r.i.p coolpixxx

don't expect pictures on this site or any other for a long while. last night at some stupid americany bar, my purse was stolen and then later retrieved (strange) but twas lacking my nikon digicam as well as 80 euro i had taken out of the bancomat (atm) hours prior. i am kicking myself for having been so intoxicated. especially on a wednesday night. especially because i didn't even wanna go out in the first place. i'm sad. that camera was my life. i know i shouldn't be such a material girl, but i loved having the power to capture memories like woah. thank goodness i've got property insurance...

just a note on music/culture/art in my life in firenze a ora.... ow, first things first ive got a massive array of zit-looking mosquito (zanzare) bites on my face and im itchy. ok, there's some hip graffiti in this town. this is outside this reggae themed skate-shop, gold. there are many hip stencils around the city too, im using a copy of one in a silkscreen class i'm in (which rocks... expect to see me wearing a few of my own designs on t-shirts/totebags/jeans soon). music-wise, im totally lacking perche cds cost 25 euro here, so i might buy the new interpol in munich this weekend if its cheaper cause im seeing interpol kick off their euro-tour oct 19 in gay parie (so thrilled). ok film suggestions: you must rent: io non ho paura (i'm not scared). saw it this morning in italian culture class and i was furious i hadn't heard of it before. so good. and beautiful. ok, any music/film/art/culture suggestions for me these days?... speak up, peeps. 

piazza santissima annunciata at 5:45 pm. gorgeous, no? that's my neighborhood. to your right is the ospedale dei innocenti, or ye old orphanage designed by the one and only brunneleschi. today it's a soup kitchen, wino hangout, unicef headquarters. this piazza, among many others, is a wonderful sunday afternoon hangout with un amico e una bottiglia di vino.  

nagombo spa's delightful beach around 2 pm. tough life- we spent the day lilting from natural thermal hot tub to natural thermal hot tub, followed by some natural water-pressure massages from steep waterfalls, and a trip to the turkish hamami (felt like baltimore in august in that sauna, couldn't spend more than 7 mins within its walls). also picked fresh pommegranates and dates, had delighful gelati, and swam all the way out to the middle of the mediterranean sea (topless. i love europa). you're jealous. 

vacation so succexy

so succexy.

went away last weekend to the amalfi coast, near napoli and capri, to ischia (which is where they filmed the talented mr ripley. think turquoise waters, green-covered mountains, and jude law in small white swimming trunks) lindsey, loren (as well as dennis and the architects) had a delightful time in casamicciola, the town where our hotel was located. we spent saturday at nagombo, a natural salt-mineral water hot springs spa-type deal. spent all day bathing in theraputic waters and lapping up the southern italian sun's rays [half-naked] (oh yea, we go all out while in europe). i had to keep reminding myself that i am in fact in school and not on a premanent vacation. i even played a little game with myself i like to call "if i were in syracuse right now, i would be..." it passes the time, though time hardly needs help passing along, but it's also rather amusing, thinking to myself how i'd probably be sleeping off some frat-party hangover, or watching t.v. on my ass like i do or eating pasta with sugar and cheese (that i do miss though. i wouldn't dare put sugar on my pasta here for fear i'd be exiled from this glorious country) i do miss my friends back home however, and it's been excellent talking to the few of you. please do drop me a line, keep me afoot of all of your misadventures.

this weekend, munich. oktoberfest with celeste and co. which should be a misadventure to say the very least.

have found "my bar," mayday, a perfect tiny, unlabeled wonderspot with live jazz, fruity martinis, and great art adorning its colorful walls... come and visit, i'll buy you a drink. until then, i remain yours,
crazy emily

lucca, this incredible medieval city, is my favorite so far. quaint and quiet, it was a nice change from the bustling tourism of firenze. i sat on this corner and read/drew/wrote for a while. they have this delightful little ciocolateria, chocolat, very similar to the movie. the owner even gives samples she believes the customers will like, some even have chili peppers in them, just like juliet binoche's... 

and this here is my tortoise, caroline, who lives in my backyard. i feed her lettuce and what appear to be delicious leaves. she loves me and lets me play with her. we have a mutual admiration and curiosity for one another.  

this is kelly, or mia sorella (my sister) as the italians call us. we're about the only blondes in this country (minus the visiting danes and swedes) and so we rock it out, bionda style. this is us at pisa, notice the falling campanile (leaning tower) on the far right. good field trip. 

this here would be a frat party (almost.) my "totally blackout" roomie, lindsey, and i went to this kinda whack club, space electronic, for a "golf pros and tennis hoes" night. pearls, polo dresses, cardigans around the neck and all... 

babbo sounds like baboon

replied my father after i IMed him a quick "ciao babbo." it is a dumb word, but so is daddy i suppose. it has been good to hear from some of my american compatriots; the rest of you, leave me a note, send me an update, call me (if you've got disposable incomes).

my italian is progressing nicely, but my english is certainly lacking. any sense of intellectual vocabulary i might have once had is entirely out the window. in fact, so are pronouns, object and subject. i find myself, on more than one occasion per day, saying outlandish things like answering questions "si, we go" or "yes, i like" like some retard foreigner. (note, spellcheck is my best friend these days). this is a difficult position to be in, let me assure you, in between english and italian. i hope i find a lingually comfortable position. and fast.

(end of my IM convo with dad:
me: well, bye dad, have a great day.
dad: ciao bella, love, babbo(on)

glad to see nothing in america has changed and that my pop's still a nerd per usual.)

ciao firenze!

i am here. it is spectacular. my host family is a chick, marialara and she rocks. 54 with an older daughter who doesn't live with us. marialara lets me and my roomie, lindsey from philly, do whatever we want, we have our own key, entrance, and basement wing. the best part- we are nextdoor to the syracuse piazza, our school. so we roll outta bed and rock it over to class (unlike some of our peers who have a 25 min bus ride, suckas.) too many americans here, but i'll start meeting the italians soon and finding the local hotspots that aren't faux irish pubs. have a cell phone, from america get a calling card and give me a buzz its 011 39 329 449 7137. i'll have my address soon. will do loads of exploring and shopping and vino drinking and (you know i love it) eating. here til may, email/call/write me killas.