Bring me back!

I'm back from a month of vacation, well rested and dreaming about the next time I can go back to Europe. When I scheduled my tickets, I thought a month seemed like a long time, but as always, it was so full that the time flew by and after two weeks, I was already evaluating how I might be able to extend my stay. But here I am, back in ol' NC and I want to share some of the highlights from my vacation to remember living after grad school. To edit the list, because I could go on forever, since my mini-trips worked themselves out like this, I limited myself to highlighting the B's from it all. Buon viaggio!

From one of my manual shift driving lessons with Anna & Ermelindo.

• Breath taking views. In case you didn't know, G lives in Tuscany, where they forget what beauty looks like because it's everywhere around them. I missed the greenest greens of the hills when it was rainy but got to see the green change into gold. On the bus route to the city or out on the country roads, like where I practiced driving (shifting gears is TONS more work), these hills are better than the movies.

• Bologna. I decided I wanted to take a trip alone. Solo travel is a really exciting way to see a new place. 

Bologna's Two Towers. The one in the foreground is actually leaning!

But it doesn't hurt when the city is gorgeous and the food is fantastic! I even got to catch up with my friend Megan from my Fulbright cohort who gave me all the best tips about what to do and where to eat (SUPER imperative) and made a new North Carolina friend at the hostel where I was staying. How does that song go again...?

• Buds. It's always wonderful visiting friends, especially since you don't get to see that often. My time in Italy is full of reunions of this type, whether it's over a dinner with lively conversation, on a stroll through the streets, or sitting side-by-side on the couch, I've learned that it's really my people make the place home. This time I was also visited by one of my very best friends, Filippo. It had been two years since I had seen him last. For offering a bed in his kitchen, I was happy to return the favor.

•  Bold patriotism. Out of curiosity, G and I went to the US Cemetery in Florence the day I flew in. We had talked about it several times, and I'm glad we went then. There couldn't have been more than 4 people there with us and we were really able to soak in the space and pay respect for the lives given. But I returned about a week later with Filippo for the Memorial Day service. The ceremony was done in both English and Italian, there were veterans and active service members from both countries, and even the US Ambassador came from Rome. For such an important day, it was uplifting to see so many people, Americans and Italians alike, honoring the service members to which we owe so much.  

Zia Sam with Sofia--I'm in love.

• Basketball: After I shared the Cameron Crazie experience with G in Durham, he wanted me to see what it's like to be an Italian fan in the curva. I arrived at the beginning of the playoffs and Mens Sana, Siena's team, was ranked #2. We went to the first game together and I returned with some friends for the third. I think an average Crazie would feel pretty comfortable in the middle of the biggest fans--as long as they learned the songs. All four quarters are non-stop cheers, on your feet, for your team with big flags and a drum to keep time. You can see a couple videos here. Mens Sana made it through that series and the quarter finals, and are currently playing their hearts out in the finals against the team from Milan, owned by the fashion mummy designer Giorgio Armani. Did I mention that Mens Sana is going bankrupt after the season? Only in Italy. Forza Mens Sana!

•  BABIES! I saw three newborns in a month and it was heaven! Sean, Sofia, and Samuele. They were all between 3-8 weeks when I visited so it was glorious.

• Budapest. 

This city was one of the most wonderful places I have ever been. It was beautiful, full of history, and a place where you can eat and drink well for sure! If you like art nouveau architecture as much as we do, you certainly won't get bored simply walking around this city! Although we are told it wasn't hot, I was thrilled to finally pull out my shorts and G didn't mind the fountains much.

Plus we met friends, old and new, which always makes traveling the best! Not to mention I knocked off another goal from my bucket list!

• Baths. Budapest is known for its Turkish baths. We went to two and they certainly didn't disappoint.I was surprised how refreshing the 30°C/86°F water was after a day in the sun. But I also redeemed my Christmas present from G and we went to some in Tuscany. Considering how rarely I get to go to a place like that, I certainly had my fill of rejuvenating waters.

• Belly full of food. Culture, art, love, whatever. Don't listen to any of that. The reason you go to Italy is for the food. On this trip--who am I kidding?! Every trip I eat my weight in cheese, olive oil, and the artichokes. But really. Artichokes.

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La vie en rose.

It's already ... April! Geeze, I just can't keep up. But after my amazing trip to Europe in February I was welcomed back with a mallet to the forehead, a job offer, and wedding season. Needless to say, it's been pretty busy around these parts. My forehead is fine beyond the unsightly scar that's getting fixed up. I'm on spring break from my position as an assistant in a kindergarten class. It's quite a way to pay the bills, but the laughs are a'plenty. And thankfully I love weddings. My little brother Jason tied the knot with his love (and my new sis-in-law!) in an intimate family affair. 

Then last weekend was the fiesta of the YEAR when my dearest college friend Lauren donned her stunning dress to get hitched with Tim-Bo! SO. MUCH. FUN.

But really I wanna talk about February with my love since I'm finally getting around to looking at the pictures (and posting them on Facebook, naturally). We visited with so many friends while I was in Italy but took a little retreat just the two of us to Paris of all places during Valentine's Day of all times. Back in August when we decided to visit La Ville-Lumière that really wasn't the plan, but it sure was convenient. Anyone who knows anything about long distance relationships will tell you that a little bit of effort goes a long way! Staying in an apartment ended up being so much cheaper than any other options and our home base was in the best part of town: Le Marais. I wanted to go to every little cafe', art gallery, and vintage shop on the street, but without that much time or money (Paris isn't the cheapest city there ever was...), it makes for great window shopping. The first morning we stopped in the Rodin Museum to examine art and think our own thoughts.

Then we visited Napoleon, or really his tomb. Walking into Les Invalides, I couldn't see the bottom of the hole, for far too long, where his 7-times entombed sarcophagus was. You can't fathom how huge it is from this picture, but not being able to see to the floor, my stomach dropped. 

Why? Because this shorty is scared of heights. But we had a nice visit and then headed to the heart of it all: the Eiffel Tower. 

The line was super long so G went to investigate. He had been there before and went to explore. Upon his return, G explained that we can cut our wait time tremendously... by taking the stairs. The Eiffel Tower is 1063 feet (324 meters) tall--which meant nothing to me until I stood under it. Thinking to my 25 before 25, I recognized an opportunity to conquer my fear of heights. I mean, what better way? It was cold and windy and I was moving slow up to the first level. After some hot chocolate, we started up to the second level. As soon as I got there, I felt free! I was practically doing cartwheels (gross exaggeration) and definitely freaking out G. I made it up the 674 steps! But if I'm going to be honest, the elevator up to the tip top was the worst part. It moves so fast and the whole thing is glass. The view is impressive but G and I spent the ride up clutching each other in silence.

Valentine's Day was dreary and rainy. G brightened it up with breakfast and flowers, then we spent all day at the Louvre. The rooms were massive. 

My favorite was definitely the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and Canova's Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss, but La Giocanda wasn't too bad too, I guess. Ha!

And we fell in love with all the Egyptian stuff. (It surely played into my bid to get Egypt on our travel list.)

My favorite sites were Sainte-Chappelle, the Pantheon, and Musée d'Orsay. Seeing those breathtaking windows on the one sunny day was lucky.

Foucault's Pendulum and the French heroes' graves was overwhelming. I mean, Marie Curie...! (Ignoring the radiation I imagined coming through her tomb, of course.) 

Manet's Olympia and the ENTIRE Impressionist section were real highlights at the Gare. Introducing G to art nouveau furniture was a big win, too, but the old train station museum is full of awesome things!


We really just loved walking around. When we could handle the cold (long johns on, naturally) we explored the streets and feasted on the sights that Hemingway, Stein, Picasso, and Fitzgerald lived. Shakespeare and Co., under the shadow of Notre Dame, was a sweet visit. Plus the French onion soup and fondue I convinced G to share in the Latin Quarter topped off the experience.

 

In all honesty, the Parisians really do dress better and I felt like I could see different styles from one quartier to the next. I had only good experiences with the Parisians which was a pleasant surprise as a child who lived through the Freedom Fries movement. I picked up the tiniest bit of French, all of which I've lost again except how to ask for the check. Their food was phenomenal. I practically lived off of cheese and baguettes the whole five days. And looking back, nearly missing our flight back to Italy for a brunch at Hotel du Nord and a stroll by the Saint-Martin was worth every blister. 

We did a lot more exploring but the synthesis is: Paris is not just a must see, but an experience.

And six months in...

Here I sit, nearly six months after the creation of my 25 before 25, up too early with a cup of tea and a loading GPS, finishing the preparations for a big adventure. So I thought it time to review what's going on in my life.

The main focus for a while was that dual citizenship. I'm now at an impasse, waiting on several documents to go back and forth from New York before I get them all a special stamp and translated. Then I can finally bring them all in tow for a meeting at the Philadelphia consulate. Glad this project was started early because it's likely to not be even finished in time but here's hoping I'm wrong!

I have also been back with Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance volunteering in any jobs they'll take me. This brought me to do some backstage work with Sordid Lives and even put me on stage--in a coffin! I was stand in for a dead lady and laughed hysterically the whole time! Made it on stage! We can knock #17 off the list!

I also just assisted on some costuming for their current production of Legally Blonde. If you can check that one out, do so! It's such a fun production! Here's a picture of some of my work on the lovely Holly.

No full-time job, but that's okay. I've been working three jobs: sales associate at Banana Republic, babysitting (for an Italian family), and subbing for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. As a result, I've been running around like a crazy person, finding a few minutes when I can to communicate in one way or another with G, who has been victim to many late nights from the six hour time difference. I'm certainly getting a better idea of managing money, which I only hope to expand.

Some other things have come up in the meantime:

I'm in a whole bunch of weddings this year and can't wait to celebrate so much love! Who knew how much planning there was going into a big party?!? But if you know me, you know I show UP to party, so this spring is going to be a great one!

I've also applied to a few graduate schools for a Master's in Management. I'd start in July and finish by May 2014! A swift change to some of your knowledge, but to me, it's nothing new. It's so exciting to think about becoming a part of something real and current and changing. And if my blog is any kind of synthesis of my life then linear, predicted decisions should not be what you imagine! I can't say I regret any decisions, but I'm ready to start a career and mold it to fit me. Then I'm sure to learn quite a bit about money, no? But I'm also really proud of the reflection it's provided for my work and choices until now. It got me to really work on the personal branding and mission statement a bit. I can go into details when I have more updates to provide, but for now, I'm just excited for new possibilities!

And now... off to Paris! Rest assured that a post on it's own will make it to the blog. Au revoir!

Puglia

Recently G and I took a trip to Puglia. Southern Italy has always been fascinating to me in part because my ancestors are from there, but then again, it's a whole other Italy from the Tuscan world I've gotten so used to. The rub is that visiting the less-touristy regions is better done with a guide. And by guide I mean someone who has lived there for years. It's the only way to find the very best gems of the place. So when we received an invitation from Antonio, our dearest pugliese friend, and Bonnie, his wife--also American!--there was no way we could turn it down.

English Wiki for Puglia

We had originally planned to leave on the 7 hour car trip before the break of dawn on Wednesday morning, but after an urgent phone call from Antonio, we realized the only option was to leave on Tuesday after G's half day of work. Why? In order to eat at all of the houses and restaurants that we could not miss. At first I thought that was a little crazy, but having returned, I can see now that there really was no other way.

After a road trip filled with the Questions Game, learning tongue twisters, and watching the countryside change, we arrived at Antonio's father's house in time for dinner. The meal prepared for us was marvelous, but this night will be remembered as my official introduction to mozzarella cheese. That particular city is famous for its mozzerella and even has a big production plant where most residents work to send out their goodness to the world. I could not begin to describe how wonderful this snowy white cheese is in it's many forms. Mozzarella in milk, strips of mozzarella in cream, creamy mozzarella inside a normal ball of mozzarella wonder... I'd never had anything like it. Just trust me that it's good. Better yet, it's always fresh and always on the table.

In recovery/preparation, we planned on not doing much eating the next day, and so we started off the day with an espressino. Best. Invention. Ever. It's like a mini cappuccino that's a smidgen taller than an espresso. I usually don't drink coffee because my nerves can't handle it, but I think I had one of these nearly every morning. And so we set off on some sight seeing. Our first stop was to see the trulli. These little houses have been around since the 1700s, much more recent than I expected, but are way neat. You can see them all around the countryside, but we headed to a little town jam full of them.

Antonio, Bonnie, and the trulli!

Inside a trullo shop.

We continued on and kept eating little... unless you want to harp on that gelato I had at a world class gelateria for lunch. We explored this town Polignano a Mare and I fell in love. It's gorgeous! And on a hot day, it had the coolest breeze.

One thing I've learned this summer is that hot weather muddles the brain and makes the world a big foggy. But here, the blue water was so blue it seemed unreal. Tempted by the tons of people on this little beach, we headed to a place we never would have found called Porto Ghiacciolo to spend the rest of the afternoon. I'll let Bonnie's pictures speak here.

Smiles: what other proof do you need?

After a record cold and speedy shower and a swift change, we headed to eat, and boy, did we. This night was fish Dallo Squallo (The Shark's) and we had to go early just in case they ran out, because that's how it works. You snooze, you lose. I've eaten at places like that here in Italy before, but it's a good thing we got there when we did. We were the only customers when we arrived, but had to push our way out to a line trailing from the door only 10 minutes later. Anyway, we chose our food from here.

And they brought it to us looking like this. Although I only got a picture of the fried plate, all of it was great! We ate this wonderful meal in good company and then headed into the city. After a drink, we took a stroll around the city and found a bunch of people waiting. For what, you ask? FIREWORKS. ON. THE. SEA. Gabriele and I are the biggest firework fans and have really specific tastes about what a good firework show is all about: how the build up should go, which ones look good together, how it should feel, and when the rhythm and dissonance should play, and what the ending is like. This show was a real pleaser in all groups and it happened right before midnight... my birthday!

Now, I am not really sure how it happened, but celebrating my birthday is not something I like to do in the traditional sense. I'd prefer that it go completely unnoticed, but spent in company or celebration of something else. Timing makes Italy the perfect place for that as a national holiday is right around the same time. But after the fireworks, G and friends surprised me with a bottle of prosecco and I rang in my new year with good company.

Because we were out so late, we had a lazy start in the morning which was well enough for me. G surprised me, having Antonio and Bonnie transfer some presents and hiding the rest. Two sets of tickets to the theatre, a white board and colored pens for my organizational needs (also known as idiosyncrasies), and 12 American beers. Eventually we set off for Antonio's grandmother's house. My birthday falls on the feast day of the second patron saint of the city. We are in Italy after all, so lunch with the family is the perfect way to celebrate. We had a great meal (with mozzarella on the table, of course), but the general favorite was the eggplant parmigiana: a plate I've had many a-time, but it was just so good.

One of the funniest parts about this scene was that I felt so at home. The food was the same plates I had eaten in my family. The atmosphere around the table, so relaxed and welcoming. Quickly I was teasing and being teased along with everyone else, a quality at every table I sat down to in Puglia. My comfort made Gabriele's foreignness as a Tuscan in the South more obvious. Despite the heavy accent and very different dialect, I was understanding just as much as G, sometimes more. Looking across the table, we would translate for each other. A fun game to even out our skills: his knowledge of Italian language and culture vs. my ability to read people and to see the big picture. It was a great thing, having Antonio--the native--and Bonnie--the informed and experienced "foreigner-no-longer"-- to lead us both around. Through their tag team we were able to see things we never would have found and understand them through our everyday experiences.

After lunch, a walk around the town to see the cousins' new house, and a cool drink in respite from the heat, the four of us hopped in the car towards Matera. One of the other Fulbrighters was there and talked wonderfully of the town. Unfortunately Rebecca had already returned, so no reunion was had, but I was so glad to be able to put a space to her words. Boy, was she right! Now Matera is known for being the place where some film was shot, but let me tell you, it's so much more! We took a tour of an huge underground water cistern, then wandered around the twisting roads of the city. Just a couple of decades ago, Antonio told us, Matera was a wasteland and really dangerous. Walking around you could see some evidence of this time, but that only made the beauty even more shocking. We took a tour underground in the recently reopened cistern, which Matera was known for instead of the rocks. Afterwords, we dropped by a top-notch bed and breakfast worked into the caves. I wish I had taken some pictures, but it was stunning. After a stroll around, we headed back to the car and admired the wonderful and OLD olive trees that pepper the hills at sunset.

The valley was deep and scary!

Underground tour

The lines indicate how high the water was!

Choosing the meat...

After our trip to the sassi, the rocks for which Matera is famous, we headed back and prepared for dinner. Dinner was at a place generally called un forno to have a meat-filled dinner. The process for the oven is that there's a butcher, you tell him what kind of meat you want, he cuts it up, then it's sent to the restaurant's kitchen next door. If you hate meat, you're going to hate the rest of this post, but it's really a different experience to see the fresh meat go from butcher to plate. That trip is one of the reasons to love Italy.

Where some of it was cooked.

The super particular thing about this place wasn't just how the food was prepared, but what we ate. It was horse. Now some of you might just hate me or think I'm cannibal material like my parents did. Italy's not everything you expected, huh? But if you'll indulge me for a minute, the city we went to eat is best known for these restaurants and the meat was very lean and simply well cooked. The first plate however was a bit hard for me to swallow: raw slices of the thinnest cut meat we "cooked" in lemon juice and ate with oil, salt, and cheese. In the end, I give that plate distinction to cross off Goal #15: Eat something really different from my 25 before 25 list. The meal went on with so many different plates. I just barely lost an eating contest to G, but got applause for my American eating skills. But so much was eaten that we walked to the bar across the street for a Padre Peppe, Puglia's pride and joy, to help us digest before dropping into bed.

Our last day in Puglia was spent soaking up the sun at the beach with Antonio and Bonnie. The beach was jam packed with people, going at the heart of vacation season, but we were able to find some sand to lay out on our towels. We even got a pedal boat which we took out into the ocean. The waves were a bit much for me and we had to dodge the windsurfers who zoomed by, but it was a ton of fun! Plus getting away from some of crowds and just hanging with good friends makes any day beautiful.

That evening we had quite a meal: quartered sheep. We went to a bare house in the countryside where people had been cooking all day long in a wood stove. Fun fact: sheep can only be eaten during the summer when grass is dry and the meat is at its tenderest. It was a lot of food... again, but oh-so good. Maybe better than the sheep was the potatoes and the other goodies made by our hostess. Them, on top of the company, great conversations, and hearty laughs, lightened up the night.

We took a trip the next morning to the panificio to grab some yummy southern bread and everyone had a nice laugh when I tried to order some. Who knew how many choices and new words there were all around different types of bread?! These people take this stuff seriously. A lunch with Antonio's aunt and uncle, who graciously gave us a bed to sleep in during our trip, put a nice end parenthesis on our whirlwind Puglia tour. G and I headed back north, stopping to see some of the very best theatre I have seen in my life, Julius Caesar, at our very favorite Globe replica in Rome--a birthday present from someone who knows me very well.

Summary: Puglia is a place full of warm people who justifiably take so much pride in their food culture, but it's important to remember the beaches and other beautiful landscapes certainly add a lot. My trip to the heel, "real Italy" as Antonio calls it, was definitely a trip to remember.

A Return Post

I just checked. The last time that I posted was in September. I'm sorry for all of you that have checked back here and those who have requested an update. October brought some struggles with my grandfather passing away. In November was my first Thanksgiving (and favorite holiday!) away from my family. And in December I missed a very special birthday, got a new roommate, stood by the phone as my brother was entered boot camp, and couldn't help but think about my empty nest parents on their first Christmas without either Jason or me. (Read: I got homesick for my people.)

Meanwhile, there was some real personal adjustment happening within me. I have been learning how to live in an apartment on my own. On the other side of the world. First time paying all of the bills. First time budgeting money. First time shopping for food and feeding myself. Not an easy adjustment to do these things for the first time, but how about in another system? I mean, you think about standing in line for at least half an hour to pay bills at the post office and get back to me if you still think I'm a wimp. Not to mention all of this living is done in another language. One that I'm getting better at, but am still quite far from being an expert. And as for making new friends? I have them and the ones that I have are great (truly AWESOME!!!), but it is a process to create a whole new network of people in a completely new place. (Which is both unsettling and exciting when I think about a move to Washington state in my future.)

And finally, there was my work. Having been out of a good, solid schedule for the almost year I spent at home, I found that I had really lost a great number of my skills as a super productive human being. Not to mention, I set out with this massive project in mind with a loose infrastructure of support on this side of the pond. Don't get me wrong, my professor is great and I have wonderful friends and colleagues in the two other ladies in my lab. But I had to teach myself a new area of the identity research that I loved and didn't have anyone to discuss some of my confusion in the theories. That left me feeling like a fish out of water for sure. As a response, I've also reached out to my professor-to-be in Washington who responds with all the patience and enthusiasm I could ask for in someone who doesn't even owe me anything.

But it's not all woes and tears! I'm happy to say that I'm well on my way to standing on my own. I feel like it all started in a crawl, I'm cruising, slowly pick up speed, and ready to storm straight ahead. Like I said, I have made some wonderful friends and am always opening myself up to new ones through a variety of experiences. My research is moving along. I started volunteering and am enjoying getting to know different women while putting some of my own life in order. I am less self-conscious about speaking Italian in general, but especially to strangers. I got over the homesickness hump and have been making Firenze a familiar place.

Here are some of the highlights during my blog black out, some of which I hope to fill you in on much better later:

Fulbright Orientation in October: Here's a picture of most of us on the Spanish Steps. I met the other borsisti, had some great laughs, and made some new friends.

 

Friendsgiving 2011: Linda and I cooked for two days and we had a feast with all my favorites--food and people alike. I was the turkey assistant at Thanksgiving 2010, but orchestrating it for the first time was a lot to handle. It wouldn't have worked without the wonders of technology and the wisdom of Grams. In the end, I filled up my plate three times and cried because it tasted like home. 

Protest against razzismo: There was an incident here in early December against some Senegalese men and the people of Firenze came out to show how they feel about that. This moment turned out to be a defining one for this city, this community, and my project.

Visit from Corinne: After a total of ten months spent in this country over three years, I had my first official visitor to Italy. Ever. And Corinne and I had a blast in a whirlwind tour of Firenze and Siena.

Christmas: I spent it with my dear boyfriend Gabriele and his family. I'm only sad that I didn't get pictures of the pheasant, dove, and pigeon we ate. I'd never have thought I'd say this, but it was so, so yummy! But easily my favorite part was his amazement (and mine!) to follow the scavenger hunt to his Christmas present in his own house.

New Year's Eve: One of my roommates Laura is Spanish and co-hosted a semi-traditional Spanish New Year's Eve feast. At midnight we ate a grape at every strike of the clock that is meant to represent the respective month of the coming year. I didn't know that until after the fact and was so busy shoving down grapes, 2012 is still going to be a surprise for me.

Private Concert with Pilar: A friend invited Gabriele and I to a private concert, but since he was playing with his band I went with my roommate Giorgia. This artist named Pilar was easily the greatest voice I have ever heard. No pictures from the evening, but here is one of the songs she sang. It was such an intimate experience to sit on the floor with 30 other people in someone's house for an unplugged performance by candlelight!

Visitor's Galore: I had an awesome overlap of friends come to visit at the end of January. First was Natasha and her husband James. Natasha is one of the friends I made during my tenure at Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance. Then one of my best friends and my very first Meredith friend Lauren came to visit. You can find her recount of some of our adventures here (which you should go see since I didn't take any pictures and would just be stealing hers).

Valentine's Day: Gabriele and I had our first Valentine's Day together. We decided that we would stay in and try our hands at some new recipes. Despite being total novices in the kitchen, we lucked out and had an absolutely delicious three course feast of seafood. He did the first course, I made the second (even though the first was way better), and then surprised each other by both having our own dessert. Plus he got me the best looking and smelling (!) bouquet of I have EVER over which everyone on the train ride home was jealous. Just look at that table!

Trip Home: I went to the land of Freedom and Liberty for two weeks. It was easily the fastest time has ever passed for me. I had no intention to return to the United States during my Fulbright year abroad, but when my brother decided to be a Marine, he was whisked away to boot camp at a time when I started to recognize just how important my family was to me. So I took a wild trip, going straight to Parris Island before even seeing home, and surprised my favorite Marine for his graduation. We are so very proud of him!

Las Fallas: Soon after my return from the States, Gabriele and I took a long weekend to Valencia, Spain. In all of my trips to Italy, I had never been outside of the boot, and after hearing the raving over the festival I was determined to go. And Gabriele wanted to come along having been there the year before. Despite being on antibiotics the entire trip, Gabriele was a great tour guide and we had such a wonderful time!

March Madness: In my desire to bring my culture to my little Florentine world and introduce it to some international friends, the NCAA tournament came to Tuscany along with some traditional game time food like the almighty Buffalo chicken wings. In respect to Thanksgiving, this spread felt like a piece of cake (the box kind you can only find in America, not where you have to start from scratch like here). And although it took a bit of trouble to find one streaming across the Atlantic, we eventually ended the night with a basketball game as advertised.


Il Trentissimo: Although I didn't get to plan the party like I hoped, my dear friend Chiara had a week long celebration for her 30th and graciously invited me to two celebrations. The first at the most beautiful Hard Rock, where we ate all-American and danced to Beatles and beach music. The second was a more intimate house party among friends and fun. How can you hate welcoming a new chapter like that?

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I'll do my best to fill these in a bit more and return far more often for your entertainment and my posterity. Can't make any promises because spring has sprung, but keep checking back and I'll see what I can do.

Baci da Firenze!