Olive Pickin'

Over the past few days it has been rather quiet in this Italian apartment. After adjusting to living with my dear friend Sarah for two weeks, it was depressing waking up Friday morning without her here. In fact, none of my roommates were here. Their families were visiting for Thanksgiving and because of my grandfathers health complications, my family agreed it would be best that they stick around the US. I am so happy they did.
After having two days by my lonesome, the roommates have finally started piling back in from their adventures and it is beginning to feel cozy again. Although, Jess hasn't returned yet so it is still pretty quiet ;)
Yesterday, after knocking out a five-mile run around the river, I made a very necessary trip to the grocery store. I stocked up on all things fruit and veggies and headed home to cook up a storm. One thing I absolutely love to do during my free time is bake and cook. I have found that it is hard to cook a decent meal in our kitchen because not only do we have very limited counter space, but we are also lacking basic kitchen utensils (i.e. a spatula!). It is fun to make-do and use what we have though (a spatula= our wooden spoon). I spent the rest of the afternoon listening to Billy Holiday & Norah Jones while making a pot of Italian vegetable & farro soup.

I learned how to make this dish in my Food, Culture, and Society class and have made it several times since. With the colder weather approaching, it is a wonderful & healthy dish to warm you right up. Served with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of fresh olive oil- you will be a very happy camper, my friend.
Where do you go about obtaining fresh olive oil, you ask? Oh, that's easy. Just make a trip to an olive farm in Tuscany and you should be able to get a hold of some there.

A few weeks ago, my Food, Culture, and Society professor extended an invitation to our class to join her for a day of picking olives at her friends farm. Only a few of us raised our hands to attend, and I am so happy that was the case. In my opinion, a smaller group=a more quality & intimate experience. I knew this would also be a nice break from the traditional Tuscan tours, and the perfect opportunity for Sarah and I to do something fun and out of the ordinary.
After a late Saturday night of partaking in all things girly: i.e catching up, contagious laughter, sipping wine, and watching Gentleman Prefer Blondes- inspired by our visit to the Salvatore Ferragamo shoe museum where we saw several of Marilyn Monroe's shoes, including the ones below-

Sunday morning rolled around and before we knew it, we were on a bus to the countryside. We had the most breathtaking views of the rolling hills and vineyards during our ride there.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by my Professor at the farm owners lovely stone chateau. She made us a delicious lunch of fresh tomato sauce with bow-tie pasta, bread with olive oil (from the farm), and a typical Tuscan dish made of grated carrots, cabbage, and gorgonzola cheese.

After we filled our stomachs with substantial food, we set out to the olive trees to start our picking.

A little heel clickin' to start off the pickin'

We had to place a green net under every tree we picked from so that it could catch the olives. The process of removing the olives from the tree was simple- you effortlessly rake through each branch until the olives fall off- as if you were brushing a knot out of your hair.

The raking process quickly became second nature to us so the afternoon flew by. Throughout the course of the day, we picked olives from a total of fifteen trees, and spent about four hours doing so.

When we were finished, we boxed up all of the olives and set out to grab dinner before heading back to Florence. We inhaled panini's from a local deli that arguably has the best scachatta bread in Italy. Scachatta bread is essentially focaccia bread with olive oil and salt drizzled on top. The panini was out of this world, complete with pecorino cheese and marinated artichokes.

We were each given a liter of fresh olive oil before we left. It is made of olives from the farm we picked at, and has the most unbelievable taste. I have been using it on anything and everything, including my coffee. Just kidding (although some people do) but I do use it on everything else.

Beautiful sunset over the vineyards

Picking olives on an olive farm in the countryside of Tuscany, Italy all day... am I starting to rub it in now? :) Sorry but there is absolutely no way you can make that sentence sound bad! The day was perfect in every single way.

Three week mark

Three weeks, three weeks, three weeks.
It has been about three weeks since I last wrote a post on this good 'ole blog. In the past three weeks, I have been one very busy girl. Also, three weeks is the amount of time I have left in this good 'ole country. Whaaat a buzz kill- It feels like I just started this thing!
So, with just three weeks left I thought I'd write a little bit about my thoughts and feelings at this point. A lot has been going on in this crazy & adventurous life I live, and I thought I'd let you in if you care to join.

It makes me cringe just thinking about how fast time flies. When you finally set into a routine the days just selfishly run away from you. The time change isn't helping things either. It gets dark by 4:50 p.m. so by 6:00 I'm done with dinner and ready for bed. Not really, but sort of.

Recently, I have found myself picking things up in the grocery store, only to put them back down thinking, "you went this long without it... you don't need it now with twenty days left (and then I shed a tear)." For example, I recently contemplated purchasing a dish drainer. I think we can all agree that a dish drainer is a simple necessity in most houses and makes the dish washing process much less stressful. We could really use one but we've gone this long watching our clean dishes fall off the counter and back into the dirty sink that we're just going to ride it out until the end. We will all appreciate dish washers that much more when we get home.
Now a clothes dryer on the other hand would be an instant purchase, if it were an option. Hanging clothes is rugged fun and all but I'm tired of waiting three days for my sweats to be dry. Sadly, the dryer sheets we brought are being used not in our non-existent dryer but attached to my pillow to keep the pesky mosquitos away as I sleep. Seeing as I am currently sporting five beautiful bites on my face, we might need to retire those little guys. Clearly, livin' the good life!

I have also found myself writing long emails to future abroad students who are looking for advice for their spring semester. On the jealousy scale of 1-10, I'm about at about 50. Before coming here, I had so many people eager to write to me and fill me with their experiences and advice. Although very much appreciated, I did not understand why people were so open and excited to help. Now I do... I want people to have the same amazing experiences that I was fortunate enough to have. It is weird that I soon I will be able to say I lived in another country for four months, and most importantly came out alive...and happy.

I have found myself constantly thinking about how grateful I am for everything I have been blessed with in life. I have learned to really appreciate the important things, and rid myself of the unimportant.
For instance, I am beyond grateful for family... they are the best thing that could ever happen to me. They are the people who helped make me the crazy, goofy, and happy girl I am today. They have affected me in more ways then I will ever know. They will always be there when I need them. They will always have my best interest in heart. They will always be my strongest support system. They will always love me.
Think about it: When things go sour, who do you call? The ghostbusters? I mean, sure but family is next on that speed dial.

The fam (I'm the marshmallow man, not pictured)

I can proudly say I have two of the best parents, two of the most incredible and genuine brothers, and now two of the most amazing and loving sistas a girl could ask for. Seriously, it's a fact. Look my family up under.. I think it's.. Awesome? Johnston? I can't remember.

My B's

Brilliant child to the left. 

I am grateful for the strong and genuine friendships that have flourished here.

London, England

Miss Sarah and I

I am grateful for the opportunity to adapt and live in a new country and culture.

Olive picking!

I have learned to not be so judgmental of people. I have realized that everyone is different, everyone has their own story, everyone has something to offer and is just trying to get by in this big world we share. Helping each other is the best way to make this happen.

I have learned that my way of doing things is not the right way, it is just one way...of many.

I have learned that not every day is going to be perfect, good, and exciting even though we would love them to. Struggles in life are natural, normal and healthy. If you let them, they can teach you valuable lessons and help you become a stronger and more fulfilled person.

Although almost every day here has been better then the next, there are a few that have certainly been hard. During the past three months, I have gone through several emotionally challenging experiences.
I have experienced a complete distancing with a very close friend and person in my life.
I have also experienced my first death of a loved one and family member. My grandfather, at the age of 90, passed away a few weeks ago. This was extremely hard for me to grasp for many reasons. I was unaware that his health was rapidly declining and I was not able to be with my family and Grandpa as they spent their last few hours/minutes together.

He was the most genuine, caring, and loving man with the greatest sense of humor. Sitting at his kitchen table and playing cards with the Yankee game on in the background will always be one of my fondest memories with him.
My last memory of him is very touching. My mom told me that when they would visit him in hospice care, he started talking less and less. Amidst his obvious suffering, he made the effort to stay alert to give my family their last moments together memorable. And although he would get foggy or not respond, he still managed to remember me and say..."and then there's my girl in Italy."
Even though I wasn't able to be with him, hold his hand and say goodbye, I rest easy knowing that we were on each others minds.

All in all, I would like to say I have reached my a-ha moment (holla Oprah) but who knows? Hopefully I will reach a lot of a-ha moments in my life. I can certainly say I feel good though. Life is all good.

Recap on Sarah Elizabeth's visit coming soon!

Paris, Je t'aime!

Paris, you really are something else.

You are a city someone can visit time and time again and you never leave them without something to do. You entertain. You effortlessly sparkle and shine. You are beautiful. You are timeless... and because of these things: we love you.

Leaving Paris as the last city to visit was some great planning and strategy on our part. As ridiculous as it may sound, arriving there at 6:00 in the morning after a 9-hour bus ride from Amsterdam was a huge relief. I felt like I could finally exhale and somewhat unwind. Although my body was slowly starting to give out on me (specifically my legs) along with my mind, I knew I had to just push through the next couple of days until our return to Italy.

Speaking of the bus ride, I have to say we lucked out in what could have been a horrible situation (i.e. 9 hours of being pinned to your seat from the chair in front of you being reclined all the way back...because that has happened to me before, people near you with a non-stop talking disorder, terrible smells, a baby crying, and the list goes on). I cannot tell you if any or all of those things existed on our bus because I spent the entire 9 hours obnoxiously stretched out in the last row of seats sleeping like I've never slept before. That's right, I did not have a seat or even two seats to myself, I had a ROW people. It was fabulous. I could feel the bitterness and jealousy just swooning over me as I laid there with my face mask blocking the only distraction that kept me from falling asleep. And just like that, I was out.

I awoke from my deep sleep to the Eiffel Tower calling my name and a French man on a vespa waiting to take me to the Ritz. And then I really woke up from my fantasy-like dreams and saw that we were standing at the bus station. Half awake, we stumbled to the metro so we could get to our hotel, check in, and get another hour of sleep.
Our first day mainly consisted of walking, site-seeing, pictures, and a lot of oohing & aahing. We started off being greeted with this view after walking out of the metro station...

We walked along the river, stopping at whatever caught our eye (i.e. Saint Chapelle) and eventually made our way to the Notre Dame de Paris.

We waited in a short line to tour the cathedral. The inside was breathtaking and incredibly large filled with so many gorgeous statues, beautifully stained glass windows, and precious relics that belonged to Jesus(!!).

Since it was a gorgeous day out, we decided to climb to the top of the tower for the view of the city as well. This line was not so short, though. We probably waited for a good hour and a half but in the meantime, found things to do with ourselves.

We waited

We chatted

We spotted

....We ate

Jess looking rather European 

I had my eyes peeled for any possibility to jump out of the line. So, I dropped into a few shops across the street that were as touristy as they come. I caved and bought a black beret. When Jess saw mine, she desperately wanted one too. She went back and forth about which color to get and finally decided on an off-white. All within three minutes of making the purchase, leaving the store, and seeing the above picture she said, "I look like a dough head...." It seems our little newsboy wasn't too pleased with her color choice, huh? Maybe next time.
As if that wasn't enough, she then proceeded to justify this purchase by incorporating it into her Halloween costume... "I'll just be a piece of cookie dough." Wonderful, even better.

Quite similar to the look she was going for.

We finally made our way to the front of the line and started to ascend to the top of the Cathedral. I don't think there is any way of preparing you for how insanely exhausting this climb was. The stairwell is not only narrow and steep, but it keeps going for what seems like eternity.

And just as you're about to call it quits, sit on your beret, and slide back down you see the light at the end of the "tunnel." The view is extraordinary and worth every step to reach it.

We were able to see the monuments in clear view, and the fall foliage along the river added pops of color to the otherwise grey and colorless city.

The thing I loved most about seeing the city from the top of Notre Dame is that the Eiffel Tower, one of the most exciting parts of Paris, was beautifully standing in your line of vision. One can view the Eiffel Tower as the center piece, and the surrounding city as its accents.

From here, we continued on with our adventure and wandered through the Latin Quarter until we reached the Luxembourg Palace and Gardens!

And then my camera died...
The weather was turning pretty dreary anyway, so I wasn't too disappointed. Plus, I had three other ladies with cameras that I could borrow from :) These gardens turned out to be excellent for people-watching and snapping creepy pictures of people/their children without their permission. So, we did that for a bit while resting our feet.
Our next stop was the Pantheon. We toured the crypt where some very memorable men are buried including: Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Louis Braille, and Emile Zola. We also saw the Foucalt pendulum. If confused, google it- I'll just confuse you and myself even more if I attempt to explain it. All I can tell you is that it was pretty cool. We also made a pit stop at St. Genevieve Church which sits right behind the Pantheon.
Our next stop, you ask? Ah yes, the Eiffel Tower! As it started to sprinkle we convinced ourselves it would pass, picked up chinese take-out and wine, and made our way to "picnic" at the Eiffel.

Well the rain didn't pass, it kind of picked up but we weren't going to let it effect our visit. We embraced the rain, continued on with our "picnic" and accepted the fact that we'd be a little soaking while doing it. Since when did water kill ya?
I put picnic in quotes because it was a rather unusual one. Rather then sprawling out on a red & white checkered blanket on the green in front of the tower, we huddled under it in the driest spot possible. We could not stop laughing the entire time. We looked like helpless wet rats eating fried rice out of take out boxes and drinking wine hidden in plastic bags. To top it off, the light show started right as we took our seats which was perfect entertainment. By the time we were finished eating- my beret had to be rung out, Jess looked like a melted piece of cookie dough, and it was about that time to head out. I loved every single minute of this picture-worthy "picnic."

The next day was ideal. We set out early in the morning for the Versailles Palace and Gardens. Having been to Paris once before, I had already seen the Louvre so I wanted to do something I hadn't done before on this short and sweet trip. This was the perfect alternative. We knew touring the entire estate would take a while so we prepared ourselves for a long day ahead.

 When first walking up to the palace, we were immediately confronted with huge bronze gates. The gates and the palace itself were unreal in both size and architectural design.

 

It was so big that I had to use the panoramic feature on my camera to fit it all in one picture. It took us a good 2-3 hours to walk through the rooms, all unique from one another and decorated completely over-the-top. My favorite was Marie Antoinette's bedroom that was certainly suited for a Queen with it's lavish fabrics, feathers, colors and furniture.

I also loved the Hall of Mirrors. Gorgeous sparkling chandeliers hung throughout the entire hallway and mirrors were placed directly across from each bay window that looked out onto the gardens, making the hall look much bigger then it was.

Treaty of Versailles was signed on this desk

After finishing our tour inside, we continued our adventure in the backyard which ended up being more of a mini central park. It was filled with intricately designed gardens, large fountains, mazes of tall bushes, a large pond (where you can rent boats to paddle on), and several paths to bike, run, and walk on.

Although the trees were painted with beautiful fall colors, I cannot imagine what it would look like in the spring and summer when the flowers are in full bloom.

We took a leisurely stroll around the paths and broke things. Let me explain. Remember when Jess broke that leaning tower espresso mug in Pisa and the shopkeeper held her sunglasses hostage until she paid him for it? Yeah, well those glasses are now broken too...

Karma's a betch

We finished up our visit at Marie Antoinette's peaceful getaway estate which looked rather fake or out of a movie.

 The little cottages had roofs made of twigs, there was a pond filled with all sorts of wild life (ducks, swans, toothless fish... you name it), and vegetable gardens grew throughout the yards.

It was serene, quiet, and all around beautiful. Rumor has it, Antoinette was a real party girl and always stayed out late with friends. I would be totally envious of her life if hers didn't end without a head.
We ended our day with a trip to an authentic pizzeria where the chef, a Florentine native, made us the most delicious heart-shaped pizzas for dinner.

On our last and final day in Paris my goal was to see as much of the city as possible before leaving. Some of the girls wanted to see the Louvre so I took that as an opportunity to go off on my own and explore. I broke off from the group and went on a mission to track down my mom's apartment where she lived in Paris when she studied abroad... a few years ago. ;)
I then continued on through the Luxembourg Gardens with a working camera and clear blues skies where I enjoyed some more people watching (a favorite hobby of mine) and great picture opportunities.

I wandered throughout the little quaint streets of the Latin Quarter shopping and stopping at some cathedrals along the way until it was time to head back, get our luggage, and depart.

Leaving Paris was bittersweet. Of course I would have loved to spend more time there, like anyone, but I was more then ready to end our Fall Break and head back to our homeland FIRENZE for a little rest and relaxation. Preparations also needed to be made for Sarah Johnson's arrival a few days later!