Devotissimo suo, Sarah: A Week at the Villa

We have been lucky enough to have some beautiful weather this past week (except for today, because it always rains on Sundays...seriously, always. and always when we have all these plans of spending the day in Florence) Many afternoons were spent in the gardens and hanging out outside. Hopefully the weather continues in this direction!

This week I would say just about everyone was eating like they had never seen food before. I think we all went a little crazy without our chef Bruno and pasta for a week. I went into a food coma after almost every meal. What will happen when I have to return to the States and actually cook for myself, I have no idea.

Tuesday night Camellia, Kyle, Tamara, Jenna, and I went into Florence to meet three of the girls we met on the Prague trip who are also studying in Florence for dinner (recall the pyramid girls). They brought us to this fantastic pizza place near their villa. Again, you would have thought we had never encountered pizza before because that thing was gone in a matter of minutes. It was great seeing them again though, hopefully they will get to come see our villa and experience life in Sesto before they leave in just a few weeks!

Friday morning our villa director, Helen, gave about ten of us a cooking lesson. We got to go into the kitchen and help prepare a risotto, ragu, and our favorite 7P pasta (made with seven ingredients all beginning with the letter P) and apple cake. Now I am the proud owner of a few of our villa recipes and plan to cook for all my friends and family back home. Actually, let's see if I can cook for myself first. Then if it isn't poisonous I'll just possibly invite some of you to dinner. A majority of the class Helen just berated me for not liking vegetables. Apparently, this fact is just so amusing to everyone. I am really working on it though. My friend Catie here at the Villa brings me a little plate of whatever vegetable we're having that day. I usually try to get out of eating it, but sometimes I am forced.

After devouring all the food we made, those of us who were at the villa for the weekend hung out in the gardens. We kicked around the soccer ball, played with Tessa (Helen's puppy labrador) and played bocce ball, which I will have you know I am not actually half bad at. I like to call myself "unpredictable" about where the ball I throw will actually end up. Usually its either right on, or completely wrong. So you know, unpredictable. After awhile, many people decided to play kickball. I immediately recalled those terror days of elementary school gym class and neighborhood kickball (where I so gladly volunteered to be the DJ for). I sat this round out and basked in the sun instead reading.

Saturday morning, five other girls (Camellia, Becca, Grace, Jenna, and Heather) and I got up early and headed to the train station to go to Castelfiorentino where we would spend the day horseback riding. Now what would Trenitalia be without some sort of issue? Of course our train arrived nearly 40 minutes late. Our conclusion was that the train conductor probably just decided to stop for coffee somewhere. You know, why work? Luckily, we were able to get another train and arrived only an hour late. After getting into Castelfiorentino (a small Tuscan town) a darling little man met us to bring us to the place we would be horseback riding. The business is run by a woman from Liverpool, named Sharon, and a man, Lorenzo, from Rome. We met them and got right to our riding lessons (turns out these would be pretty necesssary). I was paired with Luby. She's bossy and apparently the girls thought that would be perfect and I could handle her. Riding lessons went fine enough. I couldn't really get Luby to do what I wanted, but after enough time I felt pretty comfortable in my abilities. After lessons, we went back up to their house for lunch. Lorenzo is a fantastic chef (considering opening a restaurant) and made up pasta bolognese. I even ate five pieces of lettuce because I thought it was rude not to. We tried our best not to eat like the animals we usually do at the villa. After the delicious meal, Heather, Camellia, and I headed out for our ride. I got back on Luby and once we were all ready, headed out on the trails. Luby had to be in the back because sometimes she kicks. We were getting a little behind because she is a bit lazy, and didn't really want to be carrying me around up through the mountains. The path split, and as I was attempting to use my new skills in steering the horse, Luby decided she had had enough and turned around back towards the stables and took off in a gallop. Cue screams. Cue nearly falling off. Cue Sharon telling me not to scream. I'm not sure if she's ever seen her life flash before her eyes, but there really was no other option. Finally I was able to pull back on the reigns hard enough for Luby to stop and turned her back around. Sharon held on to her as we walked for the next while. Great. After a bit, once we were fully on the trail and there wouldn't be any turning around for Luby, Sharon let me go again. Luby seemed to have great difficulties getting up the hills and took her sweet time. Then again, if I were walking up those hills you better believe I'd be complaining. In fact, I usually blog about it. So I guess I don't blame her. I tried to be her friend again. Towards the end of the ride, when we were actually walking our horses, Luby used me as a scratching post. So I guess that meant we were friends. Or she hated me and wanted me completely covered in her hair. Whichever. After a few hours, we returned to the house, and it was the next groups turn to go. This time, Lorenzo went with to take care of Luby since she was tired or naughty, or both. In the midst of all this though, the views were absolutely incredible. Just a picture perfect Tuscan hilly scene. It was absolutely incredible, and I really did enjoy myself. I think I'd like a horse someday. Just not Miss Luby.

Once we got back to Florence, a few of us decided it was finally time for some Mexican food. We headed to Tiajuana's and I enjoyed a delicious quesadilla and some chips with salsa and guacamole. A nice little break from pasta, though truly I don't think I ever really need a break from pasta. Then it was back to the villa and almost right to sleep. Turns out horseback riding is very tiring and will make one very sore.

Today has been full of some group Sporcle (check it out..www.sporcle.com, but only if you have hours to waste) and catching up on some things. Here are a few pictures from horseback riding!