To do.

As my departure date draws nearer (holy crap I'm going to be in another country in less than 3 days), I figure it's probably a good idea to gather my thoughts about what it is I hope to accomplish while studying abroad. I've spent my winter break reading through a 1000 page Rick Steves' guide hoping to get a more thorough grasp of where it is I'm actually going and what I can do there.

So here's a little list of things I'd like to do across the pond:

• learn to cook real Italian food Currently working on a book of my favorite recipes. Look for it in stores next Fall!
• find the best gelato in Florence (I don't mind eating gelato every day if that's what it takes) It's at Emporio Gelato on the Ponte Santa Trinita. Straciatella's my favorite, but they also have things like Black Sesame or Pink Grapefruit
  
• climb the Duomo, maybe the Campanile too while I'm at it  Both accomplished, 5/12
  
• buy something awesome at the leather market in Florence  3/18/12
  
• take a cheesy picture in front of the leaning tower of Pisa  3/10/12
• hike through the Cinque Terre 5/11/12
• go to Venice for Carnevale, buy awesome masks  2/10/12
• see some real Italian glassblowing in Murano  3/23/12
• eat pizza and visit the Archaeological Museum in Naples  4/21/12
  
• visit Pompeii  4/22/12
• see the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Roman Forum, etc. in Rome 2/17/12 - 2/19/12
  
• visit Dante's tomb in Ravenna/home in Florence
• maybe hop on over to the French Riviera? Monte Carlo? Paris? 3/1/12 - 3/4/12
• visit as many places I've studied in History of Interiors as possible

We'll see how much of this I actually accomplish in my 4 short months.