I Need A “Happy Thoughts” Pick-Me-Up… Do YOU? (Also, Answering a Meme)

I’m in need of a pick-me-up. Maybe it’s the winter blues? Maybe it’s because I’ve been packing on more than my normal winter-weather pounds and I’m feeling like a cow? I could possibly need a pick-me-up because my skin hasn’t seen sun in so long it’s beginning to turn blue. I NEED SPRING TO COME SOON! As I’m typing it is pissing down rain and sunny at the same time – it looks like the Apocalypse is coming! As I was uploading a bunch of my honeymoon and wedding pictures from Italy this summer, I began to fall into a stupor and soon felt myself daydreaming. It was a nice, albeit temporary, pick-me-up… just what I needed.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our 3 weeks in Italy last summer. Maybe it’s the pick-me-up you need to? Oh, and I need to give a huge “shout out” to my blog-o-sphere friend Sarah from The Real Potato who has been kind enough to answer some of my annoying WordPress questions when we were having some difficulties getting our new URL up and running… THANK YOU! Also, below the pics I have answered an older Meme I was tagged for by the awesome and lovely Nuria at Spanish Recipes.

Piazza Maggiore, Bologna Little Italian playing Footie

The Courtyard at Our Roman Apartment Prosciutto di Norcia

Pantheon @ Night, Rome Rome Stairs Nuns on the Run! (Rome) Colesium, Rome Sweet Tourist Trinkets for Sale, Rome Mercato di Testaccio, Rome Mercato di Testaccio, Rome - Yes, They Sell Horse The Baths of Caracalla, Rome

Top of the Dome - Duomo di Siena Walking Around Siena, Italy

Humpty Dumpty Sat On a Wall in Tuscany Elba at Sunset

Funny T-Shirt on Ferry to Elba The Clear Water off of Elba Island Street of Flowers - Marciana, Elba Shoemakers in Marciana, Elba Marciana, Elba

Elba Island Capoliveri, Elba Marciana, Elba Bologna Market (Via della Drapperie), fresh ricotta

Capoliveri, Elba The Clear Water off of Elba Island

Sunflower Field in Tuscany Bologna Market (Via della Drapperie)

Italian Men - Alba, Piemonte, Italy Neptune Fountain, Bologna Towers of Bologna Bolognese Twilight in Summer Bridge Entering Walled City of Verona

Aerial View of Bologna from the Towers Arena di Verona, Verona Opera House (La Boheme) Sign in Verona Lovely Italy, Drive from Verona to Bergamo

Italian House in the Veneto Lake Como, Varenna

Varenna, Lake Como View from Our Room Villa Cipressi, Varenna

Risotto Field - Piemonte, Italy Chimney - Alba, Piemonte, Italy Alba, Piemonte, Italy Art in Genoa - Procuitto

Billy Goat Hanging on Side of Road Outside Alba, Italy Mexican Food in Italy - Alessandria Alba, Piemonte, Italy Narrow Streets of Genoa Breakfast Served in our B&B - Genoa, Italy

***MEME – Some Answers from Amy (Jonny’s Not Gonna Play This Time)**

Time to play now:

What were you doing 10 years ago?

I was drinking cheap beer and wine 6 days a week and getting sad that I was graduating college soon and being forced into “the real world”. I opted instead to skip that for a few years in exchange for 2 years playing in the snow in Breckenridge, Colorado.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
I was a stressed out, grumpy graduate student – finishing my thesis, working 3 days a week for free (internship) and planning my Tuscan wedding from a small apartment in Brooklyn. I wouldn’t have been doing meme tags, let’s just say that. I barely saw my husband!!

Five snacks you enjoy

  1. Hummus and pita chips
  2. french fries (I can’t enjoy them as much as I’d LOVE to)
  3. Butter Snaps (Pretzels)
  4. Bites of Leftovers
  5. Anything dipped in cream cheese or peanut butter

5 Things you would do if you were a millionaire

  1. Buy an apartment in my neighborhood in Brooklyn where’s we’ve been living for 4 years but will never be able to afford.
  2. Buy a place in Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Bologna, Paris and London. (I think I need more money already!)
  3. Buy a leg of Jamon Iberico for my kitchen in each apartment.
  4. Travel and not worry about having to take off work – wait, I won’t have to work! YAY!
  5. Volunteer in all different capacities all over the world.

5 bad habits

  1. I bite my nails.
  2. I don’t have any nails left (and never have) so I bit skin (please don’t stop reading my food blog b/c you know this… PLEASE!!!)
  3. I throw my clothes on the floor still and then pick them all up and put them away on the weekend. My husband hates this.
  4. I lick bowls and plates clean – sometimes even when no one is looking in certain restaurants.
  5. I burp, loudly. This is something I’ve been very proud of since being a little girl but now I only save them for special people. ***should I be ashamed? am I loosing readers?

5 things you like doing

  1. Anything outdoors – I love to hike, bike and especially do anything at the beach.
  2. COOKING, EATING, DRINKING, DRINKING… duh.
  3. Helping others – Which I’m finally doing for a living.
  4. Exploring – I could be traveling to anohter country, another state or just another neighborhood in Brooklyn. I’ve always been very curious.
  5. Seeing live music – I used to follow bands up until recently. NO I was not a groupie.

5 things I would never wear again

  1. Lee Press-On nails. Oh, wait, I just wore them for my wedding, but NEVER again.
  2. Acid-Washed anything.
  3. Bangs/Fringe cut by my mother – looks like she cut it with a knife and a fork and this lasted till I was 11!
  4. A training bra. If you met me, you’d know why this is impossible.
  5. Iridescent Lipstick. (**Can you tell I’m a child of the 80’s?)

5 favorite toys

  1. My Le Cruset that was too expensive for me to purchase myself – it was a wedding gift.
  2. My food processor, Kitchen Aid bad-ass mixer w/ pasta attachment.
  3. This blog. Ok, that doesn’t count… my i-pod.
  4. My camera (same, Nuria!)
  5. My frequent flier miles – I need to travel again soon!

That was actually quite fun!! THANKS NURIA FOR ASKING ME TO PLAY!

8 thoughts on “I Need A “Happy Thoughts” Pick-Me-Up… Do YOU? (Also, Answering a Meme)

  1. I wish I could have been more helpful! I’m still learning all the techie stuff myself.

    P.S. Women who burp are the best. My college roomie and I used to have competitions. Hee.

  2. Lovely photographs….I so want a vacation right now (and I’m not even working). I’ve revealed to the world that I’m a nail biter too-believe I now have more visitors!

  3. You are sooooo sweet Amy!!! 😀 Thanks for participating, I love to know more about you♥
    Concerning the Iberian Acorn Ham, if you come to Barcelona for holidays, visit, work… whatever, please get in touch with me, I’m taking you to the best place in town with the Best Hams… it’s on me!!!!
    Those beautiful pictures transported me to Italy… awwwhhhh so nice!

    I never learnt how to burp!!! But many years ago I met a guy that would do the vowels burping!!!!!

  4. Your meme was exactly what I needed to pick myself up today! I was laughing so hard at the child of the 80’s reference. I can so relate to a lot of what you said! I am getting married in 5 weeks, so I loved looking at your honeymoon pics! Looks like a wonderful time! 🙂
    Congrats on your own domain!
    Welcome to The Foodie Blogroll!

  5. Thanks Jenn!! Hey, and do yourself a favor when you go on your honeymoon – book it for the correct dates!!! We were scrambling on numerous occasions to try and get other places to stay because I planned the whole thing and messed up on the dates. NOT ROMANTIC AT ALL.

  6. Thanks for sharing these awesome pictures! We went there back in 2000 and had a blast.
    Thanks for sharing more about yourselves i the meme. We wanted to tag you too, but someone beat us to it! Darn it! We have to tag 15 people from 3 previous tags!

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