Corri la vita!

This past Sunday September 26th was Corri La Vita- a walk for Breast Cancer here in Firenze! While normally in America, walks such as these are sponsored by companies like Yoplait, Subway, Nike, and Bank of America. In Italy, the sponsors are Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Prada...high end fashion designers. Only in Italy. 

Shout out to Shaun: that heart on my shirt is for you--I ran for you today!

The race started at 9:30am and there were thousands of people participating--it was really cool to see all of that support. They opened up a bunch of museums as well as the Boboli Garden, which we spend a bit of time in! Since there were so many people it was impossible to run the race, so we walked it.

gettin' our stretch on

A whole lotta people in purple

View from the Boboli Garden. Bellissimo!

After the race, Kayla and I were on the search for free food (there's always some kind of freebee at big events, and lets face it- everyone who knows me knows that I enjoy my free samples). So what sounds like a good thing to drink after a "race"? Chocolate milk apparently! Alas, we got some free chocolate milk. And it was delicious :)

So I like food...

Just so you all stop thinking I only eat gelato here, I decided to fill you in on my REAL food adventures.





Real food #1: Homemade ravioli at Dylan's house.

-Homemade noodles: eggs, flour, water.

-Filling: garlic, crushed red pepper, mini hot dog sausages, and rosemary all sauteed in olive oil and white wine. Then it was mixed into ricotta cheese and another type of white cheese (looked like swiss).

-Sauce: was made with beer and apples.

Outcome: Wonderful! It was one of Dylan's original recipes, inspired by Northern Italian cuisine. (very german influenced, hence the beer and the mini hot dogs in the recipe)

Lauren and I

 Real food #2: Pasta 

-Fusilli noodles and whole wheat penne pasta

-fresh cherry tomatoes from San Ambrosio market

-Fresh basil

-Arribiatta sauce

-and of course, crushed red pepper

Real Food #3: Baked Apple

-fuji apple from San Ambrosio market
-Honey
-Cinnamon
-Cereal and granola

 

Real Food # 4: Trip to Bologna to see what this "worlds best food" reputation is all about

Affetato Misto: On the platter of sliced meats we have: Proscuitto crudo di Parma, Salame felino, Salame piccante, and Mortadella. Served with a Bologna specialty--Crescentine Vuote- fried bread which is AMAZING

Crostini "Orgasmico"(yes that was the name): Taleggio cheese, honey, and walnuts

eating the "Orgasmico" crostini. The name suits it.

Tagliatelle Bolognese

The feast of champions

I'm not gonna lie, there was a cold dessert like substance consumed post dinner that may or may not have had nutella and cookies in it served inside an edible holder....

You Lucca pretty

Piazza Anfiteatro

So this past Saturday, Caroline and I decided to peace out of Firenze for a day to explore a little town called Lucca.  Surrounded by massively thick 16th-century walls, Lucca is home to some really awesome Medieval and Renaissance architecture, delicious food (where is there NOT delicious food in Italy), and when we were there-- an antique market.

 Our first priority was to pay a visit to Taddeucci, a pasticceria that is famous for its "buccellato"(a sweet bread with raisins and anise seeds). We walked in to the shop only to find it completely packed full of italians trying to get a loaf or two. I took it as a good sign, so when it was my turn, I just followed the Italian's lead and got a loaf.

When in Lucca...

Caroline and I got some cappucinos, and sat inside a bar (that's what they call coffee shops here) and ate our Buccellato.

Lucca was definitely a nice break from the tourist-ridden Firenze. We spent our day leisurely cruising around, with no set agenda which was nice. Catedrale San Martino was
STUNNING.

Caroline and I sitting on the wall on the outskirts of Lucca

Side note: We may or may not have eaten the entire loaf of Buccellato by the end of the day.

A few more paintings!

Here is two (well technically 3) new paintings.

The assignment for the first one was to design a mural that goes inside a restaurant inside of an airport. RANDOM. So I decided to paint a picture of a jazz band that Paul and I happened to walk past one day in San Francisco. We had to do a perspective painting, and then a detailed painting that is 50cmx70cm.

the perspective painting, so what it would look like on the 3 walls

The Savoy Tivoli Bar, 50cmx70cm, acrylic on paper

The 2nd assignment was a still life. So I searched around our house, and ended up finding a couple of jars from our kitchen on top of our lime green tablecloth and painted that.

Espresso and sugar, 50cmx70cm, acrylic on paper

Failed pick-up lines.

So we went out last night, and here some of what happened:

Kayla, Brita, Caroline and I were sitting on a bench in Piazza Santa Croce, when an African vendor-man (who sells things like glittery hats, glowing bouncy balls and cheap bracelets to drunk kids) approaches us. He has been chatting with two italian guys on the bench next to us right before he came over, and says "I have a present for all of you beautiful ladies". He then proceeds to give us each a bracelet which the Italian boy paid for. The boys come over, and one says (in italian and then in english) "My friend has an illness and needs some help. He has lost his memory and the doctor said the cure is a kiss from a beautiful girl!"
Needless to say, as creative as he was, none of us were charmed. We got some free bracelets out of the whole deal, but unfortunately for them, homeboy was not cured and I suppose will remain "ill" until he is successful spittin' his game on some other American girls.

Other unfortunate pick-up lines:

"Hey chicks! Where you go?"

"You are as beautiful as the sky!"

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore...

How does one start off a Friday night beautifully?

Homemade Pizza, that's how.

STEP 1: MAKE.

STEP 2: BAKE.

STEP 3: ADMIRE.

STEP 4: ENJOY.

Today I went grocery shopping and was surprised at how little it cost for how much I got! But anyways, when I was walking out there was a little old lady also leaving the grocery store, so I offered to help her. I carried one of her bags and she was very grateful! The reason for me telling this story is not to toot my own horn but to tell you that we were able to carry on a conversation for about 5 minutes!! It was awesome. When we got to her house she grabbed my face in the most italian way possible and gave me bacio bacio ("kiss kiss" on the cheeks)--it was fantastic!

Later I walked to a little shop down the street that makes handmade leather journals, and since I was on a mission to find one, this seemed like a good place to look! I went inside and the guys in there thought I was German--I get that a lot here! I ended up talking to the guy for a good 10 minutes. He told me that he'd make me a journal right then and there! It is bellissima--and only 12 euro!

Valentina just scooped me some gelato, so now, naturally, I must attend to it. Ciao :)

Posso assaggiare?

First field trip= success! We took two charter buses to Volterra--our first stop, only an hour and a half away from Firenze. Volterra was the largest outpost for the Etruscans (the people who bridged the gap between the Greeks and the Romans) back in 800 B.C., strategically situated on the highest peak in a chain of hills where you can see all the way to the Tyrrenian Sea and even Cinque Terre (they had a great taste in panoramic views). I think my favorite thing there was the Roman Amphitheater and hot baths, which date back to the 1st century A.D.!!  Did you know that the area functioned as the town dump for centuries, until an archeologist discovered the ruins underneath it--and then patients from the local insane asylum were later enlisted to dig out the trash!

Also, I had my first ever cappuccino, and it was DELICIOUS. I'm really trying to fight popular trend of becoming a "coffee addict" by avoiding it like the plague, however I failed this time around, and felt it was completely necessary to have this cappuccino because of he little design in the foam.

San Gimignano

Next stop: San Gimignano...

Jessica and I

...a small walled medieval hill town in Siena, Tuscany. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which can be seen for several miles outside of town. More importantly (to college students), it is famous for its white wine, Vernaccia. (I will also add that they have a Gelateria that is dubbed "World Champion for best Gelato"). I went inside the Collegiata Church where the entire interior was biblical frescoes (paintings done on plaster). I was lucky enough to get to wear an extremely attractive blue gauzy wrap around my legs because jean shorts are not allowed inside churches. All I can say is that I was completely in awe of this place-I spent a good hour in there.

the frescoes inside the Collegiata Church!

Last stop: Machiavelli's house for a fancy dinner! We got a tour of his house, and then were seated in a restaurant on his property.

5 different types of crostini:
-fegato [liver]
-pate di olive nere [black olive]
-stracchino e salsiccia [cheese and sausage]
-bruschetta (contrary to popular American belief, it is pronounced broo-sket-ta) con pomodoro [tomato]
-and formaggio e noci [cheese and walnuts].

Prima Portata:
Ribollita alla Toscana [absolutely delicious bread and vegetable soup]--my favorite

Seconda Portata:
Rosemary chicken, short ribs, potatoes, and little sausages on bread

Dolce (dessert!):
Biscotti and Vin Santo [biscotti with sweet wine]

AMAZING!

So on Sunday we attended the Chianti Wine Tasting festival in the town of Greve--about 45 minutes outside of Florence. For 10 euro, we got a wine glass and a stamp card which allowed us seven different samples. After about 14 samples of wine and only three stamps on our stamp card (people were a bit lenient) we decided to get some pizza, which was absolutely delicious at the time.

I had a great time, tried quite a variety of wine and was able to practice speaking italian! Posso assaggiare... (can I taste...) is forever engrained in my head because over the past 3 weeks, lets just say I have had my fair share of gelato samples and as of now, vino samples!

Brendan, Lauren, me and Michelle

They really wanted to take a picture with me! haha.

So quite a bit has happened in the past few days!

So Tuesday (Sept. 7th) was la Festa delle Rificolone (festival of the paper Lanterns) which is on the eve of a religious Italian celebration called "Nativita della Beata Vergine Maria", remembering the Birth of the Virgin Mary. At night, Florentines walk through the city carrying paper lanterns illuminated by candles from within. This tradition dates back to the Renaissance, when pilgrims bearing lanterns would gather in front of the Church Santissima Annunziata, and many would arrive from outside of the city after sunset so needed a lantern to light the way.

We watched the main procession go right down our street, Via dei Servi, into Piazza della S.S. Annunziata. In the Piazza, there is a festival with many vendors, cotton candy machines, balloons, and lots of children shooting spitwads to break the lanterns--those little punks! After art class, I hurried back to my apartment, grabbed my camera and went down to take some pictures. We also brought some euros to buy some authentic italian almond brittle. deeelicious!

Wednesday, in commemoration of the Nativita della Beata Vergine Maria (birth of the blessed Virgin Mary), the terrace level of the Duomo was open to the public for free! They only open this level once a year, so we were very fortunate to go up. Today also was our first rain and I got to put my fancy REI rainjacket to use. (It works well parents!!)

From left to right: Caroline (San Jose), Ilaria (Italia), Valentina (Italia), me, Maleesa (San Luis Opispo)

Finally our house is complete--our two italian roommates moved in 3 days ago, and their names are Ilaria and Valentina-- and they are the sweetest girls! We went and got gelato last night( ilaria said it is the best gelato in firenze--she told me that she is "a gelato expert") , and tonight we went and got some pizza! It was soo good. I know that we are all going to learn so much from eachother and I am so excited for what is to come!!



Today after class, Kayla and I walked over to the San Ambrosio market, which is like a giant farmers market plus clothing, purses, jewlery--pretty much anything you can think of. I have officially decided that this is where I will buy everything from now on.

Tomorrow we are going on a field trip to Volterra, learning all about the Etruscan people and all that good stuff. Then we are having dinner at Machiavelli's house--you know, the guy who wrote The Prince? Ya, no biggie ;)

Well I gotta wake up early tomorrow, so it's time to sleep!

the art of procrastination

Amanda, 50cmx70cm, acrylic on paper, 2010

Notebook and apple, 11cmx14cm, acrylic on paper, 2010

So here are my first paintings in Italia! I am currently procrastinating on a third one that is due in 4 hours... I have to design and paint a facade of a building, and I have no idea where to begin! Thank goodness one of my roommates is an architecture student :)