I know what you’re thinking… “another Duomo post? really?” Well, yes. I do live two blocks away from it and is an incredible piece of architecture and Brunelleschi worked hard to earn the commission for the cupola. So to visit it once again, instead of just focusing on it’s exterior my friends and I finally went up the 400+ steps to the top.  Over half way the climb up you walk around the interior of the duomo to give you the chance to see the frescoes up close! They’re so detailed and interesting. From there you finish by climbing between the inside and outside of the duomo. Despite the climb up, it was definitely worth the view.

Being up there also gave me the chance to take some Ariel shots of some buildings (including the Duomo) as well as see the detailing of the cupola up close. Enjoy!

In honor of BLACK FRIDAY, let’s go shopping in Florence with my friend-of-exquisite-taste, Rosanne Cofoid. Rosanne is one of those Italian-American women who has a flair for style–in that simple, elegant, eye-catching way. We met on a group trip to Abruzzo years ago, and I immediately got a girl crush,  just from her ensemble.
 
Rosanne has poured her passion for Italy into creating a tour company, La Dolce Via Travel, that customzies tours to Italy–meticulously creating itineraries where hotels, restaurants, and sights are chosen, so you feel as if a fairy godmother designed the whole vacation to fulfill your dream-of-a-vacation.

Since Rosanne’s such an expert, I asked her to clue us in on some favorite shopping experiences in Florence, and she said:

Allora, let’s get in the shopping mood…Florence is home to many famous design houses, such as Pucci and Gucci. 

The place to go to pay homage to another of these geniuses is the Museo Ferragamo, which showcases the works of Salvatore Ferragamo, one of the greatest Italian shoe designers ever.  The museum was opened in 1995 and the collection spans the  the history of his career from 1927 onward.  If you can’t splurge for a new pair from this classic house. go to the downstairs museum, where you can ogle hundreds of his unique and truly revolutionary creations for only 5 EURO! Museo Salvatore Ferragamo, Piazza Santa Trinita 5r.  Tel.  055.3360.456.  10:00 to 6:00 (closed Tuesday).   

Now that you’ve been inspired and you’re in the Florentine state of mind, it’s time to shop for real.  

One of the most unique jewelry shops I know in Florence is Penko, situated near the Duomo.  A true goldsmith who uses only authentic tools—no machines here–Paolo Penco’s work is done in the Florentine style, often emulating the stylistic elements of the Renaissance.  One way he shows his artistry is in the recreation of jewelry worn by subjects in works of art, such as a necklace worn by one of the Graces”  in  Botticelli’s “Spring”.   He also does a variety of works in silver and gold without precious stones, and the pricing overall is quite reasonable.  His workshop is right behind the front counter, and he’ll be happy to show you how he creates these authentic pieces.   The shop has the increasingly rare distinction of “bottega”, namely, a workshop that is mainly aimed at keeping alive the traditions of Florentine artisans.  Penko, Via F. Zannetti, 14-16r,  Tel. 055.21.16.61.  

On my last trip to Florence in early November, while strolling the Via Tornabuoni with my dear friend and colleague Mary, we had the serendipitous experience of meeting Felipe Asti, a Florentine leather designer who has worked on pieces for Roberto Cavalli, Max Mara, and Barney’s own label, to name a few.Felipe’s family has a shop along the Arno River, called Ponte Vecchio Florence.   This is the place to go if you want to purchase excellent quality leather, handbags included.  On our visit there, I bought an antelope leather coat that was so soft I almost cried.  Really.  Felipe and his staff make you feel very welcome, breaking out the prosecco as  you look around and enjoy being entertained by Felipe and his staff, the wonderful Nico, Gerardo, and Federika.  Mary and I had so much fun we had to cancel our next meeting!  Warning: Felipe could sell ice to an Eskimo, but the quality is so outstanding, you’re not making a mistake.  If you tell him that Rosanne and Mary sent you, he’ll take very good care of you! 
Lungarno Acciaioli 56/58R  Tel. 055.239.9605.   

So you’ve some new bling and a new coat or handbag……time to think of finding that special something for your home.  Lungarno Details has something for every home décor, style guaranteed.  Conveniently located just down the street from Felipe’s leather shop, this store is part of the Ferragamo empire. In addition to the fashion house, the family owns several hotels and restaurants in Florence (and one in Rome and the Tuscan countryside), all with the unmistakable style they’ve come to be known for. 

Good news for those of us who need a shopping fix before we can get to Florence:  there will be an online Lungarno Details store soon!  Lungarno Details, Lungarno Acciaioli 4/R. 

Grazie, Rosanne—I lived through you vicariously today…

Firenze d'autunno - Copyright 2008 Pega

C’è poco da fare: l’Autunno ha un gran fascino, almeno fotograficamente parlando.

Io odio le giornate brevi, il clima piovoso ed umido, le foglie bagnate che ti fanno scivolare… ma devo ammettere : l’Autunno è la vera stagione della fotografia.

Credo che una gran parte di questa “fotogenicità” dell’Autunno stia nella luce. Intendo nella tipicità della luce solare che in questi mesi è esattamente del calore giusto, e per buona parte della giornata proviene proprio dall’angolazione giusta.

Le ombre regalano una gran tridimensionalità alle immagini e d’autunno sono allungate per molte ore, quasi a creare una prolungata situazione di “golden hours” che d’estate dura solo per le brevi fasi vicine all’alba ed al tramonto.
Il cielo, poi, è spesso uniformemente carico di umidità e si comporta come un enorme diffusore, regalando una  luce che per alcune foto è assolutamente perfetta.

D’Autunno anche la natura ci mette la sua parte: i colori delle foglie che cadono vengono splendidamente esaltati, specie quando piove. Hai provato ad uscire a fotografare quando piove ?

Insomma, io odio l’Autunno ma la sua luce è davvero fenomenale.

Ah, Florence, Tuscany, Italy.  Does the idea of chucking it all and moving to Italy intrigue you?  Many friends and acquaintances have expressed envy or horror in equal doses when discussing what I have done.  What is it really like to do it and how close is the reality to the movie, “Under the Tuscan Sun?”

Um, well…no one ever seems to remember the pitfalls Diane Lane encountered in the film.  I was well versed enough (thanks to the input of a number of friends who had lived here previously) that I traveled here four times before and took a lot of time planning what I needed to do.  The romantic vision of Tuscany is accurate in the scenery and the food, wine and fashion.  But books such as “Too Much Tuscan Sun” and “The New Italians” give a realistic balance to the view that all is rosy and perfect in Tuscany.

What are some of the positives and negatives involved in relocating to a new country, learning a new language and embracing a new lifestyle?  It is definitely not something for someone who is not self-reliant and extremely patient.  Unfortunately, I have self-reliance in abundance but patience is a virtue I have never acquired.  Considering I have a “permanent partial disability” that has put some serious limits on my physical capabilities you would think I would have become more patient…but ADD overrides even ruptured spinal disks.  I want to live in Italy and I want to do it NOW.

So, positives:

* Tuscany really is that beautiful.  Those lush green hills of picture postcard fame are actually like that.  There is no great photographer needed.

* Food and wine are fantastic here.  The quality versus price of virtually all imbibable substances is astounding.

* Art in Florence is to bumper stickers in LA.

* Architecture is stunning here.  A hotel in Florence, a villa in the surrounding hills, a convent or a restaurant near the Mediterranean are all gorgeous.

* A more natural style and pace of life are the norm here.  Legislation caps the workweek at a 66 hour max, but typical is 35 to 40 unless you own your own business and six weeks of vacation is standard.

* The sense of history is stunning…especially to someone who was born and raised in areas where the only buildings more than 100 years old were the Spanish Missions.

Some negatives:

* Bureaucracy here is unbelievable.  Visas, banking, contracts, notarizations etc. are a nightmare and the chances of this changing=snowball in Dante’s Inferno.

* Expenses are high.  The almighty dollar is not.  The exchange rate, coupled with the terminally high expenses that are typical for Florence specifically and Italy in general, make for an unhappy face when looking at bank statements.

* The acceptance of American and other foreign women here is not universal by any means.  Many, but not all, Italian women view foreigners as competition and many men, but not all, have ulterior motives.

Things I love:

* No one looks askance at you when you have a glass of wine at lunch

* I can smoke a cigarette after dinner at my outdoor table and without being told that I am polluting myself and everyone around me.

* I can roll my Rs.

* The speaking with my hands that was so strange in California is normal here.

* I can and do walk virtually everywhere

So how close is the reality to the movie?  The residual superstitiousness was accurate.  The thunderstorm was accurate.  The ease of buying a house versus a vehicle was accurate.  Uncured/unbrined olives really will make your face do that.  What they didn’t show: visas, codice fiscale, permisso di soggiorno, transportation strikes and a six week wait for an internet connection.

But as Miss Carol Flores would say, “It had to be [great]…I mean heck…SHE’S IN ITALY FOR CHRIST SAKE!! Heehee…

guess what?
i’m heading to london for two weeks.
i’ll be back before christmas.

i head off on monday.
yup, short notice isn’t it.

i’m sure you won’t miss me.
i may or may not blog while i’m there.
i may or may not tweet while i’m there.

who am i going with?
shane.
just us two.
don’t be jealous.

- love flo.

2004 Pietroso Brunello di Montalcino

Just a simple dinner with a pasta and a salad. I grabbed a bottle of red from the wine fridge and woh, where did I buy this wine? It was a ripper of a red, ‘2004 Brunello di Montalcino’ by Pietroso (about 100 km south of Florence in Tuscany).

Aged for 36 months in oak barrels, this 100% Sangiovese wine is just a wonderful drop. Intense forest fruit flavours, great structure, good mid-palate weight and a long finish, round and silky. It took us by surprise.

A delicious pasta

We had just a simple pasta for an ordinary dinner during the week. When I went back to the supermarket the next day to look for this wine, I could not find it any more. I know why: it’s marvelous. Look out for this Brunello di Montalcino. It’s worth it. Azienda Agricola Pietroso produced 2004 about 13,000 bottles of this Brunello. I think it was one of the best wines we had had recently.

It’s the morning after Thanksgiving (I would like to point out I am Australian, not American…Not that there’s anything wrong with that) got me thinking about how one takes to living in a  different country. I don’t mean making the change from Australia to New Zealand or America to Canada. I mean a big cultural change.

I live in Florence, Italy if those of you following haven’t caught that yet.

There are a tonne of Americans living the Rennaisance city as they seek the knowledge of Art history and fashion and what it will bring them in the future. Laying in bed last night listening to the drunken taunts and screaming coming from the mouths of American early twenty-somethings made me realise there are a lot of people who don’t really want the “cultural embrace”. I have been living here for 2 years, I speak Italian, I live with Italians, I HAD an Italian girlfriend my best friends are Italian. I didn’t know anyone when I arrived and I didn’t speak a word of Italian apart from “grazie” in a terrible accent. I would like to say, that after putting in the effort I have certainly embraced the culture.

My flatmate (American…… And please don’t think this post is anti-American) locks himself in his room 24/7. Eats in his room, generally goes into the kitchen when there’s no-one else around, never makes the effort to interact or give Italian life a chance. It’s a shame …. But he seems more like a lodger than a flatmate. We had a big lunch with 8 people including him and he didn’t say thank you at the end, nor did he contribute to the cooking, buying of the food, the conversation or the cleaning at the end. When the lunch was finished he went straight back into his room, needless to say it didn’t go down well with anyone in the house. It makes me wonder what the point is of coming over and living in an Italian house, he is honestly better off living with other Americans, not that it’s a bad thing- I just think it would suit him better and he’d be happy and a lot less awkward.

It’s funny, the saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” rings home in every sense when living abroad.

I have never lost my Australian pride or patriotism but living in Italy I would like to think I am having an Italian experience.

If I can give anyone a tip…. For what it’s worth from someone who has lived in 5 different countries. Be yourself, never let that change, but embrace everything your adopted country has to offer. Don’t go back home with a sour taste in your mouth thinking that you could have done more or that eating a piece of pizza counts as “a cultural experience”. There’s no such thing as “locals only” and if you make the effort they will treat you like a local. If you don’t- you will certainly feel a lot more outside the circle than what you need to be.

Hope you enjoyed this post and feel free to leave a comment.

Jordi,

PLUS.

www.plushostels.com

* Dewi magazine, June 2005

The debut opening of Roy Petley’s gallery in London caused an uproar in the West End, with people seen queuing down the street to get in. In fact, that wintry October night saw so many people in the gallery that the fire department responded four times to heat alarms going off in the building.

Roy Petley (photo: Titania Veda)

This dream of an art gallery began many years ago by a boy abandoned to a children’s home. Trapped in a dark and dreary world, even the beatings by his guardians could not curb Roy’s irrepressible spirit. “My escape was painting and drawing, the reality was horrible. I quite liked the fistfights but I didn’t like the beatings,” he confides. Becoming the first ever to receive a scholarship at the children’s home at the tender age of sixteen, Roy left for Brighton University but after his first semester he decided to go to Florence in the arms of a beautiful woman. His thirst for the foundations of art, well-drawn, well-coloured and well-painted works naturally drew him to the Italian masters of old; Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo. Several years later, after living through his work in Italy, he returned to his homeland, England. There, he exhibited on the Green Park railings, a then melting pot of would be artists.

A chance meeting with the Duchess of Kent was the beginning of a lifelong friendship with the British royal family. The late Queen Mother and the Prince of Wales are collectors of his works, the late Queen Mother being particularly fond of his Norfolk landscapes. A whirlwind romance with an adoring public commenced, with sell-out shows following him wherever he went, from London to Barbados, Dublin to Dallas.

To satisfy his love of beautiful sports cars, three Alfa Romeos, engine red Ferraris and an E-type Jaguar once decorated his backyard. He even appeared on Good Morning Texas, flanked between William Shatner who “was on before me trying to promote a video game for Star Wars”, and a piano-playing-pot-bellied-pig who refused to perform. “It wouldn’t play the piano because it was camera shy”, Roy deduced.

Roy’s rags to riches story caught the eye of both the BBC and Sky Television, resulting in documentaries on his life and his art, and forced a change on his outlook on life. “I used to have people lining up to buy my work – but once the BBC did their documentary on me, they ended up banging on my front door trying to buy a paintings, it became a nightmare!” he exclaimed. Once dubbed the Best Dressed Man in London, this sort of major publicity was not in line with Roy’s solitary nature. In the early nineties, he chose tranquillity over fame and moved to a lonely farmhouse in the south-west of France. “I left England to become an unknown, to have a peaceful life”, he said. He quickly applied his energy to rebuilding his new-found home, which was soon to be featured in House & Garden, Homes & Gardens and Interior magazine.

the last of the sun by Roy Petley (courtesy of Petley Fine Art)

An impressionistic painter, he finds inspiration in his surroundings. In the summers, he is often found by local fishermen knee-deep in water, drawing models draped in flowing white dresses and adorned with wide-brimmed hats that Roy is known for collecting, or painting his neighbour’s children licking ice lollipops in his rose garden.

Self-taught, Roy experiments with all mediums, disclosing how he changes “mediums when I want to change my mind-set”. At his leisure, he moves effortlessly from pastel to oil, watercolour to sanguine. He speaks of each medium with equal passion, stressing on the ability to draw well being essential when working with any medium, particularly watercolour – “There is no changing it…there is only one chance”. He continues on saying, “watercolours are my reference for my oil paintings, an oil painting becomes a fuller version of the watercolour on a canvas.” He describes how Degas used to work with charcoal before drawing in the pastel, but prefers himself to draw with colour immediately. He is also is quick to illustrate that “pastel is a dusty medium and after a short period of working with it, I am always happy to return to my natural medium – oil.”

The subjects of Roy’s works are as varied as his mediums, drawing upon inspiration from anything and everything – portraits, still life, cityscapes and landscapes have all felt the touch of his brush in his paintings. “I usually have an idea of what I want to do before I begin, I see the world through my paintbrush and palette – all that remains to do is to recreate the image that I see in my mind.”

Whether it be landscape or still life, light and shadow are the basis of his works. There is a certain light and youthfulness, a grace and joyfulness that emanates from his paintings. He depicts an untouchable innocence that is reminiscent of childhood and days gone by. Although it may seem an old-fashioned and romantic world, this is Roy’s world as it exists today. Each painting draws you in, engages you with its subtle colours and soft lines.

sunlight in the dark canal by Roy Petley (courtesy of Petley Fine Art)

It is said that once you have had a show in Cork Street, you have made it in the art world. Having exhibited in galleries on the street for over a decade, Roy had reached a point in his life where he wanted to give something back. In his youth, Roy himself had approached gallery after gallery, carrying his portfolio, and had been turned away. In later years, the same galleries would beg him to exhibit with them – he wanted to provide artists with the opportunities he never had, with “a gallery they can trust, where artists feel comfortable”, where the open doors and laid back atmosphere would encourage artists – especially the younger ones. In the autumn of 2003, he did just that. “I started up the gallery because I was really fed up with how artists are treated”, he explained.

Petley Fine Art sets itself apart from other galleries because as Roy proudly states, “this is the first time an artist has owned a major gallery promoting work other than his own”. True to his word, Roy has raised the bar for the whole area by filling his gallery with only the finest paintings and sculptures from an international pantheon of artists. “We have famous artists, infamous artists, and also young artists just starting out in their careers – regardless of where they are in their careers, it is their talent that attracts us to them.”

It is this refreshing concoction of artists that gives the gallery its lively character and explains why artists enjoy exhibiting there. Neil Forster, an artist of Petley Fine Art and an established portrait painter whose sitters include The Prince of Wales, speaks highly of the gallery. “I thought this gallery opening in “the” art street of London and offering art with no over-intellectualizing or posing, is so refreshing that it must in time be one of the most visited galleries in London.”

Roy is also quick to point out that a lot of effort has been made to ensure nothing distracts from the paintings. His long-standing motto being, “the art is foremost, the gallery secondary and all emphasis is on the artists”.

Filled with boundless energy and enthusiasm, Roy floods his gallery with the same vitality he fills his paintings. Now with three galleries spread across Europe, Petley Fine Art seems to be going from strength to strength. As for Roy, does he miss the good old days when he was a struggling painter? “Well,” he laughs, saying, “I have artists ringing up at 4 AM telling me their problems with their wives who are jealous of their models. One artist calls up and says can I come see you now? I think, what’s going on here?”

Petley Fine Art
9 Cork St
London
W1S 3LL
+44 207 494 2021
http://www.petleys.co.uk/

The one thing everyone looks forward to is their annual holiday. Normally, they plan a trip to the country side or the hills, for change in weather and to explore unknown territory. But the dream that most of us have is to visit Italy and Tuscany at least once in our lifetime. These places are known for their natural beauty and the lovely architecture that sets them apart from the rest of the world. The place where Pizza originated, designers create clothes that one would die for, these towns have carved a niche for themselves on the world map.

When you decide the dates for your trip and are looking forward to holidaying in Tuscany, you should also plan out other details related to the vacation. Accommodation being the key element, you need to figure out where you will be staying during your trip. There are several hotels and cottages available for the tourists to relax in. But the quaint villas are what make the town so special and surreal. Most of them are old barns converted to villas, fitted with all modern appliances and fittings. The outdoors is as much a part of the villa, which you feel as if you are one with nature. Home to many of the European cultures, in Tuscany and around it, you can witness culture from other parts of Europe. Since it is one of the twenty regions of Italy, you find a lot of similarities between the towns. You can also visit Florence, the capital city, where flowers, food and people will attract you.

If you would rather stay at a holiday home, why not choose from the wide range available. There are some for small families and others that are multi level, and ideal for families with children. Plenty of space to move around, a fully furnished home, the people who stay there can cook their meals and enjoy the comforts of being at home. In Tuscany countryside, there are luxurious farm houses and villas catering to the crowd who love to open doors to the mountains. Wake up and watch the sun rise behind the mountains, sip your coffee in the patio that has a country feel to it.

Villas situated a couple of kilometers from the Cathedral of Florence are quite popular and comfortable as well. So, if you would like to stay somewhere with little noise around, these Villa Florence are just what you need. They all have about 8-9 beds that you can reserve for your family, or share with other families as well. If you are going on a week long holiday, and look forward to exploring towns around Tuscany, you could park your bags here, and move around. It would work out cheaper that way, instead of staying at different hotels, and lugging your bags around. Some of these farmhouses even have swimming pool and a gym, which would come in handy if you are looking to unwind after a day of sight seeing or shopping.

What is the most famous smile in the world?  Only one comes to mind–the Mona Lisa.  I think it’s reasonably fair to assume that most people know what this painting looks like, but no one really knows the story behind it.  Leonardo da Vinci never put a date or name on this painting, so much of what we know about the piece is pure speculation.  In Donna Jo Napoli’s The Smile, speculation goes a step further.  Napoli takes what she knows about the history of Florence, Italy, and interweaves these events into an entirely plausible story about the girl who was the inspiration/model for one of the most renowned paintings the world has ever seen.

Elisabetta is a young girl of noble birth growing up in Florence, Italy.  She knows that she will one day be betrothed to one of the nobles in the city.  Her greatest hope is to marry a young man she truly loves.  One day, a friend of her father’s, local artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, introduces Elisabetta to young Giuliano de Medici, a son of the most powerful family in Florence, and she feels that she has at last found the love of her life.  Giuliano calls her Monna Lisa and professes his love for her.  Fate, though, can be cruel, and a series of events take place that seem to conspire to keep these two young people apart.  The Medici family is soon reviled in Florence and is exiled. 

Elisabetta does not know how to cope in this new and terrifying world.  War threatens constantly.  She rarely hears from Giuliano, and she does not where to turn.  Is their love doomed before it even has a chance to begin?  How can she keep her smile, the thing Giuliano first loved about her, when the life she knew seems to be crumbling before her eyes?  Read Donna Jo Napoli’s The Smile to find out what could have happened to the girl behind the world’s most famous smile.

I truly enjoyed this book, especially since I was able to see the da Vinci exhibit at the High Museum in Atlanta just last week.  As I was reading, I was able to say to myself, “I’ve seen those pieces,” when the characters were talking about da Vinci’s sketches of horses or other figures.  Although I’ve never actually seen the Mona Lisa, I would love to someday.   I would also like to visit Florence to really experience the city in which most of this book’s events take place. 

I think The Smile would be an excellent book for any reader interested in art and the possible stories behind the masterpieces.

Twenty monumental photographs by the German photographer Candida Höfer can be seen at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi’s exhibition Candida Höfer In Italy, Part 1: Florence. Portraits of Spaces. The exhibition, which runs from December 11, 2009 to January 24, 2010, takes place under the auspices of the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi and gives the visitor a unique opportunity to see some of Florence’s most impressive interiors of libraries, museums and theatres gathered together in one show.
more…

di solito guardo e ascolto. Mi piace osservare non solo i monumenti ma i negozietti delle zone meno frequenetate dai turisti. Magari perchè in quel modo mi illudo di scoprire la vera natura del posto. è ovvio che il carattere della città si scopre meglio vivendolo ogni giorno,il primo sguardo ci da solo un’impressione: volatile e spesso falsa.

Invece visitare i posti dove si è vissuto? Questa è la cosa che sto affrontando solo recentemente, come ad esempio poche settimane fa a Firenze.

Firenze, che dopo qualche mese mi sembrava insopportabile. Firenze, che sembrava risuonare la mia solitudine, una sensazione insopportabile e stancante come fame, che calmavo durante le mie lunghe passeggiate.I monumenti fiorentini che sono diventati i miei compagni.

Adesso Firenze mi è apparsa molto più vicina che due anni fa, come se svanissero tutti ricordi brutti. Anche se a volte sembra che i posti assorbono i sentimenti come tessuto assorbe odori.

E adesso Firenze è piena di odori: odore di cuoio, odore di sole che scalda i muri, odore di vin santo. Mi sono conciliata con Firenze e adesso mi mancano questi profumi. A volte è bello ritornare

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Zwiedzjac nowe miejsca

zwykle patrze i slucham. Lubie obserwowac nie tylko zabytki,ale tez miejsca mniej uczeszczane przez turystòw. Pewnie dlatego,ze ludze sie, iz w ten sposòb odkrywam prawdziwa nature miejsca. Oczywiscie charakter miasta poznaje sie zyjac je co dnia, pierwsze wrazenie jest zwykle ulotne i zludne.

A odwiedzanie miejsc, gdzie sie mieszkalo? Dla mnie to relatywnie nowe przezycie, jak np. to sprzed paru tygodni we Florencji.
Florencja, ktòra po paru miesiacach wydawala mi sie nie do zniesienia.

Florencja, ktòra wydawala sie rozbrzmiewac moja samotnoscia, uczuciem tak nieznosnym i meczacym jak glòd, a ktòre uspokajalam podczas dlugich przechadzek po Florencji. Florenckie zabytki, ktòre staly sie moimi towarzyszami.

Teraz Florencja wydala sie o wiele blizsza niz 2 lata temu, jakby zniknely zle wspomnienia. Chociaz czasem wydaje mi sie,ze miejsca nasiakaja uczuciami, tak jak tkanina nasiaka zapachem.

Teraz Florencja jest pelna zapachòw: zapach skòry, zapach slonca, ktòre nagrzewa mury, zapach Vin Santo. Pogodzilam sie z Florencja i teraz brak mi jej zapachòw. Czasem dobrze jest wròcic.

Well, as most of you know, Derek and I had the opportunity to have the most INCREDIBLE honeymoon.  It was almost a month long, and it included traveling to Florence, Venice, Paris, Cinque Terre and Rome (in that order).  Today I only had time to Photoshop Florence and Venice photos before Derek had to kick me off his computer to get back to work.  Haha.  But here’s what I have so far, and I’m going to try to finish up the rest of the cities today!  Looking at these photos really brings back to mind the incredible fun that was had.

In Florence we were with some close friends, and we attended one of my best friends’ wedding!  Katie traveled to SF for our wedding (and was one of my bridesmaids), so naturally we were first in line to attend her’s.  It was an INSANELY magical wedding…it literally could not have been more picturesque or dream-like.  Insane.

(the above may not be the most exciting image, but it’s my place card with my married name!  i was REALLY excited!  “signora hansen”!!)

Next up, Venice!:

Situated in Italy, Florence is a beautiful city of stones offering world class galleries, stone sculptures, architecture, culture and rich history to its visitors. Many consider this Italian city a visual delight, which is why thousands of tourists choose Florence as their holiday destination for visit every year.

From a huge list of places to visit, here are some of the marvelous attractions that are a must see when you visit this beautiful city:

Piazza della Signoria

This is an eminent square in the heart of the city which boasts stunning sculptures and statuary like replicas of Judith Beheading Holofernes and Donatello’s Marzocco, portrayal of Cosimo de Medici by Giambologna, replicas of Michelangelo’s David and original as well as real Perseus slaying Medusa by Cellini. The square is surrounded with trendy cafes, shopping centre and restaurants full with locals as well as tourists on a holiday in Florence.

Palazzo Vecchio

Situated close to Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio is a marvelous palace holding a collection finest art work, history rich collection and an elegant architecture. While on a trip to Florence, Palazzo Vecchio is a worth visiting classic tourist attraction.

Ponte Vecchio

Built in year 1345, this bridge is a major tourist attraction and comes with history. While the bridge is popular with shops selling silver and gold jewelry, tourist and visitors love to visit it for its beauty and the fact that it’s the only Florentine construction that survived the era of World War II.

Galleria degli Uffizi

For every art lover visiting Florence, a visit to the Uffizi gallery can add to the experience. This tourist attraction presents a breathtaking collection of 300 sculptures, 1700 paintings and huge number of remarkable artifacts. Some of these include collection of Baroque art, Italian Renaissance and Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”. Some of the eminent artists whose work can be cherished at this gallery are Giotto, Raphael, Botticelli, Perugino, Michelangelo, Dante, Leonardo da Vinci and Rubens.

The Duomo

This tourist attraction draws a huge number of tourist and visitors as well as locals to it due too its architecture rich construction. The building has white, green and pink color marbles on the outside and amazing doors as well as out of ordinary statues in its interiors. On a trip to Florence, you must not miss the opportunity of enjoying the view of the city from this cathedral.

Boboli Garden

When on a holiday in Florence with family, you can always enjoy a great picnic or family time in this sculpture rich garden with great view and beautiful fountains.

Santa Croce

This tourist attraction of Florence is a Franciscan church that consists of tombs of significant Florentines like Dante and Michelangelo. Located in the Piazza Santa Croce, the building is known for its rich interior with the glass windows. Every year hundreds of tourists and visitors make this attraction a part of their sightseeing on their trip to Florence.

Best time to visit or holiday in Florence

The ideal time to enjoy a trip to Florence would be in months of May, June, September and October.

My writing has become so much less of what it was supposed to be and so much more… journaling? venting? ranting? I don’t know if I should be relieved or embarassed! How can I call myself a writer when all I can bother with is sharing all my personal dating woes and frustrations. I read “good” blogs and people discuss, well, in these cases, food (because what I’ve failed to express in my own blog is my own deep affinity for food), to the utmost! They add in those typical personal tales and little characteristic tidbits to give it spunk and quirk and they include tons of photos. My blog is just a glorified and more grown up version (if I can even say that) of my old live journal!

I had goals to get back to Italy and to WRITE! – to write my personal tale in a book or to submit personal essays for magazines – do something that is worth discussing and write something that is worth reading… not this pathetic self-pitying, male-loathing and perpetually confused exercise of kiss-and-telling… and I say all this because all I could manage to think of to write about tonight is about a boy… A-. My new carrot on a fishing pole.

I thought about going to grad school. In fact, I bought myself a practice GRE to play around with… you know, to see if I had what it takes. I wanted to relocate and start a new life, gain new adventures, just as I’d done in Italy. However… I got carried away and distracted by a temporary glow in my re-association with LA. The problem is, I didn’t realize it was temporary and I made decisions that might keep me here longer than my initial plans would have… I got a car (leased it, a 3 year commitment!!). It was an exciting moment, signing a lease in MY name and making that first payment out of MY bank account (okay, maybe that part wasn’t too exciting). I needed that car to support my heavy work schedule and then suddenly, I was needing that heavy work schedule to pay for everything else BUT a return to Florence. It looks like I may not go back to Florence as soon as I’d like, and it looks like it won’t be as permanent as I’d like… after some deep and long thinking, I realized, a long visit may just be the only thing that is plausible in my near future. Then I was going out and dating… distracted again. I’m like a puppy, picked up a scent trail and tracking it down, gonna get there, gonna reach the…. ohhh, a butterfly… hmm, I’m hungry… I wonder if I could eat this.

I feel like calling myself a Writer required a certain sense of pride — I was in no way an actual writer when I began claiming the title, just drunk with a new sense of self-authority – which I think is some sort of an offshoot of pride. Even so, the moment my plane departed the Peretola airport in Firenze, I realized I forgot to check the suitcase that carried that self-worth and I touched down in Los Angeles as that same, unsure girl that I was pre-Italy. K- Confused was my nickname in Florence, it was a running joke between N- and M-B- and myself… only because I told stories of the confused life I’ve always lived, but it seems that it’s only HERE that I really embody that name.

I just don’t get why it takes so much pride and self-respect to date too. If one is willing to give themselves to someone else, then shouldn’t we be free of so much egoism? Is this where I go wrong? Why is it so terrible of me to wait by my damn phone for a response text after having had such a GREAT connection, on SO MANY levels, with someone. I KNOW he felt it, I could see it in his little skip that he did when he saw me waiting for him after work, or the smile that spreads on his face when we lock eyes. Why these games? Why his pride? What about mine? What about the pride I’ve left behind and the tiny traces of it that survive, barely swimming in the tiny fishbowl I keep it in? Why not just flush it down the toilet and give it a shot?

Maybe I just prefer the familiarity of discomfort. The raw beauty in shame. What about the vulnerability in embarrassment? Or the tingle from guilt? Or the clarity from a blush?

So what if I wanted to have 4 hours of incredible sex on two separate occasions. Why does that have to be it? Why is it a lack of my own pride and an abundance of his? I can’t stand all of this unwritten bullshit. Once upon a time, men and women courted when mutual affection was expressed (sometimes, even when it was a one way street!) and if things progressed smoothly, the professed their love for each other and married. Simple as this perspective may be, I believe a version of it can still exist somewhere under the pages of ridiculous rules that I (personally) believe the men of this world created to “excuse” themselves from their behavior. No, it shouldn’t be okay that I sat on the phone with N- and sighed, repeatedly, after saying “Men…”, as if it answered all of my questions and insecurities… but I did.

It’s been about half a year since my last European vacation and I’m just now writing about it. I wanted to wait and see what memories really stuck with me after the novelty of the trip wore off before I commented on the things worth mentioning.

I packed up my things and set off for a late April road trip through Austria into the northern half of Italy and into Switzerland. It was somewhere I had never been and had always wanted to go and I was doing it with a great friend of mine I hadn’t seen in ages : Jan.

The Dolmides Drive

Our first stop was more of a pit-stop really as after a day of flying for me and driving for Jan we just needed a break, so upon entering Italy we stopped in Bolzano, Italy (German: Bozen).

Bolzano, Italy

This town was a German-Italian mixed community in the Dolmides Mountains region of northeast Italy. The town itself was quaint, high in the mountains and beautiful, but we would quickly learn that everything in Italy is beautiful – this beauty only to be matched by wherever our next stop would take us. Bolzano was nice : we did some walking around , drank some local chocolate beer and had a horrible breakfast at our Gasthaus. After about 24hrs though we ran out of things to do and it was time to move south.

Verona to Venice

Our next stop was Verona where the next memory included taking in the second largest Coliseum in Italy, doing some walking around medieval fortresses and most interestingly eating a local delicacy : Horse. Horse meet, in my humble opinion, is not so great. Save your time and money before listening to Fodor’s and checking

Po River Verona, Italy

out the local horse meant cooked up in gnocchi in Romeo and Juliet’s hometown. The Coliseum on the other hand is definitely worth a stop, as is the historic part of town which has been re-vamped as an upscale shopping area.

Next stop : Venice. Venice was nice. I’m not really sure how I feel about the city itself. We only stayed for a day and a half including Easter. The beautiful aspects of Venice were beyond belief : The Canals, The Architecture, The Gondoliers, and all the things that everyone expects from a Venetian visit. Venice also offered me my first taste of a truly amazing, reasonably priced Italian dinner : Something that would quickly become the norm. It seems that if you take your most high scale Italian restaurant in the states, the quality of food of

Grand Canal Entrance, Venice Italy

any small maw and paw Italian place is going to be equal to it. That said the negative aspect of Venice is that the people who live within the city limits are usually very wealthy and after years of foreign tourists coming into their city, getting drunk, and being loud all night – the city council has banned venues from operating late – so essentially the entire city lacks a nightlife. The only exception being the amazing drag queen that attracted a huge crowd in one of the lesser known piazzas of the town with his/her voice. The other exception being the club I went to where unbeknown to me at the time I got to enjoy the musings of Arisa singing her hit “Sincerita”. I had no idea at the time but learned later this was at the time one of the biggest songs in the entire country –  so I guess I was lucky? or something.

Rome

Rome is fascinating. I’m not really sure where to begin – in fact I think sometime this weekend I’ll write a separate posting just about Rome, because there is so much going on there it doesn’t really fit in with the rest of this brief rundown.

Rome By Night

Toscany

From Rome we moved north, each morning stopping to enjoy our espresso, cigarette, and optional pastry (the Italian breakfast). We drove through the countryside and I have to say that Tuscany has to be among the most beautiful places that I’ve seen first hand. It’s right up there with Hawaii, and the Big Sur area of California. Even while focusing on going 150km/hr in a foreign car on foreign roads with cheesy European music playing in the background on a cloudy day you can’t help but realize how amazing it really is.

Siena and Florence

Both beautiful places although Siena more so. Florence on the other hand has all the comforts and entertainment of a big city. Siena has too many Germans. Florence has too many Americans. Oh Man! Both are great and you should see them both. By the way, best steak I’ve ever had in Europe is the local Florentine style steak. It’s still not as good as American steakhouse steak however for Europe it’s pretty damn tasty – and the lasagna I got with it as a primo was better than my Mom’s lasagna which is saying something!

Florence :

The Jump – Varazca

Our last thing we did on the trip was goto Varazca Dam in Switzerland and after a night at theCasino in Locarno we woke up at 6am to go make the 220m jump in the early morning canyon drizzle.

The Video of the jump can be found following this link:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=103793171080

Thats it for now. I leave you with a constantly heard Italian song on our trip :

Ciao!

so, as i mentioned last week i cut my hair.
and as much as i’d love to post a pic of my own hair, i’d rather not.
instead i’ve been searching for a pic of what my hair looks like.
or similar to.

i went quite short with the cut and threw in some bangs too.
the end result was something like this:

come to think of it, that image kind of looks like me.
freaky!

anyway, so yes, the cut is slightly layered at the back with blunt bangs.
my only problem is now i’m beginning to miss my long hair.
aren’t all girls like that though?

oh well, hair extensions can be my best friend.

- love flo.

i cannot fucking sleep.
lou just called me, drunk as fuck calling me a deceiving slut.
so it’s not the fact she called me a slut.
it’s the fact my peaceful slumber was disturbed by her garbage.

i’m so awake i’m blogging this.
fucking stupid isn’t it?

let’s go for “attempt to sleep take 2.”

- love flo.
(mobile post via n97)