21: ...I have no clever title for this entry...

I'm eating the strangest pasta right now...

I slept in today, a treat to myself for working so hard these past few days, and as a result my eating schedule was all thrown out of whack. I had a really good jam and ricotta sandwich for breakfast (at 1:30), then salad with sauteed mushrooms for lunch (at 5:00) and now I'm eating this funky pasta I bought from a take-away cafe. I'm not sure what's in it...it smells fishy, but there is no sign of fish in it. Whatever, I'll eat it.

Yesterday I went on a stroll around my apartment and found that down one of the side streets there is a Korean Mart!!! I bought a bunch of junk food and ate it all. And now I can't find it. That's Florence, a bunch of side streets with wonderful surprises that you can never find again...

Happy Sunday :)

20: Under the Tuscan Sun

The other day in my Italian class (which is full of characters summing up to never a dull moment), a few students asked our teacher if the weather would get warmer. Our teacher took a moment to compose herself, trying to find the right English words spoken in her hybrid English-Australian accent, the product of living in Sydney for several years.

"I don't understand why so many students think Italy is warm; Italy is not a warm country. Well, yes we have summer and it gets warm in June, July. August is the hottest, and September. But Italy isn't warm."

So thank you Frances Mayes for making me think the Tuscan Sun was an everyday occurrence...

In all honesty, it IS sunny out today and it has been for a few days. There's that Tuscan Sun I've been hoping for. And I'm quite surprised at how few tourists there are. Living right in the middle of the Uffizi Gallery and Ponte Vecchio, I'm used to a certain level of tourists meandering along in my way while I try to get to class, stopping to take pictures, being generally loud...most of them are Asian with those creepy medical masks on...*shudder* But today and yesterday, actually, it has been relatively not so touristy, mi piace questo.

Yesterday I went to the market and bought zucchini flowers; zucchini has become my new favorite vegetable. With the warm weather shining through my open window, and the added wafting smell of waffles from below (a perk of living on via Roma, the street that connects the Ponte Vecchio and Piazza del Duomo), I decided that today I'd try my hand at something more advanced than salad-making. In fact, I've been eating too much salad. I think I average at least 3 Caprese salads a week... Anyway, I thought I'd try to make fried stuffed zucchini flowers. So, I mixed up a ricotta-based filling with lots of spices and pepper. Then I stuffed the flowers, which are more delicate than rice paper or a baby, I'm assuming. And then into the frying pan... To say that I was successful is a stretch, so let's just say; fried stuffed zucchini flowers-1, Peter-0.

I'll get you next round zucchini flowers...

19: Spring Break in Review

Athens: Not my most favorite place I've visited so far, but not my least either. Athens definitely falls somewhere in the bottom 3 however (see my previous blog entry). Some helpful tips for people going to or planning on going to Athens. 1) Pay a little extra and stay in Plaka, the historic center. Not only are you right near all the action (The Acropolis, Stadium, etc.), but the twisting and narrow quaint streets that every so often lead you to a bustling plaza, or stellar view of The Parthenon, are a side of Athens every traveler should know about. Also, the food is great!

Santorini: First thing's first, I went in the off-season. That was the first mistake. Santorini doesn't have much going on during the off season and the best place to stay, by far, is Fira or Thira (depending on how you pronounce it). Laura and I made the mistake of staying in Perissa, which had zilch going on and our hotel, while would be the perfect place to stay in the summer or even late-spring, was empty. In fact, we were the first guests of the season. Greek hospitality rivals that of any perceived "friendly" country, and was something I didn't know about. When Laura and I asked to cancel our reservation in Perissa, the woman was so disappointed that we were unhappy; we told her it wasn't her fault at all and that we loved the hotel (we actually did!), but we came at the wrong time in the year and we'd gladly pay for our full reservation. She put a softly tanned hand to her cheek, looking at our priceline print-out and said, "Is no good for you to pay so much money. You pay be 60 Euro for everything. That's better for you, yes?" The sweetest woman to think of us in that moment, rather than her own needs. If I went back to Santorini, I'd go during the summer and stay at Villa Clio in Perissa.

It wasn't so much that I didn't like Santorini, but rather it was cold and very low-energy, which makes me wonder what it would be like in the high-season. I ate some really good salads on the island, and even got free wine and dessert one night. Cheers!

London: I love London. Let me repeat that for emphasis: I Love London. I wish I bought one of those t-shirts that says that. Not only is it refreshing to hear English spoken (and with cute British accents, it's not bad either), but there was a really cool urban culture in London that I didn't expect to love. It was much needed to see my friends from school, especially in their abroad habitat. I even didn't mind sleeping on the couch!

The first day in London we did the touristy things: Big Bed, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, London Bridge, London Tower, Tower Bridge, London Eye, and the Tate Modern. We also when to the Boroughs Market, which was unlike an Italian market. This one had food stalls set up, with artisan cheese crafters and oil sellers. You could taste everything, and when not considering the exchange rate, things were cheap (in the pound sense). The night life is pretty fun, too, although I don't think I'd go back to London for it. Actually, the dinner/pub scene was my favorite. One night Nicole and I split monkfish with roasted tomatoes.

The second day was more low-key. We met some friends in Hyde Park then walked down Oxford Street to pick up Nicole from class. Then we got cupcakes :) That night we went to a gay club, where after Nicole, Annie, and Laura left around midnight, Wei and I danced our butts off to a set of fantastic tunes (especially Duck Sauce's "Barbara Streisand"). And I was even cruised by some creep that followed me from room to room. Gross, but still it's some sort of small accomplishment.

The third day I got my Korean food fix in Chinatown with Wei. We saw the spending cuts protestors, then the anarchist protestors. Actually, we got stuck in the latter's protest and sought refuge in Starbucks (which I went to every day...) and then Liberty. Yes, Liberty, as in Liberty Print...heaven.

So all in all, the break was necessary for me to recharge my batteries, and also it helped me appreciate Florence a little bit more. Speaking of liking Florence more, today was 65 and sunny. Tomorrow will be warmer. Do I sense my jorts making an appearance soon?

18: Via Athens Airport

Thank god for free wifi...

Spring break started on Friday for me with Laura and I taking a very long train to Rome. We were flying out of Rome to Athens the following morning. Now, I am a big fan of airports because of the natural order and flow that comes with transportation of that magnitude. Terminal 2 of Rome's airport is not like this at all. So instead of a relaxing 10-hour wait in the airport, which I was a big supporter of, we found that to stay in the terminal all night would be a really dumb idea. Oops. We checked into a Hilton for the night, which wasn't as expensive as I thought it was going to be.

Flash forward to Athens. I've long been told to not expect anything from Athens, the modern city. In fact, most travel guides suggest staying at a hotel in Plaka, the downtown historic area, despite high costs. We stayed at a cheap (25 Euro per each) Best Western for the night a little ways outside of the center. We were by the National Archeological Museum, which boasts the title of best museum in Athens (mind you we walked through a homeless ridden, poop-filled, and generally shifty park to get to it). And the museum is rather extensive, although we were ushered out promptly at 3 because it was closing. I took some photographs of bronze work, so that was neat.

Dinner in Plaka, a 5 minute metro ride away, was delicious. I had lamb and rice pilaf; Laura had an exceptional Greek salad: we split a side of roasted potatoes. Plus baklavah and authentic Greek wine (which I absolutely love). We then strolled around the area for a bit.

This morning we went to the ruins. If Athens has any redeeming quality, it's the ruins. The walk up is gorgeous, and once at the top there are the Parthenon, a temple devoted to Athena and Poseidon, and some other things that I can't remember the names of. And it's free. And it was great weather. And we saw after that the Temple of Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the stadium, and ancient Agora! So that was pretty neat.

Now we're in the airport waiting for our flight to... Santorini! Time for some relaxing pool/beach time (weather premitting), long island walks, and lots of good food! Will I transform into an old lady on a holiday to the Greek isles? You freaking betcha' I'm putting on my straw sun hat as I type...

17: Being a Jew, Rain, David, and Wine

My parents arrived yesterday for the week to visit! And while I am ecstatic that I get to show Florence to them, I'm overwhelmed by the stress of the situation; not only are they here, but it's midterms week and I find that I have a lot of studying to do (something I'm not used to being a design major and consequently having project due at the midterm rather than examinations). But this is a one-time deal, I think, and I'm going to make the most of it :)

Today the rain started off soft and sparse only to collect heavier around noon, then it kind of lingered for a bit. During this time we walked to the Great Synagog of Florence, something I'd been meaning to see but never got around to beforehand. For starters, the synagog is impressive and a description plaque outside explains that instead of hiding that the building is a place for Jewish worship, the architect, designer, and commissioner wanted to showcase the Judaism of it. It's also pink and white striped, which is always dig-able in my book. Inside there is moorish geometric painted walls, with Stars of David placed in the windows and floors. Once inside the place of worship men have to wear a kippah. My brother looks ridiculous in his yellow leather one, while I looked pretty snazzy in my crimson checkered one. I hadn't been in a synagog in a very long time, not since middle school when I stopped attending Sunday School at Temple Shalom. With the constant and ever present Jesus and the Virgin, Christian art on top of more Christian art, it was kind of a relief to find some notable place that wasn't devoted to the Cross.

We then lunched at Ruth's Kosher and Vegetarian Restaurant. This is the place to go for the best falafel in Florence!

Afterwards I got us a little lost and over-shot my way to the Galleria d'Academia, where there are so many astounding paintings and sculptures, but the only real reason anybody visits this gallery is because of Michaelangelo's David. He's a big guy and a sculptural triumph. While most people were trying to sneak photographs or staring intently at his well-formed musculature (especially his incredibly executed legs), I was captivated by the realism of his hands. There are indications of tendons working to grasp the strap he is holding, the veining is sublet and controlled, the composition of both hands is anatomically flooring. And I got in for free with my student museum pass.

So after all that fun, I returned home to my apartment to study for my Exploration of Wine Culture in Italy, which I will do not so well on. 13 short answers, 2 essays, 1 wine-tasting. We have to know all facts and dates about Valle d'Aosta, Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Tuscany. Not to mention the general history of Italian viticulture.

Just thinking about it makes me need a glass!

16: Rome if you want to

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do," is a common phrase I've heard here in Italy. Actually it's been a shortened phrase in today's fast-and-loose vernacular to "When in Rome," and the rest is implied. I'm not sure what this means, really.
If Romans walk a lot, then I did as they did. If Romans take a lot of pictures of things, then I did as they did, too. When you're in Rome, I think, it's best to do as you'd do.
Things I like about Rome:
1. Everything
2. The metro system
3. The abundance of food places
4. Our hotel5. The way that the city is built

Things I dislike about Rome:
1. It's too big.
The city is a pretty spectacular thing to behold. Driving in you get a sense that this place is pretty cosmopolitan and connected to the rest of the world. There aren't a whole lot of, "oh, that's quaint" thoughts like you'd have when visiting places around Tuscany. In fact, Rome is sprawling. And not just an expanse of the once-empire-capital, the modern city sprouts up around all the ruins. At night, they are lit and there's some sort of Italian magic that works its way through you. So much, in fact, that even though you scoffed and mocked the numerous tourists throwing their coins into the Trevi Fountain during the day, passing by this illuminated wonder at night compels you to just give in.


As we were driving down one of the main streets, someone in the back of the bus gasped. I turned to see a partial view of The Colosseum lit in green at the end of the road.

Before the weekend trip I'd been warned countless times about the various schemes and pickpockets that lurk the streets, but I was surprised and relived to find that there were little to none of these characters about. It was possibly due to the rather blah weather, though. Walking around, and there was a lot of that, I never felt unsafe or targeted. There's a shyness about Rome that I didn't expect; as if the city knows of the various places and things that would make you gasp but doesn't want you to outright see them; you have to find your own "Rome" I think. Sort of a kin to the way that the Trevi Fountain isn't in a main piazza, but rather you navigate through a set of twisting side-streets to get to it (although there are signs that clearly mark the way). I liked Rome, a lot.
This brings me to Vatican City, which is part of Rome but not really...it's confusing to me, ergo not that important. Being a non-religious person I wanted to see the Vatican for the artistic reason; the architecture, the paintings, The Sistine Chapel. There were a lot of people packed into the chapel space, but even then I felt like I had enough room. Most people stare at the Creation of Adam panel, which I stood directly under, straining my neck upwards to see and feeling completely overwhelmed by how close those two fingertips are. But while the Creation of Adam panel brought a swell of tears to my eyes (yeah, I'm a nerd), it was the Cimmerian Sibyl that I stared at for a solid fifteen minutes. She was the part of the ceiling I'd waited to see.

Other sites I saw were The Pantheon, which would have been mind-blowing (considering Donatello's casket is there), but it was raining and cold and dark. The Roman Forum proved to have some really cool ruins. The Colosseum was pretty grand, despite it's shabby shape. The Capuchin Crypt/Bone Church was a really awesome idea, and then we got to it and I'll be honest, I was a little hungover, and looking at bones that are arranged into decorative patterns, with mummified remains propped into positions...it was fun in theory and maybe without the personal context.

We also went to Tivoli, which is carved into the side of a mountain. There is a villa there, Villa D'Este, which used to belong to a very prominent family. And in that villa is a garden that has over 800 natural fountains, springs, waterfalls, etc. Yeah, there's a lot of water in Rome and the surrounding areas. Arguably the best drinking-tap water I've had.

15: so I'm in class...

I'm not sure where it comes from or how I even developed this trait, but I am so glad I am the way I am. Ha!

I'm sure this trait of mine comes from a mix of dad's reason and reliability and mom's will-power and timeliness. I'm sitting in class right now and we had one of our first projects due today; just a powerpoint presentation of a handbag design inspired by a country. Our presentation had to include our initial sketches and notes, an inspiration board, technical drawings of the handbag, a mock-up advertisement, information about a target market, and other material variations of the bag. I was assigned Scandinavia. Here's my inspiration board:



Anyway we were given more than a week to complete the project and because it was due today, I red-flagged that date. Why wouldn't you finish an assignment when it's due? The option to half-complete an assignment is, well, not an option for me. That goes against my rationale. Granted there have been times when a project hasn't been completed to the best of my ability or how I had envisioned it, but I got it done.

Nobody in my class was finished, except me. And consequently because people weren't finished, we spent our lecture time finishing the projects and now continuing onto our hat assignment, which means that during our lab hour time when we are supposed to work on the new projects and assignments, people continued to work on their handbag projects. Being done with it, I've been on my computer for 2.5 hours, enjoying the school's speedy wifi and wasting a lot of time....I could be doing laundry, or packing for Rome.

So, thank you, Mom and Dad, for instilling me with a combination-feeling of dread, regret, terror, and satisfaction which has driven me to always finish projects on-time.

I swear, some people....

Side note: Rome this weekend! So. Freaking. Pumped.