Stop Motion Video

Presentation

Editing Day

Today we edited everything and are starting to work on our presentation for tomorrow. Megan and Allison worked on putting together our presentation on iMovie, and I worked on Photo Shop and InDesign doing the cover and still life and putting together the spreads. After doing so we worked on the "Stop Motion" video that we were to create to be like an app on an iPad. Everything looks great! I'll show you some of our pictures. Today is Megan's last day, her parents are here, they are leaving for Sardinia in the morning. We brought champagne to class to drink with our professors (they really do love us) and took pictures with them. I can't believe tomorrow is my last day here.

After school Allison and I walked around the Duomo and went to Zara and H&M. After we got ready and took a cab to Guilio Pane E Olio (a really nice Italian restaurant) and met Megan's family! Loved her family, I such a great time! After several glasses of wine, delicious pasta, and chicken with potatoes, her parents got us a cab. We decided to go to Moschino, a really high class bar. It was only 11:30 and we didn't want to go out yet, so we just had a couple glasses of wine and some of their appertivo (even though we were full). After we got a cab to Just Cavalli (our fav) it was 35 euro to get in! Oh well, we went anyway and it was SO much fun! Italians love their 90s hip hop for sure. Ja Rule, Eve, DMX, you name it, they played it! After dancing for forever our feet hurt and it was time to say goodbye :( We all were crying in the cab, its fine. The cab driver probably thinks we are insane. I didn't think time would go by so fast and that I would meet and connect with so many great people! I'm going to have to make a trip to New Jersey/New York soon.

Here is a preview of the shoot:

Photo Shoot

We woke up early to get to the studio around 9. On our way we spotted a Bagel Cafe so of course we had to stop! The owner was from Seattle, so we could order in English. They also had "take away" coffee! We've been searching for this luxury all month, shocking that we would find it our last week. We get to the studio and it is just Megan, Erin, Allison and I...and our professors. We don't start hair an make up for another hour, but our shooting was quick. Our model Hanna (so gorgeous) knew some English and was perfect for our "American". After we were done with our first look we waited for hours, didn't get to start shooting until 6. (Class gets out at 4) By that time we were delirious and everything was funny. I convinced Megan that the man who owns the studio.. (He is one of the top advertising agency's in the world. He works with Chanel, Armani etc) that his name was Paul. He was trying to get us all out of there and was cleaning and moving tables, and one of the tables we were using as a prop. So, Megan runs over yelling "Paul! Paul..Paul!" He looks up and says.. "My name is Federico". Most embarrassing slash funniest thing I think I have ever experienced. GOOD! I'm so satisfied with our shots. Everything is going to look so great. I can't wait to edit and show you all!

Last Week!

I can't believe that this is our last week! Yesterday we did more preparing for our photo shoot. Our concept that we chose is "You Are What You Drink". We are comparing the way that Italians drink, to how Americans drink, also what you drink and where you drink and how that describes you. Sounds confusing but once you see our spreads, hopefully you will get it! Today everyone else was shooting (we decided to wait till Tomorrow because we know how hectic and unorganized everything is, and the teachers love us and want to concentrate on ours more :)). We did our video interviews and worked on our movie presentation for Friday. Alissia (one of our teachers) is our Italian muse, SO chic. So we are making her model for our shoot. In one of our shots for the American we plan to have her "popping champagne" so we are brining multiple bottles to drink with our teachers so we can have fun too! (yes, this is acceptable, and they love us). We stayed after school late because we love our teachers so much. Basically, we are obsessed with them. So incredibly funny and they know SO much! Tomorrow we shoot in the studio (no one else is getting to do this haha) We have to get to the studio around 9 to tell hair and make up what we want, and hopefully start our first shoot. Our second doesn't start until. Thursday we will be editing and Friday presenting! I'll be sure and upload a "rough" draft of the shoot.

We all made an Italy Bucket List, so of course this week we are scrambling around to complete EVERYTHING on the list. Unfortunately, because we stayed later after school 2 weeks ago, we missed our chance to see the Last Supper. I could cry. Yesterday we checked off a couple of things. Because of the construction, we woke up at 8:00 so we were up and ready to go early, we stopped at a cafe on the way to school and got a nutella croissant and fresh squeeze orange juice. YUMMY! We walked/jogged around Colonne (a park). AND, we started packing! Mom you should be so proud. Today, we stopped at a bakery and tried to get a conollie (apparently thats only a Southern Italy thing) instead we bought muffins. We would be getting more things checked off the list but it started pouring, so we will have to delay it another day. I can't believe I come home Saturday! So bittersweet.

This is in the Colonne area. 

Cinque Terre

Allison and I woke up at 6:15 and got a train to Monterosso one of the Villages in Cinque Terre. It was only a 3 and a half hour train ride... I forgot my headphones, and we sat next to a German family, that had a child, a VERY loud child. We walked out of the train station and walked like 20 feet and there was our hotel. Hotel Baia, so much nicer than what we have stayed in! We had an ocean front room with a balcony! We immediately put our bathing suits on and head for the beach, shocking. The beach was like another 20 feet away...rough life. After 5 hours of laying out, with no sunscreen, we were lobsters. The hotel was owned by a really nice Italian family, and had their own restaurant. We ate there that night because everyone we had talked to said it was THE BEST. Of course we got the gnocchi (I'm obsessed) and it was literally melt in your mouth good. It was a very relaxing night, just what we needed for our last week in Italy! After dinner we decided to walk around the village and take pictures, we came across a couple churches, a castle, a grave site, and several vineyards. While walking around we came across a catholic church, the pastor was speaking and there were speakers outside of the church so everyone on the street could hear his sermon. I thought that was pretty cool. Sunday we woke up, had an amazing breakfast at the hotel and hiked to Vernazza. The hike is about an hour and a half one way, not too bad. The whole first half was STAIRS and STAIRS and more STAIRS. We definitely got a work out. Vernazza is so small and quant. I loved it. We walked around the town and bought pizza and gelato :) we had to taste test it of course. We attempted to climb to this castle but got half way up and discovered that it was 7 euro to walk like 10 more feet. No thanks! It was only 1.60 euro to get back to Monterosso, and only 2 minutes to get there. We laid out for the rest of the day and got lunch. We boarded a train that we were told to get on. Guess we were wrong, because it was high speed! Way more expensive. We figured it out because there were assigned seats, and a cart boy selling things. GOOD. After 4 stops we got kicked out of our seats and crossed our fingers that the conductor wouldn't catch us. Good news, HE DIDN'T! We spent 12.40 euro to get home an hour and a half faster. Boom.

Monterosso

 Vernazza

The church we came across

Thursday night we decided to do research for our assignment, "Milano To Drink" we went to an appertivo close to our apartment and then headed to Just Cavalli (Roberto Cavalli's bar). We were there pretty early so everyone was still eating. After being their for an hour or so watching people dance to bad Italian techno, they put on 'Black and Yellow by Wiz Khalifa so of course we all freaked out. That was probably the best night out yet in Milan.

Friday we went to Fornarina's (an Italian designer) Show Room. We toward the building, watched the making of several photo shoots and ad campaigns. We also go to view their Fall/Winter 2011 line. After lunch, we were allowed to leave early so we went home to nap! Had to rest up for our amazing trip planed for the weekend! Allison and I decided to have a chill night and made gnocchi and got our favorite gelato and watched Just Go With It. Since we don't have a couch, we made a pallet on the floor and watched it on our computer. Gotta do what you gotta do!