Weekend One: Florence

"If Italy were the Mona Lisa, then Florence would be her smile." -David Hartono

Travel Method: Bus/Train/feet

Reading: The Economist & Elle Italia

Listening to: The Rolling Stones Greatest Hits

Fall Count: 4

Italian phrase of the week: lei ha versato il suo vino; She spilled her wine

Cibo

Although Florence has always been one of my favorite European cities, it was a whole different experience to see it in the spring. It was a crisp 50 degree day with the sun shining over the Arno river. Florence is much more of quintessential Italian city than Milan. It is much more homey, walkable, and significantly more people speak English. We packed a lot into one weekend of traveling, but I know I will be returning. My favorite meal of all was our two hour dinner at Trattoria ZaZa's. No cell service, no plans, and lots and lots of wine. The famous spot has dined celebrities and politicians throughout the globe and has a signature dish of a 2 kilo steak made for two. I still do not understand how Italian's can eat so many courses and not explode, but I am starting to get the hang of it. I am now successfully able to now eat two course, but can't seem to fit in Apperitivo before it.

Vino: Chianti Classico Za Della Fattoria Za Za

First Course: Tuscan Style Risotto, with truffle's and shrimp

Main Course: Beef Tenderloin with special cream sauce, green pepper corns, cognac & rosemary potatoes

Dessert (Don Nino's): Gelato; Cannoli filling and raspberry

Esplorando

Our day of exploring hit all of the usual suspects. We began at foraging for leather at the aptly named Leonardo Da Vinci Leather Factory, swiftly took in the Uffizi Gallery, ventured to the Boboli gardens, perused around the dome of Duomo, and even spent some time taking in the busy streets and the beautiful scent of fresh air mixed with baking cannoli shells. However, the best part of the entire trip was our sunset over the Tuscan landscape. After hiking up a large hill, hoisting ourselves over a large wall and possibly entering someone else's property--we found the most peaceful view of Tuscany right in Florence. Nothing beats spring time in Italy--especially Tuscany.

Ciao!