Comments on: Frenzied in Firenze

By: gfish

gfish — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 23:37:12 +0000

“*I have another post in the works about how to keep people posted of one’s whereabouts.

Uhh, post them to Crooked Timber?”

Yes, that’ll do alright, but it should involve a pretense of some sort ( i.e., “Hi all, I’ll be surveying Bedouins about their internet usage – shout out the Saudi Govt. and to Google™ for the funding – does anyone have a special little corner of the Rub’ al Khali to recommend…you know, somplace away from the maddening crowds”)

By: palto

palto — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 16:06:14 +0000

*I have another post in the works about how to keep people posted of one’s whereabouts.

Uhh, post them to Crooked Timber?

By: claudio

claudio — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 13:35:13 +0000

abb1,

I am always looking at the sunny side of things and I welcome a witty comment here and there as being refreshing.

When “witty” comments are constant, then some boredom creeps in…..

By: abb1

abb1 — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 13:01:13 +0000

Lighten up, man.

By: claudio

claudio — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 12:13:47 +0000

abb1,

As a born and raised Italian, I have found all of your comments somewhat amusing.

However, switching on your brain, BEFORE engaging the keybord, would help you greatly.

By: abb1

abb1 — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 07:57:27 +0000

No impersonation here, fella, all original heartfelt rage.

Terrific panino… Terrific my ass. Italians ate their brains and replaced them with gelato…

Incidentally,

I’ll eat gelato as though it is going out of style when I’m in Italy and always test by tasting the hazelnut gelato…

Go easy on this stuff – please! It’s been scientifically proven that Italian population has better metabolism than the rest of us – they can eat this stuff, but it’ll certainly kill you.

Aaah, forget it, it’s hopeless…

By: bobbem

bobbem — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 00:55:12 +0000

abb1,

Your Ignatius J. Reilly impersonation cracks me up!

By: derek

derek — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 21:20:00 +0000

Two restaurants I’d recommend are: Trattoria Anita, Via del Parlascio 2/r (ang. Via Vinegia 16/r [closed Sundays] and Trattoria Casalingua, Via Michelangelo just off of the Piazza Santa Spirito in the Altrarno, 20-30 yards from the Brunelleschi church of Santa Spirito – a wonderful, wonderful church: clean, precise lines, very uncluttered – see the photo in this wikipedia entry – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Santo_Spirito_Firenze_interno.jpg – also, I would recommend walking up to San Miniato [http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/san_miniato.html]from the Altrarno for three reasons: one you get a wonderful view overlooking Florence; two, the cemetery behind the church is really quite extraordinary; and three, on some afternoons they sing Latin Vespers in the crypt [unbelievably peaceful and calming even for an unbeliever like myself] – as for gelato, Vivoli gets all the press and tourists but last time I was there, I thought the gelato at Perce Non! [?spelling?] was much, much better: I’ll eat gelato as though it is going out of style when I’m in Italy and always test by tasting the hazelnut gelato, so other persons views might be different – BTW: Trattoria Anita is just around the corner from Vivoli – also, you must really go to the 12th century Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella behind Santa Maria Novella: wonderful architecture and products though a little pricey [this URL is a little tacky but ignore the photos and the text is pretty good –
http://www.beautylaunchpad.com/pdf/features/lp1104sacred_beauty.pdf – really an extraordinary place – finally, go to the Spanish Chapel of Santa Maria Novella – wonderful frescos of the Hounds of God [a.k.a. the Dominicans]

By: Claudio

Claudio — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 11:31:29 +0000

Hi Eszter,

Even without leaving Florence you will surely enjoy your stay and that’s the best “gem” of all.

Buon viaggio,

Claudio

By: Eszter

Eszter — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 09:57:59 +0000

Thanks for all the exciting suggestions. I won’t have time to leave Florence this time, but next time I’m in the area with more fexibility I’ll look back at this thread for the out-of-town suggestions.

I bought an extra memory card for my camera today to make sure I have plenty of room for the millions of photos I’ll be taking. These will be difficult days for picking just one for Project 365. Yeah, yeah, I know, life is tough.

By: abb1

abb1 — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 09:34:00 +0000

To be fair, there are worse places on earth. For example, Mont Saint-Michel is much worse.

By: novakant

novakant — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:53:27 +0000

Fiesole is nice, cool mansions on the way up, great view and there’s a nice castello on top (I have fond memories of seeing Barry Lyndon there in the open air cinema, but I guess not this time of year, but it’s also a museum). Siena is gorgeous, so are San Giminiano and Volterra.

By: abb1

abb1 — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:24:48 +0000

Yeah, shining coffee machines and phony captains who will charge you extra for your ice-cream if you want to sit on their cheap lawn chairs – and yet more if you choose to sit close to where music is played.

And they have frescoes and cathedrales everywhere, it is possible to at least minimize the indignity.

By: Randy Paul

Randy Paul — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 07:56:46 +0000

I might add, by the way, the steak was excellent. They also cook steaks the same way in Argentina and Brazil (although without the rosemary).

By: Randy Paul

Randy Paul — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 07:45:10 +0000

Yeah, that’s typical for Tuscany. Big flat thick piece of meat without anything; no sauce, no nothing.

Mine last night had fresh rosemary on it when it was grilled.

As for the panini, please let me know where in New York I can find a ham and cheese on semolina bread for US$3.