For years now, whenever I see window washers dangling precariously from the side of a building, I take a moment to ask if one of them may be kind enough to take me up with them to get a bird’s eye view. Obviously they always say no because of liability reasons, but I’m a determined woman(or maybe just delusional). Wednesday night, some friends and I were walking down Montgomery Street and I was marveling at a crew way up high using a spot light to guide their way and I exclaimed "Man, I want to go up there sometime!"

Two blocks further there was a building covered in scaffolding, and two men in safety vests were hanging out on the corner with an English Bulldog in his own cute little safety vest. We stopped to pet the dog, I asked if there was a construction elevator in place, and before I knew it, after nearly a decade of rejection, a kind and crazy Operational Engineer escorted me and my friend 35 stories high into the San Francisco night.

It wasn’t one of those rickety little platforms but an orange cage elevator that hangs off the edge of the building between scaffolding. At ten stories my knees buckled, and at twenty I thought I was going to pee myself, but once at the top my fear was replaced with pure exhilaration; of the view, of finally being able to say I did it! The view of downtown and bay was magical, and being suspended 350 feet over Sutter Street filled me with absolute joy (although I believe the technical term is adrenal delirium.)

Seriously, when you want something, don't stop asking.

I know, it's crazy, where have I been????

Just so you know, a hair flat iron can be used on clothing when you're in a pinch!

My little bro The Jock

That's Me!

Mr.T recently expanded his drink menu to include cocktails and as an incredibly romantic gesture he named a yummy soju drink after yours truly. Stop by and quench your thirst!

And it's good to be back indeed.

It's gotten COLD here, there is certainly NO Fall. Just went from tank tops with skirts and flip flops to a camisole, long-sleeve tee, cashmere sweater and sweatshirt with jacket, scarf and boots in a matter of a week. Good news is I haven't been bombarded with with zanzare in a while!

I'm in love

Mutually, hopelessly, solid as a rock in love. Mr.T told me loved me last last week and my feet haven't touched the ground since. I've been wanting to say it myself for a while now, but I haven't told a man I love him in about 12 years so understandably I was a little shy. It's truly amazing to finally feel so secure with someone that I can share my excitement for them and know it's reciprocated. I feel extremely fortunate to have won the love of such a dynamic man!

A few weeks ago my housemate told me about a weekly free wine tasting at a wine shop in our neighborhood, so a few classmates and I went to check it out. It wasn't as crowded as she suggested, so we had a private little tasting and bonus Italian lesson with Luigi, the shop owner, who is wonderful! All of the wines are on tap and regulars come in to have their empty bottles filled for about 2 euro. When we gasped at how inexpensive it was Luigi matter of factly explained that wine is like air and water to the Italians, it's required for living. So there; I'm not a wino, it's in my blood!

When I first arrived in Florence I posted that I had eaten the best panino ever, and while I still feel like it was a superior delectability, the title of 'Sandwich So Good It'll Make You Want to Cry' must be awarded to I Fratellini. I've eaten there so much in the last two weeks that when I arrived yesterday and announced "Il numero quindici con bicchiere di vino" the cashier replied with a grin, "Si, Si, Si, the usual, and I get to choose di vino". The number 15 is tender, savory salami, soft and tangy goat cheese and sweet fennel served on perfectly warm, crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside bread; it's that simple. The small glass of wine is just enough to compliment the sandwich and make my art lecture afterwards a little more interesting and it's turned me on to some lovely new labels. Seating is the sidewalk and the whole experience costs me less than 5 euro. Molto Buono!

I did something!

Weekend before last I went to Southern Italy. My home base was Sorrento and from there I spent a day on Capri, a day in Positano and a day in Naples. I roomed with a really sweet gal from Texas who was also travelling solo so we teamed up and had a blast. The water around Capri was the bluest I've ever seen in my life. We were able to swim through caves and later I paid the outrageous 9 euro fee to go into the famous Blue Grotto and it was so worth it! Positano was really cute and even though it rained all day we still sat on the beach under our umbrellas and drank a beer! Naples...it was too dirty for me. Heaps of garbage everywhere and the men were uncomfortably aggressive. But, we did enjoy the tastiest pizza in the universe there and even got one to go to eat on the bus ride back to Florence. You can check out pix here.

Two very close friends of mine have experienced unexpected deaths in their families in the last two weeks. One her mother, the other her brother. I wish I was closer to give them the kind of support I would like. I never know what to say in times of grief, I feel like everything I can think of sounds cliché and trite. I know when I've needed support the gesture and sentiment was what mattered, so I'm certain my friends know how deeply sorry I am that they have to feel such a loss, and I love them very much. Blessed Be to you both.

Okay, Okay, I'll take one for the team and go check this out. Thankfully I'll be on a chartered bus for the ride home so I can safely slip into a hypoglycemic coma. Looks worth it to me!

Let me elaborate...

So I have many tales of woe about this little adventure o' mine, but I'm trying very hard to keep bitching to a minimum. But I need to respond to a comment I received about my last post. I brought a camera to Italy. As a matter of fact my super sweet rommies gave me a brand spanking new Fuji A800 the night before I left, and it was working just fine, but when I took it out on the plane to play with it, the display was broken. I have no idea what happened. I'm sending it back to my friends so they can exchange it, but unfortunately they can't mail me a new one because the customs fees would cost about 500 euros or 750 dollars! I'm on a strict student budget at the moment but I'm hoping that my honey will be able to bring the replacement camera with him when he comes to visit in October. Anywho, it won't kill me to revisit the sites I've seen so far so I can snap some artistic shots. Fingers crossed, I will have an Italia 2007 photo album on my smugmug page before you know it!

and I see my blog template has disappeared. I can do this.

No local friends. No money. No camera. I'm sure I'm supposed to be learning something here.

Yikes! In some areas here each block of the 'same via' can have a different name. It'd be like walking down Powell Street and it would be called Powell Street beween Bush and Sutter, but then Main Street between Sutter and Post, and then maybe Loony Street between Post and Geary. That's it! I'm learning my way around by landmarks!

I just had the most deliciously salty, soft and warm prosciutto and mozzarella panini in the universe while window shopping at Valentino. It was my own little Breakfast at Tiffany's moment.

Real Mature

So I'm the old person in my group of students from CCSF. There are about 15 of us and I learned yesterday that most of them aren't even 21 yet! I keep catching myself rolling my eyes when one of them says something incredibly naive or giving the boys stink eye because they won't stop talking when the director is giving us important information. Yesterday during orientation the housing director was reviewing the do's and dont's of student housing and she was very seriously emphasizing that overnight guests are forbidden. She told a story of a girl who was locked out of her own room because her roommate was having a 'private party' in there and the phrase made me laugh out loud. I looked like such a dweeb!

First Impressions

Okay, with the gazillions of pictures I've seen of Florence, I had no idea The David, as well as the Duomo, were so big! I was wandering around looking for a hostel when I stumbled upon The David and I actually got a little choked up when I saw it. I got blurry-eyed when I took in the Duomo as well, it's so magnificent! I've already walked across the Ponte Vecchio while eating gelato and covered enough of the city to have seriously pulled a hammy I think. My living arrangement is perfect, I have a clean little room with a terraza and it's about a 20 minute stroll to school. This morning we had a terrific thunderstorm just as I was leaving the house; I miss those from the East Coast. We've had a few orientations and mixers at school and I'm looking forward to being more sociable when classes start next week. So far so good, just missing my sweetie, friends and family like crazy. Of course I'll post more as I do more. Ciao for now!