Have you ever shaved your legs in a bidet?

I can't say I'm proud of it, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. And when my roommates and I clogged our shower, flooded our bathroom floor, and realized two of us still needed to shower/shave.....we went to drastic measures.


Upon entering our Florentine apartment, we were wary of the bidet. Uncommon in American households, the bidet was a tad too ominous for us and, thus, we ignored it......until last night. As the realization slowly sank in that we wouldn't be able to take a shower longer than 5 minutes, we realized we needed to discover new ways of shaving. It was then that my roommate and I donned our bathing suits, crouched over the open-ended bowl, twisted the faucet, and shaved our legs using the water from the bidet. Though debatably not the weirdest thing I've ever done, it certainly is very high-up on the list. But, you know what? My legs have never been so smooth.


In other news, my dear old roommate, Erica, came to visit for the week! We spent our first evening out at an array of bars (Joshua Tree, Uncle Jimmy's, & Twice) with a bunch of other people from school. It was an average night for us, complete with too many drinks and overly assertive Italian gentlemen. After a tough morning, we wandered around the city today in an attempt to help Erica acclimate herself to the area. And, now? We're making delicious homemade quesadillas for dinner. A quality first 24 hours in Italy? Why, yes, I think so.





Until next time, dear readers, arrivederci!

"I'm not getting sweatier - I'm getting sexier!"

Hello, dear readers! I'm delighted to inform you that yesterday's trip to Cinque Terre was a huge success. My roommates and I managed to drag ourselves out of bed at 6 AM and by 10:30, we were beginning to walk through the first of five towns in Cinque Terre National Park.

Who wouldn't want to spend a day hiking along these cliffs?

There really are no adequate words to describe the natural beauty of the Cinque Terre landscape. The five towns along the coast are separated by breathtaking cliffs and a shimmering turquoise ocean. We hiked as much as possible between the towns, finally reaching Monterosso and spending the end of our day relaxing on the beach with some gelato. To embrace a cliche, it was a perfect day......though naturally, it wasn't devoid of entertainment.

The towns are nestled into the terrain. The homes are painted in bright, citrus colors and are constructed such that they almost always have views of the water.

Fun Fact: I have never hiked before. It has always seemed appealing and interesting enough, but the opportunity has simply never arisen. I'd received advice from friends who had studied abroad that the hiking was amazing at Cinque Terre, so suffice to say that I was excited for it. Little did I know that hiking between the third and fourth towns would be quite so difficult. As my friends and I struggled up seemingly endless stairs and stumbled down rubble-ridden hillsides, we quickly began to question our idea of a "leisurely hike." Drenched in sweat with shaking muscles, we laughed and joked our way along the cliffs. At one point, one of the guys turns around and goes "On the bright side, I'm not getting sweatier. I'm getting sexier." By those standards, that was the sexiest afternoon of our lives.

This guy did a backflip off his paddleboard when he got to shore.  Impressive? Me thinks yes.

I suppose the last thing I'd like to add would be a brief comment on Italian aquatic gear. Quite simply: whoever designed Speedos should be wholeheartedly ashamed of his/herself. That is all.

My roommates and I in Monterosso after a relaxing afternoon at the beach.

Hope you all enjoyed a lovely weekend! It's back to work & school tomorrow. On the bright side, one of my best friends is visiting Tuesday and we're off to Venice and Verona next weekend!

Ancient History? I think not....

Whenever I was in a class that discussed Ancient Roman history, I was always fascinated by the landscape. I adored hearing about the soldiers trek through the mountainous terrain to conquer another enemy. I envisioned endless valleys densely covered in trees and dotted with vineyards. I could smell the wild fruit trees and feel the arid soil beneath my feet. And today, dear readers, I was fully immersed in the iconic Italian countryside.

Castello del Trebbio was originally owned by the Pazzi family, known best for the Renaissance-era conspiracy against the Medici family.

Our school organized a lovely trip to Chianti, a region of Tuscany renowned for its vino rossi (red wine - in order for a wine to be considered Chianti, it must be produced with a minimum of 80% of the Sangiovesi grape, a native Italian grape that originates in this region). We spent the late morning touring the 900-year old castle and enjoying a traditional tuscan lunch of antipasti, cheeses, bread and olive oil, and wine. Much to my excitement, we were also treated to a wine tasting of a lighter, 2011 Chianti and a 2008, 3-year reserve Chianti. Though I'm not particularly prone to red wine, I must admit that it was delicious.

The Tuscan countryside is just as beautiful as I'd imagined. That Debra Messing movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" just doesn't do it justice....

Following our lunch, we walked through the countryside, taking in the natural world around us. As we walked, or should I say, trekked, I couldn't help but feel very scholarly. As I wound my way through the fruit trees and olive groves, I found myself thinking that these were the same hills that had been traversed for thousands of years, that these were the same fruits eaten by those who lived here centuries ago. And as I spiraled deeper into my thoughts, I felt as though Thoreau would be proud of me and my Walden-esque experience in the valley on this particularly hazy September afternoon.

Not only does Castello del Trebbio have a few vineyards, but it also produces extra virgin olive oil. YUM.

Tomorrow, my roommates and I head to Cinque Terre to hike through the 5 towns. Hopefully I'll have fantastic adventures to discuss soon thereafter! Ciao gli amici!

Relentless Rain

You know, as someone who spends the vast majority of her year in Bristol, Rhode Island, I'd say I've become rather accustomed to rain. Rather, I've become so used to rain that donning a pair of Hunter boots and my North Face seems like an everyday activity. However, I will honestly say that, after continuously checking the Florentine weather and seeing no rain, I was unprepared for Florentine weather.


Not only did I neglect to bring rain boots, but I also didn't consider that the cobblestone streets are the perfect setting for hidden puddles. Just when you are sure that you've finagled your way out of every deep puddle on the street.....BAM! your foot is entrenched with mucky water and your shoe is damp for the rest of the day. Now, this may not seem so bad, but unbeknownst to you is that I have a minimum of a 20 minute walk to class and, subsequently, home. So, when one weather-ignoramus like myself gets her shoes soaking wet in the beginning of the day, she spends the rest of her meticulously-scheduled day walking with wet shoes and contracting blisters comparable only to those I've seen on the hands of my friends who row crew. Suffice to say that my feet hurt so badly that no pair of shoes seems friendly.

See this sky? Know what it's saying? "Hey there....just when you think I'm not going to, I'm going to downpour and ruin your day just because I can. Do I care that it hasn't rained in Florence once all summer? NOPE!"

Moving on, the rain has brought another dear friend, the common-cold. After four days of rain, my body gave me the royal "screw you" and bestowed upon me a cold that two days of Dayquil and Nyquil have yet to murder. Though I wholeheartedly acknowledge that things could be worse, I still feel the urge to publicly vent about these happenings via a public website. Ergo, today's post.


I'm going to stop writing before I become increasingly negative. Though I'm intensely aware of how lucky I am to be in Florence around such a vibrant culture, I am currently inclined to think only of my soaked socks and sniffles.


May the days ahead of you bring dry shoes and sunny skies!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood......

Well, it's another picturesque evening in Florence and I have just a few minutes to write before heading out with my friends for our first adventure with apertivo, a speciality offered by many local restaurants. Apertivo allows for an unlimited dinner buffet with the purchase of a glass of wine......suffice to say that it is a college student's dream.


Earlier today, my roommates and I ventured around the city in an attempt to get our bearings before classes start tomorrow. Our classes are held in two different buildings, Palazzo Rucellai and Palazzo Bargagli. Luckily, the walk between the two brings us by the Arno River, the Ponte Vecchio, and the Uffizi gallery.


On the way home, we walked through the piazza at the end of our street to find a plentiful farmer's/artisan's market. Local merchants were displaying everything from fresh breads, wines, and aged-cheeses to handmade jewelry and oil paintings. As I meandered through the tents while eating my limoncello sorbet gelato, I couldn't help but feel as if I were on the right track to becoming a little bit Italian.


Well, until next time, arrivederci gli amici!

A nearby piazza houses an ornately-adorned carousel

Oh, What a Night!

Buona Sera! It's a rainy afternoon in Florence.....which provides me the idyllic opportunity to blog about last night's adventures!


Our evening began with a lovely dinner at a small pizzeria near the duomo. I had a delicious flatbread with eggplant, gorgonzola, and provolone (I must apologize for not taking a photo.....my friends and I ate it too quickly) with the house Pinot Noir (also scrumptious).  We then ventured to the Old Stove, an unfortunately Americanized bar near the Duomo. Though the odor of liquor hung in the air, the bar provided wonderful opportunities to meet other study abroad students. After a brief stint at Stove, we stopped in at a few small bars before landing at Twice, a discotheque about 10 minutes from our flat.

My roommates and I before heading out for the evening

Twice consisted of a small entry hallway and an open dance floor, adorned with small platforms and a crowded bar towards the back. As we entered the hallway, dim blue lighting set the stage for the dance floor, which was packed with Italians and Americans alike, all dancing to the flickering of neon lights. The music was largely American Top-100, but much to my surprise, it seemed entirely familiar to the Italians. The club stayed just as packed until the early morning hours, at which point we decided to head back to our flat. After hours of dancing and a concerning amount of wine, we thought it might be wise to head home.

Who wouldn't stay out all night when they could be seeing this?

Ciao! Abito en Firenze!

Buona Notte gli amici! For those of you who are unaware, I've chosen to venture to the rolling hills of Tuscany this fall in order to study art history and architecture. So, as the autumn progresses, I'll be posting frequently about my Italian rondezvous and adventures!


I arrived in Florence three days ago and have been in a state of Disneyland-esque shock ever since. I find myself awestruck all too frequently and I can't help but wonder if this overwhelming feeling will ever dissipate.....I sure hope not. Walking the streets is walking through thousands of years of history, art, culture, life. Embracing the cliche, I feel truly blessed to be fortunate enough to have such an experience.


Okay, enough of the happy-go-lucky feelings. Let's talk about some of the things I've been up to! The first two days were spent completing orientation for my school, the International Studies Institute at the Palazzo Rucellai, an Alberti-designed pre-Renaissance palace. I've also completely moved into my apartment, located just two blocks from the renowned Duomo of the Florence Cathedral. It seems as though we spend most of our time walking, especially considering we live approximately 20 minutes from school and we have an all-too-frequent tendency to get lost, and eating/drinking. The food and wine is just as delicious as everyone said it would be. The wine is also blissfully inexpensive, resulting in an inevitable continuation of American-college-student drunken evenings.......of my classmates, naturally.

The beautiful terrace at the back of my apartment.

I think I'll end this blog by recapping my first encounter with the infamous gypsies of Florence. For those of you who haven't heard of these manipulating people, gypsies are bohemian-adorned travelers who are known for thievery. This morning, as my friends and I were walking to class, we noticed an elderly gypsy woman approaching us on the sidewalk. We suspiciously glared at the woman as we frantically clutched our purses and wallets, only to witness her abruptly halt next to Nate (a fellow student). She grabbed the banana he had been holding (intended to be his breakfast), began to pull it away, and in a shrill, raspy tone, screamed "BA-NA-NA!" Now, to say that I was frightened would be entirely misleading, as I found myself initially yelling at the woman, "Se ne vada!" but then stopping to laugh at this absurd situation. Eventually, the gypsy won the banana and scampered-off, but the rest of us succumbed to laughter as we walked away from the fruit-stealing gypsy of Florence.


Well, that's all for now. If you'll excuse me, dear readers, I have a bottle of Chardonnay and a discotheque calling my name. Arrivederci!