You can call me *Twinkletoes*

If there was one word I could use to describe the way I feel right now, it would be this:

*Twinkletoes*

It might look something like this...

only, imagine me clicking my heels...

that would really display my sparkling piggies.

That's right.

My tootsies, are a twinklin'...

not literally of course.

Although they might as well be, 

because the pedicure I got with my mom a few days before I left

 is still in PERFECT condition.

Only because my beautiful purple piggies have yet to see the light of day.

(Be advised: If you wear flip flops in Rome, or Italy for that matter, 

people will absolutely look at you like you are an alien. 

Not like I know from experience or anything.)

Back to my *twinkletoes*...

I am BEYOND ecstatic.

Today, at the Thursday market, I bought vegetables.

Vegetables? You ask.

Si, fruits and veggies. I say.

The freshest, most mouthwatering, most scrumptious fruits and veggies you could possibly imagine, 

which would have probably cost me about $75.00 in the US, 

for 10 Euro.

10 EURO!!!!!

That's only $13.48!!!!!!!

THIRTEEN DOLLARS AND FORTY EIGHT CENTS.

So, you understand my twinkletoes now?

And I bet you are just dying to know what I bought, right?

Well, my Nosey Nellies, here's what I bought:

Cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, more tomatoes, broccoli,

bell peppers, mushrooms, apples, bananas, oranges, and mandarins.

And I'm not talking just about "a few" of each...

I mean LARGE bags of each.

I have never felt better about spending money in my life!

Well, except for maybe on clothes, and shoes, and wine...

all very important investments. ;)

OK, enough about vegetables.

Let's talk about pasta. 

Did you know that in the supermarkets here they have a WHOLE entire aisle solely for pasta.

I have never seen so much pasta in my life.

And all different kinds. 

I had no idea it was so important for certain kinds of pasta to be cooked only with certain recipes.

To me, it's all the same.

Linguine, Fettuccine, Tortellini...

to me...

it's all Spaghetti.

But here, no way Jose.

Cristina doesn't even like Spaghetti!!!

In fact, she and her boyfriend, Fabio,

(yes, his name is actually Fabio...no, I did not make that up)

got into an argument last weekend while preparing dinner because they couldn't agree on what type of pasta to use! It's THAT important!!

Finally, they decided on Calamaretti pasta.

(Shaped like rings of calamari, and something I had never even seen before.)

To me, it's all good.

"Tutto bene", as you would say in Italian.

And here,

is where all the magic happens.

No!! Not that kind of magic you dirty birds...

get your mind out of the gutter!

The kitchen, my friends!!!

This is where all the magical, beautiful, cooking takes place.

Heavenly, right?

I'd say so.

That big window lets light in all day long, 

and overlooks Cristina's enormous yard and many fruit trees.

Speaking of heavenly, today Cristina showed me how to make real pesto pasta,

with real, homemade pesto.

My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

"Ciao!" to using store bought pesto for me.

From here on out,

only the real pesto will do.

I have indeed become a pesto snob.

Here's another little piece of heaven.

I just could not stop taking pictures of this magical Italian oasis. 

Beauuuuutiful vines with thousands of grapes growing from them.

 

I could have stayed there all day.

This was one of those moments where the pictures just don't do this justice.

Cristina told me that this place is something like a study hall, or lecture hall.

Where people can go to study, or read.

So, let's just say that those vines have not seen the last of me!

Later in the day, Cristina and I rode bikes down to the beach,

(about a 5 minute ride)

where we did our tutoring lesson for the day.

I taught Cristina all she needs to know:

what "pain in the ass" means.

She enjoys talking a lot, and listening to me talk,

so that she can practice correct pronunciation,

 and apply the correct grammar rules when she speaks.

Then, on the way back home, 

I told her that her extra bike I was borrowing was literally a pain in my ass...

(hahaha).

But seriously, I'm fairly certain that my butt is now black and blue.

When we got back from studying,

Cristina helped me prepare this beautiful Caprese dinner, 

using the tomatoes I bought today at the market.

YUUUUUUM.

Even if it's the same ingredients I would use at home to prepare this,

it without a doubt tastes 150% better!

Italian tomatoes,

Italian mozzerella,

Italian olive oil,

Italian oregano,

prepared by Italian hands.

Definitely can't find that in the good ol' U.S. of A.

Well friends, over and out.

I hear another episode of MTV's "Disaster Date" calling my name.

(It's the only show I can find on Italian TV that's in English...)

Until my next magical food encounter...

Peace, Love, and (Calamaretti) Pasta!

<3

CIAO!