Stole this from my roommate, but let's all marvel at the cutie pie nugget who lives with me! He is my host mom's grandson and his name is Lorenzo :) He just turned one years old yesterday! We bought him a cupcake and a donald duck hat and gloves from the Disney store! He is quite possibly the cutest little Italian baby of all time. Check the "Buon Compleanno" in the background ;)

Also, I went to Ireland last weekend! 

Cliffs of Moher were beautiful. 

Ciao for now!

Nuggets of my life

1. My host mom kept hearing our woes of lack of Florentine pumpkin - and guess what she did? May I present you my host mom's pinterest-worthy pumpkin pie! Okay, actually I'm going to admit something. I don't like pumpkin pie in the United States. When I was raving about it earlier, I was really thinking more along the lines of pumpkin spice latte or pumpkin bread. The texture of pumpkin pie freaks me out - so mushy! BUT! Italian pumpkin pie is where it's at! This was sort of like a cake-pie mixture and very bread-y and delicious. And yes, those little creatures on top are indeed dough spiders. Precious.

2. Italian Halloween - check our super creative costumes! Future study abroad-ers, hit the 99 cent store (the dollar store, the euro store?) and prepare to be amazed! Firstly, they had a ton of costume-y goodness including jason masks and realistically bloody knives. Also, that thing I'm holding is a light-up pitch fork. However, it had 4 SETTINGS of different colorful lighting displays! What the heck. Best euro I've ever spent. Also also, the 99 cent store has good quality makeup/dishes/notebooks/etc. It puts the American dollar store to shame. Maybe this has something to do with the exchange rate. That extra 30 cents will go miles. Four lighting displays worth of miles. 

3. I voted in my first election!! *Sniff sniff* Such a proud moment. I hope the absentee ballot went through, eep! I had to go to the American Consulate in Florence, get all my electronics taken, and go through a metal detector - woot, so legit. Also, I don't want to give away my party preference... but I love Europe for the fact that I have yet to meet a single person that does not like Obama. No exaggeration. They pretty much follow American politics closer than I do. Just kidding, I'm a political science major and therefore know everything bout 'Merica. Also, the Italian newspaper printed a poll that showed that only 5% of Germans were pro-Romney. As my host-mom's eleven year old granddaughter put it, "Out of 100%, only 5?!" I feel safe with my main man in power. This is my unbiased and objective stance.. Gobama. Happy voting! 

Ottobre

Since writing my pumpkin rant, things have improved in the land of the Florentines.

Well, moderately.

Woah - woah - woah! You weren't expecting that were you? Halloween overload. What is this blonde complaining about? Italy is decked out in punks' and morbidly iced cookies! Yes, this is the curious case of Mama's Bakery. This glorious place advertises itself as being stocked with American food, which I can attest to. Its counter is overflowing with mini-cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, and NY style cheesecake. It even has to-go cups that are made of cardboard!!! Gasp. This is in contrast to the Italian hot coffees I receive in plastic dixie cups with a make-shift lid of saran wrap.. so functional, as you can imagine.

Today I got... wait for it... CHAI TEA!!! The cinnamon-y goodness of the fusion of fall flavors. Oh man. Things slowly ascended from last week's orange tea, which trumped English Breakfast in its undertones of autumn. But, chai. There are no words.

What's a fall-themed post without a chunky knit scarf? But really, I found this beauty at H&M for a handful of euros and I'm not taking it off until Spring. Not featured: Little pom pom attachments at the bottom. Youuu are perrrfect, Mr. Scarf. Florence is starting to get chilly! I thought Harrisonburg had bi-polar weather. I'll start my day here at 45 degrees bundled up and end up sweating at 80 degrees midday! Layers, people, layers. Also - can't wait to snag myself some devil horns for 1 euro from the Italian "dollar store!" (Yes, they have those!)

Ciao for now!! xo

Food in Amalfi

Hello, all. I recently finished my midterm break at the Amalfi coast with la mia famiglia. I have some really great photos of aquamarine water and pebble sand under giant umbrellas.. but that's too cliche. This week I indulged in some of the yummiest food I've had since coming to Italy. This might be because I've been avoiding pasta at all costs in Florence (not trying to come back looking like a puffy puffi !). Allora, you will now be subjected to the delicious-ness that is food from the southern coast of Italia. 

Fettucini Bolognese - We found our favorite restaurant around the middle of the trip, called Piazza Duomo . Their food was so well-priced and the portions were an adequate size (not Olive Garden standards, but you know). Usually when I have fettuccini it's covered in creamy alfredo sauce. (Fun fact: Alfredo sauce is an American thing. I've yet to see it here.. my host mom has never even HEARD of it!) However, slathering these flat noodles in hearty meat sauce was a great choice. I'm salivating from reliving this memory.

Caprese con prosciutto - I had this number for lunch in Positano. Caprese salad is bomb in Italy because the mozzarella is so fresh. This was the first time I had seen it offered with prosciutto (which is similar to salty ham for any non-Italians). I'm pretty sure I can't go back to normal caprese, because the combination was divine. 

Fisherman's tube pasta - I got this on the last night at our favorite ristorante (Piazza Duomo obvi). The giant rigatoni-like noodles had been calling my name for the entire week. They're so intriguing because I have never seen them in America. Also, Amalfi cooked all of its pasta "al dente," which means it was still firm. If you've never had pasta a little firm before you may turn up your nose, but it makes it so much better. The mix of shrimp, oysters and clams with a fishy oil sauce was so flavorful and really contributed to the beachy atmosphere. 

Cannoli - Our favorite dessert place turned out to be Bar Francese , which was more Italian than French - don't be alarmed! This was my first cannoli in Italy (I know, I have self-restraint don't I?) and it definitely did not disappoint. The inside was coated in chocolate, and the cream was exactly as I had imagined. They also offered miniature cannolis, which my brother and mom got. I couldn't resist the giant one! Ooh, I forgot to photograph this - but they also had a dessert called Lemon Delight, which is specific to Amalfi. Amalfi is known for their lemon growing and consequently their limoncello (a lemon-flavoured liquor). The Lemon Delight was in the shape of a dome and a buttery yellow colour. The outer layer was a soft lemon icing, followed by another layer of yellow cake, and the inside with a cold lemon-y custard. Oh my goodness. I highly recommend them.

Eggs - I know, what's so great about eggs? I CAN NEVER FIND THEM! THEY ARE THE PUMPKINS OF FLORENCE! Really though, in Florence the eggs are labelled as "American breakfast" and are far too overpriced. I ordered two fried eggs in Amalfi with a side of fresh peaches, and let me tell you it was heaven. Allora.

Octopus - Eeeeep! I got this on the first night because my mom said that Amalfi was known for their octopus. I would call this a cold salad of octopus, potato, and beans. It definitely did not hit the spot, but then again I wasn't expecting it to. I think if it were a hot dish it would have slid down easier - but the cold tentacles made me picture the creature still alive and floating around in the water. The taste of the octopus was not bad though. I was expecting it to be squishy like calamari, but it was rather firm and tasted sort of chicken-y (doesn't everything taste like chicken?). I couldn't help myself and started playing with my food. The tentacles suctioned perfectly to the plate like a loofa in a shower! Just being mature, that's all.

This was another delicacy from Bar Francese. Every caffe should have a gelato section of they are any sort of Italian. Of course, I got my signature nocciola. The heart cone cookie was a nice touch! The next day I mixed nocciola with "Amarena," which was cherries and vanilla. I usually make pretty good gelato decisions, and this one added to my list of favorites. 

Ciao for now! XOXO

Let's take a moment of silence to thank Remington for making a European curling iron.

Yay for presentable hair! 

Luke, I am your stylist. Found this little bugger at a men's razor shop (why is that a necessary theme for a shop?). It was 24 euro! That's almost half of what my shitty-shitty straightener cost. A little resentful of that purchase, but you live and you learn! If anyone is in Europe and has naturally stick straight hair and needs something to smooth it over when it's slightly windblown... hit me up.. I have a straightener for you. 

Ciao for now! xoxo

Mission: Pumpkin head

Fall is in the air. The leaves are turning, the cider is churning, the -- wait, no it's not. I'm in Italy and still wearing flip-flops. I went to Croatia last weekend and sauntered around in a bikini while gazing at aquamarine water. Unlike America, which breaks out the orange and black in August, Italy does not seem to carry the same seasonal obsessions. In fact, they seem pretty season neutral. No one is dying their hair auburn for fall, or switching out their pastel wardrobes for warmer burgundies and forest greens. Black attire in the summer - black attire in the winter. Va bene. My friends are posting about their pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin bread and pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin. It's like they're rubbing Starbucks in my face, while I order my ho-hum espresso at my lackluster Italian caffe. Well, I had had enough. This bionda was about to find some "zucca"-flavoured things in Florence.

I went to the nearest CONAD, hoping to see my familiar orange squash on display. Alas, there were only bananas. We were off to a bad start.

"Scusa"-ing my way to the tea section, I fervently searched for something that reminded me of fall. Apple, chai, anything! Scanning boxes of chamomile, green, black, and something called "Prince of Wales" tea, I realized that my quest was in vain. I perused the coffee shelves for a pumpkin-flavoured creamer or something similar. No. There is clearly a reason why America takes the gold for obesity.

Accepting my loss, I settled on a soup mug (because they do not seem to believe in over-sized coffee mugs. Nothing is over-sized here except for the nutella.) and a box of blueberry green decaf.

This chica is satisfied with my fruity, warm drink. It's not pumpkin, but it's comforting. As all of you live vicariously through my travels, I will be living vicariously through your Instagram pictures of cardboard coffee cups overflowing with whipped cream and liquid caramel. You win, Starbucks.

Ciao for now xoxo, and happy fall!

Side note: Italy might be lacking in the zucca department, but they do have Mcdonald's mayonnaise! I know, you never thought that two things so perfect could be fused into one.

Today, I learned that in Italia they watch the Smurfs! BUT - they call it "I Puffi." At first, we had no idea what they were talking about. Our host mom's daughter kept describing it as "blue cartoons." There's even a gelato flavor named after I Puffi! We finally understood when the grand daughter showed us clips on Youtube. So funny, because it's popular here but SO outdated in the United States! Povera Puffi.

Also, Lady Gaga came to Milan this weekend. We found out... today. Meow.