So I guess I should start by apologizing for not posting last week, not that you all missed much. I would say that I was too busy to post, but lets be honest, I was being lazy. I figure that one slip in twelve weeks isn't so bad, though.
Anyway, the weekend before last I decided to give my jet-setting self a rest and had a little stay-cation with my friends, which pretty much consisted of eating some of the best Italian food that I have ever had. After trying and failing to make last-minute reservations at some of the top restaurants in Milan on a Friday night (I don't understand why we were unsuccessful???) we ended up at a little place that was actually amazing. To start we were given complimentary bread and croissants, which isn't that uncommon here in Italy, but the pheasant liver that went with the bread certainly was. I'm happy to report that I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried the stuff, but it was a no-go for sure. To follow I ordered homemade pasta with veal bolognese and I ate every last bite of it. It actually reminded me a bit of hamburger helper (and I'm probably going to Hell for saying that) but I loved it nonetheless. Finally, after looking at a dessert menu and ultimately deciding to get gelato instead, we were given two complimentary plates of assorted sweets. I don't think I've ever been treated so well by a restaurant in my life.
The next night we decided to get burgers for dinner which really doesn't need any explanation, but on Monday we went to yet another Italian restaurant for more homemade pasta. To start we got two plates of bruschetta, one with tomato, basil and mozzarella and one with some sort of spicy sausage sauce, but the real winner for me was my pasta. I opted for macaroni with a sausage and tomato sauce, and it was delicious. It had a bit of a kick to it which I really appreciated because spicy food is kind of hard to come by here, To finish we shared some tiramisu, which I had actually never had before (shocked face) and I loved it... cue addiction.
The next weekend I decided to do a mini solo-trip and spent a day in Florence. I wish that I could say that I embraced the art of the city and learned all about its history, but I really just spent the day shopping and taking pictures. I just didn't see the sense in spending hours waiting in line to see Michelangelo's David when I'd already seen the Sistine Chapel, so I skipped out on that. I did, however, see a much smaller copy of it that required no wait at all, which was good enough for me.
Although you could argue that I am the worst tourist in the world, I did make time for some pizza and wine. I had yelped pizza places ahead of time and I knew that I wanted to go to a specific shop because they made heart shaped pizzas and hello, that's adorable. Anyway, after getting off of my train and walking a good twenty minutes to get there, I forgot to order it shaped like a heart. I'll be honest, I was slightly more ticked at myself than I should have been, but the pizza was still delicious and I was able to have a decently good conversation with the really cute guy who took my order, broken English and all.
After eating I was stuffed but managed to walk off my food belly by visiting some jewelry shops, taking my time sightseeing, and spending way too much money on fake Céline purses (which I'm obsessed with). I must say, other than using Google Maps to find my way to the pizza place, I didn't touch it at all the rest of the day. It was so refreshing to just let my sense of direction do the walking and do some unplugged exploring. One of my biggest pet peeves here is missing out on enjoying your surroundings because you're too focused following a path outlined on your phone. Also, can I just take a second to comment on how absolutely gorgeous Florence's duomo is? I must have circled it three times taking pictures, and I even loved it so much that I over payed for a glass of wine nearby just so that I could sit and admire the view.
All in all, Florence was a definite success. I'm super proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and going alone (although based on my mom's stress level on the phone, she wouldn't say the same). My only complaint is that I was only there for one day, so it's definitely on my list of cities to hit next time I'm in Europe.
And that's all for now! I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I'll be back with another post next week.
Hayli
Anyway, the weekend before last I decided to give my jet-setting self a rest and had a little stay-cation with my friends, which pretty much consisted of eating some of the best Italian food that I have ever had. After trying and failing to make last-minute reservations at some of the top restaurants in Milan on a Friday night (I don't understand why we were unsuccessful???) we ended up at a little place that was actually amazing. To start we were given complimentary bread and croissants, which isn't that uncommon here in Italy, but the pheasant liver that went with the bread certainly was. I'm happy to report that I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried the stuff, but it was a no-go for sure. To follow I ordered homemade pasta with veal bolognese and I ate every last bite of it. It actually reminded me a bit of hamburger helper (and I'm probably going to Hell for saying that) but I loved it nonetheless. Finally, after looking at a dessert menu and ultimately deciding to get gelato instead, we were given two complimentary plates of assorted sweets. I don't think I've ever been treated so well by a restaurant in my life.
The next night we decided to get burgers for dinner which really doesn't need any explanation, but on Monday we went to yet another Italian restaurant for more homemade pasta. To start we got two plates of bruschetta, one with tomato, basil and mozzarella and one with some sort of spicy sausage sauce, but the real winner for me was my pasta. I opted for macaroni with a sausage and tomato sauce, and it was delicious. It had a bit of a kick to it which I really appreciated because spicy food is kind of hard to come by here, To finish we shared some tiramisu, which I had actually never had before (shocked face) and I loved it... cue addiction.
The next weekend I decided to do a mini solo-trip and spent a day in Florence. I wish that I could say that I embraced the art of the city and learned all about its history, but I really just spent the day shopping and taking pictures. I just didn't see the sense in spending hours waiting in line to see Michelangelo's David when I'd already seen the Sistine Chapel, so I skipped out on that. I did, however, see a much smaller copy of it that required no wait at all, which was good enough for me.
Although you could argue that I am the worst tourist in the world, I did make time for some pizza and wine. I had yelped pizza places ahead of time and I knew that I wanted to go to a specific shop because they made heart shaped pizzas and hello, that's adorable. Anyway, after getting off of my train and walking a good twenty minutes to get there, I forgot to order it shaped like a heart. I'll be honest, I was slightly more ticked at myself than I should have been, but the pizza was still delicious and I was able to have a decently good conversation with the really cute guy who took my order, broken English and all.
After eating I was stuffed but managed to walk off my food belly by visiting some jewelry shops, taking my time sightseeing, and spending way too much money on fake Céline purses (which I'm obsessed with). I must say, other than using Google Maps to find my way to the pizza place, I didn't touch it at all the rest of the day. It was so refreshing to just let my sense of direction do the walking and do some unplugged exploring. One of my biggest pet peeves here is missing out on enjoying your surroundings because you're too focused following a path outlined on your phone. Also, can I just take a second to comment on how absolutely gorgeous Florence's duomo is? I must have circled it three times taking pictures, and I even loved it so much that I over payed for a glass of wine nearby just so that I could sit and admire the view.
All in all, Florence was a definite success. I'm super proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and going alone (although based on my mom's stress level on the phone, she wouldn't say the same). My only complaint is that I was only there for one day, so it's definitely on my list of cities to hit next time I'm in Europe.
And that's all for now! I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I'll be back with another post next week.
Hayli