fyi -

Do not go to a Russian Orthodox mass in a non-majority Russian Orthodox country if not actually Russian Orthodox. You will feel like a disrespectful fool.

Other things I learned this weekend:

• The Museo San Marco is free and has a lot of really good, shaded, and secluded places to sit inside.
• The flea market at Santo Spirito is probably only worth going to once. But go, that one time! And check out the candied fruit stand there; it's definitely worth it.
• L'Olandese Volant is probably overpriced, but the zenzero (ginger) truffles with marzipan are definitively delicious. Also it makes me want to have a mini refridgerator again becaue they sell aged Gouda there, too. L'Olandese --> Holland . . . !
• Jogging in Pumas is actually not good for the feet/ankles/body at all. True fact.
• The Ponte Santa Trinita is still beautiful. And the pilings are really nice to sit on on Sunday mornings - you can marvel at the sheer number of tourists they fit onto the Ponte Vecchio. Seriously, it's an engineering marvel.
• Gelateria dei Neri is as good, maybe even better than Grom. At least I know that they are my two favorite gelaterie in the city. Today, for/instead of lunch, I had cioccolato amaro (dark, dark chocolate) and cioccolato bianco. Incomparable. Of course, I had Crema di Grom on Saturday; and continued tastings will occur throughout the rest of the semester...

Finalmente, a very HAPPY (and slightly belated) BIRTHDAY to the incomparable miss KRISTINA COSTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Twenty-two yesterday, like the number of exclamation points up there. That's old. And I hope you enjoyed the New England Mobile Book Fair.

And happy NCOD, y'all. You know I love you all.