un buon weekend

While I spent the majority of last weekend doing absolutely nothing, this weekend was quite different.

On Friday, CAPA (my school here) organized a day-long excursion to Siena and San Gimignano. We split into groups upon arriving in Siena and spent the morning touring the city. The population of Siena is only about 50,000 (vs. 500,000 in Florence), so the city is much simpler and much quieter. St. Catherine was born in Siena, and although she died in Rome, the Sienese brought her head and thumb back to their city. So I saw St. Catherine's head and her thumb, both covered in wax and clay in an effort to preseve them. A little morbid, but interesting nonetheless. We also toured the Duomo, which was gorgeous and much more impressive than the Florentine Duomo, and saw where Il Palio (the famous horse races) take place each year.

After a long and rainy morning in Siena, we then took a bus to San Gimignano. I wasn't expecting much from this little Tuscan town, but I was pleasantly suprised by its beauty. The town is much smaller than Siena and is surrounded by panoramic views of the Tuscan countryside (see above photo). We bought a few bottles of wine, a loaf of bread and some cheese and spent the afternoon relaxing, talking and enjoying the scenery. When I used to picture myself studying abroad in Florence, the views from San Gimignano are exactly what I pictured: rolling hills filled with vineyards and scattered with tiny villages. Truly breathtaking. Don't get me wrong-- I adore Florence, but it was so lovely to just escape the hustle and bustle of the city for an afternoon.

On Saturday, my roommates and I spent the day shopping in Florence. I finally caved and splurged on some genuine Italian leather boots. A little pricey, but I love them. We all went out to a few bars later that night, which was so fun. The nightlife here is very different than in the States. There are discotecas everywhere, which only play American pop/rap music and are filled with American students. They can be fun, but the cover charges and drink prices are ridiculously expensive. I was beginning to give up hope on finding a more American-like bar... but then we went to Red Garter. I walked in and immediately thought, "It smells like Madison!" There was live music-- an Italian band playing covers of American songs. Everything from The Beatles to The Backstreet Boys. We danced and sang along until early the next morning and then spent Sunday doing our usual Sunday things: downloading TV episodes from Itunes (sorry, Dad!), eating entirely too much pasta and maaaybe even squeezing in some time for homework.

I've come to realize that whichever way I chose to spend my weekends in Florence - whether it be lounging around all day or exploring the city/Tuscany - I am always happy. I don't feel guilty for being lazy, and I don't feel guilty spending entirely too much money on overpriced drinks. I just feel happy. And I like it.

Also: Barcelona this weekend!!!

number one food day

Yesterday was by far the most amazing food day of my life. I've had some pretty great food days in my lifetime, but yesterday was definitely Number One. Here is a brief summary, which by no means will do it justice.

Breakfast: stopped at Cafe Side by Side on my way to school. Ate a delicous cheese pastry, sipped espresso and finally introduced myself to the owner, Alessandro.

Lunch: Bought a loaf of foccacia bread from a tiny bakery near the Arno River. Walked home to make a sandwich on said bread, with salty prosciutto, red onion, melt-in-your-mouth cheese and fresh, juicy tomotoes. I do not even know where to begin when describing this bread. It was the perfect combination of salty and sweet, with clumps of cheese and drops of olive oil baked throughout. Ah. may. zing.

Dinner: Our landlord took us out to dinner at a restaurant that claims to be the smallest restaurant in Florence. And it probably is, considering there were only three tables. Italians usually eat dinner around 8:30pm, and the meal typically consists of four main courses: antipasto (appetizer), il primo piatto (first dish-- rissotto or pasta), il secondo piatto (second dish-- meat or fish) and il dolce (dessert). There are also i contorni (side dishes-- potatoes, salads, vegetables, etc.) that appear throughout the meal. At our last meal with our landlord, my roommates and I weren't even able to make it to the second dish. Last night, however, we came prepared to eat (and eat and eat and eat). Bullet formation... ready, go!

• Antipasto: crostini (toasted bread brushed with olive oil and herbs) topped with tomato sauce and basil
• Il primo piatto: creamy, gorgonzola cheese rissotto sprinkled with fresh rosemary
• Il second piatto: veal filet, cooked at medium rare, in a black pepper cream sauce, topped with capers
• I contorni: fried potato wedges and fried vegetables
• Il dolce: chocolate mousse, tiramisu and THE. BEST. CHEESECAKE. IN. THE. ENTIRE. WORLD. And yes, the capital letters and punctuated words were necessary. It was even better than the bread (which, by the way, did I mention I ate the entire loaf?). It was served hot and plain... not as dense as American cheesecake or drenched in any kind of sauce, but SO MUCH BETTER. If I am ever famous and decide to have one of those crazy, over-the-top celebrity weddings, I will pay the ridiculous amount of money to charter a private jet, fly my assistant to Florence and insist that he/she return with this cheesecake/my wedding cake in one whole, beautiful piece.

So yes, Mom and Dad, I have found a restaurant to go to on my 21st birthday. Now I'm going to go eat some pistacchio gelato for breakfast. Yum.

oh my hutton

Three posts in one day? A little excessive, I know... but I just couldn't resist this.

I will be the first to admit that I have an unhealthy obsession with MaryKate and Ashley Olsen. My lifelong obsession has evolved from turning my playhouse into a detective agency ("We'll solve any crime, by dinnertime!") to repeatedly flipping through the runway shows for their fashion lines on style.com. My favorite Christmas present I received this year was their new coffee table book, Influence.

When it comes to fashion, these two are brilliant. Beyond brilliant. So what is one of the most common interview questions a style icon is typically asked? For those of you who actually read fashion magazines or any sort of fashion literature, does "Who is your style icon?" ring a bell?

Now, I've probably read hundreds of interviews on the Olsens, both together and as individuals. And the answer is always the same: Lauren Hutton. After the first few dozen times of reading this and still having no idea who this woman was, I finally bypassed my laziness and Googled her. And of course she is fabulous.

Not only is she the face of The Row (the twins' couture line), she redefined what it meant to be a Covergirl. Flawless complexion? Check. Exquisite bone structure? Check. Perfectly white, straight teeth? UNcheck. This former supermodel is known for the unforgiving gap between her two front teeth. Think of her as sort of the pre "I'm so unique because I have a mole on my face" Cindy Crawford.

According to yet another tip from fashionista.com, Lauren Hutton is face of J.crew's new ad campaign. I literally squealed when I read it. Receiving my issue of the J.crew catalog each month is one of things I miss most from home (among other, less superficial things, of course). The European ad campaigns last spring made me want to immediately jump on a transatlantic flight. I remember visiting the Web site with Audra numerous times, just to watch (and rewatch) the highlight videos on the homepage.

Ah, I am on a fashion high right now. And our landlord is taking us out to dinner tonight at a fancy Italian restaurant. My two greatest loves - food and fashion - all wrapped up into one beautiful day.
Image from Fashionista.

damrosch vs. bryant

Looks like my dream of a front row seat at Bryant Park won't be happening anytime soon. It's official: Damrosch Park (part of the Lincoln Center Plaza) is the new Bryant Park, beginning September of next year. Good thing I checked the always reliable fashionista.com before sending out my cover letter with "my definition of success is a front row seat at Bryant Park" stamped all over it. Phew. Crisis officially avoided.

a love affair with a handbag

I am living in one of the most fashionable cities in the world, but I still find myself purusing my favorite online shopping sites at least once a day. I have been lusting after this bag for months, and I just found it on sale for a fraction of the original price. Botkier's leather collection is a little too pricey for me, but this bag, with its luxe satin fabric, is both chic and affordable. So the question remains: a weekend trip to Paris or this pretty little bag on my arm? Or rather, trendy deep purple or ultra practical black?

Image from Neiman Marcus.

if at first you don't succeed, try try try again

I have tried again and again and again to upload pictures onto this thing, but it just isn't happening. I'm working on setting up some sort of external photo site, so I'll post the link on my blog if and when I ever figure that out. Grrr.

It's rainy and cloudy in Florence again. We had a few days of sunshine over the weekend, but instead of exploring the city, I chose to master what the Italians like to call il bel far niente. The beauty of doing nothing. I'll be the first to admit that it wasn't an easy lifestyle adjustment for me. In the States, my life is governed by to-do lists and the satisfaction of crossing things off of said lists.

I woke up on Saturday with every intention of having a ''do nothing day''...but then I cleaned the kitchen, did my laundry, went to the grocery store and attempted to write out a budget. Clearly the opposite of a do nothing day. While attempting to write out a budget, I realized what I was doing, stopped myself and asked, ''Jen, what do you want to be doing right now?'' The answer was simple: I want to read.

So I tucked away my unfinished budget (sorry Mom and Dad), climbed into my bed and started to reread Eat Pray Love, one of my favorite novels and probably the reason why I chose to study abroad in Italy. After a painful divorce, the author chose to take a year-long sebatacle to Italy, Indonesia and India, and the book is a recount of her travels.

I guess you could say that this experience is my very own sebatacle, and I could not be more thankful to my parents for granting me this opportunity. After a long and lonely summer and a series of broken hearts, I needed this. I am lucky enough to have come to Italy with a couple pieces of home (namely Sara and the UCLA sweatshirt I stole from JC's trunk in high school), but it feels wonderful to be here, in this beautiful and lively city, and have very few ties to home. A fresh start to life, if you will. A new year, a new city and a new me.

when in rome: an overdue recount of my weekend in the eternal city

After a quick stop at McDonalds (I know what you’re thinking: You’re in Italy and you’re choosing to eat at McDonalds? Well, folks. Let me tell you a little something about the McDonalds in Italy…they serve curly fries! Yes, curly fries. How could I pass up such a beloved American delicacy?), we boarded the train to Rome. We spent 4 hours weaving through the Tuscan countryside, laughing, exchanging life stories and drinking red wine.

We arrived in Rome with no hotel reservation and very little sense of direction. Two women approached our group, who we assumed were just solicitors for an illegal hostel. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. They escorted us to a nice hotel, just a few blocks from the train station and only 20 euro/night per person. Apparently the economy is affecting the Roman hotel industry too?

Tired and hungry, we opted to eat at the tiny restaurant right across the street from our hotel. I didn’t think it was possible to have a bad meal in Italy, but this place proved me wrong. The food was overpriced, the portions were small and the 14 euro bottle of red wine tasted horrible.

After dinner, we made our way to the Trevi Fountain. I’ve sort of assumed the role of “navigator” of the group, and I usually do a pretty decent job…but the fountain I led us to was not at all what I expected. Very anticlimactic. We still took the usual touristy pictures in front of it, throwing in coins and whatnot. Fortunately, Mandy, who had previously visited the Trevi Fountain, was there to tell us that “no, this isn’t the Trevi Fountain! I thought ya’ll were just taking picture with it because it’s so pretty!” Woops.

Fast forward about five minutes-- we arrive at the actual Trevi Fountain. It was so gorgeous. Breathtaking, really. I was cold from the rain and still hungry, but seeing the Trevi Fountain was such a moving experience for me. It was the first time I thought: Wow, I’m actually here.

Saturday was spent touring Vatican City and wandering around the Colosseum. I prayed inside the Vatican, stood under St. Peter’s Basicilia and saw the Pieta. The Colosseum was so cool. I wish I had a better adjective to use, but I honestly can’t think of one. One could never find a landmark with such rich cultural and historical significance in America, so to be able to actually stand inside this piece of history was an unbelievable experience.

On Sunday morning, we woke up early to go see the Sistine Chapel (note to future Roman tourists: it’s free the last Sunday of every month!). Yet another unbelievable experience. After literally running back to the train station, we boarded the train for home. Although I loved Rome, I was ready to return to Florence, the city that has become my new home.

Epic weekend. Truly epic. From the train rides to spending two nights together in two tiny hotel rooms, it was a definite bonding experience for us all. Four new friends, one old friend and me…just laughing, exchanging life stories and drinking red wine.