9.25.2009

Friday night in Roma

I could have walked for hours more tonight except my feet were aching, I was craving banana with nutella, and we have to be up early for our trip to Assisi and Cinque Terre! Ryan, Karen and I spent the night walking, relaxing, and taking photos of a couple great places in the heart of Roma... I cant wait to show people these in person.....
Bridge over Tiber | St. Peter's basilica's dome in right
Closer... so magical... the weather was perfect tonight
Perfect juxtaposition of faster paced modern life
against the unbelievably sturdy history and elegance
powerful. austere. cant wait to go inside!
our art history class will be going in 3 wks :)
Piazza Novana... just caught my eye
so creative and curious
Good night! off Assisi at 8am... :)

Primo!

What. a. week! This has, by far, been the best week here yet! We were lucky enough to spend the entire week in all-day workshops working with the one and only Primo Angeli. Do any of these ring a bell?! Guinness... Ben & Jerrys... Hyatt... the Olympics... Capri Sun... he has designed countless logos, posters and entire marketing systems for hundreds of companies and events and also owned a very successful design firm based out of San Fran.

Beginning with an entertaining and inspiring presentation Tuesday night, our 2.5day workshop stretched into this morning when we presented our final rebranded packages to Primo, his wife Didi, our professors, College of Design Dean, and 23 fellow graphic students. We met with Primo 3-4 times and talked with him as he walked around, received his feedback, direction, and had the weirdest coversations with him (chocolate panty hose?! murky placenta!? mozzarella nightmares?!) and most akward pinches and elegant European kisses.

My group started with the Dolce Natura's (an existing Italian brand) slimy, cold, and opaque Mozzarella pouches and decided to design an entirely new marketing plan. Glass jars with cardboard sleeves provide a more sturdy and appealing packaging, as well as save plastic and mask the murky water that is essential in mozz's freshness. Glass jars are then reused (just like milk jars were and the ever-so-popular green shopping bag is used now) and brought back to the deli [Dolce at the Deli] where more mozz balls can be purchased and placed into your glass jar. Bioplastic packages are also offered as an expensive and disposable option.

We successfully designed
a fresh, wholesome and simple look
which accurately reflects our
wholesome and fresh cheese inside.

Parts of our logo are isolated and etched
onto the glass jar.
An undeniable wholesome and healthy feel.
Innovative sleeves mask the murky liquid.

Roger Baer (our dean), Primo, Did, Troy, Cheri, and Brenda (our professors)Primo and Didi talking with Karen Paula and Car
Primo and Didi

9.22.2009

nutella!!

with bananas
with cookies
on a spoon
anyway...

I love nutella.

9.20.2009

amazing

I wish so badly I could see what the palaces, domuses, piazzas, everything looked like in its prime.... so colorful, detailed, and vivid I imagine... this original marble facade is pretty incredible and one can imagine how breathtaking it would be if the entire room was covered with similar works like this one... The dark purple marble is extremely hard... see those fine lines that create the concentric cirlces and arcs around the dark purple square? They are less than .25 of an inch and could only be cut with diamond blades or something stronger. Incredible.
Dice found in the Colosseum. It is crazy to think the Colosseum was only used for approx 250 years... wow!

9.18.2009

Colosseo

With 470 studio, a really good zucchini.tomato.mozz pizza, and Italian class out of the way a few of us walked over to the Colosseum. It's just around the corner... how cool is that?!
Our common molding and classic detailing
can be seen all around Roma...

In this sense Roma is completely modern.
Classic and always in style.
Oh I can't get enough!!
Insanely large... ahead of its time... truly the eternal city
Here's my little history speel...
80 entrances numbered with Roman Numerals. Your number reflected your class
Holds 45,000 people - yesterday we saw where Circus Maximus
used to be which held 270,000. wow!
3 acts to the spectacle:
1. animals from around the world were brought in
[Elephants, bears, tigers, peacocks, zebras; 10 of each]
no animals left the Colosseum alive.
Sand was used to soak up the blood/gritty flooring
Used to show power, strength, and control of Rome.
2. Gladiator vs. animal
3. Gladiator vs. Gladiator
Rarely played to the death.
These men were trained as gladiators
and used slaves to train with.
and again imagine this place covered
with lavish and brightly colored marbles.
I wish I could just see a glimpse of what it looked like in its prime!

Finally a good one of us
taken by a guy from Oregon!

9.17.2009

Im starting everyday at the bakery.

I should have known it was going to be an AWESOME day when it started with a 60 cent cornetta (croissant) with fresh peach filling from the little bakery up the road!! Ahhhh love love love

Fast forward 14 hours ahead and Ive accomplished a lot!

4hr extensive tour through the Roman Forum -- incredible history. I took tons of notes. lots of pictures. loved almost every second of it.... just got a little long

6 hour Advanced Type studio class -- love our project. love my professor. love getting to talk, listen to music, and snack while designing... I really could not have picked a better major. Loooooooove it.

a quick stop by the Floral Market for a room mate -- so fun and the packaging & flowers are perfectly Italian and perfectly tacky!

a long list of "family" things to do this weekend -- all of my room mates will be staying in Roma this weekend and we have quite the list of things to do! [Breakfast together, dinners together, 'family' watercoloring in a park with a picnic, visiting 3 markets, party at our neighbors, etchetera etchetera etchetera as my Italiano teacher says it]

and now we are planning our trips for the semester... Ah Greece! France! Vienna! Yay! Cant wait :)

One of three arches in Roma...
two are in the Roman Forum
which is the oldest portion of Roma by far.
It looks like 'ruins' because throughout history the church
dismantled pieces/marble/statues/columns have been
torn down or dismantled to be used
in Christian churches and basilicas
instead of here in the most historically Pagean
place in Roma.
Check these doors out! This is a church made for Romulus
and the hinges and doors are ORIGINAL & WORKING bronze doorways
from the 4th century. That is 300 a.d. They still work.
Pretty amazing!

Va bene, this amazed me today. Whenever I imagine old Roman palaces or statues I picture pristine gleaming white marble. Do you!? I was way off! The marbles, woods, bricks, granites, frescoes, everything was so colorful! The picture below are marble samples of the exact marbles used. Look at the gorgeous deep purples, reds, tawny golds, and blacks. So colorful and completely different than I had imagined! This is a photo taken of the fresco paintings that are in Augustus Caesar's home on Palatine Hill. Not exactly bland creamy white marbles, huh!? Today was so impressive and inspiring! Have I mentioned that I am in love with the vibrant colors of Roma!? :)

9.15.2009

random things around Roma

I woke up early this morning and think I caught the only sun we'll see today. Its been rainy and stormy all weekend and looks like it will be all week! bummer.

Taking a break from sketching... here are a few random things about Roma that have been on my mind...Details, engravings, architectural elements, everything is just gorgeous...
I could stare for hours and hours, days and days

I've noticed that there are just as many
beautiful young priests
as there are beautiful churches :)
There are books everywhere...
many vendors selling old books at the market, small stands in on the cobblestones streets...
Im waiting find that perfect one for my little 'project'...

The colors! ahhhhhh Love them
You can find every type of cheese you would like
at any age you want
and at any price you are willing to spend.
I'm loving my pepperoncini, ricotta, and mozzarella right now...
I think I have cheese with every meal...

Have a great day!

9.13.2009

mozz!


If I could snack on something every single day I would definitely choose yogurt & granola or chips & salsa.... Ah I love them! After I discovered a tiny bag of tortilla chips is 4 euros and a small container of salsa is 4,70 [thats over $12 for a tiny snack that I would devour in one sitting!] I decided I had to make my own! Not that I dreaded the thought of making it, but I kind of miss my favorite brand of salsa and I was not looking forward to making my own chips in the oven...

but its a cool, dark and damp day in Roma so our trip to the market was a bit shorter than we had hoped. I did find a couple cool little things though! I started chopping and about 15 minutes later I had a great blend going on! I was too lazy to start the oven, plus I don't really know how, so I had my salsa with crostini and fresh mozzarella! I love the mozz here... so moist!

9.12.2009

Roma gets smaller each day!


After I stocked up yesterday at the market I had everything for an American breakfast this morning! Eggs (they are not in the refrigerated section here in Roma...), toast (made in a pan with olive oil!), and a nectarine (not an apricot, Eric) all hit the spot this morning. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's breakfast :)

Roma is feeling smaller each day! Bethany and I shopped all day today and as we walked we kept recognizing certain roads, shops, or areas. We tried to get lost and couldn't! I can't wait for it to cool down so I can start wearing cute scarfs and jeans and so I start looking different in my pictures....
Piazza Novona... something we just stumbled on!

Breakfast at Tiffanys is now on and I hear a Bueno Bar calling my name... hope you're having a great weekend!

9.11.2009

Venerdi

I packed 3 goals with me on my trip to Italia...
1. Really experience the culture [do what the locals do, become a regular at a cafe/market/bakery]
2. Bring back something that reminds me of how Roma makes me feel [photos, Roma projects, great memories, etc.]
3. Find a gorgeous ring as a souvenir. [I found a jewelry store yesterdaaay! Bethany and I headed back today!]

Soooo since I arrived, I have been trying to take pictures that really capture Roma and what it means and feels to me.... I've only gotten a few that I feel really capture Roma's personality and the one above is definitely one of my favorites! The sun seeping through the alleyways, the golden terra cotta color of the stucco, and the constant flutter of laundry out to dry wraps Roma up perfectly.

I ventured out by myself twice yesterday... the first was with only my camera and my watch. It was oddly freeing and exhilarating! As I walked passed the Pantheon and saw gobs of tourists with bags strapped to their fronts and earbuds in listening to tour guides, I felt confident and like I had done this so many times before. For the first time I didn't feel like a (total) tourist! I also sketched/observed at Campo dei Fiori and trammed it home... only one creepster 'architect' that insisted on chatting after I told him I didn't have an accendino and a pit bull behind me on the tram.

One BIG stop at the market and frutteria and I ended the night with vino de bianco with my room mates. It was a great day!

All of this produce for €4,15
I've said it before... I'll say it again
I love Roma!

9.10.2009

Cinque Scole

Quick pictures of our library and studio space below.

Campo dei Fiori

Classes have officially started.... our family and dining room is littered with paper trimmings, xactos, sketch books, and girls. We spent the morning with our art history professor walking through a few amazing churches. Santa Maria Maggoriore (intricate amazing mosaic work), Basilica de Prissade (spelling!?) (insane mosaic work), and finally St. Peter In Chains Church.

skip this paragraph if you don't want to hear what I learned in art history this am: Michaelangelo was commissioned by Julius II to sculpt an extravagent program (set/grouping) of 40 Roman beaurocrats for his tomb, but after being pulled away from this project by many other paintings and little things, he was only able to start and finish the main figure of Moses. That sculpture is now in St. Peter In Chains (along with the chains... we got to seem them, as well. I expected more, but they were neat, nonetheless. Its hard to fully comprehend the immense history here) Va bene. Back to Moses... Its breathtaking. Pristine. Powerful. And glossssy looking (Up until a couple decades ago people were allowed to touch him. One can still see where he was touched most frequently, because of it his knees and legs are extra shiny and a little stained.) Immediately as you walk down the side aisle along the nave you catch his gaze... it was really neat. The tension in his hands, tendrils of his beard, and his muscular legs are just incredible. I still marvel at the smallest things here in Rome; its just unbelievable. Moses is a gorgeous piece... I cant wait for my parents to see him.

I was lucky enough to 'have' to spend the entire morning on Wednesday in Campo dei Fiori for one of my graphic studios. I was sketching, taking photos, observing, journaling... just ideation for our identity system project.

I love this piazza...
a daily market w/ fresh food
quaint cafes
charming tree-lined terraces
and dried mangos!!
I can't wait to go back and pick some up :)

pasta, anyone?!
doesn't this picture make you want to whip something up!?
one last observation.... ha too cute!


deelish!

Homemade spaghetti sauce with fresh-from-market onions, peppers, basil, and tomatoes?! mmm... Yes I love Italia!! I made spaghetti tonight (with weird little noodles that I need to use up because I feel like a first grader eating spaghettios!) and have been making wraps with sauteed tomatoes, garlic, peppers, onions, kidney beans, lots of pesto and a big smear of ricotta cheese!
brownies for dessert?? ... I wish!

9.08.2009

The first of many 4day weekends :)

After a rainy start Friday morning we had a great night and such a great first weekend in Italy! Friday night, a big group of us went out and met up with nearly everyone else in graphic at the Spanish Steps. Rumor is that Julius Caesar was murdered there... The Spanish Steps are a popular place for Romans and tourists to meet, talk and drink a bottle of wine. We followed along... and finished many bottles of wine between all of us :)
Roma truly looks like a different city at night...
it just glows with romance and energy.

We were walking to the Trevi Fountain when I took this picture. I like it because the streets are empty, which is a rare sight in Roma!

Ohhhh the Trevi.... gorgeous. breathtaking. incredible. beautiful. all of the above.
The rest of the night can be summed up in just a couple words... Alfredo. Guest List. and Beautiful Italian men. It was a great night :)
The party was along the river... SO neat!
La Maison by the River

On to Saturday -- Karen, one of my room mates, was celebrating her birthday on Saturday so we went to the beach and out for dinner. It was such a relaxing day!

Hello speedos of every color, shape, and siiize!
Quick group picture of all of the room mates before going to dinner...
Carolyn, Becky, Laura, Karen, Bethany, Me, & Leah


I am so excited about our first project in my graphic studio 470 class... we are selecting an area or monument in Roma and designing an extensive identity system for it. I selected the Campo de Fiori; its an area I fell in love with when I first walked in! It used to be a meadow (hence the name fiore meaning flowers) and now is an area of shopping, cafes, bars, etc with a haunting bronze statue of Giordano Bruno, a philosopher that was burned to death for his forward thinking.
Campo de Fiori

other things in Roma.....
Piazza della Bocca della Verita below
everything is just beautiful...views from Villa Borghese (an expansive and lush park) on the northern edge of Roma

Piazza del Popolo (the next two)
The street performers are soooo good here!
This man and his suitcase matched the trash bin perfectly!

constant inspiration around every corner!

Bethany and I were sooo hungry mid-afternoon so we stopped for pizza!
SO warm & SO crispy!
All pizza is served 'folded' like this!

Yesterday we spent the day at the beach again :) Ah I love Italy.