Tag: Florence Photos

“Friending” in Florence: Special People in a Special Place

Part IV

Laurie & a coworker

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.

The Moody Traveler Becomes Daring in Florence 2019

Part IV

Going Solo to a Nightclub and Riding a Horse Drawn Carriage!

My first look at La Loggia restaurant in Florence as I walked from the taxi!

For several years, I was curious about nightclubs in Florence. I read about them in travel books and wondered if they were any different from american nightclubs. Last year, I ate dinner frequently at a quaint, new restaurant, Borgo La Croce, which had been open for only six months. One night, during one of my dinner conversations with Francesca, a very friendly waitress, I was told to try a local nightclub called Flo. It happened to be located on the other side of Florence. Since one of my favorite social activities has always been to dance with friends, I was very tempted to go. Unfortunately, I had to travel home the next day and the thought of possibly not getting enough sleep from a dancing excursion ruled out the experience.

This year, I was determined to finally see a nightclub especially since some of my Florentine friends insisted that Flo was very safe. I decided that life was too short to not try something I always wanted to do! First, I invited a friend who retired several years ago in Florence, but she said her plans were already made for the evening. I told myself to stop being a wimp, pulled myself together into a bright multi-colored orange and green summer dress, and called a taxi.

As I got out of the taxi, I saw a restaurant with large street lights located practically across the street from the night club. Since I hadn’t eaten dinner yet I walked up to what appeared to be a well lit outdoor dining area in front of a building resembling a museum. La Loggia del Piazzale Michelangelo is an upscale restaurant well known to the locals and it sits directly across from the Piazzale Michelangelo square with a spectacular view of Florence. This posh restaurant has been at it’s current location for many years. Many people come here for dinner or just to have an apertivo (Italian name for a before dinner drink) with tasty appetizers. For more information on this lovely restaurant and a colorful photographic video, follow this link: https://loggiapiazzalemichelangelo.com/

My view across the street from the Piazzale Michelangelo

On this particular August evening, the weather was slightly warm and people were seated at tables draped with pretty white linen. I was glad that it wasn’t crowded. A kind waiter hurried over and offered me at a table not far from a jovial entertainer singing Italian and American songs while playing a piano organ. Pretty colorful lights swirled above his head under what appeared to be a large white umbrella. The waiter brought a small tray of snacks to accompany my glass of wine. I wasn’t really sure what type of fish dinner I ordered but it was the cheapest on the menu. This was one of the few times that I paid more than I wanted to for dinner! The prices were a bit extravagant but, thankfully, the food was tasty.

After dinner, I returned downhill on the path by La Loggia to make my way across the street to the nightclub. I was relieved to see four men in security shirts standing by the club entrance. They informed me that there was no cover charge that evening. As I entered through the doorway the interior was similar to other nightclubs I had been to in the United States. It was large and decorated with just enough light for ambiance and plenty of small tables and large areas for sitting. The DJ was playing recognizable american dance music blended with other types of music. The sound was fantastic! Of course, there were the usual swirling lights on a sizable floor with plenty of room for dancing. I walked through the nightclub to get my bearings and try to figure out the best place to sit.

Then I thought, why not get a glass of wine first? Well, I was completely caught off guard when the bar tender told me I had to pay and get a ticket for my wine from a separate booth first. I returned with the ticket and watched the bartender poor shaved ice into a pretty glass decorated with a frosted white pattern. He proceeded to shake out the ice and then filled the glass with wine!

After asking the bartender to smile for a photo (He was one of the few people I encountered who was not very sociable.) I chose to sit across from the DJ on a white bench in what appeared to be a special seating area. There were so many security men around that I never felt concerned for my safety. The rules in Flo are very strict regarding anyone who has ideas about drinking too much. I enjoyed the music and watching groups of people in nice dressy outfits dance the night away.

I didn’t have the courage to dance alone so around midnight, I headed out the door, and called a taxi! By that time the crowd had grown and people kept pouring in. I was surprised at how quickly the taxi came for me! The only issue I experienced was that my taxi driver became lost and appeared to not know how to get to my address. When I asked in Italian if he was going to charge me more since he was taking a longer drive, he quickly decreased the price on the meter. Ah ha! Taxi tip: Don’t be surprised if a taxi driver tries to take you on a longer ride to make more money!

Salute!:)