all about my mother

Only not really at all. But my mother did send me an email today, asking why I wasn't writing more about the day-to-day aspects of living in Florence. I think my problem is that I have a hard time believing that my daily activities are interesting for other people to read. But... apparently they are? Anyways, today was the first day that I went to one of the little bars around school for lunch instead of grabbing a sandwich on campus. I should note that bar in Italy denotes a casual place for snacks throughout the day, and not necessarily a place only for drinks. Bars in Italy sell panini and sometimes primi piatti (first courses, usually pastas or soups) during the lunch hour, and snacks, bus tickets, and pastries along with drinks and other sundry needs. Anyways, this particular bar I went to was called Masaccio, and it's located on the via Masaccio, less than a five minute walk from the Syracuse campus. They have a selection of about twenty sandwiches, and after having one with melanzane e gorgonzola (eggplant and gorgonzola cheese), my new plan is to eat through the entire menu, and then start creating my own sandwiches, which you can do as well. The sandwiches cost less than three euro, and are more than filling washed down with a bottle of water from the fountain in the courtyard of the Villa Rossa.

My host mom, Patrizia, is also a wonderful cook. Last night, she made pasta with an eggplant-and-tomato sauce, followed by this delicious egg, mozzarella, and bread omelet cum casserole. My roommate Kristin took three helpings and I ate nearly as much, it was that good. I love the concept of the Italian meal in that in its multiple courses, affords you the opportunity to try (and eat) as much as possible in the pantheon of Italian cuisine. Also over the weekend, I had pane con lampredotto at the flea market in Santo Spirito. Lampredotti is the last stomach of cows, and in Florence pane con lampredotto is classic street food. The sandwich is made with lampredotti cooked in its broth, seasoned with salt and pepper and topped with parsley sauce and hot pepper. It is tasty, filling, and very cheap-- my three requirements for a good meal. The other kind of classic Florentine street food is trippa alla fiorentina, which is tripe simmered in tomato sauce and put on a sandwich. I saw a stand surrounded by people at lunchtime in the piazza Sant'Ambroglio, and I think I will go for lunch sometime this week.

This weekend is going to be hopefully excellent, with two day trips to Assisi and Ravenna. Assisi I've been to, but I am very much looking forward to going back to the church and monastery of St. Francis. In Ravenna is both the chapel at San Vitale and the church of Sant'Appolonnaire in Classe, home of some of the most beautiful Byzantine mosaics, including the mosaics of Justinian and Theodora in San Vitale. I'm so excited to finally see them in person.