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! 

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.