Alright, so its the weekend before midterms and we, meaning Kirsten, Hellen and I, decide to make a trip to Florence. It was a three hour train ride from Perugia and it was a lot of fun. I got myself my leather jacket, ironically from the same store that my mom got hers almost 4 years ago. The market was fun and overwhelming although the highlight was the serial killer museum. Kirsten went to it last time she was here and she took us. I know, I must sound crazy after just going to a torture museum but it was worth [View Full Entry]

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Randomly my friend Dana bumped into this group of Italian guys who we have been hanging out with a lot. They speak...well they are a lot better at English then I am with Italian. I am trying really hard to learn Italian. Hanging out with them I am actually picking up a lot of common phrases. They are big goof balls though. They like swearing in English and are extremely Euro. I have always heard the term Euro trash, and I fully understand the term now. These are pics of a dinner we all went to. Il bachi - the name [View Full Entry]

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I finally am getting these pictures up, although the second day of my Tuscany trip we got to go to a small town called Monteriggioni and Siena. Monteriggioni was a treat, we got up earlier had a very small breakfast and went to what i thought was a city. In reality it was the smallest town I have ever seen. It was very cute, and surrounded my a large wall. You could really run from the north to the south side of this city in less then 30 seconds. There was a Sunday market which was quaint and medieval. The stores [View Full Entry]

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So after Volterra we went to San Gimignano, a larger hill top town. It is known for its towers, which were cool. Wow the hilltop towns are starting to blur together. It was very medieval and I was really excited to go to the torture museum. It was ridiculous. I wasn't allowed to take photos in the museum so I had to be sneaky. I got a few samples of the horror. Believe me there was worse things. I particularly like the one of me in the gallows. Anyhoo, I have to go cause the library is closing at 6:00. I [View Full Entry]

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This weekend was my Tuscany getaway and I was very excited. I woke up early to meet the tour bus in Piazza Italia and was on the way to Chianti, sound familiar...maybe because of their wine? Chianti is Italy's most famous red wine. It used to be easily identified by its squat bottle enclosed in a straw basket, called fiasco, but now can be found in normal bottles. Anyway we drove through the curvy roads of Tuscany so I ate some car sickness gum from Marro and he forgot to tell me that it makes your mouth go numb! I felt [View Full Entry]

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I was reading the white board Monday and saw an add for an opera Il Barbiere di Seville. I didn't know much about it but I figured I should experience an Italian opera. I liked the opera I saw at Chapman, Charles you were amazing in it. Anyhoo I went to the ticket office and worked my limited Italian vocab and bought a ticket. I was very very proud of myself. It takes a lot of energy and brain power to buy things here. It so happens that Hellen and Kirsten were also going to the Opera. There was an Umbra [View Full Entry]

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So here is the deal...since we got to Italy Natalie, Hellen, Kirsten and I have been eying this bakery shop down Via de Piori. After buying a cake for Hellens b-day we figured we should "celebrate" other peoples birthdays and try other desserts. In one of the freezers there is the most amazing looking plate of chocolate covered ball goodness. We have been talking about buying this plate for ever! So this sunday it actually happened. The highlight of my day was eating, once again! After sleeping in Hellen and I went to Kirstens. There was soooooo much anticipation for this [View Full Entry]

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So this weekend I also got to go on a wine harvest, which was sweet. There was an acre of land bought by this guy (idono his name) a long time ago who wanted to build apartments and make a killing on rent. He had an architect write out plans although the architect disappeared before the plans could be made. Then he got another architect who made plans and brought it to the city of Perugia, who by this time changed building regulations and the land could no longer be built on. The land was then useless and they just planted [View Full Entry]

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So I am doing a research paper on chocolate...sooo...where should I go do my research?!?! The one and only Chocolate Factory in Perugia!! If you don't know already, Perugian chocolate is amazing. For some background info Perugina was built in 1907 by Giovanni Buitoni. When they first opened they made sugar coated almonds. In the 20's they started producing their amazing hazelnut chocolate which made them the most successful confectioners in Italy. The company made its way to the US in 1939 during the World's Fair and became world known. Perugina produces many types of candy including, chocolat [View Full Entry]

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Today was a long day of classes. I was excited though cause I got to go to the developing room for photography. I never realized how much work it was to develop photos. Steph I give you props for trying to major in it. I was shaking chemicals for ever. Although I was the fastest film loader in the dark. I was getting queezy being in such a dark room. I wonder if I could handle spelunking. Oh well, I'll worry about that later. Tonight was a special night - food wise - because Hellen was cooking up one of her [View Full Entry]

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