When I attended a four hour Italian language class at Michelangelo Institute in the mornings, I frequently stopped at Caffe’ Michelangelo for my coffee break. It was conveniently located about a block away from the school. Marco, the owner, would welcome me each and every time as if I were part of his family. Along with Marco, I was able to meet his aunt, and another dedicated employee, Rita , who worked efficiently in this lively little café which has been on the street of Via Ghibellina 116R, for 20 years.
Sometimes, as I stopped by to visit for my usual ice coffee, I was even given treats to take back to my apartment! One day I was given fresh watermelon chunks and another day a delicious pasta meal. Occasionally, I was happy to be able to bring along a few friends from my language school who also enjoyed this quaint, cozy coffee house.
One afternoon, towards the end of my stay in Florence, I couldn’t help but ask Marco how his business had fared during the pandemic. He came to my table and seemed anxious to explain the details. Luckily, while many other restaurants closed permanently in Florence, his café closed for only three months during the pandemic. When permission was granted to open, new rules were required for patrons, such as only being able to stand to have a beverage and food. Marco claimed he had lost 75% of his business and gained back only 20% the following year in 2021. I was so glad to see this lovely café’ still open.
I plan to visit Marco and his café’ again this year in June 2022! Thank you Marco! You are a treasure (tesoro)!
Prior to my 2021 summer Florence trip, my day trip to visit Michel, who also teaches in NYC
Meeting with Michel, my Italian language tutor and dear friend, was a pleasant surprise on my third day in Florence. Michel has guided me through my trials and tribulations of Italian language learning for about seven years. He is, and always will be, a kind and generous human being who I respect a great deal. On my third day in Florence, Michel took a train from Milan to see me and have lunch. Along with treating me to a lovely outdoor lunch at a very nice restaurant, Michel asked me to help him shop for a dressy men’s shirt. This wasn’t just any men’s shirt! It had to be perfect for a special occasion! During lunch, Michel surprised me again with news that he was going to propose to his special friend of several years at a beautiful hotel overlooking the romantic waters of the Amalfi Coast! After our shopping excursion we stopped at a posh candy store for a bit of chocolate and an espresso. (Please excuse the energy drink in the photo…haha. I drink them occasionally when traveling to stay awake!) It was a lovely afternoon!
My evening consisted of a nice dinner at a restaurant called Babae in the Santo Spirito area of Florence, the less touristy side of the Arno river.
Happy Owners of Babae!
I took a walk in the early evening after I left Michel. He had to return to his hotel to give a virtual language lesson and then take the train back to Milan. As I walked the streets near my apartment in Santo Spirito, I came upon the quaint stylish looking Babae restaurant. Almost immediately, I was greeted by a friendly, smiling host who seated me at a single indoor table in a more private area. I ordered a delicious meal of tuna and vegetables.
Nice wall art next to my table
Prior to my dinner being served, I had an enjoyable conversation with two young ladies from the United States.
Dinner with a little conversation and shortly after….excuse part of my meal in this pic!Cooked tuna with sesame seed coating and veggies! Delizioso!Love the other art work on the wall across fromt my table!A light dessert with an espresso!
If you visit Florence, Italy this summer, I highly recommend visiting Babae restaurant for dinner! You won’t forget it!
I always wanted someone to escort me to the sunflower fields in Tuscany! I recall being in a crowded tour bus with my mother in 2013 and thinking, “I wish we weren’t going so fast past these amazingly, beautiful sunflower fields!” Ever since that day, I wanted to return to see them. However, every year that I returned to Florence there were no opportunities for such an excursion – until this year! Several years ago, in Florence, I had the luck to meet Lucia, a beautiful, intelligent young lady as I walked through Florence. As you may have read in one of my earlier blog posts, I just happened to walk into a small store where Lucia worked after walking back from Piazzale Michelangelo and she was so friendly! Ever since, we have kept up our friendship via Instagram and Facebook!
So, on this beautiful second day of my trip, Lucia graciously offered to drive me to the sunflower fields and we had a wonderful time together, eventually! I say eventually because, at first, I was worried our plans would not work out…..
Silly me! Selfie time with myself and Lucia!
The start of that day began with a difficult walk to language school with my lingering jet lag, which seemed to make my brain even fuzzier as I tried to use Google maps again to find the language school. Google maps just wouldn’t work on my phone and while walking quickly to avoid being late I did not look where I was stepping. Suddenly, as I approached the streets near Michelangelo Institute, my right foot turned and slipped off a curb. It happened so fast and the pain was excruciating. All through class, I had difficulty concentrating. My fear was growing as I thought the worst had happened. Was my ankle broken or was it a bad sprain? After class, every step was painful, but I managed to find a local pharmacy. The pharmacist was very kind and gave me little pills to take (Three times per day. I still do not know what they were!), cold packs, and an ankle brace.
Lucia messaged me through Instagram to say that perhaps we should go on our trip another day. But, I was determined to go! I decided after a few hours that I would be able to walk with my ankle brace on. Unbelievably, the pain subsided. It took me only about 15 minutes to get to our meeting place of the tower of San Niccolo not far from the Ponte Vecchio bridge. I walked gingerly and my ankle seemed better thanks to the pharmacist!
But, that darn phone still would not connect to Instagram! I didn’t understand why this was happening on a brand new phone when I previously purchased a an international plan. Sadly, this occurred throughout my entire stay in Florence. However, soon Lucia arrived and came in this beautiful little black car! And just like that – my bad thoughts disappeared. Lucia is an excellent driver and we passed through amazing landscapes and tunnels! (I couldn’t take enough photos!) We had such a wonderful time talking and listening to music in the car. Lucia apologized for taking a route that seemed to have a lot of traffic, but I didn’t mind one bit!
As we approached the sunflower fields, I felt like a child overwhelmed at Disney World for the first time! The fields of sunflowers hypnotized me with thousands of yellow star-like flowers billowing in the sun. The first field Lucia stopped at had sunflowers with slightly bowed heads. I didn’t care at all! Immediately, I whipped out my cell phone and began taking photos. Lucia did the same and took some lovely photos of me in the fields. After a short while, Lucia wanted to drive us to another sunflower field where the flowers were in more upright positions. There are no other words that come to mind except it was simply breathtaking!
For me it was just an incredible feeling to be among so many golden sunflowers. I will always be extremely grateful to Lucia for taking me there. She also made dinner reservations for us at a restaurant in Certaldo, a lovely town in the province of Florence, Tuscany. What an unexpected surprise! Lucia and I admired the medieval architecture after dinner. This was a much better time to walk, since the way to the restaurant on a steep hill was quite a challenge in the hot weather!
At the Enoteca Boccaccio restaurant, Lucia and I had a lovely filling dinner outside with a spectacular view. I was happy to let Lucia choose everything for the meal. I had never tasted truffles before and they were delicious!
After dinner we walked around the historic area surrounding the restaurant and looked at the amazing 13th century architecture of such buildings as the Priori Palace, the court of justice, which used to be a prison. Now it is host to contemporary art exhibitions. Also, it was quite interesting to see the church of SS Jacopo and Filippo. Boccaccio (1313 – 1375), the well known Italian author of “Decameron,” is buried here. Additionally, the Musuem Casa Boccaccio , where the author lived his final years, now contains exhibits of his literary works. Unfortunately, it was too late to visit. Perhaps, I will return to this quaint town on another trip to Florence!
As we took the long walk back down to where Lucia had parked, the evening skies closed in with a picturesque skyline and further nice views of the town. We also encountered a few domestic cats along the way to spend a little time with. (Lucia and I both love cats!)
Our drive home was a bit challenging as Lucia became a bit lost. But she is a spirited young lady with a lot of determination! I had no doubts as she used the mobile phone for Google maps and a little help from her mother! Eventually, we made it back to the center of Florence. What an adventure to always remember!
Thank you from my heart Lucia! I will never forget this fantastic day!
Lorenzo, one of the waiters, also teaches Italian at a local school
After an exhausting first day in Florence, I decided to take a walk around the corner from my apartment to dine at Trattoria Dante, recommended to me by Paola. The evening was warm but not scorching like the daytime. So I agreed to be seated outside facing the street. Lorenzo, my waiter, was very pleasant and talkative. The owner, Dante himself, proudly informed me that his restaurant had been around for 48 years. I enjoyed a delicious dinner of salmon and vegetables beautifully displayed on two separate plates. Dante spoke English very well and told me he had been to the United States in earlier years, specifically California, NY, and Las Vegas. He turned out to be quite entertaining and full of fun! Jovially, he expressed that he wanted to go to Kentucky next! Soon after our pleasant conversation, Dante’s fun side quickly turned to business as he ensured that all customers were taken care of continually.
Salmon dinner with vegetables
Dante, the owner, with a friend
Part of the inside restaurant decor
Dante & Viviana, serving staff
Gigio, one of the cooks, with Dante & Viviana
Rachid, my waiter during a second visit
Enjoying conversation with Viviana who is from Sicily! She is also a student studying mixology!
Fun with Rossalla, from Seracuse and it was her first night as a waitress at Dante!
I really enjoyed the Dante trattoria! It wasn’t just the food…it was the care and kindness along with friendly conversation that brought Dante to life. I couldn’t help but return several more times. My last night of dining, I sat inside and was served by Nordinq. He was very efficient, moving quickly to take care of all the patrons. After my dinner, he escorted me to the back of the restaurant, near the kitchen, to choose a dessert. I decided to take it with me and savor as a late night treat!
Another night of salmon!
Nordinq , always efficient & dedicated to his job!
Dante even makes their own wine called Dante, of course!
My tasty cheesecake to go!
There never seems to be enough time to visit Florence and it made me a bit sad to leave this wonderful group of people. Thank you Dante! I hope to return again to see all of you! Tanti aguri a tutti voi! (All the best to all of you!)
The 1st Day Continued: Hurrying off to Language School& Unexpected Events
Students headed into Michelangelo Institute
After a sixteen hour flight to Florence and talking with the delightful apartment owner, Paola, for a long time, I had to find my way on foot to the Michelangelo Institute for Culture and Language. I knew it was about a 20 minute. Do not ask me how I kept going in the high summer temperatures of August on this day! I must have been fueled by some type of surreal Italian energy source!
I was truly excited to get walking, even though the August weather was extremely hot. At first, I felt confident with my Google Maps in hand until suddenly the app stopped working as I crossed the bridge over the Arno River. I wasn’t sure why that happened and eventually I found out that this technical issue would create quite a bit of stress during my entire trip. At this moment I was sincerely focused on finding Via Ghibellina, the main street for the language school. Thankfully the people I asked along the way were very kind in giving me directions.
My view as I entered the Michelangelo Institute
Once I was inside the school, I felt relieved that it was still open! One of the employees offered me a seat in the main lounge area, which had a piano, shelves with books, and a vending machine. Unfortunately, there was no air conditioning and I could feel my jet lag begin to set in. Fatigue hit me as I sat there for over an hour waiting to take my Italian language placement exam. However, I did have a little entertainment when this pretty young student asked me if she could play the piano. That distracted me from my anxious state of mind momentarily.
Student playing the piano beautifully while I waited to take my placement exam
When the director finally appeared with the six page entrance exam, I was able to psych myself into staying focused. I don’t know how I managed to answer every question when my body was feeling such fatigue from jetlag combined with the heat.
Keeping my chin up as I try to focus on a 6 page exam!
Completing the extensive grammar placement exam gave me an accomplished feeling! (More about my class, students, etc. will be detailed in future blog posts!) Next, I decided to find a way to purchase groceries that would last at least a couple days. I asked Elvira, the very sweet school receptionist, and she said that most markets were closed at that time. My heart sank just a smidgen. Fortunately, I thought of a Conad supermarket that could possibly be open. Conad is one of the largest retail supermarket chains in Italy. I remembered one store that was located near where I stayed two years ago. My mental determination was geared towards finding it even though it was located farther from my apartment in Santo Spirito. It seemed like a great idea at the time. However, you wouldn’t believe what I did next……
I felt very lucky after I walked God knows how many city blocks and discovered that the Conad store was still open! When I asked one of the “commessi ” (sales clerks) in part Italian, part English, if the store had reusable shopping bags with handles immediately, this very kind clerk said, “Aspetta!” (Wait!) and returned with two folded sturdy reusable bags. As I confidently made a little small talk with the commessa (These employees are always efficient and fast while ringing up customer goods…the conveyor belts are not nearly as long as one of our chain supermarkets in the USA.) during the check out process, I proceeded to diligently fill my two bags with all sorts of items, such as water bottles, oranges, milk, etc. Then my jetlagged brain thought I would have no problem walking all of this back to my apartment. What a ridiculous thought! I actually towed all of this through the streets of Florence, including the Piazza della Signoria, in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, which was filled with tourists happily taking photos and eating at local restaurants.
My hands were sore and my body full of sweat as I kept stopping along the way to put down the bags for periodic rests. (Truthfully, I felt like a gypsy as I sauntered by the tourist crowds, struggling with large multi-colored bags!) Somehow, I managed to endure the very long walk beyond the Ponte Vecchio bridge and several more bridges. Eventually, I made it back to the apartment and collapsed in the air conditioned bedroom! (It could have taken me almost an hour for all I know. I couldn’t even think of the time!) At that point, I vowed to myself to take taxis for any future hefty grocery trips….
Fountain of Neptune located in front of the Palazzio Vecchio in the Piazza della Signoria
One of my future Conad market trips back to the apartment with Erica, a very pleasant taxi driver, holding one of my business cards!
In my next blog post, the story unfolds about my 1st evening of dining at a lively local pizzeria around the corner from my apartment on Via Lungarno Soderini!
Arriving at my AirBnB apartment via taxi on the first day in Florence was a bit tricky. The apartment was located on Via Lungarno Soderini, a busy street in the area of Santo Spirito and, thankfully, on the first floor. Paola, one of the apartment owners, greeted me graciously and we had a wonderful conversation in the Italian language. She was nice enough to lend me her patience as I am a continual language learner.
The apartment was located in an area of Florence that I had not explored before and farther away from the usually overcrowded areas of tourist attractions in the heart of the city. It was directly across the street from a beautiful view of the Arno river. Next to the apartment there was a lovely and very popular gelateria. As I entered the apartment I felt very secure. There were three doors with locks to pass through: the large heavy door on the street, a lovely glass door, and finally a door that led to a hallway before the main door to the apartment.
Relaxing on the couch
Inside the apartment it was perfect! (Please excuse the “lived in” look of each room in my slideshow as I was too exhausted to take photos the first day!) I even posed myself for a selfie one day before taking out the trash. (You can do these crazy things when you are alone!) I said “amen” to the fully functional air conditioning, which included a wall unit above the bedroom window and a smaller unit in the kitchen. It was one of the hottest summers in Italy! The kitchen had a dishwasher, a fully functional stove/oven, a washer, and plenty of pots and pans for cooking. I was ever so grateful for the American coffee maker too!
There was plenty of room for one or two people. The bedroom was spacious with a large closet and television near the doorway. The bathroom was larger than I thought it would be and the shower had pretty sliding doors. Convenience is always important when traveling. Right around the corner there was a mini mart and a pizzeria which I will talk more about in my future blogs.
Thank you Paola for the wonderful accommodations and generous hospitality. You were always helpful and responded quickly when I needed assistance!
Pillows in front of the window explanation:Okay, so for a few days my jet lagged brain did not understand how to close the window shade for privacy. That is why in the bedroom photo you may notice a pillow in front of the window. Eventually, I figured out that there was a long heavy cord on the right side that had to be pulled out instead of up and down to lower a large heavy shade.
After dealing with much unrest and frightening circumstances of the COVID-19 virus around the world, many countries have been attempting a return to some form of normalcy. The Delta variant has thrown yet another wrench into this fiery storm of various restrictions and mask wearing. But, this summer I was lucky enough to experience another two week trip to Florence after being away for two years.
I bet you’re wondering how my traveling experience transpired this time! It was a bit more challenging than my other trips, but the Pandemic did not seem to affect it as much as I thought it would. I did worry about scheduling a COVID rapid test 48 hours prior to take off in Philadelphia, PA. This was partially due to one of the local urgent care facilities I called. A fast talking representative insisted that I needed both a rapid test and a lab test. The grand total was over $100. No way! Previously, I researched government websites and saw that I only needed one rapid test. Interesting, huh? Even my family physician said I should simply go to a local drug store and get it covered by insurance, which I was eventually able to do. Then I was a bit concerned over whether or not I would make my flight on time in Atlanta, Georgia (only 1 hour and 15 minutes after landing to get to the next gate is not much time in such a large airport). After that there would be another stop in Amsterdam to wait 2 hours and 40 minutes for an 8 hour flight to finally get to the Florence Peretola airport!
Thankfully, on August 1st, in the midst of that crazy flight, most of the staff in the airports, including customs, were quite calm and helpful. Once the mandatory documents of a negative COVID test, digital locator, and passport were produced it was smooth sailing onto each flight for a total travel time of 16 hours. I was ever so grateful that no one caused any disruption or complained about mask wearing – whew! Stay tuned…..my next blog update begins with some of the ups and downs of my adventure in Florence!
Shopping in Florence can be quite overwhelming at times! Where to go..how much time there is……to look for jewelry, clothes, souvenirs, etc., etc. especially when you are not sure where to go. If you are not on a tour and being rushed around like a herd of cattle, it is relaxing to take a day to browse around the Ponte Vecchio and the center of Florence near the Duomo and Giatto’s tower. My addiction to costume jewelry led me to a discovery of the Colours & Beauty store located along one of the main streets coming from the center of the city. Not only does the store jump out at you with bright “colours” and a tempting glittery array of pretty jewelry, but the smiles radiate from the store employees.
Laurie and her coworker were very patient and accommodating as I took my time to choose from what seemed to be an endless selection of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and so much more, packed into this quaint store. (Here is a link to the website for you to window shop from the comfort of your home! https://www.coloursandbeauty.it/) The next time you are able to shop in Florence, put the name of this store in your Google search and follow the walking map. You won’t be disappointed! Laurie loves interacting with customers and speaks English very well.
More shopping friends!
Friendly and a bit shy, Raffaela tried to hide from my cell phone camera in the “Accessorize” store, which I have visited for the past 4 years. This store is easy to find and always has a lot of good sales on jewelry and other fashionable items for your wardrobe! During this visit, I was searching for a small leather backpack to bring home to my daughter. I found the perfect size in black just at a reasonable cost. For the past two years I had recognized two employees but did not see them this year. I introduced myself to a shy young woman stationed behind the register counter. She listened attentively as I explained in Italian who I was looking for, one of which had a beautiful detailed tattoo of a rose on her arm. I showed Raffaela photos on my phone and she told me the two employees were off that day. At first, she tried to duck behind the counter to avoid having her photo taken. But, after my insistence and words of encouragement, she kindly obliged. Thank you Raffaela!
Towels? Who buys them while on vacation? Me, of course! In my apartment everything was wonderful, however, I only wanted a softer towel. Therefore, during one of my leisurely strolls, on a nice warm sunny day in Florence, I decided to try a quaint store with towels and many other types of linens. I introduced myself in Italian to an amicable trio of grinning sales associates and asked them to pose for a photo. The men struck a pose right away. However, the woman tried to escape and hide in another aisle! My coaxing words (Tu sei bella! Ma dai! – You are beautiful! Come on!) led her back to join the others in a lovely photo.
After a friendly conversation with these fun folks, I found a set pretty pink set of soft bath towels. The store owner was so kind to cut the price for me to 20 euros! (I didn’t ask him to!) Memories of people like this in Florence make me even more sad that I cannot board a plane yet to revisit what felt like my second home!
Uddin Md Nazim happily selling his abundance of colorful scarves & shawls!
This vendor seemed to really enjoy what he was doing! A great big smile for all who passed in one of many crowded areas of central Florence. Uddin was very patient and kind while I chose a beautiful orange scarf to give to my daughter! (I enjoy spoiling my family!) I hope one day soon to see these vendors again. I loved seeing all the varieties of souvenirs and talking with the sellers. Many came from Morocco and Bangladesh and would tell me stories of their family backgrounds. Other vendors were natives of Florence and quite proud to have been doing their jobs for a long time. Now, during this difficult world pandemic, the streets are more subdued without the presence of vendors and tourists. I hope my vendor friends are safe and have found another way to financially support their families.
Seeing this friendly woman for several years at Caffe Corsini in the heart of Florence made me super happy! She always remembered me!
Every morning, I watch the daily Italian news on my computer by using the website Rainews (https://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/live/ContentItem-3156f2f2-dc70-4953-8e2f-70d7489d4ce9.html) and read parts of the online newspaper La Nazione Firenze (https://www.lanazione.it/firenze). I not only use this to help improve my Italian language skills but also to stay up-to-date with what is going on for our dear friends in Italy during these difficult COVID 19 Pandemic times. At this point in time, the borders of Italy are still closed to the United States and other countries for tourism. This is striking a large blow to the economy of this beautiful country. As we approach the Fall season, it is sad to know that we are not yet seeing any positive signs for this to change. People only express annoyance with the political system and frustration at the delay in opening Italy to allow its lovely streets to fill with the sound of happy tourists and great performances by entertainers again. We must keep our hopes up for change…
Now I bring to you another delightful Florentine friendship experience in August 2019 while visiting Caffe Corsini, also known as the “Snack Bar Caffe.” This nice little eatery was a pleasant break during my shopping experience in one of the most “touristy” places in Florence. It seemed always hot and crowded not far from the Duomo and Giatto’s Tower area and many different shops, gelatarerias, and restaurants lined the surrounding streets. Caffe’ Corsini became my favorite place to relax and eat my gelato while watching the tourist crowds go by. I am sorry to say that I never asked for the name of the two employees who always recognized me with a friendly greeting at the counter which was filled with an amazing selection of colorful foods. The two pleasant people who worked there were always so busy that I was afraid to interrupt them….. except this year, I took the liberty of obtaining quite a few photos with my cell phone! Also, I was able to talk briefly with a new employee who delivered my “snack”to my table upstairs. He spoke English fluently as well as Italian. It seemed funny to me that I never consumed soda in the United States. However, for some strange reason, while in Florence my taste buds liked the combination of Coke and gelato together! I have faith that soon I will return to Caffe Corsini and raise my Coke Zero in a “salute” to my dear friends.
I am wishing my Florence friends a better year to come in 2021, filled with happiness and success in spite of this surreal time with the COVID-19 virus Pandemic. As we approach gradual lifting of restrictions for businesses and more relaxed social gatherings, my hope is that a vaccine is approved and that our world will return to some type of normalcy. Unfortunately, at this time, the United States, along with other countries, has been in a terrible crisis with COVID cases. I am glad that Italy rose like the “Phoenix” out of the ashes by being a great success at controlling the virus after suffering through a total lock down for months.
At this time, I am sad to say that my trip to Florence this year has been delayed. I am keeping my fingers crossed and filling my mind with optimistic thoughts of seeing my lovely Italian friends soon. In this latest blog addition, I would like to share more of my delightful moments with Florentine friends during the summer of 2019.
During my two week visit to Florence in the summer of August 2019, after attending language school, I would walk back to Via La Luna (Literal translation:The Moon Street) to take a break in my cozy first floor apartment while passing numerous places to eat. One of my favorite places, which I chose just because the food looked so appetizing, was Cafe’ Dolce Amaro. There I met Francesca Battisti, a friendly, dedicated worker. Francesca could quickly and efficiently deliver whatever food a customer requested. I became hooked on a delicious veggie “panini” that was warm and very tasty. I would ask for it to be “porta via” (To go and the literal translation is “take away.”). Once inside my apartment, I used the microwave to reheat this delectable, juicy veggie sandwich. During one of my trips to Dolce Amaro, I couldn’t resist adding a dessert. Sorry I can’t recall the name of it….I just know it was super creamy and delicious! Check out the photo below. I’m sure it will make your mouth water! Francesca was a pleasure to converse with and enjoyed having her photo taken.
ValVentures 