Gusta Gnocchi

The more I settle, the more I want to explore! Unfortunately it was a bit rainy this weekend which forced me to learn to do laundry {they do things a little different in Italy} & fight with my gas stove top that wouldn't light. I wasn't able to figure out the stove and my clothes ended up soaking wet, even after I had watched two YouTube videos & used Google translate to translate all the knob.

Let down by my American ways, I left the apartment {after it stopped raining} and ventured across the Arno for the promise of good pizza {thanks Allyson for the tip!}. It was a beautiful night and had cooled down to the high 70's. Walking from the city center where I live to the bridges that cross the Arno is quite the shift. On the other side of the Arno things are a bit more peaceful and trees fill the hillsides. I {LOVE} being in the center of the city and having everything at my fingertips {including listening to the bells of Santa Croce ring as I type} but sometimes escaping across the water is a nice change.

After crossing the bridge to the west of Ponte Vecchio, we found Gusta Pizza, a small pizzeria run by two Italians who have built a reputation for having some of the best pizza in Firenze. Their shop is unassuming but line out the door tells you to stop in. We arrived 15 minutes after they opened {19:30} and the place was packed! I ordered a whole Magherita pizza and spent a grand total of five euros.

We were able to find a table as a family left and sat down silently devouring the dripping Mozarella and fresh tomato sauce. I'm convinced that was the best pizza that ever existed. We stacked our leftovers into a box and I intended to finish it for lunch today but naturally I ate the last piece later that night. I can't wait to go back! Next time though, I'll order off the specials menu that is written on a chalkboard just inside the door! While I don't think it could get any better, it's worth a shot...

And of course on the way home, we stopped off at my favorite gelato shop, Cantina del Gelato, where I ordered in Italian and ventured to try a new flavor that tasted like Snickers but was made with vanilla, chocolate bits, and sesame seeds.

This morning a woman from the school came by to teach us how to turn on the stove {we had been doing it right, just turning the gas knob the wrong way} & also showed us how to work our washer {the button I had been pushing to make it spin actually turned off the spin}. I did my second load which came out perfect & is now hang drying. And I cooked my first meal...

Kait & I bought fresh gnocchi, fruit, and veggies at the market on Saturday. After a little research, Kait found out the fresh gnocchi only lasts for a few day so we were eager to cook it!

The gnocchi cooked quickly & began to float to the top so I began sauteing the green beans in olive oil with diced garlic. My plum had ripened to perfection so I balanced out the plate with some fruit and buon appetito! The meal was delicious-what a difference fresh makes! The best part is the entire meal cost about 5 euros.

For those of you that are beginning to grow concerned about my eating habits, don't worry! My school just opened a beautiful gym with {FREE} yoga, pilates, zumba, and more. I ran on the treadmill today and will begin Yoga tomorrow....bring on the gelato!