Surprise! UCSC comes to Florence.

Some days here are full of museum trips and once-in-a-lifetime activities, but as I enter week two of my travels here in Firenze things have begun to fall into a more familiar pattern. I am living in an apartment, I am with my mom. We cook, we run errands, we just go out shopping. It feels like home, kinda--just enhanced. I mean, I'm at home on my computer, but here i sit drinking espresso out of the tiniest, cutest little cup with the tiniest biscotti (and LARGEST chocolate chunks i have ever seen. seriously. they take up like half the biscotti).

Yesterday was one of those lazy days--a real Saturday with the feeling I usually get during winter vacation. The air is crisp, I can smell the leaves and feel them crunch under my (new!) boots. My mom and i wandered up past the Duomo and stumbled upon a number of cool shops and stops. When you have no real itinerary, the freedom can be fantastic.

There was an amazing vintage store full of designer shoes and bags, amazing Armani sparkly dresses and a red Gucci vanity case. The saleswoman watched us like a hawk, though, and the pricetags were still far out of range. So we ditched that and moved along. We came upon an amazing shop full of papier-mache masks: Alice's Mask Art Studio.

The place is gorgeous--filled like an old antique store, but the trunks are brimming with commedia masks, no masks, plaster casts. They sparkle and shine. Some are grotesque. Full masks, half masks, carnivale masks. Though the market stalls are full of cheap knockoffs for 3 euros, these masks are art, and worth every penny.

My favorite is a half mask, bronze with ribbon ties. The delicate face is laced with a puzzle piece motif, and though there are others like it, it seems utterly unique. Like most of the hand-made items in the store.

After that we wander past a store called Dixie. They looked like a boutique store with one of a kind items, but they are actually more of a small chain. They prices are similar to Urban Outfitters, and they are pretty awesome. I tried on two dresses I fell in love with, but am waiting before i commit to the price. You can check out their collection here.

After that, a stroll through Piazza della Repubblica, where we found a lovely Saturday market. Beautiful stalls with cheese, wine, olive oil, pastries, crepes, jams, and more. Samples of everything, and it felt very much like Christmas shopping. Or like the Art and Wine Festival in Capitola.

But the VERY best part of the day was the arrival of Brandin and Giusi!! No pictures, alas, alack, but my favorite costuming duo arrived in town this week for a conference and we all had dinner together last night. It was great catching up with them--a piece of home when I am so far away. I heard all the gossip (yes, about you guys) and we had such a nice night in such a beautiful city. What a fun opportunity, and Giusi and I plan on going fabric shopping on Monday. Woo!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend as well.
xoxo,
Antonia