Gregorian Chants and Gelato

This was the backdrop/fresco for the Gregorian chant concert we saw last night! My roommate Sara took a short video of the perfomance. Stefany, Gaby, Geo, and Avery enjoy their gelato at Neri!
We were in awe of their dessert display case....
I want this!!! (whatever it is...)
Ok, that's all I have time to post right now..But I am pretty much caught up now! Today I walked 6 km for the Corre La Vita (while wearing a t-shirt designed by Ferragamo..) Afterward, our friends hosted a pot luck at their apartment and we stuffed ourselves silly! I explored a huge flea market held every last Sunday and I bought a neat hat and a bag!! Time to go get all my stuff ready for the exam tomorrow......ciao!

Friday night!

On Friday, it finally happened....we got ethnic food cravings. After Art Advising, we sat around the living room and talked about burritos and dumplings and udon...it was torturous. So we went to an Asian market and got some curry mix. Gaby made some amazing chicken and veggie curry (with risotto rice!) It was so good...we ate it all.

Later that night we all went to Finnegans, a local pub to celebrate Nicholas' B-day!
Daniella, John and Laura having a good time!
Sara and I (and our beers!)
and Sara and Avery!

The Arno at night...

On their last night in Florence, Jalees Nicole and Mike took me out to dinner! We explored (got lost..) on the other side of the Arno, and ended up at Dante's Pizzaria! I had a great pizza with porcini mushrooms, and truffle cream, and cheese...it was decadent! We got gelato afterwards at my new favorite cheap place and enjoyed the view..

(thank you guys for the gelato nutella fund!! you are awesome!)

Mercato Centrale!

Jalees, Mike and Nicole were passing through Florence this last week on their European backpacking adventure, so I took them to the Central Market of Florence...It was my first time there this trip, and it was impressive as ever! Two stories of meats, cheese, bread, fruits, vegetables, oil and vinegar...I also had a really good cappuccino for less than than €1!



...and after we bought some food, we went to the Duomo before I had to run off to class!

clouds!

Last Tuesday my class took a field trip! It was a gorgeously cloudy day and we walked across the river--to the Oltarno section of Firenze. We visited the British National Library, had a tour in Italian, and then got some really awesome gelato (only 1 euro!!!!) We also went to Santo Spirito for a bit, but the church was closed. I love field trip days...

brief hello!

I have a lot to catch up on, but it's going to have to wait! This week I take my entrance exam for the Accademia di Belle Arti. It is 4 days long, 6 hours a day...each day a different task (still life painting, nude figure drawing, project/public space design, and an immaginative painting)

Tonight we went to a free Gregorian chant concert at Santa Croce. It was so incredebly beautiful...and afterwards we tried a new gelato place--Gelateria dei Neri (I had ricotta and fig and caramella)

I have a lot of pictures to post from this last week..but wish me luck on the exam! ("in bocca al lupo" in Italian)

Pot Luck etc.

Ok, gotta play catch up a little now! Last week I went to a potluck at my friend's apartment. We had a ton of delicious homemade food...pastas, mashed potatoes, wine, chicken and veggies...an immense variety of cookies for dessert...John and I made a Caprese salad...it was a big hit!
Daniella makes wonderful bruscetta...mmm...
Their beautiful view!
And this was my drawing from class last Friday. It was an hour and a half or so....Now I have to go home and work on my painting homework :(

Nutella Donuts....

Ok...I had to have a special post just for this. When we were wandering around Lucca, we found this place that makes handmade donuts...dipped in sugar....and then in Nutella. It was swarmed with Italians...and since we have developed a severe Nutella addiction in the past few weeks we could not pass up this spendid opportunity...



That pretty much made my day. It was decadent...sigh.

Lucca!

After a short train ride, we arrived in the beautiful town of Lucca!

Our first stop was at a gelateria. And as much as I love gelato, I couldn't resist getting a Nutella Crepe...

it was soooo good!!!
After our snack, we explored Lucca. During the thrid weekend of every month they have a GIANT antique festival. I had a blast looking at all the neat old junk..and buying a few trinkets!
Last time I was in Lucca, everything was closed (I think it was on a Sunday or Monday) But it was so cool to see it so crowded and alive!
Before catching our train back to Firenze, we had dinner at a cute trattoria out on the patio (my second meal out this whole time!) I had pasta con salsiccia e funghi.

Pisa!

Saturday morning, my roommates plus three friends embarked on a Pisa adventure...
John and Avery on the train.
I took a nice nap...
Pisa is a very nice town, and it was a beautiful day! We took the mandatory silly pictures with the Leaning Tower (which was not as tall as I imagined it would be..)



John and Avery and I eat yummy gelato in the shade of the tower...

Sarah and John chillin on the grass (I miss my grass at Long Beach!!!)