Il Ultimo Giorno in Torino

After Nice, Monaco, and Cannes, we headed back to Torino to finish up a day in my Torino life. Dad and I went running along the river which was beautiful. It made me regret not discovering and running it sooner. After we got ready we went to Porta Palazzo, the biggest open market in Western Europe. The sites and sounds are something I'll really miss even if I don't miss the masses of people bumping into me. We walked by the Duomo, Piazza Castello again, and ate foccaccia at my favorite place on Via Po. Dad also got to experience a AC Torino football match. The atmosphere is so great there, you can tell the fans really care about the team. I had some last minute packing and cleaning to do before we went to Piazza Vittorio for appertivo. I'm not sure if I never noticed it before but for some reason La Drogheria was really aggressive like people who have never had anything to eat before in their lives. It was definitely odd. It was time for one last walk around Via Po and off to Piazza Castello to say goodbye to one of my friends. As I've said before, this has been a great 4 months and I've learned so much. And if you've been reading my blog I posted an Italian bucket list so now I'm going to reflect on what I've accomplished...

Visit an open air market at eat fresh fruit-done, on a regular basis.- Thank you Spezia Market

Cook an authentic Italian meal – Pasta Carbonara

Buy a beautiful Italian leather bag (and maybe boots)- Got the boots and on my way to Florence for the bag

Go to Milan Fashion Week- Looked into it and couldn't find tickets :(

Eat procuitto and cheese in Parma- Eaten proscuitto and cheese FROM Parma in Italy, it counts.

Ride a gondola in Venice- No but I did go to Carnevale in Venice and danced in Piazza San Marco, which is better so it counts

Go to a Juventus & AC Milan Game- One AC Milan Game and 2 AC Torino games

Eat a nutella crepe- More than one...

Have a shot of Limoncello- Once again, more than one haha

Visit Alba and drink lots of wine from Piemonte- Wine Country field trip and had different Piemonte wines at the winery

Walk along the River Po- one of my favorite ways to spend to sunny days

Go to Paris, Barcelona, and Prague- Sadly didn't make it to Pragye but 2/3 isn't bad!

Take a zillion pictures- oh yeah big time have you seen my facebook?

Sit in a cafe and have conversations with Italians- spoke to my dads friends

Speak Italian fairly fluently- sadly no

Transform my style into something sophisticated- check!

Dress nice everyday- semi check

Get asked directions from an Italian- and answered successfully!

Find a perfect souvenir for each special person in my life- Almost done

Go to a discoteca and dance the night away- many times, and once took the first bus of the morning home

Read a book in a piazza- Magazine counts right?

Visit Connie in Rome, Lauren in Florence, Naomi in Barcelona and Leigh in Marseille- Saw Connie in Rome, Lauren came to Torino, Saw Naomi, and met Leigh in Nice, success!

Meet George Clooney at a bar on Lake Como- one up, went to his house in Lalio

Buy unique pieces of jewelry from the open air markets or the piazzas- yes and I'm in love

Go to the Alps- and skiied too!

Buy something Hello Kitty- Gelato!

Go to the Almalfi Coast and get a tan- to be determined but did get a tan in Greece

Only speak Italian for 1 day start to finish- not happening

Eat authentic Torino hazelnut chocolate- and loved ever second of it

Visit Lavazza coffee plant- not as easy as it sounds, not a success.

Shop on Via Garibaldi- Many times :)

Visit Sephora Italia- read above haha

Make friends with our Italian neighbors- and their cute little dogs too!

Eat a picnic in the park across from school- Picnic in Parco del Valentino

Throw an orange at the Carnival di Ivrea- check!

Go to Venice during Carnival- check!

Buy a piece of beautifully made clothing- check!

Subtly stand out with impeccable style and HAVE FUN! Check!

What a fabulous adventure.

Cote d'Azur

Earlier this semester I went to Nice and it was one of my favorite places I've traveled. My dad got tickets for the practice rounds of the Grand Prix so we decided to spend a few days in Nice. We took the train and arrived to blue skies and sunshine. We ate outside and then went for a walk around the beach. We took the same hike to the top of the mountain as I did last time I was in Nice. The view was just as beautiful and it was nice to stop by the waterfall and get a little bit of mist. After we climbed down we relaxed on the rocky beach. Then I walked around the shops and dad went for a run. For dinner we ate outside (sense a trend?) and had tapas and beer while watching a football match.

Thursday morning we crammed onto a train and headed to Montecarlo to watch the practice races for the Formula Grand Prix. There were so many cars, they were much smaller than I expected them to be. The noise was also incredibly loud. I wore ear plugs and poor dad dropped his. We sat in the grand stands which overlooked the water. There were people on their yachts watching the race and sunbathing, needless to say I was very jealous. The weather was great until the second round of practice and then it started to cloud up and rain a bit.

We got really lucky with our timing in the South of France. The Cannes Film Festival also started that week. We took a bus to Cannes and saw the beautiful palm trees, yachts, and white tents set up for the festival. There was such a fun vibe in the air and there were so many people dressed up going in and out of movie screenings. I really enjoyed being there was wished I had a pass to get onto that red carpet.

The newspaper on Friday said that between the Grand Prix, film festival, and general gorgeous spring weather in the South of France, that Nice had record visitors this weekend. It was so fun seeing such important world events going on right in front of my eyes. I don't know how I got so lucky but I've really appreciated all the opportunities I've had so far.

Epic Journey

Its been hard to say goodbye to people since I'm now on my last leg of my trip. My Dad came in to Milan on Saturday morning and we went to Menaggio on Lake Como. We met up with my dad's friends and stayed at a beautiful hotel lakeside. It was really fun to see my dad catching up with old friends and speaking Italian. We went to a really pretty restaurant on top of the mountain and I tried horse meat for the first time. We ate, drank, relaxed, and walked lakeside enjoying our atmosphere. The weather had pockets of sunshine which was a nice change from the 2 week down pour I've been having in Torino.

On Sunday morning we took a ferry to Bellagio, where I was a few weeks ago. There weren't as many pretty flowers as there were the week before but there were a lot of geriatric tourists. We had lunch at Senor Angelo's villa, which was amazing. The views from there were breathtaking too. The next day we drove to a rainy Como. Since it was Monday mostly everything was closed but it was still nice to see and walk around the lake. We headed to Milan and ate lunch in Piazza del Duomo. When we were walking around Corso Vittorio Emmanuale we saw the goal keeper for Inter Milan, Julio Cesare. Obviously he was going into the Ferrari store. Afterward we went to Paola and Davide's for a nice dinner before heading to Torino in the morning.

Although my dad was born in Italy, he has never been to Torino. I was anxious and excited to show him my city. We took the bus to my apartment and I gave him a quick rundown of what was where. We had lunch at FIAT (Fate Infretta a Tavola translation: Hurry up and eat!). The food was so good and there was SO much of it. I chose that place because they make typical Piemontese food and the menu changes daily. The owner even gave us pasta in the shape of the cinquecento to take home.

Next we went onto a tour of the piazzas. We started in Piazza San Carlo which is my favorite. I really love the atmosphere there. It isn't too big and its perfect to sit on the statue, eat gelato, and people watch. We walked along the fancy shops of Via Roma to reach Piazza Castello. My dad was amazed at the size of the piazza and the amount of history and open space all in one place. From there we strolled along Via Po and headed to the museum of cinema.

Il Mole Antonielliana is my favorite building in Torino. I know way too many useless facts about it and I may as well have taken a course on it. It is on the back of the Italian 2 cent coin and was the symbol of the 2006 Winter Olympics. Anyway, it also house the museum of cinema (also believe to be the world's tallest museum.) Dad and I went inside there and it was incredible. It had interactive movie sets, and seats you can recline in and watch movie clips. I may or may not have taken a short nap. I really enjoyed going inside well worth it!

We then walked to Piazza Vittorio, the Murazzi, and Parco del Valentino. It was a nice abbreviated tour of everywhere I spent a large amount of time this past 4 months. We went home and relaxed before eating dinner in Piazza Carlo Emmanuele. I love eating outside and it was such a perfect night. Next up on our “Epic Trip” as dad would call it was Nice.

Arrivederci Study Abroad

As the semester has been coming to an end, I decided to not travel and discover the joys of Torino. Our program USAC organized a trip to the Langhe Wine country in Piemonte. We went to a town called Alba and took a tour of Cavour's castle. It was really interesting looking through a piece of history. It also had amazing views of the vineyards. Afterward we went to a family owned winery for lunch. We had 4 different types of wines from the region and ate authentic Piemontese dishes. It was honestly the best meal I've had in Piemonte. We were all so stuffed and a little buzzed so the entire bus slept on the way home.

On Saturday a group of us met at Stadio Olympico and watched an AC Torino game. AC Torino is a Seria B team which is the lower division but most people from Torino prefer AC Torino to Juventus. The stadium wasn't sold out but in certain sections it was PACKED. There was so much cheering and an incredible amount of energy for the amount of people who were in attendance. We walked home in the pouring rain but it was so much fun that we didn't even care. And as a tourist bonus, we walked across the 2006 Olympic Bridge to get to and from the stadium which was pretty cool.

Sunday was very very lazy. It's finals week so everyone is busy getting all their work done. Monday night I had a few friends over to celebrate my birthday. We headed to Murphy's (of course my favorite) for the midnight celebration. Tuesday had some finals and a great Mexican dinner with some friends.

It's my last week here as part of an official study abroad program. Eveyone is leaving Saturday, and I'll be traveling around with my dad after that. What I can honestly say about the program is this: When I first arrived here I had a really hard time with communication barriers and being so far from home. My luggage was lost, I was sick, and I was really frustrated. Even having gone through some bumps in the road I would never trade this experience for the world. I have met incredible people from all over the US and the world. I have traveled to places I never imagined I would set foot it. I've eaten tapas in Barcelona, bratwust in Germany, and gyros in Greece. If you are reading this and have not studied abroad, please, you must. I love Italian Culture, however frustrating it may be sometimes I love their way and outlook on life. I know myself much better than I did before. I am proud of my experience here, and I feel like I am more confident and independent. I wish I had more time here with these great people I met. I wish I realized how quickly it was going to end and pouted a little less. Whether it was Erasmus Wednesday, Chalet on Thursday, or Murphy's everyday for a week just for the hell of it, I loved every second of this. Thank you to everyone who made this experience everything it was, I will never forget it.

I live for the nights I'll never remember with the people I'll never forget.

Love.

 

It's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring Barcelona 2010. 

Oh My Gaudi...

Since a lot of the sites in Barcelona are far away from each other we decided to do the Bus Touristic. Our beginning point was the Sagrada Familia, a Gaudi building. Barcelona is know for its incredible architecture. Antonio Gaudi built so many works throughout this city and this cathedral is incredibly grand. I didn't have the opportunity to go inside but the 4 columns on the outside and all the stone was so cool.  However, the Sagrada Familia is an unfinished work. They began building it in the late 1800's and lost the plans after Gaudi died. It is unfinished and won't be finished until I'm at least 60! There are a ton of cranes around it, the inside is unfinished, and it is supposed to be massive when it's finished.

Next stop on the bus was Parc Güell. Another Gaudi creation that was composed of buikdings, sculptures, towers, arches and tons of amazing pieces. It was like a jungle play ground with breathtaking views of the city. The colors used in the mosaics were beautiful and the sculptures like the famous lizard were so fun. The hall of 100 towers had mosaics on the ceilings and the Catalan arches were so unique and amazing. I never thought about an architect making a park but after seeing this is was spectacular.

We hopped back on the bus and then headed up Tibidabo by tram. It had great views of the city and it was fun to see its amusement park and the rides. Later on we went to the top of the bus and rode around the city. My favorite site was the FC Barcelona stadium. It was HUGE. I wish I had time to go to a game there because it would be crazy being in a stadium that holds almost 100,000 people. 

Our last stops were Gaudi's Casa Batllo and la Pedrera. I went inside the Casa Batllo and I was astonished to see the creativity and imagination that Gaudi had. The house is now a UNESCO World heritage site, and I could see why. Everything I saw was pure whimsy. I was looking around and it was as if I had entered wonderland. I need to read up on this genius of a man. La Pedrera was also a work of art with its curved facade and unique corner building.

Overall I was in love with the architecture of Barcelona. I really found everything about the city magical and I am desperate to go back!

Viva Barca!

After some anxiety due to the stupid volcano, I was able to leave for Barcelona. I went to visit Naomi from school and I stayed with her in the residencia. I loved the concept of the residencia, which was 300 students from Spain and America living dorm style. Equipped with study rooms, party rooms, and a pool...what a life! Naomi took me town to Placa Catalunya and Las Ramblas to see the city and all of its activity at night. We stopped for tapas, sangria, and paella. Basically everything Barcelona is know for in terms of food. It was absolutely delicious and the mugs of sangria were HUGE. We took the always convenient Barcelona metro home and then got ready and hung out with some of her friends in the residencia.

Side note: Barcelona is of course famous for its night life. But the crazy part about it is the schedule. Dinner at 9, get ready at 12, leave the house at 1am, stay out until 430. It's downright exhausting! You sleep until noon, go out by 2 and lose track of time in the beautiful city.

We went to a fun club called Oshum, got home late late late and slept in the next day. We walked through Parc de la Ciutadella, saw the Arc de Triomph and got sandwhiches and smoothies. Walking through the city in the sunshine made me so happy (got to love that Vitamin D!). Next we walked along the water and watched the fish and boats. There isn't a "real" beach in Barcelona. Although its a port city on the water, the sand was brought into the beach for the 1992 Olympics.

We spent more time on Las Ramblas and perused the jewelry market. Everything was really unique and special there. One of the greatest sensory experiences though was La Boqueria. It was a large market with candy, fruit, vegetables, seafood, meat and tons of treats. The colors were brilliant, the smells were so fresh and the fresh squeezed fruit juices (strawberry guava for me) were out of this world. We went shopping at a mall on the port and I shopped in tons of cool shops. For dinner we went for Chinese food, which seemed to be never ending portions that refilled themselves.

We met up with some friends and by 12:45am we were out for the night First stop was L'Ovella Negra (Black sheep). It was basically a beer warehouse, table after table of college kids, pints, and pitchers. It was HUGE. The atmosphere was really fun and I think it would be something fun to be in America. Next and last stop was Razzmatazz. Razz is a 5 story room with tons of different rooms playing different music and TONS of people. We got into the club at 2 and when we left at 5 it was still packed. I love this crazy town! We stopped on our way home for patatas bravas and chocolate covered churros and then went home to sleep.

Barca was an amazing and unique city. It is one of the only cities I've experienced the night life but nothing could compare to it. I loved the clubs, the culture, the food it was all incredible and I cannot wait to go back...

Jesus and Clooney, what a week!

The famous and controversial Shroud of Turin has been taken out and is currently on display at our Duomo in Torino. For those of you who don't know much about the history of the Shroud, it is a cloth that was believed to be the one that Jesus was wrapped in after his crucifixion. There is no documentation to prove this correct and the Vatican has not officially accepted or denied the Shroud. Scientists have been working to figure out exactly what it is and how the image was formed. After reading up and watching some shows, it seems like it may actually be a true miracle especially since science is not even close to proving exactly what it is.

So for my Italian Culture class we booked an appointment to see the Shroud. In true Italian fashion we inefficiently walked away from the Duomo in a few different ways before we reached another series of twists and turns and entered into to Duomo. When we arrived at the shroud there were guard in front of it, a huge case and a big silver frame all protecting it. It was an incredible site to see, one of which I highly recommend to anyone for the next time it's unveiled.

Later on in the week I spent more time discovering different parks around the city and on Thursday played a game of calcio in the park. Inter vs. Barcalona is the week and I am so excited to see that match!

On Friday we took a field trip to the castle Rivoli. It was a medieval castle and then a castle for the Savoy family. A lot of it was also destroyed in world war 2. The craziest part was there was all this old architecture and then they brought new elements into the building. Inside the castle there was a contemporary art museum. I loved the blending of all the different elements in one castle. We got to make a print of a cow too which was odd but pretty fun.

Lauren came in from Florence that night and we went to a great appertivo and then to Murphy's. We headed home early so that we could wake up early to go to Lake Como! We arrived at the center of the lake in Varenna. We took a ferry from there to Menaggio to meet Diego and then we took another ferry and spent to day in Bellagio. Bellagio was super cute and posh with a million jewelry shops that Laurena and I drooled over. It was nice to walk along the lake and see all the pretty flowers in bloom. Later we went back to Menaggio and got pizza. Sunday morning Diego took us on a drive through the coast of the lake and we saw so many beautiful and famous villas. My personal favorite was Villa L'Oleandra which is the fabulous home of George Clooney. We got out and took lots of pictures. I mean of course I had to, it IS my future home. We had a great day driving around and when it was time to say goodbye to Lauren at the train station it was sad.

I'm rapidly approaching my departure date. My time here has been so fabulous especially with the spring weather here now. I have school work to focus on now and soon it will time for dad to come. I hope all of the volcano nonsense ends so he can get here safe and sound and I can go to barca this weekend!

Buona Pasqua!

I had a fantastic Easter week. The weather in Torino was so nice the past two weeks. I love how the city transforms in the bright and sunny weather. I've been sitting in the park during my free time and trying to read and soak up the sun. Last weekend I played soccer twice in Parco del Valentino with some other students. It was an interesting experience especially since I haven't played since before high school.

On Saturday I went to Cinque Terre on the Ligurian Coast of Italy. It's 5 towns along the coast and you can only get to them by train or hiking. We decided to hike. The route we decided to take was to do the 2 hardest of the 4 hikes first so it was nice and easy by the end of it. The views from the hikes were absolutely amazing. Sadly the weather was a little gray which made it perfect to hike but not so much to enjoy the scenery.

This week has been nice again and I've been enjoying spending time with Erasmus students and if theres a match on I'm most likely at the pub. A funny thing I've noticed about Italians is the way they react to the weather. They're now out and about but still quite bundled up. I feel so silly in 70 degree weather in a short sleeve top because the guy next to me on the bus has on a leather jacket and a scarf! Silly Italians.

In my last month here I've been trying to blend with the culture. I love getting gelato and walking around the piazza. My favorite people watching spot is sitting on the steps of the statue in Piazza San Carlo. Nothing beats fresh gelato from Grom, good friends, and a lovely day in Italy.

Cheers to London!

After a week of rain and some spotty sun in Turin, I left Saturday morning for London. We left from Turin which shaved 2 hours off of our regular time to leave for the airport which was thrilling! When we arrived in the UK we went through customs and boarded the bus to the city center. It was crazy getting on the other side of the bus to board and ride. We took the tube as they call it to our hotel and checked in. Afterward we walked around Oxford and Piccadilly Circus and stopped into some shops. It poured down rain for a minute but luckily Anthropolgie was nearby. Next up was tourist shots in the red telephone booths followed by Buckingham Palace.

We met Drew in Piccadilly Circus for Thai food for dinner, then we headed to a pub in Soho. I tried Strongbow ale which was more of a cider and Royal London light Ale. The beer was really good, and we made some friends who played football at the table next to us. They were a bit difficult to understand but they were very funny.

The next morning we headed to Notting Hill to stroll down Portabello Road. There were some incredibly cute shops and very cute buildings. Then we headed to Westminster to walk around Parliament Square. We got there right as Big Ben was chiming at noon. Westminster Abbey was another stop, which was massive. The courtyards were so green and beautiful. The structure of the building itself was also really cool, mostly because it was so grand. We headed across the bridge and down the Thames Southbank and saw the London Eye and a ton of street performers. Then we went into Tate Modern, which is a free contemporary art museum. It was really cool and this awesome museum and lots of famous pieces of art. Then we walked across the Millennium Bridge to St. Paul's Cathedral which was also massive and really pretty. Then we hopped on the tube to London Bridge.

After that I went my own way and walked down the famous Carnaby Street.I could have done some serious damage if the shops had been open. I sat in a little cafe and ate a cherve and eggplant salad yum! I went to the Hard Rock to get something for Dan and then headed home for the night.

It was too short of a trip but I really enjoyed my time, can't wait to go back!

Spring Break Part Deux: Grecian Adventures

It's been a bit since I've written because I've been busy with school and travel. When I got home from Paris I did an expert pack/unpack simultaneously job because I had to get ready to go to Greece for the rest of the week. The original plan was to stay in Athens for a few days but with all the riots and protests currently going on we decided one day was enough and then off to an island. The political climate actually wasn't bad at all though. The street next to parliament was barricaded and protected by police vans but other than that there was no indication of unrest.

When we got in we walked around the streets a bit. And because we were in Greece we had to stop for gyros! They were so good, much better than the kebabs in Turin. We saw the Acropolis from afar but it closes early during off season so we had to go back another day. A lot of the streets have random ruins gated off so its similar to Rome in the sense that history and modernity live among the city. The area we walked around was called Monastercian. It has a bunch of little souvenir shops that sold leather sandals and bracelets and worry bead with the eye to ward off evil. It was a fun area to walk around and the weather was a balmy 60 degrees. There was some good shopping too, I bought a summer outfit in a shop on one of the main roads. We soon stopped for dinner. I was determined to get a traditional Greek Salad and it was delicious.

In the morning we woke up really early to catch the ferry from the port of Piraeus (Athens) to the island of Mykonos. I was really excited to go visit the island but not too thrilled about the means of transportation. I hate boats so much and to top it off I wasn't feeling 100%. I slept most of the 4 hour ride and when we arrived I woke to the green mountains and crystal blue seas of Mykonos. The woman from our hostel greeted us at the port and drove us up to our little apartment style hostel. It was an ideal Greek building with the white walls. It overlooked the beach and the port. We were right in the St. Stefano's beach area and it took 2 minutes to walk down to our own “private” beach. All the beaches were deserted because it was the off season so we had almost the whole island to ourselves. We laid on the (very windy) beach for an hour or two and soaked in the atmosphere. It was so relaxing being there and enjoying the island. The colors that surrounded the island were breathtaking and never failed to mystify me. After the beach we walked into town and stopped at a convenience store. We loaded up on junk food from Oreos to Pesto Chips. Overlooking the water we enjoyed our Mythos beers and cheers-ed to spring break 2010. Soon it was sunset and we found ourselves at the famous windmills of Mykonos enjoying the view on the rocks. Afterward we stopped for giant, delicious baklava and then headed home for gyros. One of the funny purchases of the day were Katie's Ancient Lovers playing cards. They had some hilarious scenes on them and we couldn't stop laughing as we played go fish. We are such a wild bunch hahahaha.

The next morning I woke up and ate my baklava on the balcony and enjoyed the breeze from the sea. I really enjoyed the no rush no plan feeling of this whole trip. We walked into town and rented ATV's so we could ride around the island easily. Our first stop was the grocery store for some fresh bread and meats for a beach picnic lunch. Then we followed signs to Super Paradise Beach. The beaches, while beautiful, were littered with plastic bottles and a lot of garbage. I was really surprised by that, in some places it was worse than the Jersey Shore! Super Paradise beach was really pretty and was situated in a rocky area of Mykonos. Then we headed to Agori beach which was also really rocky. Each beach we went to was prettier than the last. Taking silly pictures was a really fun part of this trip. It made me miss my goofy friends at home. For dinner we went to a restaurant in the town on Mykonos, which was really crowded the night before with Greeks so we saw it as a good place to go and taste what the locals like. I had swordfish svovlaki which was really fresh and yum. We went back to the same baklava place and I decided to try their hazelnut cream and apple pie baklava AMAZING! We then rode back up to our hostel and went to bed.

We were really sad to have to return our ATVs and leave the island on Saturday. The weather warmed up to a full 70 degrees so we went full out bathing suits and enjoyed the sand beneath our toes. I had so much fun running around the beach with Drew. We took a few more pictures and then boarded the ferry back to Athens. We sat on the top deck and enjoyed the sun and the breeze. I wrote a few postcards and then slept until our arrival back in Athens.

Sunday morning after we packed up we went to the Acropolis which is free on Sundays! We hiked to the top and it was another gorgeous day. I loved seeing all the ruins and different mythological sculptures. My favorite was the women holding up the temple with their heads as their eternal punishment. It was fun to pose and just enjoy the view of the city from the top. Athens was not somewhere I'd stay for a while but it was definitely fun to see.

J'Adore Paris

I just got back from the whirlwind of a trip from Paris. A few people had told me they didn't like it because the people were pretentious so I was a little apprehensive. We arrived Saturday night around 10 and I fell in love. Instead of staying at a hostel we opted to rent a Parisian apartment. It was really small probably about 50 square meters which is normal for a studio in Paris. It was really cute and located in a part of town close to the metro but far away from big groups of tourists. We walked around the Bastille and there were a ton of people in the area eating at the cafes and just walking around. We were exhausted so after we ate we went home.

The next morning we woke up and headed to the Palace of Versaille. We got in for free (thank you student visa!) and walked around the wings. It was so lavish and spectacular. I have never seen anything just like it and it fascinated me to think people lived there. I took lots of pictures, everything in there was so detailed and luxe. Afterward we went into the gardens in the back. Those were less impressive because they were brown and not very pretty this time of year. The gardens were still manicured impeccably though. I heard that people spend a ton of time there but we were only at the palace for 2 hours.

After Versaille we crossed Pont Alexandre III and saw all of the beautiful statues that overlooked the Seine. It was incredible. We also got our first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower! We strolled along the Champ Elysee, went into a few shops and then saw the Arc de Triomphe. Next was the gold topped Oblisk. I've seen a few in NY and Italy but none were as wonderful as this. One gripe I had about Paris was that almost no fountains were on because it was March. I was sad I didn't get to see them in their full glory. We walked through the Tuilleries Gardens and then stumbled upon the Louvre. We had a blast taking pictures and capturing all the fun things we got to see.

Lucia recommended we walked to the Hotel deVille and the Centre Pompidou so we walked by and were blown away by the severe differences in architecture. The hotel was a really old almost gothic style building whereas the Pompidou which opened in 1977, is an inside out building. Renzo Piano designed it and it is unlike anything I've seen. We had to head over to the Eiffel Tower and take some shots of it at night and then we saw it all lit up. We had a nice dinner of Salad Niciose and I tried escargo for the first time! It was surprisingly good and I'm really glad I tried it.

9:30 the next morning we headed to the top of the Eiffel Tower. We took the lift because we didn't want to tire ourselves too early in the day. The views were spectacular and there wasn't a cloud in the sky! I was so happy in Paris because it all seemed like a dream come true. After we saw a million asian tourists and took equally as many pictures, we went to see the Sainte Chapelle. Sainte Chapelle is a teeny chapel the size of a jewel box with floor to ceiling stained glass. It was incredibly, but sadly it was under renovation so not as cool as it should have been.
Next was Notre Dame which was so much bigger than it looks from the outside. The weather was so great I couldn't have asked for anything more of a site seeing day.

Lucia recommended a falfell place in St. Paul and it took us forever to find it but when we did it was glorious. Mine disappeared so fast. Then we went window shopping on Rue St. Honore and saw John Galliano, Mui Mui, and lots of other shops that are fun to stare at. Afterward we headed to a famous cemeteryI to see Jim Morrison's grave. It was great spending time outside. We got lost again trying to find where the apartment was at but we got to see different parts of the city so it was worth it. Someone even stopped to help without being asked.

We walked along Bastille again to get some postcards and then settled down at a cafe near our place for salads, cheeses, wine and desserts. I enjoyed Paris so much.I wish I had more time there to really discover every nook of the city. I can't wait to go back. I want to ride a boat on the Seine and see the sites from there too. Tomorrow I leave for Athens and Mykonos, which should be an adventure considering I know no Greek. More to come next week!

Everything's Nice in Nice!

Last Friday I rolled out of bed early and headed to Porta Nuova for a weekend trip to Nice and Monaco. Kelsey and I were going to meet up with Leigh from USC and her brother and friend. We took a train from Torino. I like riding trains because you get to view all different types of landscapes. The most drastic change was when we were leaving Italy it was very snowy and cold and as soon as we entered a tunnel we saw the rocky landscape of the French Riviera, so pretty!

When we got to Nice it was raining so we took a quick lunch break. The street by the train station had tons of Chinese food places so naturally we darted into one of those and devoured some orange chicken. Afterward we went to the hostel and got ready before Leigh came. Leigh, Kathleen, and Matt arrived soon after and they were so much fun. It was so much fun to see someone from home and we laughed the whole time. We went to a seafood restaurant away from the main street and got mussels and fries. For some reason European mayo is much better than American and we looove it. We enjoyed rose wine since we were in the south of France and then we went back to the lounge in the hostel to hang out.

The next morning the sun was out and the weather was warm. It was truly picturesque. We hiked down from the hostel and took the tram to the main stretch of beach. We took some pictures by the water but it was really windy. Then we went to the market and bought cheese and baguettes. We hiked all these steps and from the top it had the greatest views of the city. You could see the Alps from one side, the pretty roof tops, and the rocky coast all from this one spot. And from there we sat, laid on the pavement and ate bread and cheese. I've missed the sun!

Later we got gelato and Leigh, Kathleen and I decided to be daring and go on our first ferris wheel ride. We didn't realize how terrifying it would be until it was too late. We were up there laughing so hard because we were scared. The views were once again incredible. Nice has to be one of the prettiest places I've been. Once again we had mussels and fries but this time I had mine with a marinara sauce. Walking around at night was a little chilly but I had the greatest time there. We were just goofy and giggled and ate. Everything that trip revolved around food and wine.

Sunday after breakfast we took a train to Monaco. The weather wasn't nice but we still had to go and see all the yachts and the Montecarlo casino. There were tons of palm tree and Bentley's. I don't think I've seen so many nice cars in one place before.

Sunday night we came home to lots of snow. Monday was Festa della Donna aka International Women's day! Kelsey, Katie and I went to dinner at the pizza place on our block and ordered pizza by the meter. It was amazing. 2 liters of wine and 1 complimentary bottle of limoncello later we headed home. I love going out with friends. It makes me feel a little more connected to here, and makes it a little more homey.

I miss all of my USC friends who are on Spring Break this week. I'm jealous they get to go home or to Florida to bask in the sun. Oh well this weekend I'm off to Paris and then Wednesday Athens and Mykonos for Spring break. I'll take lots of pictures and update as soon as I get back xox

Grande Milan!

I've had a really nice week staying in Torino. Its nice to be able to explore and learn all about the city where I'm supposed to be living. Sometimes it seems like I'm on the go more than in my little apartment. On Thursday night we went with lots of other students to Chalet, a night club located in a park. I expected it to be tiny but it was HUGE and we had a lot of fun with our friends.

On Friday, I was invited to dinner at a friend of Davide and Paola's who lives in Torino. I had a little trouble finding exactly where it is, but thankfully Italians are never on time for anything (is this where the term fashionably late comes from?).Dinner was really a fun experience. There were a ton of different anti pasta dishes; prosciuttos, vegetables, dips, and all sorts of breads and wines. Everyone stood and talked but it wasn't a formal sit down dinner. Then CeCe brought out rice with shrimp and soy sauce. Before I knew it, dessert was served in the form of mini chocolate filled molten cakes topped with Baileys and cream. Why are the best things the most fattening?? I had a great time and I got a lot of advice about Italy, travel, Torino, and the Italian language.

I slept in on Saturday morning and then we headed up to the Basilica Superga. Public transportation is so crazy here, nothing is straightforward. I think from the time we left our house to the time we came home finally we took 8 different buses. The Superga is this wonderful Basilica atop of Torino and it has great views of the Alps.It was a little chilly so we didn't stay long but it would be an awesome place to have a picnic in the warm weather. That night we went to XO in Piazza Vittorio and drank Sangria before heading down to the Murazzi.

Sunday morning I woke up early to meet Diego in Milano to go see AC Milan v. Ataltanta. We go to the stadium early and there were lots of people in the parking lot tailgating and lots of stands that sold food and Milan merchandise. I bought a scarf so that I could show some team spirit. We tried to find the San Siro museum so we could see some of the champions cups and other interesting memorabilia but it was closed. We headed up to our seats and it was amazing to be in such a big stadium. San Siro hold 85,000 fans, more than good ole Williams Brice! There were only 30,000 people at this game but for Champions league games its sold out. It was really exciting to feel all the energy in the stadium even though the stadium wasn't even at capacity. At the end of the game we met Diego de Ascentis from Atalanta who is friends with my dad's friend Diego. It was so cool to meet a football player. When we left the sun finally came out and there was a really pretty light casting over San Siro and I got a few great pictures of it.

This week has been pretty low key, lots of class and school work to do and get ahead of while I still can. Tomorrow morning I'm leaving for Nice and Monaco with Leigh from USC. It's going to be fun to see a friend from school. More to come next week!

Rome-ing Around 21 febbraio

Third weekend in a row of traveling and whew! has it been a whirlwind! Thursday after eight hours of class I packed for Rome and at 11 headed to my friend's house who lives in Midtown which is walking distance to the train station which (we thought) was where the bus from Turin to Milan Malpensa airport was. I took a quick nap in her roommates bed and at 2a.m. I left with my friends to head to the station. We got there around 2:30 and thought it was a bit strange when the bus hadn't come to pick us up by 10 til 3. Of course at 3a.m. (the time the bus was set to depart) we realized we were very far from the right stop, ran for a while, and then gave up hope.

We called a taxi who told us that he couldn't take all of 6 of us in his car. After lots of mumbles and grumbles and deciding to take the 5am bus which would lead to us missing our flight, the taxi driver took pity on us and drove us. 2 hour and 230 Euro later (yikes!) we arrived at Malpensa ready to board. We had an uneventful plane ride thankfully but for some reason we weren't done with our bad luck for the trip.

At Fuimincino airport we got hassled by some sort of car service. Tourist information wasn't open yet and we thought that 8 Euro was a good deal for heading to Termini the main train station. It was a good price but of course we got dropped off in the outskirts of Rome and had to take a train to the main station.

Luckily we found our hostel all right, and then we began our day. The weather called for a 90% chance of rain which we were bummed about until we saw the sun, mixed with some gray clouds, and a 60 degree day. We walked to the Coliseum and took lots of pictures, sat and fended off little guys trying to see us glass cubes with pictures inside them. How many languages should I learn to say no in? We hoped on the Metro to the Spanish steps and then sat in a Mickey D's to rest our feet before climbing to the top. Afterward we walked on Via del Corso and went in and out of shops til we reached the Pantheon.

I've really learned to appreciate Piazza culture. You just sit on the steps, people watch, eat, drink, listen to music and just be. It was really nice to take in the feeling of the city instead of rushing around going from museum to museum. I got to meet my cousin Connie for dinner because we was studying in Rome was three weeks. It was really fun to see family. For desert we got gelato at the famous Giolotti and I got a delish cone with champagne and chocolate gelato. We walked over to the Trevi fountain and threw our coins in for good luck. We had a wonderful first day in Rome and had a much needed 8 hours of sleep.

Saturday morning we took the Metro to the Vatican. I've been there twice before so going into the museums and the basilica wasn't a top priority of mine. Good thing considering the line was almost out of the Square. We walked over to the castle and saw all of the vendors selling various crap along the river. Kelsey and I split off from the group and strolled along the Tiber river to Trastevere.

We had a nice sit down pizza lunch in Trastevere, walked along the piazza, then visited the church. It is truly amazing how beautiful these churches are with such incredible detail. We walked into Campo d'Fiori but hit it at a weird time because they were taking down all the stands from that day's market. Then we went into another amazing church, sat down and took a quick cat nap. Afterward we got snacks and then walked up Via Veneto. The cafes that lined the street were so charming and I remembered them from the last time I was in Rome. We walked up to Villa Borgheise but not inside because it was after dark. We did however find our way to the top of the Spanish steps without all the climbing. It was an incredible view at night but sadly my camera didn't totally capture it.

We then met up with the group for an appertivo with more fried food and carbs than my body ever wants to consume. Then we headed to the airport where we got a good nights sleep (not really but it beats missing your flight again.)

Now I'm safe and sound in Torino. Totally exhausted and ready for a weekend off from travel. As much as I would love to make the most of this (I think I am anyway) a girl's gotta sleep!

A Tale of Three Carnivals

Everyone needs to go to Venice at least once in their lives if not more. I left for Venice bright and early on a Saturday morning and got there in the afternoon. It was a gray day but the magic of the city with the canals and bridges was still there. We went on a guided walking tour and saw some of the main sights of Venice like Piazza San Marco, Saint Marc's Basilica, the gates of the city, and Doge's Palace. We got a restaurant recommendation from our tour guide and got some amazing white wine, seafood spaghetti and calamari. Later on we ventured out on the town in our masks. It was so fun going in and out of the little alleys getting lost only to find out you've been in a circle. Getting lost in Venice entails you running into something even more beautiful around the corner so it wasn't ever a burden. Nightlife in Venice shuts down at 9pm usually but during Carnival it goes super late 12am wooo! (Like your schedule mom!). We went into a few bars and then we wandered in Campo San Margherita which had a DJ in the piazza and lots of dancing. We had a blast and danced off the cold!

We woke up to mild weather and blue skies on Sunday, a first for us in Italy. Sunday morning was the opening ceremony for Carnival. The angel/dove descended from the bell tower down to the center of the piazza. They played Hallelujah and everyone was so excited for it to start. We then went into St. Marc's basilica to see the beautiful mosaics. They were incredible so detailed, breathtaking. We also got to look out on the piazza from the top and saw the sea and crowds of people. I could have sat up there all day. I was totally amused. When I left the church there were people singing and dancing and they asked me to join in so I had a dance with a semi toothless man and then me and kelsey joined a conga line.

We walked around the city and then went shopping at the stands near Rialto bridge. The little shops selling Murano glass jewelry were perfect for souvenir shopping! Then it was time for gelato and a nap. Back to San Margherita for another night of dancing in our masks. It was so fun experiencing this famous festival first hand. I didn't ride a gondola because they were super expensive but I think its okay because I danced in a conga line...at carnival...in Venice.

Monday afternoon we went to Verona where Romeo and Juliet is set. Of course I rubbed her breast for good luck, check facebook! We saw the fictional balcony and the Roman ruins in the city including a still standing and functional coliseum.

The week following was a little crazy including having my credit card compromised, shut down of my internet, snow storm and fake losing my camera. Little things are difficult here because of the language barrier but finally everything has been straightened out. I'm grateful for meeting good friends here, who are always there for you with a glass of white wine when things get tough.

Friday afternoon we left for Dusseldorf (Germany) and Amsterdam. Word to the wise: Budget airlines are called just that for a reason. We left our apartment at 2pm and 3 buses, 2 trains, 1 plane and 11 hours later we arrived at our hotel in Dusseldorf, whew! We made the best of it with our prepacked sandwiches and on our bus from Weeze airport (read BFE haha)to the city center we met this really interesting middle aged man who was from California but moved to Southern France and has met the Dali Lama. It was really amazing and humbling. It almost made me not want to complain about the following chain of events...

Saturday morning our train was set to leave Dusseldorf and head to Amsterdam at 11:13am. It was delayed 5 minutes, and then 15, and then 3 hours (or so they said in English.) We went to Altstad (Old City) for beers and lunch (Cajun fried and nachos a little taste of the south!). When we came back we saw that we missed our train and had to wait until 4pm for the next one, just kidding that one also delayed 70 minutes. We sat in the train station and enjoyed some German pretzels and beers, what else were we to do? Meanwhile Karneval was going on and there were tons of people in crazy costumes headed to Cologne for the celebration.

We finally boarded our train to Amsterdam and got to the city around 8pm. We freshened up and hit the town. One of the funniest sites was these urinal stands in the street for people to use at night. Had a giggle fit about that one haha. We found an Australian pub with great drink specials and met these 2 girls who were living in Amsterdam. One was from Australia and the other was from Milan. They were interesting and told us alot about Milan night life. At the end of the night after drinks and dancing we hit up McDonalds of course. It was well needed and really fun to go there.

In the morning we went into the Anne Frank House. It was very interesting and emotional. We got to go into the rooms and climb the staircases. It was really chilling but a great experience. Afterward we ventured into Dam Square and looked at a lot of little shops. A'dam had great souvenirs! Then around 10:30am we ventured into the red light district. The windows were lit along the street and it sure was interesting! Amsterdam gets a bad rap for being all about drugs and prostitutes but it was really pretty with the canals and bikes and bridges. I really enjoyed the city. The rest of the day we walked around ate little treats and experienced the city. I want to go back in the warm weather but I loved it for sure.

Monday morning we woke up and went to Karveval in Dusseldorf. There were streets lined with bratwurst and beer vendors and costume stands. We each bought a little something festive to wear around for the day but we were still severley under dressed in the costume department! Lots of people had on farm animal costumes and colors and all sorts of crazy get ups. It was really fun and everyone was super duper drunk haha. We had bratwurst and beer in the street and froze to death. We left the city center at 2pm and then went back to Torino.

Our school organized a trip for us to Ivrea to see the historic orange throwing battle. It was insanity! People were pelting oranges at each other and there were horse carriages going through the piazzas going to battle. It was really fun and I threw an orange at my friend haha. Lots of pictures are coming up. We're going to Rome in 2 days so more tales to come. I miss everyone at home! xoxox

5 febbraio

Ciao America! Life has been beautiful here in Italy so here's what has being going on...

On Friday morning I left Torino to meet Davide in Milan. I went to Piazza Duomo and walked around and shopped a little bit (sadly only window shopping). In the afternoon Davide and I took the train to Saronno. We met up with Paula, loaded the car and headed on our way to Madesimo. We drove past Lake Como so I gave George Clooney a quick shout out.On the way we stopped at Senor Angelo's house in Menaggio to have dinner with my dad's friend Diego and his mom. It was so fun seeing them since the last time had been almost 7 years ago. We arrived in Madesimo around and 11 and then went to sleep.

I woke up around 8am on Saturday morning to fresh mountain air in the Alps. The mountains were incredibly majestic and beautiful. The sky was gray but on Sunday it was sunny and the view was breathtaking. Paola and I headed out to rent skis and head up the baby hill. This was only my second time skiing and with my lack of grace I was a little apprehensive. Davide helped to teach me how to ski which was fun and very kind of him. He said I was a fast learner and that I had a natural sense of equilibrium. Hmm I wonder how much my dad paid him to say that.

When I gained enough confidence we headed up a bigger slope. It was scary stepping away from the bunny hill but exciting at the same time. The best part was the pub partially down the hill where there were lots and lots of people relaxing and drinking wine. I met some people who spoke English and they were asking me lots of questions about my travels and studying here in Italy. They told me they learned English by traveling to the UK and Australia. After relaxing with a beer, we went back down the mountain.

On Saturday night I met up with some people my age from the town. They were really nice and hospitable. One of the girls lived in California for a year so she spoke fluent English. Sunday morning when I woke up we went for a hike up the mountain. It was really hard but the weather was sunny and the beauty of the Alps was worth the effort. This mountains are so amazing and grand. People come to Madesimo every weekend and it blew my mind that skiing in the Alps is just a normal occurrence for them, how cool! We left Madesimo around 5pm and went back to Saronno for dinner. Paola and Davide we amazing hosts and I had a wonderful weekend with them.

Monday I went back to Torino for class. This week my friends and I have been cooking dinner together a lot which is fun. We are starting to become a little family and it is nice having a sense of normality finally here.

And this week I got to experience Italian style bureaucracy at its finest. Yesterday our group went to the Questura which is a police station that processes immigration requests. We got there at 9am and luckily I got pushed up in line because of my 12pm class but some people were there until 5pm. Yikes. It wasn't that bad for me but the people do not work fast at all. There is no sense of urgency and the people in the fingerprinting office are very nice and funny. i didn't mind so much but I was a lucky one.

Today Kelsey, Katie, Elena, Drew and I went mask shopping for Carnival. We are very excited to go to Venice this weekend and experience this crazy festival. On Monday we're going to Verona to visit Romeo and Juliet too, how fab! I'll take lots of carnival pics and skiing picture are already up from the past week. Have a fun weekend everyone! xox

26 gennaio

Weekend Update! Friday was so much fun. Kelsey and Katie (who live next door to me) invited me out on Friday night and I decided to come last minute. What a good decision. We hopped on a bus to our friend Megan's and had a quick drink at a pub near her apartment. We then headed down to Piazza Vittorio to the Murrazi area. Murrazi is a strip along the river Po which is basically discoteca after discoteca. As fun as it was, it seems like it would be a gigantic party when the weather is warm and people can dance and drink outside. We hopped from one to another and danced up a storm. My favorite one was called Alcatraz and played my favorite American jams (i.e. Bad Romance, Tik Tok, Sexy Chick). Another bar we hopped into was called Ole Madrid and played saucy tunes (and gave us free shots). With our sore little feet we walked back to the bus stop around 3am. Side note: No one really came to the bars until 1, so next time we need to plan better for maximum energy. We got to the bus stop and since the night bus only comes once an hour we waited pitifully in the cold for another hour. I finally made it home at 4:45am. I was very very cold and my feet were cramped from my 4 inch booties but I had the time of my life and can't wait to go back.

On Saturday I slept in a bit and headed to the open market at Porta Palazzo around noon. Someone told me its the largest European Open air market. I didn't buy anything for myself but I bought my dad a soccer jersey for 5 euro (if anyone wants one let me know!). Then I went to the Lingotto for hot chocolate. Hot chocolate is a heavenly experience here. It is really thick like syrup almost, very delicious. Saturday night I stayed in with friends and kept it low key.

Sunday I worked on my internship blog. My job is to take pictures of people and their various outfits on campus. Then I interview them, write up a post, and make inspiration outfits. I finished two out of the five I have to do for this semester. My first one will be post Feb. 6th on collegefashion.net so look out for that! Drew and I ventured downtown to check out McDonalds and Drew had his first fast food hamburger EVER! There were little booths on the street selling jewelry and I was temped to buy a Padre Pio bracelet. I will definitely come home with a fun piece of Padre Pio memorabilia.

So funny Sunday night story, I told Kelsey and Katie to come over to look at pictures from the discoteca. Katie shut the door behind her and forgot that Italian doors lock themselves. The girls were locked out and stayed on our lovely (read: icky) pull out couch. Yikes! Oh well it was a fun mini sleep over.

Yesterday it snowed and graceful ole me slipped and fell on the walk to school. Luckily my friend Daniel helped me the rest of the way so I only have 1 bruise on my tailbone. This morning I met my dad's friends Davide and Paola at Cafe Torino in Piazza San Carlo for breakfast. They were very silly and fun. It was nice to see familiar faces while in Italy. I also met their friend Sisi who lives in Torino and has kids my age. In the next few weeks I'll try to meet up with them and do various things around the city. I am really excited to meet Italian kids and I think it will help me learn the language here. It's a bit disappointing how easily you can get along here without speaking Italian. This weekend I am going to Milan and Madesimo with Paola and Davide. Madesimo is on the border of Switzerland and Italy so I will be skiing in the Alps. Davide and Paola also know teenagers there who can help me with my Italian and one of them is going to the States to study for a year.

So I am very excited about this weekend and I hope the rest of the week moves by fast. Tomorrow we are going back to the open air market in search of white shirts for a graffiti party at a local pub. More to come at the end of the week with some skiing stories!xox

21 gennaio

I've had a pretty low-key week with getting adjusted to classes and everything. Monday I had Italian class once again and I am struggling but trying really hard to get the hang of it. Elementary would have been too easy so I'll stick with this one and study more. I had my first survey of art class Monday evening which was fun. The teacher is very kooky like a typical art teacher and she seems to be very knowledgeable so far. My friend Kyle made dinner that night which was penne in a very very good homemade marinara sauce. Its fun how people take turns cooking dinner. It's a nice way to get to know everyone.

Tuesday I finally fought the urge to oversleep and I went downtown Torino all by myself. I got on the correct bus (both times!) and I was even asked for directions from 2 different groups of people. I could only help out one person though but I was proud of myself for appearing as a local! I walked around Via Roma which is well know for ritzy shopping. I didn't go in to too many shops but I did do a lot of drooling while window shopping. I found this one bracelet I want to go back for which was silver with bronze charms. Each little charm was a different type of pasta. It was very very cute! Then I went to class and Italian tutoring. I did all of my homework and then ran into some friends in the cafe.

Some girls who live in Midtown invited me ice skating. We went to the ice skating rink where the figure skating competition was for the 2006 Winter Olympics. It was soooo exciting and surreal. I was a little rusty from not ice skating for years at first but I got the hang of it and sped around the rink (jk but it was fun). A ton of people from school went so it was fun to socialize and meet new people from different areas of town. I was exhausted after that so I headed to bed with bruised shins and sore legs.

The next day I had to be at school at 11am to receive my permit of stay from the police. So now I am officially here in Italy legally. After that I did a little more tutoring and then off for my first grocery shopping experience at Pam. It was so much smaller than an American grocery store and had a lot fewer options but also a lot of things I've never had. Everything seemed fresh which was really interesting and clearly not always the cause at home. I bought some proscuitto, breakfast cakes, yogurt and gelato. So far I haven't tasted anything here that I haven't liked. After Italian class I went to the Lingotto with Brianna and Drew. I fell in love with a million pairs of shoes as usually but didn't buy any. I really didn't want to go into Zara here since they have it at home too buy the sales drew me in. I found a very very cute dress for 10 euro so I bought it. After shopping we went home and made tortellini.

Today I slept in. Mainly because I had to wait for the construction workers to go to lunch so that they couldn't see me when I showered. I went to class and reviewed for my big test tomorrow. After class I went to the carteleria to buy notebooks and came home with 2 Hello Kitty notebooks. I don't know the obsession with HK here is all about but I am all about it! Later on we went to a bar for appertivo. Lots of places here in Italy have appertivo. Basically, you pay for a drink (rum and coke please!) and then you sit and eat little appetizers that they have out on the bar. It costs 5 euro on weekdays and since its mostly carbs it fills you up nicely for dinner. I think its a pretty genius idea that might do well in the states. The rest of the night I spent studying Italian in the USAC lounge at school. Learning Italian is nerve racking for sure but sooner or later I'll get the hang of it.

This weekends plans are up in the air for now. I think we're going to explore the sites of Torino and maybe Genoa. I will keep my blog up to date for sure.Let me know if theres anything you're dying to know about! xox

Gennaio 17 2010

Classes started officially this Thursday. I had intermediate Italian which was and will be challenging but I think ultimatly it will be better for me especially since I'm not taking it for a grade. I also had my first non-Italian class which was Business and Cross-Cultural ethics. There are people from all over Europe in my class and it is mainly discussion based so that makes for a good mix. I wasn't feeling to well so after dinner and class I went right to bed. I woke up feeling better on Friday, which was good because I went on a group tour to the top of the Lingotto Mall.

The Lingotto (which I've mentioned before) used to be where FIAT cars were built. They built cars vertically so the smaller parts are built on the bottom like steering wheels and such and the the top/roof was the test track for the cars. We got to walk around it and it was really really cool. There is also a really interesting ball/dome on top of the building equipped with a helipad and its a meeting room for important FIAT executives.

The view was disappointing because the weather hasn't been nice since Monday. It was hazy so the Alps we only slightly visible and my pictures only came out so so. We could see the Olympic bridge from the building and we can go walk on it so I may do that soon.

Next we got to see Giovanni Agnelli's (the former owner of FIAT)private art collection. I was amazing. There were 2 pieces from Picasso and a few from Matisse too. They were gigantic pieces of art, I can only imagine what their home looked like.

We made dinner later on and then ventured down town in search of gelatto from Grom. It's a chain and they have one in NYC too (highly recommend it). They do monthly flavors too according to which fruits are in season. Then we went out for a drink and then decided to head home, or so we thought...

We waited a while for the bus. When we got on the bus it took forever. Why? Because we took it to the total wrong end of town. I used my broken Italian to ask this group of guys how far away we were and then they called us a cab. 2 hours and 30 Euro later we were home!

Saturday morning we left for our weekend in Milano. The train was nice and only a 2 hour ride but once again the weather was gray and gloomy. We checked into the hostel and then went to il Duomo which is in the center of Milan. It was so gorgeous. The building was magnificent. The square it was in had tons of pigeons and guys scamming you helping the pigeons on you and then asking for money. Lucky for me I'd rather die than let one of those rats of the sky touch me. We went inside of il Duomo but pictures didn't come out too great. I said a little prayer for keeping my travels safe and then moved on to the Galleria. The Galleria had high ends shops, cafes, and hotels. Basically where I will spend all of my time shopping and dining once I marry George Clooney.

We then walked to the famous opera house La Scala. It was so unbelievable and grand inside.I would have loved to see a ballet there. They were preparing a stage for the next days performance. Then we walked through the museum and saw various costumes and instruments.

Next was Castello Sforzesco. Fun travel fact, museums don't charge you admission if its 30 min. before they close! That was really cool too. Someone raised a funny point that sometimes buildings don't last 25 years in the states (cough cough BATES) but all over Europe these accident buildings are everywhere. After we walked around a good bit we went back and hung out at the hostel.

Today we went to the church where DaVinci's Last Super is held. Tickets were sold out so maybe when Dad comes we'll plan ahead and go there. Then we went to the shop I read about on fashion blogs, 10 Corso Como. It. Was. Amazing. Itay's version of Henri Bendel only better! Everything there was so beautiful. Exactly the kind of art museum I enjoy. Too expensive for shopping but boy did I appreciate everything in there.

Tomorrow I'm going to explore downtown Torino by myself so I can shop and people watch. I can't wait and I'm going to try to meet some Italians so I can learn and assimilate. That's all for now but pics are up and more posts soon to come! xox

Gennaio 13, 2010

Today I was our last day of orientation and first day to meet our teachers. As I mentioned before I live only a block from school. For some reason our alarm never went off so we woke up at 10am, the time we were supposed to be at school, whoops! Luckily I had my outfit laid out the night before. I rushed over to school by 10:15 only to remember that Italians are always fashionably late and class didn't start for another 5 minutes. I think I can get used to this. We talked about all of the various events the office has planned for us and how to buy tickets for an Italian soccer game (!!!). Then afterward our teachers came in and gave course presentations. The professors seemed extremely intelligent and I feel like they have lots and lots to offer us. I am excited to start classes besides the having to attend part. And today I hate my first vending machine coffee, which is by far better than any coffee that I've had in the US. Later on we walked around our area of town and found a lot of quaint bakeries and shops. We went into a shoe store where everything was only 15 euro. I only restrained myself with the constant reminder of “don't worry this shop isn't going anywhere”. We then stopped in a little paneteria and bought biscotti and a liter box of white wine. Perfecto! It's been a calm night and I plan on getting some sleep so tomorrow I can go grocery shopping for the first time. I am excited to see how different it is from an American grocery store. And tomorrow I'm trying out Intermediate Italian to see if I can take on the challenge. And btw wine in a box is even good in Italy :)

Here's my bucket list for my time here in Italy:

Visit an open air market at eat fresh fruit

Cook an authentic Italian meal

Buy a beautiful Italian leather bag (and maybe boots)

Go to Milan Fashion Week

Eat procuitto and cheese in Parma

Ride a gondola in Venice

Go to a Juventus & AC Milan Game

Go to a Serie A Championship game

Eat a nutella crepe

Have a shot of Limoncello

Visit Alba and drink lots of wine from Piemonte

Walk along the River Po

Go to Paris, Barcelona, and Prague

Take a zillion pictures

Sit in a cafe and have conversations with Italians

Speak Italian fairly fluently

Transform my style into something sophisticated

Dress nice everyday

Get asked directions from an Italian

Find a perfect souvenir for each special person in my life

Go to a discoteca and dance the night away

Read a book in a piazza

Visit Connie in Rome, Lauren in Florence, Naomi in Barcelona and Leigh in Marseille.

Meet George Clooney at a bar on Lake Como

Buy unique pieces of jewelry from the open air markets or the piazzas

Go to the Alps

Go to the Opera in Torino

Buy something Hello Kitty

Go to the Almalfi Coast and get a tan

Only speak Italian for 1 day start to finish

Eat authentic Torino hazelnut chocolate

Visit Lavazza coffee plant

Shop on Via Garibaldi

Visit Sephora Italia

Make friends with our Italian neighbors

Eat a picnic in the park across from school

Throw an orange at the Carnival di Ivrea

Go to Venice during Carnival

Buy a piece of beautifully made clothing

Subtly stand out with impeccable style and HAVE FUN!

Travels to Torino and Settling in

This is going to be my blog while here in Torino so here is the rundown of my trip so far!

Saturday, January 9, 2010- I left for the airport in the afternoon after eating at Chipotle with Mom and Dad. We waited in line for a really long time at international check in. Going through security was really hard because it was so sad. I hate saying goodbye so it was not good. After I was told to stop crying because I was too pretty (right?) I passed through security and went on my way to the terminal. I was anxious especially because I can’t sleep on flights. I soon boarded and was on my way to Frankfurt. I avoided my beloved diet coke in hopes that it would help me sleep better and I chose beef teriyaki for dinner. I sat back and watched Sunny with a Chance of Meatballs. It was so cute! Kids movies are really the best. Unfourtantly the programming just ran on a loop for the 7hr 14min flight so I watched things over and over as I couldn’t sleep for some reason. I guess this is where timing gets a little complicated so now I shall move on to…

Sunday, January 10, 2010- I got off the plan in Frankfurt and felt a blast of cold German air. Gotta love winter storm Daisy! I walked very very far the large airport to get through customs. It was actually quick and easy. After that I had to walk through security to get to my smaller flight. I was extremely disoriented as I gathered my things to go through the check point. Apparently you don’t have to take your shoes off as you go through (might as well stamp my barefeet with AMERICAN on them haha). So after i went through security and found my gate I sat down at the terminal. Not sure if this was a European thing or maybe because it was a little commuter flight but the waiting area had big windows with little cafe-esque tables and chairs. There was also a little vending machine for coffee which was conveniently free. Stupidly I didnt realize this and paid $4 for a diet coke (Guess Dad was right, things will be more expensive than I expected). I had an hour and a half in Frankfurt before I went to Torino and students from the San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles flights slowly rolled in so I got to meet some students before I boarded. So many students are from CSU Chico. So many many West Coasters here. It seems pretty diverse with the except of the Cali influx. It was nice chatting with people and talking about how no one really slept on the flight. It soon came time to board and since in the US the checked baggage rule is 1 carry on and 1 personal item I thought I would be okay to bring my carry on and bookbag. Boy was I wrong. At the gate the persuaded/asked/forced me to check my carry on which contained my favorites clothes, toothbrush, prescriptions, warm pajamas and HELLO KITTY. Basically everything that I would NOT want to get lost. Well fast forward to Torino and the bag they persuaded/asked/forced me to check is missing (even as I write this). Funny part about it is that our flight was supposed to take off at 1:10pm but didn’t take off until around 2:30pm because there was a problem with luggage but “we promise you it is all on the plane now.” Omg fml really Lufthansa? Epic fail. The flight was smooth for the most part and I found out too late that wine and beer were free. The silver lining to this soon to be frustrating ordeal was the GORGEOUS view of the Alps from the sky. I took a picture. It was just unbelievable. When we finally touched down in Torino we were very excited to get there however we had no idea we would be waiting to leave for another 2 hours thanks to the baggage ordeal. Okay sorry about the luggage rant but it needed to be said haha. We took a private bus to Hotel Roma in Piazza Carlo Felice. It was located across from Porta Nuova one of the main train stations in Torino. After we put our bags down we went to a pizzaria named Stars and Roses and ate tons and tons of pizza. I had a particularly funny table and then made me cry from laughing so hard at one point. Afterward we went on a walking tour of central Torino. It wasn’t very cold, maybe about 40 degrees. Much warmer than NYC. We strolled down Via Roma and viewed the shops (Um Sephora?!), walked to the Savoys Palace, and saw il Duomo where the shroud of Turin is kept. I learned a lot about the city from walking around. The hotel had wireless connection but for me it was upsetting more than comforting. Because I had slept only 1hr since Saturday morning, I was very irritable and we very sad that no one could directly comfort me. It was hard at first but I went for a walk with another student and calmed down in the fresh air. Then it was time for some sleep (finally.)

Monday, January 11, 2010- Move in day! I woke up pretty easily and ventured down to the breakfast bar. I had forgotten how sparse Italian breakfasts were. After breakfast we had a small orientation and then time for lunch. I had a heaping plate of prosciutto and boy was it good. The one thing I have noticed about being in Italy is that I tend to get very parched very quickly. It may still just be a travel side effect. After breakfast we got on the bus and were driven to our apartments. Ours is one block from the school and one block from the Lingotto,which is a huge mall and used to be the FIAT plant. It has a racetrack on the roof which we will visit Friday. When we got to our 1 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment (complete with bidet and super awesome heated towel rack). We have 4 sky lights in our apartment and it is so pretty when the sun is out. We noticed there was no heat. The landlord, who speaks zero English, came up and fixed it. But for some reason as soon as he stepped out water began spewing out of the hot water heater Yikes! He told us to go out so we walked to the mall to get dinner and then checked out other student apartments. Later on that night we decided to check out an Irish pub. We wanted to go to an Italian bar but couldn’t find one. It was really fun talking to the other kids and laughing and having a good time.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010- Today was very very hectic. We still had no hot water so we had to shower at our neighbors place. Funny how there were men working on the roof, oops! Don’t worry we found the shade that goes over the window, crisis averted. We walked a total of 2 minutes to school (!!!) and then we ate at the cafe. It is really cute and very inexpensive. We had orientation today and they talked about all the day trips we have planned for the semester. There seems to be a lot to look forward to here to come. Side note: I hope I get to know Torino very well, it seems like its a big city though so there may be things I sadly miss. After orientation was over we went to the Lingotto to buy phones. It was so strange because it seems as though everyone (including Italians) for the most part buy phones and then recharge minutes as they go. Everyone had the same phone because it was the least expensive, so I decided to give mine some flair and added some signature Hello Kitty stickers (photo to come). I also bought an internet key which is a little USB that connects me to the internet wherever I go. I walked around the Lingotto with my roommate and went in a bunch of shops. I bought my first pair of Italian shoes which were little black flats for 16 euro, adorbs! I like how sales tax is built into cost so whatever the price tag says, it is for everything from phone to pizza to shoes. AND I saw my first Torino snow tonight. It was sooo pretty and very romantic.
Now I’m here perusing the internet and writing here. I’ve seen a whole bunch of Hello Kitty things so far including but not limited to: a scale, various types of gelato, stickers, fortune machine, dolls, necklace and many many more. Lovin it! I think I will blog every few days so I can look back and write the most important stuff but I guess I will see as I go on. I would love to hear comments and what not, I miss everyone in the USA. xox