S. and I woke up bright and early and headed downstairs to grab breakfast at our B&B. Armed with our water, backpacks and hiking gear, we were ready to head to Bomerano and start ‘Sentiero Degli Dei’, the walk of the gods. The 5 km hike is supposed to be one of the world’s most beautiful, heading from the area of Bomerano in Agerola to Positano with views of the Amalfi Coast along the route.

Salvatore drove us to Bomerano at around 930A and we began our hike shortly after. After experiencing the Amalfitan heat on Tuesday, we knew that we wanted to try to get our hike done before the mid-day heat struck in Italy. For me to try and describe the walk would do it little justice. Similarly, the pictures that I took, while beautiful, can’t really capture how amazing the hike really was. It was intense at parts (lots of rocky hills to climb and 1700 stairs to climb down at the end to reach the city of Positano), but the hike can definitely be drawn out and leisurely, to an extent. It was a bit rough when the heat struck but the views of Positano from our hike were absolutely incredible. For the majority of the hike, S. and I were alone in the massive natural park area.

While we came across ten or so other hikers during our journey, it really felt (for the most part) that it was just us and the world. No one else was there and no one else had experienced this before. Even the pathways, while marked for emergencies (signs with numbers are scattered throughout the hike in case you need to call 118 for help) seemed as though very few other human beings had stumbled upon this area.

That is clearly not the case since the hike is well-known and well traversed, yet it was something that made me feel like I had just experienced a piece of the world that most people were unaware of. Unlike the hikes of Yosemite (e.g. the popular Nevada Falls and Vernal Falls hikes) where teems of people descend upon the mountains in the summer, this was totally barren. For those of you that have hiked Yosemite (if you haven’t, I highly recommend it), I don’t know that the hikes can necessarily be compared. They’re both incredible – almost spiritual – and gorgeous but they’re different. If you enjoy Yosemite though, it would be hard to imagine not enjoying this hike.

While the morning mist that hung over the mountains was problematic for picture-taking, it actually made for a really cool setting for the hike. The hike is covered with green: flowers, trees, bushes; and with animals: lizards, butterflies, bees as big as your thumb and snakes (eek)! While we didn’t come across any snakes during our hike, a little black snake slithered across the road while we were driving to the hike’s starting point which effectively freaked us out for the next three hours. Every time animals rustled in the nearby bushes, we cringed and ran like five-year-old girls. I should have brought my mace. (Can you mace a snake?)

S. and I actually ended up having a blast as neophyte National Geographic wildlife photographers. Every time a pretty butterfly stood still, we tried to capture it. Each time a lizard sat perfectly perched on a sunny rock, we zoomed our lenses in to snap a shot. Although they’re not NG quality (I’m still learning), some were pretty rad:

After three hours of running, climbing, jumping, picture-taking, and descending down the nearly two thousand stairs, we reached the town of Positano. Beautiful, quaint Positano. After staying in Agerola, visiting Amalfi, and seeing Bomerano and Positano, I could definitely argue a case for Positano being the prettiest part of the coast. Beaches, scenery, cute restaurants and shops; it’s definitely the place that I would stay in the future when I return to the Costiera Amalfitana (a return that I have decided is inevitable).

After grabbing some much-deserved lunch and gelato, S. and I took a ferry back to Amalfi and jumped on the bus for a long ride back up the mountain to Agerola. Our night proved to be low-key and quiet with another late-night dinner at our go-to spot, Da Gigino’s, where we split a pizza and enjoyed some red wine (on the house).

With our last bit of time in Amalfi, we’re getting ready to say arrivederci to Naples and buon giornio to Firenze!

Want to see all of the pictures from the walk of the gods? Click here and get pumped!

Catch up with you from Tuscany,

My life as a grad student has opened my heart to iTunes.

I should backtrack a touch. I have always used iTunes for my iPhone and/or iPod, but I never really purchased stuff from iTunes. I was always a pirate; I was a LimeWire user who downloaded every song under the sun for free and then uploaded them into my iTunes database. As fate would have it, however, LSE blocks LimeWire (and every other illegal downloading app, I’m sure) and I’m now unable to violate intellectual property rights on a daily basis. Being that I need new music, I started using iTunes and I discovered the wonderful world of iTunes U and TV SHOWS! I’m not a big TV watcher (never have been), but I have a tendency to get uber-bored whilst ellipticalizing at the gym. After 30 or so minutes you get into the elliptical groove and just move sort of robotically, but I need to keep my mind going and my energy up and I typically need some stimulation to make that happen. The answer: music or TV!

Since I discovered downloading seasons of TV shows, I’ve become kind of hooked. I can’t do it very often because they’re kind of pricey, but it’s so nice having TV shows on hand! I recently downloaded the entire season of Private Practice (to complement my Grey’s) and have been watching an episode during every trip to the gym! I also downloaded a bunch of university lectures on HIV/AIDS (they’re all free!) and have been listening to those intermittenly while working out (much more exciting than it sounds). Before I know it, 45 minutes or an hour have passed and I’ve worked up a much-needed sweat! Plus, I made a deal with myself: no watching Private Practice unless I’m at the gym. Since I paid $35 for the season, I use them as a weird incentive. If I want to see the next episode of Private Practice/Gossip Girl/Grey’s/Keeping up with the Kardashians (keep that one on the DL), I have to watch it at the gym and get my exercise in! Bizarrely enough, it works! It seriously incentives me.

On that note… is anyone else ridiculously pumped for the new episode of Gossip Girl on Monday?! I have been waiting for this!!

Can TV help make you thin? It sure can! Not in the way you’re thinking — snacking on chips while watching re-runs of That 70’s Show will probably not help you get anywhere with your weight loss plan. But that ON DEMAND button on your remote that you’ve been curious about? Now that may help you with your aspirations to tone up before jet setting this summer! For anyone that has ON DEMAND, ExerciseTV is likely the most amazing thing you will ever have encountered!  For anyone that’s just too busy to make it to the gym (or if you use that excuse!) you can now exercise in the comfort of your own living room. I know this conjures up images of 80s exercise videos and multi-colored sweatbands, but that’s definitely not the case here. I am addicted to working out with Jillian Michaels and the other Exercise TV trainers. After a cardio sesh at the real gym, I’ll head home and do strength-training with my TV trainers (Jillian & Jackie are my favorite)! I keep a couple of sets of weights and a mat nearby so I can turn on yoga, Tae Bo, Jillian Michaels’ Shred workouts or the Hollywood Body series to tone my tush (it’s a work-in-progress…) before bathing suit season. There are hundreds of exercises and they constantly add new stuff so you won’t get bored! My favorite part (especially for women!) is that you can lift weights in your home, do squats and lunges, and wear your grubbiest workout clothing ever because no one is watching! I hate lifting weights at the gym when there are men EVERYWHERE in sight, but being able to do it at home at my own pace (hellllo, pause button!) makes it so much more bearable and so much more FUN! Definitely worth checking out. If you don’t have access to the elusive ON DEMAND key, hit up their website for workout plans and workouts to download (for a small fee). You can burn your favorites onto CDs and take them with you while you’re traveling! Fun! <3.

Here’s to a healthier you!

Download the “Hollywood Body” workout here!

After we were thoroughly fed and caffeinated we hit up Borough Market! You may recall my visit to Spitalfields & Brick Lane earlier in the year where there was a load of amazing foods tempered with a fantastic mix of arts, crafts and vintage goodies. Borough Market is different from Spitalfields and Camden Markets in the sense that it is just food. For being a market dedicated to deliciousness, it’s actually quite huge! There are goodies to feed any appetite: ridiculous amounts of cheese, homemade jams, granola, meats, cakes, cookies and mulled cider on every corner. Here’s a bit of a pictorial tour:

{Row after row of nuts, dried fruits and chocolate-covered everything!}

{My friend, M., was like a kid in Costco on Saturday when she saw this stand.
I have never seen so many marinated goodies in one place!}

{Loads of stands selling fresh fruits and veggies! If I wasn’t heading to Malta tomorrow, I would probably have picked some up!}

{Mulled wine & cider on every corner for £3. Make sure you have some coinage handy — shopping is always so much better with mulled wine in hand.}

{How cute are these shortbread owls?! This stand had the most delicious looking cookies ever! I picked up some gingerbread and oat cookies plus some ginger flapjacks for my flatmate. Mmm!}

Now this stand below, Spice Mountain, was one of my faves in the whole market! Mind you, there were loads of great places, but I’m a sucker for cool goodies that you would probably only ever see on the Food Network.

If you’re like me and enjoy cooking in your free time, this stand has some seriously cool herbs, spices and specialty spice blends. Think things like mango powder, lemon grass stalks, spearmint salt, sumac and tamarind. Their selection is seriously endless, plus a great place to grab spice blends for ethnic cuisine night! You can also order online — they have some really cute gift sets, too!

Definitely a fun way to spend a weekend morning! Borough’s normally only open Thursday through Saturday (8A- 5P), but they actually have special hours for Christmas, with the market operating nearly every day beginning on the 20th of December. Check it out and drop me a comment to tell me what you think!

Anyone else have any favorite markets to check out?

We made it a potluck celebration, so everyone brought their favorite Thanksgiving dish. I was slightly worried that we wouldn’t have enough food, but we actually ended up having leftovers, which was pretty amazing! Check out some of our goodies (wish I would have taken more pictures!) :

Lindsay’s Pumpkin Pie! Note to those celebrating in the UK: stores don’t sell canned pumpkin here. You have to buy a whole pumpkin and actually mash it and make a real pumpkin pie… a bit intense. Fortunately for Lindsay (and for everyone involved in the eating process), her lovely mom shipped a can + evaporated milk + crusts across the pond. Mmmmm!

Here’s Aaron cutting into his fierce Turbaducken, which was essentially a turducken (duck inside of a chicken inside of a turkey) with layers of bacon, andouille sausage, spinach and stuffing inside. It was definitely a feat (12 hours of roasting + ridiculous prep), but I think Aaron definitely ran away with MVP. His turkey looked great plus it fed EVERYONE there!

I made a vat of candied yams since sweet potatoes are my most favorite food in the world! Unfortunately, the bag of marshmallows were a mix of pink and white (the only ones I could find in the store!) and I had to use the pink ones because there weren’t enough white to cover everything. Thus, my potatoes look like a Valentine’s Day dish instead of a traditional Thanksgiving fare. Still quite good!

With Sean & Wen, a couple of our guests! :)

This picture of Ronan & Pooja is probably my favorite of the night! Love these two <3.

I’m so thankful for everyone that came and celebrated, it definitely felt a bit like celebrating with the fam. To everyone back in California: miss you, love you and hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving!

xoxo,

I dealt with my first bout of homesickness this past weekend. I haven’t really felt incredibly homesick since my arrival in London, but this past weekend I was Skyping with my mom, dad and sister as they were preparing some Thanksgiving deliciousness in the kitchen. My mom was dressed in full Betty Crocker garb, food processor whirring, showing me her homemade dough for pie making… for the first time, I felt really homesick. I have never spent the holidays (Thanksgiving or Christmas) apart from my family and this year will mark the first time in my entire 23 years of existence that I have to be without them. Normally, I head over to my parents first thing in the morning on Thanksgiving day to begin food prep with the ladies while the guys chit chat, set the table and prepare for football (stereotypical… I know!) This year, I’ll be living in a community that doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving so I, of course, have decided to bring Thanksgiving to the UK! My friend Aaron and I have organized a Thanksgiving event involving loads of Americans (and some Europeans) who want to get together to celebrate the holidays!

{This totally captures our Thanksgiving mornings: PJs in the kitchen preparing deliciousness!}

We have reserved our dining hall and are planning on decorating a bit to get everyone in the Thanksgiving spirit! Since there are quite a few of us (30 – 40 possibly), we’re making it a potluck wherein everyone gets to bring their most favorite Thanksgiving dish to share! I’m bringing sweet potatoes – my favorite food in the world! - and Aaron is going to be attempting a Turbaducken (duck inside of a chicken inside of a turkey with bacon between each layer… clearly anti-vegetarian.) Although I don’t get to see my family, it should be a blast having everyone get together, bringing their favorite homemade dishes plus introducing a bunch of internationals (we have people from Germany, Thailand, China, France, Italy, etc.) to a bit of American culture!

We’ve requested that our bar be open for the evening, but we can’t bring our own drinks to the actual dining hall, so I’m thinking about bringing a vat of spiced cider to get everyone into the holiday spirit. I love the holidays!!

Here are some delicious Thanksgiving recipes for anyone looking for some new deliciousness this year:

Hot Spiced Cider: Mmmmm…. such a delicious holiday drink!

Turducken: A cool endeavor for a chef that needs a challenge! Not for the faint of heart!

Pumpkin Cheesecake: If pumpkin pie didn’t have enough calories for you in the first place, why not make it a cheesecake? I made mini pumpkin cheesecakes for Chris’ birthday last year and they were a hit! Really delish!

Candied Yams: I don’t think sweet potatoes need any dressing up, but if you like marshmallows and butter, this is ahh-mazing!

Is anyone else excited for Thanksgiving?!

PS. Miss you mom, dad, nana, punk & Tiffy!

1. Cauldron Mushroom Burgers: Pure deliciousness. I was slightly afraid that the British grocery chains wouldn’t be as accommodating for vegetarians, but I discovered quite the opposite! The Cauldron Mushroom Burgers are absolutely ahhh-mazing! I could seriously eat them every day without question. They were out of stock yesterday and I could nearly feel tears welling in my eyes.

2. Innocent Veg Pots: I’ve never seen these bad boys in the US, but they’re probably one of my most favorite inventions ever. They’re perfect for students because they take 4 minutes to microwave and I managed to snag two for 5 pounds yesterday! They’re really low-fat and low cal (most are under 300 calories) + they have three servings of veggies and are pure amazement. The Moroccan Giant Cous Cous is one of my faves!

3. Options Mint Madness Hot Chocolate: Hot chocolate is the ultimate comfort for me, but real hot chocolate is way too sugary and has too many calories for me to actually enjoy. Swiss Miss has their low-calorie stuff (25 calories per pack), but it just tastes like brown water and splenda. Options Mint Madness hot chocolate is amazing and it’s only 34 calories per serving. They actually sell their stuff in individual packets (the only way you can purchase it at Sainsbury’s) and I think the lady thinks I’m crazy because I purchase between 5 and 7 every single time I’m in. Yes, they’re THAT good.

4. Cauldron Marinated Tofu Pieces: Delish! I’m always wary of marinated tofu because the flavors can be a little off, but these guys have it down pat! A little salty, but they work well in recipes or mixed into stir-fry! Mmmm.

5. Kellogg’s Fruit n’ Fibre Cereal: It’s really weird seeing the Kellogg’s name on cereals I’ve never heard  of, but this Fruit n’ Fiber cereal is actually legit! I was a bit thrown off the first time I tried it since the fruit part of the equation constitutes dried fruits and raisins, but it’s actually quite delish with a bit of soy milk (which Brits refer to as soya milk…hmmmm.)

5. Hummous. I love all things chickpea, so the fact that hummous is ridiculously prevalent and inexpensive here pretty much makes my life. I can snag them for 1 pound each at Marks & Spencer (low cal versions, too) or I can get them 2 for 1.50 at Sainsbury’s (no low-cal that I’ve seen as of yet). Absolutely delicious with carrot batons!

Most of the food has actually been pretty good here. Granted the fruit isn’t quite as fresh, ripe or juicy as we’re used to/spoiled with in California, but for the most part, I have found some awesome things to stock my fridge and pantry with!

Anyone have any other amazing British goodies that they’re loving?

Whilst shopping at Argos for a coffee maker a few days back, my eyes landed upon a mini 3L crockpot in the kitchen section. I quickly began daydreaming about the days when I owned a slow cooker… I was a champion at making (meatless) chicken tortilla soup and veggie pots of goodness. As luck would have it, Argos’ basic crockpot (not an investment piece) was a mere £7.50. Now that I have this bad boy in my kitchen, it’s calling my name. For anyone looking to save some cash and make super simple meals at home, here are some awesome (and inexpensive!) recipes that I’ve run across:

Crock Pot Curried Rice & Lentils
{courtesy of Jolinda Hackett}

Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1 tbsp curry powder
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup lentils
2 vegetarian bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1 onion, diced

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Makes four servings.

Nutritional information:
Calories: 309, Total Carbohydrates: 6.4g, Dietary Fiber: 9.0g, Protein: 14.6g

Sweet Crock Pot Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

2 butternut squash
1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup raisins

• Preparation:

Peel squash and remove the seeds. Place the squash in the crock pot or slow cooker, then add remaining ingredients on top. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.

Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups seitan, cut into pieces {non vegetarians can use real meat!}
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup green peas
1 carrot, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 3/4 cups rice

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 large carrots
2 large celery stalks
2 onions
2 400g cans low sodium chicken broth
5 cups water
200g egg noodles (or any other variety of pasta)
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
½ tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Preparation:

Cut carrots, celery, and onions into small pieces and place into slow cooker.
Cut chicken into one-inch pieces and add. Add broth, water, bay leaf, and all of the spices to the slow cooker.
Set the slow cooker on low, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 hours.
When soup is almost done, boil noodles in separate pot until they are al-dente (slightly firm).
Drain noodles and add to slow cooker.
Set slow cooker on medium and cook for thirty minutes or until noodles are tender.

Super easy & cheap! I’m gonna see what’s up with the Curried Rice & Lentils tomorrow night!

When I opened my package, there were six boxes of Fiber One bars hidden underneath some clothes, a lint brush and some air freshener! So amazing!

Dad & Company — if you guys are reading this: Thank you! You made my year!

Lots of love,

So, I’ve decided that I’ve mentally placed a claim on this joint. The Garrick is officially my most favorite place on campus. For anyone that hasn’t experienced its glory yet, it’s a super clean, inexpensive cafe on campus that serves loads of food: sandwiches, salads, muffins, yogurt, breakfast bites and a variety of coffees and teas to keep your brain functioning properly. You can easily grab lunch and a coffee for under £5, plus it’s a seriously great place to congregate. For being such a small campus, I was surprised to find out that there are a load of on-campus eateries including a couple of student pubs. Although there are six or so other joints, I have probably been to The Garrick every day that I’ve been on campus, either to grab my caffeine fix or to plug in and do some work. If you want to find me on campus Monday through Wednesday during non-class hours, that’s probably where I’ll be! Note: The tomato & mozzarella sandwich (heated up) at lunch is delish!

Anyone else loving on this joint?