Adventures with Princess Di

Ciao to my friends and family!
My sweet, wonderful, funny, beautiful Momma (affectionately known to some as "Princess Di") just left after a fabulous week together.  She came in Thursday night and we ate a quick dinner before retiring to the hotel.  A huge perk of having her visit was staying in the hotel with fancy robes and slippers; it was quite a few steps above the hostels we are used to.
After a lazy Friday morning, we went on a run along the Arno River.  The weather was less than ideal; something like a "wintery mix" was coming down and it took me about an hour to thaw out after the run.  We ended our run on the Ponte Vecchio.  I love jewelry shopping with my Mom! We had a blast trying things on and picking out possible 21st birthday presents.  And, in typical Diane fashion, she made friends with the people in our favorite jewelry store, Vaggi.  Friday night we went to dinner at Omero, a restaurant that serves pigeon meat.  Mom was a little freaked out; I am personally grateful that fewer pigeons are on the streets.
Saturday we woke up and boarded a train headed for Milan.  We spent about 4 hours in Milan for a tour of the city and 15 minutes to look at The Last Supper.  Milan was interesting--very modern and lacking character.  I loved The Last Supper, though, and that made the stop worth it.  The symbolism is so special and the importance of the piece is evident.  After Milan we headed up to Lake Como.  We got in at night and checked into the hotel, The Palace.  Mom put it best when she said "it should be called The Winnebago."  Despite the misleading name, the hotel was clean and the staff was pleasant.
We woke up Sunday morning to a blizzard.  I would like to tell you how gorgeous Lake Como is, but we could only see about 10 feet ahead of us.  Como was a sweet little sleepy town that is on my list to go back to...in the summer next time!  We headed back to Florence that night and I was so excited to return.  I really am in love with this city.
Monday was my favorite day of the visit.  I was reminded early in the morning how lucky I am to having such loving, giving parents.  Mom took me to Vaggi and bought me a stunning bracelet for my 21st birthday present.  It was made in Florence in the 60s and has beautiful Florentine workmanship.  This treasure will always remind me of my time here as well as my very special parents.  After the jewelry store, we shopped around a little bit and then headed to the market.  Our refrigerator had been broken and is finally fixed, so I needed to stock up!  Julie joined us and I think Mom liked it even though it involved shopping and cooking.  After the market, I headed home to do some homework and get ready for a fun night.
My Mom took 11 of my friends and me out to dinner to celebrate my birthday.  We went to La Giostra and I am pretty sure the food comes straight from Heaven.  The pear ravioli was to die for, the atmosphere was cozy, and the waitstaff was beyond accommodating.  Now, I am saving the best part of this restaurant for last: it is owned by the Prince of Hapsburg.  I was so excited to eat at a restaurant owned by a prince; imagine my reaction when I MET the prince!  He was not at all what I expected--no fancy clothes, not clean shaven--but still, I met a prince!  A real live prince!
I was so lucky to be able to celebrate my birthday with my Mom and some of my friends.  I am glad Momma got to meet the people who are becoming my family and going through this crazy experience with me.   
It was such a great week with my favorite Princess.  Saying goodbye was hard, but I guess she needs to get back to feed little Will.  I am already looking forward to when the whole family visits at the end of March.

Hugs and kisses to all!
Sarah