The Mobile Blog

I am so excited to announce that I just got the Blogger App for my phone! This now means that the posts (should be) more timely and shorter. Yes, I should have thought about this sooner but I love doing it on my computer so I didn't really mind. I am starting to get so behind on posts that I wanted to keep them more current. I also think this blog has a really relaxed feel so mobile posts would add to this nicely. 

I just got back from an incredible weekend in Barcelona and I can't wait to share it with you all! 

We are entering our last week of classes and things are very bittersweet. My journey isn't ending here but most of my friends head home Friday and I will be sad to see them go. 

The parentals arrive tonight and I could not be more excited to share this with them.

I actually have school work so time to write a couple papers to wrap up the course. More to come soon! 

The City Frozen in Time

History Lesson: Pompeii is a city near the south of Italy that was buried under 4-6m of ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79A.D. It was destroyed approx. 160 years after it was founded. It was only discovered in 1559 that there was a city buried and then 150 years later more of it was uncovered. 2/5ths of the site are still not uncovered and it happened just over a thousand years ago. It is one of the top tourist attractions in Italy and brings in over 2.5 million visitors a year.

I was one of those people on the Sunday of my Amalfi Trip.  As much fun as I had, we had to have some history shoved in there! So Sunday morning, we hoped on a bus, and drove about 40 minutes toward Florence to this tiny town of Pompeii.

Once we arrived, we immediately began our guided tour of the ruins.  Our tour guide was this little old man full of information and might have even been around when the Volcano erupted (just kidding but he was pretty old.) Even though he was old, he was so funny and gave us some awesome information and helped us see the city as it was before the eruption.

A man trying to cover his face 

He took us around and we saw homes, the market, and even a brothel. There were a lot of brothels in the city of Pompeii. Some people, mostly slaves were caught in the town when the area was covered and there are casts of those people because when they were uncovered, they remained the way they were when they died.  They cast the bodies and they are now on display. 

It was really weird to me to be walking the streets just as these people had.  The city structures are still in tact and you get a real glimpse into ancient times.  I live in the a city that is full of history but it has adapted as time has gone on, Pompeii has remained the exact same.  It is literally the city frozen in time.

A Bakery Oven

Even though I was exhausted from the weekend, I was so happy I got this experience.  I love seeing the history of how things once were but most of the time you are not enlightened to actually seeing it as it was.

After the hour and a half tour, we went to Pompeii Pizza in the new town of Pompeii and it was delicious! Go if you get a chance. We hung out with the Bus2Alps group there and then boarded the bus to head home. What an incredible way to end our trip. The only sucky thing the whole day was the Trojans that were walking around.  I know it was in the Roman empire but no one likes a trojan.

Ew! The Trojans of Pompeii

The drive only took us 5 and a half hours to get back because we left from Pompeii.  I slept the entire way back because my sickness was still looming.

I was so happy I signed up for this trip. I had an incredible weekend with my friends. Everything was planned for my enjoyment and it was one of the best weekends I have had in Italy, if you get a chance GO.

Maddi and the Art School Kids

So I have talked a lot about my friends here and there in previous posts but these people around me are shaping my journey in a way I could have never imagined.

I came into this program with not only no previous experience in Italy but also no knowledge with film and event art school for that matter.  You may wonder why that matters, well let me tell you. Almost everyone that I hang out with every single day here in Florence is here to make a movie for their film program.

I had dinner this week with two of the guys, Tim and Matt, and we were talking about Football and I was getting a kick out of the fact that they didn't follow or know much about it. I only laugh because this is such a huge part of my life at home.  I am surrounded by athletes on a daily basis and everyone is very into sports.  To meet people with other hobbies and passions is so interesting and a way for me to learn a lot!

Mirror pictures with Tim while Cooking Dinner

I know this sounds very stereotypical and high school group like, but by hanging out with people that share a passion that is art, is helping me to see the world in a different way. They appreciate the city in a way I probably would never have seen it.  I haven't placed art as a high importance in my life or education but I am in the Renaissance city so I better start opening my eyes before I miss it all. Culture is passed up sometimes in LA in the fast paced culture of it all.

Sports has been the center of my life for as long as I can remember.  I can explain to you the game of softball, football, basketball etc. in great depth but give me a video camera and I know nothing more than pointing and shooting. Not only am I learning about food, a new culture, but also the amount of work a movie takes to make.

Well, I am doing my best to learn everything I can from all of these people I am around each day. I joke with terms like raw or magic hour but in all seriousness, it is giving me a new appreciation for the importance of light, the pristine nature of these buildings and the silent interactions between people speaking different languages.  None of that can be seen if you have an ipod in your ears, head down, and speed walking to your destination. They have taught me to take pride in each shot I take and to see the magic everywhere around us.  Everyone has a different eye and to it is important to appreciate everyone's talents.

Capturing magic hour in Venice

These people have truly become my family and I am so thankful to have met them even if they won't let me star in their movie (Something about not looking like a little Italian boy.) But in all seriousness, each person brings a different part to the group and it would not be the same without each and every one of them. Whether they are a cinematographer, audio person, set designer or director, they all amaze me with their skill and talent (and make me super jealous of it all.)

Tim, Steve, Matt, Alex, CJ and I in front of the Duomo

The Crew at dinner 

I also now have a million places to stay in Chicago so at least I know where my next trip is and I have a million pictures of me all around Europe thanks to these clowns.  I should probably be paying them for all the work I ask them to do for me. I am hoping I leave this beautiful place with a better understanding of the picture perfect world around me in more ways than just what I see with my eyes. I cannot thank these people enough for enriching my eyes and sharing some of their craft with me.  If you guys ever want to learn how to play softball, let me know!

Adventure Day: Positano Edition

After celebrating Anthony's 21st birthday, Saturday got off to a slow start for our crew including Steve almost missing the bus. We took a private bus to Positano but when we got there, we had to stop at the top and walk down because the amount of cars, in this miniature town, is very regulated.

The view from the top

We weaved through the hill town for about 15 minutes until we reached the bottom.  The actual town of Positano is very quaint with specialty shops all around.  Some pathways are only two people wide!

The Bus2Alps group was split in to two due to where we were staying so that everyone wasn't cliff jumping or cave swimming all at the same time. We were in the first group so we basically got settled on the beach, took a quick dip in the water and then hopped on a boat for our adventure of the day. 

The view from the boat of this town was just breathtaking. I attempted to capture it but even the picture doesn't do it justice.

Normally, I am a huge wuss when it comes to heights but I kept repeating the phrase, "When in Rome... or elsewhere in Italy" so I hopped off the boat and into the water toward the cliff. The cliff was not too big, they said it was about 25ft high.  I was a little disappointed but that is coming from someone safe on the ground.

Mid Jump

We jumped a couple times off different points and then went a little farther down the coast to go cave swimming.  Alex had a GoPro on the whole day and made this awesome video of our day. Check it out!

Both of these events make the day so unique and made for some awesome pictures (I am a sucker for good pictures.)

After this adventurous morning, we were STARVING.  Little did I know I was about to have the best Panini I have ever had in my whole life.  I am not exaggerating because I still dream about it to this day.    I have been on a panini hunt in Florence (which I will dedicate a whole blog to later) but I have yet to find one as good.  If you ever find yourself in Positano, treat your taste buds to Vini e Panini. No joke, I would fly back there just for this sandwich.

Focaccia Panini with Proscuitto, Tomato, Mozzarella, Pesto, Basil and Artichoke... YUM

We ate our sandwiches and hung out on the beach for the rest of the day. It was extremely relaxing.  I was getting sick the day we were here so I tried to sleep on the beach but ended up sitting in the water all day feeling kind of sucky (I seriously pulled it together for this picture.) 

Hanging out with Alex and Steve on the beach

At around 4 we headed back to Sorrento.  The night was for us to decide so instead of going with the whole group we thought we would go out on our own.  A huge benefit of going with Bus2Alps to dinner is the discount they get for bringing such a big group. Sorrento is not a cheep place and we figured that out once we went out alone. I had one of the most memorable nights that night.  Our entire group ended up hanging out for hours on a pier in Sorrento just telling stories and cracking jokes overlooking the water and checking out Mt. Vesuvius in the distance. Our group had grown from 5 to adding some of Sam and Sarah's friends from Kansas.  They were so cool and fit in perfectly.  It was a great way to just live in the moment and I really appreciated that night now that I can look back. It will be one of the ones I cherish the most because we really got to know each other. 

We headed to bed as soon as we got back because we had Pompeii in the morning!

One last view of the beauty of Positano 

Update Time!

Hi Everyone!

I am just going to do a quick little blurb update to keep you informed until I post my big ones of the weekend trips, cooking class and such.

I just booked my ticket for this weekend to go to Barcelona with the crew. I am beyond excited to explore Espana and there will definitely be a major report when I am home.

Cooking class is going great. I am falling more and more in love with the cuisine each day.  I need to update you all on last week's recipes.

Sneak Peak of Week 2

My smart and artsy friends are starting to film their movie this week which means I am about to sneak my way on set and into the background so watch out for my rise as a star ;)

I am so excited for my parents to get here. They come in about a week and I cannot wait to show them around.

I am in the process of writing a blog for the Bus2Alps blog. Basically a condensed version of the three I  have written on the Amalfi Coast so I will post the link once it is live.  I am so excited for this opportunity to get my voice out there!

I had a great weekend visiting Lane and Aarika, exploring Vicenza and Venice and meeting baby Mobley as well as Juno. Cannot wait to head back up there at the end of my trip and get some more family time.

Juno Loving

Hope all is well in the States.  The Royal Baby has taken over everyones minds and I am not even in GB! Can't wait to see how it is when I am in London in a couple of weeks.

Ciao!

Smile

I have never felt so strongly about the power of a smile until I have lived in a place where I don't speak the language.

Today, I am headed to visit my brother Lane and his wife Aarika in Vicenza.  Since they are letting Rae, Chez and I crash there for the weekend, I offered to make dinner. I mean that was the least I could do after barging in on their free time. I decided to make the Spaghetti with Clams, even though Lane is the pickiest eater on the planet and wouldn't put a clam in his mouth. Aairka is pregnant with my baby niece and I always believe pregnant ladies should get what they want so clams it is!

ANYWAY, back to my point, I had to go to the Mercato in order to get all the ingredients for our meal tonight.  I walked in and went to this place that sells wine, cheese and oils.  I think I previously mentioned that the woman who works there would teach me Italian if I came back. Well, I have been going back periodically and she has taken me under her wing.  Today there were 6 "tourists" waiting and kinda browsing ahead of me and as soon as I walked up she said, "Como Stai? How are you my friend?" Such a simple greeting but it is awesome to have that kind of relationship with these people.  She asked me what I was cooking today and how she could help (she obviously knows me very well).

The Market from the Outside. It is MASSIVE

Side note: Tim and I walked through the market two days ago and we went to visit her and she did a Balsamic tasting with us.  She taught us the importance of the DOP label, the different tastes between brands and the different tastes for the amount of time it ages! Cool stuff!

Meat and Cheese stall

I always visit her first because she makes the chaos of the market a little easier to handle. I had a little problem of how to transport the clams on a train for two hours.  I asked my teacher Marco and he said I need to keep them cold and alive (impossible in a place that doesn't believe in ice). For a while I thought I was going to have to find a new recipe but I walked up to the fish stand, asked for help and smiled as I tried with my best form of something that may have sounded like Italian. The man rushed to help me and ended up making a makeshift cooler out of lots of bags and ice. I was so thankful and I walked off to my next stop. (He was pleased with his creation as well!)

An Example of a store inside the market

I ordered some fresh spaghetti and picked up the veggies I needed to complete the meal.

It was lunch time and they always tell you to not go food shopping when you are hungry, well I did and it was bad.  My pesto man saw me coming and got some pesto ready but I told him I also needed a panini.  The freshness of ingredients still blows my mind. But he laughed as I once again attempted my italian in naming the things I wanted in my sandwich. I go so slow and they always get a good laugh.  The one that gets me every time is artichokes because everything else is the same name minus my American accent.

Italian Word of the Day: Artichoke= Carciofo

I smiled and left the market, once again feeling so accomplished and happy at the new friends I made. I thought I was done until I was outside my building and something that smelled like heaven was coming out of the bakery next door.  I have been good at avoiding these places but it sucked me right in.  The young girl working  greeted me with a smile and I felt at ease.  I told her I lived next door and it just smelled so good I had to come in.  She proceeded to pull out samples and made me try them and explained what everything was.  It tasted like heaven too.  I ended up buying a little something for dessert tonight and she told me to come back anytime I left my place and she will give me something new to try!

Advice of the Day: If you encounter a tough situation with a language barrier, stop, take a deep breath, smile and do your best. If you stay calm they love trying to help you, the second you get frustrated, so do they and the stress level increases. 

I cannot get over how nice the people are if you smile and try to explain what you are looking for or need.  I have seen multiple examples of Americans who walk up to these people and demand things but take no time to understand that it is about relationships, not just goods. Our view is centered around business, and how to get as much business as possible.  The Italians could teach us all, money is not their driving force but the way they treat others is. It is the reason I keep going back to the same places, because they care and they are improving my Italian a little day by day!

SMILE Friends! Pass it on.


Sorry for the use of internet photos, I hate doing that but I don't enjoy taking pictures when I am in the market, ruins the experience and fun of it all. 

CAH-pree

I decided that in order to keep the posts readable and short, I will break up each day of the trip since it truly deserves its own attention. 

I had so much fun in Cinque Terre with Bus2Alps that I had to go on another trip with them. They told me that Amalfi was one of the best trips they had and all of their favorites so I felt the need to sign up for it. After a busy first weekend, I didn’t want any of the fun to stop.  I had just finished my first week in school and didn’t believe my time in Italy could get much better, but then the weekend began…

We got on a bus at 7pm on Thursday night and prepared for a long drive ahead to the Amalfi Coast. For those of you that aren’t familiar with the geography of Italy, Florence is closer to the North, Rome is about in the middle and the Amalfi Coast is located at about the ankle in the boot shape of the country. Therefore we were looking at about a 7 hour drive ahead of us.  The crew that went on this trip with me were Sam and Sarah (The two from Kansas) and Alex and Steve (Both attending Columbia). 

  

I was planning on sleeping the whole time but Steve and Alex kept me entertained the entire way there and we arrived at about 3am.

I had yet to stay in a hostel, hotel or anything other than my apartment while in Italy so this hotel experience was one for the books. I was rooming with Sam and Sarah and another girl who was randomly paired with us. The room had two sets of bunk beds that are basically touching and limited space to move. 

This was about the extent of our living space

We got real friendly and cuddly in that room but luckily we didn't spend much time in the hotel. The first day (Friday) we went to Capri.  It is pronounced CAH-pree for those of you who have never been there. We had to be at breakfast by 6:50am which was essentially death. Dan (our tour guide) promised it would be worth it but at the time I was not a happy camper. We boarded a ferry and immediately I realized that the beauty of being on the water that early in the morning is something indescribable. Touché Dan.

Artsy attempts at 7am

The ride to Capri seemed like it took about 30 minutes, but I have no idea since I was just staring in amazement the whole time at the coast around me. We were lucky enough to snag a seat on the top deck and be outside the whole way over.

On the Ferry! 

Once we got there, we hopped on boats and headed out to the Blue Grotto or Grottoa Azzurra (to the locals.) These little row boats pull up to the side of our boat and I leaned over and (aggresively) made the first deal so my group of 5 could get on and go swimming inside.  I don't think anyone was aware of what was going on until I was running down the stairs telling them to follow. My friends here are still getting used to my antics, I am sure this wouldn't surprise anyone at home. But we hopped on the first boat and we were the first group of the day inside the grotto! Check out my video below of the whole thing! 

The hole to get into the grotto is so small that you don't think the boat that you are in will make it in.  Everyone in the boat lies down in order to fit through because the current keeps rising and falling. The rower pulls us in on a chain attached to the cave wall and just like that we were in! The grotto is unlike anything I have seen in my whole life. It glows blue but not a blue you could ever replicate in a color. I attempted to take a picture but nothing seems to do it the justice it deserves.

Swimming in the Grotto! 

The Glowing Water

Shameless Sefie next to the grotto opening. 

This experience blew my mind and I would really recommend it to anyone that gets the opportunity.

History Note: The Grotto was used as King Tiberius private swimming pool.  He was apparently notorious for crazy activities and spent his last 10 years of life living on Capri. Must be nice, right?

White Grotto 

After we finished with the grotto, we hopped back on the boat and took a tour of the island.  Seeing this gorgeous island from the water makes me realize how beautiful it is as a whole and not just one section. The island is know to be a destination of the rich and famous and I can totally see why.  It would be perfect to rent a house on the hill overlooking the water without a care in the world. I get it now. Well our journey continued and we saw the yachts... everywhere, and the famous love rocks.  If you go under them and kiss someone it is supposed to mean eternal love (I kissed myself, does that count?)

After the tour of the island was done, we took the tram to the actual town of Capri where there is lots of shopping (VERY expensive shopping), an amazing view and the most delicious juice I have ever had.  It was like fresh squeezed orange and lemon put together but like nothing I had ever had. We drank it overlooking Marina Grande and the whole port and it was gorgeous. 

My Juice and the View!

 After our pit stop, we all got in busses and took a ride up to Anacapri which is at the top of the mountain.  Anacapri is home to the sandal man.  The sandal man is apparently a legendary sandal maker.  Jackie O even bought sandals from him which boosted his reputation. In his shop there is Limoncello and Chocolate tastings which were both delicious. Even chocolates filled with Limoncello. It was cool to see but I did not splurge on the sandals this trip.

Lunch was our next stop. We went to this recommended restaurant and I ordered clams for the first time.  I had been previously asked by my mom if I would order the new things I am trying in class and I had no answer for her but I am very happy I did! I really enjoy clams and they were SO fresh. Yummy.

After lunch we decided to take the chairlift up to the top of Anacapri.  It is this single person chairlift that takes about 12 minutes to get to the top with 360 views of the island.  At the top you are so high that you are basically in the clouds.  At the time we went, we were standing in a cloud. At the top there is a restaurant and you can see both sides of the island.  We saw the rocks again that we boated by and attempted to take pictures when the clouds would blow over.

The crew at the top. Cheers Capri! 

After we were done, we took the chairlift back down, we got in a convertible taxi and rode it all the way down to Marina Grande (which means we left Anacapri, passed Capri town and headed to the beach.) It was a perfect end to our time in Capri. My goggles once again came in handy and I think I must have sat in the water for like 3 hours straight.  I can think of nothing more peaceful. The beaches here are not like beaches in California, they are rock and have huge rocks to lay on inside the water. Laying out isn't so nice but sitting on a rock in the water was the place to be. 

We spent 3 hours there and then took the ferry back to Sorrento. Bus2Alps had planned dinner and a night out so we decided to join them.  We went to dinner and they told me to get the Pizza because it originated in this region and it was well worth it!

The Group at Dinner

After dinner we went to the English Room and they played throwbacks all night long.  There is nothing better than dancing to throwbacks in another country, it unites everything and everyone. 

and of course I took a picture with the American Flag... I'm clique 

Sarah's friend Anthony turned 21 at midnight so even though the drinking age is 18 here, we still gave him the proper American 21st birthday experience. Our night ended in this place called the American Bar (Yes, we are those people.) But Anthony had a night to remember (Or not remember) and we called it a night.

The whole day turned out great and I was so excited to head to Positano the next day! Check out the next post for our day in Positano!

If you are interested in Subscribing to the blog, enter your email at the top left! I hope you enjoy! Ciao. 

Those 5 Towns on the Coast

For any of you that have been to the magnificent towns of Cinque Terre know that they cannot be described in any amount of words, but I will try (mostly in pictures.)

On my first night in Florence, at dinner with Kimmie and her friends, they told me I NEEDED to  go with them that Sunday to Cinque Terre.  I said yes, and signed up on my phone at dinner for this Bus2Alps trip.  I trusted them and figured it would be a good way to make friends since I just arrived. Well, little did I know, everyone on my program would end up going with me and it became one massive trip on our first weekend. 

Those of you who read my post about Pisa know that I was not happy about the disorganization of the day so the fact that this trip was planned for me was a perfect start.  

Side Note: This was my first experience with Bus2Alps and it wasn't my last.  They make trips so easy and their experience makes each day trip effortless.  It was the perfect way to see this beautiful area. 

    If you are in Florence, Rome or elsewhere in Europe check them out they have a special place in my heart because of their amazing staff and their need to have a good time. Bus2Alps Website!

Alright, back to business.  Enough shameless plugging for Dan, Sarah and the rest of the crew, lets talk about the trip. We arrived at the train station at 7am which was incredibly early after our day in Pisa. (Pisa Refresher) We took a bus to the La Spezia train station where we took the train that connected all the towns.  

For those of you who aren't aware, Cinque Terre is a series of 5 towns on the Italian Coast in the Liguria region, connected by train, boat or walking path (Car's do not have access between them.) And they are truly beautiful as they are scattered on the sides of cliffs. 

We arrived at the train station in the second town, Manarolo to take a quick stop to swim and do a little cliff jumping.

The view from the Train Station in Manarolo

It was our first glimpse of the towns and I immediately knew I was in a special place.  These towns are so separated from the rest of the world, and their beauty is enough to draw in thousands of people a day. You walk down the narrow one street town and see the native Italians that inhabit these places and I immediately was envious of their lifestyle, it was so simple yet surrounded by such beauty.


                                                                                     

I jumped right in to the water and my friend Matt captured these pictures of me soaking in the Ligurian Sea. I am very lucky to have friends that take pictures everywhere we go so I have plenty of pictures to document my adventures! Thanks Matt!

It was so amazing to look up and see the town from the water and just be in the moment.  I was beyond happy during this whole day, how could you not be!

Vernazza from the water looking out

After our quick pit stop, we hopped back on the train and headed to the 4th town, Vernazza.  In Vernazza, we had a quick Panini at this cute little shop where they made the most delicious smoothies I have had in my whole life. Mainly because it was literally just fresh fruit and no additives.  The panini's were amazing too and you got to create your own, which is always my favorite. Vernazza is the town in all the Pinterest pictures (Including my picture at the beginning of the post.) It is literally THAT beautiful. (Excuse the excessive use of pictures.) From Vernazza, we hiked from this town to the 5th town, Monterosso.  They said this hike was challenging but I was thinking in my head, I am an athlete, this can't be that bad.  Well, I was wrong... even the most in shape people were struggling during this hike.  But it was AWESOME! And soooo worth every bead of sweat. The view from the trail was pure sea views and I couldn't get enough.

Our Hiking Crew: Kimmie, Steven, Billy, Phil and Matt

At the top, I couldn't help but show my Bruin Pride so Kimmie and I did an 8 clap over looking the Ligurian Sea. If I can figure out how to upload it, I will add it to the blog!

After the 2 hour hike, you descend onto the 5th town of Monterosso. I have never been so happy to be in the water in my whole life. We jumped right in and just floated and enjoyed the moment.  There is a lot of floating going on in these seas because they are full of salt which adds to the buoyancy (my science lesson for the day).

For the rest of the day we laid on the beach, bought goggles and soaked up the sun. Kimmie and I made excellent use of our goggles and found starfish, baby fish and even flounder from the Little Mermaid! It was a near perfect day.

Kimmie and I with our goggles and smoothies!

I didn't think the day could get much better but the Bus2Alps Leaders recommended that we try the Pesto before we leave.  I am definitely not one to turn down Pesto so we walked into this crammed little shop and got Focaccia alla Pesto and it was most definitely the best pesto I have ever experienced.  The color was so perfect, the Focaccia was warm and we were sitting and eating it while overlooking the water.

That Monday I would learn about Pesto and apparently, I will never eat pesto like this anywhere in the world. The Liguria region produces the best pesto because of their location: proximity to the sea as well as the soil from the mountains.  It creates a perfect color and is incredible in taste. 

Yup, the day was perfect. I am coming back before I leave Italy for the view and maybe some Pesto.

It's A Love Hate kind of Relationship

I love my blog. I hate taking the time to write it. This is the main conflict in my life right now (Yes, my life is that simple these days.)

My blog provides me a reflective space. A space that won't disappear in a move, or in a messy room, but will forever be there in a click of a button.  Isn't technology an amazing thing? It will also provide as a form to remember my trip and I know I will be very thankful in the end, so I will continue to push through.

The hate stems from the fact that there are 1000 things to do in Florence, I am here for 4 weeks, and I am spending my time writing a blog.

However, I do love many things: sharing my experiences, learning to establish my voice and of course to let my parents know I am still alive and that their investment in my trip is worthwhile.

With that being said, I have lots to share about! I have yet to write about my trip to Cinque Terre, The Amalfi Coast and Week 2 in my class as well as my day to day experience of living in this Renaissance city.

So keep looking forward for the next couple of posts, they will be coming... Slowly but surely!

The Food of Italy... Week 1

So I am kind of skipping around a little but I wanted to dedicate this post to my class because I could not be more excited to have this experience.  I still can't believe this is all real.  I am learning to cook from a world renowned chef, with only the freshest foods and I'm in Firenze of all places!

Sorry for that but I keep having to pinch myself because it still doesn't feel real.

Monday, I had my first day of class.  As anyone does on the first day, I got there super early because I didn't want to get lost, not get a spot, show up late... , etc. Well, apparently my training as a student-athlete has been engrained into my mind because "early is on time" does not apply in Italy. I was there by myself for a good 15 minutes.

Around 8:58am in walks my teacher.  He looks every bit as Italian as you might picture, long hair and all, and oozes a passion for food. He explains the course and how he is a nutritionist which means we will only be using the freshest products we can find (which isn't hard in Florence) and keeping our ingredient list to about 5 per meal! I immediately got so excited because how often do you get to learn this kind of information and then get to practice it?

After the syllabus talk was over, we started cooking! Our first meal was Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Cream Sauce and Ovis Molis Cookies.  He wanted to start off basic (No one in the class thought this was basic.) Every class we will split into teams and each team is responsible for one of the recipes.  Since we were only cooking two things, there were two teams.  I was on the pasta team and I was especially excited about this because I will cook pasta more than I will cookies. On the first day I learned the techniques of dicing, blanching and little secrets from my professor to enhance every meal (If you are nice I'll share.) Everything turned out delicious. I was actually surprised because he basically just read the recipe and came around and instructed but I felt that most people just embraced their roles and we all worked together to make a great meal.

The Penne with Tomatoes and Cream

Ovis Molis : Nutella and Raspberry Cookies

On Day 2, we went to the Mercato Centrale.  The Mercato Centrale is the Central Market here in Florence.  It is only open from 7am to 2pm daily and they sell the freshest food I have ever seen. Everything is brought in each morning from the sea, the farms or it is made there.  The first two times I went in there, I was overwhelmed with the number of vendors and I didn't know how to pick out any produce in Italian so I became a little nervous about the market.

Well, my eyes were opened when Marco took us, introduced us to the right vendors and basically gave us a roadmap on how to navigate this expansive space. I saw some interesting things in the market such as swordfish, octopus and lots and lots of intestines. We sampled different times of cheese and then the same type of cheese but with different ages which was very cool to learn about. Marco mentioned that if we came back to these specific vendors they would give us a good deal as well as help us get the freshest thing we are looking for because he has built a relationship with these people.

Sampling both Cow and Sheep Milk cheeses with some jam

The Octopus 

Swordfish is everywhere

After class I was determined to try the market again by myself now that I had some insider tricks.  I am pleased to report it went EXTREMELY well. I went to only the vendors we met and they helped me pick out the perfect ingredients for my tomato sauce I was making that night for my friends. After I picked up the veggies, I went to go get some cheese and made friends with the Italian lady that worked there and she was so sweet and told me that if I came back everyday she would teach me Italian! How could I pass up that offer? I left the market grinning ear to ear because I finally felt like I was maneuvering my way around this beautiful, historic, but foreign city with way more ease.

Gelato Break: So in midst of this busy food day, I took a break and walked around with some friends. We ended up down the street from this famous gelato placed called Grom. Before I left for my trip, Sierra Kaslow gave me a list of places I needed to try before leaving and this was on it so I knew I had to stop since we found it. This was only the second time I have had gelato since I have been here and it did not disappoint! YUM!

That night I cooked dinner for my roommate Rae and our downstairs neighbor Chez. I wanted to start practicing what I was learning in class so I made the pasta recipe from Day 1.  It went super well, except I didn't realize that I had no salt and pepper in the apartment... This was a minor snag but luckily for me, Chez had some and the meal was saved! It is definitely different when you are making something in a group in class and then you make it alone, the timing is a little off.

Goal of the Trip: Work on my timing when creating a meal, that is the part that I struggle with the most.

My first meal! Only 5 Ingredients!

After this productive cooking day, I was so excited for day 3 of class.  We know in advance what we are cooking because surprisingly enough we have a textbook with amazing lessons on olive oil, tomatoes, herbs... etc and all of our recipes included.  This is interesting to me but apparently more interesting to Chez since she always urges me to read instead of doing anything else. 

We had 4 meals planned for day 3: Spaghetti alle Vongole (Clams), Trofie con il Pesto Tradizionale (Homemade Pesto with pasta), Coniglio con le olive (Rabbit with Olives) and Tiramisu. 

Yes, rabbit was on the menu, what was my teacher thinking?! These were all meant to be representative of traditional Tuscan items and he wanted us to start understand the importance of regions in Italy.  Today the focus was with Liguria (the Pesto) and Tuscany (Rabbit, Clams , etc.) Well, we were split into groups and of course, I got the rabbit meal. I was not entirely happy at first because Marco held up the rabbit and it still had eyeballs. 

Yes, it is way larger than the traditional little cute cotton ball we normally see which is why he said it is ok to eat it. I still was grossed out as he butchered it in front of us and yes it was pretty graphic (I'll spare you the details.) Anyway, after it was cut up, we marinated it for a little in some lemon and cold water and then seasoned it with some herbs and garlic and then put it in a pan to cook. (Looks like chicken right?) Ha!

To my surprise, and minus the addition of the olives, the rabbit turned out great! It is a lean meat and in the way we cooked it, it tastes better than most chicken. 

My partner Jess and I with our first bites of our Rabbit creation. Yum!

Since our portion spent a lot of time marinating and cooking, we helped other groups so we could get a feel of how to make the other things. Making homemade pasta is probably one of the coolest things I have seen done and surprisingly, extremely easy! You use a tool called a guitar because it has thin strings across that you press the dough through.  The sauce was the juice from steaming the clams, tomatoes, garlic and some herbs and some white wine. I ate clams for the first time and actually loved them! 

Just eggs and flour make the spaghetti, and lots of kneading 

Final result but before the pasta was cooked 

The pesto was my favorite because it is so easy but you will never have pesto this good anywhere else. 

Kimmie and Jenny aka Team Pesto

Final Product: Pesto Pasta with Green beans and Potatoes

The muscles were just to taste the difference between them and clams. They were also a first for me, not bad but I prefer the clams.

Lastly was the Tiramisu. We didn't get the full effect because real Tiramisu is supposed to sit in the fridge over 8 hours to perfectly compress all the flavors.  We didn't have that much time but it was still incredible and so easy to make! 

Team Tiramisu 

Final Product!

I am seriously loving every second of class... and my friends are loving every second of the leftovers. I am learning to send out a group text when I am headed home so they can come try everything. The Tiramisu I brought home yesterday was devoured the second people walked into our apartment.  I am finding such a happiness through cooking and discovering new things as well as trying new things. It is giving me a different view of the world and all the things I have said no up until this point that maybe I would like. 

Lesson Learned #4: "No" is no longer part of my vocabulary. Try everything at least once. (Yes, it is easier said than done, but hey, I watched a rabbit get butchered in front of me and then I cooked and ate it, you can say yes.) 

We didn't have class today (Thursday) for a field trip tomorrow but instead I am heading to the Amalfi Coast for the weekend with some friends! 

Ciao.