C'est la Vie

Simple Things In Life

2009-11-29T16:17:00.000-08:00

After a wonderful Thanksgiving meal, and even better Thanksgiving leftovers, I headed down to Santa Cruz to visit some of my cousins. I mentioned to my cousin that I got a new camera and I wanted to play with the different settings at sunset out on the Cliffs, meaning La Selva Cliffs. So, we picked up a play-buddy for my little cousin because watching the sunset for a 4.5 year old is really not that interesting.

My cousin B on the left with her BFF Jaxon

Little tree-monkey

Future Top Model

Cutie

While they played 'hot lava monster' or whatever the current version is, we looked out over this gorgeous view and enjoyed the fabulousness of our afternoon.

So beautiful and such a wonderful weekend!

Thanksgiving Holiday

2009-11-27T16:01:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year. Great food, family and friends, and the start of the holiday season!

Over the years the decorating in our house has changed and gradually downsized, especially during the Fall season. But no matter what the occasion, whenever we have company, the table is always set for the season.

This also includes centerpieces for the table and a little festiveness on the side table too.

But of course, the highlight of Thanksgiving is the meal, and after preparing over the past couple of days, I was looking forward to a fabulous dinner!

The first dish is the antipasto, but I forgot to take a picture. My Nonni makes it every year and it consists of green peas, tuna, and celery mixed together with sliced eggs, olives, and sometimes anchovies on top. I am not a fan of anchovies and therefore always ask that they be placed on the side; this year she used shrimp meat as an alternative and it was very tasty. Next we had soup, a crab bisque. My mom alternates between pasta and soup, and the soup was excellent this year!

Then of course it is finally time for the main event: the TURKEY!!!

The side dishes are just as important for Thanksgiving...

Stuffing is a must!

Bourbon soaked cranberries!!

French green beans

Yams and Mashed Potatoes

And last but not least.... Pumpkin Pie!!

This is the one we ate...so delicious!!!!

Day 14

2009-08-31T22:07:00.000-07:00

Once again, we all had breakfast down at the restaurant in Sarricciolo. Afterwards we went to Aulla to see the street fair, or the mercato. Here they sold lots of clothes, for all ages, shoes, flowers, cookware, and even bathroom supplies - it was very interesting. We walked the entire length, grabbed some beverages since it was already so hot, and then split up. My dad, my cousin Bruno, and my Nonno when to Carrara, which is a town nearby that is famous for the white or blue-gray marble quarried there, including artists like Michelangelo.

Ivonne, Yuri, mom and myself went back to the house, had lunch, and mom and I proceeded to pack for our trip to Roma. By the time we were ready to go, my dad, Bruno, and Nonno had returned so we said our good-byes and my dad and Bruno drove us over to Venezia's house. We met Ivan, then Mario drove us all to Magda's work where we picked her up and headed to the train station. It was a 4 1/2 hour train ride from La Spezia to Roma, and we crawled right into bed when we arrived at our hotel!

Day 13

2009-08-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

On our first day all together in the country, Ivonne took us to our restaurant for breakfast and we once again had cappuccino and pastries. The first stop of the day was to go back to Saint Giuseppe, where my dad first lived.

Then we went to Olivola to visit with Zia Nella and then over to Zio Renaldo's where we saw Bruna and her husband Dario and son Lorenzo.

We returned home for lunch, and then I finally got to meet Zia Glina who came over to the house with her daughter-in-law, Marialla.

My visit was short because I needed internet access with a printer, so Ivonne took me over to Venezia's house where I used Magda computer to order tickets to visit the Vatican, since mom and I were leaving for Roma the next day with Magda and Ivan.

After I got back home, my cousin Bruno came over and we all went out to dinner at this place called La Locanda. Our reservations were at 8pm and we did not leave until 12 midnight! We must have been served 15-20 dishes, mainly seafood varieties. But I have never eaten so much during one meal in my entire life! I tried a few new dishes, such as the Bati-Bati, which is a type of shrimp is that is only found in the Ligurian Sea. And I finally got my seafood risotto!

Nonno was looking forward to it at first too, but then they put the large shell on his plate and since he didn't know what it was, he was not a happy camper, so I took it away. I believe it was a crab shell, but there was nothing inside, just for decoration. If you look at Nonno's plate, it's the pinkish color item! Yea, it was that huge!

Day 12 - Venezia Part 2

2009-08-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

My second and last day in Venice started with us all having breakfast together in the hotel and then heading out to the last museum that I wanted to visit, Ca'Rezzonico. Unfortunately we planned for a little too much time to wander around and get lost, but we didn't, and had an hour to spare before the museum even opened.

I just thought this was such a beautiful window / picturesque scene.

And how cool how they have the market place on the boat!

The museum is an old palazzo located on the Grand Canal and offers the best look at what like was like in Venice during the 1700s, for the rich and famous of course.

So the first picture is that of the throne room - and although I would love to have sat there, it really looks uncomfortable! Then the middle picture is a bedroom, and it looked so small! Lastly is a picture of one of the ceilings, and I just am amazed with how beautiful ceilings are.

We all walked back to the hotel and before we left mom and I did a little shopping and found some shops that sold Murano glass; so we picked up trinkets for family and ourselves! Then we all headed back to Colecchia. Since the drive is so long we stopped for lunch at a rest stop, which had a gourmet deli and hot food section - it was like a fancy gas station! On our way back home we stopped off at my cousin Yuri's work and totally surprised him, since he had no idea my parents were going to be visiting. Then we drove through Aulla and stopped by to see Ivonne, and she started to cry the moment she saw my parents. Everyone was so emotional, well except me, I just thought it was amusing because I was the organizer of the whole thing and was just so happy it all came together. And since it was so hot, we all got gelato - even Nonno!

I was able to show my mom around town while my dad was talking to my cousins. We walked by some of the buildings my Nonno had shown me and the exact pathway he had taken me on when we first arrived. And for dinner that night, we had my favorite meal of all time...polenta!!! With chicken, rabbit, and wild boar stew!!!!!! Absolutely amazing and the perfect meal to welcome my parents to Italy. Everyone was so excited and beyond shocked that I had organized this little scheme. And like I said, I have never seen my Nonno smile so much!

Day 11 - Venezia e la sorpresa

2009-08-04T18:33:00.000-07:00

My trip to Venezia began at the lovely hour of 6am, and Armando, Nonno, and I drove the 3 1/2 hours across Italy. Since we arrived well before check-in time, we took a water bus over to St. Mark's Square.

Now, here is the exciting part about the Venezia trip, my parents were also in Venezia! I was the only one who knew about it and had coordinated with my parents so we would be in the same place at the same time.

So, Armando, Nonno, and myself got in line to go inside St. Mark's Basilica.

My parents were on their way but had to walk most of the way since their water bus broke down. Since they were not nearby I decided to go inside and get tickets to go to the top. The 3 of us walked up the stairs (Nonno is in such good shape for 85) and we walked around outside and I took some pictures.

Then we moved to the other side of the church that looks over St. Mark's Square. I asked Armando to take a picture of Nonno and myself and as I looked over, I spotted my mom and dad down in the square. I turned to Nonno and tried to point them out but the macular degeneration sort of prevents him from seeing well and I just had to convince him that they were there. Armando finally came over and spotted them too and gave me a few whacks on the head, which really hurt! Nonno was so surprised and so happy. I have honestly never seen him happier in my life.

Can you find them? They are at the bottom of the lamp post, on your right hand side. My mom is in a blue-white striped shirt and my dad looks like he is waving and in khaki colors.

Even though we were all excited to go down so see my parents, I wanted to finish looking around the church and see the exhibits.

So we did, but we definitely went through the church quickly. When we found them outside, it was like a movie, well to be honest the entire scene on top of the church was straight out of a movie, but I ran to great my parents. Everyone was just so happy to see each other and I was very pleased that it all worked out so nicely.

However, I still wanted to see a lot of things in Venezia so I walked them all over to the Correr Museum.

After lunch we all went to the Doge's Palace.

The photo on the left is of a smaller version of the one located in the Roman Forum, but the legend says if you stick your hand in the mouth, and you are a lier, your hand will be bitten off. I have to admit, I was too scared to try it!

Mom and I in the prison cells in the Doge's Palace.

But I had finally worn Nonno out and his knees were bothering him so the guys all headed back to the hotel and mom and I ventured around some more. You would think they would take the water bus back to the hotel, but Nonno is more terrified of the water than he is of dealing with the pain in his knees, so they walked! Mom and I wandered through Venezia and somehow managed to find out way to the Rialto Bridge. I did not completely understand why it was so complicated to get around Venezia by foot until I experienced it and there are just so many bridges and canals, that it is very easy to get lost or turned around or both!

I had one other museum on my list but by the time we found it, it was closed. We did manage to find our way back to the hotel by foot though, which was quite an accomplishment! Dinner was fast approaching we all took a walk nearby the hotel and tried to find a place for dinner, but nothing amazing stood out, so we settled on one close by. After dinner, we walked over to the New Bridge and strolled down the river bank.

And this just made me laugh because obviously it is easier to travel by boat in Venezia, I just was so surprised to see an ambulance on boat too!

On our way back, mom and I grabbed some gelato and finally went to bed.

Side Note

2009-07-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take a moment and pause from my updates about my trip. I was so blessed this summer in having the opportunity to go on a wonderful vacation and enjoy it with my Nonno. We had such an amazing time together and enjoyed every minute of it.

When I came back from my trip, all aspects of reality came too, including the status of my other grandfather, my mom's dad. On Thursday July 16, around 2:30am, my grandpa, Lee Baker Jr. passed away.

He had been fighting Alzheimer's Disease for many years, probably close to a decade. Since I left for Italy he has been bedbound, no longer talking, and barely eating / drinking. The Monday before he passed he came down with pneumonia and we all knew it was only going to be a couple of days before his time came. My mom and I stayed at his house on Monday night; I left Tuesday and returned Wednesday afternoon. My aunt from Arizona flew up Wednesday too, and that evening my two aunts, my mom, one of my cousins, and myself were gathered around the kitchen table telling stories and enjoying Chinese food. We all wished we could just wheel Grandpa into the family room so he could hear us all laughing and talking.

You see my Grandpa was a very quiet man. We enjoyed a lot of silent moments together but what he enjoyed the most was being with his family and just listening to what they had to say...about anything. That night I felt okay. I looked in the driveway and saw all the cars, and thought, this is how it used to be and this is what my grandparents both loved. Sure enough, once his family was together, Grandpa decided it was time to go. No, not all of the family were present that night but we had all already said our good-byes in our prayers.

My mom woke me up right after it happened to let me know. I just stayed in bed and stared at the wall; I didn't even cry. We talked for a bit and then I tried to go back to sleep. I dosed off a few times and had visions of both my grandparents and that would startle me and I would awaken again. But then I finally fell asleep after I saw them both holding hands and I just felt okay again; like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. I miss my grandfather terribly; I miss just sitting with him and enjoying our milkshakes or fries. I miss tell him stories and hearing him laugh. Or asking him questions and hearing the interesting responses he came up with in his mind. I know I am blessed in that I got to spend so much time with my grandfather, but it doesn't ease the hurt.

I'm reading the eulogy this Friday at the service and will be working on it all week. It is definitely one of the hardest things I have ever had to write, as was my grandmother's but I am so honored that my family has allowed me this privilege. It might sound strange but I just have so much to share about it and I just hope I can express it all this week. And every time I get choked up about it all I think back to what one of my dear friends told me in San Diego when my grandmother passed away: I can still love someone even when they are not physically there anymore, and they can still love me, and now he will always be with me in my own heart. I know it is simple, but it struck me when she told it.

Day 10 - Cinque Terre

2009-07-07T18:39:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have not been to Cinque Terre, it has been described as the French Riviera of Italy. So I'm definitely going to post a lot of pictures because it was so gorgeous!

The day started with an early rise, breakfast at the house and then driving to Aulla to catch the train. Maria-Rosa met us there and the three of us headed out to Riomaggiore, the first of the five cities in Cinque Terre. We saw the famous colorful murals and I took pictures of the view of the Ligurian Sea.

We walked to the next town, Manarola, along...

This is a very famous walkway that was built after the 1920s. After WWII is when it really became established as the meeting point for couples that in the 2 towns and encouraged inter-village marriages. The path got it's name Via dell'Amore from a writer who attended a wedding and named it the "Pathway of Love."

We followed Rick Steve's walk through Manarola and saw the beautiful vineyards and of course when we walked to the top we found a church and the most amazing view I've seen.

This also happens to be the area that I have decided I'm moving to one day :) And although you may laugh, I honestly have the intention of owning a home in Italy one day and either moving there or at least taking many more vacations out there!

The next town is Corniglia which is only accessible via train or walking and we decided to take the boat and bypass the third town because it's not very popular / interesting. But it does make for some more gorgeous pictures. As did our wait for the boat down by the harbor.

So we took the boat over to Vernazza and decided to have lunch at the recommended Rick Steve's Ristorante Al Castello, which by its name tells you the restaurant at the castle with another breathtaking view! Plus really great food and wine!

We meandered through the city, did some shopping for souvenirs and followed more of Rick Steve's walking tour. Eventually we hopped back on the boat and went to Monterosso al Mare, which is the most famous of the 5 towns, or at least the most touristy / resort like. To be honest, I was not a big of this town and enjoyed the others much more. Very beautiful as with the other towns, but a little too crowded.

We enjoyed some gelato, did some more shopping and finally headed for the dock to take the boat all the back to La Spezia.

My Zia Glina's son picked us up and took us back to Aulla. Since Ivonne was exhausted, we all went out to dinner for pizza and my Nonno was hilarious - he ordered a mug of beer and drank the entire thing!

Day 9

2009-07-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

After constantly moving and seeing and doing, today was a 'do nothing' day. Everybody had to work today so for breakfast Nonno and I walked into Sarricciolo but our favorite breakfast bar was closed. So we were brave and walked a few hundred feet and found another one! As we walked back, Nonno pointed out all the different crops and plants and friends' houses that he used to know and visit. Below is the field of corn that we watched grow over our 3 week stay and we really could see the difference from the beginning to the end. Nonno was very excited for these people because they were going to have such a good crop this year.

When we got back to the house we thought about going on a little walk and Nonno showed me the old mill where he would bring the wheat or corn to grind. So the picture on the right shows where the water comes down and then would travel down the wooden ramps and then that turns the mill. It still works, but it wasn't set up when I saw it.

But it was so hot that soon after, Nonno just wanted to stay inside where it was cool. So I read up on my Rick Steve's book until lunch. The afternoon did not get more exciting, I took a nap and finished reading my novel.

However, in the late afternoon, Ivonne came home early from work and took Nonno and I to the store and then we stopped by Zio Renaldo's house. On the way back home, Ivonne stopped by a cemetery where Nonno's parents and grandparents were buried. And this is a picture of my great-grandfather (Nonno's dad) and they look soooo similar. You cannot really tell from this picture, but when you put them side by side, they look like twins! His name was Flee.

Tonight we had a very interesting meal for dinner. It was like fondue, but instead of cooking or dipping, we heated up slices of cheese on these discs and then poured it over hot potatoes. It was really good! Not terribly exciting but definitely different!

Day 8 - Pisa and Lucca

2009-07-06T21:47:00.000-07:00

Today had a great start! I got to sleep in until 9am!!! G and I were so tired and we took our time getting ready and having breakfast, but we finally met up with Massi at the Campo dei Miracoli or Field of Miracles.

I had read in my Rick Steve's guide that when you bought your ticket for the Tower, you had a specific entrance time. So when we got the tickets the earliest option was 12:00pm, so we had a little time and decided to see the other sights. Our first stop was to go into the Duomo, and since they were still having Mass, no pictures were allowed. So, did I take more secret pictures? Of course! They weren't very good though and it was mainly just of the ceiling and a fuzzy picture of the alter, so I won't post them. Next we went into the Baptistery and while we were inside, a man came in and sang in order for the tourists to hear the incredible acoustics of the building.

Since it was a really hot day and we still had some time before our appointment we got granite, or slushies. I got lemon flavor; it's so great on a hot day! Finally it was time to climb the Tower. Massi did not come with G and I because he is scared of heights (I think) or just did not want to climb the 294 stairs. G and I took so many pictures so I will just share a few with you...

We start our climb up and at the first stop, we look down and see Massi!

At the bell tower level.

Finally made it to the top!

Massi prepared lunch at his house; we had an unusual lunch of turkey legs and I immediately thought of the ones you can buy at Disneyland! Next we drove out to Lucca. Lucca is really well known for its protective wall that was built around 2,000 years ago. Since it was a Sunday a lot was closed, except San Martino Cathedral...so of course we went inside.

One of the other reasons Lucca is famous is because of a famous composer was from here, Puccini. He wrote a little opera called La Boheme.

We continued to walk around the city for a bit, and then it was time to head back into Pisa, pick up the others and head back into the country. For dinner we had focaccina and that is not to be confused with focaccia! Pictures of this process will come on the last day.

Day 7 - Florence

2009-07-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

I spent the entire day in Florence with my cousins Massi and Mari Antoinetta and their significant others, G and Pasquale. G and I woke up early and took the bus to the train station where we met up with the others and had breakfast. Our train ride was only about 1 hour and G provided the translation so we could all talk.

The first thing we did when we got to Florence was to go straight to the Uffizi Museum, which we already had tickets / reservations. BTW, if you ever travel to Florence, I highly recommend purchasing your tickets for this museum ahead of time because the line is ridiculous and the 4 extra Euros per ticket are totally worth it!

Anyway, so we went through the museum and after much wandering around finally found the famous Botticelli paintings of "Birth of Venus" and "Primavera." Now, the museum states that no photography is allowed, but my cousins and I did not like this rule and with their help I snapped a few secret photos. And I have to say, after practicing with them as my cover, by the end of the trip I had mastered 'secret' photo-taking all by myself.

We started to get a little tired but still wanted to see more of the museum. G and Massi needed to use the restroom and I was left with MariAntoinetta and Pasquale. We each tried to communicate but were unsuccessful and decided to take pictures instead until G came back and could translate.

Right after our visit to the Uffizi, we stopped for lunch where we had some great Italian food and wine. The restaurant was very peculiar and it was like we were in the family wine cellar beneath the Inn that was upstairs. Odd, but so good!

After lunch we went back to the Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore)

and Baptistery. Inside the Baptistery is absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking. The Baptistery has a set of beautifully crafted bronze doors

and the inside is a mosaic ceiling, which is simply incredible and stunning.

Next we ventured over to the Accademia to see the famous David by Michelangelo. Of course I took some secret pictures here as well and they actually were really good!

G and I wandered around the rest of the museum and entered a room that was filled with unfinished works of art. As we were looking at the pieces one of the guards started yelling at this man in Italian. Well, he clearly did not understand so she switched to English and we overheard her say that she had to insist that he replace his shoes as it was against the rules to walk around the museum barefoot. It was so funny! Might have been one of those, need to be there moments, but trust me, it was hilarious.

The next main attraction was to walk across the Ponte Vecchio, or 'old bridge.' Here we got some gelato and the woman gave me such a huge amount of gelato I couldn't even finish it!

At this point we had been walking around all day and were extremely tired so we took a bus up to Piazzale Michelangelo where there is a replica of the "David" and gorgeous views of Florence. Massi, G, and I attempted to find the Rose Garden but got too exhausted when we got lost.

Our last stop of the day was Santa Croce Church. G and I were the only ones who went in because we lost one ticket and Massi opted out and the other two were just not interested. It really is a beautiful church and there are a number of famous tombs inside, including Galileo Galilei and Michelangelo. Unfortunately, the church was closing, we didn't have a map of the inside, and we couldn't find the names on all the tombs. So, I took some pictures of the ones that I liked the most :)

We then headed back to Pisa; all going separate ways. G and I ate are her place and were so tired we fell asleep immediately.

Day 6

2009-06-25T14:53:00.000-07:00

I got to sleep in today since I got in late last night. And by sleeping in I mean, Nonno did not knock on my door until 8am instead of 7am. Ivonne made breakfast and then we needed to go into Sarricciolo so she could help out at the market. Well, Nonno and I went with her but then decided to walk around for a bit instead of waiting inside the market. On our walk I took pictures of some beautiful flowers...

... and Nonno pointed out some things such as a the main bridge into the town was blown up during WWII, so he had to use the railroad bridge in order to commute in and out of town. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the bridge, but I remember leaning over the bridge and staring into the water and thinking how terrifying to live 1 or 2 miles away and having bombs go off within such a short distance of your home.

The afternoon was very calm and we went to go visit another one of Nonno's nephews; his name is Renato, the son of Zia Nella. He also lives in Olivola and I got to take some fun pictures while I was there.

Here is Nonno and I in front of the church where he got married.

And then I saw this sign...

So we had to take a picture underneath it.

Later that evening after dinner at Venezia's house, Mario (Magda's father) and Magda drove me over to Pisa and dropped me off with my cousin Massi and his girlfriend Gigliola (G). After we dropped off my stuff at G's apartment, the three of us walked around Pisa for a bit and got some gelato. It was very entertaining conversation considering G speaks broken English and Massi doesn't speak any English. I got a picture of how the weekend was going to work with communication, but G and I kept using our dictionaries and I slowly started to pick up some words and phrases.

Day 5

2009-06-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

So this was my first and sadly my only day of shopping in Italy. My cousin Magda took me a local Italian mall and we hit up some of her favorite stores and I got some cute stuff! Including a fabulous red jacket, which you might spot in later pics :)

After lunch we headed back to her house (she lives with her parents and brother). But she showed me the house that she is going to move into with her boyfriend/fiance and her brother. It's an interesting set up because, it's like a mini apartment building and she gets the second floor apartment, her brother gets the first floor, and then they have two separate family rooms that are on the ground floor (almost like two studios that act as additional family rooms to entertain guests). It's super hard to describe.

However, the fun part of the day came when we were hanging out waiting for Magda's boyfriend to get off work and the neighbors started to burn the grass, and next thing you know, my chest is extremely tight and I have inspiratory and expiratory wheezes. Yea, I had an asthma attack in Italy; yay me. So Ivan (Magda's boyfriend) arrived and we had to detour back to my house so I could take my meds. Luckily Albuterol really is the best drug ever and worked instantly and we went on our merry way!

Where did we go you ask? First we headed into La Spezia and did a little bit more shopping because Magda wanted to find some tennis shoes. She was specifically looking for the brand that Uma Therman wears in Kill Bill (never saw it, so I had no idea). Then we headed over to Portovenere...

I know, gorgeous right?! Wait, it gets better!

So the coolest part about this city is that it was built with the buildings touching each other in order to help provide a defense against pirates. Real pirates! Ivan told me this and I thought he was joking, but he was serious. So the houses form a wall that is connected / was connected to two parallel stone walls, which then connected to the castle on the top of the hill.

We took a walk down the end of the pier and there is a grotto that you can enter and this was the view...

And of course, like with every other town, village, or city in Italy, there was a church to visit. This one just happened to have been set up for a wedding and it was just beautiful. We of course ended with a little photo shoot of the three of us.

One photo my favorite way...

Then we had someone else take it...

This is the view atop of the church...

Day 4

2009-06-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

Our fourth day started a little different since Ivonne had to work, so instead of having breakfast at the house, Armando took Nonno and I into 'town' / Sarricciolo. In Italy, they call their cafes, bars; so we went to a bar for breakfast :)

The next stop of the day was to go visit Armando's son Yuri at work. All three of them are butchers at grocery stores and Armando and Yuri work at the same store. Then we headed out to a cute Medieval town, that I have no idea the actual name of, but it was fun to walk around.

Definitely an exciting part of the day was going to my Nonni's home village, Tavernelle, which was a very long drive through the mountains. Nonno said that it took him 2 hours on a bike to go visit Nonni. Don't ask me how they met, because I still don't know the answer. So here is a picture of me at Nonni's house...

And this was so cool. This is a picture of where the locals, and most likely my family, used to wash their clothes. So the water used to go into these stone tubs and that's where the local laundry facility was located.

We then ventured through the jungle of Italy and down a road which was overgrown with trees and weeds to visit Armando's horse. I forgot his name, but he was a pretty horse.

After lunch, Armando and Yuri took Nonno and I to visit castles and I loved it! Some castles were closed to visitors and others were still being lived in. How fun would it be to live in a real Medieval castle?! Obviously with a few modern adjustments, but still, so exciting!

This was the first castle.

And the second...

And the last castle...

This is a picture of the family tree tapestry for the castle.

And then some fun shots in the castle gardens where we waited for the tour guide to give us a private tour!

For dinner that night we headed over to another cousin's house: Venezia (my cousin), her husband Mario, their daughter Magda, and their son Marko. They fixed BBQ ribs and chicken, roasted potatoes and for dessert, copetta with raspberry sauce!

Day 3

2009-06-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

My third day in Italy was definitely entertaining, to say the least. After breakfast at the house, my Nonno and I went to Aulla (the nearest city) with my cousin Ivone. Our first stop was to visit a show cobbler who was good friends with my Nonno's younger brother, Bruno, who lives in the States. They talked for a bit and then we went inside a church (one of many on this trip), and according to the brochure

" In this Church in Aulla you are about to encounter the mortal remains of one of the greatest saints in the early history of French Christianity."

Above are the remains of St. Caprasio, which are "exposed for the veneration of the faithful." I thought this was pretty interesting but what I thought was really interesting about this church is that it had a picture of Aulla during WWII when my grandparents were still living nearby. They have always told me stories of how they could hear the bombs and planes but I never realized just how close the war came to their front door.

So the top is the picture of Aulla during WWII and the bottom is a picture of a bomb that fell during the war and destroyed part of the church. After our little tour of Aulla, we headed back to the house and while Ivone prepared lunch, Nonno and I went for a walk. He showed me a lot of very fun things, such as the place he used to go dancing

And then he showed me a few houses that belonged to family members. This next one was his Zia / Aunt's house and he used to visit frequently.

We walked around the village a little while longer and he showed me his older brother's first house where a few of my cousins were born. The barn was also still there and animals are inside, which I just think is so entertaining.

The next part of the day involved me heading out with Ivone and Maria-Rosa. Just a little clarification, Ivone and Armando are the cousins who we are staying with. Armando is my Nonno's nephew through his older brother, Renaldo (see Day 2 for a picture). They have a son named Yuri. Now Maria-Rosa is my Zia Nella's (that one of my Nonno's sisters) daughter-in-law. Franko, Nella's son, passed away 4 years ago, but Maria-Rosa and family still live with Zia Nella.

Okay, so the three of us ventured out on our own. Now remember, neither of them can speak English. I cannot speak nor understand much Italian. So communication was a combination of broken English, Italian, French, and passing back n' forth of the dictionary. Quite entertaining. So the first stop was to go to this castle in Fiviazano called Borgo della Verrucola (I think. My brochure is in Italian). However, when we get there the sign says 'Closed on Tuesdays.' So we walk around a bit. We of course gain access into the church though :)

So since the castle was closed we went to the village nearby and got some gelato :) and walked around. We found this beautiful

library and decided to take pictures

in the garden.

The next stop on the tour list of the day was to go visit Terme di Equi, which are similar to the hot springs in Calistoga, CA. There is a large pool, or the Baths, that contains sulfur in the water and then there is a hotel nearby along with a Spa facility. However, that was closed as well; the open season began the first week of June so we were a few days early. Right next to the Baths were famous caves, or a grotto. But, surprise, surprise, they were closed. Only open on the weekends and the regular season began the first weekend in June. So we meandered down towards the entrance just to look around anyway.

Even though all our destinations were closed, we definitely still had a fun time and it was so fun to try to communicate between all of us and it was a very enjoyable day. But it didn't end there. We had a few family stops to made before the day was up. The first stop was to go back to Olivola and there I got to see the church where my Nonno and Nonni were married and where my Aunt and Dad were baptized.

Oddly enough, my Nonni's sister, who is not from this town, apparently made some donations to this church and therefore, the church dedicated 2 pews to her with name placards. Our next stop was to go visit my Zio Renaldo and his daughter Bruna. When she answers the doorbell, she just opens the shutters, moves the screen, and sticks her head out the window to talk to you...

After a fun and entertaining day, I finished my picture taking madness by snapping some shots looking out over Tuscany...

Day 2

2009-06-07T18:53:00.000-07:00

This was one of my favorite days. I saw so many fun things, and not a single one of them are famous but they are all family related. After breakfast at the house, where I drank my first cappuccino (yes I did drink coffee and it consisted of half coffee, half milk, and a few scoops of sugar), Nonno and I went for a walk to the town he was born called Saldina. It was about a 20 minute walk away and consisted probably of about 6 or 7 houses.

Now, the house looks beautiful now but when Nonno lived there, it had a lot less windows, it was smaller, no pretty flowers, the kitchen was outside, and there definitely was no bathroom. However, the second floor window was the room he was born in. As we walked around this man started speaking to Nonno and apparently they remembered each other. I'm not sure what else was said considering I could not understand anything, but it was just fun to see Nonno so social.

After the morning chores were complete, including feeding the cows, chickens, rabbits, we ventured over to a village called Saint Giuseppe, where my Dad was born.

The top picture is of Nonno and myself in front of the house and the picture below is of the well in the backyard that my Nonno dug when they moved in around 1937. Clearly it has been out of use for quite some time. Just up the road a bit is my Uncle or Zio's house in Querchia.

Zio Renaldo is the man seated in the center. One of my many cousins Dario is the man on the right. My Zio is 2 years older than my Nonno and is showing the first signs of Alzheimer's Disease. We also went to visit my Zia Nella who is 2 years younger than my Nonno, however I forgot to take a picture. She is a hoot! Her voice is your typical Italian grandmother. Didn't understand a single word she said, but it was fun just listening to her.

Post Italy Blog - Day 1

2009-06-07T18:29:00.001-07:00

So even though I am already back from my trip, I figure the most genius way to spend my spare time and avoid homework and job hunting is to blog about my trip :)

Day 1

My first day in Italy began when our plane touched down in Pisa and as Nonno and I exited the baggage claim, and the doors opened, there stood 12 family members, smiling, waving, and cheering. It was quite a site!

Before I could even grasp the fact that I had finally made it there, they were asking me if I wanted to go see the Tower of Pisa. After pulling an all nighter in order to study for my last final, finish a paper, and complete the packing process, and then flying for 16 hours...I was a little tired, but of course said yes!

When I saw this, I seriously almost started to cry because I was just in such disbelief that I was really there. Oh and if you were wondering about all those family members...

There will be more individuals ones as we go along but basically all of these people are cousins, and there are a ton more that I didn't even get to meet. My first dinner in Italy was not my first choice, pizza, but definitely an experience. I say this because, they do not serve slices in Italy, they serve entire pizzas! And each person eats there own! My guess is that they are about the size of a medium here. I can barely manage 2 slices on a regular basis. Luckily the pizza is super thin and I managed to eat half, and luckily other people were hungry and finished the rest of mine.

After dinner it was time to go home to a little town (really a village) called Piano Di Colecchia and get a good nights rest!

Ciao! Il mio nome è Nicole!

2009-05-01T17:05:00.000-07:00

The countdown is on! I leave for Italy on May 16; that is exactly 15 days from today!

I've never been to Italy before and I am so excited about this trip. It is going to be a very unique sort of trip because I am going with my Nono (grandpa). He's 85 and still loving life, and the two of us are going to travel to Italy and visit the family. Most of his family lives out there, including one of his brothers and sisters. I have met a few of them in the past, but it'll be totally different experience when we go out there.

My family is from the Tuscany area, a little less than an hour away from Pisa.

Hopefully this will be one of the first sites I get to see and I can take the same picture my parents took when they were here; me pretending to lean against the Tower :) I'm not sure how much traveling I am going to get to do. I want to do as much as possible and hopefully get to see the big sites at Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, and Pisa. But the great part about this trip is that I'm going to see a lot of my family and my family history!

It Happens...

2009-04-29T23:15:00.000-07:00

So, many, many, many months later...
Much has changed.

I am finally and officially an RN!! After months of studying and cramming and stressing and crying, it all paid off and I passed the NCLEX in January of 2009!

I have also gone through one of the hardest things in life: heart break. I had been dating this guy for 7 years, and it abruptly came to an end mid-December 2008. Two days before finals started; it was just perfect timing. And literally, the world looked less colorful; my feet felt like dead weights; and I just wanted to feel numb because the pain was too much to handle. I don't think I have ever felt such pain before. A sort of pain that cannot really be described because it consumes your entire body and soul. It was like my whole world had come to end. My chest would tighten up and I would have to remind myself to breath and take deep breaths. I cried everyday for weeks. If I ever thought about it too long this sense of fear, panic and misery would seep through me. In the second Twilight book, the main character looses the love of her life and many people have commented how obnoxious or dramatic she is, but I know exactly what that feels like. It feels impossible to move. And you just want to sink away into a hole and disappear until the pain is gone.

But life is not like Twilight and my 'Edward' did not come back for me and never will. Life goes on and so must I. And surprisingly enough, I really have! Some days are worse than others; and I still break down and cry every so often. But each day I heal a little more. Each day the world is a little brighter. Each day I grow a little more confident that I really will be OK. I completely believe that things are going to be fine. I'm not there yet, but I will be one day. I suffered a pretty bad case of heart break, but it won't last forever. I definitely still believe in love and know that I will find it again one day. Apparently it just wasn't my time. Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes I'm not so sure why I had to be put through so much sadness and pain, but I'll figure it out along the way.

Words of advice

2008-10-11T14:43:00.000-07:00

Love yourself. Make peace with who you are and where you are at this moment in time.

Listen to your heart. If you can't hear what it's saying in this noisy world, make time for yourself. Enjoy your own company. Let your mind wander among the stars.

Try. Take chances. Make mistakes. Life can be messy and confusing at times, but it's also full of surprises. The next rock in your path might be a stepping-stone.

Be happy. When you don't have what you want, want what you have. Make do. That's a well-kept secret of contentment.

There aren't many shortcuts to tomorrow. You have to make your own way. To know where you're going is only part of it. You need to know where you've been too. And if you ever get lost, don't worry. The people who love you will find you. Count on it.

Life isn't days and years. It's what you do with time and with all the goodness and grace that's inside you. Make a beautiful life, the kind of life you deserve.

Favorites

2008-07-26T23:00:00.001-07:00

I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us — don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know. How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
- Emily Dickinson

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
- E.E. Cummings

To live constantly above snobbery of word or deed; to place scholarship before social obligations and character before appearances; to be, in the best sense, democratic rather than 'exclusive' and lovable rather than 'popular'; to work earnestly, to speak kindly, to act sincerely, to choose thoughtfully that course which occasion and conscience demand; to be womanly always; to be discouraged never...
- Chi Omega Symphony

39 Miles for the Bust

2008-07-22T15:33:00.000-07:00

On July 12 - 13, my mom and I participated in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk in San Francisco. Over the two days we walked 39.3 miles. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I was so excited and proud of my mom and I for not only finishing the walk but also raising the money and training too. We spent a lot of time and energy getting things ready for this event, and it was worth it!
We walked in honor of a close family friend. She was my mom's best friend and acted as a second mom to me when I first moved to La Jolla, Ca. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer in 2004 and fought for 4 years before she passed in January 2008. She was an amazing woman and walking in memory of her was a wonderful way to honor her. My mom and I have the full intention of making this an annual event (but hopefully making our team a little bigger)!

A Good Book

2008-07-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read a book where the author pulls you into the characters so well that you actually 'feel' for them? That's, what I consider a well written book. It may not be a classic like "A Tale of Two Cities" but "Twilight" and the other books written by Stephenie Meyer are perfect examples of a talented writer. The books are not complicated; they are a quick and easy read, but the author has a way of pulling the reader into the book by focusing on feelings. If you have ever experienced heartache or have been in love, and I mean true love, then her books are worth reading. The books may be for young adults / teenagers, but the relationships and emotions that are described by the author are so real for anyone who has been in love. And by love, I mean being with someone who has the power to make you feel like you are floating on cloud nine, but cab also bring you down so low, you feel like the world is crashing all around. Relationships are complicated and no matter at what age; if anything they get worse as you get older and add on more responsibilities. The emotions and feelings these characters have are real and partially what makes the 'Twilight' saga so captivating is that the reader becomes a part of the story and you just cannot wait to find out what is going to happen next.

How much is too much?

2008-06-22T18:16:00.000-07:00

The week of hell begins tomorrow. First comes the last midterm of the short summer session, followed by a day in maternity clinical. Wednesday is Maternity HESI, which will be beyond interesting. Thursday is Sim Lab and Friday is Peds HESI.
A great deal of studying is required this week and started after class on Friday. But seriously how much is too much studying?! There are only so many hours in the day and some of those hours need to be dedicated to other activities besides studying like sleeping and eating. How much sacrifice is expected of our cohort? I mean honestly, who thought that cramming 15 weeks of school into 6 weeks was a good idea? I would really like to know because I can personally say that it is a very bad idea! There is too much stress and not enough time to actually learn and absorb the material. All we are doing is cramming info into our brains, taking test after test, and then most info is forgotten a few days later. It's unfortunate since the Peds and Mat clinicals are a lot more fun than I expected.
But a person can only study so much and memorize so much. And if you don't have good guessing skills, life is about to get even more stressful!

New to Blogging

2008-06-17T22:14:00.000-07:00

So what better way to procrastinate from studying and writing an EBP paper than to start my own blog!