Ciao

Friends,

It's time.  I was hoping to make this as reflective and cool as possible but I ended up deleting everything.  The truth is, there aren't words that could be used to sum up the past four months.  So I'm not going to use many.  

Europe took hold of my life and has given me friends, new eyes, and a home.  I am so grateful.  

Thinking about my plane flying over Tuscany already makes my heart hurt and I realize that I will probably look back on more than half of the memories that have been made and remember them as if they were dreams.  That's what it all feels like, really.  

In America, I'll think of the guys who sell the light up sling-shot helicopters in every piazza and wonder how many they managed to sell that day.  Whenever I smell leather, cigarettes, or incense, I'll be reminded of the streets of Florence.  I'll think about the feisty vendors at San Lorenzo Market and churches I climbed.  My love for balsamic and my roommates will carry on with me, along with Pino's pesto and Turkey Best.  I'll recall my last afternoon in Italy, sitting on the stairs of Piazza Michelangelo with good friends, a sunset over the city I love, and a musician serenading anyone listening with U2's "With or Without You."    

My God.  This could be the best dream I've ever had.

“What is that feeling when you're driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing?  It's the too-huge world vaulting us, and it's good-bye.  But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.”

-Jack Kerouac

   

I'm ready for you America-- especially for my mom and dad, Chris, and my fish.  It's been too long.  Less than 24 hours away from squeezes!  Onto the next legendary chapter...  

Keep it real, Italy.  Thank you, I love you, and I'll see you soon.

A  

Notte Bianco

HAPPY NOTTE BIANCO 2013!  #unleashed

Time to get frisky!  

A

The Sound of Music... Firenze Remix

Buona sera,

ATTENZIONE!  In almost two weeks, I will be a half-zombie stepping off a Luftansa flight... in NEW YORK.  This warms my heart and crushes it all at once.  This place... this place.  This place.  Florence.  It is my home, and I've found myself developing intense and even stronger feelings for it as I tiptoe closer to the finish.  But listen, on the other side of the Atlantic there is my absolutely adorable Davanzo family who I haven't been able to squeeze in four entire months!  OOOOOH MAN I can't wait to see them.

The rain has left the city for such a long time that my umbrella is collecting dust!  The sun has been chilling up there until 8 p.m. each day, keeping Florence consistently at 70-something degrees!!!  The Boboli Gardens call my name on the daily...

Why I love Giardini di Boboli:

• The air smells of baby's breath
• GRASS EVERYWHERE-- something that is scarce in the city!
• The wildflowers are vibrant and look beautiful together in mini bouquets  
• It's the ideal place to lounge (or sleep) on a towel and listen to Third Eye Blind
• Antico's sandwiches taste even better when eaten near a pond
• The tunnels of trees are visual wonders of the earth 

During an outdoor homework session one night, Alex and I heard commotion from below the terrace... we originally thought that there was just a laundry room down there.  As it turns out, there's another apartment, with 10 (Italian) college guys living in it-- and they like attention.  Five of them spent about 20 minutes putting away dishes as loudly as possible and then one sat-- casually-- on their windowsill and serenaded anyone who would be lucky enough to catch his accented renditions of "Ho Hey" and "Hotel California"... I'd say we were pretty lucky that night.

Eventually they introduced themselves and sat outside to play us a private concert!  It was silly and reminded me so much of summer and Chris' voice echoing through the house.

        
With great weather comes great music... flutes, guitars, cellos, and (naturally) accordions have been taking over the city and I am loving it!  I crossed the Arno with Margo for a La Carraia two-scoop cup on Monday night-- typical-- and on our walk home we caught a street performance in between Piazza Repubblica and Piazza del Duomo!  

These guys are probably my favorite musicians in Florence.  I usually stop by Piazza Repubblica on my way home from school to check if they're there-- and usually they are, strumming and plucking their talented little hearts out.  Don't ask me how, but I recently learned their names!  Sandu Sandokan plays the bass, Vasilica Stingaciu the violin, and Ionut Breazu the rhythm guitar.  Together, they hilariously and humbly make up the band, "Romdraculas." 

The crowd was really feeling their performance that night-- people (young and old) were clapping and screaming even before the songs ended.  Unfortunately, there were two who weren't digging it as much...

The police broke up the party, but that didn't stop Margo and I from achieving ultimate groupie-status by throwing spare coins into their instrument cases and asking for a picture.  They had such good personalities-- Vasilica seemed to be captivated by Margo's beauty... he caught her eye and then his breath, grabbed her face, and smooshed his mouth into her cheek.  She was so taken off guard-- we cracked up the whole way back to Gino Capponi.  Something else crossed off the Florence Bucket List!

Star struck... Ionut, Sandu, and Vasilica!

Aperitivos and music clubs often incorporate live music to draw customers (like me) in!  

What is aperitivo?  
In literal terms, aperitivo means pre-meal drink.  In the past, Italians would only order a cocktail or glass of wine, but now aperitivo has turned into a traditional meal of finger foods (commonly between 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.) that gives Italians a chance to socialize and relax with snacks before dinner... although in most cases, people are too full to eat anything else!  Two of my favorite places in Florence for aperitivo are both 9€:

• Kitch: Via S. Gallo, 22... "Hipster" vibe, records hanging off of the walls, leopard print chairs, and an assortment of tortellini, bruschetta, pizzas, and grilled vegetables! 
• Chiaroscuro: Via del Corso, 36... Located in the city center and well known for its cozy yet classy atmosphere.  The food is ample and exceptionally fresh.  

At this point, picking up Florence newspapers and flyers from Pino's sandwich shop is habitual and has come in handy countless times, especially for finding random open mic nights and the acclaimed "Beatles Tuesdays" at Be Bop music club.  

Beatles Night!

She loves you YEAH YEAH YEAH!

Waiting for "Here Comes the Sun"

I'm a huge fan of Be Bop (on Via dei Servi) because it's a hidden gem-- literally underground-- only five minutes from my doorstep.  I met the owner on a Thursday night while on my way to the Duomo to meet up with Jackie and Regan.  He asked me to come back with friends because an American songwriter-- "a mix between Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young"-- was scheduled to perform that night at 11 p.m.!!  UnREAL.  

Luca McMirti... "Hiiiiiiding on the Backstreets"

The three of us were sitting in the front row by 11:15, only feet away from Luca McMirti, the lead singer of Florence's dignified rock group, Dust 'N' Bones.  He played an acoustic set, starting off the night with "Backstreets" by Springsteen-- my Dad's favorite song of all time.  I found it terribly hard to control myself, especially after he followed up the Bruce cover with "I Am the Highway" by Audioslave-- one of Chris' top songs from a few years ago.  It must have been some type of sign, right?  I couldn't stop thinking about my family that night.  I miss them.          

I clearly remember the first song that I heard in Florence: "Diamonds" by Rihanna.  Strange, no?  It's not that I was expecting "That's Amore" to be bumpin' on every radio station over here, but I never imagined the excess of American pop culture and electronica to cross the water so rapidly.  Lana Del Ray, Will.i.Am, and Asaf Avidan are a few of the hottest artists in Europe right now.  Has anyone heard Justin Timberlake's new song "Mirrors" yet?  The Italians have... and it's fire!  I've been hitting repeat for the past three weeks!  

For those who are concerned whether or not my love is still true for Jack Johnson, don't worry your pretty little heads.  I haven't forgotten about him!  Steph's acquainted me with trap remixes and the streets have brought woodwinds into my life, but I still listen to "Do You Remember" every now and again.  You can take the girl out of America, but you can't take Jack out of the girl...

CIAO SWEET THINGS!  XO!

Enjoy Adele's Italian twin (at Tamero Pasta Bar in Santo Spirito)!

A  

PS.  GO HUSKIES!  WOOOOOF!

8 Valentines + Mona

Au voir!

Okay everybody... Let's hear it for PAPA FRANCESCO!!!!!  It was March 12 when 115 cardinals gathered in the Vatican, locked themselves in the Sistine Chapel, and decided which of them would become the leader of the world's Catholics.  When Pope Francis was chosen that night, I stood on the terrace with Alex and Steph and got chills listening to church bells chiming throughout the city in his honor.  

The sky is drop dead gorgeous and the tourists are out to play.  Piazza Signoria has turned into the Tour-Firenze lunch break and Piazza del Duomo has transformed into a mini farm.  Some may find the horse-drawn carriages and umbrella-carrying tour guides to be a bit much, and maybe they are, but I enjoy shimmying by them on my way home from class.  When the wind blows and I smell the horses (and all of their glory), I like to pretend that I'm back at UConn.  

Alex is now a legal adult!!!  We had quite the celebration for her 21st, beginning the night with just the roommates and a few guys from upstairs... and eventually ending up with a crew!  We sat around a long table at S-Cafe-- which I believe is becoming the designated birthday spot-- and then called it a night.  Nice and low-key.

We love you Alex!    

It's times like these when I look back to that first Sunday dinner with my five ladies.  We were too cute, cooking pasta and jarred sauce like big girls.  I remember pretending to know everyone's names, even though I thought that Walker's name was Hunter and that Alex's name was Bridget until probably the second week.  

It's mid-March, and I've developed a healthy obsession with my favorite accordion player, the uneven cobblestones, and the dangerously easy access to Red Garter's weekend karaoke nights.  My roommates and I have covered 2 out of the 3 birthdays that we couldn't wait to celebrate together since January.  Even the sight of the calendar makes me sick.  I've stuffed it into the deepest pocket of my suitcase and have promised myself to never look back!

Let's move it right along, shall we?  

Paris, France!

I'm one of those nonconformists who never considered Valentine's Day to be "my thing."  I may scarf down any piece of chocolate that gets in my way and draw hearts on page after page in my notebooks, but I can't bring myself to believe in just one day a year dedicated to those sappy 'reminders.'  It should be every day, right?  Too old-fashioned?  I'm just sayin'.

It may seem a bit ironic (and cliche) how THIS year, not only did I celebrate Valentine's Day, but I did in one of the most romantic cities in the world-- not to mention, with 7 other people.  Let me be real... I purposely booked my flight for that particular weekend because I knew that it would fall right on February 14th.  I am such a sucker. 

First time with RyanAir

On my first RYANAIR flight to France-- an adventure in itself-- I made a mental list of expectations for my weekend: The Eiffel (of course), baguettes, cheese, and maybe a couple of thin mustaches.  Despite my being completely off about the facial hair, the city took me by surprise with its navigable Metro system, altruistic Parisians, and impressively gargantuan meringues.  

I conquered the weekend with 6 friends from Palazzo Rucellai and my best friend from home (who's studying abroad in Ireland this semester), Tara Conway!  Since October when we found out that we would be living in Europe at the same time, we made a pact that we'd reunite in Paris-- AND REUNITE WE DID!  Although to this day I'm astounded how she ran up to me in front of the Lourve without cell phone service or sense of direction, it all worked out and we spent three days telling stories, eating bread, and witnessing sites that I thought only existed in Mary-Kate and Ashley movies.

Paris was the first trip booked completely on our own-- from the plane and museum tickets, to the hostels and shuttle buses-- and damn, did we hustle...  

The Lourve

Hands down the largest museum I've walked through in my life.  We spent over three hours exploring, and I don't think we even covered 1/4 of it.  For me, the highlight of the Lourve was the Mona Lisa (so tiny!), Paolo Veronese's The Wedding At Cana painting, and the Egyptian exhibit.  Gotta love those mummies!

  

Love Lock Bridge

If you keep your eyes open while in Europe, it's possible to find little versions of this bridge all over the place-- there is even one in Florence in the center of the Ponte Vecchio!  Couples write their names (and messages to each other) on padlocks and then demonstrate their undying love permanently by sticking their lock through a fence link and watching the key sink to the bottom of the river.  Sigh.... CAN YOU HANDLE THE ROMANCE?!  The locks cover two main bridges in Paris: Pont des Arts and Pont de l'Archevêché.  

When a MANNNN loves a WOMAN!

Notre-Dame Cathedral

My brother and I used to watch Walt Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame like it was our job.  Quasimodo and Esmeralda's duets played repeatedly in my head as I admired the gothic French architecture.  Though the gargoyles were not singing and getting jiggy like in the cartoon, the cathedral gave off a special, enchanting ambiance.  

Happy 850th!

This year is Notre-Dame's 850th year anniversary!  Hooty hoot!!!  The history of the cathedral began in 1163, when the Bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully, began its construction under the reign of King Louis VII.  While traveling, I've grown more and more fascinated by the restoration of such stunning architectural powerhouses.  Notre-Dame may be a little more than elderly (a survivor of the French Revolution!), but it is just as beautiful as the first photograph taken after its completion.    

This year, the cathedral welcomes nine new bells to accompany its oldest (named Emmanuel) and to replace its previous 19th century bells.  The bells of Notre-Dame originally tolled to mark the liberation of the city in 1944, and presently ring to mark each hour of the day.  The new additions were on display in the center of the church in front of a bath of holy water, reading:  I AM THE WAY WHICH SEEKS TRAVELERS. 

We toured the inside of the cathedral at sunset, stepping right into the middle of 6:00 mass!  Lighting candles and taking pictures of stained glass while listening to the French priest give his sermon was definitely a unique experience for me. 

Moulin Rouge

A raunchy main street with a lot of character.  It is a very artsy section of Paris, with tons of vintage boutiques, sex shops, and late-night dance shows.  The Can-Can dance originated in Moulin Rogue!

A little Can-Can of our own

Europe has treated me well, ESPECIALLY with its selection of gummy candies!!!!  Abby-- thankfully-- is just as into fruity things as I am, and we've started a fad among all of our friends!  It seems as though a weekend trip is not complete without stopping at the Tutti99 store beforehand for gummy Colas, bears, eggs, rings, and (my personal fave) sour keys.  

France took my passion for sweets to another planet.  Truck-sized chocolate and gummy stands were strategically placed only feet away from each Metro stop... the first one spotted right outside of Moulin Rogue.  Abby and I were in our glory!

Dreams come true!

Palace of Versailles 

The second morning in Paris, I inhaled an entire baguette for breakfast... no regrets (or shame)!!!  My friends and I thought that we were hot stuff navigating the Metro during our first day, but the complicated route to Versailles defeated us.  After about two hours of searching-- and 7 Metros later-- we arrived in one of the most gorgeous destinations of the weekend.

King Louis and Marie Antoinette called Versailles their home... and I picked up on a distinguishing residential feel while inside, looking past the gold and lace tapestry to the palace gardens.
       

The interior court

Hall of Mirrors

La Tour Eiffel

A true beauty.... 

 

I caught quick glimpses of its greatness as we approached its Metro stop and I'm convinced that my heart actually skipped.  The Eiffel Tower was more colossal and magnificent than I could have ever imagined.  We appreciated it in silence for about 10 minutes and then decided to check it out from another angle.  The eight of us rode one of its sideways elevators to the top!  I have luckily witnessed quite a few incredible views... but watching the sun set over France was truly legendary.     

Tara stayed in a hotel with her aunt, who has traveled to Paris many times in the past.  She knows what's up, and was nice enough to recommend one of her favorite traditional French spots for dinner.  

The owner of La Citrouille was a  character and clearly adored the ladies... I attempted to find the bathroom and found him instead-- he insisted that I dance the tango with him and in spite of my confusion, I went for it!  You only live once!  For the whole weekend I had been searching for classic French cheese and rewarded myself that night with an onion-cheese tart and cheese ravioli.  Success!

Side note: I didn't meet a single unpleasant French person.  In my European Union class, there have been a number of discussions focusing on the stereotypes of other countries, and I was really anxious to observe the French culture.  From the man who sympathetically welcomed me to sit in his restaurant just for WiFi (contacting Tara was close to impossible without service), to the kitchen staff in our hostel who offered us more cups of juice than we were allowed to drink, I didn't come across any form of audacity.  People must have been feelin' the love...     

Arc de Triomphe

 Avenue des Champs-Élysées 

And there you have it... We took on Paris by its baguette-shaped horns.  I never thought that I'd be a Valentine's Day kind of girl, but I'm pleased to admit that I am beginning to understand the hype.  Call me lame!  Call me a hypocrite!  I'll agree with you, and then blow you a kiss and call it awesome.

  

Metro masters...

"Who, being loved, is poor?" -Oscar Wilde

Lourvin' life

XOXO a tutti! 

A

Rostis and Gatorade Lakes

My bellas,

I'm sitting on my bed totally creeped out in my four hundred-year-old apartment... minus my five other ladies!  Blasting Ed Sheeran and Elton John is my way of attempting to get my mind off the ghosts that are probably chilling here next to me.  How did life get this way?!  Spring Break is still in full swing, so I'll have to suck it up for the weekend and deal with a couple days of quiet.

After 12 hours of connecting flights and trains, I am finally home from my own vacation.  I don't know if my reaction to arriving back in Florence was due to over-tiredness or overwhelming happiness, but I almost broke down when I laid eyes on my Big D (Duomo).  I was greeted by sleeping gypsies and closed bakeries.  It's so good to be home.  

Sometimes while moving from one place to the next, I feel a bit like the Bachelorette, going on unbelievable dates with a bunch of great looking guys-- countries--.... seeing if one can blow me away.  Well, London is my man.  The others could go home-- actually, Scotland could stick around too.  And I would like to stay really close friends with Switzerland.  

It's about time that I play catch up again, and express my love for the countries that I've been so lucky to travel to over the past two months.  At first, I had a tough time getting it through my head that I was actually in Europe, standing in places that I grew up looking at through a TV... I mean come ON-- the Swiss Alps, the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben!  It's finally hit me that I am no longer in Connecticut, and that the globe is far larger than I ever knew.  

Interlaken, Switzerland!

I had been anticipating this trip since the second week of the semester when I booked it-- not only was it my first time outside of Italy, but it was one that I planned with all of my friends.  We took a night bus from Florence on Thursday and arrived in Switzerland early Friday morning... I took a nap on the bus, falling asleep to a starry Italian sky and waking up to 5 feet of Swiss snow.  

Welcome to Balmer's!

It was 3 a.m. when we were dropped at Balmer's Hostel, which impressed me from the start with its sleigh-couches and Christmas lights in its outdoor lobby.  I slept (bottom bunk!) in a room with Margo, Kim, and Caitlin.  Hostels really have no frills-- pretty much a bed, blanket, and if you're lucky, a power outlet.  The fact that I wasn't going to be showering every day initially made me a little uneasy, but after the first day it was actually kind of relaxing knowing that I could take a break from make-up.  

We were greeted by more snow in the morning, which was a total dream to look at through our window.  All of my family and friends from the East Coast are dealing with one snow storm after the next-- but you see, I hadn't seen snow since I left the states, so it was a BIG DEAL for me, especially since the snow was falling onto the biggest mountains I had ever seen. 

I still question whether or not this picture is real...

Interlaken is the adventure capital of Europe.  Though skiing and snowboarding are offered, there are tons of other cool activities for those less inclined... Cave jumping, sky diving, paragliding, and night sledding (more intense than it sounds).  I chose to paraglide!!  I signed up and was all set to go at 9 a.m. on Friday, but my session was cancelled due to the snow.  It was a bummer because I figured that the weekend storm would call off most of the sky-related sports.  Margo and I explored the shops... and the Swiss chocolate scene... in town while we waited to hear if we would be able to paraglide later on in the day.  We came across tons of wooden music boxes, cuckoo clocks, and Swiss army knives.  

Livin' that eskimo life!

Some things that I picked up right away while walking around:

• Swiss people who drive actually give pedestrians the right of way!  No one even came close to running me over... so different from Florence!
• Fondue is a big part of the culture-- of course, the Swiss cheese!
• People in Interlaken speak English to tourists, but a weird mixture of German, French, and English to each other.  
• Babies don't do strollers.  They ride in sleds.

Freshest whip ever!

As if I didn't already feel like I was in heaven after a piece of champagne chocolate, the sun came out and the sky completely cleared!  We ran back to the hostel and found out that paragliding was ON!!!  

I got picked up with Margo, Aaron, Mia, and Sarah.  We were bused up to the top of a mountain, where we were given a new pair of pants and boots.  We hiked through the woods to get to the cliff we would be running off of.  The overlook was unreal.  I have witnessed some beautiful moments in my life, and that one I consider to be pretty up there.  It was just me, a couple of friends, and a blue lake.  The snow was coming down slowly, forming a layer on my jacket.  My hands were frozen underneath my gloves.  Silence.  I was at peace.

Deep breaths

I watched (almost) everyone jump off the cliff successfully on their first shot-- shout out to Aaron! -- so I had no problem strapping on my parachute and listening to Tom's (my paragliding professional) tips to avoid wiping out.  Normally I get a little anxious about heights, but this felt different.  When Tom screamed "GO, GOOO," any fear that I had growing up was tossed.  I sprinted off that mountain.  The rest I can't describe.  Luckily I have some sweet pics!  

Paragliding was the closest I've ever been to flying.  It was a highlight of my life.  

I finished off the day with pub NACHOS and mulled wine.  I've missed cheddar cheese so much.  My friends from the states who can easily run to the supermarket and grab a few blocks of it, I ENVY YOU.  Don't take it for granted!!!  The only restaurant in Florence that carries it is the (American) Diner.  

At night, I met up with all of the ladies and guys at Metro, a bar that's in the basement of Balmer's.  All of the Interlaken locals hang out there along with the tourists and skiers.  It got packed by 10 p.m.  The line was so long, the bouncer ended up sending people away!  Fortunately for us, we didn't even need to put on jackets... we just walked downstairs and BAM!  METRO!  People compared it to a frat house, which it kind of seemed like with the laser lights and fog machine.  But I was feeling the reggae and 90's hip hop the DJ kept playing!  

The next day, I took a trip to Zurich, Switzerland with some of my favorite girls!  It's the largest city in the country, and completely opposite from Interlaken.  Compared to the calm and quiet streets near Balmer's, there were trolley cars and traffic.  Starbucks was the first stop of the day-- I'm not a huge coffee drinker but a lot of my friends have been deprived from their lattes for far too long!  We window shopped along the river and came across a great view of the city.

Our day in Zurich, Switzerland!

The traditional Swiss food is called a "Rosti," which is basically a potato pancake/hash brown.  We were determined to find a restaurant that served them for lunch, and we were successful!  Rostis are fun because you could dress them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Katie had a rosti with eggs, bacon, and syrup... Margo had one with broccoli and cheese... I had one with mushrooms (and a margarita rosti the last day)... SO delish!  I've already looked up recipes so I could start a trend in the states!

Interlaken is located between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz with the Aar River flowing in between them.  On our last morning, we took a walk to Lake Thun.  Before arriving in Switzerland, people mentioned how the lakes looked like blue Gatorade.  No kidding.  The water was so clear that every rock could be seen for at least 10 feet out.  The cottages that lined the lake were reflected like mirrors in the water.  Poetry wouldn't be able to give the view the justice it deserves.

Overall, I LOVED Switzerland.  It was a weekend of playing in the snow, eating rostis, and abandoning my comfort zone.  I hope to visit Interlaken again one day, but in the summer so I could check out the sports in that season!

Take a sip!

"The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon... for each day to have a new and different sun."
- Jon Krakaur, Into the Wild

Rockin' our new hats!

Enjoy life,

A

Tre Buon Compleannos

Ciao cuties!

I hope that everyone's happy and having a great day.  I've been thinking of the Silver Sands boardwalk....

There are certain times that I believe are spent best at home.  I have shared every birthday with my family up until my first year of college.  Celebrating so far away from Mom, Dad, and Chris this year broke my heart a little bit.  Since I've gotten here, I've been wishing that my parents could see what I see... as my 20th came up, I wanted them to be in Florence more than ever.  Regardless of that sad tidbit, I had an awesome weekend with people who I adore.

There were three birthdays, one after the other... starting with mine on the 25th, Sarah's on the 26th, and Jackie's on the 27th!  The weekend was a non-stop party!  If I could relive those four days over again I would.  

On Thursday night, I whipped out the sparkly gold top-- shout out to Caitlin-- and went with all of my roommates to Shot Cafe, where I met up with a bunch of friends.  It may have been a few hours short of my real birthday, but people were really sweet.  My girls cheered with drinks that were on fire!

Roomies-- Going out to play

LOVE them!

Afterward we headed over to Astor and hung out for a bit more.  At that point in the month there were more American students who arrived in Florence for their study abroad programs, so I met a couple of new faces.  A group of us ended up leaving Astor to mosey over to one of Florence's finest gems, the "Secret Bakery!"  

A note about the Secret Bakery:  It is hard to understand the concept behind this fantastic Italian treasure unless you witness it in person.  Basically, for about two hours (between midnight and 2 a.m.) a wholesale bakery opens up in a back alley in the middle of the city.  Not many people know where it is, but Brad is a phantom of the night (and knew the address) so he led us there.  A "security guard" makes every person whisper and form a line outside of the door.  One at a time, a person can enter the bakery, order a pastry or piece of pizza, and then quietly leave.  The reason behind the sneaky aspect of the business is that in Italy, it's illegal to sell food past a certain time of night.  I got a warm chocolate cornetto, which I totally dropped on the ground.  The section that I did eat was soooooo good though.  To anyone interested in visiting Florence in the future, definitely check out this bakery.... if you could find it!

The next day, I hiked to Piazza Michelangelo with Margo and Hannah.  I wanted to check out one of the best views of Florence.  There were a lot of stone steps to the top, but it was all outdoors and the incline was nothin' compared to climbing the Duomo.  Fantastic overlook.  Everything could be seen from Michelangelo-- Belltower, Ponte Vecchio, the Arno, and a spitting image of the Great Wall of China.  

Piazza Michelangelo

The rest of the day was filled with great food and great people.  Gusta Pizza (my favorite spot) for lunch, and Il Gato e Volpe for a family-style dinner-- Antipasto, bread dipped in thick balsamic, pastas, and wine.  Kim surprised me with gorgeous flowers from the market and a sassy chihuahua card.

Salute (Cheers) !!!

I traveled to Pisa and Lucca during the day on Saturday, but at night we celebrated Sarah's 21st birthday at Lion's Fountain and Uncle Jimmy's!  The song of the night was "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore.  

"Only got two euros in my pockettttt!"

Jackie's birthday dinner at Acqua al Due and a ride on the carousel in Piazza Republica wrapped up the birthday weekend on Sunday!  I have a feeling that future birthdays will have a hard time competing with my 20th.  For the entire weekend in Florence, I was surrounded by such amazing friends.  The moments that I shared with them will be imprinted in my memory forever. 

"We grow neither better nor worse as we get older... but more like ourselves."

- May Lamberton Becker

Never growing up!

Ciao ciao, keep it real!

-A