Oggi siamo partite per Firenze, our favourite citta in the whole wide world! It's funny how each time by some twist of fato (fate) that we manage to find our way there. The last 3 times for me was not planned (I have been there 4 times!), this time courtesy of Dario, we found ourselves back at the grandest Renaissance citta and I'd see mio caro amico Lorenzo again and maybe the rest like Guiddo (The Count) who had let me stay 3 nights at his appartamento near the Boboli gardens 2 years ago. Now Lorenzo had kindly offered us his place saying 'I'm so happy to offer you hospitality!', too bad he had to give up his German sheperd Ciro when he moved back to the citta. Ciro was my constant companion on Barbialla Nuova, the sweetest dog I know.
Anyway it paid to have friends - I was kinda relieved cos I hadn't budgeted for these 2 extra weeks where I'd be at the fattoria. Ferne was leaving on Friday and I was thinking what should I do? Should I beg Lore to let me stay for a week and maybe I'd be his domestic (maid)? Or should I travel around - maybe go to Sardegna where I'd always wanted to visit? I could ask Lore for advice since it's his hometown. Oh well, I'd go with the flow. Anyway it's own time, own target!
Lore picked us up at Piazza delle Cure - he looked great in his office getup, long curls and wrinkly dreamy smiling eyes. He dropped us off at his folks' appartamento and told me to call Marco who was leaving town for Barcelona, and apologised he couldn't keep us company. I said 'Non preoccupati, sono a casa.' It's vero. I could walk around Firenze without a mappa and not get lost. We hurried to Santo Spirito (my fav local hangout) and enjoyed long twisted pasta strands con zucchine and gnocchi alla gorgonzola e rucola, toned down with cold birra Moretti. Another toast to Dario!
The waiter was suitably impressed with my italiano accento and thought we were studenti! F said when we are 40, they'd still think we are in our 20s (speriamo - we wish!) After the hearty pranzo, we went window shopping around the Duomo and San Lorenzo. The tourist mobs were mattissimi specialmente at the Duomo, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio and Piazza Signore. I'd always remembered Marco telling me Firenze has been robbed by the tourists and it'd never progressed, stuck in time for the tourist dollar. It was a double-edged sword.
In the evening, we promised ourselves another taste of the local specialty - bistecca alla fiorentina - which we had first tried in 2000. This time, we hunted it down at Trattoria del Carmine where the flirty married young waiter sat us among 10 Japanese diners and served us our starter of spaghetti alla vongole (very flat taste). The 600g slab of bloody bistecca (26E) arrived on a board, cut up at the table. It was so tender, flavoured with just salt and pepe. On our way back to catch the bus, I recognised the trendy bar Dolce Vita where David Rocco had filmed an episode - so chic chic! Pui.
The next morning just as we thought Lore had left for work, he gave us a fright and made us jumped when he crept up quietly from his bedroom. We arranged to meet up for lunch later at a local mercato near his workplace. I had no recollection of climbing the Duomo so our first stop was there to beat the crowd. Luckily the queue was painless, just 20mins and soon we were climbing in the narrow cramped stairway to the top. I got a little claustrophobic halfway whereas F was sweating like mad.
This was a fat person's nightmare as well as the big-sized angmohs easily occupied the whole tunnel while we could squeezed past them. The vista was worth the climb and the narrow hole soon became an open space on a tight terrace where we sat down on the smooth cold marble against the vandalised columns and looked out to the bella citta on this clear blue day. A grander version of Siena, Firenze looked so surreal and tranquilla from here, best captured in sepia or black-white (can you spot me in the foto?).
We hurried down the same stairway to meet Lore at the nearby Mercato San Ambrogio where the locals frequent, away from the tourists. There was an outdoor trippa panino kiosk where David Rocco had also featured - a fast food concept where locals grab a fast cheap snack. We waited for a table at the crowded Trattoria Da Rocco (also featured in Rocco's program) and F's soft zucchine stuffed with minced meat cooked in pomodoro was easily better than my ordinario penne. Anyway I was yakking too much to eat and we were laughing so hard about Dario. Lore had worked with me before on a WWOOF farm so he could sympathise with our situation.
He returned to work on his bicycle while we popped into a pasticceria for a lovely palm-sized glazed fig custard tart and ate it by a kiosk filled with books. I also text Aless to ask if it's ok for me to show up on venerdi and he called back to say that'd be great and would pick me up alla stazione! Yipeee. We did a spot of shopping (a bag for me and Tod's for F) and F bought the most expensive gelato (8E) from this cretina ragazza who was obviously trying to rip us off.
Since this was our last evening together, we decided to splurge on food, starting at the crowded wine bar 'Le Volpi e L'uva' at Piazza dei Rossi. Lore and Marco had previously recommended this place to me and asked me to look for their amico Ciro. I spotted him easily but dared not say ciao. We sighed and lamented that we'd miss all these cheap and delicious prosecco (2,50E each only!) and the joy of snacking freely on the best proscuitto. I was quite high and full when we got our tavolo at the ever popular Trattoria La Casalinga where the boys and I dined before.
The solemn-looking waiter was quite the joker and brought us our starter of carciofio e grana. F never tried artichokes while I loved them but never had them raw. We didn't really fancy the floral stalk bouquet and fibrous cardboard texture. It was tasteless on its own but lifted slightly by the grana cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, balsamico, sale e pepe. The mains fared better although I couldn't say much for the presentation.
The coniglio al forno (7E) looked dry but the rabbit meat tasted good flavoured by rosemary and olive oil. The American couple next to us had all the safe choices (ravioli, roast chicken and tons of bread swimming in olive oil) and were staring at us as we attacked the generous plate of trippa alla fiorentina (5,50E) - pure Fear Factor for them but quite comforting for us since the thin chewy slivers were stewed in tomatoes for a long time.
By the time we were done at 10plus, we were exhausted and decided not to meet Lore for drinks. Instead we admired the Ponte Vecchio and Duomo under the silvery moonlight one last time before heading back on the 'free' bus. Firenze was all the more magical at night as the tourists retreated and you could have the bella citta to yourselves. I felt at home here and could imagine me living here.
Oggi siamo partite per Firenze, our favourite citta in the whole wide world! It's funny how each time by some twist of fato (fate) that we manage to find our way there. The last 3 times for me was not planned (I have been there 4 times!), this time courtesy of Dario, we found ourselves back at the grandest Renaissance citta and I'd see mio caro amico Lorenzo again and maybe the rest like Guiddo (The Count) who had let me stay 3 nights at his appartamento near the Boboli gardens 2 years ago. Now Lorenzo had kindly offered us his place saying 'I'm so happy to offer you hospitality!', too bad he had to give up his German sheperd Ciro when he moved back to the citta. Ciro was my constant companion on Barbialla Nuova, the sweetest dog I know.
Anyway it paid to have friends - I was kinda relieved cos I hadn't budgeted for these 2 extra weeks where I'd be at the fattoria. Ferne was leaving on Friday and I was thinking what should I do? Should I beg Lore to let me stay for a week and maybe I'd be his domestic (maid)? Or should I travel around - maybe go to Sardegna where I'd always wanted to visit? I could ask Lore for advice since it's his hometown. Oh well, I'd go with the flow. Anyway it's own time, own target! 
Lore picked us up at Piazza delle Cure - he looked great in his office getup, long curls and wrinkly dreamy smiling eyes. He dropped us off at his folks' appartamento and told me to call Marco who was leaving town for Barcelona, and apologised he couldn't keep us company. I said 'Non preoccupati, sono a casa.' It's vero. I could walk around Firenze without a mappa and not get lost. We hurried to Santo Spirito (my fav local hangout) and enjoyed long twisted pasta strands con zucchine and gnocchi alla gorgonzola e rucola, toned down with cold birra Moretti. Another toast to Dario! 
The waiter was suitably impressed with my italiano accento and thought we were studenti! F said when we are 40, they'd still think we are in our 20s (speriamo - we wish!) After the hearty pranzo, we went window shopping around the Duomo and San Lorenzo. The tourist mobs were mattissimi specialmente at the Duomo, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio and Piazza Signore. I'd always remembered Marco telling me Firenze has been robbed by the tourists and it'd never progressed, stuck in time for the tourist dollar. It was a double-edged sword. 
In the evening, we promised ourselves another taste of the local specialty - bistecca alla fiorentina - which we had first tried in 2000. This time, we hunted it down at Trattoria del Carmine where the flirty married young waiter sat us among 10 Japanese diners and served us our starter of spaghetti alla vongole (very flat taste). The 600g slab of bloody bistecca (26E) arrived on a board, cut up at the table. It was so tender, flavoured with just salt and pepe. On our way back to catch the bus, I recognised the trendy bar Dolce Vita where David Rocco had filmed an episode - so chic chic! Pui.
The next morning just as we thought Lore had left for work, he gave us a fright and made us jumped when he crept up quietly from his bedroom. We arranged to meet up for lunch later at a local mercato near his workplace. I had no recollection of climbing the Duomo so our first stop was there to beat the crowd. Luckily the queue was painless, just 20mins and soon we were climbing in the narrow cramped stairway to the top. I got a little claustrophobic halfway whereas F was sweating like mad.
This was a fat person's nightmare as well as the big-sized angmohs easily occupied the whole tunnel while we could squeezed past them. The vista was worth the climb and the narrow hole soon became an open space on a tight terrace where we sat down on the smooth cold marble against the vandalised columns and looked out to the bella citta on this clear blue day. A grander version of Siena, Firenze looked so surreal and tranquilla from here, best captured in sepia or black-white (can you spot me in the foto?). 
We hurried down the same stairway to meet Lore at the nearby Mercato San Ambrogio where the locals frequent, away from the tourists. There was an outdoor trippa panino kiosk where David Rocco had also featured - a fast food concept where locals grab a fast cheap snack. We waited for a table at the crowded Trattoria Da Rocco (also featured in Rocco's program) and F's soft zucchine stuffed with minced meat cooked in pomodoro was easily better than my ordinario penne. Anyway I was yakking too much to eat and we were laughing so hard about Dario. Lore had worked with me before on a WWOOF farm so he could sympathise with our situation.
He returned to work on his bicycle while we popped into a pasticceria for a lovely palm-sized glazed fig custard tart and ate it by a kiosk filled with books. I also text Aless to ask if it's ok for me to show up on venerdi and he called back to say that'd be great and would pick me up alla stazione! Yipeee. We did a spot of shopping (a bag for me and Tod's for F) and F bought the most expensive gelato (8E) from this cretina ragazza who was obviously trying to rip us off.
Since this was our last evening together, we decided to splurge on food, starting at the crowded wine bar 'Le Volpi e L'uva' at Piazza dei Rossi. Lore and Marco had previously recommended this place to me and asked me to look for their amico Ciro. I spotted him easily but dared not say ciao. We sighed and lamented that we'd miss all these cheap and delicious prosecco (2,50E each only!) and the joy of snacking freely on the best proscuitto. I was quite high and full when we got our tavolo at the ever popular Trattoria La Casalinga where the boys and I dined before. 
The solemn-looking waiter was quite the joker and brought us our starter of carciofio e grana. F never tried artichokes while I loved them but never had them raw. We didn't really fancy the floral stalk bouquet and fibrous cardboard texture. It was tasteless on its own but lifted slightly by the grana cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, balsamico, sale e pepe. The mains fared better although I couldn't say much for the presentation. 
The coniglio al forno (7E) looked dry but the rabbit meat tasted good flavoured by rosemary and olive oil. The American couple next to us had all the safe choices (ravioli, roast chicken and tons of bread swimming in olive oil) and were staring at us as we attacked the generous plate of trippa alla fiorentina (5,50E) - pure Fear Factor for them but quite comforting for us since the thin chewy slivers were stewed in tomatoes for a long time. 
By the time we were done at 10plus, we were exhausted and decided not to meet Lore for drinks. Instead we admired the Ponte Vecchio and Duomo under the silvery moonlight one last time before heading back on the 'free' bus. Firenze was all the more magical at night as the tourists retreated and you could have the bella citta to yourselves. I felt at home here and could imagine me living here.
1 comment:
ciao bella,so happy to read about your adventures, send my love to F and will always be here with you in spirit. Love ya lots. XXX
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