Adventures in Italy!

A few weeks ago I was in New York and crashed at my sister-in-law's sister's house.  We cracked open some red and watched Jersey Shore on DVR and realized that the Jersey cast is based in Florence, Italy this season.  Well, GUESS WHAT?  I'm going to Florence, Italy tomorrow!!  And then Orvieto, Italy, and then Positano, Italy, and then Rome (Italy).  I have a feeling the hubs and I will keep it (slightly) classier in Italy than the Jersey Shore folks do. 

Anyway, back to the Jersey Shore episode we watched...during said episode we discovered that the cast works in a pizzeria in downtown Florence.  And after 2 bottles of wine, we (my sister-in-law's sister and I) decided it was a necessary stop during my 10 days in Italy.  No matter that its probably the grossest, most American-ized pizza shop in the whole country...I bet it gets really crowded with American tourists who think the cast of Jersey Shore knows whats up when its comes to authentic Italian cuisine.  At the time, I was so convinced that this was a good idea that I made her rewind the DVR and then pause it during one of their taped shifts so I could see the name of the restaurant on the back of Snooki's (if you don't know who Snooki is, you're not cool) T-shirt.  I even made a note in my iPhone so I wouldn't forget the name.  But then, a couple of weeks later, I noticed the note and thought to myself, "this is stupid, we're not going to this awful restaurant", and deleted it.  So, I guess that's the end of THAT story.  I think it was the wine. 
ANYWAY, I leave for Italy tomorrow.  We'll be gone 10 days.  And then I travel for work for the next 3.  So this blog is going to be HURTING as far as updates and recipes go for the next 2 weeks.  I will, however, return with amazing photos and recipes and stories from the land that is home to many of my favorite things (wine, cheese, pasta, olive oil, and beautiful scenery. Oh, and limoncello). 

We've been planning this trip for a year.  If by "planning", you mean we bought our plane tickets a year ago.  As far as planning in my head goes....I've been dreaming of this trip for what feels like my entire adult existence.  I feel that I was BORN to travel to Italy with the love of my life before said life starts getting too hectic for us.  I can't wait....in 24 hours we'll be on a plane over the Atlantic, holding hands and dreaming of beautiful Italian countryside and the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean.  And we'll also have had some Ambien and maybe a cocktail or three.  So, that'll help some, too.