Pop The Prosecco

November 26, 2023

This was the best week. Monday was a long day of class. Tuesday, I decided I wanted bangs and cut them myself. Wednesday, we had a sensory analysis lab. We spent 30 minutes tasting espresso at the beginning of class, then spent the remaining 2.5 hours tasting rosé from all over Italy, comparing the different styles and talking about how each wine was made. At the end of lab, our sweet professor let us each choose a bottle to take home. I would've enjoyed labs a lot more in my undergrad if they were all like this!

Thanksgiving looked a little different this year, but it might be the best one I've ever experienced. I started the day with a cappuccino and a 5K... but this year instead of a "Turkey Trot" it was just a leisurely walk to the big supermarket and back. I was in charge of cranberry sauce for our International Friendsgiving, and it turns out there are no cranberries in Piacenza. BUT the big supermarket had some craisins, and they did the job. Actually, I was told it was the best cranberry sauce some of my American friends. Score!!

It was a perfect night. 19 people from around the world enjoying INCREDIBLE food, wine, and conversation. I don't know if I have ever seen faces full of awe as many times as I did while watching friends try spinach dip for the first time. Their lives were forever changed.

Friday morning, I woke up bright and early for a 12-hour field trip. My class piled into a Mercedes van and drove three hours to Veneto—also known as Prosecco World. We started the day at Ruggeri winery, where we took a tour of their production warehouse and tasted four Proseccos. For lunch, we drove up to a lookout in Valdobbiadene and had a picnic while looking out over Prosecco Valley... it was breathtaking. And so so cold. Our last stop was Val d'Oca, the biggest prosecco producing winery. We had a tour and saw the incredible production area. The grapes are picked by hand, but everything else was so insanely automated. There was a warehouse full of wine being transported by automated trains. It was wild. After the tour we tried three more Proseccos before getting back in the van. I slept most of the way home.

The Christmas market started this weekend, and town is buzzing. I met Pauline and we had Hot Chocolate, churros, and a chocolate pretzel from the market for breakfast. I spent the afternoon deep cleaning before meeting Pauline again to see the market at night. I felt like a little kid! The square is covered in holiday booths and Christmas decor, a small train is driving around the block, music is playing, and each street has lights strung across the buildings above. It is magical. After admiring the deco rations and having an aperitivo, we went to my friend Marte's house for dinner. She is the best cook! It was an evening of good food, conversation, prosecco, and dancing.

This morning, I got up to go to church with Ivana, but the English-speaking church we planned to go to ended up being closed, so we walked and talked and window-shopped for three hours instead. We have accidentally started a tradition of Sunday walks, and it's becoming a highlight of each week.

Tonight, some friends are having a leftover-thanksgiving-dessert-eating-movie-watching party. A great way to end an unforgettable week. I've had to pinch myself a few times to make sure this is all real! There is so much to celebrate! Pop the Prosecco!