Giorno alla spiaggia

Today was another beautiful, sunny day, and Gino and I took full advantage of it by going to the beach. We rode with the top down (my hair wrapped in a scarf) and were almost the only people there. Although it was quite warm, I chose not too lay in my bikini because it was a little too windy, and we didn't have any sun screen. Gino was in his bathing suit, and it was a lovely relaxing afternoon. Sadly the lack of sunscreen has resulted in both of us having burnt faces, note to self: buy some tomorrow. After spending about an hour and a half basking in the glory of spending some time alone together on the serene beach, we went for lunch at a small restaurant near by. The food was delicious! I tried to to embarrass Gino by taking too many pictures, but I did manage to snag this one of my delicious pasta:

We started with some spicy clam bruschetta with cilantro, and then both had some pasta. I complain about how much pasta we eat here (sometimes twice a day compared to twice a week at home) but when it comes down to it I can never get sick of the limitless combinations of this Italian delicacy.

After lunch we came home and had a nap. Gino went off to work, and I have the night off. It's so nice to not have to go into the campsite, and I've been doing a little bit more research for universities to apply to here. It looks like my best option is Lorenzo Di Medici, although it's still quite expensive at about 5400 euros per term.

Ta for now.

Vacanze

It's been a while since I've done a post for a few reasons. The most enjoyable of which is that Gino, another couple and I took a little min-vacation in Tuscany where there was no internet. We had an amazing time. The food was delicious, the wine was incredible and I think I must have eaten a whole cow, a whole pig, and a whole sheep while we were gone. We took a night time trip to Montepulciano, a place that I must go back to in the summer. Apparently they have several torture museums, so I can feel my fascination with the macabre while enjoying everything else the town has to offer. There are many things to love about Tuscany. The rolling hills, the tranquility, the farm life, the small cities, the culture, and as I mentioned before the fresh food and wine that is to die for.
 We went to some thermal pools near Sienna for a relaxing afternoon. I left feeling rejuvenated, and then we drove on to Sienna to stop for some shopping and a light snack. I saw the Balenciaga that I've been lusting over in a store. I couldn't even bring myself to properly try it out. Maybe by the end of the summer I will have saved enough to treat myself.

Our ride for the road trip,  the beast.

The view from our bed and breakfast.

'Life is too short to drink bad wine.'

This must be what heaven looks like.

Lunch time noms, this is seconds before the wind made me spill two glasses of wine.

Thermal pools that have been in use in the region since medieval times.

Sienna!

After a couple of days in Tuscany, we headed into Florence. Gino and his friend had some business meetings, so us girls had some free time to do some sight seeing. We went to the Uffizi, and Gino and I got to spend a cozy night at his parent's house watching Italian T.V. alone together. This for us is a rare treat. Over all the trip was really relaxing and enjoyable (although next time it would be nice to have just the two of us.)

The relaxation ended almost immediately after we drove back into the campsite. It's already starting to be the high tourist season, and every night we have groups adding up to about 300 or more people for dinner. For the most part right now they're school groups, and it's been rather taxing. I never even liked teenagers when I was one. These are a particular brand of rude Spanish teenagers who have no respect for their surroundings or the staff. Every night when we closed the bar they would run around for about half an hour screaming out chants and screaming for more music while banging their hand and feet on any possible surface. Not at all pleasant.

Yesterday I had a job interview for a souvenir shop in Vatican City. After finally getting rid for the teenagers at 3:30, we got home and to bed at about 4. I had to get up at 9 am to go to the interview. The man who I was supposed to meet was more than 20 minutes late, and I ended up having to do the interview with his sister, who didn't speak English. This was incredibly frustrating as I had to stand outside in the hot sun for 30 minutes, while a man started stalking me in the Vatican. I made the mistake of making eye contact with him, and then he circled around me and followed me for 25 minutes. Then he slowly made his way up beside me and said 'Waiting for something.' I gave him a dirty look, nodded, and decided to wait for my interview inside the shop. I'm not sure if I will take the job if I get it. Even though I complain about working in the restaurant for various reasons, I honestly don't think I'll be able to get another job that gives me the same flexibility this summer.

After waiting around for a half an hour, being hungry and tired and too hot in my interview outfit, Gino had said he would come pick me up and we would go for lunch. After the interview I phoned and he said that he was 30 minutes away and I should take the transit and call from the train station. After this he was still far away and I ended up taking the bus back to the campsite. I was slightly infuriated at this point. Dealing with tourists, and my boyfriends ever changing plans after 5 hours of sleep and no breakfast made me extremely grouchy. Then having to wait for Gino in the campsite for another hour sent me over the edge. I had a huge melt down about how I always have to wait for him and he never does what he says he will. This was totally unfair and caused a huge fight between us because if he changes the plan it because of work, and without his job we wouldn't be in the comfortable position we are now. It's hard to have to deal with the constant last minute plan changes, and always waiting around, but this is my challenge as the first lady, and I have to grin and bare it to stay with my workaholic Italian Stallion.

Oh well, every couple has their challenges, I suppose ours is a combination of impatience and workaholism.

To end the post on a much happier note, here are my brand new Gucci sandals purchased on the way home from Florence, enjoy:

XX

I've been doing a little bit of baking recently, and I made a really delicious creation. I used baking powder biscuits, made fresh lemon curd, and strawberries. To make the baking powder biscuits, I used vanilla baking powder because it was the only one I had, it turned out pretty well. I also used the tip my mom gave me, which is to fold the dough in half before cutting them into rounds so they pull apart into two pieces much easier. I combined all the ingredients together and it made this amazingly delicious, not too sweet treat. They're really dangerous. I've eaten 6 in the last 2 days... no joke.  My waistline is suffering, but my mouth sure is happy.

The last couple days have been a little taxing. The same things keep upsetting me, and it seems like the biggest part of my problem is my impatience. Moving here I've had to give up a lot of my independence. Not being able to drive had become and issue because our current apartment is not on a main transit system. There is a bus, but they're pretty unreliable here and it's nothing like Vancouver. Not only that, but for the first time I'm living with a boyfriend, we work together, and he's my boss. I've looked into other jobs here, but the unemployment rate is pretty high, and without speaking fluent Italian the jobs posted online are kind of shady. Gino is very protective of me, and doesn't want me to apply for anything that isn't completely secure. I totally understand this, it's a different world here and adjusting is a process. He just heard about a job for me to apply for at a souvenir shop in Vatican city that I will follow up on later today, and I might apply to work in the reception of the campsite instead of the restaurant.

Not being able to finish my degree is also a huge source of stress for me. I've looked into some schools, and they're pretty expensive since they're all American schools. Having said that, I'm still shopping around for the right one to apply to for the september semester. Disappointingly UBC doesn't offer study abroad programs (in Rome) or distance education for Art History. I've had someone suggest to me that I transfer my credit to another Canadian school that does offer distance education, this is also something to look into in the next few days. Every once and a while (once a month in particular...) this all seems incredibly overwhelming for me. I'm the type of person that wears my emotions quite openly and Gino and our friends can see it. He always asks me what's wrong at the most inappropriate times, mainly when we're both working. I have never been able to have a conversation about my feelings without disintegrating into a mess of tears, this is incredibly inconvenient since I don't want to show any signs of weakness around our friends. He always reminds me that I just have to wait a little while longer, he's been looking into apartments closer to the metro for me, and Hopefully we'll get our own place in the next few months. He's also really supportive of me following my dreams, making my own goals, and especially going back to school. He offered to pay for my schooling, but I don't want to completely destroy our nest egg for my own benefit so taking a loan seems like a better option for me.

I took a few days off to go to Florence by myself, which has got to be my favorite place. It's so beautiful, and is an incredible Renaissance city is filled with art and culture at almost every turn. Gino was in Prague for work, but it was really nice for us to have a break from each other. Although we love each other very much, sometimes we start to take each other for granted because we spend all of our time together. Unfortunately I didn't get to visit Gino's parents this time, and the wait at the Uffizi was an hour long so I decided against it. Sometimes I forget that I live here now, and Florence is only an hour and a half train ride away, so the next time we go back I'll book an appointment at the Uffizi and bring some flowers to Gino's mom (we'll go back next tuesday, but more on that later.)

I was staying with one of Gino's best friends. The first night we went to a party for international women's day at her friend's parents house. It was a really nice evening. There were about 12 of us, and the hosts served homemade pizza and 15 year old wine. After dinner, we had homemade cheesecake and champagne. I was able to experience some more Italian hospitality, and after dinner we played some foozball (something I discovered that I'm terrible at.)

The next day I intended to spend at the Uffizi, and visiting Gino's parents. Instead I ended up doing some shopping, and I had to cancel my visit because my host had a business meeting and it ran a lot longer than she first thought. Afterwards we had a girls night out on the town, went to a great bar called Rex, and then did some dancing at a club that had an incredible house dj. I discovered that I have zero patience for being hit on. I tend to just completely  ignore until they decide to go away. So far, works like a charm.

At piazza Michelangelo, slightly windblown. 

Leo!

Some diamonds on the Ponte Vecchio 

I never get tired of this view.

Overall it was a great trip. I got some girl time, and Gino and I had a very happy reunion. He's planned a trip for us next week which I am completely ecstatic about. We're going to Venice for two nights with one of his close friends and his girlfriend, and then Tuscany for another two nights. I am so completely spoiled, and I don't forget for a second how lucky I am.

Yesterday we had to go to the immigration office for my permesso sogiorno which was a hellish experience. I'll elaborate further a little later, for now I think this is enough.

XX

So I started this blog post about a week ago, and then got the death plague of flu so I'm only posting it now. Another one tomorrow, or the next day, at the latest I swear.

Unfortunately I've been really lazy with the camera, and have very few pictures for this post. Yesterday was my first shift behind the bar at Ciao Bella. I say this very loosely because I don't even think it was an official shift. Nobody said anything to me, it just kind of happened out of necessity. We thought it would be a lot slower because there was only one Top Deck group, so there was only my roommate bartending, another server, and myself. The hotel group from Top Deck ended up coming for the toga party, and it got pretty crazy. We have 6 shots for 8 euros at the bar, and I must have pour a hundred at least. I watched one girl drink 4 1.5 liter bucket cocktails. It was pretty crazy. It's so different bartending in Europe compared to Canada. Things are a lot more relaxed. Having said that, people are insane and 80% of the time not only incredibly stupid, but also rude. Enough of that rant. Over all it went pretty well, and Gino congratulated me on working so hard and well.

Today we went to Pico, which is the small town where the majority of Gino's family lives. It's literally the middle of nowhere, in farm country. There are tons of animals though, which makes me really happy. Today I say baby pigs, baby sheep, and baby bunnies!!!!! I totally fell in love with one and tried to convince Gino to bring it back to Rome with us. He would not cave. :(

Although there's a communication barrier with his family (none of them speak English,) I still really love being around them. They're all very warm, and welcoming, and typically Italian. There were about 15 of us for lunch today, and enough food to feed an army. His mom and aunts are food pushers. It's always the same: after three full courses, and nibbles on the table, 'mangia una salsica Claire!, voi olive? voi un po di panne con procuitto?' I've learned to start to say no, but it's hard when there's so much great food around you all the time, and people are pushing it on you. Since they have their own farm, today we ate fresh chicken from the farm, sheep cheese, and these incredible cured pork sausages that are spicy and delicious. I ate 2 by myself at home one day. Oink Oink.

xx

Cause we are living in a material world...

Just for a quick minute I would like to indulge my superficial side. I'm going to dedicate this post to some of my favorite things; some new, some old. The shopping here is insane, I haven't been able to indulge like I would like to, but I'm really happy with some of my new purchases. Obviously Italy is known for some of the top designer brands, leather goods, and impeccable taste. Sometimes you'll see a ridiculously beautiful man riding a mike down the street in a three piece suit and it literally takes your breath away. The same goes for women, although my personal taste is a bit more eclectic than the understated elegance that dominates here (although I've been eyeing fur coats in the outdoor markets.... I hope one day to find the perfect one.) That being said, there are about 10 'eurotrash' looking people for every one breath taker (sculpted eyebrows are no longer an indicator for my gaydar.) Still, I have to say that Rome is, overall, a very stylish city. Italians can be very brand oriented, and although he'll deny it Gino is no different. Some of the first gifts he gave me were from Gucci, and he himself is a Prada man (his shoe collection is unreal, our closet is filled with Gucci and Prada shoe boxes.) I am a firm believer in high-low dressing. While it's good to chose some pieces (bags, shoes, sunglasses, the occasional sweater) to invest in, in general my taste changes quite quickly, and to invest a large amount of money in clothes that will wear out, go out of style, or I'll simply lose interest in.

While on my University trip, some of the girls found this incredible store called 'Brandy Melville.' Although it's an American based store (locations in L.A., Hawaii, New York, as well as here in Rome,) all of the clothes are made in Italy. It's ridiculously well priced. They sell jeans, accessories, and lots of other things, but their main focus is cotton blend t-shirts and sweaters to die for. They are really reasonably prices, usually about 25-30 euros for shirts and 30-50 for sweaters. Needless to say, it's my new obsession. There are at least three locations here that I know of and it's dangerous to my pocket book. Gino gave me some money for Christmas after I got here to buy some new clothes and I spent almost all of it at Brandy. All of the fabric is really soft, and they seem to effortlessly blend style and comfort. On my next day off I'm going to go look for some new finds. Anyways, here are a couple of my favorite that I've recently acquired.

long sleeved, jersey type cotton blend

Jim Morrison vintage style tee

Cozy sweater that I can dress up slightly, or down 

The next of my favorite things are presents from Gino when he went on some business trips. The first is a drangonfly ring he bought for me in Berlin. I think it's a really original piece, and it's really grown on me since he gave it to me. I wear it pretty often but it's a little too small, and if i fiddle with it it pinches my finger. He also gave me a 'Breakfast at Tiffany' Audrey Hepburn pendant necklace from the same shop. Although it was a really thoughtful gift because he knows that's one of my favorite movies, I have yet to figure out how to wear it.

On his last business trip to Florence (he got back yesterday) he bought me my first Prada. A new wallet that is the softest leather. It feels a lot more grown up than my last wallet, and I totally love it (the understated Italian style I was talking about.)

My next new favorite things are two new pairs of boots that were also gifted to me (I'm one spoiled ginger.) They were both on sale, half price, and I've gotten a lot of use out of both of them so far. We spent a couple of hours in a big shopping center, but I was looking for something really plain and had a really hard time finding something that I loved. Finally we came across these ones. I have to say they were a major score. The black pair were down from 210 euros. They have some reall nice details like minimal silver hard wear and a leather braid around the back of the calf. The beige pair were down from 100. They're suede and are a little harder to wear, the weather here is a lot more forgiving than in Vancouver. I think they make a nice addition to the collection since for the most part I stick to safe black boots and this helps to switch it up a little, plus I left my motorcycle boots at home.

My other new favorite things have got to be our furniture. Gino has been a bachelor for so long, and moved around quite a bit, so he had pretty much nothing when I moved in. We still need to get a new bed (ours is a serious P.O.S,) but we're recently acquired two new bedside tables, a chest of drawers, and a mirror. The mirror is sitting on top of our chest of drawers and I've turned it into a quasi-vanity with some of my cosmetics, and pictures I brought from home. It took almost a month for our furniture to be delivered, even after paying 8% extra for the delivery. It finally came at the worst possible time, after a long night at work where we had a toga party. I was insanely hung over (Jim Beam.) I was a useless lump and we had to unpack, fold, and reorganize anything. Gino (who doesn't drink) was particularly unimpressed with me. But it was worth it, and has made our house feel more like a home.

A little cluttered, still have to figure out how to hang pictures on our (mostly) cement walls.

Tin decorations from Mexico, gifts from my mom.

I started using this big shell of Gino's as a place to put my jewelry when I take it off at the end of the day. 

We still desperately need some bedside lamps, and some other little things to make it a little more homey, but this is a good start.

Anyways, thank you for indulging my materialistic side, and letting me indulge in a few of my new favorite possessions. I have the day off tomorrow so hopefully I'll be able to get some more interesting material.

xx

Tanti Auguri!

It's been almost a week since my last post since nothing much has been going on. We've had a couple large groups in the campsite, and have all been working. We've also hosted lunches for various parts of the staff over the last few days, so even on our time off we're still at the restaurant working. Gino is almost always busy with something, he is very business minded and trying to expand his empire. The other day I made a joke about how I only see the back of his head when he's running off to do something, and that I spend more time doing his laundry than with him. It was not well received. Every once and a while I think he needs to be reminded because he's so used to being on his own, and a terrible workaholic. He is literally on the campsite 7 days a week. Even when he has a day off it's not really a day off because without fail we will end up spending time there, or he'll be on the phone, answering emails and solving everyones problems. First thing in the morning when he wakes up, he checks the emails on his phone in bed, replies to messages, and generally does boss things. At times I am tempted to flush his phone down the toilet.

On a lighter note, today is his 30th birthday. Yesterday we spent most of the morning in bed (I think he was trying to make up for my complaints of never seeing him,) had some breakfast, then a nap. We went to buy his birthday present before going to the campsite so he could help with an unexpected dinner reservation for 30 people. He wanted new things for the kitchen, so I bought him an electric mixer, an electric kettle, and a new space heater since ours died (rip.) While we were in the Vatican, the tour guide made a joke about all of the presents people give the pope saying 'what do you give the man who has everything?' I responded 'Good question, my boyfriend's birthday is coming up.' Sadly I was not able to buy him the Porche he wanted, but maybe next year. Anything that I would have been able to afford and he would want he buys for himself, so the easiest solution was just to take him to the store and let him pick some things out. Today we went for lunch with our roommates in Ostia, which is a little town right on the Mediterranean. We had spanish food, then came home and I baked him a cake. It was a chocolate brownie cake with fresh strawberries on top and inside topped with whipped cream. The whole thing kind of collapsed because I was too impatient to wait for it to cool entirely before cutting it in half to fill it with strawberries, but it tasted delicious. 

Birthday Cake

Crumbling to pieces.

Birthday Cake at the campsite with all the staff

In front of a bar we went to that overlooked the Colosseum. 

I think I've made it in with the family. Gino told me that last time he went to Florence his mom was upset that I didn't come and that his parents always ask about me. I think they just want us to get married so they can have grandkids in Italy (his brother lives in Australia with his wife and daughter.)

Enough for now, I'm sitting in the kitchen noming a sausage from Gino's family's farm. We're probably going to watch an Italian movie tonight and go to bed early. Since we work in a bar, going out some times feels like work, and I'm just starting to get a cold. It's so nice to stay home and snuggle with the new heater and tea. 

xx