Sunday

Both of these were for a study of light assignment for photography

Vatican city on a Sunday: I got lucky with this one

The Culinary Adventures of the Mystery Meat

It was one of those days. Sick, tired, a little homesick. I went to the grocery store hoping to get some beef or maybe chicken to replenish my energy. What I ended up with was a whole new story.

I paced around the meat section for a little before I discovered dinner. I didnt want to spend a lot, so I started looking at the sale section. I found a mystery meat and whipped out my dictionary. I couldnt really figure out what it was other than something involving a pig which seemed safe enough to me.

When I returned to Residence Medaglie d'Oro, I google translated the label (and may I say, Alyx opened up an amazing world for me when she suggested google translator our first week here- best translator I've used!). Turned out, I bought pork neck. So I turned to various sources including allrecipes.com which informed me that this flavorful meat was used in soup and stews.

I ended up making my first soup ever created from scratch- I simmered the meat in a pan with water, spices, and red wine for a bit then put it in our pot with even more water and seasoning and let it go for about 2 hours to create the broth. In this time I ran over to visit my favorite veggie vendor who I affectionately and creatively have named "veggie man." Veggie man has a small store across the street and about a block down from the residence which was probably the best business decision he could ever make seeing as American students tend to need somewhere to buy groceries last minute. Not only does veggie man have fruits and vegetables but he also has a small selection of pretty much anything else you would need last minute- pasta noodles, sauce, beverages, cereal, milk, eggs, snacks, and more edible treasures. He is open later than anywhere else I have found - and this includes Sundays as well- which is a relief when you approach 8:00 PM and realize you are missing an ingredient for the dinner you volunteered to make or when you plan to eat alone and find out all of your food is gone, or in this case, when you spontaneously decide to make soup from a mystery meat on a Wednesday night with no ingredients suitable for soup.

I bought some carrots, potatos and onions and returned to Medaglie where I began chopping veggies- a great experience when all you have been provided with is a dull steak knife and a bread knife and no cutting board to speak of. Anyway, long story short, I added my veggies and potatoes and realized I had told Alyx I would meet her at the school about 5 minutes from the current time.

I let my soup go for a little then turned off the burner and strolled to the Metro to go to school for Italian movie night wearing a Phillies t-shirt with a hoodie, Trojan sweatpants, and crocks with bright green socks and eating an apple while I walked. Points for being culturally acceptable: 0

When we returned from the movie, Alyx and I finally got to taste my creation. The funny thing is, just making it made the whole day feel better so imagine how great it was to finally taste it!

Can't wait for another spontaneous grocery store adventure!!

11 steps.

I'm not thrilled with the pictures I got from my first photography assignment but I liked this one (and a few others too...). This weekend, while looking at ruins and the architecture, etc. I realized something. I'm really a country-side/woods/nature kinda girl. It is my favorite thing to look at and take pictures of and appreciate. I know that's not exactly what you want to find out about yourself while you're in Rome- big city, lots of buildings, very little nature- But I know it will grow on me (and I say that with the least amount of pun humanly possible). I know I'll start to appreciate those things more as well, especially as I learn more about the city and the buildings. Until then I have my spots around the city to visit and get my fill of green.

Enjoying Tea and Wishing I understood the buses.

FYI, the bus to cavour leads you to Piazza di Cavour... Not the Cavour Metro. You would think these two are remotely close to eachother... they arent.

Sono di Allentown.

explanation of the title: other than simply the fact that i have my notecards sitting in front of me, there is a reason i chose that phrase. In italian class today my prof was going around asking everyone "di dove sei?" (where are you from?). Almost everyone in my class was from Philly which was interesting because with a few exceptions, I realized most of the people I've met are not from temple. Anyway, when she asked me, I said "sono di allentown" (I'm from allentown) at which point my prof broke out the air guitar and said "Bruce Springsteen" and i just laughed. Then i realized Bruce is from Asbury Park, NJ and thats my connection to him. Billy Joel is in fact the one who sings Allentown. It just took me a second. I didnt correct her.

Ironically, 3 people have commented on the whole Billy Joel/allentown thing since i've been here... You would think I'd get that more than I do.

As i was writing this, I thought of another story. When Alyx, Molly and I were visiting the Vatican, we stopped in this cafe/bar (they are one in the same here) for capuccino and started talking to one of the guys who works there. He asked where we were from. Molly and Alyx are both from the west coast but I told him PA. He asked if i was from Philly and I said that it was probably an hour and a half from there, but close! (at least he knew the general area i was talking about). This caused Mr. Cafe-worker to burst out into song and dance to Eye of the Tiger- incredebly out of tune. I love Italians.

Mi Piace Correre

(ok im not sure thats gramatically correct but its supposed to mean I enjoy running)

I knew it had to happen eventually. I had to give in to my inner runner. It was such a beautiful day so I packed my running clothes and shoes in my bookbag before my first class at 2. I was still feeling motivated at 3 when class let out so I threw my stuff in a locker and set out for a run. I did not determine how long i wanted to go because its been over a week since I last did any physical activity (other than walking, which i must say, i've done a lot of). From the academic building, I headed to the Villa Borghese, armed with my headphones and bright green running socks (sorry Italy, I can't be a bella figura all the time).

Villa Borghese is the only place I can think of in Rome that is suitable for running- trees, some grass, paths, and a slightly lower chance of getting hit by a car than the rest of the city. It was a really beautiful run through the gardens and beyond. I ended up going for an energizing and amazing 60 minutes (after which, i was so pumped i even did 3 minutes of planks and 1 minute of wall sits!!). It was stress relieving, beautiful, spontaneous (I really had no idea where I was going for most of the run, I mostly just picked directions to go in and returned by the same general direction), empowering, relaxing, most likely slow, but still rewarding all at the same time. I found some great hills to do repeats on once I get a few more long runs done.


I want to do a stairs workout on the Spanish Steps. Is that socially acceptable? Is it worth it even if it's not socially acceptable? I'm pretty sure the answer to that last question is yes!

Buonanotte!

Como se Dice?

If i thought i loved food before, I didnt know what i was talking about. Seriously.
Same goes for coffee.
(pictured is dinner from tonight. not sure what it was called but it included goat milk cheese and octopus [-= yummmm)
the beautiful thing about eating in Italy (aside from what my tongue finds beautiful) is the linger. Its expected. I wish all my teammates from Messiah could be here lingering with me.


Today Alyx and Molly and I visited the vatican. We didnt get to spend nearly enough time there and we all agreed we have to go back (probably multiple times) to take it all in. Seriously. You cant just do it once and be satisfied. We didnt even make it to the museums and the "cupola" (the dome).

It's so tough because as beautiful and amazing as all of this is, I can't possibly capture it with a camera. I think some days I'm going to take pictures but some days I just want to go to these places and look without a camera in my hand.

Spent the day on a walking tour led by Anita, the sketchbook professor and saw a lot of really sweet ruins, buildings, streets, etc. I had to include a typical picture of the Coliseum :-)

Again, we saw so much in such a short period of time, its hard to be able to remember it all. We were running short on time and kind of flew by a few really cool things but we have a whole semester before us- no reason not to go back a few times (especially once we have our monthly metro passes in February).

Couldnt resist taking a picture of the heart shaped foam in my capuccino!

Later that night, mario taught us about Italian cooking and cuisine and made some amazing tomato sauce with tons of spices.

Our First Dinner :-)

Alyx and I ventured out and found the market. We bought bread, spinach, bell peppers, and plum tomatoes and communicated knowing very little italian. We went to the grocery store to buy spices, cheese, and chicken (we werent brave enough to go to the butcher quite yet). We made a really tasty dinner of garlic chicken. Since we didnt have dressing for our salad we used olive oil and sauteed the bell peppers to put over the spinach to moisten the salad a bit. I think it was even more satisfying just knowing we managed to put together a meal having spent only one day in Rome!

After hours of trying to configure our computers and getting things in order, Alyx, Zach and I explored. We started at Piazza del popolo- including the Santa Maria de popolo (the church), journeyed up to the villa borguese, down the spanish steps, and back through the "trident" (3 streets stemming from the piazza del popolo). Pictured is the Piazza and my first capuccino in italy!

These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes

(anyone know that song?)


I'm sitting in the Residence right now with my two roommates who are both really cool. I'm excited to get to know them, I think we'll get along really well!

The pictures are from my first flight alone!! I took off from Maryland on Monday at 9 at which time i was served an airplane dinner of really awesome pasta, etc. Too bad I had just eaten way too many wings. I watched Julie and Julia on the plane entertainment system then listened to some Brad Paisley and Rascal Flatts. Tried to sleep around midnight (U.S. time), but found out its really difficult to sleep on a plane.

I realized flying is a lot cooler in the morning when you can see outside.




















Yes, I am that immature. I couldn't resist.

Before we arrived in London, we were served breakfast too. This was strange becuase I feel like i had just eaten 2 dinners right before that. At this point I cant really tell what meal I'm eating anymore! Julie told me to take pictures of all the little things. So this one is for her- Breakfast on the plane :-) [the smell of coffee was never more satsifying than this morning on about 2 or 3 hours of broken and interrupted sleep]

At this point, I still havent been able to grasp the fact that I'll be here for over 3 months. I've been meeting tons of people and its a little overwhealming but I know things will calm down soon as we become more comfortable with each other.

Oh! and a group of us managed to find ourway from the residence to the Temple building for the pizza dinner tonight!!! So happy we figured that one out before tomorrow!

As of now, my roommate Alyx and I are planning on getting up around 8 tomorrow and wondering around the city to find breakfast, groceries for cooking dinner this week, and possibly [hopefully] a thrift store. Meetings at 1, then the rest of the day to explore :-)

Last supper. (and probably the last hot wings i'll have in a really long time)
Below is dad's sliders (this is for brandon)

Hot wings :-)

Talk to you all when i'm in rome!!

Just this moment that I need...

It was only after I took this that I realized I should have used the landscape function on my camera....

Anyway, as you may come to realize (or probably already know) I am obsessed with the sky and taking sky pictures. This is a field I pass about 30 seconds away from my house.

Still Some Christmas Left

Loaded ?'s

Craig and I drove up to the Poconos for some Munoz madness. This was the family and friends playing our new favorite game, Loaded Questions.

We met some really cool people like Justin and Dani...

And spent some quality time with the Munoz family.

Clemmer's Rockin' New Years Eve (and new years day too)

I can't really take the credit for coming up with the idea for my "new years resolution." Jess's idea was to take at least one picture each day for the whole year. I thought this was an awesome idea but I decided to combined it with the idea I had of a "photo journal" for my trip to rome (in exactly one week, 2 hours and 45 minutes).

To start off New Years Eve, Craig drove from Erie to Coplay, PA. From there, we drove out to Souderton to spend New Years with the whole Messiah track/xc gang. Julie and I managed to control ourselves and save some of her delicious salsa dip for when everyone else got there. We had an awesome dinner, did our always- memorable white elephant gift exchange and played -and lost -an embarassing number games of 4 on a couch to the guys. And what would an XC gathering be without some progressive charades? We spent the last half hour of 2009 dancing at the AA meeting in Clemmer's church and at 12 some of the team went out for a midnight run (I decided against it becuase of the weather, peer pressure, and lack of running over the past 2 weeks). The rest of us played fish bowl which turned out to be really entertaining. We finished up the night by playing sardienes until around 3. Hiding behind the piano was our best idea ever :-)

On the morning of the first, many people made their way back home after breakfast but a group of us stayed (mostly the western PA, ohio, and MD people). Clemmer took the girls on a run through Souderton while the guys did their own run. We all agreed that we may not have been very motivated for the run without eachother and it was a great way to start off the new year. I love the feel of Souderton, especially main street, so I defintely enjoyed the run. Afterwards we all ate some lunch before heading out. The photo is the pile of shoes left at the front door after our run.