secret bakery

We found it!

We found what, you ask?

The secret bakery!

For those that don't know, there is a 'secret bakery' [location undisclosed] in Firenze that is all the craze. I knew the general location, but had never been able to find it. Until...Tuesday night! You see, the secret bakery staff slaves away all night baking the croissants for all of the other cafes in town. If you are lucky enough to find the famous bakery, you've essentially found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

outside of the secret bakery with some of my friends from my apartment

The bakery is open from 1AM till 4 AM. It is a foggy glass wall along the facade of a building that has no distinguishing marks on it. But, as you start to get closer and closer, you can smell the unbelievable aromas of freshly baked pastries. Once you reach the mysterious building, you give the door a few soft knocks and a chef clad in full attire pops his head out and quietly asks what you want.  Think hot, flaky, deliciousness overflowing with a delectable chocolate filling...for just 1 euro.

best late night food that ever existed

Other exciting updates:

1. I rented a bike! While it's far from the pristine road bikes that are kept in my dad's 'shrine' that is our basement, it gets the job done! It's a nice shiny blue and comes equipped with a big basket and bell. In Italy, there are bikers everywhere. I never entertained the thought of getting a bike merely because driving around here is nuts! Picture cars, trucks, mopeds, bikes, segways, and motorcycles everywhere! There are no lanes and [seemingly] no street signs or speed limits. Mopeds will weave in and out of cars as cyclists navigate gingerly on the cobblestones that line the street. If you think I'm crazy for joining the madness...you're probably right. 
• Example A: a friend of mine rented a bike the second day of school and on the 4th day of having it, he got into a collision with a car and completely totaled his bike. Somehow he emerged unscathed, but his incident left me unsettled
• Example B: Devon has now run into 2 cyclists while trying to cross the street on foot. Unlike in America where pedestrians have the right away, cyclists basically rule the roads. If you hear dinging, it's in your best interest to move out of the way as quickly as possible.

Just when I thought I'd lost all hope of ever venturing out on a bike, one of the student coordinators let me in on a little secret: if you don't make eye contact, you have the right of way. It makes so much sense now! Apparently, if you're cycling down the street and you don't a) turn around to see what's behind you or b) look an oncoming driver in the eyes then YOU [the cyclist] have the right of way and it is now their responsibility to yield to you. I tested out this theory on my way home and it really does work...luckily! Here's to hoping I don't crash into a pedestrian, moped or a car!

Mom and Dad are coming on Saturday, so really looking forward to seeing them! Tomorrow I've got a field trip with my cooking class to a small town in Tuscany. We're learning how to cook a 4 course meal with the aid of a professional chef...such an arduous task :)

Ciao for now...Tutto a bene!