Vogue Fever

I stole this from MZ's blog. Thanks, MZ :) Our First Lady will be on the cover of the March edition of Vogue. I might just have to splurge and find a copy. Too bad American Vogue's cost 8.50 euro here, which is roughly 10 dollars. I wonder if Michelle knows how many women have a crush on her hubby...including La Principessa.

Italian-English Translations Gone Bad

Translations in English never cease to amaze me. Check out the description below of Enoteca Barrique , a restaurant we are going to try for the first time next Friday for a combo Valentine's/six year anniversary dinner (yes, we still celebrate our first date anniversary). I have no idea what this description is trying to communicate when it says "magic backyard," "right line must go right," and I definitely have no idea who "Someone" is. Any ideas? Happy reading..

"This is a place where to go find, always, what Someone needs to eat and drink, besides the company of pairs who never make mistakes on important decisions. The athmosphere is, obviously, always ok and it depends on you only if lunch or dinner will be fine, as the place is as fine as it could be. It is run from right people and, as you know, "right line must go right". It reflects the centuries of manhood who have run Florence and the rest of the world for ever. The best selection of wines and cheese and food can be found here, and in the summer you may decide to stay outside in a magic backyard."

Oops I did it again..

I "accidentally" bought this fun mirror on Etsy. The color is just okay- I enjoy the shape and baroque-ness (?) of it more. I plan to eventually paint it a fun color for my Imaginary Wall.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

In my former post I mentioned my frustrations with our apartment. Before I get started on that, let's focus on the positive aspects of our little dwelling. The last thing I want to come off as is a Spoiled Lil' Negative Nancy who doesn't appreciate living where I live. So first things first. Let's examine picture #1 from above. Our fourth-floor apartment has wonderful wood-beamed ceilings that gives the apartment a very Swiss Chalet-like feel.

The photo above is the view from our terrace. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'll never grow tired of this view. Especially in the summers!

This is the beautiful church that we live next to and the hills behind it. We live to the left of this photo but can only see the side of the church and not the front from our side windows.

These are the lovely bookshelves that run all along our living room wall. I enjoy seeing the variety of colors from the different spines of the books. :)

Lastly, I love our "Very Tuscan in Tuscany" ceramic tiles on our kitchen wall.

So those are the parts that I like about our apartment. Now, for the Bad and the Ugly:

These books, magazines, and c.d's are our landlords. We can't really move them or anything you see in the photos below because there is no place to put them. Maybe if these items were new (maybe) I wouldn't mind them so much. On the top left, in the red and blue boxes, are tapes. YES. Tapes as in the tapes that you used to listen to music to in um, the 70's and 80's.

What's under this white sheet is a mystery to me. It was there when we moved in, over two years ago. I've never looked under there and I frankly don't want to. There are also blankets up there that we don't use because they aren't ours. (Ew).

This is a picture of one of our kitchen drawers. It's filled with crap that is not ours. Again, it was here when we moved in and we have no place to put it.

These chests aren't that bad, however the stickers and the numbers written in permanent marker drive me CRAZY. Aggh. (yes, those are locks on the chests. Yet another secret remains.. we have no idea what's in there but whatever it is it's heavy).

EW. This is the worst of the worst. These are floppy disks from probably the year 1962. This takes up a whole kitchen drawer. Because of this overstuffed, archaic drawer, we have no room for extra kitchen items such as towels, knives, etc.

I lied. This part is actually my least favorite. This takes up an entire shelf. Again, I'm not one hundred percent sure what is in here, but I think Chris looked once and they were (surprise, surprise) FLOPPY DISKS.

Hopefully now you'll understand my itch to have our own place. Can you see why I have the urge to decorate and stock my New and Imaginary Home? (At the same time, I feel bad thinking this way because there are people out there that would do anything to even have a roof over their head. I am grateful of where I live and feel very fortunate, but at the same time I realize that it could be a lot worse).

Decorating & Stocking my Imaginary Home

I have a problem. I can 100 percent, wholeheartedly admit that I have a problem. I'll tell you what it is if you promise not to tell C. (He doesn't read this thing, by the way. I've asked him to but he doesn't). My problem is that I can't stop buying household items for my imaginary, non-existent home. Call me crazy but I just can't resist the good deals that make their way into my Inbox. Two weeks ago I got an e-mail from CB2 (Crate & Barrel's less expensive, more funky sister store) announcing their huge post-Christmas sale. I couldn't resist and bought six of the Ibiza juice glasses from above for only $1.49 each.

I also bought three connectable mini-serving trays for only 75 cents each on CB2. Then, I grabbed six or so of these fun, shiny Christmas tree ornaments for only 95 cents a piece!

Then, today, I hopped over to Uptown Country Home and bought this vintage distressed shelf/scoce for only $16.50. If it doesn't match whatever color scheme The Imaginary Home holds, I can always paint it and distress it myself. (Black or red might be fun).

I almost bought this baroque-style vintage mirror from the same site, but held off. Thank Goodness for a little self-discipline.

In all, I think I'm itching to utilize my creative juices on a place that's MINE. I would like to have my own things in a house for a change. I'll post some pictures of our flat some time, along with all the junk that our landlords leave here and then you'll definitely understand why. (For example we have a kitchen drawer full of their floppy disks from the 80's). Until we have our own place, I'll continue to search for good deals and have them sent to my parent's house, even if it IS for An Imaginary Home.

Meet Thatcher

For as long as I can remember, C and I have always wanted to get a dog. If and when we move back to the States, I can guarantee that one of the first things we will do is adopt a dog. We recently fell in love with Thatcher from Rocket Dog Rescue in San Francisco. I can't think of a cuter dog to "save" than Thatcher. We realize that we haven't even met the mutt and yes, he could be a complete disobedient spazz, but we still enjoy daydreaming nonetheless.

It's da weekend

Last night C and I had a date and saw Vicky Cristina Barcelona. I loved it! It made me miss Spain and everything Spanish. So, after reading my last posts, I realized that my latest entries have been pretty heavy. Sorry, guys! Enough about Hate this or that and Bad Weather and everything else negative. Besides, it's the weekend! And only one hour and fifteen minutes till it officially begins. Here's what's on the agenda:

- tonight I'm toasting the night to drinks with the girls and then dancing. It's been ages since I've been dancing- hope I can remember how to bust a move or two!

- tomorrow involves working out at the gym and then a night out with the boys. We are tentatively considering getting Indian food, also, but still are not sure.

- the rest of the time I'll do the regular weekend laundry and lounge around in my p.j's. I can't wait!

SAD Seasonal Affective Disorder

I think I have a mild form of the Winter Blues. *Sigh.* I say this because I notice a remarkable difference in my attitude and mood on the rare days when it IS sunny outside. Growing up in Texas, I grew accustomed to seeing sunshine at least 350 days a year. Here in Firenze, we have six months of gray dark skies and TONS of rain. No me gusta. Para nada. For the past three months, I've had to force myself out of bed each day as I draaggg to work each day. When I do get to work, I sadly gaze out the window (which looks like the picture above) and daydream of rainbows, clear, blue skies, and the smell of freshly cut grass. Ahhh. Knowing that I'm barely through the halfway mark of winter makes me wonder how I can get through six more months of this.
I used to think that S.A.D, Seasonal Affective Disorder, was a load of crap. I mean, can the weather really have that strong of an affect on us? If you live in a place where you don't have to experience long, dreary winters, chances are you don't even know what S.A.D is. I did some reading on SAD today and here's what I learned:

-Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) may affect over 10 million Americans while the milder, "Winter Blues" may affect a larger number of individuals.

- Many of us notice tiredness, a bit of weight gain, difficulty getting out of bed and bouts of "the blues" as fall turns to winter. However some people experience an exaggerated form of these symptoms.

-The typical symptoms of SAD include depression, lack of energy, increased need for sleep, a craving for sweets (yum!) and weight gain (ew). Symptoms begin in the fall, peak in the winter and usually resolve in the spring. Some individuals experience great bursts of energy and creativity in the spring or early summer. Susceptible individuals who work in buildings without windows may experience SAD-type symptoms at any time of year. (how depressing)

-SAD is recognized in the DSM-IV (The American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic manual) as a subtype of major depressive episode. The classic major depression involves decreased appetite, decreased sleep, and often, poor appetite and weight loss.

- About 70-80% of those with SAD are women.

Does anyone experience this?

Welcome, Baby Kate!

Wow, two babies in one week! I don't know what's in the water in Dallas, but I know three girls who have had babies in the past two weeks and I know three more who are due within the next few months. On Wednesday, Kate Harley was born. She is 6 pounds 13 ounces and 16 1/2 inches long and is absolutely precious. I can't post a picture of her yet because the only pictures I have are in a slideshow and it doesn't allow me to save them. But I guarantee you she looks just like her Daddy!

Obama's Top Advisors- a Team of Expatriates

A Team of Expatriates

Many of Obama's top advisers, like an increasing number of Americans, have learned and lived abroad.

I found this article that describes how President Obama has filled his top administration with many men and women who have lived overseas during formative periods of their lives. Titled “A Team of Expatriates,” this piece illustrates that U.S. domestic and foreign policy is best carried out by people who have had the direct experience of living and learning on the terms of a culture not their own. Continue reading the Newsweek article for more. Wooh-hooh, ex-pats!!

Anyone

Are you there?

If anyone is reading this blog, would you be so kind and please leave me a comment?
Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only person who reads this thing.

Toodles,

Me

Love vs. Hate #3

It seems as if my "Love Versus Hate" entries keep coming more frequently. Is it because I'm five short months away from the four year mark in Italy? Hmmm...it's definitely something to consider.
A few months ago, a wise young man (TH) told me that the first year of living in a new city can be renamed the "honeymoon period." Everything is new and fresh and you don't really even notice the smaller, annoying things. The second year, you feel comfortable enough with your surroundings and really start to feel at home. You know where and where not to go and you have a fair grip on your new environment. By the time the third year rolls around, you start to ask yourself if your home is a place you can see yourself living your whole life. Not only that, but you also start to see the good, the bad, the ugly, the filth... all the junk that you really didn't see before. After experiencing this first hand, I can say I can really relate to what TH said. Thanks, TH! So, here's to my Love Versus Hate Entry #3.
All I have to say is one word: FOOD. If you aren't aware that the food in Italy is the creme della creme, then you probably don't live on this planet called Earth. The food here is absolutely to die for. The dark shot from above is one of my most memorable dinners here. I am a huge fan of fish (AND pasta AND pizza!) and love all types. This dish in particular, from our Amalfi Coast trip last August, was a superb mixed fish salad. As you can see, there were squid, shrimp, and mussels, all drizzled lightly in oil and lemon. YUM. It might look like such a simple dish but that's my favorite part about it. The Italians really know how to make simple but delicious food. I could go on and on about the food here but you probably get the point. It also doesn't hurt that I have my own Italian-trained personal chef (my hubbie) to also cook delicious meals for me!

Now for the ugly part. *Sigh.*
It all began on Saturday at aerobic class. I hadn't been to a fitness class at my gym in a long time, and as we were preparing to start the class the instructor asked me if I was Italiana. Mind you that this was before the class even began, with all of the other girls already there. I answered her "no" but of course had to add (in Italian, mind you) that I have been in Italy for many years and have an advanced understanding of Italian.
Well, that was her first mistake. Why did she really need to know my nationality? Is there some sort of survey I don't know about that's going on at my gym? Did she also want to know my religious and political views? I just don't get it. Why was it important?
Maybe I look a little different than the typical Italian woman. I don't have dark features, and my big blue eyes might stand out in a crowd of brown-eyed, scarfed, puffy-jacket women. But then I took a look at the blonde, blue-eyed instructor and shook my head in confusion.
So, after the woman singled me out and pretty much embarassed me in front of all the other woman, she continuted to stare at me, I guess in order to really believe I undertood all EIGHT numbers that are repeated over and over in ANY aerobic class in the world. Um, lady, I think I got my numbers down and have HAD THEM DOWN.. ever since I first started studying Italian in 2004!
Then, what did this ignorant woman do? She tried to throw in a little bit of English in the ol' class-eroo. This made me irate. I can't stand it when Italians do this. I mean, how do you ever expect to fit in and assimilate in a culture if people try to practice their English skills on you? I understand that a lot of this is just part of living in Florence and it's the disadvantage of having thousands of American students live in a city this small. But come on! I obviously spoke two, very complete sentences in Italian to this woman but she apparently didn't care.
I think the reason all of this bothers me so much is because the whole "singling me out thing" goes a lot deeper than what it really seems. It bothers me that people here are so behind in diversity. I have American friends who are of Asian or of mixed African descent and they still get weird looks from people when they hear them speak English and/or Italian.
There are ITALIANS, who were born and raised here, who might not look "Italian" because they have parents who aren't Italian who still get asked "where are you from? You speak Italian so well!" This third world mentality in diversity, along with the stereotypes that I have experienced are so over-the-top and in-your-face that I can't even deal. I realize that no country is perfect but I really embrace the non-uniformity that the U.S offers.

So, for those of you who need a summary: LOVE the FOOD. HATE the IGNORANCE & STEREOTYPES. Ciao.

Welcome to the World, Baby Graham!

Baby Graham came into the world YESTERDAY, Monday, February 2nd, at 1:52 a.m. He weighs 7 pounds 10 ounces and as you can see, is perfectly adorable. Complementi, K and D!

Look at that sweet face and those perky lips! He gets those from his Mamma! I still can't believe my two best friends are having babies in the same week! JM is scheduled to induce tomorrow morning.

L's, L's, and more L's

This was a fun little something I found on Facebook. It's kind of pointless but fun nonetheless.

Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They have to be real places, names, things. Nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

BOY NAME: Leni

4 LETTER WORD: luck

GIRL NAME: Liliana

OCCUPATION: landslide expert (that HAS to be a job, right?)

A COLOR: lavender

SOMETHING YOU WEAR: lipgloss!

BEVERAGE: lemonade

FOOD: licorice

SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Listerine

A PLACE : Lisbon

REASON FOR BEING LATE: Losing your keys

SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: LOSER!

Barbecues in the Rain

+ Tonight we are having two friends over for a barbeque...in the rain. Five days of sunshine spoiled me. Apparently we are back to Florence's famous dark, gray, and rainy skies. :( I'm already ready for Spring and will definitely be antsy for beach weather come March. Maybe some ribs and fried food will make it all better.

+ My friend KS is either still in labor or has already had her little baby boy. She went in to the hospital at 6 a.m TX time. I can't wait to wake up tomorrow with an e-mail or text with more news! I wish her an um, painless (is that possible?) and easy (?) pregnancy.

+ I kind of wish I were in Tampa, FL right now, so I could partake in the Superbowl festivities with my cuz. I don't even know who is playing but the events my cousin was describing that are going to be going on in her apartment building today sound fun. Not only that, but she says it's 65 degrees and sunny! Here, in order to watch the game, I'd have to stay up until 5 a.m to watch all of it and that SO does not sound fun to me. Especially on a work night!

+ I'm trying to figure out when my padres can come visit us this year. We seem to have come to the conclusion that May might be the best time. The problem is that my Dad doesn't want to come to Italy because "he's already been here" (that's a whole other story) so we are thinking that we might meet up in Switzerland or Munich or Austria. Who knows. My parents are serious procrastinators when it comes to planning trips so we.shall.see.

+ Listening to some old Beck and really digging it.

+ Just found Easjet tickets for two for 140 euro for round trip to Paris in September. Should I buy them!? Paris in the fall is magical. :)