Just the facts, maàm
So it has been brought to my attention that despite this blog and my superfluous use of adjectives, many of you dont really know what the hell Ive been up to. So here goes… last week was my first full week of interning at the villa, which is about a 25 min walk from my apt, mostly uphill, hopefully combating my affinity for cheese and wine. I spent the week familiarizing myself with the extensive collection, the interesting and sometimes scandalous history of the family who left it to NYU, and the complicated politics between NYU and the Italian govt, who control it as the collection is considered cultural property so therefore protected by the Italian State. I had a meeting with a woman who is organizing a conference here in a few months to discuss the different management styles of Italian and American museums and watched an enormous recently conserved fifteenth century tapestry be hung on the wall of the ballroom. This week I am continuing my research on loan policy, making a site visit to I Tatti, Harvards villa here in Florence, giving a tour to NYU students of the Villa and gardens, and perhaps assisting in the washing of another tapestry. So far the best part of working with such a small staff of six is being invited to be part of different projects. Ive learned that at the end of Oct students are allowed to sign up to help harvest the olives and get to keep a bottle of the oil theyve helped produce. I hope I am here long enough to help with that.
My social life hasnt been terribly exciting, Ive spent a lot of time reading (just picked up The Agony and the Esctasy, a novel-bio about Michaelangelo, who was born and raised in Florence) and writing in my journal and cooking for myself. Ive eaten at restaraunts a few times (although Im tiring of the oh poor lady eating alone look) and so far my best meal has been an appetizer of thinly sliced pears with chunks of soft cheese drizzled with honey and homemade ravioli stuffed with spinach and gorgonzola covered with a creamy sauce of walnuts and truffles. The Italians have perfected the art of making gelato, which seems to come from heaven. I prefer the creamy coconut and dark forest fruit combo.
Ive hung out with the neighbor kids a few times, who bbq on their big patio, they are nice and its quite amusing to spend time with 20 year olds. I think one of them may have even been putting the moves on me, who thinks my age is "hot". Im flattered but no grazie.
Im hoping to not become too jaded by being surrounded by Italian art every day and am making a conscious effort to visit the many museums that fill this small city. Yesterday was Palazzo Pitti, the Medicis summer villa, and will make it to the Ufizzi when the tourist crowds die down. Also there is an exhibition of machine models created from Leonardos sketches that I hope to see soon.
So there you have it folks, the everyday adventures in andrealand.
September 19th, 2005 at 4:34 am
Just so you know, that email you sent me was really the best. The nicest. I miss you so much. No one at work works the shimmy like you do.