Living the Dolce Vita isn’t all it is cracked up to be.The vision that most people have of living in Tuscany, or living as an expat comes from books like under the Tuscan Sun or A Year in Provence; written by people living here on vacation.What a perfect way to see Tuscany! Real life is…
Tuscan 5 minute lunch… 3 Euro
I have been catching up on updating my website getting my tours ready for fall and all the things that back up when Florence closes in summer. So today, off to the store for some grocery shopping at the COOP.Quick lunch as we were starving. We bought some:Pre-sliced Carpaccio and we had: our wild arugulasome…
Eggplant Fetish
I must admit.. I have a thing for eggplants! I love the color, the look,the feel and the flavor of eggplants! Called Melanzana in Italian from the latin Mela insana, a “not healthy” vegetable and was considered to be poisonous, but so were tomatoes and potatoes! I love them grilled,roasted,fried… and even with chocolate! Yes there…
Slow Food… Slow Down
The symbol of Slow Food Movement is the snail. Today as we were driving down the our village, Certaldo, to have our Sunday morning cappuccino, pastry and buy the paper, we saw quite a few cars parked along the country road. Next week, hunting season starts so there were hunters, without their guns, out with…
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Caro Diario….A Kind of Hush
In one of my favorite Italian movies by Nanni Moretti, Caro Diario ( Dear Diary) he is driving around Rome on his old Vespa in August…an empty Rome. It is rare to have silence in a big city, but I think the quietest day in Florence is the Sunday after Ferragosto. EVERYONE is gone.No cars,no…
Continuing the Feasting
Ferragosto means food! Everyone is out, picnicing or having a lunch celebrating summer and either the beginning or ending of vacation with friends! We joined our friends at a local trattoria which is hidden off the main road. Talk about hidden treasures! I had eaten ages ago at La Fattoria at the Tavernelle off-ramp, right…
Ferragosto.. It’s a Party!
For Italians, Ferragosto celebrated August 15th, is a sacred holiday.In Catholic countries, it is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and many large celebrations are held around this holiday, including the Palio in Siena. But as is true for most religious holidays, they are based on Pagan celebrations! We celebrated with the famed butcher…