10 Things You Might Not Know About Me

Recently I've been looking up different ideas of things to blog about (here & here), and I thought one that I could do easily would be things about me that perhaps not a lot of people know. I find that I like reading other people's blogs when they talk about themselves so I thought that this might be stuff that other people enjoy too, so here we go!

Mittens I knit for my best Italian friend Maila as a Christmas gift.  1. I first learned how to knit when I was about 15 from my grandmother. Now this may not be interesting but the thing is, my grandmother doesn't even knit! She had to remember how to do it then taught me what she could remember and I went from there. To this date I've knit sweaters, scarves, beanies, mittens, gloves, socks, and blankets. Also, I cannot seem to grasp how to crochet, even though many people say crocheting is much easier than knitting, I've always been a knitter who can't understand crocheting!

2. I have done a volunteer work twice, once in high school at an old folks home's voting ballots and once last year at the LA Times Festival of Books where I met Patti Smith at the end of my shift where I got her totally amazing book "Just Kids" signed. I was so so so happy and would love to volunteer at the Festival again, but since I've moved I don't know if I will have time. I'm currently doing training for READ/San Diego and am very happy to start work with that soon. I think more people should volunteer if they have the time/ability to. It's a very rewarding experience to do things for others without expecting something in return.

Me and Dee Dee in the Hollywood Forever Cemetary in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

3. I really enjoy going to graveyards. This may seem strange to some, which I realized when asking friends to accompany me on graveyard trips, but I think it's wonderful. There's something strangely relaxing about graveyards and I love finding graves of famous people, which when I was living in Los Angeles wasn't a very difficult thing to attempt!

My gelato that I had in Chiavari, Italy, right next to the Ligurian Sea!

4. I prefer gelato to ice cream. Having the true gelato of Italy will make you forever hate ice cream and become a slave to the magic of true delicious fresh gelato! Also, if you are ever in Firenze, Italia (Florence, Italy) you MUST take a trip to GROM, the best and most reasonably priced for how amazing it is. It is one block down from the Duomo in Florence, it's super easy to find, and always has line of people, which guarantees that it's got good gelato! (But luckily, you can find GROMs elsewhere in the world besides italia!) My favorite kind of gelato has to be any sort of mint or coffee flavors.

5. When I was growing up my grandmother put a lot of emphasis on getting me to get involved in classes and activities. I've taken a million art classes (many with LAUSD's Gifted and Talented Student Program), acting classes (horrible, only did that once), and tennis lessons which I took for 7 years and became moderately good at. I joined the tennis team in high school but quit after a month or so because I was basically too lazy to attend practice. I wish I had stuck with it and hope to pick up a new racket soon!

One of the picture's I took while in Chiavari, Italy.

6. I am half English and half Italian. My grandmother on my father's side was born in England and moved to America because of the beginning of WWII and my great grandfather on my mother's side was born in Chiavari, Italy (which I visited during my study abroad to track down surviving relatives, which I did, and was turned down! Huge disappointment!).

7. I have been vegetarian now for 4 years, every time I think about going back to having meat every once in a while, I think of all the knowledge I've gained about the cruelty that animals experience in slaughterhouses I cannot bring myself to eat meat. One of the best quotes I've heard about vegetarianism is by Paul McCartney - "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian."

Picture I took inside of the Camposanto Monumentale in Pisa. This is close up of one of the very damaged frescos that are currently being restored, the fresco is titled "Trionfo della Morte" ("Triumph of Death") attributed to Buonamico Buffalmacco.

8. I would love to do another study abroad program where I could work hands on with fine arts in Italy. While on that subject, I would love to live in Italy at some point on a more permanent basis. Living there for 3 months just wasn't enough.

Some of my hair dyes throughout the years.

9. When I was in high school and still up to current times I have dyed my hair almost every color of the rainbow. I'm sure along the way I've damaged my hair permanently.

One of the many postcards that my friend Maila has sent me from Italy. 

10. I have a modest collection of post cards I collected while studying abroad and from friends who have traveled/friend I made while in Italy. I've started a photo album of all the postcards I've been collecting, and hope to collect many MANY more in the future.

Now I'd like to hear from you! If you'd like, leave a comment so I can get to know all of you out there!

• Tell me something interesting about you!
• Do you collect anything?
• Where have been your favorite places to travel/live?
• What's your favorite flavor of gelato?
• Have you ever volunteered? If so, where and why?