Last week was very eventful:

On Tuesday, I curated my very first gallery. So exciting! Since February, my friend Chrissy and I have been discussing the details of the event, hoping to display some the amazing works of our fellow classmates and artists. Since many of our friends take a studio art class here, we knew that they would have pieces to show off by the end of the semester. Chrissy Jones is a young artist from Nashville who I met at the beginning of our stay. As we got to know one another, we realized we shared a common interest: art. I recited to her about my aspirations to be a curator while she humbly told me about the gallery shows she’s been featured in back in Nashville. Of course impressed and curious, I suggested that I curate a show here in Florence highlighting her work as well as the works of other students. Her eyes lit up, I got the chills, and we knew we were on the same page.

All semester, Chrissy had been spreading the word in her art classes (and of course amongst our friends) that an Aperitivo Galleria event would take place on May 1st. We would hold the event in Chrissy’s apartment, as there was plenty of space in the hallway: from the front door, the hallway is wide and long, composed of right angles that create an interesting S-shaped path leading to the kitchen. Ever since the news was spread and the venue was decided, Chrissy and I would childishly giggle and boast about the Galleria. All semester we talked-up our big debut like bourgeois enthusiasts and finally, it was here. With the works submitted last week, I eagerly began to work a few hours before our beloved guests would show. The artists submitted beautiful and impressive works: watercolor, photography, sketchbooks, oil on canvas, poetry, etching, charcoal, and even embroidery. I began to place the works in a cohesive order, hanging them with tacks, masking tape, and love Remember: this was an amateur gallery, so bear with me – we do what we can! Pleased and proud, Chrissy and I strolled through the bended hallway for a first look. It was as beautiful as we had imagined. The visions and talents of our artist companions were exhibited for all to appreciate. The guests arrived and actively toured through the hallway. Never have I seen so many (young) people gathered in a hallway rather than the kitchen or the living room. They enjoyed the food, read the poetry, spoke with the artists, and paced through the once awkward hallway, turned student exhibition, learning and observing something new with each step. The turnout was incredible and it was a significant moment in my time spent here.

The following day, Wednesday, I presented to the Stony Brook students what I (with incredible help from classmates) have been working on for the entire semester: The Florence University of the Arts / Stony Brook University DVD. The project was difficult, given that I’ve had no prior movie-making experience; I’m no Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg. Nevertheless, the gathering and “premiere” was a great success! With the help of the FUA Student Activities staff, the event was set up – as yet again – an aperitivo. The absolutely delicious food was provided by student chefs from Apicius, the School of Hospitality. We rendezvous at 9:00pm in one of the school buildings near the city center. Finger foods, cheese arrangements, and cute sample-sized fare with mini forks filled the buffet tables while we mingled and snacked. By 10:00pm, the group assembled into a size-appropriate classroom where my “masterpiece” was projected; it really was like a movie (and a red carpet moment for me!). I sat nervously, awaiting how my peers would rate my work. Less than 10 seconds pass, and I become relieved with a choir of “ooo’s”, “ahh’s”, and “aww’s”. After 23 minutes, the movie ended and I was reassured of the DVD’s success by the charming hoots, hollers, and applause that rumbled behind me. I exhaled in relief followed by an inhale of pride. I love this group! And, for those of you who are reading: thank you for your faith in me and perpetual support. You made my “big night” something special and very much worth working hard for

The art gallery and DVD screening were both incredible occasions. Sharing my love for art with others through collaboration with my friend and amazing artist, was an accomplished moment. Had I not pursued Florence, I can only assume that this opportunity may have never presented itself in such full-throttle. Furthermore, Miss Southern Belle Chrissy Jones (that’s fun to say!) introduced me to a wide range of wonderful artists; not to mention the amusing camaraderie we established in the process. The Stony Brook screening was intimidating at first, however the encouragement from my peers and classmates was comforting and reassuring. Their love and confidence is something that I admire, and one I have learned from.

Through my involvement in these special events, I’ve learned things that some people may never realize in a lifetime: dreams do come true, and hard work does pay off.

Ciao for now,

Becka

Two weekends ago, I was granted the amazing opportunity to visit a vineyard in Chianti as well as learn about the historical city of Greve. I have never been to a wine tasting, and where better to begin than the Tuscan Montefioralle vineyards? Montefioralle is a family-run winery that began in 1960 when Renato Sieni took over after local priests had managed it for centuries. Renato’s children – Fernando, Alessia, and Lorenzo – are now the owners and help maintain the small family business. It was heartwarming to hear their story and know that a family can work together to maintain the integrity of a century-long tradition.

Our journey began at 10 in the morning by bus from Florence. The weather was slightly schizophrenic in the beginning, but as it has lately, the sun prevailed. The ride was about two and half hours long, but the scenery was beautiful. I’ve gotten a glimpse of the famous rolling hills that occupy the outskirts of Florence before (via Piazza Michaelangelo), but viewing them right outside my window, and driving along its serpentine (and a little nerve racking) path gave me a completely different perspective. The bus stopped in Greve, which is about a 5 minute drive from our Montefioralle vineyard destination. The Sieni family arrived in three different cars where they chauffeured us the rest of the way. After having – not so carefully – just rolled down the hills in our massive transit bus, we now would climb back up them in these Italian smart cars (seems backwards, doesn’t it?). Nevertheless we made it, and braced ourselves for an incredible vista that we may have to wait a while to see again.

The day began with a short tour of the winery where one of the sons, Fernando would explain the wine-making process while walking through the vineyard. He explained that Montefioralle is one of the smallest wineries in the Chianti region; you could actually see its frontier formed along the billowing hillsides. Fernando proceeded to take us into the cellar where there were large oak barrels, and in another room, stainless steal casks. The winery produces four different wines: Chianti Classico DOCG, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, the Montefioralle Supertuscan IGT, and Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC. He explained how each was produced, including the grape varieties used, season of harvesting, fermentation techniques, and aging periods; all varying accordingly. Because I take Wine Appreciation here in Florence, I found the details of Fernando’s wine-making lesson informative and helpful. After weeks of learning all about this meticulous operation, it helped to finally experience it in person, and proved useful as I applied it to my final lessons thereafter.

After our tour from Fernando, the group was lead to a table outside that sat under a beautiful wood support with vines intertwined and twisted through them. We were served three different vintages of the Chianti Classico DOCG: 2006, 2007, and 2008. Along with our wine tastings, we were served bread with olive oil from the vineyard, prosciutto, salami, and focaccia. While we enjoyed the scenery, weather, food and wines, the father, Renato, told us stories of the Montefioralle winery and how he became interested in wine production. Of course he spoke in Italian, so one of our school chaperones proceeded to translate for us (though I could understand what he was saying ). He walked around the table and asked where we were from, “Di dove sei?”. We had an interesting group comprised of California, Texas, New York, and even Connecticut got in there! As he walked closer to our side of the table and continued to talk about the differences between the vintages (most likely due to the weather conditions of that year), I thought it’d be interesting to test my Italian and ask him, “quale anno è il meglio?” (which year is the best). He laughed, told me I spoke Italian well, and answered, “che è come chiedere a me, quale figlio mi piace di più” (that is like asking me, which child I like best). He told me, they’re all great, but 2007 was a good year. I didn’t mean to ask him to pick a favorite child, but at least I got my answer!

After the tasting, Renato explained the history of Montefioralle and the small town of Greve. We looked over the vineyard and over toward the left of the scene, there was a small town perched at hilltop; that was Greve. Wrapped around the town, was a large wall built by boulders. Renato would later explain to us that it served as a fortification against nearby enemies. The town was also appropriately equipped with guard towers for additional defense strategies. We continued down the hill and walked toward Greve. The town was very old and very small where, “everyone knows everyone”. Everywhere were cobblestone and bricks, with small arches that we had to quickly walk under because apparently, they were unstable! He took us to the local church, which he had a key for. Turns out, Renato not only runs this great winery, but he is also the mayor! Who knew? The church was small, but very pretty. There were a lot of mosaic portraits of Esaltazione della Santa Croce, the patron saint of Greve in Chianti.

After our tour of the small town, we headed back to the winery where our generous hosts drove us back down to our bus stop. The Sieni family was extremely hospitable, and I loved every moment of our trip. The tours of the Montefioralle vineyard and town of Greve were informative and filled with history. The tastings were wonderful, and the opportunity to sip on a Chianti Classico DOCG in Chianti, overlooking a panorama of the Tuscan countryside is not something that presents itself even in a decade’s time. I feel most fortunate to have had this experience, and maybe someday I will revisit the Sieni family with my own.

Ciao for now

Becka

Two weekends ago, I went to Sicily! It was gorgeous. The entire 64-person Stony Brook University group traveled together, as it was included with our study abroad program. It was not only a great weekend outside of Florence, but an awesome time with the other people in our program. Our group is the biggest it’s been, so getting acquainted with people you may not see every day was really nice. Everyone came out of their comfort zones and cliques, and well, clicked!

We left on Thursday night and took a train to Rome at about 8:30pm. Upon arriving in Rome, we rode an overnight train to Sicily. I know, how can you take a train to something detached from the mainland? Well, what happens is that at a certain point the train arrives at a ferry dock. From there, the individual cars are disconnected and rolled onto a ferry. The ferry then docks us in Sicily and puts the train back together to continue our journey. I’ve never been on an overnight train before, so it was pretty cool. There were four students per room, though they weren’t “roomy” at all. However, you were able to walk through the different cars and visit other students. Most of us were spread throughout four separate cars, so it was fairly easy to drop in on your friends.

Our first arrival was in Taormina at around 8:30 am. The weather wasn’t completely cooperative as it down poured the entire time of our stay in that city (about four hours). Despite the weather, all I saw was beauty with every wet, water-filled-boot step I took. One of the first things we did was visit a local bakery where we each tried an authentic cannoli, a popular Sicilian pastry made with fresh ricotta cheese, wrapped in a fried dough and sprinkled with powdered sugar. As if you had any doubt about it, it was delicious! After we devoured our dolce treat, we strolled (or perhaps, briskly walked) over to a colosseum-type structure. In ruins and clearly from antiquity, this place was a gorgeous site. The once amphitheater had rugged stones atop each other and grass meticulously growing in between the cracks. I’ve never seen anything like it. Also, when you looked beyond its colossal presence, you could see the Mediterranean Sea crashing its waves on the rocks. Unreal.

After our Taormina excursion, we hopped back on the bus and headed for Cefalù. During our bus ride almost everyone feel asleep, exhausted from our overnight train and busy itinerary. As someone who could usually stay awake for anything, even I knocked out with ease. Later, I was delightfully awoken by a hot beam on my face, which was casually adhered to the window glass. I opened my eyes and saw a beautiful thing. The sun was pushing the clouds apart and finally drying my soaked clothes. I smiled to myself and knew this would be a good weekend.

We arrived in Cefalù, a gorgeous beach town flooding with history. Cefalù is located on the northern coast of Sicily and has a typical Medieval aesthetic. The narrow streets and Cathedral we visited can only prove so. Most of the time, we had free time for lunch and other touristy activities. Most of us-and eventually all 64 of us-found our way to the beach. It wasn’t bathing suit weather, but it was certainly sunny enough for us to appreciate the outdoors. As my friends and I walked along the beach to meet with the remainder of our group, I found the most beautiful object. A stick. Yes, a stick. It was a piece of drift wood that was abandoned on the beach, waiting for someone like me (obviously) to come scoop it up. It served as a sufficient walking staff for the rest of the trip and I fully intend to bring it back to New York with me

We arrived at our hotel in Cefalù, and boy were we impressed! The accommodations were dreamy. Each room was appropriately equipped with a canopy as well as a balcony that overlooked the Sicilian coast. After appreciating our designated rooms, a few of the students decided to run into the sea. Trusting my intuition of the water being too cold, I opted to enjoy the less-nippy outdoor pool. When the group scurried over to the pool, wrapping their arms around them like a blanket, I couldn’t help but tell them, “told ya so”. After playing a few rounds of Marco-Polo and swim relays, we returned to our room to get dolled up for our group dinner; another pleasant surprise. The dinner at the hotel consisted of four courses of deliciousness! The entire group filled about seven tables and continued to mingle with each other through out the meal. After, we stayed at the hotel and socialized on the outdoor terrace that also overlooked the beach. It was beautiful. The night sky was a velvet black with more stars than I’ve ever seen in my life. It was a wonderful moment to bask in, especially with the good company of friends.

The next morning, we regrouped and departed for the beach of Mondello for a few hours. While in Mondello, we were able to grab a bite to eat. Since Mondello is historically a fisherman’s village, the seafood was fresh and readily available everywhere. Our small group of four stumbled upon a small shack near the beach and enjoyed a delicious marine meal. I ordered the fried calamari and it was SO good! After our lunch, we proceeded to the beach where we would find the rest of our large group, sitting in the sand and soaking in the sun. After some time, we decided to entertain ourselves with an old childhood favorite: Steal the Bacon. I think everyone quickly learned that running on sand is extremely challenging and unforgiving. It was very amusing to see everyone dive at each other and fail miserably when the face planted into the sand. When my number was called, I ran up to the ‘bacon’ and saw that my opponent was the biggest guy in the group. Intimidated and standing at an unimpressive 5’1, I looked up at the giant before me. I got nervous, panicked, and eventually screeched and giggled as he took the bacon and returned to his side. I was so caught up in my hysterics, I was physically unable to persue him. It was very funny; and maybe a little embarrassing! After recess, we boarded the bus and head to our second hotel in Palermo where we had free time for the rest of the night.

The next morning, we were guided on a tour of Palermo, which was to my surprise much more urban than the prior two cities. Because Palermo has historically been conquered by different empires in past centuries, it has a decent mix of cultures. Due to this exchange, Palermo remains a center where these cultures continue to collide. Though it has a significant amount of brick and concrete buildings, Palermo’s plant life is impressive. Everywhere were palm trees, lemon trees, and orange trees. Our tour of Palermo covered the Cattedrale, Palazzo dei Normanni, Cappella Palatina, Teatro Massimo, and Quattro Canti. We even attended the end of a mass at the Cattedrale. It was pretty cool to hear a mass in Italian. After our tour, we again had free time for lunch. Most people bought arancini, which is a typical Sicilian fried rice ball filled with a meat sauce, tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. I didn’t try it, but by the sounds of everyone’s satisfied “mmm”’s and “wow”’s, as they devoured their, as I call it: Italian Hot Pocket, it was good.

After galavanting Palermo, we met back at the bus and headed to the train station for our overnight train to Rome. We arrived back in Florence at around 9AM where I embarked on a long walk home. With my walking stick in hand, I dragged my rolling suitcase across the cobblestone and endured every single bump; a wobbly and noisy activity. However, it felt good to be back in Florence as I reflected on the great weekend I had just had. I arrived home and immediately went to bed until my 3PM class. It was a long, exhausting weekend, but so much fun. It was great to be with everyone in the group and get to see new faces. The administration did a wonderful job with the travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, informed tours, and overall fun and varied itinerary. They were the best! Sicily was a gorgeous region; warm beaches, mixed history, and of course, finger-licking canoli.

Ciao for now

Becka

PHOTO CREDIT: STONY BROOK STUDENTS

Ciao tutti!

I know Easter was a while ago, however I needed some time to gather all my thoughts (not to mention, this past weekend I went to Sicily…blog about that coming soon!). Spending Easter in Florence was very entertaining for me. During the entire week prior to the holiday there were a lot of tourists, however it was nice to see and hear people from neighboring European countries. Once Easter came around, I knew why they all wanted to be in Florence: Scoppio del Carro, or “explosion of the cart”, certo! I found out very soon what all the rage was about.

The Scoppio del Carro tradition consists of white oxen dragging an ornamented and decorated cart through Florence until it reaches the Basilica di Santa Maria Flore; or what I usually refer to as the “Duomo”. A mass takes place in the cathedral, and after, the priest releases a rocket that looks like a dove. The dove, which is attached to a zip-line kind of device, then sets the carriage on fire, igniting fireworks and firecrackers into the sky and general piazza area. This procedure happens several times throughout the exhibition. When I had woke up that morning it was pouring, but I soon learned that the weather would not affect the success of this important tradition. Locked and loaded with only a hood, I headed for the Duomo. I arrived as soon as the ignitions were commencing As I walked closer toward my destination, I realized I would not be getting very close to the performance; the crowd massive! There was no chance of me, all of five feet tall, getting around to the front to see the flames and sparks. As I walked almost blindly toward the cathedral (due to the massive amounts of thick smoke), I could catch glimpses of people on their balconies and terraces, all with smiling faces in an ovation. Everyone had their cameras and phones out, ready to snap pictures of the extravaganza di Pasqua. The noises were loud and mighty; from the booms of the explosives, the crowd’s raging roar, and the stuttering cracks of what sounded like machine guns, it was a startling spectacle and an awesome tradition to witness.

When the crowd began to clear out, I headed for my friend’s apartment to join in an Easter aperitivo. Aperitivo is very common in Italy; a custom I quickly learned upon arrival. Think: appetizer; it’s the food and drink you “prepare your stomach for” (as my wine appreciation teacher would say) before actually having your meal and your drink. It’s very popular and hosted by most restaurants in Florence. So, for Easter Sunday, my friends and I thought it’d be appropriate to keep the Italian tradition, especially after that parade of fire, and host a pot-luck aperi-Pasqua. When I arrived to their apartment, us ladies went to work! Baking, chopping, mixing, boiling…our guests were lucky! I made two baguettes of garlic bread; my specialty. The other girls made grilled eggplant and zucchini, and a bean salad. Delizioso!

Spending this holiday in Florence was a great experience. Being able to witness the Scoppio del Carro was amazing, and of course I missed my family and our traditions, however spending time with my Florentine Family made me feel right at home.

Ciao for now,

Becka

Since the weather has been so cooperative for the past few weeks, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to get out there and bask! One of the best places to go in Florence and wallow in the Tuscan sun is Palazzo Pitti. This vast, concrete square is all the rage among natives and foreigners alike. Since my first time there two weeks ago, I was hooked. Dubbed as “The Urban Beach”, Palazzo Pitti is the place to go if you want to kick back and veg-out with good company. There’s always a good crowd of people there, and no one minds the fact that we are all blatantly lying down on solid asphalt. Sure, little jagged rocks don’t exactly fall under the “Things a Beach Must Have” category, but this was an exception. The Pitti Palace, built by huge stone bricks, sits at the top of a slope and towers over the palazzo. The structure is already ridiculously intimidating in size, so whoever (Brunelleschi) decided to put it at the top of an inclination, was genius.

There was also a market that was open by my apartment for a week, so my roommate and I decided to check it out. There were so many things to eat! There were stands for cheese, breads, pastries, meats, and even candy. Everything smelled so good! Even though we were outside, the scents were still so potent. My roommate couldn’t resist, so she decided to get an arancini. Arancini is a fried rice ball filled with a meat sauce. According to her, it was to die for!

I’ve also been able to frequent the Jazz Club. It’s a small, local underground membership club where they play live jazz music. Each night is a different theme-jazz, jam sessions, or blues-and usually have different artists. It’s a one-time payment of 5 euro and your membership is good for a year. Last week I went with the music club from school. The band consisted of a drummer, a bassist and saxophonist. Because the venue is so small, the sounds bounced off the walls and filled the room with cool music. As the night went on, two people hopped on stage and accompanied the band with piano and bass saxophone. I went again this week and this time, there was a singer. She was great! One of my friends actually went on stage and sang “Ride Sally, Ride”. It didn’t take long until the rest of our group to show our support and dance. The Jazz Club has a great environment, and obviously very friendly and welcoming. We all had a blast and can’t wait to go back!

Ciao for now,

Becka

The past weeks have been quite busy. Last week I had midterms and this week is my spring break; a much needed break I might add. While my fellow students are spending this week traveling to Budapest and Barcelona, skiing in the Swiss Alps, backpacking to Amsterdam and Berlin, or snapping shots of the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben, I decided to stay in Florence. There’s still so much to see and do here, and now was the perfect time to do so.

I’ve been able to walk around a lot. Unfortunately, my camera’s battery wasn’t working last week and this past weekend, so there aren’t as many pictures as I’d like there to be. However, I got a new battery the other day, so we’re back in business! Last week, a few of us went to the Boboli Gardens and had a picnic. Located across the bridge and up a steeply inclined street (which I did not think I would make it to the top!), Boboli Gardens had an amazing view. Being able to see the entire Florence skyline made the hike well worth it. We sat in the grass, ate cheese and crackers, and chatted about everything. What can I say? Put a few girls on a blanket outside, sharing stories over food, it’s a setup for a good time

Another day, I took a walk to the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria. It was a gorgeous day and I couldn’t stay in the apartment any longer. I went to the Duomo steps, sat down and watched all the vendors try to sell their paintings, toy planes, and roses to the tourists. One vendor in particular was doing hair wraps. He asked me if I wanted one, but I told him I’d rather watch. A group of young people from Rome came over and three girls got their hair wrapped. They chose their three favorite colors, and he went to work. He worked so quickly! I blinked and he was done. By the end of all of it, the vendor ended up making me a bracelet-for free! After I was given my gift, I said adieu and made my way over to Piazza della Signoria. On the way there I saw a man dressed as a  statue, an adorable Saint Bernard dog, and a market in another piazza not far from my destination. Arriving at Piazza della Signoria, there are a lot of statues; mostly reproductions. This is where the reproduction of the Statue of David is, too.

The weather here lately has been gorgeous. I feel very spoiled because rarely is it cloudy or rainy. If it is, it lasts no longer than an hour and the sun pops back out again. Taking advantage of this, my roommate and I decided to venture out this past Sunday. We decided we would hop on a tram that takes us further down the river where we can lay out and enjoy the weather. Before going, we thought it’d be nice to get a little taste of home. Literally. There’s an American diner not too far from where we live, where they serve the American staples. Fries included . It’s not as good as at home, but it certainly  was satisfying. Especially since we haven’t eaten American food in two months. I ordered a caesar salad (which, surprisingly I can never find around here), and my roommate Rachel ordered a breakfast sandwich, skipping the bacon. I couldn’t resist, so I also got a side of fries .

After breakfast, we continued down to the Maria Santa Novella train station where we would hop on a tram. The ride didn’t take long, and we soon arrived at a park. I stepped off and was pleased to see more grass! We found a spot to claim some real estate, laid down and opened our books. We played some music with Rachel’s ipod and before we knew it, we were knocked out! I woke up just as it started getting a little chilly; about 2 hours later. What a great way to take a nap! We headed back toward the tram and were in the comfort of our own home within a half hour.

It’s been a great break so far, and I still have the weekend to see more things. Tonight I’m going to a dance performance at a nearby theatre, and who knows what the weekend will bring. I’m going to try and go to Piazza Michaelangelo, though. I hear it’s higher up than Boboli Gardens, and has even a better view! I will continue to keep posting in the coming weeks. In the mean time, excuse me while I get ready for the theatre!

Ciao for now,

Becka