Shopping and strolling

Today was a much needed lazy day for our apartment. Kenan made us a special breakfast of french toast made with a fresh baguette with raspberries on the side which was a great way to start the day! After moseying around the apartment, I got cabin fever so I made a few trips around Florence. 
  
First I went to Billa (where we frequent now) for a few groceries for dinner, and the 1 euro store for cleaning supplies. I can't believe I haven't mentioned the euro store yet but it is a favorite of all of us. It's just like a dollar store but for us it's great place for us to get kitchen and cleaning supplies for cheap--they have pretty much anything we need. Plus, you can find them all over town. There's at least 5 within a 10 minute walk from our apartment!

I then decided to wander around and into shops around town. I first ended up at a store right around the corner kind of like a Learning Express store in Raleigh, with unique toys and gadgets for kids. I found the book section and fell in love with a kids cookbook in Italian. It was an impulse buy, but I love that I am beginning to be able to read it on my own with my very beginner's Italian! Plus, it will come in handy with all the cooks in our apartment. 

My purchases of the day! A scarf and gloves for the cold mornings, my cookbook, and a stuffed friend for bedtime... yes, I am a small child and miss my stuffed animals I left at home.

I wandered around Florence trying to go down streets I hadn't been down before and ended up walking for a long time! I love window shopping and Florence has tons of upscale shops to do just that. It was the perfect time of day to go out because many stores are closed on the back streets on Sundays. Not many people were out and about yet so I ended up strolling alongside the old Italian couples through the streets. 

I'm learning a lot in Italy about taking it slow and not being too caught up to see what's around you. Whether it's wandering aimlessly through the streets or having long dinners with no cell phone or t.v. distractions, I feel like I am just learning to relax, take things in, and enjoy the company around me rather than focus on a to-do list and think only of what I have to do next in every moment.

Tonight I volunteered to make family dinner and I made chicken with pasta in a pink sauce (cream and tomato). It didn't turn out too bad for my first ever major cooking attempt and I was shocked that we nearly finished it all! I love sitting around the table with my flatmates and enjoying food and conversation-- it's amazing I've only known them a week!


I'm off to class in the morning  so it's bedtime for me! Ciao!