Sep 23, 2011 - Espresso Overdose

Our apartment came equipped with the 2 espresso pots in photo #1. So, last week we bought the proper coffee grind- decaf for Renee and caf for Steve (see photo #2). After reading espresso-making directions on the web, Steve found out that you are supposed to fill up the basket inside the pot with the ground espresso. Because the smaller pot was kind of yucky, he used the bigger pot that makes about 8 shots of the strong stuff. In 5 minutes, it was ready, and it tasted great. Not wanting to waste any, he drank the whole thing, maybe 2 shots...

Sep 23, 2011 - Florence

We felt like Clark Griswold taking his family to Wally World only to find it closed (National Lampoon's Vacation). We were in Florence to view some of the best in Italian art only to find that some of the most famous “pieces” were “closed for renovations”. Admittedly we are not art experts but we do like wandering through art galleries and museums and enjoying the art. Even though we were Griswolded it wasn’t anything an Italian Gelato couldn’t fix! Fortunately, Michelangelo’s David was standing in the proper place in the Accademia…we...

Sep 22, 2011 - A Day in Bologna

“You’re full of baloney!” is a familiar Americanism that dates back to the 1920s. In the U.S., people have carried baloney sandwich lunches to school and work forever. In Pittsburgh, Renee’s hometown (hi to our family & friends there), if you asked for “jumbo” at Islay’s, you got baloney. Renee’s mom made “barbecue” with thin slices of baloney, heated with ketchup and relish, and served over a hamburger bun. Anyhow, the real thing, mortadella, is a fatty pork sausage from Bologna, hence the Americanization: "baloney". Bologna is a city with...

Sep 21, 2011 - Santa Croce

We often pass the famous Santa Croce Franciscan Church and its surrounding piazza, on our way to and from other destinations, and stop to admire the beautiful Gothic cathedral. Inside, are the graves of Dante, Galileo, Ghiberti and Michelangelo and frescoes by Giotto. Designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, and built between 1294 and 1442, the building is primarily made of stone. Of course it is not really the stone structure that most people admire; it is the green and white marble facade that was designed by the architect Niccolo Matas and built...

Sep 21, 2011 - La Casalinga

Trattoria La Casalinga was recommended by a very nice shopkeeper and we tried it. It is known for it's authentic Tuscan-style "peasant" food and fair prices, features that have kept both locals and tourists coming there for decades. It's certainly not fancy, there's no English on the menu, and the waiter did not speak English. Thankfully we were seated next to Jan and his wife Andre'e (from Belgium), who have been to Casalinga many times and speak several languages including English and Italian. We first saw them when they breezed by us...

Sep 21, 2011 - Heading from Florence to Rome

ok today we are heading to Rome, so far out trip has been better than we could have imagined. Mom Tomac, we are missing you and hope you are well, and we think about Audrey a lot too. say hello to Joe and opf course Bentley, miss that cute little guy. Our hotels and apartments have been exceptional and very good locations, Darren has outdone himself and could see a new business for him. lol We will post again soon. p.s. Thank you Shelly and say hello to Keira and Davim, (David too) xo caio

Sep 19, 2011 - Slow-Food At McDonald's

We've seen two McDonald's in Florence: one inside the train station and the other across the street from the train station. McDonald's is one of the places in Italy where two major value systems clash. One value is the old-world artisan mentality that is expressed in the pride in cooking-from-scratch with regional ingredients, the art & architecture, and even the fashion, shoe-making & leather crafts. The other value is the American (although now, it can be seen almost everywhere) push for profitability that is reflected in the fundamental...

Sep 18, 2011 - And I'm driving to Florence

Off to Florence.  Didn't get as early a start as we had planned.  The sitting around the table at breakfast is what slows us down so. I can't believe I am driving to Florence.  I have no sense.  I guess driving in Atlanta just makes me fearless.  We have to be extra careful because the center of the city is zone for permitted driving.  If you enter the city your car will be photographed and you will be sent a ticket unless you have the proper permit.  I really don't want that kind of surprise when I get home. On the way we stop for a break...

Sep 18, 2011 - And The Winner Is...

In our search for the best gelato Firenze has to offer, we sampled quite a few, but it came down to 3 of them: Grom, La Carraia, and Gelateria Santa Trinita. In some ways, Grom, which is in a little alley in the shadow of the Duomo, was actually too good. It gets rave reviews from many of the people we've met here and on internet sites like TripAdvisor. At Grom, they keep scraping at the flavor bin of gelato that you've chosen until they work out all of the air bubbles and it becomes a gooey mass, so it is extremely dense. The flavor is...

Sep 17, 2011 - The Bargello

In case you are wondering about the new photo on our homepage, we shot it yesterday during our visit to The Bargello. We thought we look a lot like the two figures in the Bandinelli masterpiece. What do you think? The Bargello is Florence's oldest public building (1255 A.D.). A Gothic palace, it eventually became a prison, police station, and place where prisoners were executed in the courtyard. Since 1859, it has been one of Florence's great museums, second only to the Uffizi. It specializes in sculptures and bas reliefs by the...

Sep 16, 2011 - The Gusta Brothers

We've now eaten at 2 of the 3 Gusta establishments that are in, or next to, Piazza Santo Spirito- twice at Gusta Osteria and last night at Gusta Pizza. The food was great each time, but what made it so much fun were the "Gusta Brothers". We don't think that's their real last name, but that's what we refer to them as. We do know that their first names are (as seen from left to right on their business card pictured above) Maurizio, Roberto (the youngest), and Pasquale (the oldest). In looking up the word "gusta", we did not find it in...

Sep 16, 2011 - Another Tiny Car

We just couldn't resist showing you an even tinier car than the others in post #20 on Sept. 12. It's the 3-wheel, 2-passenger Biro' from Elektrocar of Italy. According to the website which is advertised on the back of the car: Length= 174 cm = 5.5 ft. Width= 103 cm = 3.5 ft. Top Speed= 45 km/h = 28 mph Cost= 7,990 Euro = $11,106 Pretty expensive for it's size, but we suppose you pay a lot for the battery technology and the small sales volume. But, isn't it the cutest little car you've ever seen? Ciao!