Studio update..

Today I am posting some pictures of where I spend all my time doing work, STUDIO! Since this idea is such an abstract one for many of you, I will fill you in...

This is a view outside the studio window, which you will see, is right next to my desk!

This is my desk! I love having a window right here. And don't worry, the door behind me is not used, it's closed up...

This is everyone hard at work, on a Friday! Our profesor should be proud...

Enough updating for now, back to work! I have to get some work done, tonight I'm making Chicken Cutlet Parmigian for the apartment...lots of things to do! Take care and keep in touch! Miss you all! Matty-see you SOON!

Forgotten Picture...

So I've forgotten one of my favorite pictures from Genova...it is inside a sort of wedding hall. Gorgeous architecture, I wish I could have something here!

Right now, I'm on a break from a studio seminar on SCRIPTING... something similar to visual basic I guess. I hope everyone's doing well!

UPDATE ON MY 9 DAY TRIP!

Hello to all my worthy readers...here is a brief compilation of what I've been up to for the past 9 days...the pictures are actually in reverse order of my trip's itinerary...sorry!

VENICEMorgan, Rachele, myself and Barb in Venice on the FERROVIA.

Palace in St. Mark's Square

Gondolas!

The famous Rialto Bridge. I wanted to get a photo on it, but obviously, as you can see, that bridge is packd 24/7.

We took a trip to Fisherman's Island (also known as Burano)...all the houses were pretty bright colors!)

VICENZAThis was probably the coolest building I've seen to date. It is actually the Nardini Bottling Plant, for a well known Italian drink called "Grappa." Grappa is an INTENSELY alcoholic drink, 50% alcohol, and the Italians here love to drink it as an afternoon drink or after dinner. It's a thick, heavy drink. We got to taste whatever flavors we wanted here!

This was the interior of the "bubbles." I couldn't believe what it felt like to literally be inside a bubble so high up. It was the most amazing feeling, and you can see by the colors (mostly blues) that the space looks pretty futuristic and VERY cool!

We took an elevator that went diagonally downstairs into the basement. This was the basement auditorium of the Grappa Bottling Plant. We were sitting in the seats in this picture...those panels are all remote controlled and fold into each other and completely leave the stage. It was so amazing to watch.


VERONA
BAM (Barb Amy Morgan) in Verona at the Castle.

Front door of a church..the name escapes me at the moment.

Glorius stairwell.

TORINO

Fiat testing center! This bubble is pretty reminiscent of the Bubbles of the Nardini plant in Vicenza.

Shot in the sun.

These tracks are where they tested the Fiats...we're all looking up at them. The cars would go flying up and down these tracks.

One of the mornings Barb, Morgan and I went to visit churches..isn't this one gorgeous?

Guarini's church...another gorgeous dome shot.

GENOVA

Our awful hotel rooms in Genova. Probably our least favorite city!

Thank goodness for this gorgeous Piazza.

Our class on a beautiful, beautiful day. Group shot...I set up my tripod and ran into the picture as fast as I could!

A bunch of us after we ate lunch around Genova..

Rachele and I were extremely tired after lunch...

Me in the hotel room...uploading pictures...


So the trip overall was EXCELLENT! I can't believe how much walking around we did and how much we saw. It's now 2:30 in the morning, so I will probably update this tomorrow, with more specifics on what we did. Hopefully, you've all enjoyed my photos and I can't wait to tell you all a lot more! Be safe, and take care! I miss you all! Matthew is coming back next week, I can't wait to see him!


Goodnight everyone!

Last night in Genova

So this is the last night Ill be speaking to you all from Genova! Tomorrow, we leave for Torrino at 815 am. I am getting ready to go to sleep now, its been a loooong day of walking around Genova, looking at churches, crazy apartment complexes, and lovely dinners on the seaport of Genova. I will write much more tomorrow if I get a chance, its been a long long day and I am exhausted! I actually also babysit Saunders little baby boy, Oliver! tonight. Oliver was sleeping the whole time, I didnt do much...but it was fun either way.


On that note, I am heading to bed...hope to talk to you all tomorrow! Miss and love you all! Pictures to come!!

Hello from Genova!

Hello from Genova! I am currently on the hotel computer in the Hotel Bellevue in Genova, Italy. We are on our 8 day trip touring the northern cities in Italy this week...the 10 hr drive was nothing, being that I slept mostly all of it, besides doing my italian work. The ride was also nice because we took a coach bus, and each of us had our own set of 2 seats! That made it much easier to pass out. I am trying to upload some pictures of my hotel room here, a typical, small European-style room..but this computer, to my knowledge, has no port for my USB! I also cannot even log into facebook, because these European keyboards dont have a normal "at" sign, its underneath the Q and I cannot even get it to type...its like a subletter of Q. Weird. Youll also notice there are no apostrophes, thats because I cant get to those either.

Either way, we had a pretty nice day today in Genova, we learned about a huge urban planning project that is being designed and carried out for the port city of Genova, went to a pretty cool museum, and then checked out the aquarium that Renzo Piano designed and revamped. Everything was really nice. Now Im back at the hotel, taking it easy for a little while. Tomorrow, we have some CRAZY tour planned, we are literally walking all over Genova and killing ourselves. Should be great!

I hope everyone is doing wonderfully..I would like to say CONGRATS! to Alicia for her Bridal Shower, CONGRATS! to the 4 new members of the Rusty Pipes (Nick, Brian, Tony and Jeffry) and HELLO to EVERYONE out there! HI FAMILY! HI FRIENDS! HI MATTY!

Everyone take care, and I will upload pictures as soon as I can!

Friday before Northern Trip!

Hello from "Good Cafe" in Trastevere, a few minutes from where we live in Campo de Fiori. Tonight is our last night in Rome for 8 days! We will be taking a trip to Northern Italy, leaving tomorrow at PRECISELY 6:45am! We will be driving 10 hrs to Genova, with a 2hr stopover (for lunch and walking around) in Lucca, a walled in city in Tuscany. I have actually been there for about a week, to visit my sister Alicia while she lived there and went to school. It should be gorgeous, the weather is great, and we all have just finished a very stressful project in which most of us didn't sleep during (as usual).

I wanted to wish my sister ALICIA a HAPPY BRIDAL SHOWER back at home, since I am unable to be there. I hope everything goes well, and hope the party is fun!

Also, PIPES! Keep me updated! WHO ARE THE NEW MEMBERS?! FILL ME IN!

For everyone, my friends back at home (or away at college) and family (HI MOM, DAD, ALICIA, BRYAN, BETTY AND KERRI!) and everyone else, I miss you all! I'll keep in touch as much as I can...and obviously Matty, I miss you so much. I'm so glad you're getting much better and everything is going well for you. Can't wait until you're back!


So, new pictures! Coming as we speak...

Ponte Pr. Amedeo Sav. Aosta

This was the theatre in Ostia Antica, a well preserved early Roman city, that at one point was turned into a military camp.

The Campidoglio Monument, in Piazza Campidoglio. Used as a war monument after a while.

Also in Piazza Campidoglio.

My professor and his wife, and baby Oliver!

Our Class at Ostia Antica, with one of our History Professors, the craziest man I'll ever know, JAN from Belgium! He knows absolutely EVERYTHING.

St. Peter's Basilica, BAD PHOTO of the church, but LOOK AT THAT CLOUD!
Outside the Pantheon on the steps in the Piazza...it was so hot!


Underground in a tomb-sort of place...in Ostia Antica.


Dress up dinner night!


On some hilltop (one of the 7 in Rome) with my friend, my water bottle.


With Jan again...Rachele and I look extremely amused.

In our apartment, eating a healthy family dinner...this night was pork, carrots, bread (as you can see, I am indulging).

Next Phase...

Hello everyone,


It's now about 5pm in Italy, and I have finally come across a cafe with FREE wireless internet! After this week, we will be moving into our studio with internet, so internet will HOPEFULLY soon be readily available!


I just want to start off by saying thank you so much for all the prayers, wishes and nice notes left to me by everyone for Matt. He is back in the states now, getting better with each day. We are so sad to not have him here with us right now, but we know he just needs some time to get up and running like he used to be! So, thank you all again, for everything. It really means a lot to both Matt and myself.

Next on the agenda-CLASS! We have been walking ALL over Rome everyday, for class, supermarkets, the works! I don't think I've ever drank so much water in my life! In comparison to America, it's probably around 105 degrees here almost every day. The buildings and spaces here are gorgeous-as you will see in photos to come. I am working on a partner project with Nick, which is going well. We have a large submission on Thursday, so I will be up late (as usual) these next few nights.

I still can't believe I am here for 4 months...it's too good to be true! Today we had a tour of the Capital Line Hill, a couple churches including the all famous Santa Sabina (an architect's dream basilica) and a few others.


I am really starting to get used to speaking italian, and luckily for us, we live above a bar/cafe, in which we have made it a point to become friends with the people who work there. They speak English, well enough, to be able to help us when needed.


This Saturday we head out for a 10hr trip to Northern Italy, making a 2hr stopover in Luca, Italy (ironically, where my older sister Alicia used to live!) for lunch and walking around. We will be having a Northern Italy tour for about a week. I'm not too sure how much I will have access to internet up there, but I will try my best to keep on the blog!


I hope everything is going well over there in the US, and that everyone is enjoying their transitions into the new schoolyear! TAKE CARE EVERYONE. I miss everyone so much..friends and family from home, of course Matty, Rusty Pipes, and just EVERYONE. Please take care! I will hopefully be back on the blog soon!



For now, buona sera (here at least!)