Category Archives: Guest Blogger

We are accustomed to keeping business cards, tickets, napkins and every imaginable scrap from our travels. Some of our favorite finds we unearthed thanks to this extensive collection. But our efforts pale in comparison to those of our Guest Blogger, Jane’s. After spending the summer in Florence with Select Study Abroad, she put together what is nothing less than a work of art; a visual explosion of all the amazing memories from our summer together. Now, because we asked very very nicely, she has been so kind as to let us display this masterpiece. Below, see some of the amazing pages from her scrapbook with descriptions of the themes that inspired each one. Keep in mind that we are only seeing a small portion of what she made. It is a testament to an absolutely amazing summer that, thanks to her generosity, we can now enjoy as well! Thank you Jane!
Let the preview begin! Continue Reading…

Technorati Tags: Florence study abroad, Italy, study abroad

A delicious Italian granita…read on to see how you can enjoy one at home!

Jane was a Select Study Abroad student this past summer and one of the most enthusiastic people we have every met. Before we arrived to a new city she had already picked three places she wanted to eat and had convinced several others to join her. No one was EVER disappointed with a Jane “selection.” She has excellent taste and is an avid researcher. At Select Study Abroad we feel similarly – NEVER waste a trip or a meal. There are too many amazing things and too little time to waste not doing (and eating!) the very best. So when her enthusiasm turned to a little something we call a granita well…she could not be stopped. Not even, apparently, when she returned home! Thanks to her unquenchable thirst for life and delicious icy watermelon she came up with this easily reproducible recipe you can use at home. Granita party anyone? I think we all owe her big time. Thank you Jane!!

As a kid, my dad would take me on gelato adventures before my ballet classes. I loved the delicate flavors and mouth-feel of the gelato – creamy, but not cloying. There was a little family run farm near my ballet studio in Natick, MA, and they made their own gelato from scratch. There were no glaring artificial colors, the labels were in Italian, and the stracciatella, or chocolate chip, had whole sheets of delectable chocolate tucked into the folds of vanilla. I collected the spoons, and a tower of plastic petaled dishes accumulated in the back of the pantry. When asked to choose between a true dedication to dance and my weekly habit, I promptly ended my dancing career. Continue Reading…

Technorati Tags: granita, Italian food, Recipe

Welcome our Guest Blogger, Deb!

Deb was a Select Study Abroad student and hands-down one of the most adventurous eaters I have ever met (and she has steep competition, ahem, Jane…). I loved that if we told her to try something she didn’t hesitate. It was after our very first day in Florence that she fell in love with a little panino (sandwich) shop and well…let’s just say it verged into the realm of obsession. We here at Select Study Abroad encourage that…especially when it comes to food in our favorite city. Going to Florence, Italy? You will want to know about this… Continue Reading…

Technorati Tags: cheap eats, Florence, Florence tips, hidden, Italy, off-the-beaten-path, travel