Jelly Ham and Cheese does Dallas

hey we are having technical difficulties at Laurens’ house with the internet so I havent been able to post anything recently. so I am still having a great time and getting to see great things, I just cant use this web site for some reason at her house. I am now at the library on post. so maybe it will either start working soon, or I may just have to set up camp in here to tell you all about our new adventures and some that will be happening pretty soon, Florence, Milan, Switzerland! coming to a blog near you…Have a great day…Gilly

So I forgot to tell you all this little funny conversation that I had with a man names Kristoff from Germany. He was a friend of a friend of someone that I have met here. Anyways, we were out at that wine bar that one night, and I had walked to the end of the bar where he was standing, I was going for a different kind of wine, when he stopped me and asked me how I knew the people from the group. I told him I was Lauren’s friend from Georgia (bc that is what I am refered to as these days) and he said "Georgia the country?" and then I said "have you heard my accent?, no I am from the states."

 Me from Georgia the country, I dont even know what they look like or what they speak? I probably couldnt even find Georgia (the country) on a map, but yet I was just mistaked for a native Georgian (if that is even what they are called)

I just want to tell you I am so sorry, because Police Officer Ryan just corrected me of something…After all these years, I have been thinking that the 3rd weekend in October was Gold Rush…well to my surprise it is actually the "Birthday Extravaganza for Police Officer Ryan". His birthday is the 19th, and this weekend is set up for him especially! Here is what I was told when I asked him how his birthday went:

  "my bday extravaganza went really well.  About 75,000 people showed up and the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s
Office blocked off the streets for me and gave me a parade.  Those guys are too good to me."

In the end, I would like to say that I am SO SO SO SAD that I missed the Big Birthday Party in Dahlonega for "Police officer Ryan" that is held annually the third weekend in October!

I hope that this correction is "so cool"

Gilly (if you are reading this and you understand, please leave a comment, bc I am sure some little police officer boy from Dahlonega would love to hear your shout out for a late birthday wish)

Today, Lauren and Danny and our new friend Kelly set on an adventure to Venice! I was the only one out of the crowd that had never been! I wanted to make this Gold Rush day a special one and I think Lauren wanted to do the same for me as well. So we left our house around 10 am and we got there around 11:30 am, a little bit of traffic and waiting in lines to get into the parking deck, but "step by step oh baby" and NKOTB got us thru it! ha ha (Thats New Kids on the Block in case you dont remember)! Anyways we were off. We went to a small bar, but it is really a small restaurant to use the restroom instead of paying to use the restroom, and Lauren got us all a pastry filled with Nutella, so it was yummy! Oh and I am going to warn you that I am writing a blog not a paper for my history class so I am kinda taking some quotes and information I have found from online sites, and I WILL NOT BE WORK CITING IT…Turn me in…I dont care! ha ha

We had to buy tickets to ride the water taxis’ there, so that way you didnt have to walk all the bumpy roads and go up and downs stairs, see we have a stroller with the baby so we wanted to make it as easy as possible.

In all of these pictures you can click on each one to make it bigger!

Here is a pic of the water taxis and some pics of what I saw leading us to our stop at the main square:

Once we got off the water taxi we then started walking around the Doges Palace, it is the symbol of the Venetian Republic, and I have heard a very boring tour, so we didnt take that! but here is a picture:

We also went into San Marco Square. The main square of the city, it’s home to the beautiful Byzantine basilica of San Marco, the patron saint of Venice. The Basilica is in the background of most of our bird pictures!  The San Marco district of Venice, is the centre of the ancient city of Venice. It’s also the commercial centre of the city, with several streets lined with elegant shops and boutiques. During the day it can get crowded, and on this Saturday it was pretty crowded, I think that is because so many people knew it was Italian Gold Rush Day! Here is where you can feed the birds for one Euro and they just keep flying towards you for food. I dont know how it all started, but I was really freaked out, but we tried it. I have a friend who is VERY afraid of birds so she would have FREAKED out and I thought I would have wet my pants, but it wasnt that bad, and notice I am sporting my t-shirt that I was talking about earlier…and also take a look at Laurens’ face in some of the pics..Funny story before we were getting ready to buy the food to feed the birds, lauren said "as long as you dont scream you will fine and it will not scare the birds", then literally about a few seconds later one was landing on Lauren or it came towards here and she screamed like a little girl..it was so funny! Here are those pics:

Then we walked towards all the markets and shops that sell mostly glass items from a near by island Murano and they are known for their beautiful glass products, like vases, jewelry, wine stoppers and more and more…There also food vendors selling everyday produce and also selling fresh flowers. A cashmere/silk blend called pashmina is also common here, so they sell gorgious scarves and hats!

Lastly we walked to the Rialto Bridge. The current structure was built in just three years, between 1588 and 1591. It remained the only way to cross the Grand Canal on foot until the Accademia Bridge was built in 1854.

Also in the canal there are so many people with their gondala’s wanting you to ride, but it is so expensive, so we didnt ride it, but I did take a picture for ya.

We had a great day and we ended it with a few scoops of Gilato (an awesome icecrem dessert, that is so creamy and light and fluffy! Have a great day, and thanks for reading and for the comments, ENJOY!

My ode to Gold Rush

If you know me, then you know I get very excited each year about a silly art’s and craft festival in the mountains to you, but to me, it is the greatest place on earth. (I mean I know Disney is supposed to be the greatest place on earth, but I have been to both a few times, and the joy I get from Gold Rush, might actually beat out Disney world, wow! I know). My famous idea last year, was to even have “I heart Gold Rush” t-shirts, and there was quite a big order for those! And also last year I came up with my quote “I love Jesus and all, but I love Gold Rush”, making Gold Rush my favorite holiday of the year.

Gold Rush, what can I say about Gold Rush.

 Ok you know that feeling you used to get when you were so excited about something that you just cant stand it…well now I might say it feels something like anxiety, but I know the difference and this one is just the pure excitement about something…well I used to get so excited about going back to school after a long summer of not seeing all my friends and that first day of school was a big excitement for me. Where I went to college, it was small and everyone knew everyone. We would come back to school from being at home all summer, and then those first few days of going and eating at the chow hall (I went to a military school remember, so it was our version of a dinning hall) and every frat and sorority had their own “table” and sometimes you had your own “seat”, this meaning everyone, (when you still had the meal plan) would go and eat and just sit for hours…well I know I did. And on that first day of school, it was so exciting for me, that I think I have heard a few stories about me being so excited that I would even shout out loud “I LOVE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL”…ok so you get the idea…

So back to Gold Rush, well to most of you, your mom’s usually have driven up into the mountains on the 3^rd weekend of every October and went to Gold Rush to see arts and crafts, a normal festival right? But to my college, North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega, GA…it is a big deal. This is our homecoming. This is the weekend, where friends fly in from other states and cities. This is a time when the guys who are deployed (remember military school) they try and get their R and R or block leave to lap over into that 3^rd weekend of October. This is a time for all of us to see old friends, meet their new fiancé’s, hubby’s, wives, and babies…This is a time where us silly girls will go and buy a new outfit just to walk around and sweat walking all over Dahlonega in the heat (and sadly in GA in October, it is still hot), some sporting heels and big purses (me I have learned the 2 outfit approach) and we don’t even shop or look around for arts and crafts, we stand in front of El Maguey, while Sig O is screaming for us to buy a raffle ticket and for Phi Mu to be selling sweet tea from Robyn’s Nest. We stand in this hot sun, to see who we will see next coming thru the crowd. And the best part is….hoping when you do meet up with all your best friends and you do go into El Mag that you either (1.) get a seat, (2) get to eat, (3) don’t get kicked out bc you get so excited to see new people that you are standing up and I guess a new rule at Gold Rush is “don’t stand up” oh if you were there you will understand, and lastly number (4) you try to get out of there as soon as possible bc you don’t want to be the last one sitting at your table that gets stuck with the left over bill!!! Wow I am a new David Letterman with my lists! Maybe I should have done those is reverse order! Then after that, you hike up the big hill to the alumni house, where it just gets better. Alumni new and old are there just talking and fellowshipping (can you tell I am a Baptist girl) and having a “grand” ole time. I love it. This way all my friends’ parents who also went to NGSCU,who I don’t get to see that often, they are there. Old teachers and Deans who I love so much they are there, and of course cutie Mark and big Wes, you now they will be there…That is a given and I love it more and more each year! Then is when the girls go to either 106 (my apartment until this past August, but I am still and forever a key holder, and it is so popular during this weekend that you better make reservations or you will not have a place to sleep unless you come bearing an AERO bed) or somewhere else and we change into our “night” outfit, and we start the whole thing over, but this time usually at Caruso’s…oh the traditions…and if you are reading this and your are an alumni you know exactly what I am talking about….ha ha ha. Then on Sunday is where we actually walk around, eating our way thru gold rush, corn dog here, cotton candy there, fudge here, caramel apple there…so we are then technically becoming the usually “Gold Rusher”

So from reading this you get the idea that I look forward to the 3^rd weekend of every October and that I LOVE GOLD RUSH. So for me to be in Italy right now on this eve eve of Gold Rush I am a bit sad that I am missing seeing all my friends that I only get to see a few times a year. I am missing the corn dog that all you are going to be eating, and I miss the idea of Gold Rush. But know that I will be thinking about each and every one of you, and that Lauren and I are making our own Gold Rush in Italy. We are taking Gold Rush on the road to Venice! But our t-shirt will be proudly worn with pride!

“I wish you a Merry Gold Rush,

I wish you a Merry Gold Rush,

I wish you a Merry Gold Rush,

And I will see you there next year!”

Today after we went to the winery, Kristy was driving home and she found a new way to come home, which was so much faster, sadly she said she will never be able to remember how to go that way again. But since we found the "new way" home, we decided to go to a restaurant that Lauren and Kristy had eaten at before and they said it was very good. So we headed out to Dei Gelosi.

Here is the Restaurant from the front

We were seated very fast, and when you sit down at the table, most places have a set menu where they come around to each table and put food on your plate…Lauren has been here once when they had given her rissoto (which is a very small pasta that is very good) but instead of meat we would be used to it was horse meat….that’s right I said it horse meat. NO THANK YOU!!!! luckily they didnt even have that today for us to eat. We were given a veggie soup that was very good. Then bread, salad with only carrots and alot of them, then came on the main dishes..Some I didnt even know what they were, I was just more concerned that I WAS NOT EATING HORSE…or something like that. Instead we had pork and I think chicken (sad isnt it.. haha) wrapped in bacon, anything wrapped in bacon is good and this thing that looked like a piece of grilled fruit, but instead it was gross corn bread or something like that. Oh and more cheese! So all in all it was a different experience and that way I was forced to eat things that I probably wouldnt order from a menu. Here comes the best part: So I had to go to the potty. So Lauren told me to be prepared…So I went downstairs and here is what I found in the bathroom:

That’s right, that is a hole in the ground, and I am supposed to shoot for that hole. I mean I am a good aimer (if that is a word) but still. So I just looked at this hole in the ground thinking, I have pretty good squatting techniques (sorry too much info) but how am I going to do this and not pee on my jeans! haha..I was thinking if I were to use the wall to lean on, others have probably used this wall as well to lean on, so that would be gross, so finally I just used every single bit of power I had in my legs to aim as best as I could. Now that was an experience!

Today, Lauren, her cousin Kristy and I and of course the baby went to a winery located in Vo, Italy. It took us over an hour to get there,and with a few tour arounds and with some great scenery of some really small towns and many church steeples standing taller than all the other buildings and houses. You can even see the steeples that are hidden in the mountain tops, it was very beautiful. So anyways back to the winery. We got there and it was only 10 AM. We all tasted some wine and as you will see Danny (The baby) really wanted to try some himself, he was all about getting his hands on that bottle. The nice lady behind the bar, gave him a few corks to play with but that wasnt good enough, he wanted the real stuff.

 After we made our purchases, we then bought a bottle of wine, asiago cheese and some green olives and we sat outside under a canapy of ivy and ate and drank and we were merry! It was such a good day to just sit and relax and have great company! Here are the pictures from our adventure today!

Here is Lauren, Danny and Kristy under the canopy, it was a beautiful day to be sitting in the bright sun!

Here is a pic of the wine store, the barn (where the tasting takes place) and the owner’s house. Each label on the wine bottles have a graphic design that looks like this house "Villa Sceriman"

On Friday night, Lauren and I had a babysitter come and stay with baby Danny, so that way we could go out with her friend Leighann and her sister and her boyfriend Dan, and Lauren’s cousin Kristy… So we took a cab to downtown Vicenza where we pilled all 6 of us in. The cab driver wasnt that happy about "breaking the rules" but I guess he was a new rebel. He let us out and we walked a few blocks and then we were there at this Wine Bar called Eno’s Grandi Vini Al Bicchiere (which www.freetranslation.com told me it meant "large wines to the glass"). There were tables and many Italians out celebrating their weekend. I was telling Lauren that I am thinking that only the good looking Italians come out at night, bc during the day I havent really even seen a handsome Italian man, but like I said they must only come out at night.

So here is the idea of the wine bar. We walked inside and you tell the host how much money you want to put on a card (like dave and busters or like a gift card) and then there are these machines with wine bottles all around the inside, with white being in one location and red wine being in another. Ok so here is how I described the machine to my mom, you know when you go thru a drive thru at like McDonalds, and when you order a large diet coke, they put the cut under the faucet and then press the large cup button and then that will only allow so much coke to come out and only fill that cut to a certain amount, where that is the same concept as the wine bar. You go and find which wine you want to try and then there were 3 different sizes to choose from with 3 different prices. You then would stick in your card, and then put your glass under the nozzel and then press the size you wanted and it would fill up your glass. It was so cool, I will have to take pictures for you next time!

It is such a great concept that I was thinking I only wish there could be something like this in the states, but if you think about it, in Italy, they dont check your id’s, so in the states that would be difficult since you are getting your own drinks, and also in Italy, people consume as much as they want, and that would be a big problem in the states! So maybe not a great idea to bring to the states, but it was a neat experience and it gave you the opportunity to try new wines that I wouldnt probably try!

here is the link to Eno’s, check out the video and you will see what I am talking about, I think it may either be in Italian or it is only music to listen to, but stil is shows you what I was trying to describe!

www.enosclub.com     

have a great day…Gilly

Katie and Chris Green had their daughter last night (oct 11) at 8 pm. She is a beauty, just like mom and dad! Just wanted you all to know, if you know her send her a little congrats message! Baby and Mom and Dad are all doing very well. They get to go home on Sunday!

oh and if you  know my blonde friend Katie McIver Green…she is going into labor right now as your read…you can see her blog in one of my links "The Green Family", her hubby Chris is writing at the hospital…which I just find funny! Thanks, Gilly