Mi Amica . . Mi Italia

Yesterday morning I had my usual "Wednesday Meeting". . . breakfast with G (short for Gianna). This girl is my closest friend in the world (basically my sister and knows all my little secrets). We met at a small school in Michigan, struggled through our turbulent (but crazy fun) years of college together, then realized there's life after college in a great beach town on the central coast of CA... and now ten years later we each have our own crazy lives but make it a point to meet once a week for a breakfast to talk about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness . . . and once in awhile reminisce about days gone by . . . such as our 4 month stint as art students in Italy.

Ahhhh . . Mi Italia--words can't and never will do justice to the emotion I have towards this little country shaped like a boot. There are moments when I step outside my house in the morning and for some really strange reason SB will have the smell of Florence have no idea why (could totally be in my mind) . . . but I love it!!

So, the reason this (Italy) is all is so fresh on mind ---my friend Claire is getting ready for her own travel abroad experience in Florence. I am sooo excited for her, in fact G and I have decided to take Claire out to an Italian dinner (hopefully my favorite place Trattoria Grappolo in the Santa Ynez Valley... yummy). Over dinner I'm sure we'll share all of our favorite little secret stories . . . well maybe not all of them ;)

I returned back to Florence about a year and a half ago to shoot a wedding (my first time back). Here are two pics I shot while there . . I have them both framed and hanging in my living room. They warm my heart everyday. It reminds me of my time as an art student studying abroad and how life has taken me full circle . . . returning me to the place I love, doing the thing I love . . . I never could have imagined then that years later I would return as a photographer!

Hope all the dreams you never could have imagined come true!!

Love,

A