Jim goes to Torino!

I planned on leaving this blog as is, but obviously some amazing information fell into my lap.

For any of you who remember my post about Eataly or for those of you who remember the actual place, Eataly was a whole-foods market in Lingotto. I just found out that it's COMING TO NYC in 2010!!!!

According to various sources including popular blog "The Beer Session", Mario Batali is teaming with two Italian breweries and two NYC breweries to bring the Turinese restaurant/market/bar to New York City. It will be located at 200 5th Avenue with views of the Empire State Building and the Flatiron. It will resemble the Eataly inTorino but will include a four-brew full service rooftop bar. Eataly is slated to open this fall with the bar opening this summer. Keep your eyes looking our for this treasure coming to our country!

To my torinos- make your plans to come out to NYC right NOW!!!

CULTURE SHOCK #12 - saying goodbye...

I finished my finals as SJIU and said goodbye to my friends. Here's a few pics:

Embre (left) Me (middle) Stephan R. (right) (STEVEN G. is missing from the pic.)

There he is! Steven G. ladies and gentlemen. Cooking food I cooked

The last meal at VIA GARESSIO (15) prepared by Lauren and I. It was penne pasta, amazing Turinese sausage, peppers, and some secret ingredients.

Did I mention Lauren stopped by? In Italy?

-------------------------

CULTURE SHOCK #13 - Coming home.

It's been a week since I've seen my dear Italia.

And I am home. My family redecorated my bedroom, we sipped some limoncello, I cooked them all dinner, I went back to work, and I've started learning how to speak Mandarin during my rehearsals for "Thoroughly Modern Millie." I've blogged on the South Jersey Rialto, I got a press release published, I haven't uploaded my pics yet, or began my writing, but I've come home. 

And I've seen my friends. In fact, I walk to my baggage claim and saw my parent and my brother and sister. It was so nice to see them.

Then I saw some friends. I went to Nancy's house at around 12:30am and we pulled an all-nighter. Andrew, Stephanie, Nancy and I all stayed up all night and I had a chance to tell them a few of my stories. Then we all gathered in the living room to listen to the new cast recording of HAIR (2009 Broadway Revival) and took a fun picture: 

Nancy (left) Andrew (with playbill) Me (middle) Stephanie (right)

Then we stayed up all night and sat on the roof and watch the sun came up. Great night!

The next day I had a chance to see Vicky and get some Wawa and Applebee's Here's a few pics below:

Vicky (left) Autumn, Vicky's little neice and my new Italian Language student (middle) and Me (right)

FINALLY!!!! I got some Applebees! (real food) and they just came out with a new 2 for $20 entre`e menu which makes getting "Perfects" (a drink) more affordable!

And Vicky and I drew in Shawn's driveway with some sidewalk chalk from the Dollar Store.

I miss it all. There are so many stories I wish I could tell you about. Especially how Venice was the most beautiful city I've ever been to. Or about the endless and slow-paced card games of "A**hole" that went on for hours. Or of my learning to eat Nutella out of the jar.

Or how I found out the last week that I'm not actually allergic to gelato (only half of the selections contained milk, the fruit/chocolate flavors were dairy free)

But looking back, it's the friendships I made that I miss the most. All of them. Especially my room-mates. This trip was full of more experiences than I've ever been through and changed me completely. But really...I came to Italy to do one thing...it was a dream I always had...

A dream come true.

And as much as I'd love to type out all of the great stories, I can't let you have that. No, my friend, I went to Italy and had a brilliant time. You can ask me sometime to tell you a story, but now...

CULTURE SHOCK #14 - ...it's your turn.

Ciao!

-Jim Cook, Jr.

I’m going to fill you in on the happenings in Firenze (Florence). First off, let me say that Florence is a beautiful city. Situated close to Tuscano mountain ranges, this little city (if that’s what you’d call it) is full of plenty of treasures, history, and strangely familiar food. And for those of you “Under the Tuscan Sun” fans, it’s a warm place with a beautiful sunset.

Our group went to Firenze two weekends ago on a six-hour bus ride. Our room in Hotel Palazzo Vecchio was very old-fashioned. The floors were stone, the ceilings high, the chandeliers elegant, and the shower non-existent. That’s right…non-existent. Well, not completely, there was a small shower head that let out a little bit of water below my head. I almost had to get on my knees to wash my hair. Also, there was a drain in the middle of the floor of our 7x7 bathroom where the water simply drained into. No actual shower. It was strange. That was my morning.

Afternoon came and I had this great idea to take the Italian language tour. Luckily, it was given by my Italian 101 Professor, Simona. So I understood most of it and was able to better my Italian speaking. We hiked around the city and saw all sorts of different styles of architecture and art. Florence was really an artisan’s city, filled with works from the Renaissance and Medieval periods (work we don’t have in the USA) The Duomo (cathedral), for instance, was built during the Renaissance period, which I have no idea how long ago that was, but it was long before America.

In the museums we admired pieces by Michelangelo, Botticelli, Fillippo Lippi, Leonardo, Tizano, Rafaello (Rafael), Duccio, Cimabue, Giutto. Pieces like Botticelli’s “La Primavera (The Spring)” and “La Nascita di Venere (The Birth of Venus)” We also went to the Dante Allegherri museum where there was a history of “The Divine Comedy” which was the written work that defined the structure of the modern Italian language.

I’m not sure if you are getting bored yet with reading about cathedrals, old paintings, museums, and statues…I kind of am. I think I’ve seen every famous piece of art ever made, not to mention every cathedral and chapel and basilica in Italy. Actually, I probably haven’t seen half of it, but as you can imagine, being here for five weeks so far, cooking every night during the week, taking two accelerated courses, learning another language and living in a city (Torino and Vinovo-St. John Univ) where no one really speaks any English…is taking it’s toll on me. I don’t mean to take away from the experience, it’s AMAZING, but it’s happening fast with the big trips on the weekends. It seems like there is hardly any time to relax in a country all about relaxing!!!

Florence, to say the least, was fun. Some have told me that it is the most beautiful city in the world. It was beautiful, like nothing I’ve ever seen. But not the MOST beautiful. They told me that about Rome too…oh well.

In closing, I should recall the two transcendent moments I experienced there. Both of them involve food. First was lunch: spaghetti con pomodoro (spaghetti with tomato sauce). It wasn’t a big portion, just a small thing on-the-go, but it is the only spaghetti sauce I have tasted in Italy that tasted EXACTLY like my grandmother’s sauce. The second was the Tuncan fried chicken and vegetables at dinner. That too tasted just like my grandmother’s cooking. When I was sitting in that little restaurant in the outskirts of Florence with the checked table cloths and warm atmosphere, I felt like I went back in time to a holiday dinner. It was perfect!

Last Wednesday, our group celebrated two birthdays: Alyssa Oberhelman (from Minnesota), 20, and Kira Sarkisian (from California), 23. Our group director, Guilia Russo (from Torino), brought our entire group along with a few professors to one of her favorite family resturantes situated on the country-side of Torino. Stepping of the bus into the country felt so nice because it was the first time I'd been in the country since being back home. Breathing the air was GLORIOUS!!! 

The restaurant was called "Unione Famigliare Reaglie" and served 5 courses: Cheeses, Risotto, Pastries, Cooked Meats in spicy pomodoro sauce (tomato), great vino, sliced pork with a tuna mayonnaise topping, and many decadent desserts. The greatest part was the trying the most native dish: Carne Crudda (RAW MEAT) It was very much a mixture of ground beef, spices, sausage, all ground into this mush like consistency, then topped with olio (olive oil) and pepe nero (black pepper). It was AMAZING. 

Aside from all of us students having the time of our lives, our two professors decided to join us:

Professoressa Simona Wright teaches Italian Language and it certainly is her passion, aside from fluently speaking English, French, German, Spanish (to name a few)

Professor Sergio Mellina teaches a wicked Cinema class. We have been studying the works of Stanley Kubrick and have already viewed The Shining and begun studying the early parts of Full Metal Jacket.

Once the night of food wound down, it was time to sing "Tanti Augarui" (Happy Birthday) to the two ladies celebrating. After a brief meeting with Profssa. Simona (teaching me how to serenade in the Italiano translation) I sang, got to the last verse, belted out the last note for a very long time, and finished with a "cheers!"

Finally, our waitresses brought us some fabulous desserts..

It was a lovely night and I can't wait to see what more is in-store for my last two weeks!!!!

I am taken to St. Peter’s square, as I think it’s called. I’m not sure because that whole entire area is a massive circle, but I digress. Walking out into it was one of those very few precious moments of life where the air in your lungs is completely sucked out of your body. And you gasp. Because the connection between your eyes, your brain, and your breathing is completely interrupted by something phenomenal. And that was this area. To the front is St. Peter’s Basilica, in the center are two grand fountains, and surrounding are tall statues of the Saints.

The Vatican had blown us away entirely as we made our way to St. Peter’s. There could not possibly be anything more magnificent than seeing the Sistine Chapel. It’s grandeur and power and detail above decadent marble floors. But it was filled with tourists, (I was one in the crowd) from all over, pushing and shoving and yelling and being shushed and taking pictures illegally. All losing respect for the foundation. Staring at Michelangelo’s creation was a bittersweet process. A process of trying to see (not look) at art while blocking out the distractions.

We made our way up a marble staircase, and some of the women (I say women out of respect) we were with had been wearing tank-tops, so they were provided at the door with complimentary shoulder-scarves. St. Peter’s Basilica. The place where the Pope preaches. Am I really here?

The interior was not at all what I had expected. I’d been to St. Patrick’s Cathedral on 5^th Ave., The Duomo in Milano, a few smaller cathedral’s in Asti, and a small chapel on 47^th Street. But this was not like any of those. They are all beautiful. But this made me feel like a fleck of dust in a wildly immense universe. It was, without doubt, the most beautiful place I’ve ever been in. Ever. The statues and the gold, the windows and the explosive alter. All streaming into my sight. I was overtaken by all of it. That people without computers, without cars, without calculators, without electricity, without a lightbulb, would create something so perfect based on the idea that there might be a higher power watching them, and providing life to them. And showing them that it is possible that each person in this world, no matter the consequence, can do great things.

And after having a very good feeling inside, my group began to wander up towards the middle of the Basilica while I stayed back, still taking in everything I saw. It was at this point that I had the notion to sing in St. Peter’s Basilica. Why not, right? Just to test to acoustics of the most well-acoustically laid out piece of architecture in the world. So I prepared myself. I hummed a note in my head, one that wasn’t too high or low, right in the middle of my range. I wet my lips, produced an O shape with my mouth, and looked towards the ceiling. And this is where my life took a very quick spin.

It was at this moment, when my voice let out that random note, at the same time did St. Peter’s organist and a women’s choir began to harmonize with a sound I’ve never heard. Simultaneously, a choir and organ joined me at the exact second I sang. That in the history of the universe, the one moment that I would be standing in the back of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and do something out of the ordinary, did that organist press his fingers on the keys, and that conductor bring in the choir. And it was then that your narrator realized that his soul was in some way or another connected to music. Completely connected. Mad goosebumps ran across my arms and chills flowed up my spine as the early signs of tears formed in my eyes. Did that really just happen?

Perhaps it is a very good sign that I joined Rowan’s Men’s Choir for next semester.

I listened to the choir do their thing and move me out of my body. Then I suddenly came across the La Pieta (The Piety) which is probably the most famous statue ever cut in stone (other than King David in the buff)

I learned in my Art 101 class back about two years ago in Gloucester County College, that the La Pieta was carved by Michelangelo…but he made a mistake. If you’d notice carefully, Mary is holding Jesus after he is taken off the cross. The mistake made was that Jesus’ body is proportionately smaller than Mary’s body.

I was slightly emotional after the few experiences in the Basilica, but this one topped it pretty much. It was so real, such emotion cut into a rock. Such a scene. And as I was staring at this mother holding her son, I realized that Michelangelo did not make a mistake at all. When you see the statue and realize the “mistake” it makes far more sense out of the moment that the statue depicts. If I had to take a guess, I’d say that it was with the La Pieta that Michelangelo said: “this is what this scene means.” Perhaps the religious flow of the two most famous of his works, God creating Adam, and The Piety, were not just for religious purposes. No. Perhaps these were more than just a scene in a book. Perhaps they were more than just a commission. Maybe there was more Michelangelo was trying to say. Something about parents. And if he is out there in the universe somewhere wondering if anyone understood those two pieces of work, he may sleep peacefully. 

And he was right.

(to be continued...)

The internet in my apartment has been down all week and I've been yearning to update everyone on my little trip last weekend. A group of about 10 of us went to Rome last weekend to escape school and Torino. Torino, don't-get-me-wrong, is absolutely wonderful, but it was time to see a change of scenery. I was very excited to be in Rome and see all of the wonderful sights, but it was the sights that I didn't go to see that surprised me the most. But first, the Roman stuff:

We all piled in two train cabins overnight and got very little sleep for eight hours onboard. I slept closest to the door, kept it shut and laid my legs across the front of the cabin so someone would have to touch them to enter. Had to be VERY careful in Rome and on the train...there were plenty of "creepers." In fact, around 3:30am, a very shady strange looking man opened our door and was staring at the girls, as he began to enter, he accidentally brushed up against my leg and quickly I woke up. I'm usually a pretty nice guy, but he got a foot in the stomach and a slammed door in the face. It was a second class a dog-eat-dog train ride. 

CULTURE SHOCK #11 (for creepy men on trains) - Beware of crazy white boys. Like me. Come near my girls and I'll beat the s-word out of you. 

Moving on to ROMA!!!! We all went straight into exploring the beautiful city. Many people say it is the most beautiful city in the entire world. Most of those people have probably never been to New York City, but I will say it was quite beautiful. Breathtaking really. The majority of the time there I could hardly believe I was actually in Rome staring at what I only dreamed of seeing!

The first place we visited was the Roman Forum. This was where all the senators and officials would me, thousands of years ago, to discuss...politics (what else right?) and how to off Julius Ceaser. Also here was the crematorium where Ceaser's body was cremated. People still bring flowers to the monument. 

And after the Forum, we went to the Colusseum. Which was incredible!

Then we did the vatican and Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel bore the artwork of Michelangelo, and the great portrait of God creating Adam, which reminded me of Children of Eden, on of my favorite musicals about families. And thus I missed my family.

Then came St. Peter's Basilica....

...which changed my life a little bit...

(to be continued...)

It is with warning and apology that I must post this. Perhaps it should stay in the deep confines of my journal, but I think it's important for people to know to stay away from the "Discoteca." Italy is the most beautiful place I've ever been, and it's Discotecas have been the most disgusting. I literally left the group so I could sit in a corner and write this. Thats all I wrote, I hope it makes sense. I'm taking a weekend in ROMA so be ready for a juicy blog on all the great sights there!

All The Brilliant Minds By Day

Like everywhere

there is a centre of waste.

A dumping ground of the

disgusting filthy minds and

truths of why young people

are losing their respect

or self-respect.

Am I one of them?

Am I really watching this?

Sitting up here in what feels

like a massive cloud of 

benches, beer and 

debauchery, sitting alone.

Watching the moon, hoping

you’re looking at the same one.

Watching the sweat drip off

their brows, their scents,

their bodies jolting vicariously 

as false beams of light and 

over saturated colors pierce 

through the heavy beats we 

want to call music. 

How none of it 

or them will ever

“slice the air”

as the poets have described it.

No matter how loud they scream

No matter how hard they try or

how soaked and fast their minds

are running, every night. Coming

home and crying that we are

utterly floored and flabbergasted 

that they actually are NOT here

to make our mistakes for us, no matter

what we see during the day.

It doesn’t matter. This is NOT why

I came to this country. 

“Hey kid! I speak ENGLISH!”

“Get away from me A**@^#*!”

“Wipe that look off of your face,

...you’re not in your country anymore, kid”

I refuse to live another night of

what can be found readily available 

in the neighboring city. That place is 

not so attractive is it? Really?

Must we be the helpless hopeless ones?

That pit about as hot as ice

and as unforgiving as a politics.

I think in the situation, 

I can honestly say

that I’m beyond my years.

How tragic. 

All those brilliant minds by day.

Not another night at the Discoteca.

So sad that we have to come across the 

ocean to obliterate our brains and

make the same choices we were 

stupid enough to make...

...back home.

“Do you wake up in the morning

and need help to lift your head?

Do you read obituaries and feel

jealous of the dead?

When a world thats full of color

fades to white and gray and black

When tomorrow terrifies you

but you’ll die if you look back

You don’t know.”

   -You Don’t Know

from Next To Normal.

"if anyone finds this journal/entry laying on the ground and I’m not here, you know that there was at least one person in this gigantic club that was smart enough to hate it."

Many great things are happening here!

First, I was recently informed via FACEBOOK that I'll be playing the role of "Ching Foo" in the OBSP production of Thoroughly Modern Millie this summer. However, I have not yet received a full cast list. Which means I'm still biting my nails to see everyone else. But at least I'll have some fun to come home to.

Okay, moving on...

I have been cooking some amazing meals on a tight budget and few ingredients. We have a supermercado called "PAM" only about three blocks away from us which provides easy access to affordable groceries. Mostly every night we have pasta. In fact, I think thats about all we have. BUT I've discovered many variations on the dish which keeps my room-mates from eating out and enjoying what I have in the kitchen. I'm guessing they enjoy what I cook because I get plenty of compliments ranging from "It smells so good in here!" or "You should apply for a job as a cook!" or "OMG this tastes to sooo good." Perhaps it's all lies, but I eat the food too and I'm enjoying it just as much as I think they are haha.

Here's a few things I've concocted that you might want to try as well!

CHICKEN & SPAGHETTI:

Grate breadcrumbs from a few slices of French or Italian ciabatta bread.

Coat chicken cutlets in egg and place them in hot oil in a pan. Add the grated breadcrumbs on top of the chicken as it sizzles. Fill the pan with chicken. Add rosemary, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the sizzling chicken. Then pour balsamic vinegar on top of the chicken and to the oil. 

Once the chicken is finished cooking, remove the chicken from the pan and add freshly chopped garlic, tomato, and onion to the pan you've just taken the chicken out of. You may want to add more breadcrumbs, oil, and balsamic vinegar to the pan. Add more garlic and rosemary to the sauteing vegetables. In italia, most tomato sauce is just pureed tomatoes. So grab a jar of that and add it to the mix of chicken dripping/sauteed veggies. Let this cook for a few minutes until the sauce simmers. Pour this on top of spaghetti (or gnoccii for an interesting alternative) and serve with the chicken. IT'S SO GOOD!!! Remember to NOT use spices, oils, and balsamic sparingly. Food is not meant to be eaten, it's meant to be tasted!

CULTURE SHOCK #10 - "EATALY" is my new "place."

We also have a great whole-foods market across the street from PAM. It's called "Eataly" which is a clever name for a clever place. On top of whole-foods, they have a fresh little market, WIFI service, a massive wine cellar with wine tasting appointments, a dolceria (for gelato and chocolates and treats) a section for Pizzas, breads, and sandwiches, a spot for drinks, and a great seating area. It's such a cute place and I can't wait to go back!

Thats all for now. I have so much more to update everyone on, but I have to go do my homework. We were assigned to find out favorite "gelataria" which is a pain because I can't eat gelato (so I'll just use the one I found that one crazy night when I tried some...) and to write a full entire made-up conversation with and imaginary friend in Italian. All finished by 1pm. And it's 10am right now. YIKES!!! Haha. We even have procrastination...a million miles away from home.

As if my trip could possibly get any more emotional.

Today, around 10am, I was sitting in a former underground dungeon (as myth has it) converted into a computer lab. This is where we hold our Cinema class. We've been watching different silent films to which we add our own soundtracks via our iPods. The music from the past two days have been Animal Collective (which got inside my brain and reminded me of the early part of the year) and techno...which provides a mild emotional altercation. Techno is a very strange type of music, but I was forced into it during Kahlil Gunther's Music Tech. class my sophomore year of high school, and just recently introduced to me earlier this year. It's a thick beat with electronic sounds clipped over and over. But, for some trippy reason, it gets inside my veins and it makes my body vibrate with a new re-invention of sound.

But today was where I hit the rock bottom. 

CULTURE SHOCK #9 - Even on the other side of the world, in an underground dungeon in Northern Italia, the great american musical can link the loving energized past with the transient present. 

Today, our professor, Mellina, moved into the 1950s with a classic movie that introduced the production of silent movies into "talkies" (movies with sound). Singin' In the Rain resonated through our pitch black brick room with the same power it produced when it first premiered. I've always loved SITR, I was even in a stage-musical production during my freshman year at Woodstown High School. But today, I found a new appreciation for that film. And perhaps it wasn't even the film, or the story, or the stars that made the moment for me.

It was the fact that it was a musical.

A great American musical.

I laughed as Cosmo flopped around during "Make 'Em Laugh." I gave a little applause at the end of the wildly-impressive tap dance break during "Moses Supposes," and I smiled WIDELY during my favorite number (which I sing almost every morning I wake up early, or stay up too late): "Good Morning!" And I have not cried once this entire trip.

But then the time came for Gene Kelly to sing the title number at the end of the first act. "Singin In the Rain." Dancing through the dark streets in the pouring rain with a grin from cheek to cheek, belting the number that would immortalize him as the GOD of song-and-dance men. I saw him, and that scene, and I realized what it all meant. Even in those dark rainy places, it's possible to be full of joy and happiness. And that moment in that movie is a scene that every actor associates with the concept of musical theatre/movies, and why we do what we do.

And realizing that, the tears started forming. Not alot, and quick enough to wipe off before Mellina turned the lights back on. But they formed because the power of the musical linked me back to my home. It was the first time on this trip that I realized what it means to truly miss one's family. And I do miss them. I miss my mom and dad and Joey and Heather who are more supportive than anyone I've ever known. I miss Lauren. I miss my friends. I miss my job (which is more like one big old family...and I mean old in the literal sense) And this movie made me seriously miss the Off Broad Street Players Theatre Company in a very emotional way. I've been eagerly awaiting the e-mail with the TMM cast list, but I forgot about that and remembered everything great in the theatre back home. And the way they measure their lives in love. And with my job back home. And with my friends back home. And with the new public defender back home (i hope I'm allowed to publish that publicly heheheee). And most of all, with my family back home. "Family", in every sense of the word.

I know I've said to all of you that "I miss you!" But today, I realized what that means. And I meant it today.