Turino with Mel

I had the BEST weekend ever with my sister! Mel arrived in Florence last Saturday morning.  I met her at the airport expecting to help carry her luggage however her luggage didn't make the flight due to her tight connection.  It was eventually delivered the next day but she still came with lots of goodies for me! Believe it or not she brought me a full dozen of sprinkle cupcakes :) She also carried lots of liquids and clothes for me! So off the bat... she already started the trip with a great start.  After she settled down we went to Gusta Pizza where she fully immersed herself in the Italian culture by eating a huge pizza. After lunch we went on a shopping extravaganza and purchased leather gloves, leather coats, and went to Zara (young women's fashionable clothing store) Obviously it was my favorite day since shopping is my favorite hobby but I was happy to spend time with her!  Later we took a break and chilled at my apartment and then dined at Acqua 2.  It is a fancy restaurant that serves samplers.  You can order based off the amount of people and sample multiple items on the menu. We started with a pasta sampler, and then I tasted the steak sampler.  We left feeling unable to breath. 

The next day we woke up and ate at The Diner (an Americanized breakfast place in Florence where you can actually get a bagel, pancakes, or an omelet)  Next we hiked Piazza Michaelangelo which over looks the entire city.  After we visited the Boboli Gardens in Florence and sat outside and caught up. It was a gorgeous day so it was perfect to spend time outside.  After we dabbled into the Italian culture by attending a food event in the community called The Taste.  It is a food trade show that occurs every year in which local citizens can pay 15 euro to walk around and sample some of the best food from the country at each booth.  You can then purchase the products after. My food and wine teacher told me about this and it was a perfect event to attend with Mel. Our favorite part was the baked goods and chocolate booths. Later we napped and then ate dinner at La Giostra.  La Giostra is my absolute favorite restaurant here and they are known for their Pear Ravioli, & Apple Glazed Chicken.  It is pretty fancy but well worth it to splurge on with family or friends.  When we were younger our family actually ate their when we traveled to Italy.  It is neat to go back and I still have vivid memories of the place. After I showed Mel the best gelato place in Florence called Grom.  We got gelato and walked to the bars so she could see the night life.  The next morning she departed to London to visit her friends from abroad the previous year while I crammed for Midterms.  It was hard to actually concentrate and do school work since this entire semester I haven't had any homework lasting over 10 mins. Hahah I felt as though I had to retrain myself to study.  I successfully completed all my midterms and on Wednesday Mel returned.  We went out that night and the next morning traveled to Turino.

We took a millions forms of transportation before arriving in Sestiere (a ski town of Turino). We decided on this destination because it offers great skiing and the winter Olympics were held in the city in 2006. We arrived in the evening and got settled, picked up our skiing/snowboarding gear and then went to dinner.  The next day we woke up early enjoyed our great Hotel breakfast (they cooked eggs for us...It was AMAZING!) and then ventured onto the slopes.  We stayed right near the slopes so it was easy to get to.  I haven't skied in a while so I approached the bunny hills expecting the worse.  I went down a couple of times and felt pretty confident.  Mel wanted to head onto moderate slopes so I didn't think twice before moving on.  I now regret that decision...I wiped out three times before making it down the moderate slope.  First let me inform you that a moderate slope in Europe=Black Diamond Slopes in America. The angle of the hill had to be close to a straight shoot down.  I burst into tears and laughter before making it down the hill.  It was quiet the experience. After that slope I told Mel I was sticking to the easy hills.  One of the coolest parts about the slopes and ski town is that you can eat and take breaks on the mountains. We ate lunch at a restaurant on the mountain and skied/snowboarded right up to it.  It is also very popular to sit back on the slope in a lazy boy outdoor chair.  People are posted everywhere soaking up the rays and taking a break.  I tried to take advantage of that as long as possible before Mel wanted to continue to snowboard and ski.  I called it quits early and went back to rest.  Later we ventured around the tiny town and went to aperski (drinking after skiing) We then grabbed dinner in the town and headed back to our hotel where we streamed movies!  This was a huge excitement point since my internet in my apartment is awful! The next morning we repeated our day by skiing, snowboarding and eating lunch on the mountain.  In the morning Mel had a minor incident in which she lost her snowboard.   She sat down and went to pull out her phone and didn't realize her board slipped out from underneath her. She spent a good 30 mins looking for it before finding on caught in a side of a fence. I personally couldn't be happier...I thought we could avoid skiing but that wasn't the case.  After a 2nd full day of skiing and snowboarding I couldn't walk. My entire body ached and was bruised!!! We then went to 2 different aperskis and then ate dinner.  The next morning we traveled back to Florence.  We settled down, unpacked and grabbed dinner at a restaurant called ZaZa's.  They are known for their wine, and pasta.  The next morning Mel got up early and left to go back to DC.  I was so sad but also got to look forward to my trip the next day to Sardinia.

Overall I had a great time with my sister and couldn't have asked for a better trip. It was so nice to have family here and escape the normal routine.  I enjoyed showing her all my favorite spots and spending time with her.  I want her to come back to Italy but I will also settle for my parents visit!!!
MY MOM COMES IN 3 MORE DAYS!!!! Can you tell I'm excited??? I can't wait to see my mom and dad and travel with them!

More to come!
Ciao!

Amsterdam

Last weekend we traveled to Amsterdam.  I was pleasantly surprised by the town and LOVED it! We arrived Friday night and started the trip with a feast at Wok Wok (an Asian stir fry place near by) It was so nice to get food besides ITALIAN Food! As much as I love Italian food I was ready for a break.  We then visited a couple of coffee shops and saw the red light district.  It was so bizarre to see girls dancing in windows waiting for men to enter the shop.  I found it very distributing and weird.  The coffee shops were somewhat interesting in that there is a menu in which you chose what type of marijuana to purchase.  I have to admit I was an obvious tourist in that I took a million photos documenting this experience.  The next day we started with the Anne Frank Museum.  The museum featured artifacts, documentaries, and quotes that depicted the story of Anne Frank. The museum was incredible.  I was moved by the exhibits and artifacts left behind by Anne Frank.   After we went to the pancake bakery and ordered HUGE pancakes!  I was spontaneous and tried a pancake with bacon and cheese cooked it.  It was DELICOUS!  We then made our way to the Heineken museum, which was like a big party inside.  The entire museum had rooms with music and logos of Heineken.  I personally hate the taste of beer so I barely made it past the sampler before giving away my two complimentary remaining glasses of beer.  After the Heinekin tour we went to see the Amsterdam letters.  Later we ventured to a diamond tour in which we toured the Gassan Diamond headquarters and viewed diamonds.  I found my future wedding ring!   It was a 3-carat diamond J and cost 200,000 euro.  So I’m going to have to tell my future husband to start saving once I meet him.  Later we dined on Thai food and visited another coffee shop.  The next day we walked around the near by town and then headed back to Florence.  Overall Amsterdam was my favorite trip so far.  I loved how the city was modern, and up to speed with technology.   It was a huge difference compared to Italy. There was a Starbucks in Amsterdam that I visited morning.  It was so nice to have a “normal” American coffee.  I was in HEAVEN!

This week after returning to Florence I visited and survived the Florence emergency room and hospital.  I was making lunch on Monday and cut my finger on a can.  I realized that I was going to have to go to the emergency room after feeling a horrid pain in my finger.  Ironically, I found out I live one street away from the emergency room.  I walked myself over and got admitted.  I was able to get a hold of my parents and avoiding getting stitches! I had to get a tetanus shot, which was unfortunate but my finger is ok! Another thing I learned was that everyone in the hospital only speaks Italian.  I had quite a bit of difficulty explaining what happened in Italian.  It is funny now looking back on it but a nightmare when I was there. Also I learned the health care in Italy is very cheap.  It only costs me 26 euro for the visit and shot.  Not too bad!  Currently I have to wear a large bandage over my thumb and can’t get it wet.  Showering, writing, and typing are a little more challenging than usual.  Hopefully it will heal quickly!

Anyway I’m anticipating my sister’s arrival to Florence!  Mel comes in TWO DAYS! I’m so excited to see her and show her Florence.  Unfortunately I have midterms Monday through Wednesday but after we are traveling to Torino for the weekend to go skiing and snowboarding! Looking forward to it!

Ciao!

San Gimignano

Two weekends ago we visited San Gimignano.  San Gimignanois a town 45 mins from Florence in Chianti Country. The town is known for their wineries and food.  We walked around the town, climbed the bell tower, viewed the town church, and enjoyed a 4 course meal for lunch.  We ate at a great little restaurant tucked away in the streets of the town.  We first were served Pomodori.  It is an Italian specialty that is served as a appetizer.  The dish is a mix of tomatoes, soft bread, water, and seasonings.  It looks like a thick pasta sauce that is light in color.  Next we were served a walnut truffle ravioli that was mouth watering!  After we had chicken and finished lunch with traditional tiramisu.  The meal wouldn’t be considered Italian if we didn’t feast on bread and wine.  After our HUGE lunch we tasted the world champions of gelato making.  Apparently there is a world contest every year and the makers were very proud to announce their victory with a huge sign placed over their shop.  Before leaving we had time to explore the shops and we found unique jewelry and wine all around.  This by far was my favorite day trip.  I really enjoyed listening to our advisors share stories and information about the city. 

Carnival in Venice

This weekend we took a day trip and attended Carnival in Venice.  It is festival that goes on every year in Venice from the beginning of February to the end of February. The festival originated as a public holiday and celebration the day before lent. In the past the event celebrated prosperity, myths, and culture. We traveled by bus for 3.5 hours (UGH!) and then boarded a ferry that took us to San Macro Square (the main area of the festival).  The minute we stepped off the ferry and onto the island we were surrounded by crowds of people.  Everywhere you walked you would see street performers dressed up standing waiting for you to take pictures or watch them.  It seemed as though numerous Italians from other parts of the country traveled to Venice for carnival to simply make a statement by dressing up and posing for pictures.  By the main square there was a main stage where shows were held.   Some of the shows included magicians and mimes.   There were tons of shops with souvenirs, masks, and trinkets from Venice.  I was able to purchase my 1st mask! One of the neat areas we found was face painting.  It is a huge tradition to have your face painted with intricate designs and to wear a mask. We spend most of our time eating, drinking at bars, and observing the bizarre phenomenon.  Everywhere you looked people were wearing masks, extravagant costumes or goofy outfits.  The island was quite confusing due to narrow passage ways, and dark tunnels. We got lost quite a few times to say the least.  Overall I would say it was a neat experience and I'm very excited to return to Venice with my parents when they visit to see more of Venice! I saved the chance to go on my first gondola ride for the next time I return ....Obviously so my parents can pay for it :)

The rest of the weekend we recuperated and I caught up on homework and cleaned our messy apartment!  I found out today that I got 100% on my Italian quiz! Pretty exciting considering I have no clue how to speak properly in this country!

Xoxo
-A

Paris

After jet setting to Paris for the weekend with a group of 18 girls I now have a new appreciation for small group trips (with my family in particular). This past Thursday we departed early in the AM to Paris.  We took over 5 systems of transportation to secure a cheap flight.  In the end we learned it cost the same amount to fly out of a nearby airport and pay more for the flight versus commuting to a middle of now where airport with cheap flights.  Regardless we arrived in Paris and stayed with some other sorority sisters in an home exchange apartment.  Our location was great and we traveled mostly by metro the entire time.  I became a metro extraordinaire.  I know it is hard to believe but somehow I ended up as the group tour guide for the weekend.  I led a group of 18 people around the entire time.  I now understand how annoying I was when I was little and would ask a million questions over and over and over when visiting tourist attractions.  We started the day with Notre Dame and then proceeded to Musee d' Orsay.  After we ate at Ratatouille where we sampled the traditional ratatouille dish (known as a vegetable stew served chilled).  The following day we started with Versailles.  I was blown away by the palace and grounds. I decided I could easily get married there or live there due to the extravagant interior design. After Versailles we went to Sacre Coeur which is a church set on the top of a hill in Paris.  The church had a breath taking view of the city below.  We listened to a local performer on the steps of the church and drank hot wine...a recent discovery :)  After we went to the Champs de Elysee where we viewed the arc de triomphe.  While walking down the Champs de Elysee we smelled Abercrombie Fierce (Abercrombie cologne) from the street.  We soon discovered the flagship store on the strip.  Male models we standing outside shirtless inviting pedestrians to come inside.  Inside was like a dream come true! 6 floors of all Abercrombie! In addition we visited Laduree (a famous bakery/macaroon shop) and tasted colorful macaroons.  The next day we ate breakfast at Angelina's a famous pastry shop near the Louvre.  The pastry shop is notorious known for their hot chocolate and chocolate croissants. I ordered the hot chocolate and received a cup of rich melted chocolate.  It was delicious but heavy on calories! After we ventured into the Louvre.  Angelina's helped brace me for the bordem I soon felt after entering the Louvre.   As you all know I HATE MUSEUMS WITH A PASSION! However luckily so did everyone else I was traveling with.  We quickly scanned the museum, saw the Mona Lisa, sculpture of Venus, and other exhibits and then left! After we went to the Eiffel Tower and waited in a long line :( As the planner of the group I suggested we get tickets ahead of time however we failed to do so.  We finally made it up to the summit and it was freezing.  We made it up in time for sunset which was incredible.  On the way down we were able to view the Eiffel Tower lit up.  To end the day we dined in the Moulin Rouge district!  Overall I had a great trip in Paris! I would go back anytime just for the food! I had a chocolate croissant each morning and even managed to make room for a crepe!  Don't worry I already went for a run yesterday!

Right now in Italy there is a chocolate festival going on around the corner from us.  It is the best festival I have ever seen! I'm a huge fan of chocolate so basically it is a dream come true.  So far I have gone everyday and gotten a piece in honor of Valentines Day!

That is all for now!

Ciao!

Less than 24 hours in Rome

Unfortunately due to the cold weather and snow in Italy we had a bit of a frantic travel experience.  We attempted to travel to Rome last Friday morning and arrived by train to a snow storm with snow flakes the size of golf balls.  Apparently it hadn't snow this bad in 20 years! The entire city shut down including transportation.   We finally located our hotel and met up with our two friends studying abroad in Rome.  After settling in and eating we decided to return to Florence due to the rumors of a blizzard headed directly to Rome.  All the attractions shut down for two days so we made a quick decision to catch the last train back to Florence.  To recover from the disappointment we spent some quality time at a local pub nearby on Saturday, got delicious panini's at Salmeri Verdi (One of the best Panini's places in Florence and recommended by many) and then managed to go out at night.  Sunday we cleaned and cooked our way through the day.  This week I visited the local market which sells tons of local products at various stands.  I found a form of dried cranberries which was pretty exciting!  In my cooking class we prepared Pasta Normandy, a veal prosciutto dish and sampled two white wines.  We learned white wine is normally paired with greasy, fatty foods because it helps to cleanse your system due the high acidity.  I'm starting to grasp the basics in the Italian language and can now officially navigate through the grocery store. Tomorrow we leave for Paris and I'm so excited to travel! I hope there aren't any issues with our travel however I'm sure there will be some minor bumps in the road :)

That is all for now!

xoxo
-A

Classes at Lorenzo De Medici

First week of classes and now a four day weekend! I had made it through the first official school week :)  I started on Monday with my beginning Italian course and Pairing of Food and Wine.  The Italian course is enjoyable and is similar to Spanish so I can understand most of the class so far.  By far the food and wine class is my favorite.  I have a passionate foodie teacher who isn't afraid to get messy and teach us everything.  The first thing we made was pasta carbonara which is a pasta with a cheese and egg mixture along with bacon. While cooking the pasta my teacher showed me that he wasn't afraid to stick his hand in boiling water to taste/test the pasta.  I felt as though I was watching a cooking show right before my eyes. We also tasted 2 wines in class including a white Chardonnay and red Merlot.

Tuesday I attended Anthropology of the Catwalk, and Visual Merchandising.  I already can tell the anthropology class will be boring however I really enjoyed the visual merchandising class.  We will be working with local businesses in Florence to help merchandise their windows and stores in addition to multiple group projects, and story boards.

On Wednesday I attend my Italian class again and then have trend forecasting.  I'm very excited about the trend forecasting class.  This class teaches you how to forecast certain styles, upcoming trends, and fads through the use of photoshop and Adobe.

Many of my classes take field trips throughout the course which is very exciting.  The only bummer is that most of my classes are 2.5 hours long and I find it very difficult to sit that entire time.  The most impressive thing about the teachers at Lorenzo de Medici is their English.  Every professor has excellent English.

Last night some of the girls I'm living with and I indulged in a fancy dinner at La Giostria, which is a restaurant around the corner from us.  I had eaten there before when I was young and was reminded of the memories when I walked in.  We were greeted with sparkling wine and a large platter of appetizers. We started off with their famous pear ravioli as an appetizer and then ate apple glazed chicken with roasted potatoes and vegetables.  After leaving I was in a food coma and could barley move. 

That is all for now!
Arrivederci!