che ora sono?

so it's pretty late here (or early, depending on how you look at it) and we're up studying for our history test tomorrow. For the past weeks, we have had these history walking tours and they have been interesting and we've listened, taken notes, sketched, etc. but now it's time to do the readings, buckle down on the facts, and be able to identify slides and write an essay. The material is really interesting, I just wish that I had started this earlier and that I wasn't doing this at 2 in the morning.

Anyways, last night we had a semi-family-style dinner together as a group of us compiled our history notes and as motivation to study. I made salmon and roasted potatoes and Joanne and Patty prepared garlic bread and a spinach/tomato/mozzarella salad -- so delicious and only about 4E/person. I just baked the fish in the oven with oil and rosemary but I'd love to try out recipes for different sauces in the future when we have more time (no idea when that will be though).

Later today we have the history test, desk crits/pin-ups in studio, and then we're going to the Ara Pacis Museum. This museum is one of the few examples of new modern architecture in Rome and it definitely stands out next to the historical churches and ancient ruins nearby. Right now there is currently a Valentino dress collection on exhibit (Chelsea, Erica and I went to see it on Sunday) and I love LOVED it - beautiful dresses and they're displayed very innovatively. Anways, we're going tomorrow as a studio more to analyze it as a museum organization (for our new studio project) but I'm sure I'll return to my old ways with fashion sketches. I'll post pictures later from the exhibit, it's not to be missed.

As annoying as it is to be up at this hour, it is actually very convenient to communicate with other people. When we're at RPI, these are the loneliest hours because no one outside of architecture students are awake (or semi-awake as the case may be) and we just work in studio, cut off from the outside world. But now that I'm in Rome with the time difference, this is the prime time to talk to people back home (-6 hours) or even to Morgan (+8 hours) in Australia! So it'll make these late nights/all-nighters more enjoyable knowing that I'm not the only one awake.

Well that's about it for now, just needed a break from studying - I hear the street cleaners out in the Campo so it's that time again. Hopefully another update and pictures before we leave for Florence on Friday afternoon, so excited! Ciao and buona notte.