Fairs, Festivals and Ferrero Rocher

I realized this week that every shitty job serves a purpose. Even if it teaches you a small, unexpected lesson.  This summer I did an internship in which I was working with an Egyptian artist in a residency program near Torino.  She was a pleasure to work with, even though most of the tasks involved being her personal assistant.  I admit I had hoped for more responsibility beyond translation and transportation.  Luckily she was very open and spent time describing her work to me in detail, explaining the ins and outs of the art market, and she even asked for my research and logistical help in executing the video artwork she completed in-residence.  I'd met an international artist, attended high-profile events and gotten a new perspective on the art world - I thought I'd leave the experience at that.

Artissima! giant fair pavilion featuring hundreds of international galleries

The artist had kept in touch with me over the past few months, and 2 weeks ago she emailed me about her involvement in the upcoming international arts fair in Turin, Artissima.  The fair is in its 18th year and continues to grow in prestige and popularity.  She was invited to participate in a competition among 15 other emerging artists from across Europe by displaying an artwork at the fair.  She wanted me to be there and help with the booth because I knew the work personally and watched her develop it this summer.  I of course said I was interested and her gallerist in Amsterdam said she'd be happy to have me and pay me a total of…. *drumroll please*… 50 euros!  For a whole weekend of work.  Let's not even try to do the math on that, ok?  Believe me, by now I've worked for so long sans payment that somehow pennies an hour seems like a blessing.  And I would have done it for free anyway just to gain some practical knowledge.

Artissima

Thursday I worked all day at the booth.  (Ferrero Rocher was a sponsor so naturally I've eaten at least my age in small spherical chocolate confections over the past few days.)  It was great to see the artist again, and her gallerist was such a pleasure to work with, she was only 29 years old!  I asked her about her education, interests, and how she managed her gallery in Amsterdam.  She happily answered all of my questions further debunked my theory that all for-profit arts professionals are aloof and elitist.  I stayed there talking with passersby who watched the video and held an interest in the artist's work - at one point I was discussing Egyptian superstition with a German collector and at another I was describing the artist's process (in Italian!) with an older couple from Venice.  Crazy!  Amazing!  :)

Artissima

I met an "artist liaison" at the fair who is working for White Cube gallery in London (huge!) and as it turns out she's originally from Texas (well, Dallas, and we all know what that means).  We talked a bit and she told me about working for another gallery in Rome for several years.  Ahhhh, too cool.  Among others I met some Milan gallerists, American curators, a Swiss art critic and a Spanish hypnotist/artist.  There was even a pavilion of designer cakes decorated each as an homage to a specific artist - gotta love edible exhibitions.

Art Cakes!

The judges for the emerging artist competition came by to talk to the gallerist and artist, see the video and her portfolio - it was fascinating to see the "fair dynamics" and the anxiety everyone felt in presenting the works.  By the end of the night, at the fancy invite-only opening party, it had leaked out "secretly" that our artist won the prize!  We were all so excited - this meant the artist would be awarded 5,000 euros by illy (the coffee company) and the opportunity to design a limited edition mug!  This was so overwhelming for everyone, especially the artist because this signals a big turning point in her career to be recognized this way.

Artissima

There was a small press conference the next day, and I made sure to be there.  It's crazy to think that this summer I was toting her around Turin in a car, helping her communicate at events in Italian and collaborating on her video production which was then given the only prize awarded at this huge international contemporary art fair.  How cool is that??  Even today the news just got better because her gallerist sold the first edition of the video to a Dutch collector.  So exciting!  It's great when things come full circle and you can be there to see a project succeed in the most positive way.

And the winner is...

I suppose I could mention that this weekend I've ALSO been volunteering at Paratissima, an "off" festival in an artsy/multicultural neighborhood in Torino that's an alternative response to the commercialism of Artissima.  I figured if I wanted to really learn something I might as well do both, get the experience from the for-profit art market side, then the non-profit grassroots side.  I feel as though these past few days have been very necessary to supplement my theoretical education thus far.  In fact I ran into two of my professors at the show and they were proud of me for taking the initiative to find my own way into these events for the purpose of gaining experience.  One more day of work at Artissima then it's back to the books because I haven't studied all weekend.  Though oddly my biggest worry right now is weening myself off the free Ferrero Rocher...

We'll Always Have Paris

or, The Time I Walked Shoeless Down the Champs-Élysées (aka the most expensive strip of real estate in the world)

 

ahhh, Paris...

Last week was "Fall Break" for my university, which really means "hey we're not going to observe American holidays (i.e. Labor Day, Thanksgiving), soooo I hope this makes up for it!"  Today is Halloween and I wouldn't have remembered if it weren't for the themed Google homepage.  This marks the 2nd year I haven't participated in masked mayhem, as Halloween is just starting to gain popularity in Italy.  But I suppose I'll give it up if that means I get a week off school to pretend I don't have deadlines looming over my head and visit my friends in chic european cities!

 

Ricarda, Me and Nathalie - the Paris Reunion Tour

I spent 4 days in Paris, epicenter of mode, heartland of glamour, a bizarre social vortex where classy women can smoke cigarettes and somehow appear sexier!  I met up with two of my former roommates, Nathalie and Ricarda, for a mini-vacay in Île-de-France and it was just the kind of getaway I needed!  Weeks of studying, reading and writing finally culminated in a pleasant jaunt up to our neighbors beyond the Alps.

 

ze French cuisine, ooolala!

On the plane ride up to Paris I ran into a French guy from my school who was going home for the break.  He offered me a ride to the city center via his parents, and knowing I could save a solid 15 euros I could do nothing but accept, naturally.  I met Nathalie and Ricarda around 10pm in the city and I must say that just seeing my friends after months was worth the trip alone.  I happily caught them up on university gossip and it was as if no time had passed at all!

 

The Belles of Notre Dame!

Our first full day in Paris was spent in Notre Dame (no verifiable hunchback sighting, fyi), walking along the iron-balconied avenues, peeking in shops and boutiques, inhaling the delicate smell of fresh baguettes, stopping for a crêpe at a street vendor and enjoying it in Luxembourg Park.  Luckily I'd brought my gloves because Paris was decidedly colder than Turin, and in a way it gave the city a bit  more romance.  (That is, until I had to add on socks and a scarf on during the night.)  We stopped for a petit chocolat, which means 'small hot chocolate' for those of you who aren't up on your French :)

mon petit chocolat!

I had my only disappointment when we reached the Musée d'Orsay which was scheduled to reopen after big renovations on the very day we arrived.  But alas, France will be France.  The museum was closed due to a strike.  Argh!  The agony, the frustration!  It lasted only a few minutes until I remembered I would finally be seeing the Louvre after what has by now amounted to a 3 year evasion of the truth.  What do I mean by this?  See I'd been to Paris in 2008 on a backpacking trip with my friend Sara but we didn't get a chance to see the Louvre.  And let me just say that especially as a student of the arts, you can never ever admit you've been to Paris without seeing the Louvre. That'd be like going to Rome without seeing the Coliseum, or New York City without passing through Times Square.  And you'd be surprised how many times that conversation comes up in 3 years, each time I had to keep my dark secret a mystery!  Ohhh, Paris is greeeeat, and the Louvre... incredible isn't it?!  

 

Louvre at first sight.

But this time I did it!  And with my permit to stay in Italy I managed to enter free of charge (they assumed I was a European Citizen, that means my mysterious airs and colored pants are working over here).  I saw so many of the paintings and sculptures I'd studied for years in my undergraduate courses, Antiquities, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, you name it we saw it!  Not to mention the most famous artwork in the world, the Mona Lisa.  I'll just say that when you've spent nearly the last 7 years of your life studying art you feel a bit like you've completed your pilgrimage to Mecca by visiting the Louvre, it is quite the religious experience.

 

we climbed a nearby hill to get a better look.

We made a trip to the Eiffel Tower by night and somehow reached it just as it started to glitter and twinkle with thousands of lights -- so beautiful.  By the time we arrived at Natalie's house her mom had made us a delicious Polish dinner of pierogis and even a pie for dessert.  Ricarda and I thanked her countless times for her hospitality and she told us (in French/Polish) it was her duty to take good care of us since we were so far from our own moms.  *so sweet!*

 

this is what breakfast in Paris looks like.

Ricarda and I set off on another artistic adventure at Centre Pompidou, a famous collection of Contemporary Art, which was a nice compliment to what we'd seen at the Louvre.  Again I got in for free by appearing devilishly European (yes!)  We had fun perusing the immense galleries and after a few hours we realized Paris had gotten the better of us and we took a break from standing, walking and looking at art by stopping in a local bistrot for a delicious charcuterie plate and macaroons.  Later we happened upon the Bridge of Love where thousands of couples had affixed their padlocks to the railings to demonstrate their lasting commitments to each other.  We met Nathalie in the evening for a trip up to Montmatre, a hill in Paris where artists like Picasso, Dali, Monet and Van Gogh were once working!

 

l'amour...

On our last night we went out to an über elitist Parisian nightclub where in truly chic metropolitan fashion those of us non-French-speakers were made to wait outside for over an hour in ze cold!  Inacceptable! (to be read in a thick French accent)  Needless to say after walking kilometers, standing and then dancing, this Texas girl simply couldn't make it to sunrise in cute black heels.  I tried to be glam, people, I did.  But 3 full days of museuming, touring and simultaneously looking great can really take it out of a girl.  So there I was on arguably the most famous avenue in the world with my Old Navy socks tramping along the Champs-Élysées.  Trés chic, no?

 

old roomies together again.  not pictured: georgina!

This week I'm getting serious about several projects, including the exhibition that needs to happen in less than 5 weeks, oh and organizing the 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Dinner!  Paris was absolutely lovely, a real pleasure to experience in the brisk autumn air.  I savored every moment, from reuniting with good friends and chatting over tea and buttered croissants, to witnessing some of the most important artworks in our world's history.  Not bad for a 6 euro flight, a free ride from the airport, free museum entry and staying with a good friend while her mom spoils us with tasty French and Polish food!  It's a rough life, everybody, but someone's got to do it :)

Me, Mona and Ricarda, just chillin' at the Louvre.

Weekend Warrior

You might be wondering if I'm still alive.  Or if this blog will ever be a source of your amusement again.  I think so, just not yet!  Midterms are next week and for the past 2 weekends I've holed myself up in the apartment for serious study sessions.  In fact, I'm trying to remember what fun-me is like, I have the faintest recollection...

oh yeah, something like this!

Still not sure how it's already time for midterms but somehow that happened and here I am in the midst of mental mayhem.  And we all know it wouldn't be a year in grad school for me if I didn't have my annual emotional breakdown (shall I remind us all of this particular occasion?).  This one happened I suppose 2 weeks ago.  Haven't even had time to journal about it, imagine that.  I arranged a meeting with all my professors to discuss the guidelines and expectations for my thesis, thinking it would bring me some clarity.  Well it turned into an Alice in Wonderland moment where I felt like I kept shrinking in size and the table kept getting bigger as I listened to them debate their preferences for my approach.  That lovely hour ended in me hugging a roll of toilet paper in the bathroom and wishing it were a decent hour in America so I could call my mommy.

ok fine, I did go out to dinner on Tuesday, but only because it was my roommate Lindsay's 21st birthday!

Luckily it's gotten a bit better.  I suppose I have more of a handle on things, but only after putting in solid days straight of not leaving my apartment, oh and lots of caffè lattes.  Last weekend: I was home.  One of my roommates actually made me leave the house and bought me a gelato because she was worried about me.  Ha!  This week: I was super busy.  Tuesday I had class until 5PM then an informational interview with the Exhibitions Coordinator of the Gallery of Modern Art for a project I'm writing.  I was actually quite proud of myself for conducting an hour-long interview in Italian.  For the past 4 days I've set my alarm to wake up early (even on the weekend!) so I can begin working on projects/papers/studying.  Alas, this graduate school thing is kind of intense.  Just to let you know the kind of rut I'm in: I am 3 weeks behind on How I Met Your Mother, 2 weeks behind on The Big Bang Theory, 1 week behind on Dexter, I haven't had paint on my toes or fingernails in 5 days now, my journal hasn't seen ink in 3 weeks, and let's just say my roommate had to remind me to shower yesterday.  Ahh!  I've stayed in front of my computer from 8AM to 8PM the past 3 days, taking breaks only to find essential nutrients for survival.  I think I may be getting wrinkles.  And I'm too young and cute for that.

my roomies: Fatemeh (Tehran, Iran), Lindsay (Simi Valley, CA!), Laura (Paris, France), and me (The Lone Star State)

I had 2 friends call me yesterday and tell me I was no fun this semester.  That may be true but I have a very strong sense of responsibility when it comes to my schoolwork.  I want to do my best and only my best.  One could argue that's because I come from a long line of perfectionists, but that's something I'm proud of.  Oh! And somehow this week I became an English teacher.  Thursday I had a meeting with my professor's friend who works for an Arts Foundation and we had a conversational English lesson.  I must somehow find time to work this into my schedule because it's the easiest 30 euros I've ever earned (just listening to this dude speak my language for 1.5 hours and tell them when/how he makes mistakes).  Genius!  Can we say Travel Fund?  Really though, I say this for my readership so my blog can finally have the excitement it's been lacking.  Not to worry, I already found a Ryanair flight to Paris in 2 weeks, 6 euros from Turin!  I'll be meeting my old roomies Natalie and Ricarda for a reunion à la française.  I'll really need it after these several weeks of stress.

Gelato: turning frowns upside-down since whenever those eye-talians invented it.

It's a little after 7PM on Sunday and I've finally gotten to a stopping point for now, I think that means I'll be spending the remainder of my evening watching sitcoms and continuing to crochet a beige tube scarf I started a few weeks ago.  Wish me well this week! :)

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.