....look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you Rome!! hehe. i'm so clever. anywhoosers. it's december (best month EVER) and i'm looking forward to a lot of things. walking around rome today we saw sooo many christmas decorations and i'm getting sooo excited for break! it's gonna be the best ever. i'm pumped. i'm also looking forward to this project being over with. eh. we went to paris over thanksgiving and it was soooo cold and so much fun (sorry for the excessive use of sooo.) it started snowing when we were at the arc de triomph and it was really pretty. we walked down the champs elysees on our way to the louvre and saw so many decorations and illuminated trees...it made me really happy and put me into the christmas spirit (no scrooge here!) we also walked through a market that evening that was serving many delicious smelling goodies and maggie and i shared a cup of vins chaud...hot wine! YUM. i was really wanting some apple cider but that stuff did the trick. i'm also looking forward to my birthday! 25 days people.
i have two weeks and two days to savor rome and i plan on doing so. if only school wasn't in the way..like usual. i'm looking forward to being home but definitely not looking forward to dragging my luggage through public transportation and meeting the cold harsh weather of the midwest.
02 December 2010
24 November 2010
November's End
I just looked back through my recent posts and realized that I've been forgetting to sketch :/ I promise I'll make it up. Plus right now my Art History teacher has it so technically I can't sketch. But I blame my forgetfulness other school work. Which for now is DONE. Thanksgiving break officially starts now and I couldn't be more relieved. We had critiques in studio today which went ok. I don't really enjoy showing off work in progress but it's nice to get feedback before it's due. On better notes, tomorrow 4 roommates and I are traveling to Paris! Oui oui. =] Had to be a little cliche there sorry. We'll be there till Sunday and I can't wait. Paris and London were the main places I wanted to go this semester so I feel really blessed that I was able to do so.
It's getting colder here, like mid 50's for highs. And it rains multiple times every day. You should see the Tiber!! I walk over it every day and love seeing the changes. Right now it's super brown and it's moving quickly. I try to imagine what it would be like if we were at the elevation of ancient times...I think Rome would be flooded.
Saturday an Art History professor held his annual famous cooking class. We traveled to his apartment (which was very cute...a natural, homey, authentic old world Italian feel) where he (with the help of his girlfriend, Sabrina) demonstrated each recipe, explaining techniques and history of food as he went. I would definitely say it was my favorite meal since I've been here. Courses go as follows: 1. Three onion omelet (frittata) 2. Warm potato and goat cheese terrine with baby greens and a balsamic vinaigrette reduction 3. Pumpkin lasagna (favorite!! soo fall) 4. Roast guinea fowl with pear sauce and potatoes 5. Marscapone and rum mousse with chocolate shavings. And of course top it all of with wine. Seriously..we're talkin 5 stars here people.
I figured I would post before we left for Paris....I probably won't again until December. (so weird to say!) You all should be so proud....look at the jump in number from October! Much more legit.
As a closing remark...I would like to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!
And if you could please keep my Grandma Betty in your thoughts and prayers I would appreciate it. She had to be taken to the hospital last night so I'm hoping all goes well.
It's getting colder here, like mid 50's for highs. And it rains multiple times every day. You should see the Tiber!! I walk over it every day and love seeing the changes. Right now it's super brown and it's moving quickly. I try to imagine what it would be like if we were at the elevation of ancient times...I think Rome would be flooded.
Saturday an Art History professor held his annual famous cooking class. We traveled to his apartment (which was very cute...a natural, homey, authentic old world Italian feel) where he (with the help of his girlfriend, Sabrina) demonstrated each recipe, explaining techniques and history of food as he went. I would definitely say it was my favorite meal since I've been here. Courses go as follows: 1. Three onion omelet (frittata) 2. Warm potato and goat cheese terrine with baby greens and a balsamic vinaigrette reduction 3. Pumpkin lasagna (favorite!! soo fall) 4. Roast guinea fowl with pear sauce and potatoes 5. Marscapone and rum mousse with chocolate shavings. And of course top it all of with wine. Seriously..we're talkin 5 stars here people.
I figured I would post before we left for Paris....I probably won't again until December. (so weird to say!) You all should be so proud....look at the jump in number from October! Much more legit.
As a closing remark...I would like to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!
And if you could please keep my Grandma Betty in your thoughts and prayers I would appreciate it. She had to be taken to the hospital last night so I'm hoping all goes well.
18 November 2010
Shoes
my shoes have been through a lot today.
as you remember (or not) from a previous post, i have picked up walking to class. this morning on my way to art history i stepped on a fallen leaf. or so i thought. then i took my next step and it was squishy. i looked at my shoe and dreaded the worst. low and behold i had stepped in dog poop. i thought to myself, ain't that the shit. thanks rome. and then i chuckled. i found the nearest puddle, stepped, and wiped and scraped and drug my foot till it was gone.
our art history walk was through the neighborhood of trastevere (my hood.) we had the opportunity to visit the studios/homes of three contemporary artists. very cool. but the cobblestone was super bad...the stones were definitely not the same elevation and the filling was missing. no joke i almost twisted my ankle three times. strangely enough it was the right one each time. i'll have to trade that in.
i had to stop at studio after class to assemble my shop window model (which by the way took my three blisters and too much time to make.) after that i walked home and it was raining. no point in mentioning that except that you should know that rome is very gorgeous when it's cloudy. i was almost home when i saw some road workers laying down new tar. i had to cross the street and didn't feel like stepping out into the busy viale di trastevere. it wasn't roped off, so i just walked across the fresh tar. it was warm - i could feel the heat on my legs. but it was solid enough that i didn't sink in. part of me wished that i had, just a little, so i could leave part of me in rome.
as you remember (or not) from a previous post, i have picked up walking to class. this morning on my way to art history i stepped on a fallen leaf. or so i thought. then i took my next step and it was squishy. i looked at my shoe and dreaded the worst. low and behold i had stepped in dog poop. i thought to myself, ain't that the shit. thanks rome. and then i chuckled. i found the nearest puddle, stepped, and wiped and scraped and drug my foot till it was gone.
our art history walk was through the neighborhood of trastevere (my hood.) we had the opportunity to visit the studios/homes of three contemporary artists. very cool. but the cobblestone was super bad...the stones were definitely not the same elevation and the filling was missing. no joke i almost twisted my ankle three times. strangely enough it was the right one each time. i'll have to trade that in.
i had to stop at studio after class to assemble my shop window model (which by the way took my three blisters and too much time to make.) after that i walked home and it was raining. no point in mentioning that except that you should know that rome is very gorgeous when it's cloudy. i was almost home when i saw some road workers laying down new tar. i had to cross the street and didn't feel like stepping out into the busy viale di trastevere. it wasn't roped off, so i just walked across the fresh tar. it was warm - i could feel the heat on my legs. but it was solid enough that i didn't sink in. part of me wished that i had, just a little, so i could leave part of me in rome.
17 November 2010
Sketchy
So I have to turn in a sketchbook for Art History on Friday. The assignment was to sketch throughout the semester. You could say it's one of my habits not to sketch. I've been sketching for the past two days to be able to present something semi-decent. Yesterday, I had 13 pages. For a semester, that's pretty sad. My goal is 30 by Friday. Eh.
And then I got to thinking. I've never really filled a sketchbook before. And it would be kind of nice to say, "Yeah, that was my Rome sketchbook." So besides my goal for Friday, I'm going to make another goal to fill the sketchbook by the end of the semester. That's 81 pages (I counted) in 31 days. So basically 3 pages a day. I think I can handle that. I won't allow myself to go to bed until I've done those 3 pages.
Sounds good to me.
And then I got to thinking. I've never really filled a sketchbook before. And it would be kind of nice to say, "Yeah, that was my Rome sketchbook." So besides my goal for Friday, I'm going to make another goal to fill the sketchbook by the end of the semester. That's 81 pages (I counted) in 31 days. So basically 3 pages a day. I think I can handle that. I won't allow myself to go to bed until I've done those 3 pages.
Sounds good to me.
12 November 2010
Thoughts on Mid-November
never forget your umbrella in november. good for rain protection and staving off poop bombs dropped by the cast of alfred hitchcock's movie, the birds.
15 degrees celsius is just about perfect.
at a certain point yesterday, i got tired of analyzing design. what does this mean? why did the designer do this? what do these forms and the placement of them communicate to the observer? whatever. i was done thinking. i hadn't used my prismacolor markers all semester...so i just colored. for 2 hours.
my art history professor gave the class pine caramels, made by monks. just herbs and sugar. it tasted like a christmas tree. i was suddenly eager for december 18th.
maybe i should start eating eggs. they're economic.
i leave for paris in two weeks. is there any place in france that celebrates thanksgiving? some sweet potatoes and cranberries would be nice. but i'm doubtful.
we got back from our field trip on november 6th. it was too late to buy a monthly public transit pass. i've taken up to walking to and from class (1 mile each way). a favorable change.
4 out of 6 roommates will be gone to barcelona this weekend. i wonder what trouble i can get into with less supervision.
i broke a glass yesterday. it was kind of cool to watch. knocked it off the table and it shattered on the marble floor.
for my next photography assignment i'm supposed to photograph contrasts, like hot vs. cold. any ideas? mine are lame.
is it snowing in the states? if so someone should send me a picture.
i really really really, really, need to research and contact firms for my internship this summer. which means i need to make my portfolio presentable. eh.
i think i'm going to do some yoga tomorrow. megan has a dvd.
has anyone ever heard the song under the bridge by the red hot chili peppers? (p.s. they're my fave) it mentions that "sometimes i feel like my only friend is the city i live in" and "i drive on her streets cuz she's my companion, i drive through her hills cuz she knows who i am." i feel like everyone has their own companion city, one that's them in a nutshell. they share the same characteristics, they vibe. i think it's an immediate connection. i've grown to love rome but i know that she's not my city. (this is probably good news for mother.) the search continues.
it's mid-november. one month and six days till i fly home. i haven't decided whether i like or dislike this.
15 degrees celsius is just about perfect.
at a certain point yesterday, i got tired of analyzing design. what does this mean? why did the designer do this? what do these forms and the placement of them communicate to the observer? whatever. i was done thinking. i hadn't used my prismacolor markers all semester...so i just colored. for 2 hours.
my art history professor gave the class pine caramels, made by monks. just herbs and sugar. it tasted like a christmas tree. i was suddenly eager for december 18th.
maybe i should start eating eggs. they're economic.
i leave for paris in two weeks. is there any place in france that celebrates thanksgiving? some sweet potatoes and cranberries would be nice. but i'm doubtful.
we got back from our field trip on november 6th. it was too late to buy a monthly public transit pass. i've taken up to walking to and from class (1 mile each way). a favorable change.
4 out of 6 roommates will be gone to barcelona this weekend. i wonder what trouble i can get into with less supervision.
i broke a glass yesterday. it was kind of cool to watch. knocked it off the table and it shattered on the marble floor.
for my next photography assignment i'm supposed to photograph contrasts, like hot vs. cold. any ideas? mine are lame.
is it snowing in the states? if so someone should send me a picture.
i really really really, really, need to research and contact firms for my internship this summer. which means i need to make my portfolio presentable. eh.
i think i'm going to do some yoga tomorrow. megan has a dvd.
has anyone ever heard the song under the bridge by the red hot chili peppers? (p.s. they're my fave) it mentions that "sometimes i feel like my only friend is the city i live in" and "i drive on her streets cuz she's my companion, i drive through her hills cuz she knows who i am." i feel like everyone has their own companion city, one that's them in a nutshell. they share the same characteristics, they vibe. i think it's an immediate connection. i've grown to love rome but i know that she's not my city. (this is probably good news for mother.) the search continues.
it's mid-november. one month and six days till i fly home. i haven't decided whether i like or dislike this.
09 November 2010
To the North!
a six day field trip to northern italy:
milan was ok as a city. basically a lot of upscale shopping but you can get that in any major city. the duomo (big central church) was gorgeous. it was right next to the galleria which was the first shopping mall ever. the first night we were there we got to go to the opera and see Carmen! we sat/stood in the top row so i felt like the riffraff in the nosebleed section but it was an awesome show/experience nonetheless. we walked all around the town and saw a shit ton of showrooms. my feet hated me. the coolest part was going to castiglioni's studio that he used for around 40 years. his daughter gives tours there and it's like a museum kinda. it was just amazing to see how and where such a successful designer worked everyday. (fyi he designed a bunch of lights for flos, the italian lighting company, among other things)
venice was beautiful. all the colors of the buildings were phenomenal, affected by the salty air, creating run effects of paint below windows. cars and taxis were boats and buses were ferries. we took a ferry to murano island (famous for murano glass) and went to a glassblowing school there for a demonstration. so sweet. we watched him make a vase for about 40 minutes, and then he did some tricks. made a horse in like less than a minute, blew glass so thin that it popped and scattered thinner than paper glass bits everywhere. it was so cool. we went to the biennale which is an arch exhibit that happens annually, changing each time. it was pretty neat. we also went to a museum that housed very modern works of art - super provocative stuff. it was interesting to see the reactions of classmates. my roommates and i took a gondola ride too. class supper one evening was an authentic venetian seafood cuisine. i was eatin stuff with eyes and bodies and brains and it was an experience for the tongue that's for sure.
in florence we went to markets, shopped around, saw david =] i bought a sweet leather bag: it can be a purse, briefcase, laptop case, and backpack. so cool.
i tried to do a video blog for this entry buuuut it wouldn't upload (it was 12 minutes) so instead i'll share a video of the italian countryside, taken on the train ride to milan.
watching this again i realize it looks like iowa....i swear it's much cooler...i just missed the mountains.
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