Friday, March 14, 2008
This Month in Florentine Braheem
* Switzerland, Not like we drew it up
* Is the Honeymoon Over?
* Primavera? Psych!
* Driving in Florence and Anna's Fiat 500
* The Day the Owl Came to the Castle
* The Silver Lining of the Kids Being Sick
* Notes from the Cheap Seats
* Umbria
* Trey and Olivia
* Lo Sport (Box!)
* Wine and Spirits
AND AS USUAL MANY PHOTOS!
* Is the Honeymoon Over?
* Primavera? Psych!
* Driving in Florence and Anna's Fiat 500
* The Day the Owl Came to the Castle
* The Silver Lining of the Kids Being Sick
* Notes from the Cheap Seats
* Umbria
* Trey and Olivia
* Lo Sport (Box!)
* Wine and Spirits
AND AS USUAL MANY PHOTOS!
Switerland...Not like we drew it up!
It was all set, the perfect winter wonderland location. Nearly one year ago, I was shocked to find out that the kids had one full week off from school in February! This makes up for all the one off holidays that Italians don’t celebrate like Lincoln, Washington, MLK, the birth of Sitting Bull etc…
Switzerland was the logical choice. The kids have never skied and although Anna and I are not much for winter sports, we thought that a trip to Zermatt and Zurich to play in the snow and see the Matterhorn sounded like the perfect plan. Unfortunately, three days prior to departure, we learned that Olivia had bronchial pneumonia and we had to cancel the trip. In total, she missed an entire week of school and ran a fever of 104 degrees two days in a row! As would be expected, she was a trooper the entire time and even on the bad days whenever I asked her how she was doing she looked at me and said “Good Dad”. Just prior to her illness, Trey missed the entire previous week of school with bronchitis. We had no choice but to cancel no matter how big of a bummer it was.
The good news was that I had bought insurance and we will hopefully be reimbursed for the costs. At least we took the opportunity to spend a few days in Umbria that week once Livy was feeling a bit better (See Umbria Section).
Switzerland was the logical choice. The kids have never skied and although Anna and I are not much for winter sports, we thought that a trip to Zermatt and Zurich to play in the snow and see the Matterhorn sounded like the perfect plan. Unfortunately, three days prior to departure, we learned that Olivia had bronchial pneumonia and we had to cancel the trip. In total, she missed an entire week of school and ran a fever of 104 degrees two days in a row! As would be expected, she was a trooper the entire time and even on the bad days whenever I asked her how she was doing she looked at me and said “Good Dad”. Just prior to her illness, Trey missed the entire previous week of school with bronchitis. We had no choice but to cancel no matter how big of a bummer it was.
The good news was that I had bought insurance and we will hopefully be reimbursed for the costs. At least we took the opportunity to spend a few days in Umbria that week once Livy was feeling a bit better (See Umbria Section).
Is the Honeymoon Over?
I would guess that it was on, or around the 15th of February that it hit me. It wasn’t subtle, but rather a feeling more akin to that of being drunk on good red wine and then coming down from your high. I was tired of Italy! How could it be that this place that we had fallen so head over heels in love with was now no longer exciting to me? For the next ten days or so I walked around in a daze. Nothing seemed to be all that exciting anymore. The Lakers were making their run towards the NBA’s best record, my UCLA Bruins were making another run at a Pac-10 title (Remember, I don’t get to see any of these games here), the nine year olds back home were practicing baseball and coach Tim was not there with his pack of sunflower seeds leading them through the drills and giving out baseball cards to the hero of each practice. Worst of all was missing the familiar faces of home (Yes we have managed to make some solid friends here, but it will never be the same as family and friends at home). There were very few positive thoughts going through my head. I was in a funk.
I asked Anna if she felt the same way and she agreed that things were not quite the same for her either (Not to the degree that I was feeling it, but it was odd that it hit her at the same time). The cold weather was getting to both of us and we were worn out on wearing the same clothes, jackets and scarves everyday. I was having a tough time getting motivated to do much of anything. Even the amazing views from the castle seemed to have lost their intrigue (Something that I would never have guessed was possible). The thought of coming home in July seemed so far away…
Then, on the 25th of February the excitement of Italy came back to us like a thunderbolt! We were suddenly in love with this place again! Anna never really fell out of love like I did, but even she regained that look in her eye (The one that I had grown accustomed to seeing every day for the past six months) of an excited child on Christmas morning. What was it that brought it all back you ask? Its really a combination of a couple of things, the first being a change in the weather that provided a glimpse of what Spring will be like (Its going to be simply amazing, with wild flowers and sunflowers everywhere). The biggest factor however was being able to get out of the house for the first time in over two weeks (due to Trey and Olivia’s illness)! I don’t think that we realized what an impact being stuck at home would have on us! Its not often that you are forced to stay home for two weeks straight and when you add to the dynamic that neither of us have a job, it makes things feel…crowded dare I say? Thank God for the palestra, which became our only solitude.
As soon as the kids returned to school from their one week winter break, we were freed to experience what we love so much about Florence (A list that you are all too familiar with if you have been reading our blog.) When we returned to the city center for the first time in nearly three weeks, the life and energy of the city engulfed us once again. It was as if we were seeing her history, viewing her amazing architecture, hearing her sounds, smelling her smells, and feeling her energy for the first time all over again. As we walked back across Ponte Santo Trinito and over the Arno on our way home, Anna and I looked at each other and smiled. No words were necessary…
I asked Anna if she felt the same way and she agreed that things were not quite the same for her either (Not to the degree that I was feeling it, but it was odd that it hit her at the same time). The cold weather was getting to both of us and we were worn out on wearing the same clothes, jackets and scarves everyday. I was having a tough time getting motivated to do much of anything. Even the amazing views from the castle seemed to have lost their intrigue (Something that I would never have guessed was possible). The thought of coming home in July seemed so far away…
Then, on the 25th of February the excitement of Italy came back to us like a thunderbolt! We were suddenly in love with this place again! Anna never really fell out of love like I did, but even she regained that look in her eye (The one that I had grown accustomed to seeing every day for the past six months) of an excited child on Christmas morning. What was it that brought it all back you ask? Its really a combination of a couple of things, the first being a change in the weather that provided a glimpse of what Spring will be like (Its going to be simply amazing, with wild flowers and sunflowers everywhere). The biggest factor however was being able to get out of the house for the first time in over two weeks (due to Trey and Olivia’s illness)! I don’t think that we realized what an impact being stuck at home would have on us! Its not often that you are forced to stay home for two weeks straight and when you add to the dynamic that neither of us have a job, it makes things feel…crowded dare I say? Thank God for the palestra, which became our only solitude.
As soon as the kids returned to school from their one week winter break, we were freed to experience what we love so much about Florence (A list that you are all too familiar with if you have been reading our blog.) When we returned to the city center for the first time in nearly three weeks, the life and energy of the city engulfed us once again. It was as if we were seeing her history, viewing her amazing architecture, hearing her sounds, smelling her smells, and feeling her energy for the first time all over again. As we walked back across Ponte Santo Trinito and over the Arno on our way home, Anna and I looked at each other and smiled. No words were necessary…
Primavera? Psych!
As we have indicated, winter has overstayed its welcome for our tastes. We’re tired of the warm clothes, scarves and the rest of the regalia. In late February we saw our first glances of the word that seems to make every Italian smile, Primavera (Spring in Italian). Florentines seem to lust for this time of year when the weather turns, the leaves return to the trees, the wild flowers start to bloom and things like asparagus, fresh peas and berries arrive at the local fruit and vegetable stands. One magical Sunday morning we woke to the glory of a sun filled sky, broken by puffy white clouds. The kids and I decided to take a walk around the countryside that is Marignolle, stripping off layers of clothing as the sun warmed our bodies. There are some trees here that I have never seen before which produce some of the most beautiful flowers that I have ever witnessed. One tree blooms bright yellow flowers that look like grapes dangling from their branches, while another dawns hundreds of little white blossoms that glisten in the sunshine while giving the impression that snow has recently flocked its stems. We walked for nearly 90 minutes meandering our way through the narrow roads that are lined with stone walls dating back hundreds of years. This is what we have to look forward to for the next several months I thought. Thank God for Primavera.
Not so fast said Mother Nature, I have a bit more Inverno (Winter) up my sleeve! Not more than 48 hours after our walk, a wicked winter storm from Russia came rolling down South like a boulder. It brought with it some of the coldest and most fierce winds that I have ever felt (Reaching up to 50 miles an hour here at the castle which sits on the top of a large hilltop). The result was over a week of temperatures below freezing at night and three days in a row where the high was in the upper thirties! The wicked weather was tolerable however as the site of waking up to fresh snow in the mountains that are no more than 30 minutes away was gorgeous.
Every morning I walk the kids to the front gate of the castle to await the arrival or Giovanni, their bus driver. This week saw us bundled up like we were headed for the Rocky Mountains on a ski trip! One afternoon the kids arrived home at around 4:00 and we had snow flurries here at the castle. For us California folk, this is a new experience and one that makes the thoughts of the arrival of spring a dream that we so look forward to. It’s interesting, having never lived in a place that has four full seasons, how much each of these four times of the year take on such a different perspective. The sites, clothes and food are so much more diverse in a place like this versus Southern California where you may have a few weeks of cool weather at most.
I have often said that the only reason that we cherish weekends so much is because there are week days to make us crave the two precious days of the week that allow us to do what we want. Those few days of glorious sunshine may not have seemed like a whole lot to our family and friends in California who experience sunshine throughout the year, however there is a beauty in not taking nice weather for granted too. Here in Florence, the experience is similar, where we patiently await the arrival of days that allow us to enjoy linen and cotton on our bodies once again. Those days will arrive soon enough and with a new appreciation for what Spring really is…rebirth.
Not so fast said Mother Nature, I have a bit more Inverno (Winter) up my sleeve! Not more than 48 hours after our walk, a wicked winter storm from Russia came rolling down South like a boulder. It brought with it some of the coldest and most fierce winds that I have ever felt (Reaching up to 50 miles an hour here at the castle which sits on the top of a large hilltop). The result was over a week of temperatures below freezing at night and three days in a row where the high was in the upper thirties! The wicked weather was tolerable however as the site of waking up to fresh snow in the mountains that are no more than 30 minutes away was gorgeous.
Every morning I walk the kids to the front gate of the castle to await the arrival or Giovanni, their bus driver. This week saw us bundled up like we were headed for the Rocky Mountains on a ski trip! One afternoon the kids arrived home at around 4:00 and we had snow flurries here at the castle. For us California folk, this is a new experience and one that makes the thoughts of the arrival of spring a dream that we so look forward to. It’s interesting, having never lived in a place that has four full seasons, how much each of these four times of the year take on such a different perspective. The sites, clothes and food are so much more diverse in a place like this versus Southern California where you may have a few weeks of cool weather at most.
I have often said that the only reason that we cherish weekends so much is because there are week days to make us crave the two precious days of the week that allow us to do what we want. Those few days of glorious sunshine may not have seemed like a whole lot to our family and friends in California who experience sunshine throughout the year, however there is a beauty in not taking nice weather for granted too. Here in Florence, the experience is similar, where we patiently await the arrival of days that allow us to enjoy linen and cotton on our bodies once again. Those days will arrive soon enough and with a new appreciation for what Spring really is…rebirth.
Driving In Florence and Anna's Fiat 500
When we arrived in Madrid Spain last October and were on our way to our hotel, Trey shouted from the back seat of the car “Wow, the lanes here are really wide!” They sure were compared to our current place of residence. In reality the lanes were no different in Madrid than what all of you are used to in America, nice and wide and numerous. Here in Florence, you are lucky (I mean this sincerely) to find a street that is two way, much less one that has two lanes. It makes sense when you think about it, this is a city that was built hundreds of years before Henry Ford invented the car and for this reason is not equipped to hold the auto congestion that we have in today’s day and age. The streets of Florence are a giant labyrinth of winding roads that are not only one way, but often times are incapable of hosting so much as a mid sized car much less a Sport Utility vehicle or something as ridiculous as a Hummer.
In Marignolle, where we live, there are several stretches of road where you must stop and pull over to the side of the wall to allow another car to pass (Often both cars need to roll down their windows and fold in their side mirrors to make this possible). No wonder no one is in a hurry here, what would be the point given how long it takes to drive from one place to the next! I should also add that the requirement of pulling ones car over to a stone wall while others pass, often results in scratches and scrapes to ones vehicle, which is probably why you don’t see many Mercedes or BMW’s in these parts as it is pointless to own something that is in constant danger of being dented! When we have had house guests from the United States, one of the first things that they are amazed by is dramatic difference in driving conditions here compared to at home. I have refrained from mentioning in past blogs the incidents that have occurred with Anna manning the wheel out of respect for her driving reputation. Without going into detail, she has racked up nearly fifteen hundred dollars in wreckage fees to date and only drives about ten percent of the time. Driving is tough here!
The result of these conditions is a long list of tiny cars that occupy the roads of Florence, which we rarely if ever see at home. The Smart Car is the most popular. Those that have been to Italy have likely seen this cool little vehicle that can not pass American Safety standards and whose length is small enough to fit in the “Width” of normal parking spot! There are also a ton of Mini Coopers here in Florence, which is a personal favorite car of mine. Another such vehicle is the Fiat 500 a car that has been around for over five decades and that Anna has fallen in love with. This car, which measures slightly under 10 feet in length, is a classic in every way and the streets of Florence have dozens of them in wonderful condition. About two months ago, Anna decided that it is her goal to drive one of these tiny vehicles in the streets of Thousand Oaks California one day! Candidly it might need to remain relegated to the streets as I am not sure that it can maintain the speed necessary to survive our highways! Not only would it be economical and good for the environment, but it would surely turn heads due to its unique size. Believe it or not, this tiny little car does have a back seat that the kids can fit into as well. The most striking feature of the Fiat 500 to me is the size of the tires. They look like they belong on a mountain bike! Following are a few questions for Anna regarding her new dream vehicle:
Q1: Anna what is it about the 500 that you love so much?
AA: I just love how small it is. Its timeless and classic. I feel that one somehow in a past life I had one. I feel like I’ve had one before!”
Q2: Don’t you think that people will make fun of you when they see you driving one in LA?
AA: “I don’t give a shit what people think about me.”
Q3: Are you not fearful that the 500 may be crapped on by a Sport Utility Vehicle in Los Angeles?
AA: “Nope, I don’t think that it’s a lot smaller than a Porsche 911. It may not be as glamorous but I don’t care about that. I like the fact that its totally different. I’m a recycler. Its an original which is what I like about it.”
In Marignolle, where we live, there are several stretches of road where you must stop and pull over to the side of the wall to allow another car to pass (Often both cars need to roll down their windows and fold in their side mirrors to make this possible). No wonder no one is in a hurry here, what would be the point given how long it takes to drive from one place to the next! I should also add that the requirement of pulling ones car over to a stone wall while others pass, often results in scratches and scrapes to ones vehicle, which is probably why you don’t see many Mercedes or BMW’s in these parts as it is pointless to own something that is in constant danger of being dented! When we have had house guests from the United States, one of the first things that they are amazed by is dramatic difference in driving conditions here compared to at home. I have refrained from mentioning in past blogs the incidents that have occurred with Anna manning the wheel out of respect for her driving reputation. Without going into detail, she has racked up nearly fifteen hundred dollars in wreckage fees to date and only drives about ten percent of the time. Driving is tough here!
The result of these conditions is a long list of tiny cars that occupy the roads of Florence, which we rarely if ever see at home. The Smart Car is the most popular. Those that have been to Italy have likely seen this cool little vehicle that can not pass American Safety standards and whose length is small enough to fit in the “Width” of normal parking spot! There are also a ton of Mini Coopers here in Florence, which is a personal favorite car of mine. Another such vehicle is the Fiat 500 a car that has been around for over five decades and that Anna has fallen in love with. This car, which measures slightly under 10 feet in length, is a classic in every way and the streets of Florence have dozens of them in wonderful condition. About two months ago, Anna decided that it is her goal to drive one of these tiny vehicles in the streets of Thousand Oaks California one day! Candidly it might need to remain relegated to the streets as I am not sure that it can maintain the speed necessary to survive our highways! Not only would it be economical and good for the environment, but it would surely turn heads due to its unique size. Believe it or not, this tiny little car does have a back seat that the kids can fit into as well. The most striking feature of the Fiat 500 to me is the size of the tires. They look like they belong on a mountain bike! Following are a few questions for Anna regarding her new dream vehicle:
Q1: Anna what is it about the 500 that you love so much?
AA: I just love how small it is. Its timeless and classic. I feel that one somehow in a past life I had one. I feel like I’ve had one before!”
Q2: Don’t you think that people will make fun of you when they see you driving one in LA?
AA: “I don’t give a shit what people think about me.”
Q3: Are you not fearful that the 500 may be crapped on by a Sport Utility Vehicle in Los Angeles?
AA: “Nope, I don’t think that it’s a lot smaller than a Porsche 911. It may not be as glamorous but I don’t care about that. I like the fact that its totally different. I’m a recycler. Its an original which is what I like about it.”
When the Owl came to the Castle
One lazy Saturday afternoon, I was sitting on the couch with the kids when I heard the elevator door open outside our flat (When you open the door, it’s literally only one stride into our house and if we don’t close the door, which we never do, anyone can just walk right in!). In walked our neighbor and friend Jeannette Nardi. Those that have met Jeanette (My parents have) know that she has a wonderful dry wit about her. She walked straight out of the elevator and into our flat, looked me in the eye and with a stoic look said “I’ve got a big problem!” I wasn’t sure at first if this would be followed by a humorous comment, so I asked “What’s up?” Jeanette then proceeded to explain that she had a giant bird in her house and that it was alive!
Those that know Anna and I know that the following statement, from yours truly, was no joke but straight truth. “Jeanette, I’m not your man for the job, BUT I know just the lady who is!” I called for Anna and she immediately headed downstairs to find out just what was going on in the Nardi apartment, but not before instructing me to grab a bed sheet!
When we entered the living room we were astonished to find that somehow an owl had gotten in and lodged itself in the iron security bars that covered her window! It was the strangest thing. How in God’s green earth did an owl (That wasn’t small by the way) get into their home? One thing that I have not mentioned in past blogs is that the area that we live in is truly like living in the country. Marignolle is perhaps the most desired area in all of Florence because you are in the country but yet only ten minutes from the city (Think Montecito meets Tuscany). I would estimate that the property that we live on is the smallest lot in all of Marignolle. Our lot is roughly four acres! The result is all sorts of living creatures in the surrounding area, especially some very beautiful birds.
My concern (Mostly because I’m a chicken shit when it comes to these things) was Anna getting bit by this large bird who was clearly panicked by being stuck in the iron bars and who had a very sharp beak and long, sharp talons. It was so cool to see Anna operate under pressure. She calmly talked quietly to the bird and used the bed sheet to shield it from us (Therefore calming it down). My job was to open the iron bars far enough so Anna could reach in and wrap the owl in the sheet and set it free out the window. This of course is an extreme over simplification of what needed to happen as there were all sorts of barriers in our way, including the fact that the owls wing was caught in the bars and needed to be dislodged, that it could easily bite or scratch her when she picked it up and that the window bars were locked and we had a difficult time finding a key!
With a little teamwork (That’s like saying that when Tiger Woods won the Masters that it was a team effort with his caddy!) we were able to get the bars open far enough for Anna to free the bird. From there I opened the window while Anna carried the owl to a point where she could set it free. Only in Italy!
Those that know Anna and I know that the following statement, from yours truly, was no joke but straight truth. “Jeanette, I’m not your man for the job, BUT I know just the lady who is!” I called for Anna and she immediately headed downstairs to find out just what was going on in the Nardi apartment, but not before instructing me to grab a bed sheet!
When we entered the living room we were astonished to find that somehow an owl had gotten in and lodged itself in the iron security bars that covered her window! It was the strangest thing. How in God’s green earth did an owl (That wasn’t small by the way) get into their home? One thing that I have not mentioned in past blogs is that the area that we live in is truly like living in the country. Marignolle is perhaps the most desired area in all of Florence because you are in the country but yet only ten minutes from the city (Think Montecito meets Tuscany). I would estimate that the property that we live on is the smallest lot in all of Marignolle. Our lot is roughly four acres! The result is all sorts of living creatures in the surrounding area, especially some very beautiful birds.
My concern (Mostly because I’m a chicken shit when it comes to these things) was Anna getting bit by this large bird who was clearly panicked by being stuck in the iron bars and who had a very sharp beak and long, sharp talons. It was so cool to see Anna operate under pressure. She calmly talked quietly to the bird and used the bed sheet to shield it from us (Therefore calming it down). My job was to open the iron bars far enough so Anna could reach in and wrap the owl in the sheet and set it free out the window. This of course is an extreme over simplification of what needed to happen as there were all sorts of barriers in our way, including the fact that the owls wing was caught in the bars and needed to be dislodged, that it could easily bite or scratch her when she picked it up and that the window bars were locked and we had a difficult time finding a key!
With a little teamwork (That’s like saying that when Tiger Woods won the Masters that it was a team effort with his caddy!) we were able to get the bars open far enough for Anna to free the bird. From there I opened the window while Anna carried the owl to a point where she could set it free. Only in Italy!
The Silver Lining
The two and a half weeks that the kids were at home sick provided for some wonderful moments while we were cooped up at home. When you have a second child, things are forever changed in many ways from the time when your family was a simple threesome. We remember the many times that the three of us (Anna, Trey and I) would spend time together and the arrival of Olivia of course changed that dynamic six years ago.
Where I’m sure Trey misses the times when he had mom and dad all to himself, Olivia was never able to experience this feeling as the second child.
The two and a half weeks that spanned each of their illnesses provided a unique opportunity for each of them (And us as parents) to share quality time together. Many of those days were simply spent on the couch watching cartoons, drinking hot tea and cuddling under our warm blankets that the kids love so much. Once they were starting to recover, we encouraged them to go out doors with us to shop for groceries or have lunch just to catch some fresh air. One of my favorite memories of them being sick was a Saturday morning when Trey and I bundled up, parked the car outside the city center and walked the streets of Florence, stopping along the way at some of my favorite spots that he never gets to visit because he is in school. We visited Leonardo, our shoe repair guy whose kind face and tranquil demeanor will always remind me of the Italian way of life. Leonardo works in his own little shoe shinning shop that is no larger than my walk in closet at home. Some days, I see his 88 year old father in there with him, polishing shoes for the local residents.
On our walk we passed by the lady that Anna and I just adore (We’ve never been able to get her name) who we see walking the streets from time to time or taking in lunch at a local Trattoria. She’s always dressed to the “9’s”, so proud and so full of style. On March the 8th she turned 100 years old!
We went to see Salvatore, my favorite delicatessen at Olio and Convivium (A great restaurant) who sliced us thin portions of Mortadella, Salami and Prociutto. As is always the case, he gave Trey a few chocolate biscotti’s for the road, free of charge of course.
What was so special about this day? Nothing other than the fact that I was not at work, Trey was not at school and we were in Florence Italy visiting my favorite local proprietors, something we would not have had time to do had the kids not been sick! I have had many similar experiences with Olivia as she and I have a little routine of jumping on the motorino together and riding to the center. She loves riding on the motorino with me and the proprietors just eat her up! Every place we go she gets free food. Hell, if I took her everyday we would not need to feed her otherwise!
Where I’m sure Trey misses the times when he had mom and dad all to himself, Olivia was never able to experience this feeling as the second child.
The two and a half weeks that spanned each of their illnesses provided a unique opportunity for each of them (And us as parents) to share quality time together. Many of those days were simply spent on the couch watching cartoons, drinking hot tea and cuddling under our warm blankets that the kids love so much. Once they were starting to recover, we encouraged them to go out doors with us to shop for groceries or have lunch just to catch some fresh air. One of my favorite memories of them being sick was a Saturday morning when Trey and I bundled up, parked the car outside the city center and walked the streets of Florence, stopping along the way at some of my favorite spots that he never gets to visit because he is in school. We visited Leonardo, our shoe repair guy whose kind face and tranquil demeanor will always remind me of the Italian way of life. Leonardo works in his own little shoe shinning shop that is no larger than my walk in closet at home. Some days, I see his 88 year old father in there with him, polishing shoes for the local residents.
On our walk we passed by the lady that Anna and I just adore (We’ve never been able to get her name) who we see walking the streets from time to time or taking in lunch at a local Trattoria. She’s always dressed to the “9’s”, so proud and so full of style. On March the 8th she turned 100 years old!
We went to see Salvatore, my favorite delicatessen at Olio and Convivium (A great restaurant) who sliced us thin portions of Mortadella, Salami and Prociutto. As is always the case, he gave Trey a few chocolate biscotti’s for the road, free of charge of course.
What was so special about this day? Nothing other than the fact that I was not at work, Trey was not at school and we were in Florence Italy visiting my favorite local proprietors, something we would not have had time to do had the kids not been sick! I have had many similar experiences with Olivia as she and I have a little routine of jumping on the motorino together and riding to the center. She loves riding on the motorino with me and the proprietors just eat her up! Every place we go she gets free food. Hell, if I took her everyday we would not need to feed her otherwise!
Notes from the Cheap Seats (Schiaciatta Alla Fiorentina)
We have written many times in past blogs about our love affair with the food here. We have also highlighted how much we love the fact that Italians eat based upon the seasons. They are also VERY tradition oriented when it comes to their food. One such example is that of Carnival and Lent. In Florence, the time of Carnival (The days leading up to Lent) and Lent itself (The days leading up to Easter), means the window of opportunity to eat Schiaciatta alla Fiorentina. What the hell is that you may ask? Let’s put it this way, you’ve never eaten cake this good! NEVER!
All over town there are places called Pasticerias (Italy’s much better version of the American bakery) and during this period, many of them make Schiaciatta. There are many famous Pasticerias in Florence, but the king of all Pasticerias is “Georgio”. Words simply can not describe how we feel about this place. Everyone that has visited us has been to Georgio and only those that have been can truly understand how special it is.
When you mention Schiaciatta to a Florentine, an instant smile comes over their face and the next words that they murmur are “Georgio ha Migliore Schiaciatta” (Georgio has the best Schiaciatta). So what is this cake that we have bought no less than five different times in the past month and that gets better every time we eat it?
The best way to describe Schiaciatta is that it’s a light and fluffy yellow cake (Don’t lose me chocolate fans, chocolate cake used to be my undisputed favorite cake until I had Schiaciatta!) with a hint of orange flavor in it, topped with a light dusting of powered sugar. That’s it, you say??? Well, no not exactly. Georgio puts a nice healthy layer of Chantilly Cream in the middle and the result is pure magic. Waking up at 2:00 in the morning to have something sweet with a glass of milk has never been so good, neither has a cappuccino had a better partner in the morning for breakfast!
I told Anna that I will fly back to Italy for Lent just to eat Schiaciatta! It’s only available for 8 weeks during the year and is worth the pilgrimage!
All over town there are places called Pasticerias (Italy’s much better version of the American bakery) and during this period, many of them make Schiaciatta. There are many famous Pasticerias in Florence, but the king of all Pasticerias is “Georgio”. Words simply can not describe how we feel about this place. Everyone that has visited us has been to Georgio and only those that have been can truly understand how special it is.
When you mention Schiaciatta to a Florentine, an instant smile comes over their face and the next words that they murmur are “Georgio ha Migliore Schiaciatta” (Georgio has the best Schiaciatta). So what is this cake that we have bought no less than five different times in the past month and that gets better every time we eat it?
The best way to describe Schiaciatta is that it’s a light and fluffy yellow cake (Don’t lose me chocolate fans, chocolate cake used to be my undisputed favorite cake until I had Schiaciatta!) with a hint of orange flavor in it, topped with a light dusting of powered sugar. That’s it, you say??? Well, no not exactly. Georgio puts a nice healthy layer of Chantilly Cream in the middle and the result is pure magic. Waking up at 2:00 in the morning to have something sweet with a glass of milk has never been so good, neither has a cappuccino had a better partner in the morning for breakfast!
I told Anna that I will fly back to Italy for Lent just to eat Schiaciatta! It’s only available for 8 weeks during the year and is worth the pilgrimage!
Smores!
Much has been written about our friend Alex (Tour Guide De jour) but one thing that we may not have mentioned is that she is an avid desert fan (Perhaps to a degree that I have never seen!) I won’t go into details on some of her legendary desert stories, but will say that she is nearly as passionate about sweets as she is about the art and history of Florence.
One day in October, we were touring with Alex when she asked us about a desert that she had seen in the movies “I don’t know what you call it, but it has marshmallows and I always see people in the movies sitting around a fire when they eat them!” “SMORES” we responded! “Are they real she asked? I mean, do people really eat them?” At that moment Anna made a promise that she would bring all the necessary ingredients back from the California over the holidays to treat Alex to her first batch of Smores.
One night in February we met for Pizza and then headed back to the castle for desert. The only thing that I could not figure out was where were we going to roast them? We do have a fire place in the castle but had never used it and the owner “Massimo” had asked me to be extra careful with the fire place as the oil on canvass painting above it was worth a lot of money. Those that know me, know that I am not exactly a wiz when it comes to fire (I’ve had a few near fatalities that Tim Dunigan can tell you about!). I checked the flute the best I could (It’s a very strange one that is hooked to a chain) and was certain that it was open. I even poked a stick high up into the vent and hit no resistance. We were all convinced that it must be open. Well it wasn’t, and the result was some serious smoldering that left us scrambling to remove the well adhered painting from above the fireplace and let in the cold fresh air from outside!
Anna, the ever creative one, concluded that the toaster oven was the next best thing (And to her credit, it did work quite well), but there is just something not quite right about a bunch of people huddled around a toaster oven in the kitchen with their skewers, graham crackers and Hershey Chocolate bars!
Alex certainly new nothing different and suffice to say that she loved her first encounter with smores! (See photos)
One day in October, we were touring with Alex when she asked us about a desert that she had seen in the movies “I don’t know what you call it, but it has marshmallows and I always see people in the movies sitting around a fire when they eat them!” “SMORES” we responded! “Are they real she asked? I mean, do people really eat them?” At that moment Anna made a promise that she would bring all the necessary ingredients back from the California over the holidays to treat Alex to her first batch of Smores.
One night in February we met for Pizza and then headed back to the castle for desert. The only thing that I could not figure out was where were we going to roast them? We do have a fire place in the castle but had never used it and the owner “Massimo” had asked me to be extra careful with the fire place as the oil on canvass painting above it was worth a lot of money. Those that know me, know that I am not exactly a wiz when it comes to fire (I’ve had a few near fatalities that Tim Dunigan can tell you about!). I checked the flute the best I could (It’s a very strange one that is hooked to a chain) and was certain that it was open. I even poked a stick high up into the vent and hit no resistance. We were all convinced that it must be open. Well it wasn’t, and the result was some serious smoldering that left us scrambling to remove the well adhered painting from above the fireplace and let in the cold fresh air from outside!
Anna, the ever creative one, concluded that the toaster oven was the next best thing (And to her credit, it did work quite well), but there is just something not quite right about a bunch of people huddled around a toaster oven in the kitchen with their skewers, graham crackers and Hershey Chocolate bars!
Alex certainly new nothing different and suffice to say that she loved her first encounter with smores! (See photos)
Being with Each Other Every Day
One day not long ago, I got to thinking, “Wow, Anna and I sure have spent a lot of time together in the last seven months!” I knew that we were going to be together a lot this year, but I guess that I never considered that it would be pretty much all day and every day. There are times when we will head our separate ways (Perhaps I have lunch with a friend or she goes off exploring the city and its winding streets), but for the most part we are attached at the hip. One of the reasons is that we only have one car and with the weather so cold, I’ve not been riding the motorino much the past few months.
I occurred to me that not many married couples experience being together this frequently and for this long of a period of time until much later in their lives. This is a very different experience than working with your spouse as the time is consumed with work rather than true personal quality time. Unfortunately for many people, this personal time (When they finally do get to spend it together) is not necessarily an enjoyable experience. I consider the two of us very lucky to be able to go through it at an early age as it serves as a glimpse to the future of what retirement will be like. Of course the experience is greatly enhanced by having the opportunity to enjoy being with Trey and Olivia at a young age as well. Florence isn’t a bad place to go through it either!
The good news is I am not looking forward to going back to work, so something must be going well!
I occurred to me that not many married couples experience being together this frequently and for this long of a period of time until much later in their lives. This is a very different experience than working with your spouse as the time is consumed with work rather than true personal quality time. Unfortunately for many people, this personal time (When they finally do get to spend it together) is not necessarily an enjoyable experience. I consider the two of us very lucky to be able to go through it at an early age as it serves as a glimpse to the future of what retirement will be like. Of course the experience is greatly enhanced by having the opportunity to enjoy being with Trey and Olivia at a young age as well. Florence isn’t a bad place to go through it either!
The good news is I am not looking forward to going back to work, so something must be going well!
US Politics
Sometimes I wonder if European people know and care more about US politics than we do! The Obama/Clinton race has been watched very closely over here and we are constantly being asked by our friends who we want and think will win. Its funny, I’m not sure how things stand in the US, but McCain sure doesn’t get much ink in these parts. The media seems to be infatuated with the Democratic race in a big way. The Italians love to talk politics and it should not be a surprise given the ancient history of politics in this country which dates back to the Roman Senate before Christ!
Most Italians seem to be fans of Hillary and I think its because Bill Clinton is so respected internationally (Italians laugh over the silliness of the Monica Lewinski scandal and choose to focus on Bill’s political foreign policy record as well as the state of the US economy under the former administration). On the flip side Italians seem to feel a bit weary of Obama mostly because they don’t feel like they know enough about him. Even in a day and age where US sentiment abroad is at an all time low, there is little doubt that we are still looked up to in many ways. In some respects, our elections are getting more ink and interest than the Italian ones coming up in March when a new prime minister will be elected. This is likely due to the fact that most, if not all Italians view their government as a joke, full of corrupt people that make promises and never keep them! How is Bush viewed you ask? Let’s just say that he is not the favorite son of Europe and leave it at that. Either a Clinton or Obama result in November would be viewed positively in Italy as both would send an interesting message abroad regarding the American voters open mindedness to change.
In these parts, the US economy is a really big deal as Italy is heavily reliant upon tourism. In fact the other day I was shopping in Georigo Armani and when I paid for the clothes that I bought the sales guy informed me that I was the first American customer that he had sold something to this year! (I was hoping this would win me a special prize but no such luck). The dollar is horrible here. When we arrived it traded at roughly $1.32 to 1.00 euro. Now we are at $1.55 to 1.00 euro, an all time low. It looks like we picked the worst possible year to move to Europe! This of course does not at all help the Italian economy which relies heavily on exporting goods to the US (Olive Oil, Wine and Clothes being three of the biggest items). US demand for these products has certainly waned in the light of higher prices and the Italians are feeling it big time.
Most Italians seem to be fans of Hillary and I think its because Bill Clinton is so respected internationally (Italians laugh over the silliness of the Monica Lewinski scandal and choose to focus on Bill’s political foreign policy record as well as the state of the US economy under the former administration). On the flip side Italians seem to feel a bit weary of Obama mostly because they don’t feel like they know enough about him. Even in a day and age where US sentiment abroad is at an all time low, there is little doubt that we are still looked up to in many ways. In some respects, our elections are getting more ink and interest than the Italian ones coming up in March when a new prime minister will be elected. This is likely due to the fact that most, if not all Italians view their government as a joke, full of corrupt people that make promises and never keep them! How is Bush viewed you ask? Let’s just say that he is not the favorite son of Europe and leave it at that. Either a Clinton or Obama result in November would be viewed positively in Italy as both would send an interesting message abroad regarding the American voters open mindedness to change.
In these parts, the US economy is a really big deal as Italy is heavily reliant upon tourism. In fact the other day I was shopping in Georigo Armani and when I paid for the clothes that I bought the sales guy informed me that I was the first American customer that he had sold something to this year! (I was hoping this would win me a special prize but no such luck). The dollar is horrible here. When we arrived it traded at roughly $1.32 to 1.00 euro. Now we are at $1.55 to 1.00 euro, an all time low. It looks like we picked the worst possible year to move to Europe! This of course does not at all help the Italian economy which relies heavily on exporting goods to the US (Olive Oil, Wine and Clothes being three of the biggest items). US demand for these products has certainly waned in the light of higher prices and the Italians are feeling it big time.
Umbria
I started hearing about Umbria a few years ago as a place that was still a bit unspoiled by tourism and well worth the visit. I new very little about this region of Italy and was only aware that it bordered Tuscany to the southeast. Once we arrived in Florence last August and began making friends, a common question we would be asked was “Have you been to Umbria? You must go, it’s so beautiful.” Umbria soon soared to high on our list of places we wanted to visit. The region itself is smaller than Tuscany but boasts some pretty well known cities, with Perugia (Famous all over the world for its chocolates “Perugina”), Assisi (Known all over the world for its favorite son Saint Frances) and Orvieto (Known for its great white wines).
When the Switzerland thing came to a halt, we decided that if the kids recovered in time that we would take a few days and head to Umbria. It’s not often that we venture on a vacation of any kind without a reservation but traveling in the winter in Italy is tailor made for this type of exploration as the crowds are non-existent and the accommodations are very affordable. As we made our way into Umbria the landscape changed quite a bit from that of the Tuscan countryside, which is checkered with rolling hills, cypress trees and olive orchards. Umbria’s terrain is a bit flatter and seems to be very well suited for the growing of fruits and vegetables, but has nothing to apologize for in the way of beauty. In fact its drop dead gorgeous and very much what was described by many in the way of being more pure and less overwhelmed by tourists. The largest city in Umbria is Perugia, which we bypassed for no particular reason (You simply have to pick and choose your battles in Italy as there are more places to see than one can ever visit even in a year of living here.) We ended up landing in a little known town (I have still yet to find a Florentine who knows of this place) called Bevagna. This charming little walled city of no more than two thousand people boasts ancient Roman ruins including an old Roman Theatre which is owned by the hotel that we stayed in and has been converted to a restaurant. Imagine having dinner in what is now a two thousand year old underground dwelling dating back to Roman times! It was really cool. In fact all the meals that we had in Umbria were off the charts good. What shock I know!
Assisi – Assisi is a very famous city known throughout the world for its beloved Saint Francis. Saint Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of Italy and those of Catholic faith pilgrimage to Assisi every year to pay homage to the founder of the Order of Friar Monks (Hence the term Franciscan). Never have I visited a place that is more dedicated to any one individual as Assisi is to Saint Francis, nor have I in all of my travels throughout Italy visited a more beautiful village than Assisi! The village itself is set on a huge hilltop overlooking the Umbrian countryside, giving the feeling that you are on top of the world. Like many other Italian villages it is encompassed by walls, however what makes Assisi unique in appearance is the stones that were used to build the entire city. Unlike many Tuscan towns the stones used to build Assisi are much smaller bricks and moreover are either a pale pink or white in color, giving the city a tranquil and pristine feel.
Following a long stroll through the winding and hilly narrow streets we came upon one of Italy’s most famous churches, Basilico Di San Francisco. The ancient church is actually two churches (One on top of the other) and the bottom church boasts the underground tomb of Saint Francis. For those unfamiliar with Saint Frances of Assisi, he was the son of a wealthy textile family in the 12th Century and denounced all worldly possessions one day when he was spoken to by God. He dedicated his life to helping people and lived a life of poverty. To use the term loved would be inappropriate when describing Assisi’s feelings toward Saint Francis, adored would be more accurate!
When you visit the Tomb of Saint Francis, you must enter the bottom church and then descend down numerous stairs to what is one of the most spiritual places that I have ever been. The shrine is lit entirely by candles and the stone walls that are below ground provide for a chilly feel, especially on a cold winter day. I cant quite pinpoint what was so spiritual about this underground shrine, but the feeling that I had when in quiet admiration is one that I will never forget.
Orvieto – Following another night in Bevagna, we ventured further South in Umbria to the city of Orvieto, another unique and amazing walled village that sits high up on a hilltop overlooking the Umbrian landscape. The great distinction regarding Orvieto is that the entire city is built on yellow volcanic rock, giving the buildings and walls a beautiful yellowish appearance. Orvieto’s main church is particularly beautiful and boats some wonderful frescos inside.
The most interesting thing about Orvieto is the soil that it is built upon. The volcanic rock is porous to the touch and when you run your hands down the sides of the buildings and walls that surround the city, tiny particles crumble in your hands! Additionally due to its porous nature the city itself has beneath it hundreds of secret caves, giving the city a very mysterious feel to it. The highlight of Orvieto for us was Saint Patrick Well, which was completed in 1537 to accommodate the arrival of Pope Clement the II who took refuge in Orvieto. The well is 62 meters deep and inside has two “Double Helex” stairwells that were built to accommodate donkeys for the transportation of fresh water for the Pope. The two staircases allow for one to walk down the well in a complete spiral (247 steps) and then back up never retracing a step along the way! The temperature drop from the top of the well to its bottom (Where water still exists) was nearly 20 degrees and the views back up to the surface were breathtaking. Trey and Olivia in particular really loved the experience of descending that far underground.
Even though it would have been great to experience the snow and mountains of Switzerland, our trip to Umbria proved to be a great backup plan for the kids time out of school.
When the Switzerland thing came to a halt, we decided that if the kids recovered in time that we would take a few days and head to Umbria. It’s not often that we venture on a vacation of any kind without a reservation but traveling in the winter in Italy is tailor made for this type of exploration as the crowds are non-existent and the accommodations are very affordable. As we made our way into Umbria the landscape changed quite a bit from that of the Tuscan countryside, which is checkered with rolling hills, cypress trees and olive orchards. Umbria’s terrain is a bit flatter and seems to be very well suited for the growing of fruits and vegetables, but has nothing to apologize for in the way of beauty. In fact its drop dead gorgeous and very much what was described by many in the way of being more pure and less overwhelmed by tourists. The largest city in Umbria is Perugia, which we bypassed for no particular reason (You simply have to pick and choose your battles in Italy as there are more places to see than one can ever visit even in a year of living here.) We ended up landing in a little known town (I have still yet to find a Florentine who knows of this place) called Bevagna. This charming little walled city of no more than two thousand people boasts ancient Roman ruins including an old Roman Theatre which is owned by the hotel that we stayed in and has been converted to a restaurant. Imagine having dinner in what is now a two thousand year old underground dwelling dating back to Roman times! It was really cool. In fact all the meals that we had in Umbria were off the charts good. What shock I know!
Assisi – Assisi is a very famous city known throughout the world for its beloved Saint Francis. Saint Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of Italy and those of Catholic faith pilgrimage to Assisi every year to pay homage to the founder of the Order of Friar Monks (Hence the term Franciscan). Never have I visited a place that is more dedicated to any one individual as Assisi is to Saint Francis, nor have I in all of my travels throughout Italy visited a more beautiful village than Assisi! The village itself is set on a huge hilltop overlooking the Umbrian countryside, giving the feeling that you are on top of the world. Like many other Italian villages it is encompassed by walls, however what makes Assisi unique in appearance is the stones that were used to build the entire city. Unlike many Tuscan towns the stones used to build Assisi are much smaller bricks and moreover are either a pale pink or white in color, giving the city a tranquil and pristine feel.
Following a long stroll through the winding and hilly narrow streets we came upon one of Italy’s most famous churches, Basilico Di San Francisco. The ancient church is actually two churches (One on top of the other) and the bottom church boasts the underground tomb of Saint Francis. For those unfamiliar with Saint Frances of Assisi, he was the son of a wealthy textile family in the 12th Century and denounced all worldly possessions one day when he was spoken to by God. He dedicated his life to helping people and lived a life of poverty. To use the term loved would be inappropriate when describing Assisi’s feelings toward Saint Francis, adored would be more accurate!
When you visit the Tomb of Saint Francis, you must enter the bottom church and then descend down numerous stairs to what is one of the most spiritual places that I have ever been. The shrine is lit entirely by candles and the stone walls that are below ground provide for a chilly feel, especially on a cold winter day. I cant quite pinpoint what was so spiritual about this underground shrine, but the feeling that I had when in quiet admiration is one that I will never forget.
Orvieto – Following another night in Bevagna, we ventured further South in Umbria to the city of Orvieto, another unique and amazing walled village that sits high up on a hilltop overlooking the Umbrian landscape. The great distinction regarding Orvieto is that the entire city is built on yellow volcanic rock, giving the buildings and walls a beautiful yellowish appearance. Orvieto’s main church is particularly beautiful and boats some wonderful frescos inside.
The most interesting thing about Orvieto is the soil that it is built upon. The volcanic rock is porous to the touch and when you run your hands down the sides of the buildings and walls that surround the city, tiny particles crumble in your hands! Additionally due to its porous nature the city itself has beneath it hundreds of secret caves, giving the city a very mysterious feel to it. The highlight of Orvieto for us was Saint Patrick Well, which was completed in 1537 to accommodate the arrival of Pope Clement the II who took refuge in Orvieto. The well is 62 meters deep and inside has two “Double Helex” stairwells that were built to accommodate donkeys for the transportation of fresh water for the Pope. The two staircases allow for one to walk down the well in a complete spiral (247 steps) and then back up never retracing a step along the way! The temperature drop from the top of the well to its bottom (Where water still exists) was nearly 20 degrees and the views back up to the surface were breathtaking. Trey and Olivia in particular really loved the experience of descending that far underground.
Even though it would have been great to experience the snow and mountains of Switzerland, our trip to Umbria proved to be a great backup plan for the kids time out of school.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)