Dear friends,
Yes, I know. It has been a horribly long time since I last wrote, but with family in town, you know how it goes. Yes, that is right, family was still in town all this time until last night. Not to say it was not great, but I really hadn't a moment to myself or with just Alex for a couple of weeks. We spent our days at work and then evening with the fam making huge!!!! dinners. The cool thing was that I was able to try some typical Iraqi food. Alex made something called Biryani one night. It is traditionally an Indian dish, but in Iraq they make their own version. Essentially you cook chicken and shred it then mix it with peas and potatoes. Then you add special seasonings to it. You put all of this over a bed of basmati rice and these tiny tiny noodles. Last you add 4 fried hard boiled eggs (I know that sounds funny) and some beef. As if all of this doesn't sound like a lot of food, we accompanied the dinner with salad that I made and everyone loved, fruit, tea, and dessert. It is customary for them to eat mass quantities of fruit after dinner. Most common is Watermelon which you can get here at the store in huge quantities. The other night we were having them all for dinner and I bought a HUGE bag of grapes since we couldn't take the watermelon on the scooter. Alex looked at me like I was crazy and was a little perturbed at spending 4 euro on grapes. I said, ''Dude. I have seen how much fruit your family sits and eats after dinner. Don't worry. They will all be eaten.'' And they were. Another Iraqi dish I got to try is called Kope (spelling??). It is sort of like a pancake made of flour and another grain (kind of like Malt-0-meal). Inside this malt-o-mealish pancake is ground beef, raisins, onions, almonds, and spices. Honestly, it tastes like you are eating Christmas. It is quite tasty. I equate it to the pasty. Again, this is a heavy meal. Most nights I ended up in the bed or on the couch after eating since it was too painful to sit or stand. They all just kept trying to feed me, feed me, feed me. ''Eat this, Michelle. Have more of this Michelle. You didn't have any Nectarine with your grapes, apricot, and cantaloupe, Michelle. Have some more hazelnut chocolate, Michelle!'' Ahhhhhhh. When I get home in about a week, I will not eat a thing!
The shop has been great. One day we had these two couples in from Philly. Let's just say one of them owned a ''concrete'' business and bought about 4 jackets for various people at home. They were really nice, but they seriously just walked out of a Scorsese film. They has nicknames like Little Jerry and Micky Big Nose. They assured me that if I ever came to Philly, I could call and they'd show me a really good time. I told them I had always wanted a Philly Cheese Steak. I love meeting such a wide array of folks in the shop.
The weather has been nuts. Last week I left the house and it was really cloudy. I had on a tank top and light colored linen pants. About a minute after I left the house, I heard holy thunder and the sky unleashed it's furry on me. It was raining so hard. I raced back to the apartment and realized I forgot my keys inside! I had to get onto the bus soaking wet, dripping wet. Everyone could like see through my pants as I walked like a drowned rat to the shop. ''Why didn't you stay home, honey?'' Alex asks as I look at him with a not so happy look. Although being wet was no fun, the thunder and lightening were worth it. Once the rain stopped, the sun came out and it was clean and beautiful. We had another freak storm the other day. Luckily I was already in town. But let me tell you. I have NEVER seen anything like this. It was raining so hard and thick, it was like ocean spray. When we looked out the window of the shop, rain was sweeping over and puring off the Bargello museum like a waterfall. Chunks of the buildings were flying off and landing in the street. Water flooded into the shop through the bottom of the door. It was truly amazing to see this as thunder and lightening struck. If I had been out in that, I would have been afraid. It was incredible, but the cleanup was a bummer. We mopped most of the day.
Crazy weather makes people crazy. That night we went to Alex's uncle's house for dinner. We were eating and we hear a man screaming and then a large thunk outside the window. Some guys had run into Alex's scooter and knocked it down. I guess this guy is nutso. He broke Alex's windshield and banged up the bike. They annoying thing is that they did nothing about it. In Italy, bumpers are for bumping into and when people knock over a scooter, you deal with it. I told him that in the states, you call the cops or something. Now he has to pay to fix everything!
Well, I suppose that is about it. We are gearing up for my last week. We are planning a day to the Cinque Terre and a dinner at Aqua al Due. We have not been for weeks! I am amazed at how quickly my time here has passed. Part of me is sad to go and part is excited to come home. I do look forward to returning to my work, friends, and family. I hope all are well. Let me know what is going on. Talk to you soon.
Tanti Bacci
Friday, August 10, 2007
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Back to the Italy: 08/01/07
Dear Friends,
Well, I officially lag on this trip as far as sending my emails. In all honestly, we have been so busy with daily life here. The shop os doing well and I am learning more and more each day about leather. I am learning how to do measurements for custom made leather jackets and pants, so if anyone is interested, Alex and I would love to work with you when I get home. The quality is amazing.
Time with the family continues. Alex's aunt, Andrea from Austria, left on monday night, leaving her 11 year old son, Roman behind for a while. His dad, Alex's favorite uncle will be here on Saturday. Andrea is a crack up. She is a big Austrian woman who never misses a chance to tell you how wonderful Austria is. I believe it too. Apparently Austria is the new ''it'' country in Europe. It is cheap, clean, and very efficient. Things in Italia are different. I am amazed everyday at how much Alex and I end up spending on a daily basis and it is only for simple things. Florence is also terribly dirty. When I studied here 6 years ago, it was dirty, but it is worse now. Everywhere you walk smells like hore or dog poo and human urine. Everyday when I come home, I have to wash my feet and legs. The other day it started to rain and I was wearing flipflops. As the water splashed on my feet from the ground, I worried about what might start growing on my feet. It is really sad that such a rich city lacks cleaniliness and a normal bus schedule. The other day I had to wait for the bus for 40 minutes and it is supposed to come every 15 minutes. In Austria, the busses come every 10 minutes like clockwork. What makes all of this even more sad is the amount of taxes the people who live and work in Florence pay. For every jacket the Bargello Leather Factory sells, they have to pay 37% of the profit in VATax. They also pay income taxes. I would think that in a city full of such history and tourism, they could come up with the funds and time to make a clean place for visitors and locals alike. All of this shows a sad trend in Italy. It is very expensive to live here for the normal tax paying individual, especially when they have a family. Due to this, the Italian birthrate is negative and the non-existent baby's places are being taken by immigrants from China, Senegal, Albania, etc. Unfortunately, a lot of immigrants are forced to work under the table jobs since it takes so long to get permission to work in Italy. Alex's friend was a Gastrointestinal Sergion in Baghdad, but is forced to work in a leather store until his papers clear. Alex is lucky. he moved here at a young age, so he has always had his papers. At this rate, it won't be long until there are no true Italians. It is amazing to think of that.
Anywho, it is not all serious politics here in Florence. Andrea and I went to St. Mark's church the other night to see an abriged version of the opera, La Boheme. I saw the same show last time I was in Italy, but there was a different cast this time. It was really nice, and Andrea seemed to enjoy it. She comes from a place with some of the best opera in the world. She promised me that when I make it to Austria, she will treat me to a great show.
Alex had his birthday on Friday! He is very different than I am when it comes to birthdays. I get all excited and must plan something fun, and he is humble and shy about it. It was like pulling teeth to get people to commit to going to dinner and Alex would not pick a place. It was so frustrating, but one of those little cultural differences I have to get used to. In the end we had a great dinner. Apparently in italy it is customary for the birthday person to bring the cake, so before dinner Alex bought two little cakes and we had a little party in the shop (he was too shy to bring them to the restaurant). I have some great pictures. I have decided that when I get home I will put all of my pics on shutterfly and send you all the link to the slideshow. That way you can see hem if you'd like. There are some really fun ones. One is so fun that I had to include it in this email. I hope you all like it.
Well, that is really about it. With Alex's fam in town, we have not really been able to get away for our days off. We had Sunday off so they could all watch the BIG soccer game between iraq and Saudi Arabia. If yall did not know, Iraq won the Asian cup and let's just say there was A LOT of excitement around here. I may have some funny dancing pics! On Monday, Alex's uncle gave us another day off to take Roman to the pool. It was fun, but it was no beach. I think next day we will take Roman and his dad, Jamal to the beach. Can't wait.
Hope all is well. Talk to you soon. Miss ya!
Well, I officially lag on this trip as far as sending my emails. In all honestly, we have been so busy with daily life here. The shop os doing well and I am learning more and more each day about leather. I am learning how to do measurements for custom made leather jackets and pants, so if anyone is interested, Alex and I would love to work with you when I get home. The quality is amazing.
Time with the family continues. Alex's aunt, Andrea from Austria, left on monday night, leaving her 11 year old son, Roman behind for a while. His dad, Alex's favorite uncle will be here on Saturday. Andrea is a crack up. She is a big Austrian woman who never misses a chance to tell you how wonderful Austria is. I believe it too. Apparently Austria is the new ''it'' country in Europe. It is cheap, clean, and very efficient. Things in Italia are different. I am amazed everyday at how much Alex and I end up spending on a daily basis and it is only for simple things. Florence is also terribly dirty. When I studied here 6 years ago, it was dirty, but it is worse now. Everywhere you walk smells like hore or dog poo and human urine. Everyday when I come home, I have to wash my feet and legs. The other day it started to rain and I was wearing flipflops. As the water splashed on my feet from the ground, I worried about what might start growing on my feet. It is really sad that such a rich city lacks cleaniliness and a normal bus schedule. The other day I had to wait for the bus for 40 minutes and it is supposed to come every 15 minutes. In Austria, the busses come every 10 minutes like clockwork. What makes all of this even more sad is the amount of taxes the people who live and work in Florence pay. For every jacket the Bargello Leather Factory sells, they have to pay 37% of the profit in VATax. They also pay income taxes. I would think that in a city full of such history and tourism, they could come up with the funds and time to make a clean place for visitors and locals alike. All of this shows a sad trend in Italy. It is very expensive to live here for the normal tax paying individual, especially when they have a family. Due to this, the Italian birthrate is negative and the non-existent baby's places are being taken by immigrants from China, Senegal, Albania, etc. Unfortunately, a lot of immigrants are forced to work under the table jobs since it takes so long to get permission to work in Italy. Alex's friend was a Gastrointestinal Sergion in Baghdad, but is forced to work in a leather store until his papers clear. Alex is lucky. he moved here at a young age, so he has always had his papers. At this rate, it won't be long until there are no true Italians. It is amazing to think of that.
Anywho, it is not all serious politics here in Florence. Andrea and I went to St. Mark's church the other night to see an abriged version of the opera, La Boheme. I saw the same show last time I was in Italy, but there was a different cast this time. It was really nice, and Andrea seemed to enjoy it. She comes from a place with some of the best opera in the world. She promised me that when I make it to Austria, she will treat me to a great show.
Alex had his birthday on Friday! He is very different than I am when it comes to birthdays. I get all excited and must plan something fun, and he is humble and shy about it. It was like pulling teeth to get people to commit to going to dinner and Alex would not pick a place. It was so frustrating, but one of those little cultural differences I have to get used to. In the end we had a great dinner. Apparently in italy it is customary for the birthday person to bring the cake, so before dinner Alex bought two little cakes and we had a little party in the shop (he was too shy to bring them to the restaurant). I have some great pictures. I have decided that when I get home I will put all of my pics on shutterfly and send you all the link to the slideshow. That way you can see hem if you'd like. There are some really fun ones. One is so fun that I had to include it in this email. I hope you all like it.
Well, that is really about it. With Alex's fam in town, we have not really been able to get away for our days off. We had Sunday off so they could all watch the BIG soccer game between iraq and Saudi Arabia. If yall did not know, Iraq won the Asian cup and let's just say there was A LOT of excitement around here. I may have some funny dancing pics! On Monday, Alex's uncle gave us another day off to take Roman to the pool. It was fun, but it was no beach. I think next day we will take Roman and his dad, Jamal to the beach. Can't wait.
Hope all is well. Talk to you soon. Miss ya!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Back to the Italy: 7/25/07
Dear Friends,
Well, I have had a few interesting days. First off, it has been so hot. Night time is unbearable when trying to sleep, so the other night after work, Alex's uncle, Carlo, took us to the big mall in his car to buy a fan. It was me and 4 guys. By the time we left the store that was like a Best Buy, I had purchased the entire box set of 4 Home Alone Movies and Alex and Carlo had each bought a portable air conditioning system. I don't think I could be any more happy than I will be when watching Home Alone in Italian by the air conditioner. They did not deliver the unit until yesterday and then we had to let it sit overnight. I am happy to say that tonight and everynight for the rest of my trip will be cool and breezy. The thought is so exciting, I can barely stand it.
So, we left for the mall right after work and I was already hungry, but it was clear to me that my need for food was simply not more important than the mission we were on. So, after the hours spent at the mall, I was sure we would go get some really yummy food. I even thought maybe we would go back to Perseo because I know how much everyone likes it. Finally, as we were driving (after getting lost for a while), Alex leans over and says, "Oh, we are going to your favorite place for dinner." I was so excited. I couldn't wait. "Where?" I asked calmly. "McDonald's!" "Oh....great." I said, but, what I was really thinking was GREAT, McDonald's again. You see. I may have left out the part where the day before Alex and I ate at McDonald's TWICE as we travelled home from our vacation. Usually I would not admit to eating fast food twice in one day, but I feel the information lends itself well to emphasizing how dissapointed I was that we were all going to MickyD's after craving Perseo or something comparable all night long! I unleashed a MickyD's loving monster my first day here when I insisted on eating there as we missed our train. Radical!
Our experience at McDonald's was pretty great. Apparently McDonald's is like a hangout kind of place. They have beer and tables outside where you can smoke. All of the guys wanted to sit outside, except for Alex, which somehow got blamed on me, so everyone agreed to sit inside for the poor little American girl. After about 2 minutes I said it was way too cold under the air conditioning and suggested we go outside. After they all exclaimed about how it was my idea to sit inside (which it was not), I was really having a great time. I have to say: All male energy can be a little frustrating sometimes and when I am around all of them, it is a whole new world when they get to talking in their language.
This brings me to talking in Italy. As some of you know, Alex and his family are from Iraq, but they all left years ago as things got worse and worse between their country and Iran. His mom has 7 brother's and sisters. Two brothers have passed away, but the rest are dispersed around Europe and Syria. So, Alex's family here in Italy speaks Italian and Arabic. Italian I can do. Arabic, no. So, when Alex and his fam start talking, I go into my own little world. The funny thing is that whenever they talk, I ask Alex what is wrong. They yell at eachother and it sounds so hostile. "Nothing, we were just talking about the game!" It always makes me laugh. Although they all speak English, they apparently cannot understand me. No one in Italy can understand me. I speak Italian, but have become more and more afraid to because everytime I do, people say "Huh??" in an exaggerated way like I am speaking Klingon or something. Some people say it is because I speak too softly, but I am not sure. We have also determined it may be my accent. I met some Americans the other day who swear I am from the South (I assured them I am not). Uncle Carlo says I talk funny. Alex's aunt and cousin from Austria came into town. She is Austrian and her husband is Alex's mom's brother. Anywho, the only common language we all have with her is English and I have to speak English to her in a British accent so she can understand me. I am not sure how well this works out since British people tell me I have an awful Bristish accent. SO, now when I speak, I do so loudly, slowly, and in a Bristish accent. I know you would all pay to see this, but I thank God I have no video camera on me.
Along with Andrea from Austria came a list from Alex's mom of Italian must haves for her and the family. I am not sure if you remember my story from my last trip here, but she came to visit with one bag and went home with 4 or 5. This time, the things are for family in Syria. All of their family in Syria had to leave Iraq very abruptly, leaving everything they had behind and apparently it is very hard to get quality items in Syria, so when they all go to visit, they take loads of clothes, shoes, toiletries, etc. The funny part about all of this (yes there is a lighter side) is that the family in Syria (there are about 25 of them when you add all the cousins, grandkids, etc.) will look to their visiting family and say, ''Hmmmm. I like your shoes. Give them to me because you can just get new ones at home.'' Believe it or not, I have already started a care package of things I will likely leave behind here anyway due to no space in my luggage. It is impossible to not accumulate things after 2 months in Italia!
On Sunday night, Alex, Stefano and I went to La Festa Di L'unita! It is sort like a democratic world fair where you can buy stuff and food from all over the world. They had all types of music going on, including a bad Rolling Stones cover band. We had Argentinian BBQ. It was 17Euro for a big plate overflowing with sausage, beef, lamb (icky for me), and who knows what else. I will admit it was delicious, but I had enough meat to last me a while. The BBQ was amazing. It was huge and just covered with meat. It would have been any vegetarian's nightmare! It was fun and very different. They also had some carnival games, including one where you shoot cans with a bb gun. I told the boys that in the US it was romantic for a guy to win a toy for his girl. So, we all went for it, accumulating points. Stefano is pretty good, but let me tell you: in the future I will be winning my own toys as Alex stands by. I am definitely a better shot and I have a stuffed bulldog to prove it. We are going to go to the festival again tomorrow night with Andrea and Roman from Austria. I feel bad for them. They have been here two days and done nothing fun. They have stayed in Carlo's apartment each day until the afternoon then they come in and sit at the shop. Wait, that is what I do. No, just kidding. Today they did not even eat until four because Calo has no food. Sheesh! Last night all of them came over for dinner. Carlo cooked and I made the most delicious, GIGANTIC salad. No one ate it but me. This morning Alex told me to bring the salad to work with me. I told him the idea of carrying a big day old salad with onions on it in the hot bus was not something I was into. Last time I make a salad for 7 people. C'mon! The funny thing is that Roman (he is 11) looks exactly like Alex and they are best buddies. They are disgustingly cute together.
Well, I guess that is it in a nutshell. I have decided to look into a cooking class. I got some exciting news today about my one day stay in London. My friend Kelly from when I was little little is living there and has offered her pullout bed in Notting Hill. I am so excited to see her and have a real English experience. So, with the money I will save on the hotel, I want to do something really neat here, like a cooking class. If any of you know of a good program, please fill me in. Tomorrow is preparation day for Alex's bday. It is on Friday and I want to make it a little special, even though he doesn't want me to do a thing. Yeah right, have you met me? I hope all is well at home. Please let me know how you are!
Tanti Bacci a Ci Vediamo!
Well, I have had a few interesting days. First off, it has been so hot. Night time is unbearable when trying to sleep, so the other night after work, Alex's uncle, Carlo, took us to the big mall in his car to buy a fan. It was me and 4 guys. By the time we left the store that was like a Best Buy, I had purchased the entire box set of 4 Home Alone Movies and Alex and Carlo had each bought a portable air conditioning system. I don't think I could be any more happy than I will be when watching Home Alone in Italian by the air conditioner. They did not deliver the unit until yesterday and then we had to let it sit overnight. I am happy to say that tonight and everynight for the rest of my trip will be cool and breezy. The thought is so exciting, I can barely stand it.
So, we left for the mall right after work and I was already hungry, but it was clear to me that my need for food was simply not more important than the mission we were on. So, after the hours spent at the mall, I was sure we would go get some really yummy food. I even thought maybe we would go back to Perseo because I know how much everyone likes it. Finally, as we were driving (after getting lost for a while), Alex leans over and says, "Oh, we are going to your favorite place for dinner." I was so excited. I couldn't wait. "Where?" I asked calmly. "McDonald's!" "Oh....great." I said, but, what I was really thinking was GREAT, McDonald's again. You see. I may have left out the part where the day before Alex and I ate at McDonald's TWICE as we travelled home from our vacation. Usually I would not admit to eating fast food twice in one day, but I feel the information lends itself well to emphasizing how dissapointed I was that we were all going to MickyD's after craving Perseo or something comparable all night long! I unleashed a MickyD's loving monster my first day here when I insisted on eating there as we missed our train. Radical!
Our experience at McDonald's was pretty great. Apparently McDonald's is like a hangout kind of place. They have beer and tables outside where you can smoke. All of the guys wanted to sit outside, except for Alex, which somehow got blamed on me, so everyone agreed to sit inside for the poor little American girl. After about 2 minutes I said it was way too cold under the air conditioning and suggested we go outside. After they all exclaimed about how it was my idea to sit inside (which it was not), I was really having a great time. I have to say: All male energy can be a little frustrating sometimes and when I am around all of them, it is a whole new world when they get to talking in their language.
This brings me to talking in Italy. As some of you know, Alex and his family are from Iraq, but they all left years ago as things got worse and worse between their country and Iran. His mom has 7 brother's and sisters. Two brothers have passed away, but the rest are dispersed around Europe and Syria. So, Alex's family here in Italy speaks Italian and Arabic. Italian I can do. Arabic, no. So, when Alex and his fam start talking, I go into my own little world. The funny thing is that whenever they talk, I ask Alex what is wrong. They yell at eachother and it sounds so hostile. "Nothing, we were just talking about the game!" It always makes me laugh. Although they all speak English, they apparently cannot understand me. No one in Italy can understand me. I speak Italian, but have become more and more afraid to because everytime I do, people say "Huh??" in an exaggerated way like I am speaking Klingon or something. Some people say it is because I speak too softly, but I am not sure. We have also determined it may be my accent. I met some Americans the other day who swear I am from the South (I assured them I am not). Uncle Carlo says I talk funny. Alex's aunt and cousin from Austria came into town. She is Austrian and her husband is Alex's mom's brother. Anywho, the only common language we all have with her is English and I have to speak English to her in a British accent so she can understand me. I am not sure how well this works out since British people tell me I have an awful Bristish accent. SO, now when I speak, I do so loudly, slowly, and in a Bristish accent. I know you would all pay to see this, but I thank God I have no video camera on me.
Along with Andrea from Austria came a list from Alex's mom of Italian must haves for her and the family. I am not sure if you remember my story from my last trip here, but she came to visit with one bag and went home with 4 or 5. This time, the things are for family in Syria. All of their family in Syria had to leave Iraq very abruptly, leaving everything they had behind and apparently it is very hard to get quality items in Syria, so when they all go to visit, they take loads of clothes, shoes, toiletries, etc. The funny part about all of this (yes there is a lighter side) is that the family in Syria (there are about 25 of them when you add all the cousins, grandkids, etc.) will look to their visiting family and say, ''Hmmmm. I like your shoes. Give them to me because you can just get new ones at home.'' Believe it or not, I have already started a care package of things I will likely leave behind here anyway due to no space in my luggage. It is impossible to not accumulate things after 2 months in Italia!
On Sunday night, Alex, Stefano and I went to La Festa Di L'unita! It is sort like a democratic world fair where you can buy stuff and food from all over the world. They had all types of music going on, including a bad Rolling Stones cover band. We had Argentinian BBQ. It was 17Euro for a big plate overflowing with sausage, beef, lamb (icky for me), and who knows what else. I will admit it was delicious, but I had enough meat to last me a while. The BBQ was amazing. It was huge and just covered with meat. It would have been any vegetarian's nightmare! It was fun and very different. They also had some carnival games, including one where you shoot cans with a bb gun. I told the boys that in the US it was romantic for a guy to win a toy for his girl. So, we all went for it, accumulating points. Stefano is pretty good, but let me tell you: in the future I will be winning my own toys as Alex stands by. I am definitely a better shot and I have a stuffed bulldog to prove it. We are going to go to the festival again tomorrow night with Andrea and Roman from Austria. I feel bad for them. They have been here two days and done nothing fun. They have stayed in Carlo's apartment each day until the afternoon then they come in and sit at the shop. Wait, that is what I do. No, just kidding. Today they did not even eat until four because Calo has no food. Sheesh! Last night all of them came over for dinner. Carlo cooked and I made the most delicious, GIGANTIC salad. No one ate it but me. This morning Alex told me to bring the salad to work with me. I told him the idea of carrying a big day old salad with onions on it in the hot bus was not something I was into. Last time I make a salad for 7 people. C'mon! The funny thing is that Roman (he is 11) looks exactly like Alex and they are best buddies. They are disgustingly cute together.
Well, I guess that is it in a nutshell. I have decided to look into a cooking class. I got some exciting news today about my one day stay in London. My friend Kelly from when I was little little is living there and has offered her pullout bed in Notting Hill. I am so excited to see her and have a real English experience. So, with the money I will save on the hotel, I want to do something really neat here, like a cooking class. If any of you know of a good program, please fill me in. Tomorrow is preparation day for Alex's bday. It is on Friday and I want to make it a little special, even though he doesn't want me to do a thing. Yeah right, have you met me? I hope all is well at home. Please let me know how you are!
Tanti Bacci a Ci Vediamo!
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Back to the Italy: 7/21/07
Dear Friends,
So, as I said, I did not have email access on our vacation, hence the lack of writing. How is everyone doing? It is hard to believe my trip is about half way through. The time is flying by! Ou vacation to Pietrasanta was wonderful. We stayed in Marina di Pietrasanta. It was a typical beachlike area. Our hotel was about two blocks form the beach in a ver quiet neighborhood. The hotel was wonderful. The owners were so nice and the place was beautiful, quiet and clean. There was an outside seating area for relaxing before dinner. Unfortunately, the food was pretty much aweful at the hotel, so we only did breakfast there (it is hard to mess up breakfast). Otherwise, the pool was lovely and the people were so nice. There were a lot of families there, so we were surrounded by the cutest kids. They were a little lound in the morning, but what can you do.
We spent two of our days at the beach. For a fee, we could rent a little space with loungers and an unbrella. It was so relaxing. We could go into the water without worrying about our things because they had security. It was so hot and frequent trips to the water were necessary. You can now say I am a caramel color- still far from chocolate!
When we first got there, it was about 2PM. We checked in and went to look for food. The town was dead. We thought we were in for a very quiet weekend and were a little bummed no one was around and none of the shops were open. We finally found an open restaurant and had the best Aglio Olio Pepperoncino we had ever had. This is my new favorite and you can get it everywhere. It is simply spaghetti with garlic, oil, parsley, and hot pepper oil. I figured out that what I like about linguine with clams is that it is aglio olio pepperoncino with clams. I say forget the clams now. it sounds so simple, but I assure you it is so yummy! SO, on our first day we just laid by the pool and then took a long nap before getting ready to go out. When we did, we were shocked at how many people we saw. Our main drag was littered with families and travellers! It was like Hot Summer Nights. We had to try 4 restaurants before getting a seat. It was amazing. The town reminded of me of an old time beach haven where families have gone for years and years and always stay in their summer house or same hotel. They have the same spot on the beach reserved year round. it was like our Lake Tahoe. All of the babies were GORGEOUS and everyone was tan. We would see ninety year old women cruising the beach in their bikinis with their yearly tanned skinned shining with Hawaiian Tropic Tanning Oil. Italians definitely don't worry about skin cancer or lung cancer and on the beach it is not uncommone to see a woman sprawled and greasy in the sun with a cigarette or two hanging from her mouth.
Marina di Pietrasanta is definitely a posh life. There were beautiful houses throughout the neighborhood. The shopping street was lined with star jasmine and lavendar, filling the warm night air with the most amazing smells. All of the stores open in the morning around nine or ten, then close from 1 to 6. Then, they are all open until about midnight. It was completely conducive to night-time strolling and shopping. One night, we borrowed bikes from our hotel and rode to the center of Pietrasanta, about a 20 minute ride away. It was more like and old Italian City. The center was beautiful and lined with shops that housed the most beautiful (and expensive) clothes I have ever seen. The bike was so nice and it allowed us to see more of the area, like the huge park that sprawls throughout Marina Di Pietrasanta.
So, if any of you want to do a beach Vacay in italia, I recommend hotel Apuana for a modest stay. It is the perfect place for a relaxing time and plenty of sun!
Now, we are in FLorence and it is so hot, I could die. I have to admit, last night I slept with a cold water bottle and wet socks on. I know it is nuts, but when you have on wet socks and a fan going, it makes a world of difference. I am looking forward to getting to the shop because there is air conditioning. My back is officially really messed up. I have some lower back, sciatic thing happening and it is getting worse everyday. If anyone has some tips, plese send them along. I am really uncomfy, mostly when I am sitting. Otherwise, things are good. ALex and i are going to take it easy this week. We need to work a bunch and chill out on the eating out. We went and bought healthy food last night. We have been WAY TOO NAUGHTY with the food. I don't know how the Italians stay thin, even if they do walk everyday!
Hope all is well. Please drop a line if you can. I look forward to hearing from you all!
Tanti baci!
So, as I said, I did not have email access on our vacation, hence the lack of writing. How is everyone doing? It is hard to believe my trip is about half way through. The time is flying by! Ou vacation to Pietrasanta was wonderful. We stayed in Marina di Pietrasanta. It was a typical beachlike area. Our hotel was about two blocks form the beach in a ver quiet neighborhood. The hotel was wonderful. The owners were so nice and the place was beautiful, quiet and clean. There was an outside seating area for relaxing before dinner. Unfortunately, the food was pretty much aweful at the hotel, so we only did breakfast there (it is hard to mess up breakfast). Otherwise, the pool was lovely and the people were so nice. There were a lot of families there, so we were surrounded by the cutest kids. They were a little lound in the morning, but what can you do.
We spent two of our days at the beach. For a fee, we could rent a little space with loungers and an unbrella. It was so relaxing. We could go into the water without worrying about our things because they had security. It was so hot and frequent trips to the water were necessary. You can now say I am a caramel color- still far from chocolate!
When we first got there, it was about 2PM. We checked in and went to look for food. The town was dead. We thought we were in for a very quiet weekend and were a little bummed no one was around and none of the shops were open. We finally found an open restaurant and had the best Aglio Olio Pepperoncino we had ever had. This is my new favorite and you can get it everywhere. It is simply spaghetti with garlic, oil, parsley, and hot pepper oil. I figured out that what I like about linguine with clams is that it is aglio olio pepperoncino with clams. I say forget the clams now. it sounds so simple, but I assure you it is so yummy! SO, on our first day we just laid by the pool and then took a long nap before getting ready to go out. When we did, we were shocked at how many people we saw. Our main drag was littered with families and travellers! It was like Hot Summer Nights. We had to try 4 restaurants before getting a seat. It was amazing. The town reminded of me of an old time beach haven where families have gone for years and years and always stay in their summer house or same hotel. They have the same spot on the beach reserved year round. it was like our Lake Tahoe. All of the babies were GORGEOUS and everyone was tan. We would see ninety year old women cruising the beach in their bikinis with their yearly tanned skinned shining with Hawaiian Tropic Tanning Oil. Italians definitely don't worry about skin cancer or lung cancer and on the beach it is not uncommone to see a woman sprawled and greasy in the sun with a cigarette or two hanging from her mouth.
Marina di Pietrasanta is definitely a posh life. There were beautiful houses throughout the neighborhood. The shopping street was lined with star jasmine and lavendar, filling the warm night air with the most amazing smells. All of the stores open in the morning around nine or ten, then close from 1 to 6. Then, they are all open until about midnight. It was completely conducive to night-time strolling and shopping. One night, we borrowed bikes from our hotel and rode to the center of Pietrasanta, about a 20 minute ride away. It was more like and old Italian City. The center was beautiful and lined with shops that housed the most beautiful (and expensive) clothes I have ever seen. The bike was so nice and it allowed us to see more of the area, like the huge park that sprawls throughout Marina Di Pietrasanta.
So, if any of you want to do a beach Vacay in italia, I recommend hotel Apuana for a modest stay. It is the perfect place for a relaxing time and plenty of sun!
Now, we are in FLorence and it is so hot, I could die. I have to admit, last night I slept with a cold water bottle and wet socks on. I know it is nuts, but when you have on wet socks and a fan going, it makes a world of difference. I am looking forward to getting to the shop because there is air conditioning. My back is officially really messed up. I have some lower back, sciatic thing happening and it is getting worse everyday. If anyone has some tips, plese send them along. I am really uncomfy, mostly when I am sitting. Otherwise, things are good. ALex and i are going to take it easy this week. We need to work a bunch and chill out on the eating out. We went and bought healthy food last night. We have been WAY TOO NAUGHTY with the food. I don't know how the Italians stay thin, even if they do walk everyday!
Hope all is well. Please drop a line if you can. I look forward to hearing from you all!
Tanti baci!
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Back to the Italy: 7/15/07
Dear Friends,
I swear, i felt like I wrote an email just the day before yesterday and now I see that 4 days have passed. The time here is flying, but we have had a fun few days. The Opera was wonderful. Alex had never been and i don't think he was all that excited, but once it started, he was LOVING it. He was my personal translator. I felt like I was in Moonstruck when Nick Cage is telling Cher what is going on in La Traviatta. So romantic! It was nice to have the show outside, but it got a little chilly and the seats were horrendously uncomfortable. Next time I do the Opera, I would love to get really dressed up and go to an opera house! Now that I know Alex likes it, I want to take him to see Phantom of the Opera, which happens to open on my birthday in Sacramento next year. I hope he can be in Cali. by then.
Plans for our trip have been a little stressful. I know a lot of you will be dissapointed to hear this, but we will not be making it to Elba. We decided that the prices were just a little too much, running about 75-80 Euro perperson. That would have put our hotel at almost 800Euro, which doesn't even count transport and food. There was also the issue of time. Travel to Elba is an all day thing and with only four days, we decided to do something closer to home that would allow is ultimate relaxation time. SO, we are going a mere 1.5 hour train ride to Pietrasanta (which we did not get to go to before). We talked about Viareggio, but Viareggio is too big and touristy. To me, it is not all that beautiful, but Pietrasanta is. From the beach you can see beautiful mountains capped with snow, and lay on a whitish sand beach. Our hotel is quite affordable and is a stone's throw from the beach. It also has a pool. here is the website if you want to check it out. I had a dream last night that it was a wreck. Sometimes pics look amazing on the net, but then you walk into cell like, hospital smelling building and wish you could get out! Good news in Italy is that if you don't like it when you get there, you just leave: www.hotelapuana.com
Alex has a friend there named Gazi, who does portraits at the duomo. You know, the guys who get you to sit down and they do a charcoal sketch of you, or a silly one. Well, that is what this guy does, but apparently his wife's father is a very famous artist in Pietrasanta. Alex showed me Gazi's house in Pietrasanta on google earth and my first question was why the heck he didn't invite us to stay in his mansion?? Oh well, our hotel is closer to the beach anyway and Gazi is going to lend us some bicycles. For those of you who knew me an Easter when I was 12, you know I am a little nervous about the bikes!
Today I am just staying at home. I have done soomething to my lower back and it is being a pain! I am also doing laundry and cleaning to get ready for the trip. We leave first thing in the morning and we were at the shop late last night. Yesterday moring a Jewish family came in and all four of them found jackets they wanted to buy. The problem was that it was the Sabath, so they were not allowed to buy anything until after 9.30PM. So Alex, being the accomodating person he is, offered us up to keep the shop open until they could return to buy the jackets. I am happy to say they did return, so it was a good commission day for him!
One thing I am learnning about Italy is that sometimes Italian logic escapes me. For example, the streets are always filthy with trash, poop, and urin. It stinks! I have seen Italians throw trash on their streets and when i ask them why they would do such a thing, they say two things: ''I pay taxes and they clean the streets every week.'' So, I guess it is worth it to most Florentines to have clean streets one day a week and dirty ones all the other days as long as they don't have to make the effort to throw some trash away. I know they are not all like this, but it is quite common. It has made me realize how clean our little town is. I told Alex we don't have street sweepers (do we?) and he asked how on Earth they stay clean. I told them they stay clean because hardly anyone throws trash in the street and if they get caught doing it they pay a fine. Another thing that is driving me silly is that now when you go to the grocery store and you want to pick out fruit, you have to put on a little plastic glove to touch them. Of all the places to be picky about germs, they choose the fruit? it seems like a waste to me when you are just going to wash the fruit anyway. Not even the states are that sterile. Am I overreacting?
Last night at dinner was pretty funny. We went to Gianni's place, the place I took the Bratton's, and Gianni was really in control. He made the Alex and Stefano get the same pasta I ordered because it was easier for them to make 3 orders of the same pasta. Then I ordered sliced beef loin over arugula with some parmesian. Now, this dish is best completed with some lemon juice, but when I asked for it, Gianni said I could not have lemon becuase there was balsamic on it and you can't do balsamic and lemon. So, what used to be cute integrity is becoming a food dictatorship. Stefano was calling Gianni Mussolini, and we had to engage the Albanian bus boy in a covert, top secret mission to sneak some lemon to the table. if he had been caught, surely all four of us would have been punished. In the end I got my lemon and it wwas DELICIOUS!!! I just remembered, I have a lemon wedge in my purse.
All in all, things are great. My trip is almost half way over. The prospect of leaving Alex is so sad, but I look forward to so many things that will be going on at home when I get back. I am really hoping to get in a weekend at Jackson, so if you wanna come, lets plan for sometime in Sept! I will also be taking a film class on Tuesday nights at Sierra College and I am so excited for that. I also look forward to substitute teaching and tutoring. I only have a few tiny things to do in order to finish up my credential. BUT. What I look forward to the most most most is being aunty Michelle. Everyday I see the cutest babies and get more and more excited at having a new little person in the family! I have also been seeing some really cute clothes here too!
I hope all is well with everyone. I am not sure if we will have internet access on the trip, but I will do my best. If not, I will give you a wonderful update upon our return. Be safe and have fun!
Tanti bacci,
I swear, i felt like I wrote an email just the day before yesterday and now I see that 4 days have passed. The time here is flying, but we have had a fun few days. The Opera was wonderful. Alex had never been and i don't think he was all that excited, but once it started, he was LOVING it. He was my personal translator. I felt like I was in Moonstruck when Nick Cage is telling Cher what is going on in La Traviatta. So romantic! It was nice to have the show outside, but it got a little chilly and the seats were horrendously uncomfortable. Next time I do the Opera, I would love to get really dressed up and go to an opera house! Now that I know Alex likes it, I want to take him to see Phantom of the Opera, which happens to open on my birthday in Sacramento next year. I hope he can be in Cali. by then.
Plans for our trip have been a little stressful. I know a lot of you will be dissapointed to hear this, but we will not be making it to Elba. We decided that the prices were just a little too much, running about 75-80 Euro perperson. That would have put our hotel at almost 800Euro, which doesn't even count transport and food. There was also the issue of time. Travel to Elba is an all day thing and with only four days, we decided to do something closer to home that would allow is ultimate relaxation time. SO, we are going a mere 1.5 hour train ride to Pietrasanta (which we did not get to go to before). We talked about Viareggio, but Viareggio is too big and touristy. To me, it is not all that beautiful, but Pietrasanta is. From the beach you can see beautiful mountains capped with snow, and lay on a whitish sand beach. Our hotel is quite affordable and is a stone's throw from the beach. It also has a pool. here is the website if you want to check it out. I had a dream last night that it was a wreck. Sometimes pics look amazing on the net, but then you walk into cell like, hospital smelling building and wish you could get out! Good news in Italy is that if you don't like it when you get there, you just leave: www.hotelapuana.com
Alex has a friend there named Gazi, who does portraits at the duomo. You know, the guys who get you to sit down and they do a charcoal sketch of you, or a silly one. Well, that is what this guy does, but apparently his wife's father is a very famous artist in Pietrasanta. Alex showed me Gazi's house in Pietrasanta on google earth and my first question was why the heck he didn't invite us to stay in his mansion?? Oh well, our hotel is closer to the beach anyway and Gazi is going to lend us some bicycles. For those of you who knew me an Easter when I was 12, you know I am a little nervous about the bikes!
Today I am just staying at home. I have done soomething to my lower back and it is being a pain! I am also doing laundry and cleaning to get ready for the trip. We leave first thing in the morning and we were at the shop late last night. Yesterday moring a Jewish family came in and all four of them found jackets they wanted to buy. The problem was that it was the Sabath, so they were not allowed to buy anything until after 9.30PM. So Alex, being the accomodating person he is, offered us up to keep the shop open until they could return to buy the jackets. I am happy to say they did return, so it was a good commission day for him!
One thing I am learnning about Italy is that sometimes Italian logic escapes me. For example, the streets are always filthy with trash, poop, and urin. It stinks! I have seen Italians throw trash on their streets and when i ask them why they would do such a thing, they say two things: ''I pay taxes and they clean the streets every week.'' So, I guess it is worth it to most Florentines to have clean streets one day a week and dirty ones all the other days as long as they don't have to make the effort to throw some trash away. I know they are not all like this, but it is quite common. It has made me realize how clean our little town is. I told Alex we don't have street sweepers (do we?) and he asked how on Earth they stay clean. I told them they stay clean because hardly anyone throws trash in the street and if they get caught doing it they pay a fine. Another thing that is driving me silly is that now when you go to the grocery store and you want to pick out fruit, you have to put on a little plastic glove to touch them. Of all the places to be picky about germs, they choose the fruit? it seems like a waste to me when you are just going to wash the fruit anyway. Not even the states are that sterile. Am I overreacting?
Last night at dinner was pretty funny. We went to Gianni's place, the place I took the Bratton's, and Gianni was really in control. He made the Alex and Stefano get the same pasta I ordered because it was easier for them to make 3 orders of the same pasta. Then I ordered sliced beef loin over arugula with some parmesian. Now, this dish is best completed with some lemon juice, but when I asked for it, Gianni said I could not have lemon becuase there was balsamic on it and you can't do balsamic and lemon. So, what used to be cute integrity is becoming a food dictatorship. Stefano was calling Gianni Mussolini, and we had to engage the Albanian bus boy in a covert, top secret mission to sneak some lemon to the table. if he had been caught, surely all four of us would have been punished. In the end I got my lemon and it wwas DELICIOUS!!! I just remembered, I have a lemon wedge in my purse.
All in all, things are great. My trip is almost half way over. The prospect of leaving Alex is so sad, but I look forward to so many things that will be going on at home when I get back. I am really hoping to get in a weekend at Jackson, so if you wanna come, lets plan for sometime in Sept! I will also be taking a film class on Tuesday nights at Sierra College and I am so excited for that. I also look forward to substitute teaching and tutoring. I only have a few tiny things to do in order to finish up my credential. BUT. What I look forward to the most most most is being aunty Michelle. Everyday I see the cutest babies and get more and more excited at having a new little person in the family! I have also been seeing some really cute clothes here too!
I hope all is well with everyone. I am not sure if we will have internet access on the trip, but I will do my best. If not, I will give you a wonderful update upon our return. Be safe and have fun!
Tanti bacci,
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Back to the Italy: 7/11/07
Dear Friends,
I know i have been terribly bad about my emails this trip. We have just been so busy and i have not felt as inspired as my last trip. I realize that there is so much more opportunity to be observant when you are alone all the time. Nonetheless, I do have some fun thing saved up for this email and I even have pictures!
Work in the shop has been the same. I usually walk in whenever I make it. The daily walking has been good for me. I have been eating everything I see and we have gotten on a twice a day gelato schedule. I have been trying some new great flavors all over the city. I have decided that Perche No is my new favorite gelato shop in Florence and it is not overpriced like Vivoli or Grome where they send all the tourists. I have decided that Alex and I really need to branch out. Since we are in the center everyday, we have gotten in the habit of eating at all of the same places. We went to Acqua Al'Due on Saturday night for our weekly feeding. It was packed and we waited 30 minutes past our rese. Once we sat, it took forever and you could tell that they were so slammed all night, their soul simply left the food. It was not like usual and I was so dissapointed. I am ready to go try new places instead of stick with the same ol'thing every Saturday night!
The weather has been quite warm these last few days and Monday was the hottest. This also happened to be the day the Mike and Robin Bratton came into Florence to spend the day with Alex and I. We had a blast. I picked them up at Santa Croce and walked them to the shop. They loved all the leather! Then we took them to Boraccio for lunch. Alex's friend, Gianni, owns it and it is very authentic dining. Robin and I shared a few great dishes, one of which was quite rich, so I asked Gianni if it was at all possible to put the sauce on the side, like any good Californian. He looked at me like I was NUTS! ''No. The sauce and the chicken are like a marriage. You cannot seperate them!'' I appreciated his integrity and we enjoyed the meal with the sauce! After a leisurly lunch and some vino, we headed off on our abridged tour of Florence. We really did not have much time and I had a lot of things I wanted to show them. At the start, we ran into a family that was on Mike and Robin's cruise and they ended up coming aboard our tour. It was so much fun. They were all so nice and everyone appreciated our very fast but very informational tour of the city. The wonderful thing about Florence is that is so rich in history inside and out. They were not there long enough to wait in lines to see the BIG things, but they still got to see works by Donatello, Michaelangelo, Verrochio, Ghiberti, and Vasari. There is so much outside! So, we saw the Duomo, Piazza della Republica, The Church Orsanmichele, Piazza Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, the oldest paper shop in Florence dating back to the 1500s, and Piazza Michaelangelo. We walked all the way up to see the view of the city. Then we cabbed it back for them to meet their group. We did all of this in about 2 hours! It was nuts! I think they all had a fun time. Alex and I really enjoyed it and Alex was so pleased to see how nice the people from home are. I think they liked him too, but you will have to ask them!
Last night was really interesting. I went to dinner with Alex, his uncle Carlo, and three other friends. There I was with 5 guys! Carlo took us to this fabulous restaurant outside the center, which is exactly what I wanted to do. It was called Perseo, named after Perseus, slayer of Medusa. This place was all about meat and you could tell as you walked in and saw slabs of meat hanging from the ceiling. This place is especially famous for its Bistecca Fiorentino (Florentine Steak). This is a giant steak that they don't cook so much. At moSt places they serve you about a 500 gram slab o meat. At this place, they minimum size is 1000 or 1100 grams. It was giant and icky! I myself had a fillet over a bed of Arugula with lemon, olive oil, and parmigianno reggiano. It was delicious. We also had penne with a meat and Chianti sauCe. It was pretty good also. We followed dinner with dessert (which was ok). Then, we brought on the Grappa. Grappa is a distilled liquor from grapes and it is REALLY strong. It is kind of what I imagine drinking terpentine is like. I managed to get a couple down in the spirit of the night. I felt great for a while, but then I woke up at 1 am with a screaming headache. Oops! I felt like Grappa.
Tonight is the Opera. After all the hubub about the tickets for last Friday night, I walked a ll the way to the ticket office to find Alex had the wrong info. It was not on Friday night, it is tonight. We will be seeing Tosca in the Boboli Gardens and I am really excited. I listened to the most of the Opera on my walk yesterday. I downloaded it on itunes. In a minute I plan to look it up on the net so we know what is actually going on in the story. We will also be finalizing our trip to Elba today-. I think we will leave Monday. I am so excited to get away from the shop for 5 days. So good!
I hope all is well with you all. I am missing home a little, but the time is flying. It was so nice to have some friends here for a bit and Alex is really excited abut coming to visit. I would love to hear abut all your summer goings on.
Tanti bacci!
I know i have been terribly bad about my emails this trip. We have just been so busy and i have not felt as inspired as my last trip. I realize that there is so much more opportunity to be observant when you are alone all the time. Nonetheless, I do have some fun thing saved up for this email and I even have pictures!
Work in the shop has been the same. I usually walk in whenever I make it. The daily walking has been good for me. I have been eating everything I see and we have gotten on a twice a day gelato schedule. I have been trying some new great flavors all over the city. I have decided that Perche No is my new favorite gelato shop in Florence and it is not overpriced like Vivoli or Grome where they send all the tourists. I have decided that Alex and I really need to branch out. Since we are in the center everyday, we have gotten in the habit of eating at all of the same places. We went to Acqua Al'Due on Saturday night for our weekly feeding. It was packed and we waited 30 minutes past our rese. Once we sat, it took forever and you could tell that they were so slammed all night, their soul simply left the food. It was not like usual and I was so dissapointed. I am ready to go try new places instead of stick with the same ol'thing every Saturday night!
The weather has been quite warm these last few days and Monday was the hottest. This also happened to be the day the Mike and Robin Bratton came into Florence to spend the day with Alex and I. We had a blast. I picked them up at Santa Croce and walked them to the shop. They loved all the leather! Then we took them to Boraccio for lunch. Alex's friend, Gianni, owns it and it is very authentic dining. Robin and I shared a few great dishes, one of which was quite rich, so I asked Gianni if it was at all possible to put the sauce on the side, like any good Californian. He looked at me like I was NUTS! ''No. The sauce and the chicken are like a marriage. You cannot seperate them!'' I appreciated his integrity and we enjoyed the meal with the sauce! After a leisurly lunch and some vino, we headed off on our abridged tour of Florence. We really did not have much time and I had a lot of things I wanted to show them. At the start, we ran into a family that was on Mike and Robin's cruise and they ended up coming aboard our tour. It was so much fun. They were all so nice and everyone appreciated our very fast but very informational tour of the city. The wonderful thing about Florence is that is so rich in history inside and out. They were not there long enough to wait in lines to see the BIG things, but they still got to see works by Donatello, Michaelangelo, Verrochio, Ghiberti, and Vasari. There is so much outside! So, we saw the Duomo, Piazza della Republica, The Church Orsanmichele, Piazza Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, the oldest paper shop in Florence dating back to the 1500s, and Piazza Michaelangelo. We walked all the way up to see the view of the city. Then we cabbed it back for them to meet their group. We did all of this in about 2 hours! It was nuts! I think they all had a fun time. Alex and I really enjoyed it and Alex was so pleased to see how nice the people from home are. I think they liked him too, but you will have to ask them!
Last night was really interesting. I went to dinner with Alex, his uncle Carlo, and three other friends. There I was with 5 guys! Carlo took us to this fabulous restaurant outside the center, which is exactly what I wanted to do. It was called Perseo, named after Perseus, slayer of Medusa. This place was all about meat and you could tell as you walked in and saw slabs of meat hanging from the ceiling. This place is especially famous for its Bistecca Fiorentino (Florentine Steak). This is a giant steak that they don't cook so much. At moSt places they serve you about a 500 gram slab o meat. At this place, they minimum size is 1000 or 1100 grams. It was giant and icky! I myself had a fillet over a bed of Arugula with lemon, olive oil, and parmigianno reggiano. It was delicious. We also had penne with a meat and Chianti sauCe. It was pretty good also. We followed dinner with dessert (which was ok). Then, we brought on the Grappa. Grappa is a distilled liquor from grapes and it is REALLY strong. It is kind of what I imagine drinking terpentine is like. I managed to get a couple down in the spirit of the night. I felt great for a while, but then I woke up at 1 am with a screaming headache. Oops! I felt like Grappa.
Tonight is the Opera. After all the hubub about the tickets for last Friday night, I walked a ll the way to the ticket office to find Alex had the wrong info. It was not on Friday night, it is tonight. We will be seeing Tosca in the Boboli Gardens and I am really excited. I listened to the most of the Opera on my walk yesterday. I downloaded it on itunes. In a minute I plan to look it up on the net so we know what is actually going on in the story. We will also be finalizing our trip to Elba today-. I think we will leave Monday. I am so excited to get away from the shop for 5 days. So good!
I hope all is well with you all. I am missing home a little, but the time is flying. It was so nice to have some friends here for a bit and Alex is really excited abut coming to visit. I would love to hear abut all your summer goings on.
Tanti bacci!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Back to the Italy: 6/28/07
Dear Friends,
Have you ever written something and then read it the day after and thought, WHAT WAS I THINKING???? I realize I was still a little out of it yesterday and when I said life in Florence was going to be routine, I was just not thinking. I would never imply that it was boring here or that I was not enjoying myself. For example, we were driving home on the scooter yesterday and went over a bridge over looking Ponte Vecchio. There was the most beautiful cloud over the bridge and the sun was peeking out around iits edges, creating a beautiful halo around it.. I was so bummed I did not have my camera. Alex said not to worry and that it looks like that every day. I told him that was imposssible and that that very cloud would NEVER be in that exact spot ever again. Maybe he needs a lesson in rediscovering Florence. I think I was just touching on the fact that I will be working in the shop with Alex and that we will really spend a lot of our time there. But, that is fun too and I am meeting people from all over the world. We are also trying to get his friend Gianni, who owns a restaurant, to let me help in the kitchen now and then. I want to pick up some fun cooking tips!
So. Today I will be walking to the shop again. I have decided i need to do it every morning to ensure I don't become a blimpo! I have been eating gelato a lot more on this trip (is twice a day too much?) Kiwi is my new favorite flavor. Last night Alex and I went to my first real BIG grocery store in Italy. I have been going ot these little stores near the center, but they actually do have supermarkets. It was a little too intense for me, but thank God they had Weight Watchers ricotta cheese. Ha ha. As far as i could see, that was the only weight watchers thing they had for those of you who wanted me to check it out. I bought some Brie instead.
Thanks so much for all the great emails. I am so pleased that you enjoy my sharing. I love bringing it home. To crazy cousin Matt, I always look forward to your insights! To Matt B. Thanks for your kind words. I will DEFINITELY take you up on the boat offer and am so glad you will be in Europe soon. You will really love it. I think it will suit you. To Andrea: I wish we could have seen eachother one last time, but our girl day was a blast and I will definitely give you a call soon. To Lauren H: I will totally check out the sunglasses. I would love to catch up soon. To Kathryn B: Thanks for those importants pointers from yesterday. I needed some reminders on changing my point of view
Have you ever written something and then read it the day after and thought, WHAT WAS I THINKING???? I realize I was still a little out of it yesterday and when I said life in Florence was going to be routine, I was just not thinking. I would never imply that it was boring here or that I was not enjoying myself. For example, we were driving home on the scooter yesterday and went over a bridge over looking Ponte Vecchio. There was the most beautiful cloud over the bridge and the sun was peeking out around iits edges, creating a beautiful halo around it.. I was so bummed I did not have my camera. Alex said not to worry and that it looks like that every day. I told him that was imposssible and that that very cloud would NEVER be in that exact spot ever again. Maybe he needs a lesson in rediscovering Florence. I think I was just touching on the fact that I will be working in the shop with Alex and that we will really spend a lot of our time there. But, that is fun too and I am meeting people from all over the world. We are also trying to get his friend Gianni, who owns a restaurant, to let me help in the kitchen now and then. I want to pick up some fun cooking tips!
So. Today I will be walking to the shop again. I have decided i need to do it every morning to ensure I don't become a blimpo! I have been eating gelato a lot more on this trip (is twice a day too much?) Kiwi is my new favorite flavor. Last night Alex and I went to my first real BIG grocery store in Italy. I have been going ot these little stores near the center, but they actually do have supermarkets. It was a little too intense for me, but thank God they had Weight Watchers ricotta cheese. Ha ha. As far as i could see, that was the only weight watchers thing they had for those of you who wanted me to check it out. I bought some Brie instead.
Thanks so much for all the great emails. I am so pleased that you enjoy my sharing. I love bringing it home. To crazy cousin Matt, I always look forward to your insights! To Matt B. Thanks for your kind words. I will DEFINITELY take you up on the boat offer and am so glad you will be in Europe soon. You will really love it. I think it will suit you. To Andrea: I wish we could have seen eachother one last time, but our girl day was a blast and I will definitely give you a call soon. To Lauren H: I will totally check out the sunglasses. I would love to catch up soon. To Kathryn B: Thanks for those importants pointers from yesterday. I needed some reminders on changing my point of view
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Back to the Italy: 6/27/07
Dear Friends,
I FINALLY got to the internet and was glad to see a ton of emails. To Kelly, I can't beleive you are in London. I will be there for one day at the end of my trip and would LOVE to see you. I need to do London in a day, so I will need your help. The day is August 19th. Keep it open and let me know what you are up to!
Anywho. I have settled in pretty well. I landed Monday night at 6:45ish and Alex met me at the airport. he is so Italian. Instead of flowers, I get a beautiful shirt. Beleive it or not, it has been cool enough to wear it. i am actually about to go shop for some jeans. It is really quite cool here, and night time gets chilly. Especially on the scooter. Sorry mom, I know you don't want to hear this, but we did ride the scooter the other night and it was pretty fun. I assure you all that Alex is a safe driver and it is simply an Italian experience I had to have.
After landing, we went straight to the house where I changed and we went out to my favorite restaurant, Acqua al'Due. It was as if they knew I had been gone and dreaming about the petto di pollo al porto all this time. It was the best I had had there and well worth the sleepiness I endured while eating. Alex is friends with the owner and told him I had just flown in and that I insisted on coming by for my first meal. He was so honored that he gave me a free, XL Acqua al'Due Tshirt. I guess he imagined me getting bigger as I eat there over the next two months
Yesterday was interesting. I woke up at 6am and made Alex get up for a day at the beach in the Cinque Terre. We made it to the train staton in time for a quick bite and to catch a 7:51 am train. For some dumb reason I really wanted McDonald's and we spaced out or something and missed the train. For Micky D's. Arrgh! So, we did not get there until noon and it was cloudy and cold. I wore a towel around my shoulders all day, as I had left the house in shorts and a tank top. Silly me for thinking it would be hot in Italy in the end of June. It was beautiful, though. We got the best pizza I have ever had in Italy in Vernazza and then watched the tide come in, creating UNBELIEVABLE waves. We met a nice couple from Maine and just chilled. By the time we got on a train home, the fact I had gotten up at 6AM caught up with me and I became stupid tired. On the train home (which took forever because we accidentally took the intercity train that stops at EVERY stop between Pisa and Florence) I was so sleepy, I snored and my head wobbled all over the place. My neck is hurting a bit.
Today I slept until 10 and unpacked. I then walked the one hour walk to the shop where Alex was working. He did not think I could make it, telling me it would take hours and I would definitely get lost. It took me 55 min and I didn't get lost. I think he now knows he is dealing with a real woman here.
Well, not many exciting things thus far. I am still settling in and getting used to the time change. Alex and I are going to the big mall outside of the center tonight. I guess things are not so different here than home. people still go to the mall to hang out. Wait, I don't really do that at home. Hmmm. That is one thing that feels different about this trip so far. Florence has become so familiar to me that a little of the magic is gone. I see that these two months will be more routine, but fun nonetheless. I have some fun things to look forward to, like Opera in the Park and a visit from Mike and Robin Bratton. I am so excited they will make it out here. I will be showing them around for the day and hope I can make a nice experience for them. So, if any of you want a report on Alex, you will have to talk to them in about 3 weeks!
I hope all of you are well. I would love to hear from you. Thanks to Kathryn for the BCC tip. I am usually sensitive to those things, but hadn't thought of it. I hope I did it right.
Tanti Baci e piu tardi!
I FINALLY got to the internet and was glad to see a ton of emails. To Kelly, I can't beleive you are in London. I will be there for one day at the end of my trip and would LOVE to see you. I need to do London in a day, so I will need your help. The day is August 19th. Keep it open and let me know what you are up to!
Anywho. I have settled in pretty well. I landed Monday night at 6:45ish and Alex met me at the airport. he is so Italian. Instead of flowers, I get a beautiful shirt. Beleive it or not, it has been cool enough to wear it. i am actually about to go shop for some jeans. It is really quite cool here, and night time gets chilly. Especially on the scooter. Sorry mom, I know you don't want to hear this, but we did ride the scooter the other night and it was pretty fun. I assure you all that Alex is a safe driver and it is simply an Italian experience I had to have.
After landing, we went straight to the house where I changed and we went out to my favorite restaurant, Acqua al'Due. It was as if they knew I had been gone and dreaming about the petto di pollo al porto all this time. It was the best I had had there and well worth the sleepiness I endured while eating. Alex is friends with the owner and told him I had just flown in and that I insisted on coming by for my first meal. He was so honored that he gave me a free, XL Acqua al'Due Tshirt. I guess he imagined me getting bigger as I eat there over the next two months
Yesterday was interesting. I woke up at 6am and made Alex get up for a day at the beach in the Cinque Terre. We made it to the train staton in time for a quick bite and to catch a 7:51 am train. For some dumb reason I really wanted McDonald's and we spaced out or something and missed the train. For Micky D's. Arrgh! So, we did not get there until noon and it was cloudy and cold. I wore a towel around my shoulders all day, as I had left the house in shorts and a tank top. Silly me for thinking it would be hot in Italy in the end of June. It was beautiful, though. We got the best pizza I have ever had in Italy in Vernazza and then watched the tide come in, creating UNBELIEVABLE waves. We met a nice couple from Maine and just chilled. By the time we got on a train home, the fact I had gotten up at 6AM caught up with me and I became stupid tired. On the train home (which took forever because we accidentally took the intercity train that stops at EVERY stop between Pisa and Florence) I was so sleepy, I snored and my head wobbled all over the place. My neck is hurting a bit.
Today I slept until 10 and unpacked. I then walked the one hour walk to the shop where Alex was working. He did not think I could make it, telling me it would take hours and I would definitely get lost. It took me 55 min and I didn't get lost. I think he now knows he is dealing with a real woman here.
Well, not many exciting things thus far. I am still settling in and getting used to the time change. Alex and I are going to the big mall outside of the center tonight. I guess things are not so different here than home. people still go to the mall to hang out. Wait, I don't really do that at home. Hmmm. That is one thing that feels different about this trip so far. Florence has become so familiar to me that a little of the magic is gone. I see that these two months will be more routine, but fun nonetheless. I have some fun things to look forward to, like Opera in the Park and a visit from Mike and Robin Bratton. I am so excited they will make it out here. I will be showing them around for the day and hope I can make a nice experience for them. So, if any of you want a report on Alex, you will have to talk to them in about 3 weeks!
I hope all of you are well. I would love to hear from you. Thanks to Kathryn for the BCC tip. I am usually sensitive to those things, but hadn't thought of it. I hope I did it right.
Tanti Baci e piu tardi!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Back to the Italy: 6/24/07
Dear Friends,
I hope this email reaches you all in good times. As many of you know, I am returning to Italy today to visit someone very special I met on my last trip: Alex. It seems like I am still planning for that first trip last fall, but 7 months have passed and I am off again for a two month stay. It is tough to leave my family and my very pregnant sister, but I will be home before I know it and have a new little niece or nephew to look forward to arriving. I am so blessed at this time in my life! I will be returning to the states on August 20, so if anyone needs to get ahold of me, please email or call at 011393392144192. I will check my email daily and, of course, resume sending my memoirs along. If anyone would rather not receive them, let me know. For those of you who did not receive them last time, I hope you will enjoy my anecdotes and thoughts of travelling abroad. My outlook should be different this time. Last time I was an independent woman on her own. Now I will have someone close to me and will be sharing Italy with him. I look forward to every moment.
I look forward to hearing from you all throughout my journey and hope you enjoy my adventure along with me.
Love to you all,
I hope this email reaches you all in good times. As many of you know, I am returning to Italy today to visit someone very special I met on my last trip: Alex. It seems like I am still planning for that first trip last fall, but 7 months have passed and I am off again for a two month stay. It is tough to leave my family and my very pregnant sister, but I will be home before I know it and have a new little niece or nephew to look forward to arriving. I am so blessed at this time in my life! I will be returning to the states on August 20, so if anyone needs to get ahold of me, please email or call at 011393392144192. I will check my email daily and, of course, resume sending my memoirs along. If anyone would rather not receive them, let me know. For those of you who did not receive them last time, I hope you will enjoy my anecdotes and thoughts of travelling abroad. My outlook should be different this time. Last time I was an independent woman on her own. Now I will have someone close to me and will be sharing Italy with him. I look forward to every moment.
I look forward to hearing from you all throughout my journey and hope you enjoy my adventure along with me.
Love to you all,
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