Meetings at Sant'Ambrogio

**In case it is a little confusing, Sant'Ambrogio is a small little piazza where the church, Chiesa di Sant'Ambrogio, is located. There is also the market just around the corner, Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio.

Two nights ago when we were having dinner and watching passersby in the piazza, I mentioned in passing that there are so many people who come to hang out that it seems strange not to know anyone in the crowd. Last night, as a testament to how much of a local meeting place Sant'Ambrogio is, we actually did recognize a face in the mob--Seth's old instructor, Sandro, from when he took Italian at UNC back in 2004! In all fairness, Seth knew Sandro was from Florence and had just emailed him the day before--he is living in Lebanon but would be in the area for a couple weeks. So, we were eating dinner when he wandered by, and Seth said "that looks like Sandro... a lot like Sandro". The guy stopped at the side of the church and I told Seth to say his name, so he shouted "Sandro!", and the fellow turned around and it was him! Turns out that Sandro wasn't even staying in the city but came in to meet a friend at Sant'Ambrogio to go to Pizzaiolo (which is still closed, unfortunately).

Such a funny way to meet somebody! It was very much like the time we bumped into Seth's old friend, Luke, in Sydney, whom he hadn't seen in 10 years; we were walking back from the New Year's Eve fireworks and Seth spotted the familiar-looking drunk guy stumbling around, who, because of his height, stood-out from the hoards of other drunk guys--Seth asked him if his name is Luko, and sure enough it was the old Johns Boy!

We will have to get together with Sandro for dinner at Pizzaiolo before he skips town next week!

Back in business

Wednesday, the first of September, will officially mark the end of many Italian's vacations (Ferragosto). This past week shops have slowly started to reopen and we have been noticing fewer Italian tourists flocking the streets, though it seems like the heavy-hitting hot spots are milking their ferie for as long as possible--the I Tatti, the Biblioteca Nazionale, the post offices and other government agencies, and several popular shops and restaurants around our neighborhood. Right outside our door (literally) we are told is the best pizza place in Florence, as well as an amazing theater/club, and also the best lampredotto cart in the city. Lampredotto is a Florentine specialty--it is made out of the last of the four stomachs of cows. What's more is that it is one of the stomachs considered (by those not from Florence) barely edible. Seth is actually really looking forward to trying it, and as much as I love trying new foods, this is one experience I will have to pass.

The more we talk to people who know their way around Florence the more we have been coming to appreciate our location just a 5min walk north of Santa Croce. It seems to be populated mostly by Florentines, though just a turn of a corner throws you in the middle of tourist groups. Sant'Ambrogio is intersected by 6 streets, so it is always streaming with passersby; and besides the pizza place, theater, and lampredottaio, throughout the holiday the piazza has been host to the church and market during the day and a hopping wine bar at night. There also seems to be random outdoor markets that pop up unexpectedly in the next piazza around the corner--this morning there was a massive antiques market that went on for several blocks. Like I said before, never a dull moment. We imagine it will be a total madhouse once those other shops reopen!

However, since Sant'Ambrogio is on the cusp of the central city, the shops and restaurants are able to be fair and of good quality. We are a 10min walk from a large and very cheap grocery store and dozens of low-cost clothing boutiques and stalls. Seth and I have already been taking advantage of the cheap clothes, particularly of the end-of-summer sales (unlike in the US, here it seems like the shops are more season-appropriate and are just now stocking their fall lines). It is nice to be able to live like a local yet be just a few minutes away from museums and historic churches!

A jazz band that sprang up below our kitchen window a couple nights ago. They were actually really good!

Via de' Macci 66

Despite the heat and tourist crowds we still manage to spend quite a bit of time walking about town, attempting to become familiar with the winding, bustling streets, and allowing ourselves to bump into the lesser-known historic buildings and sites. This is usually encouraged by some errand, such as having to go to some post office or the train station to collect application materials for Seth's permission to stay in the country past the three month traveler visa. We also spent an afternoon walking quite a ways out of the city in search for a massive home-goods/electronics store called Ganzaroli, and on Monday took our first bus up to the Villa I Tatti; most of the other I Tatti fellows will arrive next week or the week after, so it was good to be a little early and not be too overwhelmed by new faces and names.

A highlight from the past week was going to the Accademia--it is open for free Thursday nights from 7-10pm until mid-September. Normally, if you don't book reservations you have to stand in a very long queue to enter, but since it was late and not well publicized we got to stroll right in. It was amazing to see The Slaves and David with hardly anyone pushing in front of us! We will return tomorrow night to view the other works of art a little longer and to spend a little more time with David ;o)

Sunday morning we had our pick of fabulous and beautiful churches to go to, but poor timing and heat limited us to Santa Croce. We had already been to its Saturday night mass when we were here last year, after which we were given the 'after hours' tour by our Franciscan monk. This time we were not so lucky and we were quickly ushered out soon after the mass. So much for coffee hour! There is one Lutheran Church in all of Florence (I think there are only about 20 Lutheran Churches in all of Italy!), and I think it would be fun to try out that one next time.

Here are a few pictures from the past week

The view from our shady reading spot in the Loggia

Caution: Jesus crossing on Via del Pergatorio

Corner of the Palazzo Strozzi

Our first (and so far only) meal out

The way to I Tatti (you don't actually go through the gate--there is a road off to the right that leads up to it)

The Villa I Tatti (you can see their vineyards on the hill)

Gorganzola + fresh figs, ricotta + strawberry preserves, and susine (plums) = the breakfast of champions (there was also plain yogurt with honey involved). Having lots and lots of local 'artigionale' cheeses and gelato every day has caused our saturated fat intake to go from practically nothing to through the roof. Dr Hayes would say to balance this with fish and olive oil, I suppose. We are working on that.

Where we eat dinner every night: the steps of the 700 year old Sant'Ambrogio church. The perfect spot for people watching--NEVER a dull moment, although this was a particularly quiet time.

The view from our bedroom window (Seth took this picture)

Lorenzo enjoying the view of the market (actually taken from the bathroom window)

The apartment

We have been here for one week now, and there is still lots to figure out. This past week we have managed, at least, to find a good routine: go for a run (for me always the same route, half dirt and half paved), do some grocery shopping (at Sant'Ambrogio market under our window and/or at the impressive Coop grocery store with low low prices about a half mile away), make lunch, go out for a couple hours and eventually do some reading (usually under the Loggia next to Palazzo Vecchio), cook dinner while Seth plays guitar, take the dinner to eat outside somewhere, make up cones of gelato, walk with them somewhere, then (at about 10 or 11pm) spend the rest of the evening watching terrible yet somehow entertaining Italian TV.

We have really enjoyed the apartment so far--it is solid as a rock (made of stone, I guess, and heavy beams of wood) and is very clean and modern. The place feels really large (we have barely even gone upstairs to the second bedroom), and the size is accentuated by the vaulted ceiling. Luckily the decor is our style (wooden, rustic, and with lots of art), and the large bedroom downstairs is perfect for letting Lorenzo run free in the evenings. However, there are a few important things that it is missing but seem to be nonessential in the majority of Italian households, most notably a microwave (they are very expensive, ranging from about $80 to hundreds of dollars), screens on the windows to keep the flies and mosquitoes out (I have been getting eaten alive!!), and a shower curtain (as you can imagine, this makes showering difficult).

On the other hand, we have some things that we will probably never make use of, such as a bidet (we are still trying to figure out how to use it), spare closets and shelves, a dishwasher, and instead of useful bake-ware (like measuring cups and baking pans) we have a couple dozen fancy little wineglasses (of all different types, for different wines), multiple types of little shot glass things, and several really elegant glass flasks probably meant for some liquor we have never heard of. This collection of drink-ware of course wouldn't be complete without about a dozen types of liquors and several bottles of wine (unfortunately all white). The guy who was here before liked to entertain, if you couldn't guess. Some other 'extras' that we didn't have in Waltham include a small little washing machine, air conditioning, wireless internet, a phone, and a TV. Of course, we will also have bills (outside our monthly rent) for the first time. Ergh.

Another addition: an Italian coffee maker (a moka). Very Italian.

The bidet and half-sized washing machine

Here are a few pictures of the apartment, though they are pretty similar to the ones I posted before we left Waltham in April.

Upstairs bedroom/loft

The master bedroom

Living room

Kitchen, dining room, and Lorenzo

Stairs and hallway upstairs

Our street

Our building--we are the two windows on the top floor (barely visible)

A neat thing on the corner of the street near our apartment

Settling in

We spent yesterday and today unpacking and getting accustomed to the apartment. Many shops were closed for Sunday, and a fair few are still closed today for Ferragosto, the last two weeks in August when many Italians go on holiday. The area seems relatively quiet, so it will be interesting to see the streets buzzing again in September when the rest of the city returns.

Running along the Arno

Our apartment is just like how the previous occupant, Myke, described. It is elegant and clean, well stocked with random cooking items, some wines, liquors, cutlery, linens, cleaning supplies, some toiletries, etc, and the TV, internet, and phone are still up and running from when he left (thank goodness we don't have to deal with those details on our own). It did take us an annoyingly long time yesterday to figure out how to do a load of laundry (the apartment actually has a washing machine!!), but in the end the clothes came out clean and the machine didn't flood or break down, so I think it worked. We are still a bit confused about all the different detergents, wash settings, and anti-calcium tablets, but I think we are off to a good start.

The view of Sant' Ambrogio (at only about half-capacity due to the holiday) from our kitchen window

Today we set up Lorenzo's nice new mega tank. It is at least 50% larger than his old aquarium, though it is a bit shallower. It is just a long plastic storage bin from one of the closets, and for a cover we have a plastic screen we got from a passerby at a shop (Seth asked her where she got it and she was actually trying to get rid of it, so she handed it off to us). Hopefully he doesn't get too destructive and figure out a way to escape from his homemade home. At least the lower bedroom is very secure so he has a new great big space to run freely in during the evening hours.

Lorenzo's new tank

We spent a bit of time checking out the best grocery stores, Sant' Ambrogio (the large outdoor/indoor market right next door), the local gelaterie, and last night made pasta to eat on the steps of Santa Croce. It is really quite amazing to be able to step out the door, turn one or two corners, and have your pick of beautiful, historic, and bustling piazzas to be standing in the middle of.

Dinner in front of Santa Croce (the pasta has a really great tube shape: like spaghetti, but bigger and hallow in the center).

One of the nifty vending areas. You can get an entire pasta dish out of that machine!

Baked ricotta from the Coop grocery store

Our first lunch together in the new apartment!

Finally!

The three of us finally made it to Florence! It ended up taking a VERY long time to get here, but nothing was broken, lost, or stolen en route so there is nothing to complain about.

While waiting at the airport Saturday morning Seth came back from his run in time for me to go for a short trot towards that town. It was not very impressive yet it was nonetheless interesting and it felt great to get some fresh, cool air after being cooped up for so long.

During Seth's run through the town (Reykjanesbaer)

My photos:

Welcome to some place with a really really long name

I love the lone airport sculpture
The inside of the airport looks like a page from an Ikea ad

The flight to Malpensa (a town outside of Milan) was also pretty short, less than 5 hours (also no complimentary food), and Seth chatted with the guy next to him the entire time, mostly in Italian--a good warm up! We also managed to snag a pair of Icelandair wings for Lorenzo, being his first flight and all. When we got to the airport we claimed our bags and were relieved to find our gerbil in good health waiting for us. We made our way to customs thinking we would have to prove Lorenzo was legal, but there was no need--customs consisted of two guys half asleep behind a table--they barely even looked up when we walked by. So much for needing the proper documentation; it turned out he didn't need ANY. And, we still had some fruit and veggies left over to snack on during the hour bus ride to Milan.

Arriving in Milan was difficult--we had all 9 of our bags, plus the gerbil, and had to carry it all in the rain and through the train station without carts. It was VERY slow going and frustrating at times. Unfortunately all the trains were booked for the next three hours so we hunkered down for a while and ate our box of pasta Seth had made back in New York. We took the 10pm train to Florence; it was not only the last train of the night but also very crowded, so we had a heck of a time trying to find room for all the luggage.

Some of our bags. We made good use of bungee cords.

Waiting at Milan's central station

We ended up in a 6-person compartment with 4 Italians: three ladies of different ages and a guy in his 40s. They had never met but were already chatting away like they had known each other for years, talking about the younger girl's trip to Jerusalem, Jehova's Witnesses and spirituality. The also asked us lots of questions about where we were from, what was in the white box labeled 'Fragile, Live Animal', and what we were doing in Florence. When the train finally arrived in Florence (it arrived 30min early and the conductor was not announcing the stations, so luckily some guy was kind enough to notify us of our stop), we were surprised to find all these drunk youths helping us unload all our luggage; while we were sleeping the older lady in the compartment must have told them about us and they all wanted to help the people with the little criceto (hamster). It was like something out of the movies.

Even though it was very late at night it was nice because there were very few people around. We had to relay the luggage up and down stairs and make our way slowly to the taxi rink, which would have been nearly impossible had it been crowded. We grabbed a cab and finally made it to the apartment by 2:30am, 34.5 hours after we left New York.

Stage 8

Written at 8am on August 14, Keflavik International Airport, Iceland

This morning Seth is running in Iceland. Though there is cool, thick fog, it is easy to tell it looks rather flat and brown out there, at least from the airport. For ‘fun’, we are going to break down our trip into stages. We figure by now, after leaving Waltham, going to New York, flying to North Carolina, and flying back to New York, and completing our first long day of traveling, we are somewhere around stage 8. This came after, of course, several longer days of packing and last minute trip preparations; Seth had two more visits to the dentist, his car was taken off the road for the next year (thankfully his parents were car-sitting the neighbor’s little Miata so we had some sporty wheels with which to run our errands), we got our hair cut, Lorenzo made two trips to the vet for a physical (the second visit was because the first vet was not certified to fill out the paperwork, ergh), and we spent an awful long time on the phone and on the internet making sure Lorenzo would be allowed out of the US and into Italy. We still don’t know.

Seth with the family, heading out the door

After debating the best way to get to Boston with gerbil in tow (not many domestic airlines allow rodents), we decided to rent a car and drive it one-way. Yesterday morning Seth’s dad drove us the hour and a half back to Syracuse airport to pick up the rental car. We took it to Waltham to reunite with two large suitcases and the guitar we left in Seth’s office, repacked and reorganized, then were able to drive straight to the Boston airport. It was so nice to not have to suffer two hours on the bus and T like we normally do when going to the airport!

Back at Brandeis, now with all our stuff!!

When you have lots of luggage you overlook how precious little things like shuttle rides and trolleys/carts are. Taking four very large suitcases, two back packs, two carry-on suitcases, a guitar, a bag of food, and a gerbil does not make for a pretty sight, and very thankfully we have not yet had to carry it all at once. That will come later today. We checked in our big bags and handed Lorenzo over to Icelandair. Of course, it was a big ordeal—we had to bring him to get checked out by TSA and since they normally deal with cats and dogs he caused a bit of a spectacle. At one point we were in a hallway behind locked-doors surrounded by four TSA officers and the airline attendant, telling us all about their childhood pet rodents. Everyone said he must be a very special gerbil to be able to come along on such a big trip. We agree.

The evening flight from Boston to Iceland was very short, only about 4.5 hours, short enough for them to not have to provide a meal. Not even pretzels. We landed sometime after sunrise (in the summer Iceland has 24 hours of daylight), had our passports stamped, walked through customs with a bag full of carrots and apples and chicken sandwiches, and Seth was off on his run (we figured that being a volcanic island with little plant-life, Iceland would welcome any fresh produce they can get!). I will try to make it out, too, time permitting—there is a small town on the coast about two miles from here that I can get to if there is time, and if the highway leading out there isn’t too horrible to run on. I hope Lorenzo is also enjoying his layover, his first time in a different country!

Southern charm

We head back to New York tomorrow, but before we do, here are a few more images of what North Carolina has to offer:

Our annual pilgrimage to Allen and Son BBQ (we were joined by Meghan on this trip!)

The best pulled pork and a great atmosphere, though we're not sure what's with the UNC decor.

A crazy centipede thing that was hanging on the wall outside my bedroom Friday night. I'm holding up the CD to indicate scale. So disgusting, yet somehow fascinating... I'm just glad Seth had the guts to usher him outside!

A funky green leaf bug on our hotel window this morning. Also, thumb is used to indicate its massive size (I have big hands)

Nathan and Larissa

Yesterday Seth and I drove out to Statesville, NC for Nathan and Larissa's wedding. I had known Nathan since seventh grade but it took me until senior year of high school to get accustomed to his personality, which definitely takes getting accustomed to ;o) Regardless, it was because of him that I met Seth, so that is a strong redeeming point he can claim.

The venue was a historical house that was a part of an old plantation. All outdoors, we lucked out with the weather, and thankfully we sat at a table with a guy who had some sort of mosquito repelling iPhone app, which actually seemed to keep the viscous little guys at bay. The wedding was small (maybe 60 people?), very well decorated with a dark purple theme, and yet also casual and fun--they tried to incorporate a lot of humor in the ceremony and reception. We only knew a few people--the Caputo brothers and two acquaintances from college--but the guests were a nice group to to spend the evening with.


We had to start clearing out of the venue by 10pm, so the party was moved to a mansion at Norman Lake. Seth and I were pretty wiped out and the lake was far away, at least 45min from the venue and another 45min back to the hotel, so we chose the party-pooper route and instead headed for Waffle House to top off the evening. It was my first time at a WH so I was pretty excited over the splurge. Statesville, NC + buttermilk pancakes + grits + a rather friendly staff = a southern good time :o)