*Insert awesome quote from The Office here*

I have resurfaced from a massive Office marathon to say: I heart Spring Break! And also Jim and Pam.

Best couple since Ross & Rachel.

Yesterday was uneventful [hence the lack of post], but nevertheless satisfying. All days such as this begin with...OATS!

Remember my Candy Land addition? Here's a new one - cinnamon oat shore + vanilla yogurt sea. Great for spoonboarding! (Get it?? surfboarding, spoonboarding....wow. Stop now Gillian. Just stop.)

Took my roomie to my Monday sandwich place - no photo, we had to walk-and-eat because we were busy shopping for...

The most beautiful handmade leather sandals ever.

And they're all mine. Spring can start now - time to get these babies broken in!

Lunch, by the way, was as wonderful as usual - tuna with olive oil, fresh tomatoes, and "salsa verde" (literally green sauce - very similar to pesto, different in different places - basically a blend of green herby goodness and olive oil). Lots of people were in there (all locals!), and most of the just ordered whatever they wanted on the sandwich (not off the menu), so maybe I will try that next week!

Dinner was my own random little creation:

Lentils, yellow bell pepper, parsley, spinach. Topped with pecorino that got all melty and yummy...mmm.

Today was just lovely. The sun was out [mostly] and the temperature was up. I had the windows to the kitchen wide open all day.

1st stop was to the market for some necessities! I thought you might like to see the goods:

Basil

The best almonds ever.

Semi-whole grain bread (funky shape!)

I've seen this several times and finally decided to try it today - it's called "Procorn". I don't what exactly it is, but it is a thick brown bread filled with different seeds. Here's a close-up:

It's incredible! Kind of buttery on it's own, with a really hearty flavor...I'm in love.

Yellow apples - my current fruit obsession.

Pecorino Romano

Spinach + arugula

Dried strawberries/white grapes - YUM!

This is more than I usually get; I only need the cheese and the dried fruits/almonds every 3 weeks or so. The market is just a fun place to wander around - great people-watching.  

Came back and sat on the little walkway that leads to another apartment. I haven't been able to sit out here yet because it's usually taken over by the girls across the hall who, um...well, let's just say, we don't "mesh" well. Interpret as you will. BUT everyone is off exploring Europe (or at least its bars), and this little spot is all mine! Took advantage of a new sandal break-in opportunity:

[Please disregard the mostly-chipped-off nail polish]

Frida the camera came out to sunbathe with me:

I eventually got hungry and came in to make...seitan burgers!

Seitan falls into a similar category as tofu and tempeh as a vegetarian protein - I think it's fermented wheat, but please don't quote me on it. I will look it up and get back to you. Whatever it is, I LOVED it! Maybe not quite as much as tempeh (but I reaaaalllly love tempeh), but it was delicious. Very much like Morningstar Farm veggie burgers, which I also adore. Can't wait to find more and experiment with it when I go home!

It was definitely a day for a passeggiata in Firenze! I walked for a looong time. 

Oh how I will miss these streets!!

First I found the street of the apartment that my parents are renting for their week here in April:

(No idea what number their building is)

Then I crossed the Arno...

I took this because if you squint you can see the sun beams through the clouds...it looked better in person :)

I was searching for the Bracacci Chapel. My wonderful major advisor said it was a must-see, and that is what  my spring break is for! Funny story - I followed my directions and knew exactly where I was, but I couldn't find it. I did find some church-like building that was getting restored in the front, but no chapel. I walked around in a BIG square and when I came back to where I started...I found the chapel. It is part of the church getting restored. Clearly, I was expecting the chapel to come to life and formally introduce itself. Nope. Slight setback done with, I went up to the door...and read the sign that said "Tuesday--Closed." Figures. It was a great walk though!

I chilled for a while just soaking in the feeling of being in my apartment in Florence with the windows wide open, letting the breeze and sunlight in...it's a nice feeling.

My poor roommate is sick! She just returned from Ireland and feels awful. Send her feel-better vibes! I considered going out to dinner alone, but kind of chickened-out. Lunch I have no problem with, but dinner is harder. However, I have a looooong list (Excel spreadsheet, actually - don't hate!) of places I "need" to eat at, so I picked one of the other places rumored to have the "best sandwiches in town" and was off! On my way, I passed a gelateria that I have heard highly recommended, but whenever we try to go, it's closed. We have seriously tried 3 different times. Quite frustrating. And I've always been a supporter of eating dessert first, so...

Almond gelato. MMM.

This place has "Sicilian-style" gelato - I honestly have no idea what that means/why it is different from the rest of gelato in Italy. It was good, but I didn't find it anything more special than others - Perche No! still has my heart.

I found the sandwich place, "I Fratellini" (The Brothers) - it's actually a teeny wine bar, a literal hole in the wall. I got the vegetariano:

There's a hole in my bread! Actually, I really liked it, made it easier to eat I think.

Light on the vegetables - mostly just eggplant & olive oil.

It was good, but not amazing - I'm not sure anyone will beat my beloved Casa del Vino. I did love this roll though, nice and crunchy like french bread. Man I love bread.

--We interrupt this post for a random rant from the author--

Wanna hear something funny? I don't gain a BIT of weight eating the "Italian way" - oats and fruit for breakfast, and either a light lunch if I'm going out for dinner, or vice versa - all washed down with some gelato and extra fruit here and there. It's a fantastic way to eat - completely satisfying and no deprivation at all. It's when I fall back into "bad habits" such as making my meals smaller to "reduce calories" - the funny thing is, making smaller meals sends a message to my brain that I "can" snack more, and it's when I get into snack after mindless snack that my pants start feeling a little smaller. It's a sick cycle, really. And I've been falling back into my snacking rut and feeling it, and I don't like it (even though most of the pants I brought are STILL too big!) SO, all that to say with all you wonderful blog readers as my witness - I am going to become a more mindful eater. Gelato, wonderful bread, and amazing pasta will NOT be excluded, and this is NOT a "diet." I am simply going to focus on eating what my body wants and needs - more paying attention to actual hunger, less snacking on crackers because "they're there." The other problem with snacking, for me, is that I enjoy the food so much less - I'm not eating it for fuel or flavor, just for something else to do. And that is taking all the fun out of food! Really, this rant is my way of holding myself accountable - if any would like to join me, feel free to comment and join the fun!

In case your eyes started to glaze over and drool got dangerously close to the keyboard when you started reading this, I will sum up: Eat real food mindfully and be happy.

Only an English major takes a huge paragraph to say 7 words.

--Now back to your regularly scheduled post--

I am planning on a trip to the Uffizi tomorrow...and other than that, who knows?

~Namaste~

Saved by the Gelato

It's still very grey. Give me my spring weather back!

Had a reunion with Minerva the yoga mat this morning, and it was lovely. We have several dates planned this week. One of my favorite parts of vacations is that I can get up and do yoga for as long as I want! I had NO balance whatsoever on my right side today - I fell out of poses multiple times :(. I guess I'm just out of shape (yoga-wise). All the more reason to up the mat-time this week!

And after that I went to a cafe and met a cute Italian guy who whisked me off to an island and....ok, who am I kidding. I blogged, drank tea, and bummed around. BUT...there were some good eats had in between!

I went for an oat parfait...

But the layering kind of failed. The flavor sure didn't though!

CocOats (cocoa + oats!) with vanilla "frosting" (yogurt).

I was sad when it ended.

My version of formaggio alla griglia (grilled cheese) - pecorino on grilled whole wheat baguette with wilted arugula. My tastebuds were quite content.

What happens when a food blogger gets bored [and hungry]?

We play with our food.

Arugula + the BEST cherry tomatoes I've ever tasted...I love Italy.

Speaking of eating, that was exactly our sole purpose of getting out tonight - finding dinner! After a couple hours of research on my part - someone needs to hire me right now to research restaurants; I'm so good at it and it's too fun!...anyway, we decided on a place a dear professor of mine had recommended, "I Che C'e C'e". It was super cute on the outside, on this random little side street. Much to my surprise, there was not a single Italian patron in there. It was 100% loud, obnoxious American tourists. The bread was cold and they did NOT bring us the complementary prosecco I know they usually do (I told you I research well!). We were first brought this:

Coccoli - fried balls of bread. Literally. They were not bad, but I'm really just not a fried-food person. Even when it's good, it just does not appeal to me at all. I would have loved the bread senza the fried outer layer, though - SO doughy and delicious!

For dinner I ordered:

Spaghetti sciacca - tomatoes, capers and anchovies

Not inedible, but certainly less than unremarkable. The spaghetti was way overcooked - I need my pasta very al dente. The sauce was just kind of blah - not bad, but nothin special. As for the anchovies, I am confused - what this had was pretty big chunks of what looked more like sardines, and it was definitely not as salty as I know anchovies usually are. I could (and have) made better dishes than this. In their defence, I will say that my roommate ordered fish-stuffed pasta with baby shrimp and it was good, but again, not thrilling, and not worth the 12 euro price tag. And just when it couldn't get more touristy, 2 accordion players came in. The little old ladies with their cameras permanently attached to their hands were thrilled; me, not so much. 

What to do when you have a mediocre meal while listening to American tourist promote the "ugly American" stereotype? Get amazing gelato. And we did.

Tiramisu semifreddo (like mousse - semi cold), menta bianca (natural white mint), & vaniglia alla soia (soy vanilla)

We finally found Perche No!, a gelato place that is rumored to be incredible  - as in, some have said it's better than Grom. Quite a statement! And I do believe I have to agree. This is probably my favorite gelato place thus far. I say the soy vanilla and had to try it, because I have had soy ice cream at home and have had mixed reactions - some I adore, some not so much. This was AMAZING. It tasted like a rich but light cream,  and I could definitely not taste the soy. It went reeaaaallly well with both the mint and the tiramisu flavors. I'm sorry I can't describe it better...I guess I will just have to go back. HA! Like that was even a question. This MORE than made up for dinner.

Something interesting did happen at dinner, though. About halfway through eating, I decided that I was full enough and just stopped. That may sound like the stupidest thing you've ever heard, but for me, it's big. It's really hard for me to not keep eating just to eat, and I will admit I have problems with binge eating. Especially when eating out, it's like I feel obligated to "indulge" even if I don't even like what I'm eating. But all of a sudden, I got it: you don't have to eat it all. The chef does not know you personally; he has no idea how much of your plate you will want/need. I decide what I want. It was pretty cool. And I'm not saying that anyone should deprive themselves of eating a whole plate - if the food is worth it, go for it! Enjoy every bite. That's the joy of food! But I was not enjoying it so much tonight, and I wanted to be hungry enough for some good gelato, and it was perfect. This whole "listen to my body" thing is amazing. Forget Mom - your body really knows best!

And another success tonight: despite the fact that both the gelato guy and our waitress tonight spoke and understood English perfectly well, and even though we were obviously americane, I insisted on speaking Italian. And I think (hope) they appreciated it? I'm bound and determined to get this language in my mouth and brain, and if that means I have to be a little insistent, then so be it. I can't even remember how old I was when I decided that one of my major life goals was to be fluent in a second language - couldn't have been much less than 10 (yes, I know, a born geek - and proud of it!). I almost made it with Spanish, but I'm here now and frankly, I like Italian better. So - fluency? Bring it on.

Tomorrow I promise something more exciting! And nice weather? Maybe? PLEASE???!!!

~Namaste~

Livorno for Lunch

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!!!

I only wish the Italian Mother Nature got the memo. This week through Thursday - all during mid-terms - was gorgeous. Sunny, warm, spring-like...and the spring break starts and BAM! back to grey skies. The temperature is still alright, but I would like to know where the sun went! It's alright, though because I have been considering this and have concluded that in these situations one has 2 options:

1. Sit in the apartment staring out the window mournfully, moping around, and feel sorry for yourself because spring break is "supposed" to include sun

OR

2. Laugh at the little obstacles life throws you, get up, get out and HAVE FUN.

I think the option to choose is quite obvious, no?

Livorno is a town (small city) right on the coast, west and a little south of Florence. It's not touristy at all and because of it's seaside situation is known for seafood...hence it was at the top of my to-see list. So today, my roommate Sam and I hopped on a train [I won't lie, there was some running involved as well...we like sleep] and were whisked off to the Tuscan coast!

First stop: food. We tried to find a restaurant I had heard about that specialized in the Livornese cacciucco, which is a tomato-based soup with seafood and bread...but, as we were wandering we noticed that pretty much every restaurant we had passed was closed. What to do? Walk toward the light!

...No, we weren't that hungry - we literally walked toward the restaurant we saw with the lights on. This turned out to be a very good decision. It was clearly a local place, with seafood spread out on a table just inside the door. The waiter didn't speak English, and I wanted to hug him! I did a pretty ok job of understanding. They were all out of the cacciucco, but I think they made up for it and then some...

Antipasti della casa: a homemade tartar sauce, a calamari salad, some octopus, crostini with anchovies mixed with some kind of veggies, mussels, and snails.

I don't know where to begin. The anchovy crostini was the most amazing thing...sweet (from bell peppers I think) and rich, crunchy bread and the soft mix on top...oh man. Next up: the mussels. Now, being from Massachusetts, and being a serious Legal Seafoods junkie, I have experienced mussels many times. But not like this. If I've ever had better steamed mussels in my life before these, then I don't remember. SO. FRESH.

The snails were in this really interesting sweet (balsamic vinegar? wine?) sauce, great for bread-dipping. This was definitely a very good way to meet Livorno!

Lobster pasta. Clean and simple. And oh, so, so good.

We had a GREAT time here - the little old man who clearly ran the place kept coming over and asking us how it was, and where we were from, and gave us a discount! And just in case we weren't happy enough, they brought us each a glass of limoncello (lemon liqueur, served as an after-meal drink). Not gonna lie, I was a little buzzed. But happy!! Nothing like a wonderful meal to begin a day trip.

After that we just wandered. I got the sense that there isn't much to do in Livorno other than enjoy the seafood and the lack of tourists, which sounded pretty perfect to me! On our wanderings, we found...

Tree-lined streets

Funky-shaped buildings. I wanted to go inside just to see what the rooms on the corner looked like!

Perty street lamps. I think these would make really cool earrings.

RENT in Livorno. This is clearly my kind of town.

A Greenpeace protest. Awesome.

A wedding party awaiting the bride - right across the street from the protest.

Lots and lots of boats!

I have no idea what these are - maybe for cleaning/chopping the fish?

Cute little bridges :)

Old walls around the port. And this is Italy - when I say old, I'm talkin medieval-era old.

Fisherman, laughing and generally loving life.

Water, water, everywhere...

Some abandoned art.

Poor pigeons didn't even have a crumb of a chance.

He totally posed for this picture. After rolling around in the dirt.

 And check OUT this train station:

Would that they all were this pretty!

So, you're probably thinking "so basically, you went to Livorno...to eat." To that, I reply - YUP! And I'd do it again. Life is good.

The day was finished with online crossword puzzles, a salad, and Law & Order:SVU in Italian. Man, I love Spring Break.

~Namaste~