By jahdaimoriah
Dare I say it?! This week was an amazing week! I landed not one, but TWO internships here in Florence. I am a freelance photojournalist for Flo'N the Go, an online publication that documents culture and lifestyle here in Florence. I am also now the Social media and website marketing intern for The Velvet Circle, a lifestyle website that highlights the glamorous fashion world of Florence. So what does that mean for me? It means I get to go to amazing events with my trusty sidekick I affectionately call my camera, capture it all in my pictures, and show and tell everyone on two awesome websites.
But wait there's more: this week my photo teacher took out class to the Gucci Museo to see a new exhibit featuring one of my favorite photographers' Cindy Sherman. The highlight wasn't the exhibit (it was a lot smaller than we all anticipated), it was the museum itself. I love fashion, but what I love most are gowns. One of the rooms of the Gucci Museo is dedicated to some of its famous celebrity gowns. The room is somewhat hidden in the back - you must wade through other rooms of awesomeness in order to get to it. I walked in, took a quick look and instantly had to walk out because my eyes were too overwhelmed by the splendor. I am pretty sure a single tear dramatically rolled out of my eye. There in front of me stood the most fabulous mannequins, and on those mannequins were gowns worn by Selma Hayek, Cameron Diaz, and Evan Rachel Wood. No glass encasing these beautiful dresses but soft tract lights that illuminated every crystal, every sequin, and every piece of glitter. I quickly began formulating plans on how I could get one of those dresses. My first plot was to just steal one of the dresses and make a mad dash to the exit, but I realized my chances of getting caught were high and that Gucci does not design prison jumpsuits. My second plan was to just keel over and die right inside of the museum, and hope that the Gucci foundation would feel so terrible that they would bury me in one of the dresses. I realized that I did not like that plan because I wouldn't be able to show off my new amazing Gucci dress the way I knew I could even (if I would be one well-dressed corpse). I did decide, however, to get my own customized Gucci dress once I become the worlds greatest celebrity photographer. I waved goodbye to my dresses, telling them that I shall return to take them from the museo someday.
Also this weekend I went to Rome. It was actually my second time in Rome--I went when I was sixteen. I was pretty grumpy that I had to do the tour with my program, because I had already seen all the tourist stuff. However, this time I climbed 515 steps to the top if the biggest dome in all of the world: The dome of St. Peter's Basilica. How was that awesome you may ask? It was not awesome. In fact, it was straight up hell. 500 steps is one thing but the fact that these steps were so narrow, small, and twisty turny was the hellish part. I am afraid of heights and claustrophobic. I originally said I would not do the climb. However, I winded up with my friend Avi who is part Tarzan and part boy-wonder. He convinced me to take the climb with the whole spiel about it being once in a lifetime blah blah blah and how I shouldn't take the optional elevator halfway up because it would be cheating blah blah blah. I obliged and went all the way up the stairs completely terrified and convinced that this was the end of my life. Surprisingly, I made it all the way up-I stopped about two or three times, mainly to collect my breath and one time to tell Avi that he was a horrible person for convincing me to do this. However at the end, I had never felt more accomplished in my life. I was so happy I made the climb because the view was amazing and I challenged myself despite of my fears. I was pretty proud of myself. All I all I think this might have been the best week I have had so far in Florence.