I Want: GIANVITO ROSSI

Metallic Red Patent, Pointed Toe Leather Pumps by Gianvito Rossi, son of legendary Italian shoe-maker, Sergio Rossi.

Buy @ FarFetch

Retail Price $676

In My Closet: Skull Inspired

this girl just keeps getting better and better! accessories designer/dentist (yes! dentist!), Karla Castillo is my favorite Nicaraguan accessories designer. in the last month, she presented a trunk show along with Nicaraguan RTW designer, Marynes Arguello in Miami and is hoping to follow up with a trunk show in late April in Nicaragua. every time we meet she reminds on how tough it is for the Nicaraguan market to accept skulls into their wardrobe and constantly receives special requests to remove them for stones or flowers. however, Castillo does not back down and continues to promote calaverismo (spanish for "skull-ism") along with stylist, Mariu Lacayo. 

you might believe, skull inspired fashion became trendy once you started watching Keeping Up with the Kardashian's and noticed mama Kris wear a different colored Alexander McQueen skull scarf in every episode but if we trace skull use, it can go back to the 16th century; artists like Albrecht Dürer used skulls to remind people of their mortality. however it was the Mexican art of smiling, dancing skulls, used to celebrate Dia de los Muertos (spanish for "Day of the Dead"), which helped skulls become more widely accepted. Eventually, the skull became an icon in 1970s London counterculture, where Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood launched a series of skull-inspired punk gear.

so get over it, it's a skull. it doesn't mean you're a pirate, witch, tarot card reader or a character from a Tim Burton movie. it's merely a symbol that represents to most mortality and music.

< shop skull fashion >

Karla Castillo - Nicaragua

Vivienne Westwood - London

Alexander McQueen - London

Horiyoshi the Third - Japan

Delfina Delettrez - Italy

Delfina Delettrez Tormentator necklace

Inspiring: Resort 2013

BCBG Max Azria | Resort 2013

 Azria's inspiration embodies the cultures India to Peru for the Tuscan jetsetter's of Hotel Il Pellicano through kimono-style dresses. A definite must have style for a true beach jetsetter.

BCBG Max Azria | Resort 2013

Balmain | Resort 2013

Balmain's Olivier Rousteing was inspired by Miami. Not only by the South Beach colors (yellow, peach, and mint) but by the Latin culture that makes Miami, "el pequeño latinoamerica".

"I'm mixed race, too," 

"so it was beautiful to see the connection between Cuba and the U.S. there."

"Fun, happiness, and hope"

Just Cavalli | Resort 2013

Cavalli was inspired by India, hip-hop culture and the Garden of Eden - accented with his signature animal prints.

Just Cavalli | Resort 2013

The following looks are just a few looks that are bound to inspire my holiday looks while out in Miami and the Caribbean. However, I am set to wear a black pantsuit/romper/overall look. I'm aiming towards a sleek chic look to ring in the the new year.

The Final Chapter: She Works in Fashion

 I started this blog back in 2009 for fun, for me, for my friends and family to join me through my application process for grad school, move to Italy, grad school in Italy and Italian life. It showcased my ups and downs in love, family, friends, and school. It was a public diary that was loved by many and hated (but secretly loved) by others. I never meant to hurt anyone or myself but sometimes that's exactly what it did.

It's June 2012. Its been 31 months. and my life has changed every 9 months. Thanks to the Young Executives Program at Incae Costa Rica, I decided not to attend Incae and get my Masters in Fashion Management in Italy. I spent an amazing 9 months in Italy, met an incredible group of international girls, and traveled Europe on my own. As amazing those 9 months were, Europe just wasn't for me and my Italiano was not perfetto enough for me to land an internship (either way internship season was during summer vacation and I much spent el verano mas feliz de mi vida con mis viejos). While my parents and I were lounging at my Florentine apartment overlooking Santa Croce, I interviewed via skype for what would now be my first public relations internship for Shout Social (now known as Sacasa Media). A start-up PR firm spearheaded by entrepreneur and now friend, Nazira Sacasa. Thanks to her, I moved to The City and began my adventure in Fashion PR. At Shout Social, I learned how to pitch, communicate with editors, learned the importance of paper presentation, and landed my first media placement for Essence. By the time I end this internship (which was for graduate school credit) it's December 2010 and I had been away from home, family and friends for a year. At the same time, Nicaraguan designer, Shantall Lacayo returned to Nicaragua after an exhausting little project called Project Runway Latin America. December was all about me asking my family for a little financial help in order to intern a couple more months in New York so I could land a decent job AND networking with Shantall. Fortunately, I was successful. My family supported my dream and Shantall read my email from thousands of emails to be her social media intern. Back in New York, I took a second public relations internship for my resume, an internship I think I have badmouthed a little too much but an internship that also taught me too much. I took a second internship because my resume compared to local FIT and Parson students was shit - and as the Social Media Director at my second internship said "pffffff you have a Masters? that means nothing in the fashion industry". She was right. It will give you a little VA-VA-VOOM but "can you pitch, be a bitch, and handle fashion pr?"  Factory PR taught me, the power of social media, the long hours you put in for passionate writing, top notch events, and media placements. They were the typical NY/Fashion/PR/Internship Nightmare/Internship Dream/Glitzy Side/Dark Side all wrapped in one! My resume now reads "head intern' because I was one of the few interns that stayed till 2am breaking down mannequins, boxing them, and carrying them to storage. I gave them sweat, blood, and tears all in the name of public relations - and I loved every second of it (well maybe 50 of those seconds, ha! you know what I mean). My term there, ended because of a fall-out I had with an undermining younger (paid) assistant who didn't know how to talk to interns. A few weeks later, a job was offered. but because of my own pride, it went down the drain. 

[Sometimes in life, things just have a funny way of working out]

Right around here, we hit the summer of 2011 and I am unemployed and anxious. My grad friends all have jobs but me. They all have jobs at Tom Ford, DVF, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, and I'm unemployed. I applied to jobs for about four months and decided I had enough and needed family. I'm not going to go into detail but around this time, my personal life changed forever and I ended up moving back to Nicaragua.

I tried not to drown in my sorrows, went to a couple prayer groups, made some new friends, traveled and kept busy with Shantall as her PR Manager. When I moved to Nicaragua, I always said, it would never be for more than a year. so I bought a ticket and moved back to New York, 9 months later. right before my move, I applied to jobs like crazy and once I was here, I had at least 3 interviews a week. it has been 2 months since my move to New York, it's now June 2012 and I landed a job in fashion! I am an E-commerce Marketing Assistant for ........ ;) I think I've shared enough. hehehe.

[Sometimes in life, things just have a funny way of working out]

thanks to my internships, Shantall, my family, my friends, and GOD I am right where I am supposed to be. I know I am! thank you all who have been on this journey with me. i couldn't have done it without you. it has been two years. two very long anxious, scary, tiring years. i seriously don't want to see my resume, mediabistro, or another interviewer for a very very long time. this blog has now come to an end. thank you. best, alicia beatrice. 

Some Dreams Test Us

Some Moments Change Us

Some Choices Stay With Us

FOREVER

[via the words movie trailer]

Where I Shop

"Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go to shopping."

 -BO DEREK

My favorite stores in NYC:

-Intermix

-Uniqlo

-and other tiny random boutiques around Soho and Meatpacking

My favorite stores in Florence, Italy:

-Miu Miu

-Max Mara

-San Lorenzo Market

-there is a store on Via Tornabuoni, on a corner right next to Pucci and it carries McQueen, Stella, Etro, ...just a little bit of everything...i don't remember the name! :S

My favorite stores in Miami:

-The Fashionista Consignment boutique

-Koko & Palenki

My favorite stores in Nicaragua:

-Ponte Vecchio Boutique

-LuLu's Boutique

-Luzma

My favorite stores in Buenos Aires, Argentina:

-Tramando, Martin Churba

-Allo Martinez

-Complot

-Ricky Sarkany

-Las Pepas

-Maria Vasquez

Online Shopping:

-Outnet

-Net-A-Porter

-Solestruck

-Max & Chloe

Stores I always end up shopping at:

-Forever 21

-Topshop

-H&M

-Zara

-Express

-Aldo

-Steve Madden

-Bakers

True Life: I was a Fashion PR Intern

I started this blog over a year ago to record everything I have gone through while on this fashion student turned intern journey.

Well I told you enough about school in Italy.
But I failed to tell you enough about my internships in New York.

I left Italy in September 2010 to New York, New York and because of freefashioninternships.com I was able to land my 1st internship ever (yes! first! ... I was 24 years old and I had never done an internship - what can I say its not really common in Nicaragua but highly common in New York and fashion). My first internship was at a start-up Fashion PR firm. At the moment, I had no idea what 'start-up' meant till I found myself sitting at a coffee shop everyday and eventually at a free workspace lounge (WIX in Chelsea) for creative 'start-up' companies. I was at this internship for 3 months because I NEEDED it (in all sense of the word need) .... to receive my diploma and have actual Fashion PR experience. Let me remind you I have a B.A. in Finance and now a Masters in Fashion Merchandising & Management - and in all of this just 1 class in Public Speaking, Writing I, and Fashion Public Relations. It's really not enough. My work background has been in Hospitality Management - again, not enough - NOT enough at all for New York.

So about this 1st internship - till now can I actually say how important it was to me. Because I worked side by side with the founder everyday ( 5 times a week; 10 - 5pm ) - she taught me everything! I wrote a press release, pitched to editors, called store buyers .... I really got a gist of communications.
There were moments where I thought "OMG! My butt hurts from sitting at this coffee shop, I am spending so much money, and I feel like am doing the same thing everyday".

SO what did I do??? ..... Well I talked to her and asked her for a little more work or different work. That way I wouldn't get bored. As for the coffee shop and spending, I couldn't do anything about that. It's a start-up and well there is no office and even if there were an office, I'd be sitting down all day anyways!! and you gotta try to pack that lunch!! that way you don't spend on $5 small soups everyday!

But like I said, at the end of the day - I believe that internship was one of the best decisions I had ever made. SO if you have a chance to work at a very small fashion company - I say GO FOR IT, you can learn a lot more. 

Timeline: 
Fashion School in Italy (Jan 2010-Sept 2010) - Fashion PR Internship in NYC (Sept 2010-Dec2010)

During my 1st internship, of course I was applying to jobs. Did I get any interviews? NOT AT ALL!
Right before I left my first internship my boss showed me resumes of the prospective interns - these kids were only 19, 20 and had 3, 4 internships under their belt! and now I was 25 and only had 1 fashion internship. Yeah, I've had 2 real jobs but again that's just not enough for NY and fashion. SO I headed home, with my head down to talk to my parents on giving me more time to be able to find this dream job. Having an amazing support system is fundamental!! Fashion is a bitch and she can rock, swing, and kick punch you in the stomach - and the only reason I got up every single time is because of my family, friends, and God.

God only put us in the life we are in now because he knew that we would be strong enough to live it.

Therefore, before the holidays I got another internship at a bigger Fashion PR firm and my parents were understanding. One of the things my dad said to me before starting this new internship was "Don't let anybody bring you down and treat you like a maid"


Timeline: 
Fashion School in Italy (Jan 2010-Sept 2010) - Fashion PR Internship in NYC (Sept 2010-Dec2010) - Fashion PR Internship in NYC (Jan 2011-April 2011)

Let me just start by saying ONLY IF MY DAD KNEW .... HE'D KICK MY ASS!
Was I treated like a maid at the new internship? Sometimes. Did I learn a lot at the second internship? Definitely. It was just different a learning experience.

How can I sum up this internship?

Ok 1st of all, NEVER believe when the interviewer says "If you work a hard 5 times a week, you can get a job here".
Let me just start off by saying, I worked an intense 5 days a week - sometimes till 12am at events ... and after my sudden resignation, I was offered the full-time position of RECEPTIONIST! ... o0o slash fashion assistant/showroom assistant. It was a slap across my face! Offended? Just a little.

Seriously where can I start??

I loved working there. I loved everyone there. Yeah the environment was pretty bad most of the time. Everyone was always pissed off, shouting, fighting, talking smack about each other, - nevertheless, they 'loved' each other at the end of the day.

It took time for people to remember my name and to warm up to me - hey! interns come ad go, what do they care? ..... throughout the 3, 4 months I was there I think I met over 12 different interns and 1 of them is a great friend of mine now.

Why did I suddenly quit? 
I didn't get a long with one of the assistants. She was younger than me and belittled the interns and one day I just exploded and spent most of the day crying. - yeah yeah, I read Kelly Cutrone's book "If You Have To Cry Go Outside" (Love that book!)  - but you know, NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO TALK TO YOU LIKE AN IDIOT! I seriously don't fuckin care WHO YOU ARE ... because YOU DO NOT KNOW WHO I AM OR WHO I WILL BE SOMEDAY! ... KARMA WILL GET YOU! - Therefore, treat others as you would like to be treated.
Anyways, that wasn't the only reason I left. I left because I felt like I had no opportunity there after all, I knew there weren't any openings and I needed time to dedicate myself to look for a job and stop living off my dad. I'm 25 and I don't feel comfortable anymore being fully taken care of. I want my parents to be proud of me.

Conclusion
Interning has its ups and downs and I lived and learned. Kelly Cutrone says Don't Complain. Hey! I'm just venting .... and I'm not mentioning names here.
But if I have ever have an intern I won't tell her to go next door and get my coffee or to buy me a set of winter gloves for me and my lover because we are going skiing for the weekend, or walk and pick up my dog's shit. There are just some things interns should never do. I can only imagine the hell the Marc Jacob's intern went through that he had to vent it through Twitter. Shit, I've even heard of famous NY based designers that have interns go into their house at 5am to wake them up and dress them up. Seriously, how humiliating?? Again, I don't care if you are rich and famous now- try to remember where you came from and how you got there. There is no need for you to be on a high horse. My parents were poor, worked hard and made something out of themselves and are now 70 years old and still wake up on their own, respect employees, and have taught me to stand up for what I believe in.

Thank you to my internships and everyone that has been involved. I hold no grudge nor hate, at all. You were just an experience that shaped my life.

INTERNSHIP RECOMMENDATIONS:
Read Kelly Cutrone's Book - If You Have To Cry Go Outside
Dedicate your summer or time off to an internship.
Don't dedicate your soul to an internship (it's unpaid. don't be stupid like me and work normal hours)
Wear flats and makeup (always look good, it's an unpaid job)

Additional Advice (Agree to Disagree):

http://www.freefashioninternships.com/blog/2010/05/16/10-tips-for-a-career-in-fashion/

I STRONGLY AGREE:

• DO help your interns learn skills they can use at other jobs, whether its patternmaking or memo writing.
• DON’T assign interns filing, photocopying, errands, or other mundane tasks (i.e. picking up dry cleaning, fetching lunch and coffee, acting as a courier, etc.). < Press Clippings, that's ok. But you know how many times the assistant asked me deposit money into his account? Buy soy chai sugar free coffees for assistants, guests, designers? Wash dishes in the bathroom for their after hour parties or visitors? Buy champagne for someone's birthday? >
• DO provide close supervision for interns, including the opportunity to shadow a senior employee; a day in the life of the creative director, public relations manager, or graphic designer is a the kind of learning experience that the Department of Labor wants to encourage.
• DON’T have more interns than full-time employees working in a single department. If the workload allocated to an intern is that of a full-time employee (or two), then you’re breaking the law. <I honestly didn't mind working long hours sometimes, but then again I shouldn't have>
• DO make sure that interns understand that there is no guarantee of a job at the end of the internship. 
• DON’T rely on the fact that interns receive some benefit in the form of improved work habits while performing repetitive required tasks like clerical work (unless the intern is training to be a clerical worker). In other words, be sure to give more than you get. 

Information From: http://www.freefashioninternships.com/blog/2010/11/24/dos-and-don%E2%80%99ts-a-fashion-company%E2%80%99s-guide-to-managing-a-lawful-internship-program/

Farewell Florence

It's 5:55am and I'm at the Florence airport waiting for the Tax Refund office to open. I'm still sweating from carrying down 5 bags (including my gigantic "purse") down 4 flights of stairs...F*CK! I've been stressing for days that my bags weren't going to make it pass through with the weight limit but they did...each on the EXACT 20kg limit! ufffff! Thank God! I didn't want to pay 100 euros for a stupid 6kg overweight difference.

Last night, was .... terrrrrrible! I don't if its me being anxious or stressed but I made myself sick! 1st of all, something happened to my eye! my eye! its being stinging and I can hardly see. 2nd, I was so busy running last minute errands that I didn't eat and that led to one of the worst headaches (migrane i think) of my life! It was so bad that when I was at my last dinner with my friends...I threw up :( ..... and it was the BEST kind of dinner! It was sushi! My favoriteeeee! and Icecream...and Potatoe & Spinach Ravoli! ... DAMNNIT! I'm so mad at myself for not eating! I ruined my last night! .... However, my friends there were amazing! The ones that have truly meant something to me were there (except Crystal, who's with her sister...but its ok..she called me after) .... You know who you are. Florence and Polimoda could not have been the same without you 5... Thank for everything! Thank you for the nights out in Venice & MIlan, wine nights, Colleberetto & YAB, Twice, shopping trips, lunch & dinner dates, helping me to "turn the page", listening to me cry & bitch, Chinese dinner, and of course through the school drama!

A special thank you to Megha, who gave me a place to stay when I was robbed, shook up, and at the police station till 5am! But specially for being a listener and understanding my point of view (even though I could have been wrong). Friends like you are simply hard to find and thank God I found you in Florence! I know you will find the greatest job ever and succeed! You are everything I see...Strength! I love you friend (in a non-gay way...since (clearing my throat) some girls in our class thought we were gay LOL ... had to say it :P .... see you soon! :)

I know I'll see my girls again...for sure in NYC because that's where were are meant to be...a tarot card reader doesn't have to tell us this... I KNOW we belong there!

As for Florence, It's not you...It's me. I want a bigger, better, livelier city...so I'm leaving you for NYC. You were kinda of a bore....but I'll just think of it as a longgg vacation. Thanks anyway...I know you'll find someone better.

P.S. I just got $52 from the tax refund WOOT WOOT! jajajajaj I just had to share that! :P

Pss. Crystal !!! I don't have a picture with you! WTF??!! :S :S Megha, I think you it on your camera...let me know! ;)

In the Summer Time When the Weather is Cool ....

School is cool, the girls will be girls, and we are almost at the end. Its been 6 months! I can't believe it. I think after all Polimoda did teach me a few things (I wish a couple classes and professors would have been better) but at the end of the day I came, I saw, I conquered - sounds like I'm leaving soon but not yet! I'm still looking for the perfect internship and mainly looking in NYC. 

We are now down to a few classes a week and our final group project, Phard (say it slowly and it sounds gross :S ) and Zu (like Zoo) Elements - tween casual clothing and jean companies from back in the 90s - kinda like the Tommy Hilfigier for Italian kids. Our mission is to re-launch them - this will be tough because we are not excited at all. However, its quite the challenge - helping a company re-launch their ghost company.

Its also June and the climate finally decided to settle for melting hot. My poor parents are going to die in my A/C-less apartment but at least my landlord gave me a standing fan, algo es algo! I wish I had a pool here. I hear there's a public pool in the city ... but that doesn't sound too much fun - All I picture is kids running and jumping into the pool and spilling my mojito. I called a few hotels but they reserve their pools for their guests (damnit!) I need to figure this out!

Just 3 more weeks and I'll see my folks! :D

Windy Isle of Ventotene

I never got to tell you guys about my trip to Ventotene. Well I had found a student travel site with great prices and structured by girls, so everything looked amazing and well planned. Therefore, I decided to give it a try and pick their weekend trip to Ventotene Island. I had to try something simple to see if their other pricier options are worth it.

Therefore it was a 2 hour train trip to Formia and another 2 hour boat trip to the island. We were a Saturday group and there was already a Friday group on the island. My group had 7 chicks all from Jersey (Italy is full of Jersey girls...the "Jersey Shore" arrives) and 1 guy, an Australian. The girls were all on a 1 month summer abroad program and the guy was older. Overall, the girls were a bit of a bore and the guy laughed at all their boring jokes. I thought he wanted to hook with them (again because he laughed at their yawn jokes) but he was just lame-o himself. Anyways, as we were arriving to the island - just like my tone so far, my thoughts on the trip so far were going downhill. Something told me, it was going to suck. (pic 1: the "long" coast beach)

At the island, we had to walk about 1.5 miles (the island is very very small) o sea casi llego al otro lado de la isla! Our little apartments were far from town and for a 0.5 mile, the apartment owner jammed packed us into his 1989 minivan - terrible! At the apartment, we had 45 mins to get ready and head out for a walking tour of the island. My roommates quickly left the apartment and I had to figure out how to get to the meeting point...but I made it! (pic 2: st. stefano island and other volcanic rocks)

Walking tour...lame-o! The "tour guide" had no idea what to talk about. She would say "sooooo this is the beach" (no sh*t sherlock!) , "that over there...is another island we will see tomorrow" (yeah i know, i read the program and you told me like 5 times already), "a hot guy works here, I come here to check him out!" (sounds like you come here too much), "ummmm" (take your time, i'm here till tomorrow), "what is that called? (seriously! you're a tour guide!)" .... ok thanks, there goes my walking tour.

After the walking tour (20 mins later), they tell us to chill out and "get to know" the island or have lunch. we all had lunch, food was good - the only good thing about the trip was the food (wait till u hear about dinner!) - after lunch, i went over to the beach. (pic 3: hot restaurant owner on the left)

I guess the tour company didn't care to take into account that the island is invaded by JELLYFISH! asi que no me puede meter al agua! i love the beach and i was forbidden to go! everyone on the beach was obviously tanning and all the little kids had nets to catch jellyfish; so I had a little girl clean the area and I jumped in for a milli second and got out!

After 30 mins, we had a boat tour of the island. We hopped on and again the tour guide had no idea what to tell us. All you have to do is 'wiki' it! i told her this after i asked if we could scuba dive at the shipwreck - she had no idea what i was talking about. so just FYI:

Wiki: It is the remains of an ancient volcano, and is part of the Pontine Islands. In Roman times it was known as Pandataria and Pandateria. Best known as the island to which the emperor Augustus banished his daughter Julia the Elder in 2 BC, as reaction to her excessive adultery, where she was to spend five years. (Other girls were also exiled here). During WW2, the island also served as home to a 114 man German garrison that defended a key radar station. On the night of September 8, 1943, an American PT Boat silently slipped into Ventotene's harbor and offloaded 46 American Paratroopers. Terrified, the German commander demolished his own positions and weapons, and then surrendered to the weaker American force before realizing his mistake. Ventotene was liberated without a shot being fired at 3 AM September 9, 1943. In July 2009, archaeologists announced the discovery of a "graveyard" of five ancient Roman ships in the deep waters off Ventotene.

(pic 4: spot the jellyfish! - pic 5: Julia the Elder's home)

The boat stopped for a while out at sea and again I jumped into the water for a milli sec so I wouldn't be stung like the others

At night, we had an amazing 4-5 course meal (without dessert grrrrrrrr! enjoy the pics!) and the restaurant quickly turned into "nightclub"- - the  night started great but one girl had to ruin it and close down the club by passing out in the bathroom and everyone thinking she had been slipped a pill but she was only drunk after wine, jager, and 2 screwdrivers. - this is when i think "ayy americanos! learn how to drink!" - this ordeal lasted for more than an hour. at the end of the night it was just me, the aussie, and the 2 tour guides and we continued to party it up ..... at a club that brought me back to San Juan del Sur; it was like I was at Crazy Crab - con los ultimos indios borrachos. LMAO! (pic 6: gnocchi and mussels dinner)

Next day: I had to be at the port at 11am to leave my bags at check out and get on a boat to see the Roman Jacuzzis but I missed it! damn gringa roommates did not wake me up! I ran to the port and as I was going to get on the boat, they told me to leave my bag in check and when i turned around SE FUERON LAS HP! can u believe!?! i was so mad!!!!! - after waiting more than an hour, I had to catch another boat to catch up with them to discover the St. Stefano Island. (pic 7:sunset with girl group, i'm so happy :P)

Wiki: It is dominated by an old prison built by the Bourbons, completed in 1797 and in use until 1965. It has 99 cells 4.50m by 4.20m around a central watch-tower. Built for 600 inmates, it had 800 in 1817 (and 400 on Ventotene). People imprisoned included the anarchist Gaetano Bresci who killed King Umberto I in 1900.

Once I got to the island, I had to walk through the weeds and climb a crapload of stairs! When I got to the top - the group was coming down! NOOOOOO! I only got a few pics of the prison and missed the nameless graveyard (the prisoners imprisoned & buried were never identified). (pic 8: stefano prison)

And this was my trip to Ventotene. Medio lame-o I know. Ni modo, ahora ya se - no viajar con este grupo. 

Rome, You are One Scary B*tch!

I skipped class on Friday to getaway...I'm tired of Florence! My weekends are short and I can't really travel as much as I wish. So I said, f*ck it! I need to see Rome because it's been 6 months and I still haven't gone. Traveling to and from Rome will have its separate post - you know something ALWAYS happens to me!

I arrived at Rome around 6 and relaxed and settled into my hostal till 7. Yes! HOSTAL! This was my 1st time at a hostal! I picked a female only hostal and it was very very clean and nice! I've always been afraid of hostals ever since the movie, Hostal (obviously, who wasn't freaked out by that movie?) but Thank God it was a great experience. I talked to some of the girls for a while, one was from Holland and told me she just came back from Nicaragua! She was living in Nicaragua for 6 months with a family in Jinotega and Leon. She says she went on a coffee growing and carving trip. I didn't even know they offered that as a travel package! How random! Before I started walking, I posted the last post "Open Book" - the train ride to Rome got me thinking as I stated.

So I started walking at 7pm and headed to Vatican City about 5 subway stops away. Once I was there, it was surreal! I couldn't stop thinking of the Angels & Demons movie. LOL I know me and my movies! I couldn't stop picturing the part when Tom Hanks was jumping in the fountains and running around finding "the signs" LOL - It was also funny to see how they have fences to separate the masses for Mass. They have a VIP seating area (I wonder if you have to pay to sit there?) Asi que ya saben, hay Grama y VIP en el Vaticano ;) .... I was there for about 15 minutes moved onto my next stop.

I got so lost trying to find the Trevi Fountain but I found a 4-way stop that had these sexy Roman gods and goddesses statutes, called Quattro Fontane. It must have taken me 30 minutes to find the Trevi Fountain. I just started following people, it seemed like they were going there. It was incredibly packed with tourists! I was probably there for 20 minutes. Another surreal moment. It was beautiful!  I think it was like 8:30 already, it was amazing. I actually had a senior couple next to me, say to each other "Well here we are babe, in Rome, our second honeymoon and it's been perfect" (then they kissed). They were probably 75 years old. I think I almost cried! It was too sweet! I can't wait to find my husband, find a picture perfect moment at 75 years old and for him to call me babe! ooo000ooo love! (le sigh) 

... anyways! I got a great picture there and started looking for a place to eat not in the Trevi Fountain area because I wasn't getting any service there! I'd look into the restaurants and I guess they thought "Loner, please leave! You won't tip!" .... Eventually, I found a place and same thing. bad service. I had an Indian family next to me and they spent the whole time talking to their waitress in English. When I ordered a beer from her, she was like "What? No No I don't speak English" - WTF! Seriously!? - Once I oredered my food, the calzone's cheese was still cold inside, so I had to tell them to reheat it, GREATTT! Ahora si no te voy a dar propina HP!

As I was walking back to the hostal, I was scared. Rome is kinda scary. Here in Florence, you can walk around at any time and it feels very safe but Rome is dark. I had a guy follow me! No I'm not paranoid! I noticed him following me. So I stopped and walked the other way around, so when I stopped, he stopped and said "yummmm you are so pretty" - GROSS! STALKER! SCARY! - Thank God he kept walking his own way after ... I couldn't stop looking over my shoulder and speed walking.

I didn't do much in Rome. I was leaving the next morning to Ventotene at 6am. I only saw a few places and there is soo much more to see - so I'll be back!

At the hostal, I talked to the girls a little more. I don't understand what these girls do for a living. They all told me, they were just traveling from place to place. De donde sacan el dinero? This hostal was not cheap (25 euros a bed). I was in a room with 5 other girls (bunk beds). One of the girls was like "I've been staying at a 300 euro/night hotel but I decided to stay my last night in a hostal for old times sake" - WTF? 1. How old are you? 2. What do you do for a living? - I didn't ask her though, I thought it would a weird question....I should have though. - - - Man! It was the worst sleep of my life! NO habia aire so I just slept in my undies y me estaba muriendo de calor! Ademas, those 5 chicks were snoring soooooooooooo f*ckinnnnn loudddddddd! and I think one of them was sucking her thumb, she was making the weirdest noise! I tried to peak but she had the covers over her.

so yeah. that was my nite in Rome. I will be back. I missed a lot of sites, I need to go to the Pope's Mass, and go with someone because Rome is scary! It's too dark, lonely in most areas, and dirty. I didn't like it that much. However, I need to see the sites.

WHITE Night!

NO! It is not a racist nite! White Night was this past Friday night because it was Labor day the following day. Therefore all the stores stay open till midnight, concerts are set up all over the city (corners and piazzas), restaurants and bars set up some more space, drinks, and food on the streets for all the partygoers on the streets, and a dance/drum band was going around town. ALEGRISIMO! The girls from school came over to my house for some predrinks and we hit the street at midnight. We started on the street but it was sooooo crowded we got lost within 15 mins of being there LOL Asi que we bar and club hopped. We went to this one place that had great music and the bartenders threw napkins all over the place. I was probably under a foot of napkins and I lost one of my favorite chandelier earrings in there! :( :( We all wet home at 5am and the streets were still full of people partying pero yo ya estaba muertaaaa! White Night was a success and a night to remember!

Spaghetti Secrets!

The funniest thing happened at my Cultural Communications class, you know the class where we learn how to work with different cultures. So for the last 2 lessons we have been watching and explaining bits of the movie that shows an international meeting between an Indian, Egyptian, Italian, North American, British, Chinese, and German person. Each of their cultural aspects are too exaggerated! The funniest part was when it shows them all having dinner in order to get to know each other (by the way they are in Rome for the meeting). Therefore, the Italian plays a key hosting role. He is very kind and tells them what they should eat (everything he describes is NOT on the menu because he believes the menu is just a suggestion and the chef can prepare anything) and they all go for it..... except the American woman. She tells the waiter she wants "Just spaghetti"; the Italian asks "Are you sure? Are you ok?"; she says "Yes, I just want some comfort food". When their food arrives, she is served, plain WHITE SPAGHETTI (o sea con nada de nada de salsa!) and she's like "ummm what is this? I ordered spaghetti?!"; the Italian tells her "Yes, there it is Pasta Bianca"; she says "No no no, I meant Spaghetti with Hamburger like in the U.S." and finally he says "Ohhh Nooo. Here pasta bianca is plain. What you wanted is Spaghetti al Ragu. That is why I asked if you were ok because when someone orders pasta bianca it means they are having stomach issues!"

LMAOOOOO! 1st of all, me mori de la carcajada when she said pasta with hamburger! wtf!? quien puta dice eso? 2nd of all, the teacher asked has this happened to anyone? and I was like YES! ME! (lmfao!)

When I was already here for a month, my friends and I went out to lunch and I ordered Pasta Bianca which was on the menu, thinking it was Spaghetti with White sauce! To my surprise it was just plain ol' pasta! LOL ni modo, mal entendi.

Segun mis amigas Italianas, when someone orders Pasta Bianca it is because 1. They are having tummy issues or 2. They are on a diet.

ON A DIET?! WTF!? Last thing I want to eat on a diet is pasta! but I guess that's how Italians do it ;)

Living In: Florence, Italy

I saw this at a random Coffee/Bar shop

Sometimes I photograph my food. I'm always so proud of my cooking and my keychain Annita gave me for Christmas.

This dog was so cute! People are allowed to sit their pets on the restaurant booths, kinda weird, but I'm a doggie lover and they are always welcomed to sit with me!

Coffee at Piazza Republica

with Anne on a great sunny day!

1. I'm going to GREECE for Spring Break! wooohooo! I'm going to Corfu & Athens for 8 days! I'm so excited. I am actually going alone, aqui la gente del program anda en su propio mundo en su propia cosa, therefore I have to venture alone. But I am going with a student group leaving Florence. So I'll hopefully meet some hotties and party people! woohooo!


2. I just started 2 new classes in the program. Intercultural Mngt & World Issues (like International Business/Finance). I loved Intl. Business in my undergrad. You learn sooo many complex global issues which eventually turn out to be not so complex and feel invigorated every time the class ends! It really opens your eyes and mind to how the world works together. Since, it was the 1st class, we basically talked about the current recession. Can you believe 80% of the class, didn't know we were going through a recession! WTF! They didn't know where it came from, why, its effects, etc. I couldn't believe it. Ademas de eso, it kinda frustrates me that they don't know some key english terms, but I'm working on it - I know English is their 2nd or 3rd language. OH! and for some reason, I started talking about Carlos Slim and no one but me and the 2 other latinas, knew who he is! CARLOS SLIM is the richest man of the world now (Forbes, 1 week ago)! He's been around for a while, they should know him! I'm still in shock - COMO NO VAN A SABER ESO?!


3. Florence is getting crowded. Tourist season begins! Even Brad Pitt and his kids were here on Sunday (but because Angelina is filming in Venice with Johnny Depp; coincidentally a movie called The Tourist LOL)


4. I have NOT MET an ITALIAN YET no randomly made-out with one! Please stop asking me this! LMAO.


5. I MISS PARTYING. Oh wait I have already mentioned this :P


En verdad, nada new. Basically class, new classes, dinners, city walking, and wondering what to do this weekend, because I have Friday off.