The Dis Goes to Italy 5/24 - 6/1/2012 Viva Italia!!!!

[k5jmh]

Frank, it dawned on me that you have not seen this yet...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQX2ZK9DYR0&hd=1

[skunkvette]

[QUOTE=k5jmh;44910727]Frank, it dawned on me that you have not seen this yet...

QUOTE]

Thanks Mike, that was fun to relive.

I could use some help with video next week if you are free......

[k5jmh]

Originally Posted by skunkvette

Thanks Mike, that was fun to relive.

I could use some help with video next week if you are free......

My phone will be on! I will be in Mississippi while ya'll are in the land of pesto and marinara.

[Chropistopy]

Link to the travel blog that I'm going to attempt to update during our trip...you'll be there but feel free to subscribe if you'd like.


http://www.everlater.com/christyn4/i...-dot-abd-style

[k5jmh]

Originally Posted by Chropistopy

Link to the travel blog that I'm going to attempt to update during our trip...you'll be there but feel free to subscribe if you'd like.


http://www.everlater.com/christyn4/i...-dot-abd-style

I'll be checking it, Christy!!

[OKW Lover]

Originally Posted by k5jmh

My phone will be on! I will be in Mississippi while ya'll are in the land of pesto and marinara.

not at all the same...

[Circusgirl]

Originally Posted by stenogoddess

Happy Banana Dance! I'm glad the cortisone worked for you. It doesn't for everybody, so yay! I'm a limited shoe choice person myself. I dream of cute shoes, but mostly it's my stupid expensive running shoes with the inserts. That is the most expensive pair of shoes I've ever bought, and I got no say whatsoever in picking them. The guy looked at the, very long, list from my dr., watched me walk, brought out three pairs, watched me walk in each and said, here, you can have these. And they were not the pink ones with the pumas on the side either. But at least they look sporty and not "servicable" so there's that.

Kevin ran into this guy in the airport and I've been watching his clips this morning. We have way too much in common. As we all prepare to head to the airport, here's what we have to look forward to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfqcS...=LPoOMuwPzenUI

ETA: Just found this one about Disney World in August: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QohLo...eature=related

ETA: And this one for our Bed Bath and Beyonders http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in12T...eature=related

ETA: Gelato! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asHov...eature=related

Have got to stop this, but France/Italy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpMkRIXhLH0

Fantastico! I LOVED these.

Originally Posted by k5jmh

Frank, it dawned on me that you have not seen this yet...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQX2ZK9DYR0&hd=1

It was terrific fun to watch this as I'm getting ready for the next!

Originally Posted by k5jmh

You must take lots of pics, guys! I am not going, so I will not be able to "live post." I will be looking forward to seeing the adventure through your eyes!!

It's going to be a snap-o-rama!

[Chropistopy]

One of my co-workers sent along these recommendations for Florence...she studied there for a while...

Florence Tips

Places to see- Santa Croce, Piazza Michelangelo
Best dinner spot - La Giostra restaurant (I ordered the pear ravioli and spinach) http://www.ristorantelagiostra.com/ Address: Borgo Pinti, 12-r 50121
Avoid tourist trap gelaterias: go instead to Grom and Gelateria de Medici (try the crema de Medici flavor!), and Vivoli’s... ignore all other gelato stands and RUN to these three because they are fabulous.
Santa Croce Leather School- great for souvenirs for the fam... my Dad loves the bifold leather wallets (they last 10 years), and there’s lots of cute pouches for girls too. Just behind Santa Croce church around to the left of the building.
Pizzeria Spera (best pizza on the planet just down the street from my apartment on Via della Cernaia) – off the beaten path in a much more local area (north of the tourist area, but a block down from Gelateria de Medici gelato, which is on Via dello Statuto 3/5 r), little hole-in-the-wall award winning pizza. Address: Via della Cernaia, 9 50129. Also has odd hours and you won’t want to walk out there only to find it closed! So here are the hours:

Hours:
Mon
Closed

Tue-Thu
12–2:30pm, 7–10:30pm

Fri
12–2:30pm, 7–11pm

Sat-Sun
7–11pm

Other Italy Tips

Stop in Bologna for a good meal on the way between Florence and Venice, it’s the pasta capital of the world
They don't have many zip lock bags there so bring some if you think you might need some.
Get the Roma Pass in Rome!!! (unless your trip has already organized your sightseeing for Rome, then you won’t need it)

[stenogoddess]

Have set up my out of the office email responses!

In looking at the weather I see a bit of rain on our parade. I wonder if it rains like Florida where it rains for 20 minutes in the afternoon and then goes away, or if it r-a-i-n-s all day.

I can't decided what to wear on the plane. Everything I think of sounds uncomfortable. Should I wear jeans or slacks, tennis shoes or slips on. Compression socks? *sigh*

Also, Jeri got into some of our plane food and now I have to go back to the store. So I had to kill him. I've decided to bring my friend Jennifer in his place and then half way through our trip I'll slip away somewhere over the boarder.

Okay. So I didn't actually kill him. But you can tell a goodly amount of thought went into it. I asked him what makes you eat this food in particular when there is food all over this house? What do you want me to do on the plane when you start making sad little starving faces at me and you've eaten all the food here at home before we even left?!?!?! Keeping him fed is a job of work I tell ya. One would THINK he would try to help himself by not EATING all of his travel food BEFORE he is traveling. Wow. Where did that rant come from? Feeling a little stabby today.

I was tempted by a rainy day scrapbooking kit I saw, but I didn't buy it because I didn't want to jinx us. Yes, my scrapbooking purchases have the power to directly influence the weather. You didn't know? It's an awesome responsibility and one I take very seriously.

The inlaws are on their way and Jeri's not back from his "quick run" into work yet. Which is great because there is absolutely nothing else I need to be doing today besides watching the golf channel.

Awesome weekend to everyone! And see ya real soon!

[jcb]

Originally Posted by Chropistopy

One of my co-workers sent along these recommendations for Florence...she studied there for a while...

Florence Tips

Places to see- Santa Croce, Piazza Michelangelo
Best dinner spot - La Giostra restaurant (I ordered the pear ravioli and spinach) http://www.ristorantelagiostra.com/ Address: Borgo Pinti, 12-r 50121
Avoid tourist trap gelaterias: go instead to Grom and Gelateria de Medici (try the crema de Medici flavor!), and Vivoli’s... ignore all other gelato stands and RUN to these three because they are fabulous.
Santa Croce Leather School- great for souvenirs for the fam... my Dad loves the bifold leather wallets (they last 10 years), and there’s lots of cute pouches for girls too. Just behind Santa Croce church around to the left of the building.
Pizzeria Spera (best pizza on the planet just down the street from my apartment on Via della Cernaia) – off the beaten path in a much more local area (north of the tourist area, but a block down from Gelateria de Medici gelato, which is on Via dello Statuto 3/5 r), little hole-in-the-wall award winning pizza. Address: Via della Cernaia, 9 50129. Also has odd hours and you won’t want to walk out there only to find it closed! So here are the hours:

Hours:
Mon
Closed

Tue-Thu
12–2:30pm, 7–10:30pm

Fri
12–2:30pm, 7–11pm

Sat-Sun
7–11pm

Other Italy Tips

Stop in Bologna for a good meal on the way between Florence and Venice, it’s the pasta capital of the world
They don't have many zip lock bags there so bring some if you think you might need some.
Get the Roma Pass in Rome!!! (unless your trip has already organized your sightseeing for Rome, then you won’t need it)

I'm in favor of any place with the motto "In Food We Trust."

[Chropistopy]

Originally Posted by jcb

I'm in favor of any place with the motto "In Food We Trust."

I agree, Jack!!

[jcb]

USGS reports a 5.9 earthquake north of Bologna occurred about 10 pm eastern time.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquak...9tk0#technical

I hope folks are ok.

[k5jmh]

It was a little weaker near Salami.

[jcb]

Originally Posted by k5jmh

It was a little weaker near Salami.

I blame autocorrect. ;

[GAN]

Originally Posted by Chropistopy

One of my co-workers sent along these recommendations for Florence...she studied there for a while...

Florence Tips

Places to see- Santa Croce, Piazza Michelangelo
Best dinner spot - La Giostra restaurant (I ordered the pear ravioli and spinach) http://www.ristorantelagiostra.com/ Address: Borgo Pinti, 12-r 50121
Avoid tourist trap gelaterias: go instead to Grom and Gelateria de Medici (try the crema de Medici flavor!), and Vivoli’s... ignore all other gelato stands and RUN to these three because they are fabulous.
Santa Croce Leather School- great for souvenirs for the fam... my Dad loves the bifold leather wallets (they last 10 years), and there’s lots of cute pouches for girls too. Just behind Santa Croce church around to the left of the building.

These are all great tips -Santa Croce is NOT to be missed(hopefully it's included with your tour). Just the fact that the tombs of people like Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Ghiberti, Rossini are there should be enough reason. We picked up a bag and a money clip from the School that I suspect will be with us for most of our lives! While we didn't make it to La Giostra, it is well-regarded as one of the best restaurants in Florence(if not all of Italy). Buon Viaggio!