Part I - Italia

Italy

Italy is a beautiful country. From the pizza to the Pisa, it’s a great country all around.

It is located in Europe, surrounded by France and Switzerland. The country itself is shaped like a boot with a heel. Its’ capital city is Rome.

The entire population of Italy is roughly 60.72 million according to the census conducted in 2011. Its’ neighboring country, France, has around 65.43 million people. And in comparison, the United States has approximately 313.9 million citizens.

One remarkable tourist attraction in Italy is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The tower is about 186.02 feet at its’ tallest point. It leans to the side because of a malfunction in construction. The builders of the monument never anticipated that the ground was too weak on one side to withstand the weight of the structure. Construction began on August 14th, 1173. It carried on in three short time periods over the span of 344 years. It is a major tourist fascination, admired by people from all over the world, every single day.

Another unforgettable hot spot for travelers is The Coliseum. The Coliseum (Colosseum) is also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. It is built of concrete and stone and was one of the biggest amphitheaters in Roman Empire history. It was constructed in AD 70-80. It holds between 50,000 to 80,000 viewers and was used for gladiatorial contests and shows. Many different acts would be performed there like dramatic plays of Greek mythology. After the early medieval era, The Coliseum ceased to be used for entertainment purposes. Its’ existence was a rare representation of early Roman Empire history and is so significant in Italy, that it is engraved on their 5-cent euro piece.

          

        Overall, Italians are famous for their accent, fashion, opera, culture, and definitely their food! They are known for their world-famous Italian chefs, sauces, pastas, pizzas, and more. The dinner table is never empty and if you pass any authentic Italian bakery, you can smell the sweet scent of fresh baked goods.  Many great artists and sophisticated people have had Italian origins, me included. One key person that has Italian roots is Julius Caesar. He was a well-respected Roman soldier during that time period. Italy is a cultured country and is a refined place to visit.

    

        I chose Italy because I desired to learn more about my Italian heritage and get a feel for what I can expect when I study abroad after college in Europe. I plan on visiting this beautiful country and enjoying every aspect of it. It’s proved to be a marvelous vacation spot that hold a lot of history and artistic values. I’ve learned about the culture, famous monuments, and basic facts about the country of Italy. There is not a more fabulous place south of Switzerland!

What's Coming Up

Fellow bloggers & blog-viewers,

I am starting a new series of posts! I completed a couple articles during the summer about the most iridescent countries, cities, and states in the world. I have only done roughly 4 of them, but if I get good feedback from you guys, I will surely post more! You can expect to see within the next few days featurettes including:

• Part I - Italia
• Part II - Egypt
• Part III - Missoula, Minnesota
• Part IIII - Sarasota, Florida
• To be continued...

I will post the first one tonight. I hope you all look forward to this (my first series - eeeeekkk!) I know that I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the increasing pageviews! I can't wait! :~)

Tell your friends & share! 

- Danielle Kuzel

(author and owner)

SRQ's Own QVC

SRQ's Own QVC

Feature by Danielle Kuzel 

Does 8201 or 3501 South Tamiami Trail, ring any bells? Most students at Riverview High School may not be familiar with their addresses, but they are certified experts in knowing which malls and which stores to shop at.

Westfield Sarasota Square is a Friday-night-teen-haven that is renowned for their prime location and family friendly environment. This Potter Parkway hotspot provides a welcoming atmosphere from the time you walk through the door and grab a stroller, until the time you pass through miniature kiddie tables located in the food court on your way out.

On the other hand, Westfield Southgate mall is laden with sophisticated, cosmopolite women meeting their friends for brunch. The high level of class portrayed by this mall is eminent from the time you enter Saks Fifth Avenue and leave through tall, grand doors.

Riverview students have generously weighed in on the matter of which store was their favorite. According to a recent poll that was conducted (by asking 100 Riverview students what their favorite store was), the range of best stores to hit is quite large, but a few favorites can be easily picked out. Over 27% of students have said that “Forever 21” was their favorite store.

“Forever 21 is my favorite place to shop. I like their clothes and good prices,” said Kaitlyn Burrell, class of 2017.

Forever 21 is a store primarily for females that sells everything a girl can dream of from fuzzy sweaters to pink bows – all for a very affordable cost.

Other really favorable stores include: Pacific Sun wear (or Pac Sun), Delia’s, Hot Topic, and Hollister. This accounts for another 27% of the votes.

Pac Sun is a beachwear stores whose prices range from thirty to sixty dollars.

“Pac Sun has ten times better quality than Forever 21,” said Sarah Moyer, class of 2017.

Delia’s is a store that is “girly, basic, and very hipster.” Hot Topic is an edgy store that sells pop-culture based merchandise. Hollister, a store that originated in Hollister, California, is “expensive, yet worth spending a lot,” according to Lyndsey Jones, a freshman at RHS.

Twenty five percent of participants also said that they liked shops such as: Claire’s, Cotton On, Charlotte Russe, American Eagle, Aeropostale, Spencer’s, Urban Outfitters, and H+M.

“H + M has very inexpensive and fashionable clothing items… they are much better than Forever 21 and Pac Sun,” said Helen Zarling, an avid shopper and student, class of 2017.

An alarming amount of teenage boys (5% in all) have said that their favorite store is Victoria’s Secret.

“I like that store because of the models,” said Brandon Lup, a sophomore.

On the contrary, 4% of the males that were polled, prefers to focus on sports, which is why they have voted their favorite store to be Lids or Champs.

“I go there [to Champs] to buy shoes and equipment. It helps me with basketball,” said Ross Mayper, a basketball player and student, class of 2017.

Surprisingly enough, 8% of people said that the most outstanding “store” or “place to spend time” is the AMC theater and food court – specifically Chik-Fil-A.

“We mostly get middle schoolers and high schoolers that frequently hang out at the mall,” said Darsie Strother, Chik-Fil-A employee and Riverview High School student, class of 2015.

So the next time you visit the mall, impress the cashier with the abundant amount of facts you now know, regarding Riverview High School students’ favorite stores.

 Who knows? They may even give you a discount.

Little Red Notebook

Go. Gain knowledge.

You deserve nothing less than the best for yourself. As soon as you become satisfied with your education, health, and life, you can help others be just as content with their own.

You are entitled to every ounce of knowledge your brain can soak up.

Complete the extra credit. Read catastrophically into the wee hours of the night. Go the extra mile. Finish the 3 bonus pages. Stay up until 1 AM. Make good first impression, heck – be a teacher’s pet if you have to. Stay after school in the library. Host study parties before big tests.

Do these things for you and you only.

Imagine holding up the valedictorian prize or your first best seller.

Nothing’s more important than this.

Be curious. Stay alert. Get determined. Act motivated.

The key is dedication.

Go out into the world and leave a genius legacy behind.

Make your dreams into a reality.

Prosper.

Cory Monteith - Forever in Our Hearts

Cory Monteith – Forever in Our Hearts
          Editorial by Danielle Kuzel and Alyssa Krampits

As we wind down into the mundane routine of everyday life, someone still manages to cross our minds. Six months ago to the day, Cory Monteith, a beloved actor and singer, tragically died from an accidental heroin overdose.

Cory Monteith was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on May 11^th, 1982. From the ages of 12 to 16, he moved to 9 different rehabilitation schools for troubled teens. From the start, he was always an anxious kid, but no one had seen his potential until he became an actor.

Monteith, most famously known for his role as on Glee, had a humble start. He began his acting career in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He starred as minor roles in Smallville, Supernatural, and eventually worked his way up to starring in movies like, Monte Carlo.

In 2009, Monteith was casted by director Ryan Murphy to play one of the leads, Finn Hudson, in the hit Fox WTVT TV show series, Glee. After 4 years and counting, the cast was extremely disconsolate to hear of his death. The show paid tribute with an entire episode dedicated to Finn’s passing.

Monteith died on July 13^th, 2013, at age 31, in a Vancouver hotel room. When Montieth was meant to check out but failed to, hotel employees went into his room to find a place inhabited by empty champagne bottles, empty syringes and pill bottles, and Monteith’s dead body.

Of all of the people who were most torn up about this, Lea Michele, Cory’s love interest on and off screen, was by far the worst – and yet the strongest. After only a mere 2 months after his death, Lea came back to the Glee set to film his episode.

A hardworking and charismatic man, one of Hollywood’s most loved actors, Cory Monteith, passed away six months ago. We will always remember his kind spirit and uphold the lasting legacy he left with us.