barcelona, madrid and london. perfection.

I will warn you in advance that this is going to be both a long and rambling blog as well as one that isn't all that detailed because I would be writing for ages if I explained each day of vacation, not to mention that I can't even begin to remember it all!!! 


On Wednesday, March 31st, Breana and I left for Barcelona (along with a slew of other Smithies from our program so we all went together, it was quite the party!). We sipped some prosecco on the train, checked our bags and then proceeded to wait for a few hours since, obviously, RyanAir was running late. How surprising. By the time we go to the airport outside Barcelona, bussed into the city, grabbed a cab to our hotel/hostel/apartment and paid the balance and settled, it was almost 2am. Quite the travels! 

Some highlights from Barcelona..... Gaudi! Gaudi and his architecture and designs - so incredible!!! My favorite part of Barcelona was definitely Park Guell, high up on a hill, tons of little details that you could never get tired of seeing. Houses that look as though they were made of gingerbread, bright tiles, mosaics, quirky archways and benches, a lizard, and so on and so forth. 


Other than the park, I was pretty impressed by the Sagrada Familia... how something so incredible and interesting and unique could remain unfinished for soooo long is mind-blowing! Gaudi must be so bummed!!!! I also loved the little market right by our apartment where they sold fresh squeezed juice 2 for 1 euro! (Keep in mind that if you go right around closing you can have 4 for 1 euro!!!) 

Another great thing about Barcelona (and maybe Spain in general) are the fabulous parks! In Barcelona there is this amazing park called Parc de la Ciutadella. There is a huge expanse of grass and trees, a zoo, a pond with boats, a huge greenhouse, a castle and the Catalan Parliament! 

While we were in Barcelona, Alex and her friend Kaltra came down from London to meet us. We wandered and shopped and went on this amazing (and free!!) walking tour of the city with an adorable Australian man named Sean. I bought fabulous floral comfy cotton flowing pants (a necessity, I swear!) We encountered a little Easter procession complete with Mother Mary holding Jesus and a little priest who hopped up on the float to place Mary's crown on her head.

Throughout the trip we ate lots of tapas and little snacks, some Cheetoes and Pringles, and some flautas (little baguettes with cheese or meat or whatever you like on them). We learned that most of the paella in Barcelona (and Madrid and most parts of tourist Spain) is not even real. Its from a company that makes it and sends it to all the restaurants and its not at all like REAL paella. Therefore I never had any!! Alex and Kaltra tried some at this really amazing restaurant we all went to and it was pretty good. I had this great heap of seafood cooked in a cast iron pot with white wine and garlic. It was DELICIOUS!! One night we tried to go out but we just aren't Spanish enough and come 1:30am when it was still dead, we couldn't really last much longer! We did acquire a bizarre number of flyers for one (completely empty) club called BLVD. We ended up at some other place whose name I can't remember but it was kinda cute - white palm trees and pineapples inside, free entry, and a cute man who we assumed was Spanish but obviously he turned out to be... Italian! How surprising!! 

In a nutshell, that is a little summary of mine and Breana's trip to Barcelona!! Sunday morning we woke up at 5:30 (when people were just leaving BLVD and Panam's Showgirls across the street was just closing....) and hopped in cab to the airport so we could fly over to Madrid!

Madrid was amazing..... I loved everything about it! White buildings, stone buildings, a gorgeous cathedral, yummy food (not that we had anything truly Spanish, oops!), amazing hosts (we stayed with Breana's family friends, Samantha and her Spanish husband Juan - they were the BEST!!), gorgeous weather, a great day trip and incredible museums! When we got there Sunday morning, Samantha and Juan took us all around the city, showing us everything important. We grabbed some tea and then went out to lunch with them. Then we went to anotherrrr amazing park! It was huge!! With fountains and a really big pond and swans and a crystal palace with trees inside! That night, after napping for awhile, we went out for Chinese food and I have to say.... it was the best Chinese food I have ever eaten!!! And we were the only non-Chinese people in the entire restaurant.... it was very busy too.... 

The next day we walked all over the city again and went to the Reina Sofia museum. I loved it! I am often not a hugeee museum person, and I am rarely a contemporary art person but for some reason there was just something about the Reina Sofia that really hit me!! And luckily my best friend is very well-versed in art and could tell me all the important things about Picasso and such! And we met a nice man (whose wife went to Smith, of course!!) and he asked us to take pictures of this one exhibit and mail them to him because he is the president of this place that is working to digitalize art from museums. We have his business card - you never know, he could be a useful resource in the future!! 

On Tuesday we took a little day trip to Toledo, a cute little city which actually wasn't nearly so little as I had expected. A lot of the museums and things were closed for restoration but we spent the day walking around in the sun, looking ar various things that we stumbled upon. We went in the GIGANTIC cathedral, tried some famous (and delicious!!) marzipan, hunted for synagogues, threw our trash in the bushes after lunch because the waiter told us to and then took a huge outdoor escalator back down the hill to the train station. Overall, it was a success!! 

Wednesday we went shopping with Samantha although we didn't buy anything because her taste, although extremely cute and just what we liked, was a little pricey. It was nice to stroll around the little shopping areas that she loves though! Then we headed to lunch and as we were munching our salads, we cracked a joke about this woman wearing shorts and heels leaning against a tree because she looked like a prostitute. Turns out it wasn't really a joke.... we counted 16 in total... in broad daylight. On a very populated street.... standing by the metro, against trees and lamp posts, in doorways... everywhere.... it was shocking!!! We then went to the Prado museum to see a few amazing works that Breana had really wanted to see by Bosch (again, very impressed, I loved them! If I learned one thing this year in Italy its how to appreciate and enjoy art!) That night, Samantha and Juan took us out to this fantastic Mexican restaurant with Juan's sister and her husband and one of Samantha's friends. It was so much fun! We ate amazing food, drank the BEST (the ABSOLUTE BEST) margarita I have ever tasted, and then wandered around and sipped a beer with them after.

The next morning (after loosing my passport in my backpack for a little while... oops...) we headed back to the airport and headed home to Pisa. From Pisa, I headed to visit Alex in London and Breana headed back to Florence. I met Victoria at the airport and we flew off to the UK together.

I then proceeded to have a fabulous weekend with my bestie!! Thursday night we ate some hummus and bread in her kitchen and took the tube to a cute little place called Dirty Martini where she had a delicious Indian martini and I had a not so delish Cherry Blossom one.... The next day she had to work in the morning so I slept in and relaxed a bit. When she got home, we turned right back around and went to her favorite cafe for lunch and then went to Camden Markets. It was so cute!!! I apparently missed all the amazing parts of London when I went 5 years ago!! We strolled in and out of stalls for a few hours, sampled some amazing Chinese food and then ate some more laterrr (why did I have so much Chinese food over vacation?? Maybe I should go to China....) and then I finally bought a cute little dress for Isadora's bridal shower. That night, after I learned the wonders of Sainsbury's and their beer and cider aisle, we went out with Alex's roomie, Kaltra. We were going to go to a place called Strawberry Moon but when we got off the tube we were bombarded by promotors (a weird concept.... these men work for all the different clubs and get commissions or something so they just try to get you to go to all different places and cut you deals) and we decided to let them convince us of a different place called Pep-C (we only agreed because they promised to give us our money back if we didn't like it, but then the guy gave me his iPod and told me to hold on to it until we decided and if he didn't give our money back, we could keep the iPod... we decided they were at least somewhat legit). It turned out to be a very cute little club! It was much more diverse than anyyyy club here in Italy and although pretty tiny, it was relatively full! I thought it was pretty enjoyable! 

Saturday morning Alex and I went out to breakfast at an AMAZING little place she had been wanting to go. It was in Chelsea and so adorable, and on our way there we passed all these gorgeous houses and flowers and trees covered in blossoms and cute little churches with parks. I think I might be in love with London! I had no idea! I can't see myself living long-term in Italy but I could easily see myself in London! It's so great! And there are kids and parks and everything everywhere - much more family-friendly than Florence, that's for sure!! We had yummy lunch (nachos and a turkey burger) at a little placed called Giraffe and then shopped our bums off. I bought, among other things, two really fantastic dresses for my 21st birthday (okay, okay, I know its still 2 months away but I like to plan ahead!!). We went to Whittard tea which was my favorite part of my trip to London 5 years ago, but they must have closed to top floor or moved or something because when I went before, you could make your own loose tea blends and now you can't! It was a little disappointing!! Saturday night we were going to grab fish and chips and strawberry beer at Alex's favorite little pub but they had stopped serving by the time we got there. We settled for (SCRUMPTIOUS!!) strawberry beer and then got some falafel and chicken curry to bring home. Yet another successful day!! 

Sunday morning I hopped on the tube, grabbed the bus to the Stansted airport and parted for Florence. I had a FABULOUS vacation, but walking into my host family's house was very welcoming! They were so happy to see me and hear about vacation and I was very excited to hear about their trip to Egypt (it wasn't all that special.... hmm... haha, high expectations I suppose!!). 

At this point I am still recovering a little from my lovely 11 day break, hence the delay in the blogging! But I am getting back into the swing of things, writing papers, then other projects and exams.... its insane that 5 weeks from now I will be home... but we don't need to think about that just yet!!! I am just going to continue to bask in the happiness that was vacation and go one day at a time!! 

Baci e abbracci a tutti!! I miss you all!!!! 

Barcelona pics: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=413959&id=500755531&l=51c1480892

Madrid pics: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=413998&id=500755531&l=0e2d5d240c

London pics: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=414001&id=500755531&l=d1078173f4

lovin' the host mamma

really.... love her. a lot. its going to kill me when i have to leave. its like having an aunt or a big sister! 


this afternoon we made bomboloni (like really amazing homemade donuts) together. she fried and i sugared. then we had some people over to eat them and we chatted with them and played with the guest dog.


then she complained to me about the twins and how she needs to scappare (escape). all night she was on them about how they always say, "no, mamma, i'll do it later, no later! one minute!! wait! hang on! in a little bit!!" especially when it comes to preparing their zaini (backpacks). lord only knows why its such a pain to pack a backpack..... i think i must be missing something!! 


just now after i swept the floor and scrubbed all the sugar off the counter, i explained that i should go upstairs to finish some homework, to which she said, "oh yes me too, i'm following you and getting away from these little boys!" as she was walking up the stairs she yelled to them, "ragazzi!!! gli zaini!!" to which i said, "un attimo!!!" (one minute!) and then she said, "aspetta!" (wait!) and then i finished, "DOPO!!!" (after!!!). then we cracked up and went our separate ways to relax and read and do some work.


it feels good to be here.


i am making penne with vodka sauce this week! but shhhh, don't tell the boys! the vodka part is a secret or else they won't eat it!!! 




xo

un giorno worth a blog

today was my first full day off without any commitments, assignments, classes, appointments, or any other kind of require thing. it was grand.

9am. wake up (unfortunately to an alarm but it was soooo very worth it)


10.30am. head over to the stazione leopolda to meet claire and breana to go to a trunk show of sorts, all different italian vintage stores showin' off their goods.


11.00am. find a chandelier that i absolutely must have in my future apartment..... 3,000 euros....


11.20am. explore all sorts of wonderful vintage things including crazy sunglasses, gorgeous felt things, bright patterned dresses and funky homemade pins (i bought two as presents.... you better hope its for you!)

1pm. wander over toward santa maria novella with miss breana to find some lunch. 


1.30pm. munch said lunch in the freezing, brisk air of the piazza, sho-ing (how do you say that?) away the vile pidgeons.


2.30pm. hop on bus 17 toward home.


3pm. sip some tea and share a delicious italian donut-thing with silvia.


3.15pm. tidy room, change sheets, refold clothes in closet. get nice and comfy on bed, wrapped in blue snuggie.


3.30pm. commence afternoon of doing anything i want on the computer EXCEPT opening word to write or wordreference.com to look up words in english. talk with bestie from home, bestie from here, boyfriend, mamma and padre. think about spring break in barcelona, and other various little trips. order valentine's present for parents and have it shipped home. desperately try to think of boyfriend presents for 4th valentine's day.... still stuck on that one.


8.00pm. re-emerge from room for dinner. eat DELICIOUS fried schiacciata aka amazing dough fried into puffy little disks which are then cut in half and stuffed with prosciutto and various amazing cheeses. also broccoli and romanesco and cauliflower. and a kiwi. and some red wine. and a delicious almond cookie that i bought the other day.

9.00pm watch tv with enrico.... aka watch 20 minutes of soccer games and another 30 of grease. in italian. just me and him. it was fantastic.


10.00pm. return to the beloved bed and computer to settle in for a nice evening. load on episode of one tree hill, talk to boyfriend and bestie in florence while munching some chocolate with almonds and raisins.


11:20pm. after much distraction (what else is new....) get in pajamas after very merrily having decided to go on a science museum crawl with breana tomorrow. followed by a literary aperitivo with some other girls and giovanna. a nerdy day, indeed! how i cannot wait!


11.40pm. finish the list of muse-see museums for this semester including not only anthropology and archaeology museums but a carriage museum (by appointment only), the old pharmacy at santa maria novella, the porcelain museum, the synagogue, and the photography museum. it's on, florence, you just wait. 

11.44pm. find out from bestie that tomorrow is national lady gaga day... that must mean i need to find an outrageous outfit and tie my hair into a big bow.


11.45pm. finish blog, snuggle deeper into bed, and watch one tree hill. then fall asleep dreaming about valentine's gifts, museums and travelling.... 




it's going to be a grand semester.




bacione! 


11.54pm. find out that boyfriend is driving home to freshly-snowed-on vermont and even worse, he is stopping for buffalo wings in northampton on the way.... i miss you all... vermont, northampton, wings.... boyfriend.... too bad italy is divine! <3 

happy december 6th!

I know December 6th isn't really anything too special but it does mean that Christmas is in 18 days and I will be home in about 12! So therefore I would say it deems a special announcement.


This morning I woke up and headed downstairs for breakfast, only to find everyone just about ready to re-commence the decorating. I ran upstairs and grabbed my colored paper and proceeded to make three big 3D snowflakes and a long paper chain. The boys made me help hang ornaments on the tree, and then Silvia gave me a little blue ornament as a little gift to take home.


Anyway, the house is gorgeous, and full of lights and pretty little decorations and Christmas tunes!! It's great! And it snowed in Vermont and Massachusetts last night! Finally! Christmas is definitely on the way!

happier than any clam i've ever known

Which isn't many, mind you, but I think it is safe to say that I am very, very, very jolly.


This morning I woke up to the sound of two little Italian boys singing Christmas songs in English. It was rather delightful. Then I heard two little knocks on my door. The boys were wondering if they could please show me a little present. As I followed them over to a gorgeous nativity scene that they had just set up with Silvia. There is even a little well with real running, bubbling water! 

When I walked downstairs for breakfast, I was pleasantly surprised to see the entire living room covered in boxes of Christmas decorations AND a very lovely fake Christmas tree!! There was much bustling around as Lorenzo dug for ornaments and ran to Silvia asking where they should go and Filippo changed the Christmas songs every 4 seconds. It was very jolly! 


After eating and enjoying the holiday bustle, I left to meet Breana and walk to the market at San Lorenzo to do some Christmas shopping. We found many lovely things, and we ever bartered and got beautiful little leather bags!! 


From San Lorenzo, we wandered to Santa Croce where there was a mercatino, a little German Christmas market. We met our Italian friend Laura, Claire, Chrysanthe and Victoria and strolled for a few hours. I bought a few cute things, including some Christmas baby clothes pins for Silvia because she loves little clothes pins to close bags, and then two keychains for the boys - a santa and a snowman with the eyeballs that pop out. We tried the hot wine, and it tasted just like light, delicious hot mulled cider! Breana and I also ate a huge salted pretzel and the best freshly-made cotton candy (pure white) that I have ever tasted in my life!


Side note: let's discuss how beautiful the lights in this city are!! 

When I got home, I brought the little presents to the boys and they absolutely LOVED them. Silvia said, okay a kiss for Sera! Filippo promptly came over and stuck his head in my direction so I could kiss it. So I did! Silvia cracked up and said, alright, or she can kiss you! Lorenzo then followed suit and let me kiss his head as well - our first moment of sibling affection! 


Dinner was delicious tonight! We had fondue but with meat (fondue bourguignon?) in olive oil. We had pork, chicken, and of course, hot dogs! And Silvia's incredible roasted potatoes (I should mention that the toaster oven that she makes the potatoes in is located inside the pantry because it is not pretty nor as modern and fancy as the rest of the things in the kitchen... aka we often cook in the pantry....). For dessert we had castagnaccio which is a torte-type thing made with chestnut flour. The first few times I had it, I didn't like it all that much because it has a funny texture and not much flavor but tonight it was delicious! 


I spent a few hours after dinner watching TV with everyone, snuggled under blankets in the living room with the semi-decorated Christmas tree. We watched a series of bizarre Italian shows including one called "Chi ha incastrato Peter Pan?" which is somewhat like the American "Kids Say the Darndest Things" except there is also a huge emphasis on the hosts of the show, two or three middle-aged men who talk with the kids and do their own little skits and challenges. Its funny how they don't realize that it's odd to discuss your testicles in detail on public television..... in front of 4-year-olds... This country is very interesting....


Anyway! Off to sleep I go! Wishing for snow in Vermont!!


Bacione! 

newest addiction

holiday warm fuzzies: ben & jerry's, christmas carols, la fiorentina...

My host padre just left the house wearing a LIME green hat. Adorable. And I just helped Lorenzo study Spanish. Probably even more adorable. 


I have no real point for this blog.... only to share some holiday cheer with everyone. I always become a big mush during the holiday season.... I am never stressed and always happy. It helps that I love making lists so I obsessively think about Christmas presents and what things I want to do during the holiday season...... I love it all. So far I am thinking that when I return home, I must do the following things:


Christmas shop on Church Street
have a Christmas party with my girlies
hang out with my pals from work this summer
snuggle with the boyfriend
watch lots of TV with my mamma
play in the snow [please let there be snow soon.... just not when my flight comes in!]
work... somehow.... somewhere..... ideas?
bake cookies
make beer with my dad
celebrate New Year's with the entire family [aka Isadora's family]
sleep. a lot. 
read for pleasure....
eat breakfast at the Wayside!
go to the movies
get a crepe at the Skinny Pancake 
hang out with Chad and Georgeee
relax.
and unfortunately..... write two 8-10 page papers and two 4-5 page papers..... what? 


Smith really knows how to make sure we still have plenty of work overseas.... Although I am decently sure that it is just the Florence program that is this intense.... That being said.... I am feeling very good about it all.... it feels good to be working this hard in a foreign language and be surviving somewhat reasonably. Next semester is going to be much better though! I will be taking one class at the University of Firenze, therefore I will have minimum work throughout the semester but one big oral exam in front of the entire class at the end..... Then I am hopefully taking a translation corse taught by Giovanna if I am selected after doing a little translation test.... Then a Modern Art History course which will have the most work, like Art History this semester, then finally, a History of Cinema class where there are mostly likely no papers, just some tests. Doesn't seem nearly so bad after all the work I've done this year! And! This semester ends roughly January 26th. We have about one week free, and then one February 2nd or so, we leave for Sicily for a week! And then second semester starts. It will be the perfect long vacation to re-adjust to Florence and get over being homesick! I can't wait! 


Big plans this weekend. Friday I am going to go to the Galleria Palatina to see the work by Rafaello that I need to write my art history paper about, and then Breana and I are going to the art history library of the University of Fireze to start our research. Friday night we will probably do something grand. Saturday day we are getting the whole crew together to go to the German Christmas market at Santa Croce, and Sunday I think we are going to go to a Fiorentina game! 


Anyway, I must be off to read some of my Italian book for Literature - Io Non Ho Paura - I Am Not Afraid. One of my future 8-10 pages papers. Woohoo! 


Wish me luck!
Baci a tutti!!!


P.S. Perhaps I should mention the other two things that I listed in the title.... First of all, Christmas carols. Love them. Need more. Enough said. Yesterday Giovanna found the little fake Christmas tree for the sede and Breana and I decorated it while listening to the Christmas songs on my iPod. We also started making snowflakes and paper chains..... Sigh. So great! Secondly, and way more importantly, there is now a BEN & JERRYS IN FLORENCE! Literally across from the Duomo. I teared up a little when I discovered it yesterday afternoon. I now get to walk by it twice a day! I might have to go this weekend..... It's like Florence knew I was missing Vermont so it brought Vermont to me!! Thanks, Florence! 

10 things that occur around the holiday season in florence that make life worth living

1. Family Gatherings.
Last night my family got together with Victoria and Chrysanthe's family because my mamma is their father's sister, aka our little sibs are cousins. Yesterday was the nonna's birthday and she came with her sister and her husband. All in all, there were 14 people at my house, eating pizza, drinking Coca Cola and beer and laughing and chatting. I sneakily tried to take some family photos and then just decided to make everyone pose! It was a night full of laughter and sweet grandmotherly moments and love. And pizza covered in sliced hot dogs. It was perfect. 

2. Beautiful Lights. 
I know I have previously mentioned this and I also promised photos, but I haven't actually seen the beautiful lights lit up yet.... well I saw them at 2pm yesterday but I don't think that has quite the same effect as seeing them at night..... Tomorrow I will take pictures! I promise! 




3. Wandering at night.
I love this city at night. During the day.... not so much, but at night, definitely. I love walking home after class in the dusk to dark period, watching parents picking up their children, wandering past the bus stops and enjoying the general happy bustle that exists after the work-day has ended. I also love having that extra 30 minutes of leisurely strolling (well, I power-walk like there's no tomorrow but still....) to think in Italian and enjoy all the Italian-ness that surrounds me.... It's very relaxing and rejuvenating.... 


4. Decorations.
Storefronts, lights, windows.... all been said before, but I still really love it! 




5. Thanksgiving Dinner with Giovanna.
Thursday night. With all 20 girls and our professors. Turkey and gravy, stuffing, salads, corn, squash, pumpkin carpaccio, cranberry sauce, corn bread, pecan pie, apple pie and pumpkin pie.... Mmmm.... Just like home! 




6. Thanksgiving Dinner with the Host Fam 
It has been decided. Sunday night I will be cooking my family's version of stuffing and some cranberry sauce along with some molasses cookies perhaps.... Silvia is getting some kind of turkey or chicken, and we are good to go! The boys probably won't like the cranberry sauce and we'll see about Silvia and Enrico! Wish me luck! 




7. Helping Older Women Cross the Street
I was walking home tonight (enjoying the peaceful darkness, of course) and as I approached a sidewalk, this most adorable older woman reached out and asked me if I would be so kind as to walk her across the street because she was scared of falling. I took her hand and we walked across very, very carefully and very slowly, all the while she was telling me how nice it was to have someone help her. Then she squeezed my hand and said, "Buona sera, signorina!" My hand was glowing with warm, fuzzy feelings for at least 10 minutes, especially because I had just come from....




8. Sitting in with a Group of Grandmothers who Pray Together Every Day. 
After my audited class at the University of Florence (Methodologies of Contemporary Art History.... very, very, very boring...), I decided to spend some time in one of my two favorite churches (that I know of so far, that is!). When I entered, there were hardly any people other than one man who was seemingly very frustrated because the priest was late for confessionals and another man who works at the church and was restocking all the candles available to light. I walked through the church looking at all the small chapels until I found one that for some reason gave me the goosebumps. There was a beautiful fresco unlike all the others. Many were dark and depicted Jesus' sacrifice or other sad Biblical stories. This one instead was the Madonna surrounded by Saints, looking up at the heavens. It was so brightly colored and there were such relaxed, content expressions on each face, that I was immediately struck by its beauty. I lit three candles at this chapel - one each for my grandparents and my uncle. It was a rare moment of strong faith which continued to get stronger as I walked behind the sacristy (completely unlit with only a few candles flickering in the eerie silence) and I realized that I heard prayers. When I walked back out past the altar, I found a group of about seven woman, all much older, praying together. I went and sat down across from them and listened with my eyes closed for about 10 minutes, although they continued easily for another 10 or 15. It was pretty incredible.... and not something I often desire, but it felt good today to be part of a group of people so full of faith....




9. Orchestral Concerts.
Last night I decided I wanted to go to an orchestral concert. It is Christmas and Christmas means music which reminded me how much I miss my viola and orchestra and classical music. Within five minutes of deciding this, I had already found one this Saturday at the Teatro Verdi in Florence. I know have a ticket and I cannot wait!! http://www.teatroverdionline.it/




10. Being Happy.
Although I have now been sick for 30 days, I am extremely happy. I am settled, I am bonding with my host family, I am less stressed, things are going well at school, the boyfriend is just lovely and it is almost Christmas! Although I am pretty excited for Thanksgiving as well! This weekend between going out with the gang and taking myself out for a night, I will just be working, commencing some Christmas shopping and cooking! Sounds like a perfect weekend to me! 


Baci a tutti! And see many of you in less than 4 weeks! AMORE!