The Uffizi

Today I decided I would let myself sleep in  since classes this week were certainly exhausting. I woke up and made myself some espresso (out of my Moka of course!) and a breakfast of yogurt, proscuitto and toast with honey and ricotta. 

 

I then got myself all dressed up  (in the red, yellow and blue dress with all the flowers!) and went to the Uffizi! I was happy to find out that my roomates are as dorky as I am when it comes to museums, and we are all of the belief that it is unacceptable to go a museum in just any old clothes and out of respect for the art withing the museum, we must dress up!

 

So, I marched on down to the Uffizi and spent the entire afternoon. I saw every single piece of art that was able to be seen! NYU gives us these amazing little cards that not only give us free admission to many major museums in Italy, but also let us skip all of the lines! So I marched right on in for free. The museum was obviously unlike anything in the states. The building in itself is gorgeous and competes with the works that hang on its walls. I found myself spending so much time just in one room studying not only the walls but the intricate ceilings, frescoes, window trimmings, etc. 

 

One room I walked into was completely Gold. The cieling was covered with individual Gold flowers and the walls had these tiny little pieces of thwarted artwork all over them. This was my favorite room not only because it was all in gold and the detail was incredible, but the sculptures in this room were all from one story, (I don't remember which one) and they all depicted (exquistely of couse) movement. It was just really neat to see these larger than life motions frozen in stone. I spent at least an hour in there! 

 

Anyway, there is way too much to cover so I put some of my favorites on here. Later I will try to post some of the pictures I was able to illegally take, once I can figure out how!

 

Below are:

Rosalba Carriera, 

Portrait of Felicia Sarton

Giuseppe Crespi, Cupid and Psyche (or in Italian Amore e Psiche)

and Woman Rising from the Bed (or "The Flea")

Giovanni Bellini, 

Sacred Allegory

This picture doesn't even do it justice. The detail in this one is incredible, especially in the floor. 

Boticelli, Cestello Anunciation

and then 

Matthais Stomer's Caravaggio inspired Anunciation

 

Well the pictures didn't show up, but theres the names of some of my favs!

After the Uffizi I came home and did research about Lucca since we leave early tomorrow for there. Now I am exhausted so I am going to do some homework and go to bed! Baci!

 the blog page has been down lately so I will try to post more of my weekend later. Highlights include Lucca, The Chocolate Festival and my travel plans! 

Il Cibo

Ciao tutti amici! (I have no idea if thats right)

Ookay, what have I been up to? 

Well this was the first real week of classes and after much switching, stressing and sampling, I picked a courseload that is interesting, challenging and oddly coherent. Instead of post-modern fiction I am taking Sociology of the Arts, upon the recommendation of an advisor who saw my interest in the food world and thought this would be a pertinent class. When I went to class today I got extremely excited as I saw the syllabus included explorations of Duchamp and etc. My professor is an old(er) italian lady who falls asleep in the middle of lectures but I loved that she passed out a questionnaire about us, asking about our experience in art, our interest in the class, what we want to do with our lives (as if we know!) and etc. she seems to have a serious passion which I truly appreciate. 

My Italian class is a bit of a let down since my professor speaks mostly in English and the students in the class (primarily girls) refuse to speak italian, even when they ask questions about what italian words and phrases mean! Its frusterating but my roomates are I are very committed to learning italian so i speak only italian with people around here (even when they try to speak english with me) and my roomates and I run around reading signs and naming everything in italian!

My topics class is cosi cosi. it seems really interesting and the professor is hysterical. it makes a lot of jokes that arent funny which makes them extremely funny. but in all honesty, i do think its going to be interesting. it is a class based around Leftist politics and what it truly means to be left both in history and in contemporary society. 

MY painting class is going to be REALLY interesting! mostly because I am a terrible painter! And my professor is a professional painter who doesnt believe in giving As and thinks grading is too inflated (im not sure i disagree....) anyway, after spending 140 Euro at the art store I'm pretty committed! But if there is anywhere to be bad at art...its Florence!

So we went the market the other day, it was WONDERFUL! There were dead chickens with their heads attached and fresh sausage and liver and cuori (hearts) IT was wonderful!

Tonight I cooked for my roomates, fresh tortellini from the market with porcini mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, onions, garlic, and chicken. It actually came out really good considering the only things in my spice cabinet were salt, pepe, and dried basil. a little porcini/balsamic reduction and voila! (er, brava?) My roomates now want to cook every night together. Which is even better since I found a copy of that out of print cookbook that I was researching before I left - Culinaria Italia! I bought it immediately and have been reading it all night! I do have to get back to organizing my school books here though! It takes forever to get things since all of the stores are specialty so school supplies are scattered around the city. I am going to try to make the Uffizi tomorrow and Saturday I am going to Lucca so I will try to post after that! I miss everybody! ciao! baci! 

It wont let me post pictures here so I will do my best to try to add them later!

Mercato Centrale e Obama!

Buona sera! I have NO time but heres pictures:

Mercato Centrale

I'll post more later!

First Weekend in Firenze!

Buon giorno! I have been running around the city as usual, still trying to find my way around. We have been finally making friends with people, mostly who work in shops in our area, as we get the courage to ask in our patchy italian where we should go for aperitivo, or dinner, or even where to buy trashbags (oddly hard to find here!)

It seems that many of the tucked away more traditional and less touristy places here are magical! When you are looking for them, they are never there, however when you aren't looking they are incredibly easy to find. Last night we stumbled upon a tiny osteria on the other side of the river and it was the most adorable restaurant. The meal was pretty awesome, especially because as soon as we sat down we got glasses of sparkling wine and a bread basket filled with cheese and olive tapenade. 

We have been keeping it pretty mellow mostly going out to dinner and to some cafes/bars after dinner. A lot of the places are catered to tourists/Americans and its less fun but we are starting to find the more italian places. We had heard about this gelateria that was good and realized that it was literally two doors down from our apartment. It was delicious, and dangerously convenient. 

After dinner last night we walked back from the other side of the river over the Ponte Vecchio and listened to a violin player outside the Uffizi. Then we walked home (and ate gelato)! 

Anyway, I've got some pictures but for some reason I can't upload them on here so here is a link:

Pictures! 

I also got a cellphone that you can call if you need me. The number from America is : 01139-328-384-3957. If you are calling from Europe you dont need the 01139. In terms of calling - Skype is better because its free!

Thats pretty much everything. Tomorrow should be interesting as I start classes and have to find my way around alone. I'm going to run out and get some espresso now as I haven't had any today!

Ciao! Baci!

Duomo!

I went out and saw the Duomo for the first time last night. It is literally around the corner from where I live! It is, obviously, incredibly beautiful and surreal to see - somewhat like a pop-up book. I am finding my way around much better even though the traffic is terrible and the buses are always late so I have been late to the orientation both days. We will try again tomorrow! This morning  I woke up and the sun was shining and the air was just cold enough to be refreshing. For breakfast I had espresso and an unbelievable apple which I bought right downstairs where there is constantly fresh produce. For  lunch we had pomodoro, mozzarella e pesto panini which was provided by the school (even cafeteria food is good here) and after lunch we walked up to the Tabbachi to get more espresso. We are very chatty! I'm going to post pictures of campus later - my roomates and I are constantly walking around campus and we just stop and stare at how incredibly beautiful everything is. The entire city, obviously is gorgeous but campus is pristine! Well we are about to food shopping at the market and then out for dinner; more interesting stuff to come once classes start. Until then, ciao! baci!

Firenze!

After 30 hours of traveling. One cancelled flight. Two delayed flights and an unexpected six hour layover in Amsterdam, I am FINALLY in Firenze! I haven't even seen the Duomo yet since I got in at 2am and had to go right to class this morning (the buses in Firenze are not reliable at all!) We spent long hours in pointless workshops at the beautiful NYU campus. It literally is picture perfect. We actually aren't allowed to walk in many places because it is so perfect! 

I have three suitemates: Katarina (my roomate), Danielle, and Seta. We have two bedrooms and a kitchen/living area and a bathroom. Its pretty small but it is really cozy! It comes completely furnished and its got a beautiful exposed brick wall with all of these little nooks. Its pretty fun. The windows have those beautiful old shutters. We live on this tiny little street that nobody can find, tucked away in almost the heart of the city. I can give you more info once I go out tonight and learn the town! Plans for this evening are mellow - going out to dinner and taking it very easy. Unpacking and such. Classes start on Monday and I still know very little Italian but I am trying! I miss everybody back home and I get a cell phone tomorrow so I will post the number once I get it. Its free for incoming calls (if i get the right one!) so anybody can call me! Ok! Thats all for now. ciao!

6 days and counting!

So, I have been packing and getting all my things together and some people have been asking for my mailing address so:

Amelia Ekus

New York University

Villa Natalia

Via Bolognese, 10650139

Firenze, Italia

So that's where I have all of my classes, it is slightly outside of the city. I think it's funny that it's on a street called "Bolognese" but that's just me. 

You really shouldn't mail anything though, because its very expensive and it takes forever. I am planning on writing letters which is fun, but no packages or anything ok!

I have been packing and preparing up a storm. I have to read all of my guidebooks and Room with a View now, because I don't want to schlep them all the way to Europe, so I am reading nonstop. I'm also reading cookbooks in preparation! 

I have a trip planned already to Sienna and Venice with my dad and Leslie for March, and hopefully plans for Sicily will follow! The excitement is starting to build but it still hasn't hit me quite yet. I fly out of Boston at 4:30 on Monday and get in to Frankfurt at 5:30 in the morning! Then I have to wait all the way until 8, and I get in to Florence at 9:30. I've never been to Germany so I guess I'll have to live it up in the airport for a while before I take off. 

Anyway, I'm getting a cell-phone once I get over there and I will post the number, but it is cheaper to call from the United States to Italia than vice versa so I will be keeping that in mind. The best way to contact me is through e-mail or Skype. 

I am going to get back to my reading. Ciao!