As the halfway point of my semester lurks upon me and I prepare for mid terms, ew, and spring break, yay, I wanted to reflect upon some of the amazing foods, sights and places I’ve seen thus far in Florence. I still have so much I want to experience before the middle of May, but I’ve accomplished so much in just a month and a half. In no particular order, enjoy seeing what I’ve been up to in my new home over the past few weeks!
All photography by Emily Houston.
1.) Ate my first true Italian pizza.
2.) Enjoyed my first glass of Italian wine with my roommate Melissa.
3.) Found that I live next to the Church of Santa Croce, where Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo are buried.
4.) Found beautiful chalk art on the streets.
5.) Had my first Italian gelato.
6.) Saw the Ponte Vecchio by day…
7.) …and by night.
8.) Ate the most life changing truffle pasta while visiting the Mercato Centrale.
9.) Found my favorite Piazza, called Piazza della Repubblica.
10.) Went to the Florence Chocolate Festival.
11.) Had a true Italian cappuccino, complete with a drawing of the Duomo.
12.) Went to the Boboli Gardens and found my future home, Pitti Palace. Aka the past home of Florence’s most powerful family, the Medici’s.
13.) Cooked Guinea Fowl with Trofie Pasta in my Pairing Food and Wine Class.
14.) Posed with my family’s favorite statue in the Boboli Gardens.
15.) Discovered my favorite gelato place, called Leonardo’s.
16.) Saw the Duomo, which I walk past on my way to school, and I’ve yet to get over how amazing it is.
17.) Cooked Veal Filets Stuffed with Red Onion in my Pairing Food and Wine Class.
18.) Discovered hidden carvings made by Michelangelo on the side of Palazzo Vecchio.
19.) Went to a secret bakery and had Nutella croissants at 3 AM after the Superbowl. We went another weekend and the guy gave us twice the amount of croissants we asked for. God bless Florence and their magical secret bakeries.
20.) Carlyn, one of my best friends from Marist, came to visit.
21.) Mastered the art of home cooking.
22.) Found my favorite study, and personal hangout spot on the benches underneath the loggia in Piazza Signoria.
23.) Cooked Catalan Shrimp Over Fresh Veggies in my Pairing Food and Wine Class.
24.) Started a Tuesday tradition with Melissa of going to Piazza della Repubblica and sitting by the carousel while eating gelato from Grom.
25.) Found street art across the Arno River in the neighborhood of Oltrano.
26.) And then found some more.
27.) Laughed at and wrote about the obnoxious tourists for my travel writing class in Piazza della Signoria.
28.) Cooked Carrot Flan for my Pairing Food and Wine Class.
29.) Went to the Galleria dell’Accademia to see Michelangelo’s masterpiece The David.
30.) Cooked homemade Orecchiette Pasta with Broccoli and Anchovies for my Pairing Food and Wine Class.
31.) Climbed to the top of the Duomo when my parents came to visit me.
32.) Celebrated Carlyn’s arrival in Florence with the first two friends I made at Marist and survived a freshman year Philosophy class with.
33.) Tried my first Italian espresso and Sicilian ricotta cannoli.
34.) Went to the Fiorentina vs. Roma soccer game and repped the Viola scarves.
35.) Found my all-time favorite spot to soak in the wonders of Florence at Piazzele Michelangelo.
Emily Houston 
Girl, I envy you and your wines! What would you recommend to a new wine enthusiast of your age? Also, those gelatos are TO-DIE-FOR! Florence, I’m coming!
Wine is such a big part of the Italian culture that I kind of just attempt to try a new one when I go out to eat or buy a bottle that I’ve never had before when I’m at the grocery store. I’m not an expert by any means though. I would start with whites since they tend to be more mild and pair easier with meals such as chicken and fish. Reds tend to pair better with beefs and pastas. It is kind of just a trial and error process until you find a typology you really like. Everyone is different! And yes, gelato is definitely the most important meal of the day haha