Poppin' Champagne

I wish my "carry on" luggage, carrying all my necessities, I bought for 69 euro to save me 31 euro from shipping, didn't have to be forcibly checked for 160 euros. Because if I had my "carry on", I'd have my camera. And if I had my camera, I would be able to capture the business lounge I am currently sitting in. Yes, delays and cancellations and overcharges have their perks. I am sitting in a plush leather chair, sipping champagne and eating smoked salmon as I await to board my 7-hour business class flight to Denver. I cannot complain. I got to spend a day in Germany with my insta-bestie in a 4-star hotel with a well-stocked mini fridge and a delicious buffet dinner... Lufthansa, I love you.

Yesterday began at 4:30 am. Claire had to leave early to catch her flight right as I finished a REM cycle (knowledge courtesy of Al) leaving me wide awake. After an episode of How I Met Your Mother, I packed my stuff, checked out of Hotel Botticelli and took my luggage outside to wait for a taxi. My taxi driver was around 70 years old. In his first attempt to load my bags, he hit his head on the rear hatch, fell backwards onto the ground, as my large green duffle (nearly the size of this man) clocked him in the chin. I tried to help him up, but he swatted my hands and repeatedly pointed to the car until I got in, leaving him to load the rest of my baggage. While I have always had a soft spot for little old Italian men, I don't think I tickled his fancy. The average cab ride to the airport is 15-20 euros. Mine was 27.

I got to the airport at 6:45 am. My flight didn't leave until 10. This usually gives a girl more than enough time. FALSE.

Electricity goes out. once. twice. three times! Check in doesn't start until 8:55. One woman is working. When I finally make it to the checkin desk, it is 9:10. Boarding starts at 9:30. She tells me I have to check my carry-on and that one of my bags is overweight. She gives me a slip to pay for my extra bag and sends me to another line to wait in. 9:45- pay for my bags and go back to the counter. She tells me to wait 20 minutes and come back because the conveyor belt isn't working. I tell her I have 15 minutes to make it on my flight. 9:48- the conveyor belt starts working. I race to security. 3 out of the 7 stations are open. 9:50- they let me cut the line. 9:55- I get to the gate, but the attendant tells me the last bus to the  plane has left. 10:09- the plane takes off. I'm sitting in 11D. success.

I get to Frankfurt, concourse A. I have 20 minutes to make it to the Denver flight at gate C15. I make it, and of course it hasn't even started loading. As I move in between the flustered crowd, I see the ghost of Alison Panza. For those of you who know her, she is loud, energetic, and when she's not talking about the club Space, she is usually very happy. I find Al, expressionless, starring at the ground, shoulders shrugged, completely still. However, it only took a high-pitched "AL!!!" to wake her out of misery. Reunited, everything became ok. We didn't make the flight that day. obviously. But Al got a confirmed flight from Frankfurt to JFK to Phoenix to Denver  the following day (now today). I somehow got a direct business-class flight to Denver. Don't ask me how, the lady at Lufthansa in Frankfurt didn't even understand how it happened. I'm not complaining. But I would like to make it home. Cross your fingers!

CIAO

Careful what you wish for...

Well as the saying goes...
I wanted snow fall in Florence. I wasn't ready to leave.
 LUCKY ME. WISH GRANTED.-In fact we got the most snow Florence has seen in 15 years. It was a wonderful gift on our last night....not so much for our last morning.
Envision roughly 2,000 study abroad students crammed together in the tiny checkin area of the CLOSED Florence airport. Sliding doors open, gusts of snow-flaked wind rushing into the tiny area. Literally could see my breath. Now imagine that scene for 8 hours. Enjoying 7 1/2 of them without any idea of how I was getting home or what line I was even in...mainly because there were none. Just flocks of sardine-packed students, each surrounded by their multiple over-sized suitcases.
At about 5 hours into the mayhem, a woman, obviously fresh one the scene, politely came up to me and asked where the line for Air France was. I tried to best not to scoff.
There were 2 people manning the desks as hundreds of sleep deprived students, who stayed up the night before, saying their goodbyes and expecting to crash on the plane, overcrowded personal space, begging for an alternative option. People were being shoved by the 100's onto buses to Rome, in hopes of having better luck.
After a lifetime of confusion and frigid exhaustion, I was given my new travel plans: Guaranteed flight from Florence to Frankfurt on Sunday @ 10 am (aka TOMORROW). Wait standby in Frankfurt in hopes of somehow getting ahead of hundreds of other students to board a flight to Denver. If denied, I receive 4-star accommodations and guaranteed booking for Monday's flight.....SELFISH. How dare I ask for a longer stay. And snow? Who am I? I was headed to the world's greatest winter wonderland.  Nevertheless, let's be honest. Florence may not have expected these adverse weather conditions, but what airport doesn't even keep a shovel for safe keeping? That was literally their dilemma. They had no means of clearing the runway. Come on Italia...

So after being told to go back to Florence, Claire and I decided upon Hotel Botticelli, the hotel my mother simply ah-dored when she came to visit. Thank god for her, otherwise we'd have no idea of where to stay. Obviously fatigued, we checked in, got some pizza, bought some wine next store (where I went on a school field trip as well as with Susie and my mom. An awesome hole-in-the-wall winery on Via Taddea right next to Restaurant Za Za where you can purchase DOCG top-quality wine straight from the barracks for 1-5 euros thanks to their label-less bottles!!! DEFINITELY RECOMMEND!) watched Reefer Madness (a hilarious musical Claire obviously introduced me to) and indulged in a long hot shower. Wake up call at 6: check. Cab at 7: check. Home by 6? HOPEFULLY.

All in all, this entire story can be summed up in 3 tragic words:
I. GOT. MEAPED.
(please see previous posts for definition)
...Here's to hoping for a successful tomorrow.
CIAO
xx

Farewell Firenze

A little farewell to firenze! I will miss you.

Maria, Maria she remind me of West Side Story....

I love my roommates.
They let me play dress up, and help me pass my fashion photography class...even when one of them is in the class itself
The assignment: represent a time period or muse with a distinguished fashion trend
My idea: Carmen (as in the French opera by Georges Bizet)
The result: (here are a few of them)

THANKS MARIA! -xx

Close to Home

View Larger Map


I am currently writing a paper on Emilio  Pucci (who- exciting fun fact, was an Olympic ski racer, and begun designing after a photographer from Harper's Bazaar commented on his incredible skiwear he was wearing and confessed to designing) 


This is a map. Point A is my apartment. Point B is the Pucci fashion house. 10 MINUTE WALK PEOPLE.
Sufficient to say, this is one of the many reasons I love studying fashion in Florence.

J'adore!

While Paris started out with a meap*, it was more than worth it.
In order to save money, Claire and I (with our Eurail passes of course) planned on taking the train to Paris while the other girls went by plane. It was a smart and noble idea. Cost efficient to say the least..or so I thought.
Unbeknownst to us, all of Italy was also planning a weekend vaca in Parigi, thus overbooking all trains from Wednesday through Sunday. Claire and I had planned on leaving Thursday.


Convinced I was not going to Paris, ergo not spending any money over the weekend, I sought out self-medication in the form of retail therapy and found comfort in my favorite vintage shop near the Academia. In my opinion it holds the fastest recovery rate!


However, upon returning home, I found one-way flight from Rome to Paris for $200 (USD). Desperate to walk under the Christmas lights of the Champs-Elysees (Kaleigh absolutely insisted) and get some Gillie time in with Kim and Linda, I raced back to the train station, booked a train from Florence to Rome for Thursday and a train from Paris to Florence on Sunday (apparently the Italians were not concerned with returning to their homeland. All trains back to Florence were completely open), raced back to the apartment and booked my flight. I am still shocked that everything worked out the way it did. No luggage lost, no connections missed. Definitely a defining yet surprising experience.


Paris itself was incredible. Our Hostel, St. Christopher's Inn, is part of the "World's Famous Hostels" where you can "sleep with someone famous" (implying the hostel of course).  A waterfront view and cotton ball-filled pillows....Truly a magnificent juxtaposition if you ask me.


Day 1 was spend with Kim and Linda. We roamed around Sacred Coeur, snacked on baguettes and pastries and spent some quality time with our new love Youri. If by some change you happen to google Youri-music and find yourself watching an awkward music video attempt reminiscent of Enrique Iglesias meets daytime TV cheese, please do not judge him. His live performances are quite impressive. After Sacre Coeur, we entered the festive christmas market on the Champs-Elysees, drinking hot wine and getting the greatest head massages of my life....a gadget I bought the following day. As we made our way past the stores, we ambitiously climbed the 284 steps up Arc de Triomphe to watch the Eiffel Tower light show. AH-mazing. Even more so, when I found out Maria, Al and Katie were the Eiffel Tower at that moment, hating life. 




Day 2, Hilliary and I soaked up Paris and roamed around the Marais district. We peeked in some vintage stores, found a My Berry, (died! SO good. Definitely awoke need for Frog Berry. Counting down the days....sort of) inadvertently ventured into Passage Du Desir (a "love" shop we thought was a little knick-knack store from the window-front), and even had an awkward conversation with the artist/designer of an art gallery/apparel boutique. While the artist mainly did screen-printing on canvas,  including a collage detailing with scraps from magazine and newspaper clippings, he also had a rack of screen-printed shirts. After telling us he was moving to Denmark for his girlfriend, he informed us that he was having a last call sale. SO I bought a pop culture collage shirt which featured Edie Sedgwick three times. (So I didn't really have any other choice BUT to purchase it) Our brief and semi-uncomfortable conversation with the artist went as follows


Hil: Oh so you're moving to Denmark
Artist: Yep. My girlfriend's sick of Paris
Hil: Do you have a website? We really love your work.
Artist: No. Not anymore.
Hil: Oh...
Artist: Blank stare
....
Me: (looking at a canvas) Your work is incredible. I wish I lived in Paris. Its so sad finding such beautiful things here. 
Artist: why?
Me: I don't know, I guess mainly because shipping something so big is so expensive. It is, isn't it?
Artist: Well no. (insulted) The artwork is expensive. The shipping is not. Its not just some decoration. I ship all the time to the States.
Me: Oh...
Artist: Blank stare


The plan for the evening was dinner at La Refuge Des Fondue and clubbing at Queen....we didn't make it past dinner. La Refuge Des Fondue is a magical experience from the community seating, to the wine served in baby bottles. The 5 of us shared an oil fondue for the meat and potatoes, and a cheese fondue. After befriending our neighbors down the table, the plan was to all reconnect up at Queen. However, 2 baby bottles of wine really can get to a girl. Upon returning to the hostel to change and go out, Al came up with the wonderful idea of taking a quick nap. A foolish idea (or so Katie thought) at 11 PM. Therefore our wine and "quick nap" turned into a obvious nightcap. It was not until 2 AM that I awoke to Hilliary. "Jenna. Jenna. Jenna." "Ya?" "It's 2 AM. We overslept".
Truth be told, it was probably for the best. Sunday would have been a tragic attempt at life, had we stayed out till 6 in the morning.




Day 3 was a peaceful exploration back up to Sacred Coeur, where we all indulged (minus Al with her green soup) in French onion soup. The greatest soup I've ever had in my life. I literally had a dream about it on the train ride home, which speaking of, was very enjoyable. I stayed in a little 6 bed-nook, befriending 3 very friendly and lively Austrialians. Completely forgetting to grab food for the 8-hour ride, my new friends shared both their picnic as well as some in-depth life stories. Very entertaining to say the least.


All in all, it was a wonderful weekend. While the trip itself broke the bank, in the end it was definitely worth it.... in fact I think I'm ready to go back.


REFERENCE:

*Meap |mēp|
verb ( past or past part. Meaped |mēpt|or meapt |mept|)
The act of getting owned by a European transportation system. 

(Thank you Katie for making our coined phrase so official)

Florence + The Machine

Florence and The Machine is the sole artist on our apartment's playlist. We're obsessed. You should be too.
CIAO

America vs. Italy

Anna Wintour  and Anna Piaggi

What do these two women have in common? Besides their first name and job title (both are editors for Vogue)....I can't see them sharing much else. Definitely not wardrobe essentials.

Coeur de Pirate

Coeur de Pirate || Comme des enfants from Dare To Care Records on Vimeo.

A little french flair?
I'm pretty sure Kim left me some, because I came across a wonderful musician. Although she in from Quebec, not Paris, I simply cannot stop playing her music. This one is my fav.
CIAO!

Citta Invisibili

Our photo exhibition started out a little stressful. My lighting was bad, Hilliary's photos weren't hanging well, Michelle's display wasn't fitting how she expected. What I hoped would only take 30 minutes to set up...ending up taking almost 3 hours. This would have been fine, had I not told Kaleigh, I wouldn't take long. Nevertheless the opening was so much fun and the food was delicious!

If you ever find yourself in Florence, I definitely recommend Derb as a site to see. Derb is where our exhibition is currently located. Normally however, it is an elcectic store/cafe/art haven, boasting everything you never knew you've always wanted. If you're hungry for a smoothie and some hummus, desire a little bohemian flavor, or want to buy an original gift no one would expect DERB IS THE PLACE TO GO!

Hilliary's exhibit

Michelle's exhibit

My Exhibit

Best day ever....but seriously

The Town of Interlaken

after riding a gondola, then a train, then a ski lift, and a double bar? (Like a poma lift, but for two people) can one reach the top of the mountain...excuse me glacier

Jacket I rented and asked/begged to purchase. They kindly declined my offer

We bonded after realizing we all love Colorado skiing...Vail in particular. :)

Love them!

FAREWELL SAAS FE!

Ski Bunnies

Skiing a glacier may not sound extremely appealing, but when its in the Swiss Alps....it may just be the greatest day of your life!

The main reason Hilliary and I went to Interlaken was to ski. For those of you unfamiliar with the sport, skiing relies on one main ingredient: snow. Ergo, when the mountain has no snow, the mountain is closed. Being that even 14,000 feet up in a helicopter there was no snow to be found, Interlaken obviously had yet to open. So we went with the alternative, and jumped in a van at 7:30 AM to Saas Fe, a glacier/resort two and half hours away.

With only 4 groomers open, and a strict requirement to stay on said runs (in order to avoid falling into 1,000 ft crevasses) it was without a doubt the greatest experience of my life. The view was unexplainable and the chunks of ice on either side of the runs were a rich sky-blue. Unlike skiing on a mountain, sunlight doesn't soften the snow, but instead melts it down to...well ice. Ergo, by the end of the day the runs were almost all ice, but totally worth it. We were officially the last ones at the top of the glacier, total silence, unspeakable views.

...my photos aren't posting. stay tuned.

CIAO

China banned the pigtail in 1911 as it was seen as a symbol of feudalism.


Ancient drinkers warded off the devil by clinking their cups

Let me be your wings...

There is no way to explain the rush you experience as you front flip out of a helicopter, 14,000 feet above ground. You have put your life in the hands of some crazy Swiss man you've just met and are now peering out the open door at the Swiss Alps and the two lakes that interlock to create "Interlaken". A part of you wants to stay inside, but you've already made the decision to go for it.

I can't say there was ever a defining moment where I thought, "OK, I'm ready!" You are scooted out of the helicopter, onto the railing and before you realize what's happening, you've begun spinning head-over-heels into one of the world's most incredible landscapes. It was breathtaking...literally! The first 15 seconds,  the air was hitting me so fast, I couldn't suck any oxygen into my lungs! It was in that moment that I had my only mini panic attack.

After the guy pulled on the shoot, we began to glide and I was given the controllers, dipping us right and left. Once he took hold of the reigns, I entered a state of euphoria. And I began to dance. It  felt so graceful to float and ballet seemed appropriate at the time....supposedly I was the first in all his 8,000 jumps to ever break out in dance...I blame the headrush.

Snow Dazed

#16 Ski in the Swiss Alps

#39 skydive 

...CHECKED OFF THE BUCKET LIST BABY!

Hilliary and I will be leaving for Interlaken through Euroadventures this evening! I cannot believe this weekend is actually happening. I'm so excited. 

Thank you mom for giving me this opportunity!

CIAO!

SAY CHEESE!

Dear Hollywood,
Thank you for making 2012 a movie filled with overdramatic sentiment, cliche notions, and flawless airbrushing. I would really hate to dread the end of the world. And yet every moment I clenched my seat, light-headed from holding my breath, I was calmed by a sappy line, which would kindly carry me back to reality. So thank you big-budget films, for I now have something to smile about.
Forever yours,
Jenna G. 

My favorite cheese-covered line: 
"Where's the fuel?"(man A)     "We lost it all...in Vegas" (man B)

The flyer I made for our photo exhibit. SO excited!

Why get tattoos...

"I want to be readable...there is nothing in the world I love more than reading." - Claire Parker

Frolicking in Florence

Life lately has been a clumsy mess as I frantically try to make the most of the time I have left abroad. The feeling is similar to writing a research paper 30 minutes before its due...frantically trying to absorb as much as possible, begging the clock to slow down. 

Ergo, my theme for the weekend is serenity. I need to slow down, take a deep breath and immerse into Italy; accept my time here and make the most of what I have left. 

Here is the outline for the weekend:

Thursday (today/night):

-Ricotta-stuffed tomatoes, pesto and tomato couscous, and wine at the other apt.

-F.G. at Capocaccia or Universale

            -Florence Film Festival as a backup 

Friday

-Wine tour in the countryside

-museum

-photostory shoot

-F.G (location- T.B.D)

Saturday

-Play day in Lucca (hopefully checking out the vintage/antique market)

-Nice dinner (location T.B.D)

-Carmen (opera)... SO EXCITED!

Sunday

-studying?

-possibly a day at the hot springs?

...I'm leaving most of Sunday to spontaneity 

Have a good weekend...AND GO FROGS!

CIAO

Shoe Stopper

Jimmy Choo + H&M= 3 DAYS!!!

http://www.hm.com/ca/investorrelations/pressreleases/__prfashion.nhtml?pressreleaseid=821

My Big Bang Theory

 I think its always best to start with a BANG, don't you?

After our fashion photography class let out late...again (quite a feat if you ask me, considering the class is 6 hours to begin with) Hil was a bit frantic to get to the real estate agency on time. For those of you out of the loop, Hilliary is staying in Florence for a year and has to rent out an apartment for the month in between fall and spring semester. I of course accompanied her for moral support.

According to Italian lifestyle, 7-15 minutes late is right on time, making us 5-10 minutes early. The realtor, fluent in English phrases such as hello and ok, kindly guided us to Hil's potential 4 week abode. The moment we entered the building, we were met with an intensely steep and narrow stairwell; an excellent and cost-effective way to add drama to any complex, I must say.

The intimidating trek upward was instantly soothed by the lingering fragrance of Indian food. With the door ajar, we entered the apartment to 3 of the momentary tenants- 1 woman on the pull out bed, timidly snuggled up in the sheets, 1 woman standing beside the kitchen, and 1 enthusiastic man motioning us in. With cans of olives on my left and a strangely MASSIVE box of pre-packaged button-up shirts that the man said "is going to Sri Lanka," on my right, I let Hilliary explore the remaining areas on her own.

The actual studio was adorable! The cabinets were all hand-painted with beautiful detailing, and the bathroom surprisingly provided a real-live working shower. (It gets to be a defining factor when your current shower head drips at a glacial pace, with occasional breaks in between)

With a smile and a few grazie, we bid farewell to our new friends and began our dangerous decline. No more than 3 steps in, I hear a powerful thud, and turn to see Hilliary, feet in the air, hands thrown about, sliding toward me at a ferociously accelerating speed. It was perhaps the most terrifying and hilarious moment of my life. Never before have I watched a person experience 7 different emotions in a 2 second period. (This of course is only in retrospect. At the scene of the incident, I was all kinds of panic)

For those who are gripping their screens, Hilliary is still with us, just a little bruised with a bit of a headache. The real estate agents repeatedly asked her if she needed to go to the hospital, but I promise she is being well-cared for.

As for the apartment, she thinks she's found the one. And how could she refuse after such a vivacious introduction? What better way to end with a bang if you begin with one as well!

CIAO!

Who says fashion and math don't mix?

For those of you who find couture a bit....bizarre.

http://fashematics.com/


CIAO!

Please, Stay Awhile

Thanks to Karlie, I have a new musician on my mind. His name is Erick Baker and his music is beautiful.

Check out his song Stay awhile!

www.myspace.com/erickbakermusic

Playdate with Pisa

The Leaning Tower. Beyond that, what does Pisa have to offer?

-Really bad pizza.

-really GOOD gelato.

-really GOOD chocolate.

Its a place I definitely recommend exploring!

What I Learned in Class...

Nothing education, but all the more fun.

My newest discoveries I simply adore. THANKS FRANCESCO!

1) http://www.thecollectiveshift.com/

-a photography agency launched in 2008 by Jae Choi. The website showcases the work of their agents. GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY!

2) http://theimagist.com/

-a doorway into the world's fashion weeks, art fairs, film festivals, and award shows

3) http://creativereview.co.uk/

-from typography to film, CR showcases and analyzes the world of visual communication

4) http://www.avisualsociety.com/

-everything! Created with a focus on photography, it has links to fashion sites, photography blogs, online magazines, etc.

5) http://www.cakeit.net/

- "for those who want to bring fashion back to life, be stimulated, and tape into the energy of those starting out in an industry that belonged to the masters before them. Cakeit.net is for those holding their breath for the next generation to do something for themselves."

6) http://www.quad.fr/

-for watching shorts, features, and commercials.

ENJOY!

Part of Your World

Look at my world

Isn’t it neat?

Wouldn't you think my perspective’s complete?

Wouldn't you think I'm aware

Of this world around me?

History books

Learned all that was told

What are they missing? What’s left to unfold?

Looking around, realized

Wow, I don’t know everything

Check report cards for I have plenty

Done museums and field trips galore

You want formal presentations?

Over two-hundred and twenty!

But who cares?

It’s not enough

I want more

I wanna be where the people were

I wanna see, wanna see their landmarks

Walking around in those - what do you call 'em?

Oh - FLATS!

Flippin' text book pages, you don't get too far

Travel is required to taste Saucer Torte!

Strolling along down the - What’s that wall again?

The Lennon!

Where the history is new, and the tours are free

Traveling to places thought I’d never be

Taking it in - can’t wait to begin

Exploring more of the world

What would I give if I could live just one year in Praha?

Remember that day, we watched riots play, and shuddered in awe?

Bet'cha its bland, to not expand

not stretching yourself for more adventure

Want to explore, Need to learn more

Ready to stand

And ready to know what other cultures know

Ask 'em my questions and get some answers

Gain new perspective and try to - what's the word?

Grow!

Now is the time!

To stop this rhyme, and get the most of what is left

So much to learn

Before I return

To my little world

...this is the product of watching Little Mermaid while thoughts of fall break swirl madly in your head. I think this is the sign that I need to go to bed.

CIAO

Prague: Lessons by Katka

If you are tight on cash I would suggest NOT going on the Free Prague Tour.

For if you have a tour guide like Katka, you will have the time of your life and end up leaving her half of your summer's earnings. Ergo, to save you from a similar financial blunder, I will share the off-the-wall stories she told. Then, when you decide to visit the best city in the WORLD, you can save your pennies and pay for a mono-tone tour that will prevent any desire to tip extra.

1) Going from a Democratic Republic to a People's Republic is like going from a jacket to a straight jacket.

2) The Czech Kebab: (n)- Catholics on a stake. -quite different from the Kebabs back in Florence.

Back in the day of the 1400's, Prague was occupied by nobles of the Church who ruled over the Hussite peasants. When it came to Hussite hobbies, defenestration was on the top of the list. What is defenestration you ask? Why it is the act of throwing someone out the window. And when it came to arm strength, the Catholic had nothing on the enraged peasants, which was unfortunate considering Catholic rulers were the targets of the fun little past time.

The first defenestration happened in 1419. Unhappy with the direction of the Church, some Hussites got together in hopes of clearly expressing their opinion to the government. On July 30th, a group stormed into Town Hall, grabbed 7 members of the city council and chucked them out the window. As considerate as they are rational, the Hussites made sure to place thick wooden spears right below the window... just for good measure. Perhaps not the method I would use to express my religious beliefs... but we'll give them an A for effort.

3) Poo = miracle?

Fast forward a couple hundred years to 1618 and the Catholic church was once again in a state of corruption. Feeling a bit restless, the peasants figured they'd give their little hobby another go. This time, they grabbed 2 clergymen, also swiping a secretary along the way, and tossed them all out the window. However, the 200 year gap left their tactics a little rusty. In midst of hasty planning, the peasants completely forgot the wooden stakes. Ergo, instead of falling to their demise, the victims fell...into a large heap of manure. When the Catholics rejoiced, calling the incident a "divine miracle", the peasants shook their heads stating that "no, its just poo!"

4) "My what a guyyy, Gaston!"

In 2002 Prague endured its greatest flood in history. While it was a time of chaos and terror for most, one Prague individual spent his days relishing the high tide. Residing in the Prague Zoo (one of the top 10 zoos in the world) Gaston was an optimistic seal, with dreams of swimming into freedom. The moment the water levels reached an acceptable level, Gaston made his get-away, jumped out of his tank, and began swimming. He swam out of the zoo, and into the river. Within hours he had national coverage complete with helicopters, boats, headlines, and fans. Exhausted by 5 straight days of swimming, Gaston was finally “rescued”. Tragically, he died on the transport home. However, while Gaston did not reach freedom, he can rest peacefully, knowing he was the most popular seal in all the land.

I AM NOT MY HAIR

This was the Mantra we reminded ourselves each day we looked in the mirror over fall break.

HOW TO SAVE $$ ON FALL BREAK

1. Remind yourself "I HAVE NO MONEY"
2. Share an entree with a peer who fancies food you too enjoy
3. stay in a hostel
4. Eat one meal that is the "typical cuisine" of that culture and eat cheap for the rest of the time
5. Find a FREE tour. You'll have a lively tour guide, working for tips, and will most likely tell you random things like what a "Czech Kebab" is (definition coming soon)
6. Get up super early and do things all day. Exhaust your body and overwhelm your mind. This will put you to bed before the bars open.
7. Bring a student ID or invest in a ISIC international student card. Contrary to logic, a student visa AND permission of stay that BOTH clearly state "STUDIO", will not suffice and no student discount will be given
8. Pack a small bag. You will have no room or desire to add weight to it.
9. Zip your purse. If your purse doesn't zip buy one that does. In the long run it will save your money from gypsies who ask you to hold their babies.
10. Many museums are more beautiful from the outside
11. If there is something you NEED, find it in a country with a good exchange rate
12. Remember to gather your shampoo/concealer/lotion/conditioner at each hostel so you don't have to roam the streets in search of replacements
13. NEVER pack a straightener in the front pocket of your luggage when traveling to a straightener-starved destination.
14. Keep ALL receipts to ALL atm transactions
15. Remind yourself "I HAVE NO MONEY

FALL BREAK: The intro

Fall Break is not a one post kind of experience. As Alison so eloquently put, "its one of those moments you'll always look back on as life changing". And its true. Each city lent itself to totally new ideas, artists, history, and perspectives. I learned a lot over the last week. A lot about myself, and a lot about a world I never truly understood.

It is the realization of how much I still don't know that probably shocked me the most over fall break. It was a humbling yet stirring consciousness, which has done nothing but arouse my excitement for future adventures!

As Sisi said...(sort of):

"DESTINATIONS ARE DESIRABLE FOR THE JOURNEY THAT LIES IN BETWEEN"

Cheesecake and Cavalli

Hilliary's 21st:

Surprise dinner: success!

-Teo and Alonso brought pasta with homemade sauce! Incredible. We were very impressed

-Maria attempted to make her Porcini Risotto...with only half of the ingredients. Although it didn't make it to the table, it was a good attempt!

-Tom brought cheese and crackers. Apparently he milked the cow and baked the crackers

-Katie, Al, and Cam got mini cheesecakes from Nary for dessert. I made a makeshift candle by drawing one on a stick of gum and sticking it in her heart-shaped cheesecake

Shots Cafe: success!

-Met up with Sarah.

-Bought Hil a "SHOTS CAFE" martini shaker

-Sarah left to skype her brother

Cavalli Club: success!

-owned by creative fashion genius/designer Roberto Cavalli

-leopard-print EVERTHING

-Roberto Cavalli Vodka (the only vodka available. Best I've ever had)

But all of the above was nothing to MEETING ROBERTO CAVALLI!

YES, it just so happened that Roberto Cavalli happened to be having dinner with his daughter in the VIP section of his club last night! Happy Birthday Hil!!!

Incredible night, minus the two cameras and 1 martini shaker that went missing. :(

(We've decided that there is bad karma associated with birthdays here, seeing as Alison got ripped off and lost $358 on 1 bottle of Grey Goose for my birthday)

And while we morn for the loss of the things we once had, it goes without saying that Hilliary definitely went into 21 with a bang!

CIAO,

Jenna

Classy Trumps Class

What is a girl to do when the photography lab is "closed" for the rest of the semester?

What is she to do when her mid-term portfolio is due but she has no way of editing and printing?

She would have a free afternoon. Her appointment for photo editing has been cancelled and her agenda CLEARED.

So what is a girl to do? Why see Inglorious Basterds in a converted opera theater of course!

Mi piace Firenze!

CIAO,

Jenna

recap

Well I feel like an update is very overdue

Let's do a quick recap on recent events

1) Cinque Terre: incredible. The most beautiful place I've been in Italy, complete with accompaniment of my mother and Susie.

2)Rome: Went their with preconceived notions Rome being loud, busy, and crowded. FALSE!

Rome is in fact my new favorite city. I hope to tackle the whole language barrier and move there immediately.

3)Ryan came into town!! Went to Venice: rode a gondola, toured San Marco Basilica, got lost (no surprise there. We perfect the art of adventure solely for our ability to lose our way), saw an opera, saw the Fortuny Palace. Came back to Florence, climbed the Duomo, saw the David (well actually Ryan and Alison saw the David. I forgot my Ufitzi pass and waited patiently outside) ate gelato, and introduced Ryan to his first cannoli.

NOW

Mid-terms. No comment.

Dear fall break, please hurry!

CIAO,

Jenna

In the moment

I promised myself I would not write a post until I had enough time to write about Cinque Terre.

But John Keats has taken over my afternoon. And I feel like writing about it.

Due to my mother's distaste in my communication skills, the last couple days have been dedicated to rigorous hourly inbox checks. Since I tend to only have 1 or 2 emails per check, (compared to 56) I find myself actually reading my emails, rather than giving them a quick glance. So thank you mom. It is for this reason I have found my latest obsession: John Keats.

Obviously Keats is nothing new to the world. He definitely is not new to me. But I must say, a trailer makes all the difference. And now I can't get enough.

While reading through a WhoWhatWear Daily email (Yes, I am a recipient for such a newsletter. Yes, it was the first one I actually read. Yes, I then proceeded to take myself off the mailing list) I clicked on a link for "fashion TV". Before opening the page, a quick trailer of Bloomingdale's "B-flix" came on. Obeying my goldfish-like attention span, I forgot about my original prerogative and clicked on the link.

B-Flix is a short indie film contest, put on by Bloomingdales and is comprised of 5 different entries. If you are down and looking for comedic relief, please visit:

http://social.bloomingdales.com/bflix/#

While I truly loved "Tall Enough", the other 4 films were actually uncomfortable to watch. They were that bad.

After watching all 5, I saw a link for fall movie trailers. (For those who do not know, I love love LOVE trailers. They are my past time) So naturally I clicked on that next. And what was the first film to pop up? BRIGHT STAR.

I watched it 6 times in a row.

I then proceeded to read 3 different biographies, as well as a handful of his poems and letters.

He is my new favorite writer. He was never a romantic, nor did he ever desire to find love. So when he met and fell in love with Fanny Brawne, the poetry he wrote was never sappy, never pretentious. It was real.

And now I'm a sap for writing about it. Judge me as you will, but at least watch the trailer:

http://social.bloomingdales.com/bflix/#/trailers/VIDEO0005

As for me, I'm off to the opera!

CIAO,

Jenna

Fashion photography

Fashion photography is a foreign language class. 

YES, technically it is in English, but all the overwhelming analog/film jargon has put me in a steadfast state of confusion... being as I have NEVER taken film photography. Being as the syllabus used the phrase "or" when stating: you need a digital camera OR a film camera, I assumed both weren't necessary. 

Well the joke's on me. It is. So is the knowledge of how to develop and print film photographs. I must admit I've always wanted to learn film photography...however a little tutorial would have been nice. 

Today was our first portfolio. 

Through our experience here in Florence, Hil and I have realized two things: 

Hilliary hates being behind the camera

I hate being in front of it

Therefore, Hilliary will be featured in most all future and present photos

CIAO!

Missing: Fashion Week.

This weekend Maria, Hilliary, Cameron, and I planned a trip to Milan during fashion week. As most shows are invite-only, we were simply content roaming the streets, experiencing the fervor, doing a little shopping, and perhaps crashing an industry after-party or two. In honor of Milan fashion week, we also decided to indulge a bit and booked a 4-star hotel with plans of using their spa. (my mind was dead set on a hot stone massage)

This was the plan. A simple weekend of effortless glamour.

(*please see reference at the bottom for details)

Saturday

7ish AM: Quick burst of cardio to give us energy for the day (1*)

8:30 AM: board our Eurostar train to Milan.

10:50 AM: Each our Baci chocolate then arrive in Milan (2*)

11ish AM: take a taxi to a beautiful part of Milan (3*)

11:30ish AM: take a taxi to our hotel. Decide that we don't have time for the spa (4*)

Afternoon: take a taxi to the center(5*)/Duomo. Take some photos. Walk around(6*). Buy a skirt. walk around. Go inside the Duomo. Buy wine(7*). Take a taxi back to the hotel. Shower (8*). Read (9*)

Night: get ready. Have a glass of wine. Take a taxi to a fashionable area in Milan recommended by the receptionist (10*). Eat at an Argentinean restaurant (11*). Exhausted (12*). Get Grom (13*). See really cute shops (14*).Take a taxi back to the hotel. Read. Pass out (15*)

Sunday

9:30 AM: wake up refreshed

10:00 AM: Eat breakfast in the restaurant (16*)

10:30 AM: get dressed (17*)

12:30 PM: decide against cardio. Board our train.

2:50 PM: return safely and decide on Zoe for apertivo

REFERENCE

1*- In light of fashion week, we were 15 minutes fashionably later to the train station than intended. After hastily purchasing tickets, we realized our platform was at the opposite end of where we were. So we sprinted. In this lengthy moment of unbearable heat, I was met with an epiphany: chunky boots and a silk sheath dress should not be worn for any future athletic activity. 1) Regardless of how much you need it, silk ignore the need for air circulation. 2) thick-soled footwear + heavy shoulder bag continuously falling off/hitting your back = waddle-jog. Once at the platform, we realized the train was late. When Maria point out that we were the only one's waiting for the "late" train to Milan, we exchanged our tickets for the later Eurostar.

2*- Inside each Baci chocolate wrapper is a quote. While the rest of us had cheesy metaphors about love, Hilliary's quote stated "Bigamy is the product of having one wife too many. Monogamy is the same". Due to Hil's view on marriage and love, we found this quite fitting.

3*- When we got to the taxi line, no one seemed to know of MiHotel, our fabulous hotel. When I mentioned the name of the street, they scoffed and denied this road existed. Finally, one of the drivers said he did know of our hotel. It was brand new, and in a very nice part of Milan. So off we went...to the wrong hotel. Fun fact of the day: Mia Hotel is not MiHotel. Realizing we had the number, our taxi driver called the hotel and told us 1) it was on the opposite side of the city he took us to 2)it was on the street I though it was, I just pronounced it wrong 3) he wouldn't refund us for taking us far away from where we needed. So we got out and had Mia Hotel call us a cab to MiHotel.

4*-Upon arrival we were given complimentary cappuccinos and given early check-in. Tired and ready for a little pampering I asked if there was any availability for 4 massages. No. why? -because our hotel was incredibly modern...in every sense. Not only is the furniture very contemporary, Mihotel is a newborn, 2 months to be exact. Ergo, massage appointments were quite hard to come by, as the spa was currently a construction site. Dating a business major, I should have been more attentive to the fact that all the images (including the ones of the spa, obviously) on MiHotel were "stock photos". Nevertheless, to make up for their t.b.d. spa, MiHotel boasts the most incredible complimentary buffet from 7-11. Smoked salmon, freshly sliced fruit, pound cake, cheeses, breads, juice, granola...UH the list just goes and goes. Although we arrived after 11, MiHotel kindly let us dig in anyway.

5*- ask the taxi to take us to the fashion center. He takes us to the city center. But we get to see the Duomo, which is breathtaking.

6*-Curious to find the show tents, we ask a saleswoman in UCB where to go. First, we are told Milan is far different from London and NY and that shows are scattered. There are no tents, but rather unmarked locations strewn about. Second, the blog I read online and prayed was wrong...was true: the fashion week sched. has changed and it was over.

7*- Best wine I've ever tasted. I wrote down the producer on a piece of paper at MiHotel. Forgot to take it. Shocking.

8*- Oh the shower. Excuse me, the massage shower. High pressure (not to mention consistent), with multiple shower heads: 1 above, 1 handheld, and many tiny ones that went all the way down. My 50 minute shower at MiHotel definitely made up for my 0 minute massage.

9*- Clad in an over-sized MiHotel robe, of course

10*- hipster hangout. Ripped jeans, leather, bedhead hair, and a constant lingering of cigarette fumes. It was definitely a cool place...if perhaps I had dressed accordingly and brought a Machiavelli novel and blanket. But instead, I walked out of the cab looking pretentious in a strapless vibrant multi-colored maxi dress.

11*- Famished and turned away from a sushi restaurant for not having an appointment, we decided upon an Argentinean restaurant. It only served meat. Hil is a vegetarian. We decide to stay anyway and have 3 veggie apps and a bottle of wine.

12*- Realize we only want to go out because it was what we planned. We didn't know where to go. We were stuck in indie-ville. We were tired. We decided to go home

13*- The best gelato shop EVER. Get Crema di Grom ("crunchy crunchy" as we call it) in in a cone. delish!

14*- Realized how much we loved the area we were in (minus our uptown party garb) decided we wanted to come back and peek into some of the stores. Found out everything there is closed on Sunday.

15*- set the AC to freezing, and melted into the pillow top mattress and down comforter

16*-best breakfast EVER. SO SO SO good, and FO FREE!!

In writing, this weekend was a disaster. But if I was disappointed about anything, it was that I didn't take another 50 minute shower before we checked out.

Milan was crazy, and everything I didn't expect. But I loved it. We have decided that our life is one big comedy.

Milan was definitely one of the funniest episodes yet.

CIAO,

Jenna