Harry Potter and The Joshua Tree

I did it! I saw Harry Potter (in English) here in Italy!

Since I first learned that I would be spending my summer here in Tuscany, I've dreaded the HP release and knew that I wouldn't want to see it first in Italian...but lucky me, a theater in Florence plays it three times a day in its original English. Yay!

Kerry at Hard Rock in a Giant Chair

A classmate, Kerry, and I took the bus into Florence-- the correct bus-- and spent a few hours shopping and lazing about.  I mentioned how much I love Italian food, but was seriously missing my American burger and fries, and she suggested hitting the Hard Rock Cafe.  Yes, I know that the food there is terrible.  Yes, I understand that I am wasting a meal on a burger and fries when I could be eating fresh pasta.  Whatever! My burger and fries were delicious!

At once, I declared the day to be America day in Italy.

This Hard Rock had bas reliefs and statues mixed in with the a guitar from Disturbed and Stevie Nicks's dress...really?

We met another classmate, Adam, while in Florence and he joined us for the film.  We were all very happy to see that the theater was nothing like American theaters! We had yellow velvet plush chairs (with double armrests), statues of the muses above the screen, and some snacks.  Kerry was disappointed with the lack of fresh popcorn; they only carried the pre-made in a bag kind. I, however, was quite excited by my pack of peanut M&Ms.

You're not in the Altamonte Springs theater anymore.

The movie was fantastic...some things I might've been a little disappointed about, but still a great piece of cinema. I just can't believe it's over.  So much of the last eleven/twelve years has been teaching, reading, and discussing these phenomenal pieces of YA lit...and now, sadly, it feels over.

I guess I'll have to start rereading from the beginning when I get back home! :)

Kerry, Adam, and I had an hour to kill before the bus back to Siena, so we stopped into a little dive bar called The Joshua Tree. My rum and coke was more rum than coke, but Kerry was able to get a Murphys that was "poured correctly."

With five minutes left before we needed to board the bus, Adam managed to finish all of our unfinished drinks! :)