Monday, February 23, 2009
in good company.
yesterday was the closing day of carnival and all the festive italionos come out to show off their fancy costumes. and while florence carnival didn't compare to venice, there was still a good crowd and plenty of decent people watching.
then. i walked right on out of florence with a friend. into fiesole. (google map this.) hours and hours later we were in the most beautiful modern italian villas and neighborhoods that looked out over the valleys of the arno river. we couldn't see much but through the cracks of closed off gates. people are very protective of their views. it smelled incredible. (the first good clean air smell of florence so far.) it was so green and lovely at sunset. i am completely confirmed that i was not made to live in a city. a breath of fresh air, open space. i ate what i thought was an olive from a tree... when in italy, not something i recommend. the sun was nearly set and a nice man asked us if we were lost. we asked him how to get back to ponte vecchio. his eyes got big, "oh, si, you are distant!" we made it back hours later.
i got home and learned the cha cha and some new yoga moves. (my roommates mom is opening a yoga studio and is a yoga addict. she took me through a whole class the other night and i loved it!!!! it was much better than any yoga class i had gone to before. i felt so good. we have a trade-off now, i tutor her in sketching and drawing lessons and she gives me yoga classes. good stuff!) we were all feeling the need for some fresh air, so we went up to piazzale Michelangelo. you get the absolute best view of florence from here. STUNNING! the more i get away from the city and look at florence from differnt angles/perspectives, the more i am loving it! don't go to piazzale Michelangelo on a friday or saturday night. it is very crowded. we went around 11pm sunday night (a good time to go.)
i just found out my mom and siter are coming here in three weeks!!!!!!!! very exciting! they will love it! it will be sooooooo good for them!!!!!
i am off to italian class!
then. i walked right on out of florence with a friend. into fiesole. (google map this.) hours and hours later we were in the most beautiful modern italian villas and neighborhoods that looked out over the valleys of the arno river. we couldn't see much but through the cracks of closed off gates. people are very protective of their views. it smelled incredible. (the first good clean air smell of florence so far.) it was so green and lovely at sunset. i am completely confirmed that i was not made to live in a city. a breath of fresh air, open space. i ate what i thought was an olive from a tree... when in italy, not something i recommend. the sun was nearly set and a nice man asked us if we were lost. we asked him how to get back to ponte vecchio. his eyes got big, "oh, si, you are distant!" we made it back hours later.
i got home and learned the cha cha and some new yoga moves. (my roommates mom is opening a yoga studio and is a yoga addict. she took me through a whole class the other night and i loved it!!!! it was much better than any yoga class i had gone to before. i felt so good. we have a trade-off now, i tutor her in sketching and drawing lessons and she gives me yoga classes. good stuff!) we were all feeling the need for some fresh air, so we went up to piazzale Michelangelo. you get the absolute best view of florence from here. STUNNING! the more i get away from the city and look at florence from differnt angles/perspectives, the more i am loving it! don't go to piazzale Michelangelo on a friday or saturday night. it is very crowded. we went around 11pm sunday night (a good time to go.)
i just found out my mom and siter are coming here in three weeks!!!!!!!! very exciting! they will love it! it will be sooooooo good for them!!!!!
i am off to italian class!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
CAMPER.
camper shoes are my new favorite things! this company is amazing! i am designing a temporary exhibit/ store for my exhibit design class for CAMPER (conceptual project) and they are incredible. there is so much history and focus on creativity and community in this company. They are completely off-beat, unique, wonderful. all of the stores are different, the shoes are all different. so fun! check out the website: camper.com
Monday, February 16, 2009
from modern to gothic.
so much has happened!
this past weekend i went to venice and the islands of burano and murano. italy/ europe is ever-increasing in its diversity and it is wonderful :) it didn't rain the whole weekend!
first, some updates:
1. i traveled to rome 2 weekends ago and it completely blew me away. i have never been in a place with so much depth and richness. the Colosseum literally took my breath away. the pantheon had previously just been the cover of my trig book book in high school and now it's completely real, completely alive. Rome was so lush and green. It was intensely extant. the contrast of ruins/ history, and beautiful green hills gave the city such a unique pulse. our hotel was amazing (first hot shower in italy! heated towel racks and everything) and the 5 course (2.5 hours) dinner completed my "mountain-top high." go to rome!
2. i moved! housing emailed us and told us that we were moving the next day. (didn't ask... told.) so, we packed and peaced out of the cold shower, no electricity, living ontopofeachother apartment! we loaded up the taxi and moved into one of the oldest buildings in florence right in the heart of the historic district. the building was built in the gothic period.
oh no... getting kicked out of the lab... i will finish this soon! i have tons of homework so wednesday afternoon will be my internet time.
ok. time to finish this. so, new apartment is um... dark but more spacious. It definitely feels more like a home. The tiny gothic windows don't let light in so that just gives me motivation to go out and explore everyday. I just have no concept of time in there (this makes waking up very difficult.) :) i live above a trattoria (restaurant of sorts) and a barber shop. It is a very loud part of town, but i've decided that when you are very tired sirens and cars kind of sound like the ocean... (this is my attempt at playing the "glad game" from Pollyanna.)
3. FUNNY FACE. A little Japanese man sketched my face. He stopped me on the street as i was walking home from class around 9 pm and asked to draw me. I thought it was a stupid Italiano "chiao, bella" boy. but no! it was a nice little man who had an italian fiancee and we sat on the steps of a church and he sketched away. It was so fun! he was totally insane! he would stop every so often and use his pen as a baton and conduct imaginary music with it, eyes closed and all! he wants to sculpt my head... i told him i would get back to him. apparently i make "very interesting facial expressions." haha! i had just had a nose bleed and been crying a little when he found me.
4. VENICE was so incredible! GO THERE! Carnival was so so so so crowded. at one point i used the fur coat of the lady in front of me as a hand warmer. I just nuzzled my fingers right on up in there. nice and warm. i have never experienced anything like it. intricate costumes, beautiful historic setting, tradition, festivities. it was lovely. i got a wonderfully gaudy blown glass ring in murano too!
anyhow. that is that. this is my first weekend in florence. i think i might go for a day trip tomorrow. i am feeling not so great and think i need to have some time to be alone and sketch here.
new italian goals: NO nutella. Do homework on Wednesday nights and Thursday. Make a new friend every week. NO nutella.
I am starting to miss having friends. i really don't want to sound so negative, it's just a little funk i'm in, but gosh, what i wouldn't give to have a good friend here. my roommates are fine, but we just value very different things. (don't tell: i don't really want to travel with them and i don't have anyone here to travel with, talk to.) all in good time. all in God's time. it will be fine. just a little lonely funk. i am very blessed for these experiences.
this past weekend i went to venice and the islands of burano and murano. italy/ europe is ever-increasing in its diversity and it is wonderful :) it didn't rain the whole weekend!
first, some updates:
1. i traveled to rome 2 weekends ago and it completely blew me away. i have never been in a place with so much depth and richness. the Colosseum literally took my breath away. the pantheon had previously just been the cover of my trig book book in high school and now it's completely real, completely alive. Rome was so lush and green. It was intensely extant. the contrast of ruins/ history, and beautiful green hills gave the city such a unique pulse. our hotel was amazing (first hot shower in italy! heated towel racks and everything) and the 5 course (2.5 hours) dinner completed my "mountain-top high." go to rome!
2. i moved! housing emailed us and told us that we were moving the next day. (didn't ask... told.) so, we packed and peaced out of the cold shower, no electricity, living ontopofeachother apartment! we loaded up the taxi and moved into one of the oldest buildings in florence right in the heart of the historic district. the building was built in the gothic period.
oh no... getting kicked out of the lab... i will finish this soon! i have tons of homework so wednesday afternoon will be my internet time.
ok. time to finish this. so, new apartment is um... dark but more spacious. It definitely feels more like a home. The tiny gothic windows don't let light in so that just gives me motivation to go out and explore everyday. I just have no concept of time in there (this makes waking up very difficult.) :) i live above a trattoria (restaurant of sorts) and a barber shop. It is a very loud part of town, but i've decided that when you are very tired sirens and cars kind of sound like the ocean... (this is my attempt at playing the "glad game" from Pollyanna.)
3. FUNNY FACE. A little Japanese man sketched my face. He stopped me on the street as i was walking home from class around 9 pm and asked to draw me. I thought it was a stupid Italiano "chiao, bella" boy. but no! it was a nice little man who had an italian fiancee and we sat on the steps of a church and he sketched away. It was so fun! he was totally insane! he would stop every so often and use his pen as a baton and conduct imaginary music with it, eyes closed and all! he wants to sculpt my head... i told him i would get back to him. apparently i make "very interesting facial expressions." haha! i had just had a nose bleed and been crying a little when he found me.
4. VENICE was so incredible! GO THERE! Carnival was so so so so crowded. at one point i used the fur coat of the lady in front of me as a hand warmer. I just nuzzled my fingers right on up in there. nice and warm. i have never experienced anything like it. intricate costumes, beautiful historic setting, tradition, festivities. it was lovely. i got a wonderfully gaudy blown glass ring in murano too!
anyhow. that is that. this is my first weekend in florence. i think i might go for a day trip tomorrow. i am feeling not so great and think i need to have some time to be alone and sketch here.
new italian goals: NO nutella. Do homework on Wednesday nights and Thursday. Make a new friend every week. NO nutella.
I am starting to miss having friends. i really don't want to sound so negative, it's just a little funk i'm in, but gosh, what i wouldn't give to have a good friend here. my roommates are fine, but we just value very different things. (don't tell: i don't really want to travel with them and i don't have anyone here to travel with, talk to.) all in good time. all in God's time. it will be fine. just a little lonely funk. i am very blessed for these experiences.
Monday, February 9, 2009
hot pants and hunger.
this just in: my inner thighs are burnt. Tonight, after web design i rushed into the asian market before it closed, got told that the store was closing in both italian and chinese. starving after 9 hours of hunger... i really wanted to eat something a little nicer than tomato paste and dollar store noodles. i arrived in the wonderfulness that is my apartment (note sarcasm) cooked up my zucchini, thick sauce, and noodles.
1st bite: so so good.
2nd bite: pasta in my lap like you wouldn't believe. hot hot hot. no dinner, ruined clothes, no washing machine. sad sad.
sad.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
coming soon...
dear readers, my internet is in and out here in florence. however, i have three blogs to post and will do so tomorrow using internet at the school. i just got back from rome a few hours ago and am incredibly in love with the city. i want to live there, it is green and lush and completely ALIVE. amazing. you must GO TO ROME! i am going back.
i have some fabulous pope postcards! they sure do love to photoshop the pope into every postcard. SO FUNNY! i have some new friends too! most amazing weekend... blogs coming soon (tomorrow my time.)
Sunday, February 1, 2009
sunday in firenza.
today was my favourite day here so far. the cathedral bells ring more frequently on Sundays (i suppose to increase attendance at mass.) The weather was a complete blessing: calm, grey, drizzling rain. I slept until nearly one. I could blame the jet-lag but i was simply enjoying the peace in my room with my roommate gone (loud sleeper, loud waker-upper, loud get-readier...) So, between my good book, the lack of heat, the warmth of blankets, and the sounds of wet streets and drainpipes, i slept soundly into the day.
i bundled up and went for a run to Ponte Vecchio (literally: "old bridge"), the surrounding bridges, and along the river. (pictured above. i didn't take it.) it was the first time here that i've been able to feel completely independent. My roommate(s) like to travel together and aren't into sightseeing and exploring. They are very concerned with not being American and FITTING IN WITH THE ITALIANS. I was most definitely the only person here that i've seen running and very much an american doing so. i've decided that it's really not that important for me to "be an italian." for a moment i'll be a terrible person and make a judgment slash generalization: italians seem very insecure. their culture centers around pleasure yet very few of them look happy. i'm sure this view will change but for now, between the womens' smug looks and "high fashion" and the mens' forwardness they are trying to exude with a confidence that makes up for insecurity. tangent.
the run was beautiful, my new worship music that becca gave me really helped me to remember that God is just as much in Florence as He is in Colorado. it helped me to see the people as He sees them. (CHECK OUT "JESUS CULTURE")
tonight i went to a small church that was in English! There were maybe 20 people there and i am still mulling it over. i think the pastor is from africa. i loved it; the overheads with misspelled words, communion, new friends. i honestly didn't get much out of the message, but sometimes basics are so nice. it was refreshing to worship. it's easy for me to feel too 'american christian' and take for granted the beauty and ease of gathering in His name. tonight, it meant the world to me.
Chaio! buena notta!
i bundled up and went for a run to Ponte Vecchio (literally: "old bridge"), the surrounding bridges, and along the river. (pictured above. i didn't take it.) it was the first time here that i've been able to feel completely independent. My roommate(s) like to travel together and aren't into sightseeing and exploring. They are very concerned with not being American and FITTING IN WITH THE ITALIANS. I was most definitely the only person here that i've seen running and very much an american doing so. i've decided that it's really not that important for me to "be an italian." for a moment i'll be a terrible person and make a judgment slash generalization: italians seem very insecure. their culture centers around pleasure yet very few of them look happy. i'm sure this view will change but for now, between the womens' smug looks and "high fashion" and the mens' forwardness they are trying to exude with a confidence that makes up for insecurity. tangent.
the run was beautiful, my new worship music that becca gave me really helped me to remember that God is just as much in Florence as He is in Colorado. it helped me to see the people as He sees them. (CHECK OUT "JESUS CULTURE")
tonight i went to a small church that was in English! There were maybe 20 people there and i am still mulling it over. i think the pastor is from africa. i loved it; the overheads with misspelled words, communion, new friends. i honestly didn't get much out of the message, but sometimes basics are so nice. it was refreshing to worship. it's easy for me to feel too 'american christian' and take for granted the beauty and ease of gathering in His name. tonight, it meant the world to me.
Chaio! buena notta!
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