Saying Ciao to My Social Life

Conversely, The Time I Danced with a German Pop Star.

...underneath the sunrise...

It's been a few weeks since my last entry.  I had every intention of recapping my first week of classes, and that was 2 weeks ago.  I feel like I might actually be dying of stress.  A little bit each day.  This semester I'm taking 4 classes plus the first part of my thesis requirement, which I somehow thought would be a bit easier.  Not the case.  On tap for the next 3 months:

• The Exhibition Process
• Collections Management
• Art Theory and Criticism
• Fundraising and Proposal Writing
• Thesis Research

on the beach in sanremo

In other words, the agonizingly painful demise of my social life.  After Week 1 of classes I had my last moments of social freedom when my friend Sabina came for a few days from Brighton, England.   I gave her a proper tour of Turin and we popped over to Sanremo with my roommates to see the beach for a day.  We relaxed on the stones for hours, then in the evening we had dinner at a restaurant in the main piazza.  There was an accordion player serenading us, children running around a centuries-old fountain, and the faint sound of the surf in the distance.  I even ordered spaghetti with clams that night, which was good but still kind of grossed me out.  The evening continued at a nightclub where we danced the night away.  We encountered a group of Germans, one of which turned out to be a German pop star who came in 2nd place on their version of American Idol.  Needless to say I kind of danced with a German pop star and it was wunderbar.

getting serious about schoolwork on Fancy Tuesday (international roommate tradition)

But alas, once I got back to school on Monday I had to get serious and start on some impending projects for the semester.  I am organizing an exhibition from start to finish using a proposal I created for my Project Managment course.  I will be cataloguing an entire collection at the university.  I am reading 5 articles a week on philosophy and art theory to the point that my brain hurts.  I must develop a funding agenda and analyze the strategic plan for an Italian arts festival.  Oh, and I need to hone my thesis topic, develop a reading list and do some massive research.  So I pretty much want to crawl in a hole and die.  Though I do enjoy the challenge, and actually everything I'm doing I already find very interesting and beneficial to my professional development.  I just hope my mind doesn't implode.

new haircut from 3 weeks ago, you guys approve?

Now that I've accepted the fact that my days of galavanting across Europe for weekend adventures have come to a halt, I've found a few ways to relax myself and keep my sanity.  One is a new workout routine I've organized with my roommates.  The girl I share a room with, Fatemeh, wakes up before sunrise to pray, so we decided we should do exercises in the AM before classes, and we'll see if that lasts.  Debatable because I love sleeping.  I also have been trying to learn Farsi from her and so far I can conjugate 2 verbs, tell someone I love them, and declare it's a wonderful day.  Yesterday I took a break from reading Kant to paint my nails with a fun method I found on YouTube for a newspaper effect.  I used a German newspaper my friend sent me in a package recently :)  I think I'm doing well to keep my mind healthy!

can't see very well, but it's a cool newspaper effect!

New Room, New Roommates

As the Great Apartment Fiasco of 2011 comes to a close, I find myself overly satisfied with the new place (the 2nd apartment I've moved into this week).  I refuse to leave this one because frankly, it's too awesome.  First, there's the location: one block from Eataly.  You guys remember my post about the local/organic/Slow Food grocery store in Turin?  Looks like I've already got my new gelato stop all mapped out.  Second, it kicks the other apartment from this week's ass.  Remodeled 3-bedroom/2-bath, big kitchen completely outfitted with cooking supplies, plenty of balcony storage.  Oh, and there's a bathtub.  Almost cried when I saw it.  Do you guys realize how much I miss bubble baths?  You're not me, so I'll tell you: a lot.

My side of the room.  And yes I do make my bed every day.

My room I'll be sharing with Fatemeh from Iran, an architecture grad student I met a year ago who may as well be a model. My bed is a twin with a trundle, which brings me back to being 8 years old eating butterscotch candies under my bed and playing DreamPhone at slumber parties, but that just means I've got a place for anyone who wants to come stay with me.  (Please consider this a shameless request for visitors.)

Kitchen.  Where the magic happens.

Now I've got to say I've had a lot of luck in my life when it comes to roommates.   All of them I count among my best friendships: Madison, Nicole and Estrella during my unforgettable college years, Mallary and Shelby post-graduation, and finally Ricarda, Natalie and Georgina during my grad school year abroad.  I honestly couldn't imagine many of my most memorable experiences without these girls.  This semester's new stock has got some big shoes to fill, but it's looking promising.

oh yeah, the kitchen doubles as the living room.  it's a classy thang they do here in italy, ok?

One girl is from Paris, and the subtext from this simple phrase should be read: jaw-droppingly and effortlessly chic.  She's just one of those girls that it's obvious Jesus loves a little bit more than the rest of us and you can't blame him for it either.  I don't.  She's absurdly gorgeous.  Her parents are in fashion and she interns for Vogue in Paris (who can even say that?)  She brought 5 suitcases of clothes that were mostly gifted to her.  Ugh.  Just when I think it's enough that she has a cute french accent and manages to somehow not look trashy when she smokes, I found out she has a twin.  Seriously?  I'm telling you, favored by the gods, this one.

is it weird to put pictures of your bathroom on your blog? meh.  not pictured: BATHTUB!!!

The other girl is from Simi Valley, California, which is crazy because that's where I was born and I've never met anyone who knows where that is much less who lives there.  And when I say she's from California I mean she wears a peace-sign necklace, her mom is an art teacher and she carefully packed lots of dry goods from Whole Foods.  But hey, I love farmer's markets and yoga as much as the next guy.  She's into soy milk and Toms Footwear, so I figure we'll get along splendidly.

my desk/collage wall/nook. and that keyboard drawer is full of meticulously organized jewelry.

I've learned throughout my years of living with/meeting different people that you can always be surprised by someone.  So this semester I'm looking forward to living with a Jewish diva, a Christian hippie and a Muslim architect.  This should make for some interesting conversations over diet vegan halal dinners, right? :)

Torino: A Year in Review

Alternate Title: The Time I Almost Went to Stockholm

One year down, one to go!

Readers, this week marks my one year anniversary with the city of Turin.  I can hardly believe my time here is already halfway over!  I can still feel the excitement that welled up in my chest as I was first driven through the streets of Torino, not knowing what to expect, who I would meet, or what I would experience.  I can even remember writing my first blog post from Italy and wondering what I would be musing about a year into this adventure.

My first night in Turin!

Everything about this experience has exceeded my expectations.  I completed a year of an international master's program with a 4.0 both semesters.  I did 3 internships with local organizations.  I made plenty of new friends from all over the world, a few of which became really close friends.  I've explored more Italian cities than I can count.  I traveled to three countries I'd never seen before and even couchsurfed on my own for the first time.  I overcame several things I never thought I'd be able to accomplish, most notably Principles of Accounting and driving in Italy.  (Oh, and being able to survive far from home sans family, friends and creature comforts.)  I continued to learn a language I adore, albeit by making lots of mistakes, and as a result I made local friends with whom I only speak Italian.  I completely expanded my world view.  I redefined my capabilities and possibilities for the future.  Above all, I lived my life.

Gran Paradiso National Park

As I said in a previous post, some things don't come into perspective until you put some distance between yourself and the question at hand.  For instance, I never knew (I mean really knew) how much I need my friends.  I never knew how much I cherish my family's support and approval.  I never knew I could be fine on my own, that I could start from nothing and build a life for myself in a foreign land.  I never knew acknowledged how incredibly spoiled we are as Americans.  I never knew how much I really need TexMex in my life.

Lago Maggiore, Lombardia

This week I learned that even though I'm young and living dangerously (here the term is used fairly loosely) I don't always have it in me to be an on-the-go explorer extraordinaire.  I had a ticket to Stockholm for this weekend.  I purchased it several months ago when a friend told me I should join her and a few other girls for a weekend trip.  I agreed, carped the diem, and when the time finally came I couldn't muster the spirit to clog around Sweden.  That's not like me, is it?  In my defense, I'd just returned from Puglia with an impending apartment transfer looming over my head.  A week before departure I was informed I wouldn't return to my apartment from last year, but rather a new one more toward the center of the city.  Meaning, of course, that I had to move out of 2 apartments, the one I'd inhabited this summer and the one in the south of Turin where most of my things still resided.  Feeling the stress of this, plus the lack of a car and/or friends returned from vacation, my mind couldn't enter into "fun/travel" mode.

Solo trip to Berlin

I told myself, ahhh you can figure it out when you get back (the week school starts) and move your things in later.  Sweden!  When are you ever going to go again?  You already have a ticket!  But then lame-old-me thought: I really just want to be settled and have my things in one place (How old am I?!?)  I struggled with this decision a few days.  A friend told me, "it's like going running - at first you're not in the mood, but once you put your shoes on and get out there you're glad you went."  Aside from the fact that running and I are arch nemeses, the theory made sense.  No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get into the right frame of mind.  In the end I'm glad I didn't try to go because the apartment they gave me is spartan at most and I was told yesterday I'll be moving again today for the 3rd time this week.  Hooray! :/

On the beach in Trapani, Sicily

See folks, it's not all roses and tulips over here.  This week I had the impression that not every day is worth seizing, nor is every diem worth carping.  I don't believe this state of mind will affect any future travels, as there is something to be said for knowing you have a place to come home to after a small vacation, or even a place to come home to after 2 years abroad :)  So I suppose this means that during this year I've learned something about responsibilities.  No matter how much we'd like to run off and have fun, our problems won't resolve themselves upon our return.  But that'd just be awesome, wouldn't it?

Summertime, and the Livin's Easy

Remember that time I was really scared about August being the harbinger of my inconsolable loneliness and despair?  The Germans actually have a word for that entire state of being: mutterseelenallein (mother+soul+alone) which means feeling completely lost - fascinating, right?  Well, it didn't happen!  You may have noticed I haven't written in over a month, meaning either I was holed up in my room writing angst-ridden poetry or I decided to live a little.  And since you've been following this blog religiously, you'd lean toward believing the latter, and you'd be right.

ahhhh it's august and i don't know what to do!

In mid July I got an email from an old resident of mine, Carolyn, a friend I made when I used to be a Resident Assistant at the Honors dorms at UT.  That's right, I used to mentor freshman girls - when I wasn't saving puppies from runaway trains.  Anyway she graduated from the UT Business School and with her signing bonus from her new company she decided to traipse around Europe for 3 months.  *sigh* (that *sigh* is not only at the fact that she can afford 3 months in Europe, but the fact that she got a signing bonus, you know, with a job attached to it).  Carolyn stayed with me for 4 nights and I realized she was my first guest in Torino.  I haven't hosted anyone from back home in my new city and it was rather exciting!  It was basically like I was hosting a couchsurfer that I already knew.

shelby, aka shelbers, and me in piazza san carlo

The real treat was a few days after she left I had another houseguest, this one is among my best buddies. My old roommate Shelby found a new job, quit her old one, and bought a ticket for Europe all in the same week!  I was super happy to have her, and from the minute I met her at the train station I felt such a sense of calmness.  The poor thing had traveled overnight 13 hours by train just to see me and all the stress had worn her down.  She wasn't feeling well but we still managed to make the best of it.  I introduced her to my boyfriend, Mr. Yum E. Gelato and they got along rather swimmingly.  We did a short bike tour of Turin's hot spots, visited the Cinema Museum and the Queen's Palace, sipped cappuccinos in the shade, grabbed foccaccia on the go, and toured the markets for italian leather bags.

shelby's reaction after seeing true fashion in italy.

The best part of having Shelby around was what the Italians called the dolce far niente, or the sweetness of doing nothing.  I was thrilled to sit with her in my room, the windows open to the sounds of the church bells, talking about anything and everything.  I enjoyed her being there to help me with outfit selection, laugh about old times and show me the newest must-see viral videos.  I must say, being in one of the most enchanting countries in the world tends to pale in comparison to the joy of laughing in the company of a good friend.  It was just refreshing to have someone here from back home.  I realized how much I miss having my friends and family in the same time zone - somehow it makes the distance much more real when my life back home comes to me.  I suppose the internet makes everyone seem closer than they really are, and that can be both a good and a bad thing.

Otranto, Puglia

www.residencealtair.it/otranto

The Shelbinator went on to Paris and I had a few days of work to complete.  Just when I thought my summer fun was fizzling out with the rising heat, I decided to take a friend up on an invite and head to Puglia!  Thinking of Italy as a boot with Piedmont being the sultry upper thigh, Puglia is the stiletto heel.  The Adriatic Sea on one side and the Ionian on the other.  Beaches like you'd never believe, with rocky cliffs, grottoes and the bluest of waters.  One day in Lecce where papier-mâché is a respected, centures-old artistry. Two days camping in Otranto where I faced my fear of seafood head-on by ordering linguine with mussels (quite tasty, if you don't look at the plate). A day trip to Gallipoli where I met a purple beach hat I couldn't live without. A trek up to Monte Sant'Angelo looking out over the bay of Gargano, which is the "spur" of Italy's boot.  Days of snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing and enjoying la dolce vita.  All of this and who, would you believe it, forgot her camera?  Yep, this one.  Luckily I wrote rather descriptively in my journal so when I'm old my children can read the pages aloud and remind me of the beauty I saw.

Piazza di Sant'Oronzo, Lecce, Puglia

www.emmetti.it/lecce

Oddly the summer passed ever-so-quickly.  From hosting my friends to hopping down to the opposite end of Italy for some fun in the sun.  And to think I was so worried about what the summer would bring me. In the end it brought me many happy memories with good friends, some glittery papier-mâché fish earrings, an awesome floppy beach hat, and one of the best tans I've ever sported.  Even if the Italians are still calling me a mozzarella.

frozen memories.

A German Holiday

Kind of like a Roman Holiday but totally different in every possible way. And Audrey Hepburn would've probably called me a lush, a glutton and a heathen after she heard about my trip to Deutschland.  I went for 5 days to visit a good friend of mine, Ricarda, whom I met on my first day in Turin.  She did a semester abroad at my university then went to Austria to do an internship at Sony and she'd just returned to her homeland when she insisted I come visit for a few days.  Naturally, as you all well know by now, I couldn't resist an opportunity to collect more passport stamps.  Plus Ricarda flew in from Austria to surprise me on my birthday, I simply had to return the sentiment and go see her in Germany.

Rathaus on the Elbe River in Hamburg, Germany.

Reuniting with Ricarda in Deutschland!

Due to the near impossibility of direct travel to Germany from Italy, I chose an out-of-the-way flight leaving from outside Milan and arriving in a town outside Hamburg.  Ricarda met me at the airport and accompanied me on the bus ride into the city - we spent that time catching up on summer happenings and dishing about everyone from school (as is necessary between friends).  Once in the center we took a short walking tour and sat down near the Elbe River for a drink.  Later we made our way to her friend Meike's (pronounced like our Micah) house and had an amazing dinner of grilled meats, kraut and potato salad.  Meike was a bit shy to speak English with me, but once we opened the second bottle of prosecco she'd opened up a treasure trove of vocabulary and had the most adorable 1940s accent.

Hamburger!  I'm American so of course I think that's funny.

Being silly with some Urkel glasses.

We sat around her cute patio for a few hours just chatting, me often just listening to their German and trying to imagine what they were saying.  We had plans to go out on the town as Hamburg is apparently well know for its nightlife.  And when did we leave the house, you ask?  1:30AM!  How European is that?  Back home if we'd left at 1:30 the next 30 minutes would be looking for parking and we'd have to head home once we arrived downtown.  But not in Europa.  1:30AM translates to party o'clock over here.  We took the metro to the Reeperbahn, which was (if you want a blunt and rather accurate description) the equivalent of Bourbon Street if it had a lovechild with The Red Light District.  Did anyone else know that prostitution is legal in Germany?  Yeah not me.  In Italy that's a no-go.  So that was a Hamburg experience I'll never forget.  We found some non-shady places to dance and toward sunrise o'clock we popped into a karaoke bar to sing the night away, much to my delight.  Awesomely bad song selection of the evening: Backstreet Boys, Quit Playin' Games with my Heart.  Legendary!  I really felt like I was back in America for a second because it reminded me of all the fun times I had singing with my friends at Ego's on SoCo!

I love that Germans know all the words to BSB greatest hits.

I'll spare you the true hour of my return from the Reeperbahn, mainly so my parents don't have a heart-attack.  The next day when we woke up we had brunch then rode the ferry up & down the Elbe and did some window shopping in central Hamburg.  I happened upon a cute turquoise maxi dress at H&M for 3 euros, score!  We then rode the train to Oldenburg, which is Ricarda's hometown.  Once we arrived her lovely parents greeted me with open arms and fed me with so much good food.  I felt like an exotic houseguest and I tried my few key German phrases as to impress her parents which I think worked quite well until I ran out of phrases.  I know it's silly but I felt almost guilty for not knowing German and being able to fully communicate with them even though they understood my English.

you know, riding horses in Germany.  just your standard Sunday afternoon.

really though, couldn't this be Texas?

Day 3 we had breakfast on the terrace in her lovely backyard - a large corner lot with lots of green, blooming flowers, chairs for lounging.  The day was spent in the neighboring town of Rastede where Ricarda's horse, Stella, lives in the summer.  We took her out and I hopped on a horse for the first time in what must've been 8 or 10 years.  All the Germans were surprised a Texan didn't have more horseback riding experience, haha.  The land was beautiful and picturesque, a small pond, green grass, giant trees and horses walking around in the sun.  Heck it could've been Texas if you didn't know the context.  So there I was, riding a horse in North Germany, thinking that this trip couldn't get much better.  But it did!

Getting some sun on the North Sea inside a Strandkorb!

The next day we went with another girl from the stables and took the newborn philly and her mom, Calista, to be judged and branded by the local jury.  It was a unique event to experience, and I thought it almost comical that I'd be witnessing a horse branding in Germany and not in Texas.  Sometimes it's hard for me to imagine that normal life exists in every corner of this planet.  We then got our bikinis and drove (on the autobahn!) about 20 minutes to the North Sea.  There was a low tide so we didn't see any water but there was plenty of mud which is apparently a well-known, healthy mud because Germans come from all over to walk around in it.  There's even a word in German for wandering around in the mud at the North Sea: Wattwanderung.  And we did it!  I think I'm feeling better already.  They also had these little loveseat beach pods for sunning despite the wind.  In order to really experience the North Sea I was told I had to try matjes, basically a raw herring sandwich!  I took the tiniest bite (he still had a tail, I mean, gross) but I still tried it, and it wasn't bad.

Not sure how she does it, but Ricarda can wear mud and still look great!

Me eating a bite of a Matjes sammie, eeek!

That night after an amazing dinner of roasted ricotta & honey-stuffed figs wrapped in prosciutto and boiled asparagus with honey mustard dipping sauce, we took the bikes to the center of Oldenburg, which was delightful.  In Germany there's such an efficient transportation infrastructure that there are 2-way bike lanes everywhere and everyone is on 2 wheels, at least in the smaller, flat cities.  Ricarda's dapper boyfriend Alexej joined us and gave me a very thorough historical tour of Oldenburg, pointing out the oldest buildings, the sidewalks where only the nobility would've walked, and an old gunpowder tower at the former city walls.  Following the tour we parked our bikes at Franziskaner and ordered a beer at a biergarten (when in Germany, as they say!) and Alexej gave me a history lesson on German beer production.  I learned that Hefeweizen (hefe = yeast, weizen = wheat) is typical of Bavaria, southern Germany, where there was a decree in 1516 that wheat be added to sweeten beer.  In the north they decided to save wheat to make bread so their beer has hops added instead, which is the more bitter Pilsner.

just fyi delicious in German is lecker.

I'm quite convinced they couldn't be any more adorable.

Day 5 we woke up early to get on a bus and head to Groningen, Holland, a mere 1.5 hours away where Ricarda attends university.  Only a short distance away was another world, another language, another way of life.  We walked around this quaint Dutch city and met up with a friend of Ricarda's.  We perused the avenues, stopped in a bead shop for about an hour, and had lunch at a place called Bagels & Beans.  OMG, Bagels!  Where have you been all my life (aka the last 10 months)?  I also ordered some fresh mint tea which reminded me of Grandma's and happily soaked in the familiarities of home.  Funny how just a bagel and beverage can give you such joy when you're across the pond.  It was such a cute university town and even though it's close to Ricarda's hometown, it's different enough to feel a world away.  One thing I remembered about Holland were the stroopwafels, definitely among the best cookies I've ever had in my life, so I got a fresh one and a package to take back to Italy.

everything bagel + chives shmear + avocado + tomato = Netherlandish bliss.

still in awe of the massive bike culture.  this is just in front of ONE building.

There were canals along the city, even more bikes than Oldenburg, open markets, tiny Dutch houses, lots of young people and tons of coffee shops where people actually sit and relax!  Before we departed on the bus in the late afternoon we stopped and had a chai latte.  It was a bit too sweet but I didn't care, I felt like I was back home indulging in normal sized coffee and not the minuscule ones you find in this boot-shaped country.  We arrived back in Oldenburg in time for dinner: pizza with salmon, arugula and caper-berries!

evening bike ride to Bornhorst Am See outside Oldenburg.

On the morning of my last day we took the bikes into the center at met Alexej at a coffee shop.  I enjoyed not one, but two lattes just to make sure I would remember the taste when I returned to Italy.  I got their help in composing a thank-you card to Ricarda's parents who both came home from work at  lunch time to bid me farewell.  Her mom told me I was welcome to come back any time, even the holidays.  Ricarda and Alexej drove me 2.5 hours to the airport (now that's friendship) and we said our goodbyes.  The only thing that went wrong was the efficient German airport security found my smuggled stash from the Netherlands.  Nothing illegal, just a jar of precious peanut butter I was convinced shouldn't be considered a liquid - it's crunchy, people!

typical German farmhouse with straw roof outside Oldenburg

Overall the trip was wunderbar - I got to live it up in Hamburg, ride horses in Rastede, walk around the mud in the North Sea, visit another country for a day, ride bikes around the city, and eat to my heart's content.  What more could you want from a vacation?  It felt like the trip ended too soon, as I was just starting to communicate with her mom in German (albeit via Google Translator) and get the hang of riding a bike with an umbrella in one hand.  I'm hoping there will be another opportunity to visit Deutschland in the future, I would love to go back!

Rediscovering Torino

There's something about having a bike that gives you a new perspective on a city.  Maybe it's the fact that your usual mode of navigation is altered - you can steer away from main roads the buses and cars frequent and zip through side streets with ease and agility.  You can get places much faster than if you were on foot and, always a plus, you don't have to share a space on an overcrowded public bus with 78 sweaty Italians.

unrelated to this post, but I like it: urban art showcase, torino

I've been love love loving my new routine of walking down the steps of my palazzo in the late morning, greeting the doorman with a friendly "buondì" ("buongiorno" in dialect), grabbing my bike from behind the giant stained glass doors of the courtyard, hopping on and passing through the daily open market just below my window.  What joy, what bliss!  Now that's not to say I don't sometimes fear for my life a little bit when happening upon one-way streets or being forced into an ominous roundabout or bouncing along cobblestone streets with mid-morning traffic.  I get scared sometimes, but mostly I'm figuring out the best routes and discovering new ways to navigate the city.

In fact last week I discovered what I have been telling everyone is the coolest semi-hidden place in Turin.  Or at least it's my newest obsession and the novelty hasn't worn off yet.  I was perusing some travel blogs about Turin looking for exciting places to visit with my bike when I happened upon an article by an American living in Turin written about 5 years ago.  The article was describing locales that reminded her of the good ol' USofA.  Pub grub at the Huntsman: been there.  Shopping at Lingotto: done that.  Luxembourg historic bookstore with a large English section: interesting.  This led me to her page about places to enjoy a good book.  Probably the park, right?  As I said before there's no coffee shop culture here and you'd never see anyone reading a book while sipping an espresso.

Circolo dei Lettori: chi leggi vola (he who reads, flies)

The article suggested Circolo dei Lettori, or Circle of Readers, a cultural association dedicated to anyone and everyone that loves to read and needs a comfortable setting to enjoy a good book.  The space is located on the first floor of a beautiful 17th century palazzo - to get inside you must walk through the luxurious courtyard and buzz 1115# to be let up the marble staircase.  Once inside there is a welcome desk (with people who are actually helpful!) and a room full of modern clear plastic tables and chairs for dining.  Beyond this there is a bar/restaurant and walking back you are greeted by all the splendor of Circolo dei Lettori.  There are themed rooms - one outfitted with a billiard table and red leather chairs; another with antique green plush couches; even one with wicker hammocks.  The atmosphere is warm and magical.  All walls are covered in fabric and portraiture, the ceilings display frescoes and elegant chandeliers.

courtyard at the palazzo of Circolo dei Lettori

The beauty of this place, other than its aesthetic appeal, is that membership in the Circle of Readers is entirely free and open to the public.  Oh and there's an internet connection (unfortunately rare in Italy).  Meaning I can come here to study, bring my laptop and work, order a cappuccino and pen a few pages in my journal, meet a friend for lunch, or find a comfy corner and curl up with my current read.  Can you believe it?  For an American girl who's been missing terribly the coffee shop culture, this is nothing short of a godsend.  And could you imagine a more beautiful location than a 17th century Italian palace to go relax and read?  They also host exhibitions, book-themed dinners and authors talks.  And they have book clubs in original language - meaning that starting in September they'll have an English language reading circle!  Am I so incredibly elated by this discovery, you guys have no idea!

when you find a place to study more badass than this, please let me know

I went here the other morning to work on some translations I'm doing for my professor's cultural association and I found myself right at home.  There was no one else around, so I settled into the billiard room, plugged in my laptop, ordered a cappuccino and got to work.  I don't know why I'm so productive when I leave the house and put myself in another environment, it somehow forces me to do what needs to be done.  I just can't explain the beauty of sitting in this place in all its elegant solitude and working on a project.  Ah-mazing.

I'm looking forward to biking around this summer and discovering new places in and around Torino, as I'm convinced there is so much I still don't know about this city.  I've been here almost a year and just last week I happened upon a place that is now among my favorites.  What a beautiful life this is.

Internship Has Sailed

On Monday (while most of you were enjoying a work-free national holiday, *sigh*) I finished my internship, bid farewell to the Egyptian artist as she boarded a plane back to Amsterdam, and said my final goodbyes to my steel gray semi-automatic Lancia Ypsilon.  I thought it would be harder than it was, but I was so ready to have my life back and not be bound to the responsibilities of a car, and a needy artist for that matter.  Did I just say that?  Oops.  In all seriousness the internship did give me the opportunity to meet and talk with several important curators, art directors and other members of Turin's contemporary art scene.  I went to more art openings, exhibitions and artist talks than I can count and became more acquainted with the city's vibrant creative culture.

urban art showcase, torino

I also learned how to go into a Tabaccheria and purchase Marlboro Lights as a frequent favor for the artist with whom I worked.  I learned how to pick up her friends from the airport and how to attempt to be an art snob with her french artist boyfriend by carrying on a pejorative conversation about a famous collection.  Oui oui.  But all that stupid stuff just comes with the territory of being an intern, I suppose.  During the last week there was an artist workshop at the foundation and I sat in on a few sessions.  I met and talked with visiting artists from around Europe and those conversations were definitely worth the time I spent driving her around and buying her cigarettes.

My supervisor gave me rave reviews when it came time for evaluations.  In fact she invited me over to her house to personally tell me how much she appreciated my work during the summer.  Would've been cool if she'd told me that even once over the last 7 weeks, but whatever.  She told me this internship was a great opportunity for me to become familiar with the Torino scene.  She even asked me to work with her in the fall during Paratissima, a well-known annual european art fair in Turin, to help organize and plan a few exhibitions.  There may even be a chance to help the foundation plan another artist workshop - all of which sounds more interesting than taking an artist grocery shopping at the local supermarket, so here's hoping.

journaling at the Castello di Rivoli contemporary art museum

So now in my immense free time I've decided to get serious about losing some kilos with a friend of mine.  We've been meeting 3 times a week to do either some power yoga, P90 (I'm not cool enough for P90X yet), or some brisk walking action at a lovely park along the river.  I've been biking to her place to meet her (20 minutes one way) so I'll get in some bonus exercising.  I kind of forgot how good it feels to be active and not base your exercise on how far you'll need to walk to the next open-air market or fresh pasta shop.  Energy, I've missed you.  Extreme Sweatiness, didn't miss you so much but I inherited you from my father and with this heat it's inevitable we'd meet again.

I've also planned a little trip up to Deutschland for this weekend to visit the lovely Ricarda, my roommate from Fall semester.  I found a decently priced ticket so I'll be leaving Friday and coming back on Wednesday - that's 5 days of northern German shenanigans. Ich bin excited, y'all!  I'm meeting her in Hamburg, staying with some friends, then heading off to Bremen/Oldenburg to reunite with her adorable family, ride horses and possibly sail around the sea north of Germany.  I really can't complain.