two

My two favorite photographs of the weekend!

weekend photo's.

This weekend was so nice. Not just the weather (which was about 68 degrees) but the exploring we did. There is this huge hill by my house where I have never been. I knew something cool must have been up there because I always see cars driving up that way, but I never wanted to walk all the way up the hill and there be nothing. Anyways, Shane and I took a walk yesterday on up that hill and found so many glorious things! Like this picture below, lots of parks and tree's, lots of cool tombs, and a gorgeous view of the whole city. It was a Sunday treat! 

Our weekend consisted of eating lots of pizza ( as always ) attempted to get color on our faces by sitting in the sun for a long time, lots of walking, ate the BEST Italian buffet for 15 bucks each, read some books, shot lots of video & pictures, watched Godfather part 1 (which is rated top two movies of all time) ... wait a second, all time? Yes, Godfather is supposedly the best movie ever made... I beg to differ. Although I thought it was a great movie, by no means was it the best movie ever made in my book.

Enjoy the pictures! 

Down by the Bridge

Because we're in love,

and live a cool life in Rome...

Entire video shot with my Lens Baby on the Canon 7d.

Lens babies are fun to play with when shooting video.

Gray sky with peeps of sun

Shane took my camera last weekend when he met up with some Berkeley friends that were in town and came back with some really good pictures! I was so proud. 

So I am publishing his work :)

with a photo of him too (that I took)

The Loves wedding- video

For Micaela and Jerome,

UGH

Do you ever work on something that takes you a LONG time and you continuously run into problems?!

Sometimes I swear that I am not going to make another video, but then I always do.

Making / editing video can be the most frustrating thing sometimes. 

There is always a roadblock that you hit, whether during the editing process or even better at the end after hours of work you put into it. Right when you think you are done, you've reached a problem that sets you back to only being half way done.

thanks Dakota Fanning for feeling my pain.

Birds !

Murmuration from Islands & Rivers on Vimeo.

How awesome, although I think I would be a little bit scared.

Beige and Golds

Sometimes the beige and goldiness of this town is so yummy to stare at. Did you know that the Pantheon used to be mostly covered in marble? The marble has worn away over the centuries. Awhh I wish so bad that I could go back in time and see how shiny and beautiful these huge historical sites used to be. (not that they aren't beautiful to still stare at, by ANY MEANS)

if bored...

Go to this site, I guarantee you will be entertained for a good 5 minutes.

Its pretty incredible...

that not one time, ONE TIME, have I gone to my daily cafe and been able to fully enjoy the sun, the view, and some moments to myself to think and sip on a warm drink.

Why?

Because instead of people being able to enjoy their lives and talk about good things, I have to eavesdrop on the Americans (and by eavesdrop I mean sitting tables away from them minding my own business, but their loud ignorant voices seep into my ears.)

The average eavesdropping is targeted to the young college americans that go to John Cabot University (which is the university somewhat near this cafe.) You want to know what I have to hear every single day from these 19, 20, 21 year old self-centered, "finally am free of my parents" yet "going to act like this is my normal partying life" kids... a bunch of absolute nonsense.

They usually come in groups of three girls, taking a break from class. Possibly a boy is thrown in the mix, which really spices it up because the girls try to sounds even more badass with their stories. I would quote word by word conversations I hear but honestly they are so repetitive that I can sum it up in a few categories:  (each category taking up about 20 minutes of the conversation)

-how hungover they are
-how crazy it got last night
-how late they got home, because they "don't even go out until like 11:30"
-how white and out of shape they feel
-what they drank last night, and how they got shots for free
-how lame or weird one of their roommates are (as they talk a a buncha detailed crap on that roommate, who is probably a nice girl)
-where they are going to go tonight for happy hour
-where they are planning their next weekend trip and who they shouldn't invite out of the group of girls

No joke.

Yesterday's was actually a new one (two girls & one guy), I got the privilege of hearing how one of the girls was gonna do oxycotton last night but they other friend just wanted to get high and smoke, so they're just going to do some oxycotton tonight instead..... ? And the boy just casually laughs and agrees. These girls were 20 years old, dragged out everyword causing their voices to sound even more annoying, and looked like average brunette east-coasters.

Todays was wonderful as well. Again it was two girls from Massachusetts and a boy from New York. Ranting about how crazy parties get in New York as they try to top eachothers party stories. How he "loves tobacco" but "he knows, he knows, it bad" as he laughs. How the one girl would rather just smoke weed instead of tabacco as the other girl vents about when she is desperate for weed and no one else has some, then she'll call that annoying boy in her class.

I mean really its ridiculous. I have yet to go their one day and eavesdrop on a nice conversation. I am actually anticipating it because at this point I'm not sure it is going to happen. But I have hope that there is actually cool, sweet, nice girls from America that have positive things to talk about. PLEASE let there be, I'll have hope in mankind again. If getting out the country to study abroad isn't a time to grow up a little / mature for these people, then I don't know what is.


_________________________________________________


On a better note, I went on my first run in Rome today.
Wow it was wonderful. I ran along the Tiber river, which is below the street level. You walk down the steps and you can run along the bike trails which goes under the bridges, and all along the river, its quite beautiful. After the run I sat on the ledge dangling my feet over the water, let the sun soak my face, and watched the birds soar in groups over the water. MMM now those are some things to feel good about!

I already posted this picture a couple weeks ago, but posting it again to show where I ran along the Tiber River. Also this was taken at sunset so the lighting is much different then it is during the morning. But you get the gist! :)

Oh Happy Day

Today I woke up and felt happy. Maybe it was the super comfy night's rest I had, or maybe the boy I got to say Happy Valentines Day to.
He is at school all day, which is ok because I have some video editing work I have to do.
I made myself breakfast, took a hot shower, made my bed, opened my window and left it open as I began exploring.
By exploring I mean, exploring wedding videos of filmographers I love on vimeo... Mostly to get inspiration and more ideas to finish my own video that I am working on.

Now it might just be because it's Valentines Day and I am a wee bit romanitic-minded today, but I spent lots of morning eyes filled with tears after watching such beautiful wedding videos. So well done, not cheesy at all, capturing couples day SO well. I love it. I love seeing adorable couples and their wedding day. I love videographers that do such great jobs on every single scene. It is something I appreciate, which is why I am happy I have chosen a route that I know will make me happy.

Working in the field of weddings for a lot of people probably would be a nightmare, but not for me. I love everything about weddings. I love the details, I love the bride (dress, accessories, shoes, makeup, hair, the glow of her) I love the dinner tables, I love the flowers, I love the groom and groomsmen snazyd up for the day, I love the father of the bride's emotions, I love the desserts, I love the photo time I get with just the bride & groom, I love new locations of the weddings. Following the wedding, I love the editing. Behind the scenes of all the pictures then finally coming up with a final product. From start to finish I love it all and I sit back and feel content that I found something I am passionate about.

It is one o'clock in the afternoon and the sun is shining so warm today. I am sitting at a cafe outside with the sun covering my whole body. Tonight Shane and I are going to have a nice dinner over by the Coliseum. So again and for the rest of my day, I am happy and so thankful.

Happy Valentines Day and hope everyone has the best day!
 

Train

I am done traveling on trains, buses, and planes for a minute... it's kinda nice!

Third Stop: The Netherlands

When I thought London was cold, I was mistaken.

Once we arrived to Amsterdam, I then remembered what cold was again.

I'm talking mid-winter Utah cold, and when the night falls it is CHILLAY!

Let me say a little something about Amsterdam right off: Beware.

Beware of drugs and sex right up in your face! I think me and Shane had a little different perception of what the Netherlands was going to be like, but by the end of the trip there we had to just laugh. 

We had to laugh at people getting sloppy drunk and whatnot, to the point where friends are all holding them up. 

You have to laugh at the prostitutes that are in the windows, as they are there for "window shopping" in the Red light district, literally. Funny story: Shane and I doing our normal wondering start walking towards this big church type building, going down an ally. Shane was a bit in front of me and I was getting my camera out and he walks back towards me and goes "Rachael look at this girl coming up on the left in the window she is wearing only a bra and underwear" I walk forward to look and she hits the window all mad at me thinking I am about to take a picture of her nasty half naked self. I was so confused, so we quickly walked passed her. Before we knew it we were in what is known as "the redlight district" and straight up prostitutes were standing in so many windows. Fat, skinny, young, old, black, mexican, super blonde haired ones, ugly, attractive... you name it, there is one there. I am not kidding about this. As we realized what was going on and that there really was prostitutes fingering you to come towards them so they could open there doors and let you in for a little skanky hanky panky, we kept our heads down. We were both kinda quite for a bit and then Shane says "I feel like my innocence is being taken away from me" I agreed and we wanted that bad feeling to leave so ... we then just laughed in disgust at them. How pathetic each one was, how worthless each one was, laughing at the dirty men that give in and walk up to the door and go in. It is a terrible thing, but honestly after walking through, it is comical.

Needless to say, we never went that way again. 

But we did walk along the tons of water canals flowing through the city, we did eat pancakes, we did see the tons of "Coffee Shops", we did see the hundreds of bikers of the town, we did see a movie and do some shopping, and we did enjoy ourselves. Half, if not more of the city's people ride bikes. Half of the lanes on the roads are strictly for bikers, and I liked that a lot.

All in all, our little vacation was a blast. Don't think I will go back to the Netherlands again, I feel like seeing it once was fun and enough. I will go back to Scotland though, there is much more of that country I would die to see but there just wasn't enough time. It was so nice to get back to Rome last night, I missed Rome and my own bed instead of a twin size hostel bed. Today the skies were blue and a bit of snow was still left on the ground, it was quite beautiful. I love Rome, so cheers to that!

Huge awesome yellow couch at the movie theatre!

some trippy store we walked in, thats me holding the 3d glasses up

money from all over the world!

Our flight home, flying over the snowy beautiful Alps!


p.s. I know, I know ... if you haven't noticed yet you will after all the pictures from the trip: I wear that black dang puffy jacket and green scarf every day. Every single day I wore that outfit. Packing light isn't my thing I decided.  Shane and I had to share a bag so I could only fit a few shirts and one extra pair of leggings. You know how sick I was of wearing the exact same boots and jacket every day? Not to mention rotating between two socks the whole time... hmm! Thats why I took my jacket off for some pictures, I really couldn't stand looking at myself in that attire anymore haha. Well now that you know something you might have not even caught onto: enjoy the pictures! :)