Part IV
Going Solo to a Nightclub and Riding a Horse Drawn Carriage!
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/
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!
ValVentures 