United We Can't Stand

Milan's got a frog epidemic on it's hands...Real world problems

Although I am an ocean away from home, I’m more connected than ever. Between the Boston Marathon bombing and the reappearance of a person from my past, I’ve found myself a nervous wreck. It’s strange but it’s nearly impossible to distance myself from America when we all are so inter-connected. As much as I appreciate Facebook for all the amazing people I can stay connected to, I’m also connected to people that I am socially obligated but not necessarily voluntarily friends with. As for the events in Boston, my classmates all are able to access the news with their cellphones so they’re just as up-to-date I am (if not more so). Thus I’ve been having many conversations concerning the way in which America is responding to this tragedy, as well as trying to reconcile the reasoning behind why there are so many shootings and violence that seem to spatter the news. Trying to summarize the US is hard because the ignorance within our population is intolerable by those more informed, yet it is what my international classmates pick up on the most. And, honestly, who wouldn't when we can't even differentiate between Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic, Chechnya, and our own assholes.

On this day exactly 14 years ago, I was parked in front of my TV at home as I watched in horror as grainy videos from the Columbine Shooting played on the news in an incessant loop. The school itself lying only a stone-throw away from my parents' business, one could say hit very close to home for me...literally. Although it was terrifying then, I had a support group of friends and family that forced me to continue on with normal life. The same happened the night last summer when I found myself having a wonderful night clubbing as a movie theater a short drive away was shot up. But now being so far away, I don't have quite the same structure in my life. Not to mention, there's not the same kind of unsulliable evidence I've seen that points directly to the bomber(s) like in many other incited acts of terror that have taken place in the past few decades. With the insane amount of misinformation the news has been embarrassingly spewing, I'm not quite sure how I feel about celebrating quite yet. Especially when I'm the designated American here. It's hard having the answers when even I have questions.

(I feel like I'm starting to make this blog into a public gripefest on what it's like being a faux-intellectual, extremely privileged, white, female American. For that, I am truly sorry...back to life in Milan!)

images I'm gluing into my sketch book
Can I please just do collection based on my love for
Hayley Williams? PLEASE? 

After two and a half weeks off for Easter and Salone Internazionale del Mobile (which, if you've been following my tumblr, you would know was a big furniture design fair that I even put on lipstick for), I finally got back into the swing of school. I feel like no matter what, Fashion Design class will always be the most perplexing, difficult, and oxymoronic class I’ll ever suffer through, whether it’s at Pratt or at NABA. Finally when I start to understand Pratt’s way of doing things (and Pratt starts to understand me), I subject myself to a different methodology. Not to mention my teacher is of British decent yet her English seems like cryptic alien messages-we are on different wavelengths and no matter what, she will change her opinion of my project every time I see her.

I'm finally getting back into the habit of sketching

I suppose, also, the most difficult thing for me is that we’re not given much direction in the assignment (S/S2014 capsule collection for H&M or Zara or etc...that's it) yet when we attempt to personify our personal aesthetic, it is too fall/winter, too dark, too commercial, too experimental, too boring, too crazy, etc. I suppose that’s how the real world is, though? I sure hope that I come out with a cool project, though. We are linking our Pattern Making, Textile Design, and Fashion Design classes so hopefully I’ll have a coherent collection or inter-related projects to show in my portfolio. I'll update with progress as soon as I have something interesting to show. As for now, you can look at my pinboard of "inspiration images". My concept is definitely undergoing a lot of change so I can't really explain it now (it'll probably just end up being a dress collection based soley on cotton candy or some shit...aka everything I've ever designed ever). We'll see what comes out...haha!

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

Here, in a land far far away, I find myself having many vices. I’ve been wasting my money at the speed of light on a select few things and I wanted to clue you all in on the crazy shit I buy here besides the obvious (pizza, pasta, cappuccinos...). Be jealous of my oh so glamorous life!

Books

Fabio introduced me to the American Book Store as well as pointed out many other bookstores within the vicinity. I scoffed to myself “lol, me reading?! When I have so much else to do here?!” ….boy was I wrong! So far I’ve finished off Silver Lining’s Playbook, The Devil Wears Prada, and The Demon Catchers of Milan (yeah, what is my life), and am midway through Sex and theCity. I also have Sherlock Holmes, The Great Gatsby, and Perfume lying in wait.

Chocolate

I’ve eaten at least a dozen chocolate bunnies since I got here (don't worry, I stocked up!), not to mention tasted every Kinder bar known to man. It’s a problem and I’m noteven on my period.

The New York Times: Sunday Edition

Coming in at a whopping €12.50 an issue, I’ve got myself in quite the predicament. I feel like I’m conditioning myself to become an asshole, but I really quite like it. I enjoy looking like an old man as I foldback pages of a good, ole’ fashioned newspaper. Cheers!

Crack

lol jk
....I mean cocaine.

Aperitivo

This is what they call happy hour here and, holy shit, is it amazing. For the low, low price of your drink (usually €7-10…yeah, no wonder I’m broke!) you get an all-you-can-eat buffet of everything that’ll make you look unappealing in a swimsuit: pretty worth it for my one-meal-a-day regimen.

Yup, I'm ageing quickly...please don't judge.

Italian Men and Other Whorror Stories

I feel the same way, Lion-Dude

So, if you know me, you've probably heard me complaining about my life here. Even though it's pretty awesome...if you consider gray skies and constant rain awesome.

Anyway, recently I've run into a bit of drama which I find HI-LAR-I-OUS because dating is somewhat different in Europe in general. American girls are assumed to be easy here, which is ironic because back in America we are probably the most confusing creatures to the male population. "Easy" is definitely not a thing when you take the "friend zoning" epidemic into consideration. And in America, being "exclusive" is an extremely important principle. Here, it seems to only be important to when the girlfriend, OR WIFE, is within earshot.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I met a guy on the side of the street. We talked, he bought me food and drinks, and we wandered around aimlessly enjoying Milano at night. A few days later I was itchin for some McDonalds so, of course, I went. Guess who was behind the counter. Yeah. So I bolted. Perhaps this is the best way to keep a diet; I won't get my Big Mac if there's an old conquest behind the counter. After standing up the guy at a later date (I mean, I can't go out with a guy that works at McDonalds...jk, he had a wife apparently  kind of a turn off), we met up again so he could assure me they were separated 6 months-which was not true-and so he could admit to me he worked at "a small restaurant"...AKA McDonalds. I let him buy me dinner again. Whatever. Girl's gotta eat.

A few days later I get a cryptic text from a new guy. "Hi, remember me, we met at Duomo?" NO. So I chatted with him because what else is there to do on a drab day? Turns out he also worked at McDonalds. Not fishy...at all.

Then shit went down with guy #1 because I "made plans" (to stand up) guy #2. It was crazy and I'm sure my ego was really hurt by guy #1's broken English insults. Anyway, eventually I did meet up with guy #2 and he told me ALLLL about how he and guy #1 trade girls' phone numbers and "share" girls, in a sense. Even though guy #1 has a wife (who he felt he needed to point out was black...what? ok? and?) and guy #2 has a girlfriend. I mean, cool, good for them, they're living what every man in the US dreams of, but it was one of the funniest experiences I've ever encountered.

All in all, what the fuck.
I love Italy.