The best pizza in Florence

His name is Vincenzo.
If you meet him and eat his pizza, you'll never forget him.

The place is called "Caffè Italiano", and it's just steps away from Piazza della Signoria, in a tiny street called Via delle Stinche:

What you'll see is a beautiful restaurant (great for special occasions!) but if you pay attention you'll notice that one of the doors (the third in this photo) actually lets you in a small pizza place with a beautiful wood-burning oven and a smiling man behind it - that's the famous Pizzeria del Caffè Italiano, and he is famous Vincenzo!

Look how beautiful the restaurant is!

...and this is Vincenzo's famous bancone where he mixes just a few, fresh and high quality ingredients to make his delicious pizza

He only uses flower, water, fresh tomatoes, basil, and of course high quality olive oil.

You can choose between three types of pizza, all of which have the tomato sauce base:
-Marinara: with tomato and garlic
-Margherita: with mozzarella and basil
-Napoletana: with mozzarella, anchovies and capers (very tasty!)

You might wonder: why only three?
Well, because that's how real pizza is! - Vincenzo explained to me. In Naples, where he comes from and where pizza was invented, the best pizza is the most simple: marinara. And that's what he prepares for his clients: excellence and simplicity - a perfect combination.

...and here it is:

I can smell the perfume just looking at the photo...yum!

Enjoy!

Autumn: ecological shopping?

Autumn has come!
How delightful to come back to Florence from a weekend at the beach and discover that the city climate isn't that bad after all...!
Over the past weeks I have suffered the poor air quality, feeling quite frustrated at the thought that I live in the pedestrian area where, in theory, cars shouldn't circulate. I say in theory because taxis are exempt from this rule, and scooters seem to simply ignore it.


Last Spring the new young Florentine Mayor, Matteo Renzi, introduced significant changes in car circulation by closing to traffic two important streets, Via Tornabuoni (the famous luxury-shopping district) and Via Guicciardini (that runs from Ponte Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti). 

He made this difficult choice a year after deciding to close to traffic the whole area around beautiful Duomo - which gave rise to months and months of polemics. 

One the reasons behind these choices is to reduce air pollution. Florence is in a valley, sorrounded by hills, and air is oftentimes stagnant. On lovely autumn days like today fresh breezes sweep away the pollution, but this of course isn't sufficient to guarantee decent air quality in such a densely populated environment - hence the traffic changes. 

The so-called pedonalizzazione wasn't welcomed by everyone with a smile. 
Many shopkeepers expressed frustration out of the belief that their clients wouldn't shop in their stores unless they could drive right by them. This is clearly not the case: car-free streets are, in fact, even more likely to become shopping districts precisely because they are safer and nicer to walk through. One example for all: Borgo la Croce (the pedestrian street that runs from Sant'Ambrogio to Piazza Beccaria) is always packed with shoppers, especially on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, when Italians enjoy the classic weekend pastime: passeggiata.


I must say that local shopkeepers seem to display unreasonable behaviour, and their hostility towards pedestrian areas is only one of the possible examples.
One of the strangest and most unreasonable behaviours I have witnessed is the following: in Summer shops will have the air conditioning full-blast but all the doors wide open. In winter, same thing: hot air at full regimen, but doors open to the elements.


Last winter Florence had an unprecedented snowstorm: the whole city stopped in its tracks because of how much snow fell in just a few hours. And the shopkeepers? Doors wide open, heat full blast, snow blowing in.
I was walking around when I got caught in the snowstorm and took refuge in a popular bag and accessories store called Segue. I walked in and shut the door behind me. The young employee rushed up to me and scolded me: "You can't close the door!". 
I was shocked and pointed out: "It's snowing inside!", to which I received the same answer: "You simply can't close it!!". 
I was so outraged that I went back out in the storm - to be inside and get snowed on, may as well be out in the street, don't you think?



In the years, talking with many many shopkeepers, I learned that they believe that if they don't keep their doors open clients will not step in. And they appear unwilling to revisit their position and recognize that it's based on false beliefs - people are generally accustomed to opening doors in order to get inside shop, and they generally don't associate a closed door with an unwelcoming shopkeeper, or with the obligation to purchase something if they enter the store). 


Moreover, most shopkeepers appear unwilling to reflect on the fact that their behaviour determines an outrageous energetic consumption that nullifies the eventual benefit of a few extra clients. Again, they are unwilling to see that their behaviour is counter-beneficial because in the winter clients freeze in the front side of the store which is open to the elements and roast to death in the over-heated back; while in the summer customers freeze in the super-cold shops, only to suffocate when they walk on the sidewalk outside because of the excessive exhaust produced by the over-running air-conditioning. Finally, shopkeepers are unwilling to see how short-sighted their behaviour is, given that this ludicrous energy expenditure is polluting the environment in horrific ways and is depleting resources.


Ironically, shopkeepers make life miserable for the shoppers that they struggle to attract. Sadly, most pedestrians blame solely the harsh Florentine climate for its blasting hot summer days, without recognizing that the city itself produces way more heat than it would if shop-owners made reasonable and sensible choices.


I think that we should all contribute to making Florence a better place to visit and to live in. We can make such a difference in life-quality by making small, every day choices!
I've been asking shop-owners to close their doors, and I have also considered doing more serious research, and presenting shops with some nice hard-data that demonstrates how consumer behaviour is different from what they imagine. And mostly: if all shops in Florence kept their doors closed, it would become the norm, and nobody would ever think that it has any meaning - apart from: "I'm a sensible person"!!!


You can make a difference too, even if you spend just a few days, or even hours, in this beautiful city - and if you do make the choice to contribute to the quality of life in Florence, do write to me and tell your story! I would love to share it on this blog.

For you readers of this blog (thank you!)

I am very excited to see the public to my blog grow every day! I love having the possibility to share information, thoughts and ideas with people from different parts of the world: Italy, Germany, the US, Russia...
I would love to receive comments from all these readers; it's nice to write, even nicer to receive feedback.
Who are you guys reading this blog? What drew you to it? Are you thinking about visiting this beautiful city?
Do you perhaps already live here, and enjoy reading a different point of view?
In any case, thank you everyone for taking your time to read what I carefully write many days of the week. It makes a difference for me.

Ceramics in Florence: some reflections on crafts and art

Yesterday I visited the Fiera Internazionale della Ceramica (international ceramics exhibition) in Piazza Santissima Annunziata in Florence. It was absolutely amazing, and I plan on going back today to shoot photos and write a full reportage on the event to post on this blog.

Ceramic vase by Paolo Staccioli

I met a variety of artists and had in-depth conversations with a few of them. We discussed the creative process, from inspiration to realization, and address the difficult topic of pricing: how can one price an object that is completely made by hand, and do so by acknowledging both the artists' effort and potential customers' price expectations?

Ceramic vase by Paolo Staccioli

I thought that their price range (5€ for a small coffee cup, up to 800-1000 for a very big decorated vase, but most around 50€) was absolutely fair for the quality of items sold. In fact, I could almost say that I felt that prices could even be a little higher - but would people buy them in that case?

Ceramic vase by Paolo Staccioli

Moreover: how does context affect pricing? If the same objects were in an art gallery, how would their price vary?

The works by Tuscan ceramicist Paolo Staccioli offer some insight. He creates ceramic vases and sculptures, all beautifully decorated and so colourful and bright that an exhibition of his was entitled "Le gioiose ceramiche di Paolo Staccioli" - the joyful ceramics of Paolo Staccioli. And indeed joyful they are! Just looking at his whimsical characters one feels better about life! Men and women either blissful or lost in deep reflection remind us of the poetry and depth of human existence.

Ceramic and metal sculpture by Paolo Staccioli

His vases often feature versions of classical themes, especially horses, their powerful bodies chasing one another on the shiny curved surface.

Ceramic vase by Paolo Staccioli

The exhibition I mentioned was held in 2005-2006 in Palazzo Pitti, and it was groundbreaking not only because one of the most important Florentine museums hosted a form of art considered minor in Italy, but also because it was one of the first times that it showcased works by a living artist!

Ceramic sculpture by Paolo Staccioli

This exhibition raises various important questions, and in particular: what is the difference between Staccioli's work regularly featured in galleries and the work I saw yesterday? And do they justify the extraordinary price difference? Is it a matter of categories, so that Staccioli's work should be considered art, while the other is craft? These questions are intertwined with the issue of pricing.

Ceramic vase by Paolo Staccioli

Being an artist myself, I tend to think that art is characterized by masterful technique combined with valid concept. To have a piece of art you need both: breathtaking technique, but also an idea behind it.
Craft doesn't necessarily involve concept: it is usually beautiful work, but it is mainly driven by technique (and I'm only talking about high quality crafts, of course).

Is this what makes the difference in price? The idea? Or is it location - the fact that a piece of "art" is sold in an art gallery (which automatically gives the object a high status) while craft can be sold in simple locations such as the open air market I visited yesterday?
At the same time, various items I saw yesterday had the qualities I would attribute to a true work of art, so why were they shown in this small fair? Did the craftsman/woman not acknowledge for themselves the identity of artist?

I don't have a clear answer (yet!). But I do know that I fell in love with many objects I saw yesterday, and I am grateful that I can actually afford some of them - while I cannot afford a piece by Staccioli.

At the same time, as I purchased my "Eve" vase from a young Florentine female ceramicist, and I admired its beautiful female form reminiscent of the primitive Venuses I so much love, I felt I should have paid more for it.

Getting lost in Florence - the best thing that ever happened to you

Imagine walking across the Arno river and getting lost in a maze of little streets. You walk uncertain of your bearings, and make the wisest choice: ignore your map, go with the flow!

It's a Saturday morning, the city is slowly waking up, and you are the only person around.
You wander taking in the odor of fresh pastries and the unexpected sight of empty neighborhoods.
You delight in your solitude: you feel free.

You decide it's time for a cappuccino. You are in a small, quaint piazza sorrounded by restaurants with outside tables and enclosed by low buildings: it's called Piazza della Passera.

Just by chance, you see the perfect place for breakfast right there in front of you. It's called Caffè degli Artigiani, the artisans' cafè.

(By the way: did you notice the strange street sign on the right? Why is a little black man carrying the "wrong way" bar? If you pay attention you'll notice all around Florence street signs have been transformed in works of art, and the author of this beautiful urban exhibition is Clet, French artist who has been living in Italy for two decades. I'll dedicate a whole post to him, because he really deserves it. His at once whimsical and thought provoking installations have made the whole city reflect on the importance of contemporary art that can speak to people today, highlighting the need to support art for present times, not just preserve the old masterpieces).

But getting back to your breakfast! You enter the café, and discover that it is not only beautiful and welcoming, but also filled with great looking things to eat!

As you look around, you notice that the walls are covered by an interesting collage of hundreds and hundreds of faces: they are customers and people from the neighborhood, all happily posing for this unusual take on wallpaper.

You can order directly at the counter if you wish to eat sitting on the tall stools by the collage. You can also decide you deserve a special morning, and treat yourself to sipping your hot coffee sitting at one of the tables outside (in this case the barista will bring you breakfast when it's ready: go out and pick a seat!).
And by the way, if you are in Florence in Spring, while sitting outside with your back to the café turn your head to the left and look up the wall just a few meters down: it is covered by incredible blossoming wisteria. And if its sight takes your breath away, wait 'til you notice the perfume!!!

You can sit for as long as you wish: this is one of the most beautiful places to take your time and read, write your journal, or just people-watch.

When you're ready to get up (you can always come back!!) walk around the corner to Via de' Ramaglianti (this  is your two minute route) and another surprise awaits you: leather artisan workshop Monaco Metropolitano.

This is HEAVEN for those of us who appreciate unique, one-of-a-kind bags and accessories made completely by hand. And when I say completely by hand I mean it! They don't even use a sewing machine: they purchase gorgeous pieces of leather in the neighboring town of Santa Croce sull'Arno (world-famous for its leather production), cut it, make small holes in it with an appropriate tool, and then double-stitch it by passing special waxed thread through the holes.

Walking in all your senses will be aroused: your eyes will enjoy the soft colours of the decor and delicate lighting, your nose will be inebriated by the strong but pleasant odour of leather, and if you touch any of their products your fingers will tell you that  it is an amazing experience to hold one of their bags even just for a moment - imagine for a lifetime!

They create leather bags, wallets, and recently even custom shoes - all with an eye towards tradition (high quality materials and techniques guarantee a virtually eternal life-span) while maintaining a strong sensibility to contemporary life. Their designs are compelling, interesting, and also well-made - can't get better than that!

So, next time you walk around Florence, decide to get lost!
It will be the beginning of an unforgettable day.

(and in case you're curious of where exactly these awesome places are, check how easy it is to find them: )

Folon in the Rose Garden - contemporary art exhibition opening tonight in Florence

Florence has a thriving contemporary art scene. Most days of the week, most weeks of the year, one can find an incredible variety of openings.
Most private galleries are located throughout the city center in beautiful historic buildings, and their fantastic contemporary interior design combines beautifully with the ancient stone pavements and wooden beam ceilings.
But art isn't only located inside: Florence will make your head spin with sculptures situated all over the city, and today one of its most special places, the rose garden in San Niccolò, will host the opening of an incredible exhibition: Folon's whimsical sculptures.
The rose garden, Giardino delle Rose, is located right outside the city walls close to Piazzale Michelangelo. It is one of the most beautiful places in the city, from which you can enjoy an amazing view of all the main monuments and buildings.

It was created in 1865 by the same architect that designed the famous Piazzale, Giuseppe Poggi; he was assigned this job to make Florence even more magnificent, given that the capital of the newly created Italian state was about to be moved from Turin to Florence itself.

This small urban paradise is the perfect location for a lovely day relaxing in the green; virtually unknown to tourists, it offers beautiful slopes of soft green grass on which one can lie down and read a book.

Hundreds of rose bushes and other plants offers shade and privacy. And don't miss the beautiful terrace!

In 1998 a Japanese architect donated a Japanese garden, which is now connected to the rose garden by a small passage.

At 5:30 tonight this incredible location will be made even more beautiful by a number of works of art donated by late Folon's wife, Paola Ghiringhelli.

Imagine looking at Florence through Folon's memorable suitcase, Partir (to leave): what a beautiful omen to all our future travels!

Once again: enjoy!

Gelato in Florence - a bittersweet taste?

It's not easy to find quality food in Florence. Sad truth.
A lot of what the city offers, especially in the historic center, is very standardized, low-quality food. What makes it even worse, is that it is very expensive. At times, prohibitively expensive.

Last Spring many local newspapers covered stories that described the world of gelato. Not just any gelato, but the gelato that you'll find if you are craving the sweet delicacy while strolling the streets in the neighborhood of Ponte Vecchio, the famous old bridge that connects the Duomo area with Oltrarno, "the other side" - what the locals collectively call the quarters of Santo Spirito, San Niccolò and San Frediano. And of course, if you're a tourist in Florence, you will walk in that neighborhood (not to mention: if you do so in a hot summer day, you definitely will want gelato). These articles stirred quite a debate, because journalists listed prices as high as 12 euro and more for a cone or cup of the fresh creaminess.

Locals pointed out that shops go way too far in taking advantage of the tourists' presence; moreover, they noted, such behaviour makes it almost impossible for a Florentine to enjoy some dessert. Indeed, what you're willing to pay on your romantic Italian escapade is way higher than what you'll be ok in dishing out for the same food at home - am I right? So why should it be any different for the people who live in Florence all year? Indeed it shouldn't.

This small case raises a plethora of considerations.
First of all, gelato isn't the only thing that has ridiculous prices in the city center, causing locals to seriously struggle to make ends meet. Everything from fruit to rents can go anywhere from a little more to twice, three and even four times higher than average prices in Tuscany as a whole. This has huge consequences for the locals, who end up not being able to afford to buy food, let alone pay the rent.
Landlords find it much more convenient to rent apartments for a few days at exorbitant prices to foreigners pining for the Tuscan landscapes, and that is exactly what they are doing. Buildings are filled with people that spend short amounts of time in the city and are willing to pay what it takes to give them the experience they want. And they're ok paying a lot for where they sleep, for what they eat and drink, for the gifts they bring back home, for the Italian clothes, the rental car, the amusements, the museums...

Now, if you reread this list, you'll see that it covers pretty much everything that one needs in life - leaving locals with only a few options: either suck it up and lower their lifestyle, or move. And again here we have it: people that decide to leave their lifetime neighborhoods and move outside the city center, where they simply cannot afford to live anymore. So to leave isn't only the choice of men like Lorenzo (see this post of mine) who don't like the social, cultural, and life-style turn that Florence has taken; it's also the choice of many average families that have average jobs and average stipends.

Those of us who do decide to stay in the old center have to be very creative with how we get by: we work double jobs, but we also constantly look for good-quality and well-priced places where to buy food and have fun.
It's not easy, I'll tell you! But those places are there. And I'll share one of my favourite: gelato parlor "Perchè No" (THIS) in Via dei Tavolini 19 (HERE), right between the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria.

The clue to what makes it special is in the image right above: it is "gelato artigianale", which means artisanal icecream.
We should all be picky when we decide to eat or shop in a place that describes itself as artisanal. Many use this word to attract attention, but without really having the required qualities.
Now, there are purists and less-strict people who give different definitions of this term, but generally we should say that for a product to be artisanal it has to be made entirely by hand, and by the person who sells it. Moreover, it is generally assumed that the ingredients or materials should be of high quality, and local.

So, what does it take to make artisanal gelato?

• First of all: it should ONLY be made with actual ingredients, no weird powders. And indeed Perchè No uses only fruit, milk, cream, sugar, water, chocolate, eggs, spices. That's right.
• Second: ingredients must be in season. You just can't make good strawberry icecream in the winter. Simply because fresh strawberries don't grow in the winter. And you can't make orange gelato in the summer: oranges are a winter fruit. If you get strawberry icecream in July, know that it came out of a box or a freezer! At Perchè No the menu changes seasonally. In fact, it actually changes daily! Literally! Every day of the week they have different flavours.
• Third: gelato must be made fresh every day, by hand.

And guess what? This gelateria is located right in the heart of the historic center!
I hope they stay open...and don't raise their prices. For now, amazing but true, their exquisite delicacies are actually affordable!!!

Enjoy!

A Renaissance Disneyland?

After meeting with a Florentine artisan yesterday (see my post "Tourism and artisans"), my head filled with questions so I decided to dive into the complex sociocultural reality of this city by proactively engaging in discussions with any local willing to do so. Of the many things that the artisan told me, a few struck my attention: in his opinion there are too many tourists today in Florence, most tourism is of very low quality, and this situation is a recent phenomenon - he considers 2005 to be the year in which things turned for the worse in Florence.

I was (and am) very curious to understand more about the phenomenon of tourism in Florence, and in particular how locals feel affected by it, whether positively or negatively, and why. So today I had a walk across the river and walked in another artisan's workshop; I've known the owner for various years, so I felt comfortable sharing with him my curiosity. I'll call him Lorenzo for anonymity's sake.

I asked Lorenzo what he thinks about tourism in Florence, and he bluntly told me that in his opinion it's horrible: too many people crowding the city, "consuming, consuming, consuming" and making life impossible for locals. He volunteered that Florence isn't the livable city it used to be: too many people, too many cars, low air quality, streets constantly jammed. I asked him if it's always been like this and he explained that some years ago big cruise ships started going to the Tuscan port of Livorno, "unloading" thousands of people that are then brought to Florence by bus. In his opinion this is one of the reasons for which tourism has increased exponentially - in numbers but not in quality.

I found it very interesting that Lorenzo's ideas matched perfectly Luca's (that's how I'll call the artisan I spoke with yesterday). In fact, I was thrilled to find that Lorenzo's cruise-ship theory might actually be the explanation of what Luca mentioned - the idea that tourism has grown exponentially since 2005.

Lorenzo went on to say that he's been thinking about leaving for quite some time. "Things aren't as they used to be. And they're turning for the worst". "Where will you go?" I asked him. "In the countryside, in a field, in a forest. In solitude. Away from this mess". And I know he's saying this seriously: he has worked with his hands all his life, creating in a variety of fields, and living all around the world. I know that when he says he is thinking about leaving, he means it.

I pointed out that it's unfair to have to leave one's own very home. He agreed, but he also pointed out that it's not just the overcrowded streets or dangerous traffic that compel him to seek other options; life itself has become unpleasant, people around him behave in ways that contradict the lifestyle he believes in. To quote him: "People just buy, buy, buy, consume, consume, like chickens". 

I found this harsh metaphor quite thought provoking: the consumeristic turn that Italian society has taken over the past couple decades has, in other words, made people like animals, because they have become focused solely on the material aspects of life - and this is something that should characterize other animal species, not (in theory) ours. 

To understand the depth of Lorenzo's statement you should have been with me last week, when I visited him in his workshop with some people. They asked him if he gets by (economically) with his work; he said that he doesn't earn much because his products are all hand-made and if he really valued his work he should set a higher price range, but people aren't willing to pay so much...so he must keep his prices lower, and for this reason he manages to pay the bills, but money is generally scarce.
They looked at him for a couple seconds, and then one of them asked what compels him to continue being an artisan, given that he doesn't earn much more than what he needs to pay bills. He stared at us, then turned to me and asked: "When you come here, do we have a good.looking face? Do we smile? Do we look happy?". I said that indeed they do, there's always a lovely vibe in his workshop. Lorenzo then turned to my friend and said: "That's why".

Can one live at a humaine pace within one's own workshop and home, and be satisfied, while the outside world is taking a completely different turn?
Maybe not. 

And this is why Lorenzo is thinking about leaving Florence, despite being deeply in love with this city.

I asked him what we can do about this state of things, and he said "Nothing. What can we do???". Indeed, we are overpowered by numbers. 

"And what about local politicians? Aren't they taking care of the city somehow?". "Oh those people. Leave them out of the matter. They do no good". 

What will happen if locals move out, as indeed they are? What is Florence becoming? A plastic Renaissance Disneyland?

Tourism and artisans

Today I had a wonderfully interesting experience.

I walked in the workshop of a Florentine artisan and we started talking about his sales; a huge tour group stopped in front of his shop, blocking the entrance like a live but immobile wall, their backs to us, listening to the guide. After just a few minutes, they turned to the side and walked away, without even glancing for a moment at the artisan's beautiful window display.

One woman who was with me pointed out that she would have definitely looked in the window and felt curious and compelled to come in...and that comment got me thinking...and got us talking...and we discussed what exactly is going on with contemporary tourism, how it affects Florence, and how it affects the business of this particular artisan.

He told us many things, and I learned some pretty interesting pieces of information from him:

1. Today Florence is overcrowded with masses of tourists that spend a very short amount of time here (even just an hour), visit Piazza Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, shoot a couple photos while rushing after the guide, and all along learn just about nothing of Florence itself. To quote our host, "at most, they'll buy an icecream". 

2. So not only do they not learn about Florence (despite all the language on "discover authentic Florence" that much advertisement uses), they don't even affect much the local economy.

3. What they do affect, in his opinion, is the state of Florence itself as a city, and as a world heritage: groups as big as 80 people crowd the tiny streets, stomp all over the ancient stones, use them up, even consume the works of art displayed all throughout the city..."but you can't call back Cellini to fix his own sculptures, can you?". No you can't. 

4. This mass tourism exploded around 2005. For some reason, in that period the artisan noticed an evident change: tourist groups grew in number and composition, and this is his opinion is a problem. The city is a difficult place to live, now, for locals.

Words started exploding in my head: globalization, identity, preservation, ecology...and I felt that something is deeply wrong. I also felt compelled to share this idea, to spread somehow an awareness, because it is true that quality of life is getting lower and lower, even in a beautiful place like Florence.

What can we all do to make things turn for the better?

Lemons and love

Florence is famous for so many different reasons! You really have infinite options when it comes to choosing a theme for a visit: you can have a Renaissance-art day and visit one of the many museums (or just stroll the city and admire the ancient buildings!), you can choose food as your theme and have a culinary adventure tasting your way through morning markets and afternoon shops; you can choose fashion, and enjoy the leather goods sold in beautiful artisans shops throughout the city...the list can just go on and on!

Today I want to suggest a less obvious route, inspired by a less obvious theme: lemons!

Florence is characterized by beautiful villas both within the city center and in its immediate surroundings. Most villas have gorgeous gardens, and one of the features are beautiful lemon trees. One thing you must know about this lovely mediterranean plant is that, despite its long pointy thorns, it is actually quite delicate, so in the winter Florentines put their lemon trees in a special building called limonaia - literally: the lemon building.

One of the most beautiful limonaia can be found in the Boboli gardens that sorround Palazzo Pitti - an incredible Medici villa located right in the city center, just across Ponte Vecchio, the famous old bridge.

The Medici were the first ones to introduce lemon trees in their gardens, and they actually started a real fad! But lemon trees had (and have!) a hard time during the harsh Tuscan winters, so the gardeners started placing these plants, that were considered exotic, in specially-constructed buildings called limonaie.

The Boboli Limonaia is a beautiful building that often hosts exhibits of various types: 

It was built around 1778 in a location where there had been the so-called Serraglio degli Animali, where the Medici kept...the exotic animals they received as gifts from other royalty! Imagine that: giraffes and hippos right in the center of Florence!

If that seems strange to you, then you should know that right behind Piazza della Signoria there's a street called Via dei Leoni (Lions' street)...and guess why it was called like that? Yes. There were two cages with two real lions! They were placed there to signify the power and strength of Florence - and if you pay attention you might notice, throughout the city, lion sculptures and symbols. Now you know why!

If fierce animals scare you, let's get back to reassuring trees: another beautiful Limonaia is in the gardens of Villa Strozzi in Via Pisana 77.

This location is definitely worth a visit, especially in the summer, when concerts, theatrical performances and exhibits are hosted there. And if you need a super-special reason to go there, consider that it is home of  Polimoda, one of the most famous fashion schools in the world!!

Last but not least: a tasty ending. You can do many many things with lemons, but one of the most interesting is the liquor called Limoncello. Typical of southern Italy, where the warmer climate makes lemon trees thrive and produce the juiciest fruit, Limoncello can be found in shops and restaurants throughout the whole nation. But try to identify the nicer Limoncello, and avoid the fake-tastic, way-too-sugary, grocery-store brands!

Limoncello should be tasty, and even a bit creamy, but not overwhelmingly sweet: flavour should win over sugar!

And if you really want to have the real thing, you can try to make it yourself! It actually isn't that difficult: you just need good quality lemons and patience (the liquor must sit for about a month before you can drink it). You can find the best lemons from the contadini at the Sant'Ambrogio market (their lemons will have the least amount of chemicals, so you can be safe and use the skins; read my first post to learn all about this market and its amazing vendors!).

You will need:

8-10 organic, untreated lemons

1 liter of alcohol (90degrees)

600 gr sugar

1 liter of water

You peel the lemons, put the lemon peels in a jar with the alcohol, and let it sit for a week. And by the way: an AMAZING perfume will spread in your home throughout this whole process!!

Then you prepare a syrup melting the sugar in the water, and pour it in the jar.

Finally, you filter the liquid removing the lemon peels, and fill a few bottles.

Now you must be patient!! You should wait a few weeks before serving your beautiful, fresh limoncello: you'll see it slowly change colour...and when it does so you'll know it will be soon ready for you to enjoy it!

And by the way: you can sip it slowly from a small (very small!!) glass after a meal like Italians do, but you can also add it to chilled acqua gassata (sparkling water) with ice and have one of the most delightfully refreshing drinks of your life.

Enjoy!!

A fresh start

I've been living in Florence, Italy for quite some time now and, to be honest, I love it!!
I love how Florence is a city, with everything that a city can offer, but at the same time it maintains that neighborly feel that we have lost in so many urban environments. In Florence you can still buy most of what you need in open-air markets located within the city center: whether it's fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese and eggs, clothes, or even furniture that you're looking for, you can be sure to find it just a few blocks away from home. This adds so much value to living within the city, and makes for such lovely routines!

Imagine: you can wake up, walk out of your home, stop for a light, healthy breakfast in one of the numerous bars, and just a few blocks away you can enjoy a morning stroll amidst colourful market stands. The vibrant tones of fresh produce, the enticing odours of cheeses, warm baked bread, amazing dishes, will accompany you as you choose what to bring back home with you. Most vendors will let you have a small taste of their delicacies so you can decide what to purchase (...and they might even give you an extra bite just for niceness!).

One of my favourite routines involves the Market of Sant'Ambrogio in the central location of Piazza Ghiberti.
This market is open Monday through Saturday from early morning to 2 PM, and is perhaps the most beautiful one in the city: an old building with cheese, meat, fish and prepared dishes stands is sorrounded by a covered area with fresh produce stands where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables, but also organic eggs, honey, cheese and other delicacies. One thing that I love about this market is that you can actually buy everything from local contadini - farmers that grow their own produce in the outskirts of Florence and every morning bring their goods to us city dwellers.

On one corner outside there's always a little old man with a small, odd setup: almost a little cart with wheels, where he displays on small shelves baskets of fresh eggs, honey, propolis, and sometimes even fresh juice in small glass bottles (my favourite is the blueberry - so good for your eyes!). He even has little bottles of a special remedy for a sore throat - so in those first chilly autumn days (like now!) I always make sure to stop by and stock up with all his amazing goodies.

My Sant'Ambrogio routine usually involves getting up early (no fresh eggs past 1030!), walking to the Market area, and stopping for breakfast at Teatro del Sale in  in Via de' Macci 111r. If you've never heard of this place, you're in for a treat!
Imagine walking in a real theatre, with a small beautiful stage, tall ceilings with stunning woodden- beams, elegant red-velved chairs, artwork on the walls...and be served a ten course breakfast with freshly baked torte (cakes), hot coffee and tea, yogurt with honey and cereal, and their signature dish: the best schiacciata (focaccia bread) you'll ever have, steaming hot, cut in little strips, and served with mortadella. Enough to convince you? It will be the best and most beautiful breakfast of your life!

After such a meal, you will have all the energy you need to carry around your bags full of fruits and vegetables! Remember to bring with you a cloth-shopping bag: it is the best way to carry a lot of weight. The market vendors put most of their produce in small, breakable, plastic bags; if you don't bring your own big cloth bag, you'll end up with six or seven little ones that are difficult to carry (they really cut through your fingers!). A cloth bag is not only the most sensible choice to make, it's also the most sensitive: Italy has banned plastic bags for ecological reasons, but it seems that shops and markets aren't yet equipped with the ecological alternative of cloth bags or bags made of recycled materials.
You can purchase a cloth bag at most grocery stores for an euro or two at most, and they last a really long time. I have one that I love very much, and that I received as a gift from a market vendor at the other amazing city market: San Lorenzo. I'll tell you all about it in my next post.

Until then, enjoy your new Florentine morning routines and adventures!
Ciao!