The boot of Italy

So this last weekend I went with my professor, Lorenzo Casamenti, to the southern tip of Italy in the region of Calabria. We went to the town of Nocara, situated high up in the mountains, literally at the peak looking down upon a huge valley. Worked on restoring La Chiesa di Madre, from the 15th C. I gilded for the first time, laying gold leaf over wooden moldings and figures to look like full golden figures, but they're not really, just a touch of gold. It was an amazing experience and the town was beautiful. Went to the seaside and collected rocks, ate plenty of oranges, and saw where all the lemons come from in Italy. Pictures soon to come.

My apartment is freezing in Florence, because the heat doesn't work. Now I have a cold, and so does my roommate Selena. About to head to the Mercato San Ambrogio to go buy my fruits and vegetables, hope all is well! Ciao!

Back in Florence

So....it's been a long, long time since my last post. Returned back home to Seattle, for the holidays and had an amazing time seeing family and friends. After a long day of traveling arrived safely back in Florence. It seems to be more of a culture shock the second time around. Moved into my new apartment with my roomie, Selena. Just wanted to say, I'm back, and I will try my best and hardest to keep up to date on my posts and blog. Boy scouts honor. School starts again on Monday, trying to get over my jet lag and get back into the swing of things. Promise.  

Yo-Yo Ma

It's been a long time. About a month. Slacking a lot. So many great things have happened in Italy and beyond. Went to Milano to go see the Black Keys play and had an amazing weekend in Amsterdam two weeks ago. Unforgettable. Finishing up with classes and getting everything in order to head back home for the holidays.

Tonight was a memorable evening at Il Teatro Pergola. Went and saw Yo Yo Ma play with Katherine Scott playing the piano. Unbelievable. An amazing Cellist and Pianist all in one room full of emotion and beautiful music. Plus, three encores! The icing on the cake to the evening was an angry elderly Italian woman telling off a rude young Italian man, because his disrespectful behavior during the concert. Talking...not allowed during the performance. "Maleducati!!!!!" The intensity of the fight was Great! Loved it and loved the concert. So many great things all in one night. Yo Yo Ma is rocks the cello.  

Check out his 2nd Encore of the evening, The Swans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgRAA-ew0H4

OBAMA PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!!

Most exciting news of the morning! Staying up in Italy to watch the incoming returns. The moment the West Coast took over, cheers and champagne! A  breakthrough in history, so ecstatic about the future of America!!!!!!!!!!! 

Free?!

This weekend in Florence at the Fortezza di Basso, literally, used to be an old Fort, there is a Creative Arts Festival going on. I ventured over there last night to find that the whole festival this weekend is entirely FREE! It came as a shock and a surprise, because it was such a large festival with capoeira dancers, art galleries, live djs and a huge stage with bands....best of all it was free.

Today, I'm taking the train to Roma, to meet up with the parental-units! It will be great to see them and show them around. 

A Porcini and A Fresco

Hey! So everything is beginning to calm down in Florence. The tourists are tapering off and it's such a relief. During the fall, Porcini mushrooms come into season and take a look at this huge GUY I bought at the Mercato San Ambrogio. It's like a small tree, granted it's a funghi. Delicious.....

Just wanted to let everyone take a look at one of the frescoes I'm working on in my Fresco Painting course. Still currently working on him, but here's a 

quick peek! It's the face of God, by Michelangelo. 

Siena

A change of scenery from Florence is a nice way to mix things up. Only an hour and a half on train or bus, Siena is gorgeous. The lack of trees in city center forms sort of a bubble with the change of seasons. It's nice to see the trees turn color when you travel from one town to another. 

A medieval town, Remus founded the city, where his brother Romulus founded Rome. Famous for the bare-horseback races in the Piazza del Campo, the sloping  piazza, where people CAN NOT lay down on their backs. Odd. There's some officer who regulates who is lying down and not. If you are, then you get yelled at. 

There was this crazy festival going on where Siena turned into a mix of the Middle East and Asia, walking through India, China, Afghanistan and Tibet. All the locals were dressed up ran into Osama bin Laden and the 40 theives. 

The Duomo there was beautiful as well. More intricate, but smaller than the one in Florence. There was this huge glass window in the middle where it looked like the sky shone through. The view of the rolling Tuscan hills were amazing. Tuscany is absolutely breathtaking. I'm always shocked by how beautiful this country is.