Buona Pasqua Settimana

Happy Easter Week!  OH MY GOSH IT IS ALREADY EASTER?!  Where did the time go? I am headed out to the Italian Countryside near Chiusi for some R&R with the girls.  Hopefully I will get some time to finally update pictures and blog.  Love you all! 

These are some pictures of a traditional easter dessert.  It is called Colomba Pasquale! Basically a sweet bread that has white lemon candies sprinkled in it with almonds.  We cut in half an put a sweet home made cream in the middle.  Gustoso!

Ps... I am returning to the states in a month and 2 days.  That seems so bizarre to me.  Definitely going to miss walking by the Duomo and Piazza della Repubblica on the way to class.

Day Trips = Exhaustion

So this past weekend was supposed to be a relaxing weekend in Firenze with day trips.  It ended up being way more WALKING than I expected.  Saturday, I went to a furniture design show near milan that is similar to NeoCon except for Europe.  I wanted to look professional so I wore a skirt, tights and heels.  Not the most comfortable choice since we walked around for almost 5 straight hours. Sunday we went Cinque Terre.  Cinque terre is a National Park made up of 5 coastal towns that were basically built on the cliffs.  Monica, Amy and I wanted to hike up one of the trails and take the bus down to the third town, but we missed the bus stop and ended up hiking for a total of 4 hours.  Good thing I didn't bring tennis shoes to Italy and I wore 10 euro imitation keds.  It was soooo beautiful nevertheless and I finally got use of that Charmin-TO-GO Toilet paper in the wilderness.  Thanks mom! So after the hike we had a lovely late lunch and I spent the last 2 hours on the beach.  Monday, my legs and feet were extremely sore, but it did not stop me and Monica from hiking up to piazza michelangelo to watch the sunset over the whole city... It was INCREDIBLE.  One of the most relaxing experiences to just take a bottle a wine and watch the sunset with live music.  So this morning when I woke up a tad later for class and tried to run to class, I am pretty sure I looked like a gimp because my calves decided to give out.  The whole weekend was OH so TOTALLY worth it.  I am in LOVE with this country.


Pictures to be uploaded soon...

Retail Design Class UPDATE

Ok everyone, here is my latest blog update... For those of you wondering why I am in Italy in the first place, DOUBT NO MORE.  I actual attend class regularly and am doing pretty well in my classes :)  This is just an update on my Retail Design Class.  Hope you find it interesting


Design Project 1: World’s Smallest Shop (40 cm x 40 cm x 40 cm)

For SWATCH

Concept: TIME TURNS

Things to keep in mind... needs to be...

• portable: many places & locations
• light: light weight to carry & easy to set up
• multipliable: can be built upon (add many together)

 My Idea for the World's Smallest Shop is based on the fact that time turns continuously.  My inspiration stems from watch gears, belt hangers, rotary phones and chair-swing rides. 

closed view from above:  You can see the handle by which the shop vendor would carry it closed along with the rotary dial. (shape inspired by SWATCH Cross)

another closed view:  You can see the handle by which the shop vendor would carry it closed along with the rotary dial.  Many of these can be stacked on top of each other and then next to each other in puzzle form.  From the bottom, the circular door opens with tripod stand extending out (similar to a camera stand).

Open view: With 3 example display watches on the conveyor belt.  When the vendor would turn the rotary dial, the watches on the conveyor belt would also move around the swatch cross.  No batteries or plug-in required... all manual labor (really really hard manual labor ;)

Above View while Open:

Front View while Open:

Design Project 2: The Magic Shop

For CAMPER

Concept: Legacy

Things to keep in mind... MUST be

• magic: seems to transform from everyday life into something that gives delight
• nomadic: temporary, for many places & spaces, intended for travel
• collapsible: having a passive & active state (ex. umbrellas, swiss army knife etc)
• and of course adaptable, moveable, lightweight, and easy to assemble/disassemble

I wanted clients of CAMPER to be able to see and feel the shoe legacy before they decided to choose it from CAMPER.

to be continued...

Design Project 3: The Show Shop

For SAN LORENZO

Design Challenge- Take 2 hours and walk around the San Lorenzo Area which consists of an open air food market, street vendors, leather markets, the San Lorenzo Church which is also a museum and more.  While walking around collect items that could go into something the size of a shoe box.  Then come back to class with your items and have them be in normal scale which means they are HUGE compared to the paper people (Alice in Wonderland Style).  The shop must be able to help visitors get information on what to do in the San Lorenzo Area.  Only have the last two hours of class to put it together. GO.

Concept: Exchange 

I separated mine into Historical/Museum info, food market info, and shopping info.  The right most counter of coins in reality would be taller and be made out of what looked to be giant euro coins.

Design Project 4: The Cube Shop

For ISSEY MIYAKE

Sleeping on the Job

Dear Family, Friends, Readers...
I apologize again.  I have been sleeping on the job.

Life here in Italy has been so hectic with visitors, midterms, holidays, spring break and getting back into the swing of classes after break.  I will update more soon.


Blogs Topics to look forward to...
~My Class & Project Updates
~Love is in the Air: Bologna & Verona
~The Adventures of Bianca and Veronica: Florence & Rome
~Siena for a Day

~My Experiences with the Gentleman and one day film director: Matt Nixon

~Masquerade: Paper Faces on Parade

~Visitors, Midterms, and Holiday Celebrations

~Spring Break Parts 2 & 3 (Sevilla & Amalfi Coast)

TODAY 

After class, I went over by the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) to sit and read in the lovely 70 degree weather we had today.  Well the ledge along the Arno (river) is quite high; probably to avoid people falling over the side of it.  I attempted to step up onto the ledge, but the part was too hight for me to get on so I ended up just leaning on my stomach while stretching my neck out to see the river below.  I noticed people tanning on the lawn down below on a small patch next to the river... I closed my eyes, took in the rays of sunlight and imagined myself jut laying out in the summer sun.  I leaned over the ledge again to take another view down the Arno on this beautiful day, of course stretching my neck out again, and this family sees me doing this and starts to attempt to see what I was looking at.  They even make eye contact with me and motion for me to point it out.  Unfortunately, my english and italian were irrelevant to the language they spoke so me saying not to worry about trying to see what I was looking at because there was nothing there did not go over to well.  They continued to stare at me with confused expressions as I embarrassed myself even more with hand gestures.  I finally gave up and walked away while they were leaning out to see the view again and I evaded the further awkwardness of them realizing that there was nothing there, but a pretty view.  

I took a seat on the lower part of ledge and leaned up against a light pole and read. I kept that spot for about an hour.  During that hour, I was in so many tourist photos.  Especially with this group of Italian High Schoolers.  They had decided that I was at the BEST part of the river ledge and therefore all swarmed my area for pictures as I continued to read.  At one point they all raised their gelato in the air in front of me. I thought about photo-bombing their picture, but I restrained myself and kept reading.  They finished their gelato and left.  A few more tourist snapped some shoots around me... then I looked up and caught this guy with a huge SLR camera with fancy lens taking a picture of me.  When I looked up he immediately turned his camera towards the river.  It made me chuckle, I could laugh to loud because I think he was embarrassed enough.  I was certainly flattered. Anyways it was a lovely afternoon soaking up the sun and reading near the Ponte Vecchio.  


To finish off the already beautiful day, I went to bible study later that evening with a few of my SSTM friends. Our snacks during bible study: wine, cheese and cookies! Only in ITALY 

And be sure to keep checking my Bucket List for new updates... :)

Estoy enamorado de Bar-thce-lona!!!

Spring Break 2011: Part 1

Barcelona, Spain

THURSDAY, March 17, 2011

12 HOUR Bus ride from Florence, Italy to Barcelona, Spain was... an experience, along with BRUTAL!  You would get in one position and think it was UBER comfy.  Then after 5 seconds, you would realize some part of your body was going numb from the cut off circulation, but it didn't matter because you were so exhausted and just wanted to fall asleep even if it was only for an hour.  On the flip side, I did FINALLY get to watch EuroTrip along with like 4 other movies on the bus ride.  Monica and I were basically the only ones laughing on the bus... we had more fun than everyone else anyways.  

FRIDAY, March 18, 2011

We arrived in Barcelona at about 9:00 am in the morning and were allowed about an hour to freshen up and drop off bags off in a storage room (due to our actual rooms not being ready).  We went on a walking tour of Barcelona which I do not really remember because I was so jaded from the bus ride.  I don’t think many of us were coherent.  We did get to see the Sagrada Familia though.  It is a masterpiece and will not be finished until estimated 2020.  I had no idea that there was fruit on the tops of the towers... well at least it looked like abstract fruit to me.  Granted I was really sleep deprived at this point, we hadn't had breakfast or lunch yet and my favorite food group is FRUIT! 

I also saw some Gaudi and Miro architecture in downtown Barcelona.  

 The marina was BEAUTIFUL and the weather could not have been any more perfect.

After seeing the Barcelona port, we stopped by the market off of Las Ramblas.  This open air market BLOWS Florence's out of the MEDITERRANEAN WATERS!  

Once Veronica was satisfied with a delicious smoothie and yummy peach candies, she went back to check in to her room and took a 3 hour nap.  It was MUCH needed, plus no one likes cranky Veronica (or as Nick Soliz puts it... I start smiling a lot and squinting my eyes).  

A bunch of us then went out to watch some flamanco dancing!  Woah, can those girls move: feet and hips.  Monica and I attempted to do a little of our own, still working on it.

Monica, Hannah, Jesse and I then went out for Seafood Paella and Sangria... I was a little worried at first, but they talked me though it.  I stayed mainly with the shrimp and crawfish, but it was still SUPER YUMMY!

SATURDAY, March 19, 2011

We ended up forming a solid group of 6: 3 guys & 3 girls, to hit the city of Barca. 

We ran through hoards of pigeous, took pictures by fountains and saw some pretty crazy street characters.  These ones in particular were TERRIFYING and I am pretty sure they were on stilts or Tom Cruise platforms...

This couple was sooooo READY to get away from these street characters on the famous Las Ramblas.  So as we were walking down Las Ramblas towards the beach and this supposedly GREAT sandwich place our friend was recommended for lunch, we ran into these ROWDY Barcelona Soccer fans from England.  They ended up convincing us that we needed to go to the game that night.  So we went to the ATM, pulled out more cash, and the 6 of us BOUGHT Barca Soccer Game tickets!!! So SPONTANEOUS :D  After 2 hours of walking, picture taking, and ticket buying... we FOUND the sandwich place!  Downside, there was a long line; upside, THERE WAS A LONG LINE... which means it is GOOD.  The sandwich was 4 euros each and monica and I decided to split one... which was ENOUGH for both of us.  It had so many things on it, that it was a challenge to eat.  DEFINITELY worth the wait.

We did the typical thing and ate it on the steps of some important building. Then it was time to check out the beach.  Oh my goodness... the Mediterranean is BEAUTIFUL! The color of the water is really a breathtaking mixture of blue-green.  

Once we finished sunbathing a bit, we decided to make the trip up the mountain (Montjuic) to see the Olympic Stadium.  THIS IS THE TORCH THAT HELD THE OLYMPIC FLAME!!! SOOOOOOO COOL!

We ended up taking an inclined metro up through the mountain!  The view up there is amazing; all of Barcelona and then one building interrupting the city: Sagrada Familia... sooooo TALL yet beautiful.  Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to see the castle ruins on top of the mountain because we needed to get back to the hostel so we had time to get ready for the game before meeting back up with the boys.  

The closer we got to the stadium, the more the excitement began to build.  Seeing more and more people in Barca attire... I was EXTREMELY excited to see a soccer match in Europe for the first time, let alone in the country that WON the world cup this past summer.  No joke, the stadium looked like it could have housed a Quidditch match!  

All the flashing cameras creating twinkles in the crowd.  

In the background you could still see a castle all lit up on the hill.  It was incredible!  Barca ended up WINNING 2-1 against Getafe, a team from Madrid.  Which meant beach CELEBRATION! :)

SUNDAY, March 20, 2011

Sunday was my last day in Barcelona because I had a flight to catch to Sevilla.  So I packed one more site in with Monica, Hannah, and MY MASSIVE BACKPACK!  

Park Guell... the Gaudi's park.  He had a house in the actually park (we hypothesize so he could work on the park as easily and efficiently as possibly, by LIVING IN IT!) 

Guell Park was sooooo cool.  There were live musicians playing, dancing and JUMPING all around!

Along with an invisible man!  This kid was so freaked out and confused by him.

The mosaics and gingerbread looking houses were CRAZY COOL.  So bright and playful! 

We were obsessed with this garden tunnel, too bad none of us has a romantic interest to hold hands with and kiss through it. (ps def. check out more pictures of the park on my flickr)
If I didn't have a flight to catch and my massive backpack, I probably would have spent the whole day here just exploring and relaxing.  Props Gaudi!

Oh before I forget, on the way to and from Guell Park, we passed by this sand court filled with old men playing boccie ball!  

It is similar to marbles except on an older and larger scale.  They drew quite a crowd... but I think they liked the attention even though they practically ignored all of us taking pictures and watching their game.

They all seemed to put in their two cents about who was closest... so funny!

Like I said, I am IN LOVE with Barcelona... the food, the sites, the PEOPLE. <3  Wish I could go back soon rather than later.

*Spring Break 2011: Part 2

Sevilla... COMING SOON