000-07:00

This past week I have been extending my knowledge of Florentine nightlife. A friend of mine, who studied here a few years ago invited me to a place called Bebop. Its this great underground club that has live music every night. Every Tuesday, a Beatles cover band plays, so naturally, that was the night we chose to go. We got front row seats and rocked out. The music was fantastic and the outfits were just as good! What a fun night!

Siena

2009-10-12T04:34:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Emily, Chelsea and I took a weekend trip to Siena. We left Friday afternoon and checked into a hostel for the night. That night we went to a local Trattoria for dinner. It must have been a very rustic place because besides the pizzas and pastas, I couldn’t tell what anything on the menu was. I decided to order something I didn't understand just to see what it was (bad idea). When the waiter delivered our food, Chelsea's plate had a Calzone the size of a baby that smelled like heaven, Emily's had a pizza that must have been made by the gods, and mine had two thin, grayish pieces of meat with pickles mushrooms on top. It looked like liver and tasted like sour cat food, but I ate it all anyways. Thankfully I have fantastic friends who let me wash it down with some of their delicious food.
The next morning we woke up early and ate breakfast that the hostel offered. It consisted of dinner bread with Nutella and a cappuccino (Italy doesn't really do the whole breakfast thing). We took the early bus to the city to start sightseeing.
In Siena, you can buy a pass for 10 Euros that grants you entrance to the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, the Siena Cathedral, the Siena Baptistry, and the Crypt. The museum had a great collection of Illuminated Manuscripts and Etruscan sculptures. The best part about this museum was the room full of work by Duccio, including his Madonna and Child with Saints and Angels. The crypt was eerie, with graves covered by Plexiglas so you could stand on top and look down at death. The baptistery was small, but had some great artwork in it, and the Siena Cathedral was breathtaking. It is just covered from floor to ceiling with amazing artwork. It is famous for its inlayed marble floors that are astounding. Everything about this building is full of intricate detail. Even the façade is so ornate it would take hours to see everything on it.

Homestyle Cooking

2009-10-12T04:28:00.000-07:00

I am finally taking the time to sit and gather my thoughts. These last two weeks have been quite busy. Last Wednesday my roommates and I enjoyed some awesome home style American cooking and its never tasted better! A while ago we bumped into our next door neighbors Kim and Donna who are here for a few weeks to study Italian language. Excited to meet some people who speak English, we planned a dinner date. Kim is a Chicago native who just moved here a few months ago after marrying her adorable husband Giorgio. Donna is here from Australia for a while enjoying the Italian lifestyle. We feasted that night on fried chicken, a real salad, broccoli and wine compliments of Chef Kim. Era buonissimo! We talked the night away, Kim sharing some amazing stories of her life as a Chicago Police Department Sheriff and all her world travels, and Donna sharing stories of life Down Under and her kids back at home. We ended the night with chocolate cake and singing Elvis tunes quite loudly. It's always great to meet new friends!

Corri La Vita

2009-10-01T05:47:00.000-07:00

Last sunday we participated in Corri La Vita; a "Marathon" to support breast cancer. Turns out, an Italian marathon consists of a few coffee breaks, chatting with friends, and tours of the city. Although we went ready to run, we were relieved that the pace was so slow considering our aching muscles from the weekend's hike. Thousands of people wearing their bright orange shirts gathered in Piazza Signoria for the beginning of the marathon. We walked through museums and gardens that were open to the public just for the day. We ended the excursion at the Boboli Gardens behind Palazzo Pitti. What a beautiful place.

Beach Babes

2009-09-29T03:41:00.001-07:00

Here in Italia, age is just a number

Via Dell'Amore

2009-09-29T03:30:00.000-07:00

Here are a few things I found cool on Via Dell'Amore

Cinque Terre

2009-09-29T03:13:00.000-07:00

This last weekend was an adventure. Being the spontaneous world travelers that we are, we packed up friday after class and went to the train station to see where we could end up. We found the 3:50 train to paradise and hopped on.

Cinque Terre is a goup of 5 small towns nestled on the Mediterranean coats. Our first stop was the southernmost town of Riomaggiore. It was my favorite of the 5 towns we visited. Small, colorful, and warm. We stayed the night in a hostel 10 feet from the water, and woke up saturday for an early morning swim.

After we checked out of the hostel, we hiked on what is called Via Dell'Amore (The Walk of Love) north, stopping at each town.

Although they are all located feet from the water, each town has its own unique ambience. Riomaggiore and Vernazza were the most beautiful in my opinion.

Warm water, fresh seafood, and inviting colors made me sad to leave.

Citta Amica Fotos

2009-09-25T02:03:00.000-07:00

I got some pictures of the basketball tournament special thanks to Augie!

Firenze Citta Amica

2009-09-24T03:53:00.000-07:00

Although this last week has been frustrating, sitting in my kitchen right now and listening to Santa Croce's church bells ringing combined the rhythmic movement of the street below reminds me of how lucky I am to be here. I have learned that things don't always go your way here, but the only thing you can do is take a deep breath and go with the flow.

Last week Chelsea and I signed up to be in the first "Torneo Pallancanestro: Firenze Cittá Amica, Rappresentativa Universitá Americane a Firenze vs. Societá Pallancanestro di Firenze". In Layman's terms, a basketball tournament. It was a tournament set up by the US Consulate intended to integrate Italian and American students. My team played in five games, two on Saturday and Sunday, and we made it to the championship game that played yesterday. (Wednesday) Although we came in second, it was loads of fun just to be able to meet some Italian girls and get a refresher course on my long lost passion that was basketball. (Special thanks to our awesome roommates and few friends who made up our cheering section!) We had eight girls on our team; five Italian, three American and an Italian coach. The other American girls are here from Gonzaga University. One thing I realized very quickly is how friendly the Italian girls are with one another and with us foreigners. Girls in the US always seem to be in competition with one another, on and off the court. Everyone is trying to one up the others. Here in Florence, the girls seem to genuinely enjoy each others' company. Maybe it’s the lack of consumer society here that fosters healthier friendships, or maybe its just the wine. Who knows. Either way, after the championship there was an awards ceremony/festa where we were given banners and a plaque. At the end of the day, I am happy to say that I now have two new T-shirts, a banner, and some new Amiche Italiane.

Codice Fiscale

2009-09-24T03:40:00.000-07:00

I got this in the mail the other day. It is my Codice Fiscale, which means I am a taxpaying resident of Italy!

Another week

2009-09-18T02:03:00.000-07:00

Do you remember that Aladding song "Whole New World"? Thats how I feel. This week has been good. I got elected as the Student Advisor for all Art History majors. Its nice to feel like I have a resposibilty. Michael moved off of our couch last night, and I am oddly sad about it. But more importantly, I booked my flight to Greece for our first week off! I will be spending a week island hopping there in October and am quite excited about it. Heres a few more things to add to your "List of Things to Know About Florence"
-A cappucino that cost E1.20 is a thousand times than any $5 starbucks you will ever have
-Mosquitoes Mosquitoes Mosquitoes
-If you leave your windows open Pigeons WILL fly in. (And Michael will scream louder than all the girls)
-The weather is on crack!

Volterra, San Gimignano, Casa Machaivelli

2009-09-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

If you ever get a chance to visit Tuscany, it is well worth your time to plan a day trip to Volterra. It is worth every second of your time even in spite of the stomach turning drive there. Volterra is interesting because it is an old Etruscan city that still maintains its original ambience. (And of course because it is the home of the Volturi Vampires.) Buildings, roads, and walls constructed during the Etruscan rule still remain. The narrow streets lined with tall stone buildings are very reminiscent of old Europe. The city is small, but is nestled on a small mountain that provides a view of the beautiful Tuscan landscape. Volterra is a place I did not want to leave.
San Gimignano was our second stop of the day. Another Etruscan city famous for its medieval architecture and brooding towers. Be prepared when visiting this city, it is a tourist hot spot to say the least. I could have done without the city tour of San Gimignano, but what made the trip worthwhile for an Art History nerd like me was entrance into Collegiata di San Gimignano. It is possibly the most frescoed church in Tuscany, rich with Romanesque style paintings. Absolutely breathtaking.
Sant’Andrea in Percussina was our final stop of the day. We were served an awesome four course dinner at Casa Machiavelli, the tavern that Machiavelli owned. After dinner we were free to roam Machiavelli’s house only a few feet away from the tavern. It was here that he wrote his famous book credited with changing the course of the political system, The Prince. It was an amazing day to say the least, but my feet were thankful for my bed by the end of the day.

Ciao!

2009-09-11T06:14:00.000-07:00

Im not going into detail but my internet is broken again, so sorry if my posts are short and rushed. Either way, class has been going very well. I am still in the Prepratory Language Program for a few more weeks. Basically just Italian Language classes. A few students and I have become close friends with the couple that owns the Bar (a coffeeshop) next to our school and every day they teach us a new word or phrase. They are the kindest, most patient people and I feel that a year from now it is going to be hard to say goodbye to them.

Last night was an interesting night in Firenze. My roommates and I found a great little Mexican restaurant that reminded us of home. There was also a Patty Smith concert just around the corner from our house and that was fun to listen to.

We have our first field trip tomorrow. Volterra is the destination. (Yes, the Vampire capitol of the world for all you Twilight addicts.) I will fill you in on the details and post pictures as soon as I can afterward. I also signed up for an international basketball tournament that takes place next weekend. I'm really looking forward to making some more Italian friends while also getting to play. A few of us signed up for the Florence "Marathon" that takes place in a few weeks. Its only 10k but I hear its the "biggest event in Tuscany" and we get to see gardens that arent generally open to the public.

Other than that I think I am finally adjusting to the Italian way of life. I think I am going to miss these mid-day siestas when I get back to the States!

Off to play some basketball with some friends!

Ciao!

Through a Bird's Eyes

2009-09-09T04:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the Virgin Mary's birthday. It is a very special holiday here in Florence. It is the one day each year that the city opens the terrace of the Duomo up to the public. For those of you who don't know, it is the massive dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, that sits on the Florence Cathedral. Renaissance architect Leon Battista Alberti once described it as rising "above the skies, large enough to cover all the peoples of Tuscany with its shadow." My roommates and I took advatage of this opportunity and hiked through the narrow wnding staircase all of the way up to the terrace. The view was amazing. From that height we could see all of the Florentine rooftops as well as the beautiful Tuscan countryside. Happy birthday Santa Maria.

Randoms

2009-09-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

Florence Bar Crawl, Piazza Michaelangelo, and my awesome roommates.

Virgin Mary's Birthday

2009-09-07T01:19:00.000-07:00

98 percent of Italian are Catholics and they take their religious holidays very seriously. As I understand it, tomorrow is the birthday of The Virgin Mary, a clear call for a city wide celebration. Tonight around sunset we met out front of Santa Croce (a very famous church for those of you who don’t know) to participate in the annual Lantern Festival honoring Mary. It is an intricate and odd tradition I do not completely comprehend, but fun nonetheless. A large crowd gathered aimlessly in the Piazza until a group of musicians came and played music that could best be described as high school football game meets Mambo #5, to rally the troops. The band lead the parade of people, many carrying paper lanterns, around Florence until we finally reached another Piazza. Well, the lanterns that people were carrying have candles in them. I guess the tradition is for kids to shoot beans at the lanterns from new age spitball straws. The goal is to puncture the paper lanterns and knock the candle inside over, lighting it on fire. Keep in mind, this is a very crowded event, so paper lanterns bursting into flames sporadically can get quite unnerving for anyone with hair. I have to admit, I did get pelted with a few poorly aimed projectiles and it really hurt. Its almost like an odd version of a pinata. Either way, after that happens a bishop speaks to the crowd and a kids choir sings some adorable songs. It was an odd affair but it was very cool to see the city come together like that. Stuff like that just does not happen in the US.

2009-09-06T02:04:00.000-07:00

The last couple of days here in Firenze have been interesting to say the least. I never realized that the human mind could capacitate such a surfeit of contradicting emotions. One side of my mind is ecstatic to be living in a city old enough to offer history and culture so unlike the United States, while the other side wants to scream for the same reason. The theory of Yin and Yang I suppose. The biggest cultural difference I have been struggling with is the lack of punctuality. It is a blessing and a curse. For example, it okay to pay rent sometime within the week its due(awesome); but in reciprocity its also okay for the internet technician to show up sometime within the month he is scheduled(not so awesome). It is with that statement that I issue an apology for the lack of updates to this blog. The fact is that I just cannot connect to the internet.
Despite the lack of internet, I have been learning a lot here lately. (Imagine that, life before the lifeline of internet.) Here are some things I have learned within the week:
-The banks here have similar formalities as the DMV so if you need to use a bank here, be repared to wait.
-The Florence Post Office works twice as fast as its U.S. counterpart but cost about three times as much.
(So if you receive little or no postcards from me I apologize, but it cost nearly 1 euro per stamp, which is the equivalent of 1.50 US dollars right now)
-Although there are 10x as many pedestrians than motor vehicles in Florence, they by no means have the right of way.
-Yes, Italian men really do say stuff like that.
-Gelato is part of your daily diet. Its cheap and delicious. Carmel flavor is my crutch.
-Absolutely and positively DO NOT go to Ikea. You WILL end up in tears
-Italians really appreciate it when Americans at least attempt to speak in Italian, no matter how broken it may be.
-EVERYTHING is closed from 12-4, so don’t plan on getting anything productive done at that time
-Fruits, vegetables, cheese and bread taste better here
-Be careful, because the wine and beer here have a much higher alcohol content than in America
-All the buildings are old and beautiful, but need to be treated with care
-Carpet, dryers, dishwashers, microwaves and toasters don’t exist here.
-Nightlife doesn’t even get started until around midnight and lasts until 4 or 5am, so take a nap before you go out.
-The sun somehow shines at a different angle here and it saturates the city with a beautiful orange glow, even at midday.
I could go on forever with things I have learned, but my suggestion would be to come here sometime to find all these things out for yourself. For now I am going to say buona serra. Ho bisognio di fare il mio compiti e manjare. Ho fame. Ciao, I will post pictures as soon as I can I promise.

Appartamento!

2009-08-28T01:23:00.000-07:00

8-28-09
Hooray! My luggage arrived at the hotel today! Well, half of it anyways. Thank goodness at least one of my suitcases was Barney Purple and could be easily plucked from the sea of drab, misplaced black suitcases. I would call the airport to find out about my other (larger) suitcase, but I have not bought a phone plan yet. Maybe I should do that…
Any who, one thing I did purchase today was an apartment! Well, not purchase per say, but signed a lease. This is not just any apartment either; this particular apartment is a portion of an old Medici Palace a few short blocks away from both Santa Croce and the Duomo, complete with original ceiling frescos and all! It is BEAUTIFUL and one of the oldest buildings in Florence, not to mention a HUGE relief knowing I have a place to live. It’s just surreal. I am sharing it with 4 other girls. Its two bedrooms yes, but the bedrooms are enormous. I really mean that. (I mean just think, it used to belong to the Medici family.) They are really big enough to fit four beds comfortably, but I think we will stick to just 5 girls. It is fully furnished; there are large desks, futons, wardrobe closets, lamps, linens, and of course the beds in both rooms. There are two large bathrooms with a washer, an enormous living and kitchen space with all cooking the cooking supplies, dishware, table, couch and television, a large foyer with umbrellas, drying racks for clothes, games, umbrellas, shoe racks, and a bookshelf complete with books. The amazing part is that rent is only 440 Euros per month including all utilities (water, gas, electric, internet, satellite tv), which I hear can get outrageously expensive here. I can’t wait to move in on Monday!
Anyway, a couple of us went to the Piazza Duomo and Piazza Signoria last night. I guess night time is the right time over here. Everyone just comes and hangs out in the Piazzas after the sun goes down. The streets are lined with gypsies and street performers and friends chatting. The part that is so unreal is that these people are just living amongst all of this amazing and historic art every day. You can just walk up to some of the most famous Hellenistic and romantic sculptures and touch them. I took some pictures. Rape of the Sabine Women is my favorite Hellenistic sculptures and I noticed it at the Piazza Signoria. The warthog statue is actually very famous. Apparently if you feed the warthog coins, it’s a premonition that you will one day return to Florence.
Anyways, this entry is rambling and I am beginning to crave gelato. I’m sorry if I don’t get back to emails and posts right away, you have to pay for the internet at the hotel and half the time it doesn’t really work. I’ll try to talk to you all soon! Ciao!
(the internet is too slow to upload images right now sorry!)

Benvenuto!

2009-08-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

Ciao! Sono arrivato appena qui in Firenze, Toscana, Italia.
Hello everyone. I just arrived in Florence, in the state of Tuscany in the country of Italy. Lets just say despite the colorful taxi ride to the hotel, I made it safe and sound. Unfortunately, I cant say the same for my luggage. So for now, I am living off of two pairs of shorts, a few shirts, and even fewer pairs of undies. Its all good though. I have only been here for a few hours but I cant explain how happy I am already. I have met some amazing people, searched in desperation for available apartments, and seen the Duomo, the Rotunda, a Triumphal arch and perused the Piazzas. I think I decided to try to find an apartment with some Italain students so I can learn the culture a little better. Wish me luck, I have only 6 days to find a place to live!
I didnt take many picutres yet, but there are underground tunnels in Florence thats are covered in graffiti art I think is beautiful.
Much more to come!
Arrivederci!

My First Post

2009-08-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

Well here goes nothing! Welcome to my blog family and friends. I decided to create this to keep all of you updated on my adventures this year. I leave for Florence out of LAX on August 26th. For those of you who dont know, I will be spending an academic year in Florence studying Art and learning Italian language and culture. I can't wait to go and I will be posting picutres and stories as soon as I get there!
For now I am gonna spend the next 16 days preparing and enjoying the San Diego sunshine!