Primavera

Yes, for all of the skeptics out there, gelato-free-Jenna is still going strong!  Well... not strong, per se.  Advertisements for ‘homemade gelato’ make me cringe, and the sight of a child licking a dripping cone on a sunny day? Forget about it... I’m a whining baby. However, I managed to somehow evade that sugary sweet temptation even during Colleen and Michelle’s epic Italian visit!

My BFF Colleen, and her American family, flew to Italia for Spring Break to visit their Italian famiglia.  The Rossi family lives in Capodimonte, a small Italian town in Lazio, soooo for the weekend, I ventured down south to stay with the Rossi/Drapek fam. 

The Drapeks (minus Colleen’s sister, Michelle) speak 0 Italian. 

I Rossi speak 0 English. 

Put ‘em together and what have you got? Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo:  A few translations gone wrong, a great deal of charades, and a pretty hilarious weekend.  

Me, Colleen, and Michelle at the Giardino di Boboli, overlooking Firenze

Colleen and Michelle’s cousins, who are our age, toted us all around town which was great! They brought us to an apperitivi place for yummy snacks and drinks.  It was an incredibly modern establishment called XO, which does not represent “Kiss Hug,” by the way.  Rather, it happens to stand for “Extra Old.” Oh Italy... your ridiculous choice of English phrases never ceases to entertain me.  Later on, we all went bowling together... My alter-ego “Gianna” (Note: Italians don’t understand the name Jenna at all so the automatic score-keeper renamed me) apparently rocks at bowling and got a strike! Such skills! Who knew?  The only downside of our time together was cousin Giovanni’s driving... as our chauffeur for the weekend, he made me, Colleen, and Michelle sick to our stomachs with his hair-pin turns and need for speed. Blechhhhhh.

Come Monday, Michelle, Colleen, and I were together in Florence (Some of us have work to do... Cough, Cough).  We visited David, met up with my Florentine amici, and stuffed our faces in honor of Italy.  I had so much fun with the Drapek girls and am so happy that they came! ...Even if it did mean watching them eat my favorite gelato flavors right in front of me...

AHunt, Keri---How do you feel about all pitching-in for this Tuscan castle?

In the meantime, spring is trying desperately to spring here in Italy.  Trying.  Still trying.  This past weekend, we had a little sneak preview (or a complete tease, depending on how you want to look at it.)  A group of us took the train over to Cinque Terre, five villages that ribbon along the mountainous coastline, in turn, creating picturesque beaches and pastel-colored villas.  We spent the day hiking, (I later told this to my host-mom, Sylvia, and she thought that I went "hitch-hiking"... ughhh not quite my style) dining on a seaside patio, and soaking up the rays. The weather was sunny and seventy and I have a raccoon-eyed-sunglass-tan to prove it.

Medical advice alla Jenna: If after looking at these pictures, you do not want to move to Cinque Terre, you should probably have your head examined. 

Other advice alla Jenna: If after looking at these pictures, you spontaneously purchased a villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, you should give me a call. 

Oh what's up, accidental height-order?

uh-huh... we climbed that.

Since some of the trails were still closed, we had to settle for this

Your classic Jenna pose. Always a must.