Florence night&day

My pictures of Vintage Selection fashion fair in Florence

2012-01-26T09:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went to the 2012 Vintage Selection fair, as every year. I love that inusual atmosphere and all the crazy people dressing like they were living in the 60s.

In this edition I found several stores selling unique jewels by major brands such as Gucci, Chanel, Hermes, Dior. I fell in love with a pair of Chanel earrings and with a tiny pochette by Gucci (I think it's from 50s) that costs "only" 700 euros.

The fair lasts until Sunday. If you are going don't miss the nice retrò exhibition called I love archive.

You can also have an aperitif on the Vintage Bar.

Vintage fashion fair in Florence: from 25-29 January

2012-01-20T06:13:00.000-08:00

The 19th edition of Vintage Selection, one of the most authoritative and prestigious fairs in Italy and Europe dedicated to vintage fashion, accessories and culture as well as quality remakes, will be held from 25- 29 January 2012 at the Stazione Leopolda in Florence.

Vintage Selection is not just for enthusiasts, collectors and ordinary visitors looking for something original, but also fashion designers and creatives from the style bureaus of the top international fashion companies who come to Florence for Pitti Immagine Filati, the Pitti Immagine fair which is held at the Fortezza at the same time. The synergy with this public of true connoisseurs – which Pitti Immagine has always cultivated through information and promotional campaigns – is one of the strengths and distinctive features of Vintage Selection and represents a further boost to the quality, innovation and stylistic research of its proposals.

The main theme of this 19th edition will be Very Vintage: an investigation into the widespread vintage culture that each one of us interprets in a different way, that will be used to create a catalogue of original looks, individual styles and retro-fashion quirks to demonstrate how much vintage fashion has become part of our everyday life. The research started in September with Very Vintage Hunting: a photo shoot – which was also used for the fair’s advertising campaign – involving young photographers and ordinary people immortalized in special locations around Florence.

This Sunday before the fair opens, Very Vintage Night Fever will be held at the Rex, a famous Florentine night-club: everybody will be asked to interpret their idea of Vintage in a creative and amusing way. This will be used to create a gallery of images to be projected inside the Stazione Leopolda during the event.

Another important new feature for this edition is the I.Love.Archive(1) exhibition, the first stage of a Stazione Leopolda/Pitti Immagine project that, after taking a look inside the precious Pitti Immagine archives, will be displaying an exclusive selection of slides gathered in the space of just one day, depicting events, catwalk shows, private viewings and exhibitions that take us back to the dawn of the Pitti People.

Vintage Selection will be presenting 60 exhibitors to a public of members of the trade and enthusiasts which, at the last winter edition, reached 13,000.

Plus:

Every day, during Happy Hour, from 5.00 – 8.00 p.m. it will be possible to ask the living Juke box to play some old tracks on vinyl, with a funky-soul-Jazz-80s-Italian soundtracks- rock’n’roll – burlesque feel.

The bar/restaurant in the lounge area will be managed by Convivium, one of Florence’s top catering companies.

THE EVENTS AT THIS EDITION:

Every day, from Wednesday 25 to Sunday 29 January 2012

_ From 10.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m.:

VINTAGE SELECTION

The big vintage fair where you can find everything you want in terms of vintage & remake clothing and accessories – as well as things you weren’t even looking for: serendipity!

I LOVE ARCHIVE:PITTI IMMAGINE/REVERSE PITTI PEOPLE

1DAYX1DIA: an exclusive selection of slides gathered within the space of just one day from the vast Pitti Immagine archives that show the integral role played by the Pitti People in defining contemporary lifestyles.

POLAROID INSTANT CAMERA TEMPORARY MUSEUM & SHOP by BALEVIN

Polaroid? Capture the moment in a click!

The temporary museum & shop of the most famous camera in the world, from the 40s to the present day. A true international design icon, this technological prodigy continues to live in the present: it never goes

out of fashion, in fact it is a real trendsetter!

VINTAGE POSTPOSTCARDS

A Stazione Leopolda project showcasing the postcards used for the Vintage Selection n.19 advertising campaign.

_ From 3.00 to 8.00 p.m.:

TAG-AUTOMATIC

Visitors can have their photograph taken wearing the vintage clothing and accessories displayed inside an automatic photo booth and post their picture on their favorite social network.

_ From 5.00 to 8.00 p.m.:

THE LIVING JUKE BOX

DJ Pise will let you listen again to original vinyls of old funky-soul-jazz-rock&roll-burlesque tracks and Italian soundtracks.

_ From 6.00 to 8.00 p.m.:

V2H: VERY HAPPY HOUR

In the Bar Vintage, between a purchase and an exhibition, you are invited to taste the food and wine delicacies of Convivium.

From Wednesday 25 to Friday 27 January 2012, 4.00-5.00 p.m.

DANCING THE BOOGIE WOOGIE

A group of four young people united by friendship and a common passion: 1940s music and dance steps (boogie woogie & swing).

The Group, which is part of the Scandicci Dance Academy, will perform and give boogie woogie lessons, using dance as a form of expression of art and entertainment.

Saturday 28 January and Sunday 29 January 2012, 4.00 -5.00 p.m.

TUBALLO SWING

A project set up in 2010 by Ghiaccioli & Branzini (a DJ and a producer from Turin) and Antonio McVillan, the Italian Boogie Woogie champion and a dance teacher since 2009, that aims bring this type of dance into a dimension that is free from the theories of dance step technique and more open to the city. After a performance by some professional dancers, it will be possible to take part in a swing lesson with music that ranges from classic Boogie to Electro-swing.

VINTAGE SELECTION is produced by STAZIONE LEOPOLDA srl.

VINTAGE SELECTION
Stazione Leopolda
Viale F.lli Rosselli, 5 - Florence
25 – 29 January 2012
Open to the public from: 10 a.m. – 8.00 p.m.
Admission fee: 5.00 Euros
Reduced rate entrance coupon available from www.stazione-leopolda.com
Website: www.vintageselection.it Facebook.com/vintageselection
Tel. +39/055/212622

Pitti Immagine 81: the Japan Week and DAKS party, the fair and the people. That's what I liked.

2012-01-15T08:51:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of Pitti Immagine Uomo, the most famous man fashion fair that takes place in Florence, Italy in January and June.

The 81th edition has just finished. How has it gone? Despite the international crisis the message in the picture is clear: Can't stop FASHION!

More than 7000 visitors: less buyers from Italy, but more from US, China and Japan, who held the Japan Fashion Week in Italy and a gorgeous party on Thursday evening.

People dancing and eating delicious Michelin rated chef hand-made Ramen all night long!

Very different from the calm and formal party by DAKS, one of the brands that better represent the English style. DAKS is one of the UK's quintessential British luxury labels, specialising in fine tailoring and accessories for men and women.

What I liked of this Pitti UOMO edition?

The striped and glittered Jimmy Choo shoes for man, the hi-tech leather I-Pad bags from Piquadro, the 80th anniversary Limited Edition Serafini all italian sneakers, the unconventional Calendar by trasgressive italian fotographer Oliviero Toscani who shot 12 penis, the huge stand by Cruciani, that exported its famous cachemire bracelets all around the world.

And obviously the Pitti People! Elegant, weird, trendy, stilish people coming from everywhere,

Thanks to talentous Martina who let me use some of her beautiful pictures: take a tour on her blog, it's worthsome!

Pitti Uomo 81: man fashion fair in Florence, Italy

2012-01-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

From 10th to 13rd of January in Florence there will be Pitti Uomo Fashion fair.

With 1072 brands presented at the Fortezza da Basso, plus the 70 women’s collections in the limelight at Pitti W at the Dogana, Pitti Uomo fashion fair confirms its role as an important benchmark on the international scene with a selection that ranges from contemporary classic to the most cutting-edge aesthetics.

News of this edition: the special “VERSUS TOKYO” project that will bring a selection of the most interesting fashion labels from the Japanese creative scene to Florence for Pitti Uomo 81

Pitti Uomo is the world’s most important platform for men’s clothing and accessory collections and for launching new projects in men’s fashion. This edition of Pitti Uomo will cover a broader spectrum than ever, with lifestyle items (home design and creative crafts just to name two) complementing the fair’s fashion offering and responding to consumer spending trends. After creating innovative exhibition areas such as the PopUp Stores that pick up and answer signals on trends and capture new customers, we bring you the latest project: EXTRA-ORDINAIRES* at the Main Pavilion. EXTRA-ORDINAIRES* - that you will find in strategically located points throughout the pavilion, will showcase pieces that the Pitti Immagine scouts picked because they are novel, unique and attractive – a subjective and rather unconventional selection that is sure to fascinate.

Figures of Pitti Uomo 81
1072 brands/collections
410 from abroad (38,6% of the total)

Exhibition area: 59.000 square meters

Buyer / visitors
- 23,100 buyers at the last last winter edition (7,700 came from abroad)
- 30,000 visitators in total

New Year’s Eve at Il Salviatino luxury hotel in Florence

2011-12-23T03:13:00.000-08:00

‘L’Epoca Garbata’ on stage on New Year’s Eve at Il Salviatino.

Exclusive atmosphere and theater for a night reminiscent of times gone by.

Concurrent with Italian Christmas – the package conceived on the wake of tradition and refinement and available from December 8th through January 8th to let guests relish a truly traditional Italian Christmas – the ancient Villa nestled in the foothills of Fiesole hosts an extraordinary performance that pays tribute to the period when elegance reigned supreme in Italy.

The Roaring Twenties, ladies wrapped in long evening gowns dancing a wild swing and, for the first time, showing off their sensual legs in a stylish – and sometimes cheeky – way. The noir ambience of the Thirties, when cigarettes were taken out of shiny silver cases and smoked in the dim light.

The cheerful gaze of people dreaming of a brighter future in the Fifties, and wearing the first colorful clothing and prints. That is the essence of “L’Epoca Garbata” (Gracious Years), a performance that underlines the special aspects embodied in the first decades of the 20th century.

Every single detail of the set will give life to an unusual stage where the luxury and special refinement that distinguishes Il Salviatino is woven with theater and music: an homage to the past and, above all, a reinterpretation of the esthetics in vogue of days gone by.

Two theater companies are involved in the project: one is keen on movement, on the search for detail and the study of mimicry; the other has a special talent for conquering space. The performers, sometimes acrobats, sometimes an imperceptible presence in the Villa, will move around a sort of stage-maze.

Il Salviatino becomes a stage and its interiors become the elements of a set. Windows, doors and staircases become frames for animated paintings, and corridors are the location for living installations.

The evening moves the rhythm of jazz, in counterpoint with Sound designers who will accompany guests throughout the performance, caught between real space and the past up to the magnificently spellbinding Italian garden.

31st DECEMBER 2011 - NEW YEAR’S EVE at IL SALVIATINO LIVE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT

Welcome cocktail in the Library

Little Canapés Oysters with Tonic Water and Oyster Grass

Thinly sliced Anchovies with Tomato and Onion Gelatin

Sesame-Flavored Smoked Salmon Balls

Crispy Baby Calamari

Dinner served at the Le Serre Restaurant

Scallops with Jerusalem Artichoke, Asparagus and Red Prawn Cream

Red Mullet and Hazelnuts with Parsley and Candied Lemon, Anchovy Crumble

Scampi Bites in Saffron and Herring Egg Broth

‘Verrigni’ Spaghetti with Green Broccoli, Colonnata Bacon and Lobster

Black Cod with Steamed Vegetables and Polenta with Cheese

Artisan Cotechino with Lentils and Potato Purée

Christmas Cake Pudding with Exotic Fruits and Berries, English Vanilla Sauce

Holiday Pastries

Accompanying champagnes:

Bruno Paillard Brut

Bruno Paillard Rosé

Bruno Paillard Millesimé ‘96

€ 250

with three Champagne tastings included

Special price for an extra bottle of champagne for toasting: € 80

Il Salviatino

Via del Salviatino 21
Firenze 50137
ITALY
Tel. +39 055 9041111
Fax +39 055 9041247
info@salviatino.com

http://www.salviatino.com/

SE-STO the new glass rooftop restaurant of the Westin Excelsior Florence

2011-12-21T07:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I have been to the new glass rooftop Bar and Restaurant of The Westin Excelsior Florence: SE•STO. Almost entirely made of glass, has reopened its doors to Florence and its international crowd after 20 years. There's a breathtaking 360 degree view of the whole city over the rooftops, the churches and the bell towers with the River Arno and the Ponte Vecchio as background, all embraced by the picturesque hills of Tuscany.

There are 2 large terraces, one dedicated to the restaurant and one to the bar. The terrace facing the Arno River, the one dedicated to the bar, is covered by a veil of water that immediately recalls the flow of the river Arno beneath.

The interior furnishings recall the Sixties but keeping comfort always in mind. The result is a warm and cozy atmosphere with various different seating options, from soft sofas, to bar stools and colorful poufs , all enriched by wooden floors and ceilings and walls covered in original Florentine hand crafted leather.

I was there for lunch and I really enjoyed the menu by the Chef Entiana Osmenzeza: dishes of the Mediterranean gastronomic tradition, made with fresh seasonal products, accompanied by a a good wine selection.

SE•STO

For more information please contact:

Sara Migliore

PR Manager, Starwood Italy

Ph. +39 02 6336 3641

sara.migliore@starwoodhotels.com

Xmas Market in Santa Croce square

2011-12-07T05:24:00.000-08:00

In these days you can enjoy the annual Christmas Market that takes place in Florence, in the central Santa Croce square.

Woody stands full of nice things to buy, typical food and drinks from all over Europe are waiting for you. Many ideas for your Xmas gifts!

Don't miss the opportunity to taste the hot dog with an original "wurstel" sausage from Germany for only 5 euros or a gorgeous slice of "strudel" (typical cake with apples coming from Austria, Germany and North of Italy) for 3 euros.

Open from 10 am to 8 pm.

Thanksgiving in Florence at St Regis luxury hotel

2011-11-17T10:50:00.000-08:00

Here is the menu for the special occasion: have a nice thanksgiving in Florence!

Open day: shiatsu classes in Florence

2011-11-02T04:42:00.000-07:00

Friday Nov 4TH 9.30 p.m.at the Izumo Gym Via Moreni – 14 in Florence, The Shiatsu’s school I.R.T.E. Research Institute of Energetic Therapy, welcomes are and all for shiatsu classes at Florence branch for school year 2011-2012.

During the evening, you will have the opportunity to discover shiatsu up close and satisfy your curiosity about this discipline in addition to getting to know the school and teachings.

Free entry for all, they only ask that you kindly RSVP by contacting on the following members:

Andrea Mascaro 335 6076463 andreamascaro@shiatsuirte.it,

Veronica Dolfi 347 0889969 veronica.dolfi@gmail.com,

Beatrice Gori 335 5318564 bea.gori@gmail.com

Cheap lunch in a tuscan trattoria in the center of Florence

2011-10-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

Last wednesday I went with a friend of mine to this trattoria to have a fast lunch. It's a typical florentine restaurant where you can eat the traditional dishes of the tuscan cuisine. You can find florentine people as well as tourists.
For lunch they have some special prices: 5 euros for the first course (generally a plate of pasta) and 7 euros the main course (meat + vegetables). Cover charge 2 euros.

It's not bad, I enjoyed my stew beef with potatoes.

Trattoria Pallottino

Via Isole delle Stinche 1r
50122 Florence, Italy
055 289 573

Eat sushi as much as you can at Pingusto Sushi Wok

2011-10-21T08:08:00.000-07:00

Today I have been to Pingusto Sushi Wok: it's an asian food low cost restaurant: you can eat how much as you can and pay only 10 euros! It's not far from Santa Croce Square. On the top floor have a lovely view of the Dome.

A ride in a Ferrari? a 3 days appointment that in November will promote the "Tuscany of events"

2011-10-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

DYNAMIC EVENTS TEST SHOW TO BRING EVENTS IN TUSCANY

More than 200 participants for an event that from November 10th to 13th will promote the Region with a series of innovative sport activities, to show the destination through an original way. Carlotta Ferrari: "It's the first time for Italy".

A ride in a Ferrari? Vespa? Quad? Or do you prefer a race in Versilia? All this and much more for the Italian destination marketing main event: the Dynamic Events Test Show. It is a three days appointment that from November 10th to 13th 2011 will promote the "Tuscany of events" through an original and unusual way. For the first time in Italy over 200 selected representatives of famous companies and event organizers will be involved in a series of "dynamic" activities. The event will be based in Piazza Ognissanti (Florence) with a tensile structure used as a reception, welcome & hospitality desk, press room, coffee station and briefing room. The square will be the starting point of most of the activities: tours with car and motorcycles, tours to unusual places, tour in a Ferrari, racing dragon boat, quad tours and sailing regattas, including demonstrations of roadshows and special lighting, snow events and guided cultural tours.

The event is organized by Firenze Convention Bureau and Dynamic Events, with the support of Toscana Promozione. It will take place in three Tuscan Provinces (Florence, Siena and Lucca, the Versilia). The extension in this three provinces is partly a result of the agreement reached between Toscana Promozione (Tuscan Region) and Firenze Convention Bureau to assign to the consortium a leading role in the promotion of the Tuscan congressional destinations for 2011.

"The Dynamic Test Show Events is an unprecedented event in the history of Italian meeting & incentive industry - says the Fcb Director Carlotta Ferrari -. It never happened that an event of this type would be based on multiple Provinces at the same time and along an area as wide. Despite the time that still separates us from the beginning of the event - Ferrari continues - we are getting many requests for participation, which diminish quality standards based on the order of two hundred units. How the Convention Bureau are sure that an event of this kind can give Florence and the Region as a whole national visibility and prestige that had never been achieved in the past. Thank you - concludes the Director – to Oliviero Cappuccini, president of Dynamic Events, Toscana Promozione and our members who will be directly involved in the organization".

Firenze Convention Bureau (Fcb) is a 16 year-old non profit organization that combines the cooperation of both public and private sectors in order to offer a service that is distinctively emblematic of the city of Florence. Fcb has the Province of Florence as its main stakeholder and the strong support of the Florentine Municipality, the Chamber of Commerce, the Tuscan Regional government as well as the input of the over 70 private members highly specialized in the meeting industry all with the common purpose of making the organization of events and congresses in the capital of Tuscany easier and faster. More info at www.dynamicevents.it.

Innovative exhibition in Florence, at Giorgio Vasari's house with video installation by Bill Viola

2011-10-14T02:48:00.000-07:00

"500 OGGI Le Vite dell’Arte in Contemporanea" is a contemporary art project curated by Melania Lanzini and dedicated as part of the celebrations for the fifth centenary of the birth of Giorgio Vasari. Through an innovative exhibition that includes ten national and international artists, established and emerging who’s work with installation as a medium capable of embracing all other forms of art, 500 OGGI Le Vite dell’Arte in Contemporanea opens its doors to an exceptional setting in the palace that was once the former residence of Giorgio Vasari in Florence, close to Santa Croce.

The video installation Acceptance by internationally renowned and pioneering American video artist Bill Viola will be presented in the exhibition by FIRENZE ARTI VISIVE School of Fine Arts and will complement this important and prestigious event.
Credits for the image:
Bill Viola, Acceptance, 2008
Video in bianco e nero ad alta risoluzione su schermo al plasma cm 155,5 x 92,5 x 12,7
Performer: Weba Garretson
Foto: Kira Perov
8:14 minutes

During the inauguration the Sala delle Arti e degli Artisti will be open to the public. The Salon’s interior includes floor to ceiling fresco’s painted by Vasari and is considered one of Florence’s hidden treasures of the 16th century.

Installations by: Bill Viola, Melania Lanzini, Charles Loverme, Federica Gonnelli, Paolo Lauri, Marta Luppi, Fabio Chiantini, Avio Musetti, Stefano Castrucci & Piero Mazzoni.

Exhibition Hours

_Florence 22/30 October 2011

_Borgo Santa Croce, 8

_Opening: 22 October 2011 at 6:00 pm

Admittance to exhibition with invitation only. You can download and print the invitation from the website www.500oggi.org Open Monday thru Friday 4:00pm to 8:00pm by appointment only. During the gallery hours, the artists will accompany visitors along the path of the exhibition.

Contact T: 334 9029153

E: info@500oggi.org

Good wine bar in Florence where you can eat for cheap

2011-10-09T00:35:00.000-07:00

Last saturday I went to Sweet Bar, a small wine bar not far from the center of Florence. It's a cosy place owned by 3 smart guys. You can find some of the best wine in town and some dishes from the kitchen: appetizers, first courses and some salads with vegetables, ham, fish... I ordered a gorgeous "Tagliatelle con tartufo" (=with truffle). Excellent! Only 12 euros.

The wine bar is nice, full of local people: young couples, guys coming out from the gym, moms with kids... If you don't speak italian don't worry, ask of Aliosha: he speaks english!

Sweet Bar (here on Foursquare)

via di Ripoli 8-10/r via Giampaolo Orsini

tel. 055.6587051

Rare plant exhibition and market in Tuscany

2011-10-07T08:43:00.000-07:00

This weekend there will be "Botanica": the first exhibition and market of rare plants and collector’s plants. It combines artistic and scientific topics with the knowledge and the safeguard of the natural environment, particularly of the ancient and forgotten varieties of plants.

The monumental Park of Medicean Villa Caruso, close to Florence, will house on this occasion a great selection of flowers, shrubs, ornamental plants and fruit-bearing plants together with the association of the typical products of the florentine hills. Typical products and floriculture belong since ever to our heritage and therefore the development of our land as a resource is one of the main topic of the Public Administration of Lastra a Signa who stakes on the local peculiarities to achieve a sustainable development, according to the regional policies on agriculture.

Entrance fee: 3 euros.

Massimo Sestini Photography Exhibition in the brand new Audi showroom in Florence

2011-10-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow afternoon there will be the opening of the photography exhibition by italian reporter Massimo Sestini, that will take place in the new Audi showroom in Florence, owned by Volkswagen Group Firenze. The artist will present to the press his masterpieces and best pictures.

It's October... or July?

2011-10-03T04:45:00.000-07:00

Never remember to have an October with this hot weather!!! It seems like it were July. Yesterday you could go to the seaside and swim! Today it's still 30° C degrees, that is more or less 86 °F (Fahrenheit). I wish I should't have to work. I took this picture of the Dome just few minutes ago...

Gucci museum in Florence

2011-09-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

Tonight there will be the big event: the opening of Gucci Museum in the center of Florence! A special party will take places in central Piazza della Signoria square, with a very limited VIP list (only 250 guests) and the live performance of Blondie...

Live! when the art meets the rock music

2011-09-05T04:57:00.000-07:00

You have still some days to visit the excellent exhibition devoted to rock music in parallel with the contemporary art: Live! art meets rock music.

At Pecci Contemporary Art Museum of Prato (close to Florence) you can admire the original guitars, the LP covers, many pictures and videos of many rockstars (from David Bowie, to the Pink Floyds, from Sex pistols to U2) that are compared with the Abstract art, the sculpture and contemporary paintings of artists as Damien Hirst, Keith Haring, Basquiat, Andy Warhol.

An history that starts from 1969, the year of Woodstock and of the last live performance of the Beatles (above the Apple Records Roof building) and goes on through the 80s, the 90s and terminates in the 2009, the date of the death of Michael Jackson, maybe the last pop star we had, painted by David Lachapelle.

The exhibition ends at the 16th of September, when there will be a great party with MTV and Ceres.
Centro per l’arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci
Viale della Repubblica 277, Prato
Tel. +39 0574 5317
Free entrance.

Free live music in Florence

2011-08-17T02:21:00.000-07:00

In Piazza Beccaria, not far form Santa Croce, every night enjoy a different live concert on the stage close to the club "Kitsch".

At 7.30 pm have a glass of wine for 7 euros and a "all you can eat" aperitif with pasta, pizza, vegetables, ham, cheese, wurstel, potatoes and more... You may find seat inside and outiside the club.

At 9.00 pm listen to the live jam on the stage: from jazz to blues, from italian rock to latin music. You don't have to pay for the concert.

Until September, 2011.

Best ice cream in Florence, Italy

2011-08-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

A five-minute walk from Uffizi Gallery and Palazzo Vecchio this small "Gelateria de' Neri" dishes out superior sorbets and ice creams. The flavours are always changing, many ice cream flavours are innovative (be sure to try the ricotta cheese and figues). Classics such as cioccolato (=chocolate), fior di latte (=white cream) and stracciatella (cream with pieces of chocolate) are supplemented by seasonal specials (strawberries, melon, peach, lemon...). I enjoyed the bittersweet intensity of the green tea and the pistacchio flavour ( creamy flavour of nuts from Bronte, a Sicilian city known for its pistachio).

All ices are made in house.

Two-flavour cones cost 2.50 euros.

Gelateria de' Neri

Via de' Neri, 20-22 red

Firenze.

Winetown: Florence the location of a special wine festival in courtyards and cloisters of historical buildings

2011-08-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

At the end of September, 2011, there will be a great event in Florence: Winetown, a wine festival with a lot of events. What's going on in Florence for the Winetown wine festival? here are some tips:

Shows and concerts that enliven the tastings of fine wines inside important Historical Buildings that will be open to the public only for this special occasion.
There will be cooking shows, a discussion and reflection on the design of the bottle and new technology on the second floor of the "San Lorenzo" Central Market.
The treasure hunt through the streets of the historical center
The game Vinopoli for children to play.

Two intense days, complete with an unusual itinerary and an unconventional way of bringing wine and people together.

Opening hours:

Saturday 24 September 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Sunday 25 September 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The tastings will be conducted during the opening hours of the event upon purchasing the WineCard.

WHAT IS WINE TOWN

Wine town is a new concept and way of communicating the territory: to enhance the wine making tradition in a different context than usual, the idea to open the great private buildings of the nobility of Florence, which will then be rediscovered by the general public. Wine Town 2011, with the support of Toscana Promozione, the City of Florence and the Wine Town Committee, is a permanent annual event. WINE TOWN will take place in Florence on Saturday the 24th and Sunday the 25th. The city of wine, the city that for its past was left with skills which were stratified by centuries of daily practice in the fields of tradition and therefore demands more than anything else, the right to be represented by one of its many strong themes. In short, the capital of the Chianti region, the lands of Tuscany, the Sangiovese, the great and historic families in the vineyards where they have always been and where most of them have withstood the difficult years of depopulation and, finally, many fond producers who, in recent decades have reshaped, reevaluated and requalified agricultural land, restoring the fabric of rural construction in Tuscany. 10 themes or ten points of view to talk about wine, architecture, art, archeology, marketing, communication, innovation and children’s play.

Ten is also the number of the provinces represented by different food products and the most important chefs in the ten Territories.

24th of September – 25th of September 2011

Sponsors: City of Florence (Comune di Firenze), Toscana Promozione and the Wine Town Committee

In cooperation with the Italian Sommelier Association (A.I.S Associazione Italiana Sommelier and the Italian Historic Houses Association ( A.D.S.I. Associazione Dimore Storiche Italiane).

Information: Wine Town Firenze Committee

Tel. +39 055 2050400/462 Fax. +39 055 2050500

info@winetown.it www.winetown.it

Shellac professional colour nail design

2011-07-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

I already wrote about Joe, my hairdresser in Florence, right in the city center.

Now I can also have my nails done at Joe's: a young woman who works there has now specializes in semi-permanent nail-polish application, gel, nail reconstruction..

I'd never heard about semi-permanent nail-polish and it's been a real re-birth for me.

This is how it works: she first applies nail-polish (Shellac - CND); and then you place your hands into a sort of small oven so that in a couple of minutes your nails are dry!

And they look perfect! It stays for almost 2 weeks. I never before had such gorgeous hands and I can now forget about filing, polish remover and all the rest! And it's quite inexpensive, on top of that!!

And the colours are really cool: I personally love coral red and fucsia pink.

Hairforce

Via Ghibellina 74/R Florence
Tel. +39 (0)55 241736
hairforce@fastwebnet.it (you can make reservation by email!)

Luxury italian stone jewels

2011-07-19T04:28:00.000-07:00

I just received an email from a italian reader who lives in France: she has created some luxury "mosaic jewels" with tuscan travertine stone. Here is what she wrote to me:

The idea of creating stone-made jewels came to my mind some years ago. When I run into the small mosaic tesseras of Tuscany travertine marble, I had the chance of setting stones off and driving them into an intimate and private world.

Besides being a clear esthetical choice, this series of stones and silver-made jewels represents for me also an ethical choice: recovering discarded materials from mosaics. Such a choice deeply roots in the Tuscany land and in its history. Precious objects are created from materials commonly used in the building industry. The simple design of my jewels merges contemporaneity and traditions and enhances the intrinsic beauty of the stones. It accords shapes and shades of color, thus putting forth a new concept of discreet and un-standardized luxury.

For info: http://www.valeriaevarossi.it/

Champagne and aperitif with amazing view in Florence

2011-07-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

God Save The Wine of fairies and magic ...with Champagne and Italy's finest bubbles!

After having baptized the summer with the huge crowd at the God Save The Wine in the beautiful Teatro Romano in Fiesole, we came back where it all started in 2010 on the fascinating Terrace Bardini, one of the most striking spots in Florence to celebrate a night of spells and magic.

10 producers, a lot of bubbles, from Champagne to the "new" Prosecco unfilterd sur lie and Franciacorta DOCG, also featuring old and new red wines from Puglia, Sicilia (the vulcan Etna!) and some tuscan classic, not to mention the 80th birthday of Riserva Ducale Ruffino.

An invitation to discover corners of Italy (Apulia, Franciacorta, Maremma, the majestic Mount Etna, the varied Chianti Classico, the miracle of the North East with Prosecco) to renew the magic in our country using the power of Bacchus to seduce and abduct the senses and the imagination to travel with us, in the glass and the people we love to have party with...

Wine List of the evening (including a mixed warm buffet): only 20 euros! eat and drink as much as you like...

Champagne Pommery

Champagne Brut Apanage

Summertime Champagne Blanc de Blancs

Champagne Rosé s.a.

Ruffino (San Polo, Greve in Chianti FI)

Rosatello Rosato IGT Toscana 2010

La Solatia Pinot Grigio IGT Toscana 2010

Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico 2007

Contadi Castaldi (Adro - BS)

Franciacorta Brut

Franciacorta Satèn 2007

Franciacorta Rosè 2004

Tenuta La Badiola (Castiglion della Pescaia GR)

Acquagiusta Maremma Toscana Bianco Vermentino

Acquagiusta Maremma Toscana Rosato

Acquagiusta Maremma Toscana Rosso

Agricoltori del Geografico (Gaiole in Chianti SI)

Vermentino Campo Vernino IGT 2010

Chianti Classico DOCG Molinlungo 2008

Pulleraia Igt Rosso 2007 Merlot

Antichi Vinai

KOINE' etna rosso doc riserva 2007

PETRALAVA etna rosato doc 2010

PETRALAVA etna bianco doc 2010

Cantele Vini

Negroamaro I.G.T. Salento 2009 (100% Negroamaro)

Teresa Manara Bianco Salento I.G.T. 2009 (100% Chardonnay)

Rosato Negroamaro IGT Salento 2010 (100% Negroamaro)

Selezione Zanotto

Zanotto Col Fondo Vino Bianco Frizzante Colli Trevigiani

Zanotto Prosecco fermo IGT

Casa Belfi – Prosecco Colfòndo Azienda La Basseta. San Polo di Piave (Treviso)

20 € wine and food

Moba Terrazza Bardini

Costa San giorgio 4a, Firenze

tel. 055 - 2008 444

email: info@moba.fi.it

info e prenotazioni

Firenze Spettacolo info@firenzespettacolo.it

What's on in Florence in July

2011-07-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

Here the are 2 events in english!

A Stubborn Woman - When Stefano Massini first learned about the death of Anna Politkovskaya he created more than a play. He created an opportunity for those of us who work on it and those who see it to think about the world in which we live. To consider the question of 'who is our enemy?'

Staged reading - English/Italian with subtitles

Le Murate via dell'Agnolo Florence

9.30 pm, 15 July

The Nina Variations - When asked to write an adaptation of 'The Seagull' Steven Dietz said: "I was mesmerized by the magnitude of this single fateful encounter." For those who wonder what 'could have happened' at any moment of our lives, Dietz offers several possibilties for two of Chekov's greatest characters.

Staged reading - English/Italian with subtitles

Le Murate via dell'agnolo Florence

9.30 pm, 16 July

NEW I Phone application dedicated to eating places in Florence

2011-07-05T09:36:00.000-07:00

BuonApp Firenze is a NEW I Phone application dedicated to eating places in Florence. It has been created for the gourmet foreigner and for all the locals always looking for quality food and new gourmet experiences.

The project was born especially to provide visitors with an authentic guide to good food. Our motto: Enough of restaurants for tourists where you eat badly and you pay a lot! With BuonApp you will be guaranteed a delicious meal!

BuonApp Firenze is a real Guide since restaurants are accurately selected and (worthy of note) their listing in the app is free of charge.

Places are tested personally by our team and listed only if of excellent quality.

The language of the reviews is not typical of the gastro critics, but the language of the social web 2.0, fresh, quick and direct.

Reviews are edited by a group of Florentine insiders, professionals from the world of Communication and with a real passion for good quality food.

Our recommendations are not trying to be “the Bible of Florentine restaurants” and for sure not everybody will agree to our choices, but we can promise that in restaurants recommended by BuonApp you will find very nice food and the bestquality/price relationship.

BuonApp Firenze has been developed by FabApps Florence in Italian, English and German.

PROJECT CREATORS AND DEVELOPERS

Heiko Mattern, creative, graphic designer specialized in I Phone/I Pad graphic interface

Lorenzo Fanti, Art Director and I Phone Apps expert, comes from a Florentine family of restaurateurs

Elena Farinelli, Florentine blogger, with her blog Io Amo Firenze point of reference on the web for the nightlife, places and restaurants in Florence

The present version on AppStore is the first one. In the next few weeks it will be updated with new restaurants and with app additional features (possibility to add a comment, videos, digital coupons).

Cultural Experience Through Conviviality: english night with food

2011-07-04T07:09:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to remind you of the upcoming English night with ToscanaIN and The Florentine, organized as every year. It's going to be Monday July 11th 2011. The topic is food, and after we talk about it, we eat it. 10 euros as usual buys you the whole evening and lots of food, and no membership is required. Come out! it's going to be fun.

The third “English Night” organized by ToscanaIN association and The Florentine, speakers from all over the world recount encounters with Italian food from their own cultural points of view.

Coordinated by Alexandra Korey (The Florentine, SUF alumni)

Welcome from the Director of Syracuse University in Florence, Sasha Pellegrini

From 20.30 to 22.00 networking and buffet dinner in the SUF gardens.

This delicious cross-cultural menu is prepared by American Salad Co / La Buona Tavola in the person of our member Paula Carrier: Lentil tabbouleh, Couscous Panzanella, Salad Niçoise, Spinach and Feta Pie, Vol au vents with sausage and stracchino, Pizzette, Lemon cake. Drinks: spumante, red wine, fruit juice, water.

Cost

The cost of the evening (open to ToscanaIN members and to guests) is 10 € payable at the entrance. This fee covers operational costs and gives you access to the rich buffet aperitivo. Those who wish to join ToscanaIN association this evening may sign up for a 2011 membership card (20 €). Registration required. Here>>

An iphone application that helps you find good restaurants in Florence

2011-06-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

An iphone application that helps you find good restaurants in florence? this is it, and it is free to download until july 15 so grab it while you can. Here it is>>

Pic nic organized by Sonnino's Castle in Tuscany

2011-06-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

Sunday 26th June From 11 am to sunset in the meadows of Castello Sonnino (Via Volterrana Nord 6/A, Montespertoli) there will be a lovely Pic-nic in the shadow of the Moro. Great outdoor party organized by Castello Sonnino of Montespertoli in collaboration with Slow Food, Tuscany and Slow Food Empolese Valdelsa.

At the start the second edition of the playful pic-nic of Sonnino. The meadows around the castle will be set up with recovering materials, connected to country tradition, as the old olive crates turned into tables and benches all around the trees. You will have lunch and a snack with quality products “Km zero”, served with the Castle’s wine and oil.

The program of activities, both for kids and adults, will be various (impossible to be bored!): pottery and weaving workshop, puppets making with recycling materials, “farm theatre” with Amanted workshop by Dimitri Frosali, folk music with folk group Vincanto and, by big request, Pacciamama will be back to teach us how to make a veg-garden in a crate and you will join Emiliano Terreni extracting honey from the hoenycombs. Castello Sonnino will also open their XIV century Clock Tower that will give us the opportunity to admire the territory from an unique point of view.

The necessary for the pic-nic will be provided by Castello Sonnino

Don’t forget to bring a blanket!

Rates:

Adults 15 € Slow Food members 13 € Including lunch, snack, workshops and shows

Kids (7-12 years) 7 € Slow Food Kids members 5 €

Free entrance for kids under 6 years

With reservation until june 23th
Info and booking: tel 0571 657481 • cell 333 8015739, 335 353439 •
• info@castellosonnino.it; studiomelarancia@gmail.com

Fb: CASTELLO SONNINO MONTESPERTOLI
http://www.facebook.com/mobileprotection#!/profile.php?id=100002172136395

Pitti Uomo Fashion Fair in Florence

2011-05-29T01:35:00.000-07:00

Pitti Uomo Fashion fair is coming back: about 1.000 brands/collections expected at this edition.

From the 14th to the 17th of June, 2011 in Florence, Italy.

THE MAIN PAVILION is the heart of Pitti Uomo. There is a long waiting list of exhibitors who want to show their collections in the Main Pavilion at Fortezza da Basso, the place which over the past few seasons has established itself as the “container” where Pitti Uomo develops the most current lifestyle trends. But, the Main Pavilion is also the symbol of how the fair has evolved over the years, exploring the multifaceted spirit of the biggest names in men’s fashions. On the one hand we have the Lower Level, with names such as Boglioli, Brunello Cucinelli, Church’s, Cruciani, Isaia, Lardini and others – and collections that express an elegant contamination among classic, experimental and sportswear. On the other is the Upper Level featuring leading names in the new classic, Albert Arts, Altea, Kiton, Herno, Luciano Barbera and Sartorio, that are known for their exclusive, high quality materials and true craftsmanship. Then, there is the Ground Floor where the collections dialogue more directly with sportswear (at the Cavaniglia Pavilion) on one side, and the experimental, avant-garde collections in the Fashion District (Futuro Maschile, Touch!, L’Altro Uomo) on the other. For years, these and other outstanding names have been coming to the Fortezza da Basso to refresh their identities in pace with the speed of the present.

The Theme for June: MAGICAL PITTI TOUR. Travel will be the overall theme of this edition of Pitti Uomo: a huge map – with routes, stations, transfer points destinations, and panoramic stops – will be posted in the forecourt of the Fortezza da Basso. It will be a magic trip that takes you into the worlds of Pitti, of fashion and contemporary life-styles.

The SPORTSWEAR Segment: more important and interesting than ever
The big names in sportswear, the names that are dedicated to developing their “world”, that are reaping good results and are making ever bigger investments in Pitti Uomo – are proof of how the event is internationally acknowledged as the ideal place for presenting collections, new projects and new global lifestyle concepts. And to meet their needs, Pitti Uomo is expanding the “Sport & Sport” section and will add another area, the Padiglione della Ghiaia entirely devoted to sportswear to complement the offering at the Cavaniglia Pavilion. And as name such as G-Star Raw, Gant, Henry Cotton’s, Scoth & Soda and WP Lavori in Corso, move over to bigger spaces, with striking settings, we will also see important premières and reentries – such as the K-Way return to the world of Pitti Uomo.

Open cellars in Tuscany: Villa of Vignamaggio

2011-05-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

VIGNAMAGGIO adheres to the happening Open Cellars 2011. You can visit the garden, the "Pomarium" and the winery in Greve in Chianti, Firenze. Guided tours will be conducted at 11 and 12 a.m. and at 3, 4 and 5 p.m.

29th of May 2011 - CANTINE APERTE

Vignamaggio is a small Renaissance gem, its setting still very similar to the original. The core of the villa dates back to the XIV century, but its current look is the one given at the end of the XVI century by the Gherardi family who had purchased it from the Gherardinis. A girl was born here in 1479 to a member of the family, the famous Mona Lisa whose portrait was subsequently painted by Leonardo da Vinci. Inside the Renaissance Villa, listed in the "Historical Building of Italy" there are double bedrooms and romantic suites with antique furniture and bed linen made exclusively for Vignamaggio.

Florence Design Week 2011: second edition

2011-05-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

Next week there will be the Florence Design Week: an international contemporary showcase to enhance and preserve the historical and cultural heritage of Florence. From 24 to 29 May 2011 Florence will host the second edition of the Florence Design Week - Design Village 2011, under the High Patronage of the Ministry of Heritage and Culture, supported by the London Design Festival and in collaboration with the Municipality of Florence, Province of Florence, Calenzano.

A passion for design and art will lead visitors to discover the five senses, through an emotional journey in which the design will merge with the historic beauty of Florence, the festival will involve squares, art galleries, libraries and historic houses decorating the city with his works to see and admire the work of new generations of designers and companies, taste the food that the design can give and enjoy the smells of a city at the height of his creative spring. Spread in various locations all around the city of Florence, Graphic and Visual Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Music and Food Design will be celebrated during the whole week. Exhibitions, workshops, meetings, design-aperitifs and an innovative night-life will be organized to create a real network between designers and people, between past and future. Taking part at the Florence Design Week is a great possibility to perceive the city designed on a new and contemporary light!

Electric Party at Villa Romana in Florence

2011-05-16T04:17:00.000-07:00

Electric Party is a stream of dramatic elements – songs, rhythm, dance, poetry – that emerge from a seemingly casual atmosphere, a party in which the poetic word intersects with the present circumstances in which we are living. This experiment in artistic contact explores the edges of theatrical and social behavior, and plays with the sometimes ambiguous division between them. Electric Party is an articulated game that unfolds throughout the night: songs, poems, dances and actions appear and disappear without resolution, continually playing with the rhythms of the party, riding its waves. While the guests eat, socialize, drink and dance, the gathering arrives to moments of high intensity through structured and precise sequences of action performed by the Open Program team.

This event takes place at Villa Romana in Florence. Please bring with you an offering to the Party of something to drink or eat.

For more information, please go to: http://www.villaromana.org/
or contact: Tel.: +39 - 055 - 22 16 54 Fax: +39 - 055 - 22 80 251 office@villaromana.org

Free entrance to Uffizi Gallery and other museums in Florence

2011-05-11T14:55:00.000-07:00

Again you have the opportunity to visit the Uffizi Gallery (and other museums) for free, next Saturday night, thanks to the "European Night of Museums".

On May 14th 2011 Museums all over Europe will offer music, exhibitions, guided tours, tastings. For the first time the European Night was proposed in France in 2005. The cultural event is under the patronage of Unesco and European Council.

Palazzo Vecchio and the Family Museum adhere to the event, by offering to their audience a concert reconstructing a “musical evening” of the Renaissance period and a programme of guided tours to the Palazzo Vecchio.

Entrance is free, but reservation is requested.
- Guided tour of Palazzo Vecchio with Giorgio Vasari
- Tour of Salone dei Cinquecento
For info: http://www.palazzovecchio-familymuseum.it/

Florence Gelato Festival

2011-04-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

At the end of May a great event for all ice-cream lovers: Firenze Gelato Festival! This delicious event is planned May 25th to May 29th 2011, it will take place in several places in the center of Florence. Don't miss the opportunity to taste the best gelato in Italy!

White night: museums open all night long, live music, reading and ballets in the streets

2011-04-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

Tonight there will be the "Notte Bianca" that means "White night": it's the second edition of a special event taking place in Florence, Italy on the night between April, the 30th and May, the 1st. Uffizi Gallery will be open for free in the night, as well as other museums will have special opening hours. Every square will host some special performance: dancing, live music, reading, dj-set...

There will be hundreds of people everywhere!

The center of Florence will be closed to cars and private traffic.

Free entrance to Uffizi Gallery and other museums in Florence

2011-04-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight starts again the "Martedì in Arte” (="Tuesday in Art"): that means that you can enter for free in many florentine museums every last Tuesday of each month, from 7 to 11 p.m.

And don't forget that next Saturday, March, the 30th, in Florence there wil be the "Notte Bianca" (="White night") that means that stores and museums are open all night long until morning! For this special occasion there will be free entrance to Uffizi Gallery until midnight. Don't miss this opportunity to visit the most famous masterpieces of Italian Renassaince, for free!

Easter in Florence

2011-04-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

What do to at Easter in Florence? As every year, you can enjoy the Burst of the Carriage, a florentine Sunday tradition that is held every year on Easter morning. In front of the Dome, there's this suggestive ceremony: first 2 huge cows bring the cart in front of the main church of the city, then after the holy mess a big fire is launched: fireworks from the inside spread all over...

Live jazz music with gorgeous view of Duomo

2011-04-07T01:54:00.000-07:00

Tonight at Caffetteria delle Oblate, the bar at the top of the public Library "Le Oblate", close to Piazza Duomo, there will be a free jazz concert performed by 3 young florentine players. During the live performance you can have some finger food and a glass of wine.

Free admission to the concert.
You pay only if you have a drink.

Danza in fiera in Florence (dance fair)

2011-02-18T08:57:00.000-08:00

Danza in Fiera gathers for 4 days all dance businesses, training and artistic sectors, ranging from classical ballet to contemporary, from modern to tango, from hip hop to Latin dancing, from country to musical and from ethnic dancing to tribal and waltz.

What does Danza in Fiera offer?

• booths of dance apparel, fitness fashion, sport and wellness products but also areas dedicated to dance studios, dance groups and associations
• shows with national and international dance performers
• free classes, masterclasses with famous dancers and masters
• meetings, workshops, talk shows, exhibitions all about dancing
• contests and competitions
• castings and auditions to become a real professional dancer

NATURAL WELLNESS area, EVERY DAY at Spadolini Pavilion - ground floor

6th edition of Danzainfiera its also an unique occasion to get in touch with many companies belonging to natural wellness sectors. In the 100 sqm area "Spadolini Pavilion" ground floor, public will test a lot of wellness products:

- GIERRE GM: Italian exclusive distributor of Prananat, wellness and fitness carpet
- ORGANIC TRIBE: creative design for organic cotton shirts(gots) , 100% Made in Italy.
- IDEA TOSCANA: all pleasure of olive oil in many cosmetics products.
- DLS srl: Italian distributor of NOENE soles
- LIGANCE: creams and specfic products for dancer's training

Opening time:

Thursday 3.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Friday/Saturday 10.00 am – 9.00 pm
Sunday 10.00 am – 8 pm

Tickets:

1 day € 15,00
4 days € 40,00

Free entrance:
- kids under 8 years
- disabled persons

Jazz club live music in Florence

2011-02-13T08:01:00.000-08:00

Program of March 2011

Concerts start at 10.15 pm - members only

For 8 euros only (renewal 5 euros) you can buy a membership card valid till 31st December 2011

Info & reservations: Vincenzo Ricchi, 335 6146115; after 9 p.m., 055-2479700

Tuesday 1st BLUES JAM SESSION + “STAY FREE BAND,” led by one of the most important blues musicians in Tuscany. Roberto Uggiosi: guitar & vocals; Marco Polidori: bass; Luca Solini: drums.

Wednesday 2nd NADIA ANGILELLA GROUP. Modern arrangement of Italian 40's and 50's songs and 30's and 40's American swing, with bossa nova & more. Nadia Angilella: vocals; Mario Codacci: sax; Silvano Grandi: piano; Piero Barbetti: drums; Paolo Bulletti: bass.

Thursday 3th “Jazz new standards”. Tonight JAZZ JAM SESSION, with Marco Pezzola: piano; Carlo Bonamico: bass; Cosimo Marchese: drums.

Friday 4th PERFIDIA QUARTET. The group, whose name comes from a very famous 30's bolero, works to restore the intense and full of pathos atmosphere of bolero, son and latino music, especially the traditional Cuban. Francesco Birardi and Gianni Biondi: guitars & vocals; Paolo Casu: percussions; “Sandrito” Garbey: trumpet.

Saturday 5th Special Event! FRANCESCO SANTUCCI QUARTET. FRANCESCO SANTUCCI: sax; LUCA MARIANINI: tromba, MAX TEMPIA: Hammond; Cosimo Marchese: batteria. An ecceptional “All Star Band”.

Sunday 6th and Monday 7th closed.

Tuesday 8th CARNIVAL BLUES JAM SESSION + “STAY FREE BAND,” led by one of the most important blues musicians in Tuscany. Roberto Uggiosi: guitar & vocals; Marco Polidori: bass; Luca Solini: drums.

Wednesday 9th JAZZ FROM THE VILLAGE. JAZZ ENSEMBLES OF NEW YORK UNIVERSITY. Every two weeks, a night dedicated to new talents in Jazz! The best jazz students of New York University of Florence on stage at Jazz Club with other musicians; after the concert, Jam Session!

Thursday 10th “Jam triorganic electric style” - JAZZ JAM SESSION (Jazz funk free style) with Franco Santarnecchi: Hammond; Luca Gelli: guitar; Cosimo Marchese: drums.

Friday 11th SCIABADOGA. Leonardo Galigani: vocals, drums and trumpet; Folco Tredici: guitar and h armonica; Emiliano Tozzi: vocals, bass and clarinet. Three skilled musicians for a lively rock-swing night.

Saturday 12th I.F.S (Italian Funky Sound). Franco Baggiani, Cosimo Boni, Gianni Ciapetti: trumpet; Andrea Coppini & Giacomo Downie: sax; Roberto Beneventi: accordion; Leonardo Passigli: guitar; Filippo Poggi: bass; Gerard La Torraca: percussions; Fabio Ferrini: drums; Vincenzo Genovese: keyboards. A sound inspired by the jazz- rock of Miles Davis and Herbie Hanckock.

Sunday 13th and Monday 14th closed.

Tuesday 15th BLUES JAM SESSION + “STAY FREE BAND,” led by one of the most important blues musicians in Tuscany. Roberto Uggiosi: guitar & vocals; Marco Polidori: bass; Luca Solini: drums.

Wednesday 16th C.A.M. ON! Concert with the teachers of C.A.M. (Centro Attività Musicali) in Florence. With Cosimo Marchese, Alessandro Di Puccio, Stefano Rapicavoli, Leonardo Volo, Massimiliano Calderai.

Thursday 17th Cool & Be Bop JAZZ JAM SESSION. Tonight “cool jazz jam session” with Silvano Grandi: piano; Maurizio Bozzi: bass guitar and double bass; Cosimo Marchese: drums.

Friday 18th MUSICHERIA. Claudio Giovagnoli: sax; Leonardo Volo: electric piano, keyboards; Carlo Bonamico: bass; Bernardo Guerra: drums. A super-band playing best contemporary jazz.

Saturday 19th Special event! From New York STEVE HUDSON CHAMBER ENSEMBLE. A group dedicated to performing original music that seeks to inspire. The ensemble's roots are in jazz and classical music however their sound has no boundaries and is influenced by genres such as tango, folk, and indie rock music. The quartet features violinist Zach Brock, cellist Jean-Philippe Feiss, percussionist Martin Urbach, and Steve Hudson on piano and melodica. Keyboard Magazine writes of Hudson's unique sound, “Exquisitely beautiful compositions…there is a quest for beauty in his lines that evoke the masters.”

Sunday 20th and Monday 21st closed.

Tuesday 22th BLUES JAM SESSION + “STAY FREE BAND,” led by one of the most important blues musicians in Tuscany. Roberto Uggiosi: guitar & vocals; Marco Polidori: bass; Luca Solini: drums.

Wednesday 23th JAZZ FROM THE VILLAGE. JAZZ ENSEMBLES OF NEW YORK UNIVERSITY. Every two weeks, a night dedicated to new talents in Jazz! The best jazz students of New York University of Florence on stage at Jazz Club with other musicians; after the concert, Jam Session!

Thursday 24th MODERN JAZZ JAM SESSION + “Quartet House Band”. Tonight jazz jam session with Simone Marrucci: guitar; Nicola Cellai: trumpet; Francesca Taranto: bass guitar; Cosimo Marchese: drums.

Friday 25th. THE BEERS BROTHERS. SOUL BAND. Ten musicians with the passion of the Blues Brothers and the vitality of The Commitments.

Saturday 26th CLAUDIA TELLINI QUARTET “Kind of standard”. Claudia Tellini: voce; Mauro Avanzini: sassofono, flauto; Nicola Vernuccio: contrabbasso; Andrea Melani: batteria. Four exceptional musicians play famous standard, with personal arrangement and style.

Sunday 27th and Monday 28th closed.

Tuesday 29th BLUES JAM SESSION + “STAY FREE BAND,” led by one of the most important blues musicians in Tuscany. Roberto Uggiosi: guitar & vocals; Marco Polidori: bass; Luca Solini: drums.

Wednesday 30th VINTAGE PEOPLE. Giovanna Andreani ed Elena Sarti: vocals; Roberto Sarti e Alessandro Calabrò: guitars; Franco Agresti: bass; Fabio Poggiali: drums. Pop cover band.

Thursday 31st Mr. BANANA BAND. Marco “Mr. Banana” Pieraccini: guitar and vocals; Marco Polidori: bass; Alessandro Solenni: keyboards; Marco Confetti: drums. Original compositions of “Mr. Banana” Pieraccini, inspired by all the nuances of black music. Presentation of new CD Come from Here.

Pitti Immagine 79: Men Fashion trade fair

2011-01-10T04:56:00.000-08:00

For the 79th edition of Pitti Immagine Uomo, Trussardi dal 1911 presents its new Men’s Collection Fall/Winter 2011-12 in a spectacular runway show held at Stazione Leopolda in Florence. The show celebrates an important anniversary for the Italian fashion house: 100 years of excellence, quality, artisan workmanship, and exquisite details. The history of Trussardi is primarily a story about its finest material: leather. 100 years of artisan leather-working, a trade that has defined the group since 1911 when Dante Trussardi produced his first pair of leather gloves for his company. Milan Vukmirovic, the Creative Director of Trussardi dal 1911, focused on Trussardi’s DNA and used his distinctive, dynamic, self-possessed style to pay homage to the heritage and understated cosmopolitan luxury of the brand. Accessories play an important part in this collection with a special capsule collection celebrating the 100th anniversary of Trussardi Group. As stars of the catwalk, these iconic objects represent the company’s century of savoir faire that also looks to new horizons as the greyhound agilely and swiftly runs towards the future.

The fashion show held on Wednesday, January 12 (Stazione Leopolda, Florence, 7:00 p.m.) is a celebration that Trussardi wants to share with everyone. In fact, the show will be streamed live over the Internet at www.trussardi.com.

On this occasion, Stazione Leopolda will also become a true emblem of the Trussardi world. The latest styles will blend with its history revealed through the protagonists, icons, products, collections, places, and events that have made Trussardi one of the most important players of the international fashion scene. With everything from the original gloves of the Dante Trussardi Glove Factory to the company’s outstanding design projects of automobiles and airplanes, handbags made of innovative materials and bicycles, gorgeous evening gowns and Trussardi Design chairs, the fashion show will be a spectacular stage for an extraordinary presentation of the history of the company.

The exhibit will remain until January 16 in Florence (open to the public every day from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) and will then be transferred to Milan at Palazzo Trussardi Alla Scala (Piazza della Scala 5), where it can be seen in January and February as a special event during the Men and Women’s Fashion Weeks. For 2011, Trussardi dal 1911 presents an extraordinary collection and new moods that blend past, present and future to celebrate Trussardi Group.

More info about Pitti Fair on next days...

Happy New Year from Florence, Italy!

2010-12-30T11:56:00.001-08:00

I love to take the chance of this New Year’s Eve to wish you all the best for the upcoming year and for your lives!

Snowboard in Florence?

2010-12-19T09:37:00.000-08:00

It's possibile it it snow 30cm!! Enjoy this video shot in the center of Florence, after the big snow fall of the 17th of December...

Snowboarding in Firenze. Epic. from Fernando Biagioni on Vimeo.

Places to spend new year's eve, 2010 in Florence

2010-11-23T03:31:00.000-08:00

Here are some ideas for New Year's Eve in Florence Italy 2011:

You can celebrate new years eve in florence in different ways.

New year party 2011 firenze

New years eve 2011 at Palazzo Gaddi: gala dinner and party with disco all night long. The palace is in the center of Florence. Parking is available in the close parking of San Lorenzo. Here is the menu and prices>>

What other entertainment is available during New Year's Eve?

Here are some events in Florence for new year 2011

- Celebrate on the Streets of Florence and enjoy free live music. There will be 4 concerts in 4 squares of Florence: Santissima Annunziata square, Repubblica square, Piazza della Signoria and the main train station of Florence: Santa Maria Novella. Choose the kind of music you prefer: Jazz, Classic, Rock.. and enjoy!

As midnight approaches, make your west along via Calzaiuoli and reach Piazza della Signoria to toast all together.

- Skate on the ice rink until midnight.

For italians celebrating the New Year in the streets is a classic way to spend New Year's Eve. The streets and squares of Firenze are filled with many people singing and drinking!

If you prefer a comfortable dinner and quiet atmosphere...

Florence dinner gala locations:

- Alle Murate restaurant - gala dinner in a elegant and luxury restaurant

- Osteria del caffe italiano - typical tuscan food for a special gala dinner (only 95 €).

New Year'eve at luxury restaurant in Florence Alle Murate

2010-11-22T03:16:00.000-08:00

Celebrate New Year's Eve in Florence with a special dinner in one of most elegant restaurant of Florence: Alle Murate.

Here is the menu for the 31st of December:

Sicilian red prawns tartare
ginger, lime and parsley sauce. Crispy celeriac

White Zolfini soup with scallops
and pistachio powder from Bronte

Hand made tortelli filled with burrata cheese and cuttlefish ragout
turnip sauce and sepia waffle

Orange salad
with pastry wafer and Nubia red garlic mild sauce

Roast beef with white truffle
broccoli puree and hand made paprika bread

Pears with saffron stuffed with chocolate mousse
sweet wine with anise and cinnamon

Coffee and petits fours
for info>>

Celebrate Thanksgiving day at Four Season hotel in Florence

2010-11-21T05:16:00.000-08:00

Thursday November 25th: Thanksgiving at Four Season luxury hotel you can have a special meal at the lounge bar. Kids under 5 years don't pay. You can order only 1 dish if you want or the entire menu.

Steamed Chianina “magatello” with artichoke salad and parmesan flakes
Warm scallops with creamed chestnuts laced with Piedmont hazelnut oil
Truffled codfish ravioli with pumpkin brunoise flavored with butter and sage, Cinta Senese ham

Traditional turkey filled with herbs, cranberry sauce and sweet glazed potatoes

Pumpkin bavarese with macaroons and crispy pumpkin seeds

Coffee and friandises

4 Courses 85 € per person
5 Courses 95 € per person

For information and reservations
Ristorante Il Palagio 055 2626450

Florence Wine Event 2010

2010-11-14T12:50:00.000-08:00

The 4th edition of the Florence Wine Event will take place in the prestigious setting of Cortile dell’Ammannati Palazzo Pitti on Friday 19th from 16,00 to 21,00, on Saturday 20th from 11,00 to 21,00 and on Sunday 21st from 11,00 to 20,00.

The Florence Wine Event is a fantastic occasion for the enological world as well as an event promoting the Florentine Oltrarno.

There will be over 100 wineries predominantly coming from Tuscany, which means that a visitor will be able to choose among 250 different types of wine.

All the wineries involved represent the excellence in the wine world, so that you will be able to taste Brunello di Montalcino, Nobile di MOntepulciano, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Morellino di Scansano and a wide range of Chiantis both from the Classico and from the Colli Fiorentini and Rufina districts. There will also be many Supertuscans by celebrated wineries as well as many natural and biological wines.

The producers themselves will present their wines and it will be possible to talk with them about the quality and the procedures of their work.

Moreover there will be several estates from the North-East of Italy (Friuli and Veneto) featuring white wines, sparkling wines and other enological products.

Qualified sommeliers will initiate people to Grappa, this made by the participating wineries, a fascinating discovery of another Italian product.

The Florence Wine Event is a great festival where you will be able to taste an extraordinary selection of Italian wines in a unique setting.

To join in the sampling you will only have to buy the 10 euro Sampling Kit at the entrance of Palazzo Pitti.. This includes a glass, a small shoulder bag, the catalogue and a drink card valid for 12 samples.

The Florence Wine Event offers not merely an extraordinary opportunity of tasting. In fact it gives you the chance to experience this charming and still very traditional district of Florence with its tangled narrow streets departing from Palazzo Pitti towards San Frediano and boasting a great variety of restaurants and clubs, craft and antique shops as well as fashionable and vintage clothing boutiques.

There will be also several Extraevents offering selected enogastronomical occasions, all of them taking place in the Oltrarno area, in the neighbourhood of Palazzo Pitti.

All these events will feature a combination of wine and food inspired by Tuscan tradition in which the local hosts will propose special menus matching the wines. Last but not least there will be some handicraft exhibitions emphasizing the skill and work of the Oltrarno artisans. Videos and films about wine in its past and present connections will also accompany the events.

Cortile dell’Ammannati Palazzo Pitti

19, 20 and 21 November 2010

The complete calendar of the events can be seen at www.florencewinevent.com

New Year's Eve in Florence: romantic dinner for two

2010-11-07T03:34:00.000-08:00

This is one of the most fancy romantic restaurants in Florence, Italy.

Alle Murate is located in a historic 14th-century palace close to Ponte Vecchio, with roman underground and Dante Alighieri frescoes, italian restaurant Alle Murate.

New Year's Eve in Florence 2011

Dinner of 31st December 2010

Welcome appetizer
Sicilian red prawns tartare ginger, lime and parsley sauce. Crispy celeriac
White Zolfini soup with scallops and pistachio powder from Bronte (Sicily)
Hand made tortelli filled with burrata cheese and cuttlefish ragout turnip sauce and sepia waffle
Orange salad with pastry wafer and Nubia red garlic mild sauce
Roast beef with white truffle broccoli puree and hand made paprika bread
Pears with saffron stuffed with chocolate mousse sweet wine with anise and cinnamon

Coffee and petits fours

180 euro per person
(a spumante bottle included)
make a reservation: silvia@allemurate.it

Frank Doorhof workshop in Florence

2010-10-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

Frank invites all levels to join in on the seminar and workshop, as you’ll find yourself walking away with newfound knowledge in the following areas, location work, metering, light shaping, lighting tools, white balance, photoshop retouching and web display. This isn't one of those stuffy seminar/workshops where someone walks in, explains things quickly, without interuption, walks out the door and that's it..

November 13th (max 50 seats) Florence

The theory behind the workshops :

"To see the light is to understand the light, but to understand the light you have to see the light"

This is an intense seminar which will start with the very basics of how light works. Don't be fooled however with this description. In the years I've taught workshops I found out that most photographers are very aware of how to measure lights and setup their preference. However I also found out that very few really understand what they are doing, thus limiting themselves in being really creative with their light.

In this 2 hour seminar we start out simple by explaining the different ways light behaves and you will learn to "read" images and understand what light sources were used to create an image but most of all where they were positioned. But that's just the first 10 minutes. After that the level will increase considerably. There is a lot of attention given to understanding how you can manipulate but most of all measure light to make the scene exactly as you have envisioned it. Meaning you will learn to read and understand your lightmeter. You will learn how to use reflective metering to calculate the perfect white and black background and how to fit the whole scene within the dynamic range of your camera. After that there is a section about understanding color and how to manipulate them. Always wanted to know how to make the skies nice and saturated without using photoshop. Learn how to manipulate those colors on the spot and in camera. Always wanted to know how to make beautiful golden hour light falling through a window, or magenta skies without the use of selections in photoshop. You will learn to understand how it works in this section.

You will also learn how to work with colorcheckers, coloranalyzers and most of all how to calibrate your lightmeter so that it works flawless on your camera. After the theory there will be a part where several images are shown using the techniques learned in the previous part accompanied by explanations about the setups. After the seminar there is room for discussions and a personal touch. The whole seminar is not about tricks, you can learn that everywhere online.This seminar is about understanding how the system works and really knowing how to use it in your own photography. The seminar is not for beginners or pros only, every photographer should find something in here that is more than worth the admittance fee.

November 14th (max 15 students) exotic location in Tuscany

Putting it all into practice "Why fake it when you can create it"

Learn how to make a stunning location look even better or use the studio to the max. In this workshop you will be taught how you can use the theory from the seminar on location and in the studio. Learn how to use just enough flash to make a stunning atmospheric fashion shot as you see in so many magazines. See how to shoot it in camera without having to "paint with light" afterwards.

About Frank Doorhof

Frank Doorhof is an experienced fashion and glamour photographer with a broad experience in both studio and location. His workshops are highly regarded in both the Netherlands as abroad.

His work can be seen in several publications and for example on CD's/DVD's and posters from the world famous pianist Wibi Soerjadi since 2004.

For info: info@filippotomasi.com

Best new year party in Florence, Italy

2010-10-13T14:35:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for New year's dinners in Florence or where to celebrate New Year 2011 here is the place for you: Palazzo Gaddi! In the heart of Florence, close to Michelangelo's David and Pontevecchio, the coolest party in a historic palace.

From 8.30 pm, gala dinner served by waiters at the table, in the elegant halls of the historic Florentine building, including candles, well served tables and romance.
At midnight: countdown and toast with sparkling wine to celebrate the New Year together.
After midnight dance all night long with DJ and live music.

Open bar until closing! unlimited drinks. Drink as much as you can...

Art exhibition in Florence

2010-09-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

Friday 1 October 2010 opening of "Fragments of silence".

"Fragments of silence" will be music, played by piano by Lorenzo Pinto who has conceived, written and recorded, but will also photograph in the exhibition themes of Francesca Mondani and Marco Mantovani. The event starts at 7.30 pm and there will be a small buffet.

Galleria Civico 69/art cafè
Via Ghibellina 69/r
50122 Firenze

Exhibition reception party

2010-09-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

Come and join us for the exhibition reception party this Saturday!
Exhibition reception party: Saturday, September 11th at 5pm

You will not only see Giovanni Mazzi’s works, but also meet the artist in person and spend nice time together, drinking Chianti in the beautiful tuscan landscape in the villa not far from the Center of Florence

Giovannni Mazzi is the respected florentine artist specializing in etching, he uses figurative way of expression. He is interested in philosophy and metaphysics. The main topics of his art are universal condition of human being, individual's position in modern society and endless pursuitness of happiness in life.
Giovanni was born with the affection to art. When he was 7 years old, he copied the greatest masters and later started developing his own style. He attended courses in comics and illustrations at the International School of Comics, studied free nude ( la scuola libera del nudo ) at Academy of Fine Arts and also he graduated graphic art at Academy of Florence.
In 2003 Giovanni founded with musician group called Il caffè degli zeri, where he experimented with different forms of expressions, combining paintings and graphic works with music.
In 2008 the artist founded a group called “le maleerbe” , which did plenty of installations and exhibitions.
Giovanni's mission as an artist is to have a dialog with people and definately he manages to move. The artist impacts viewers by making them forget for the moment about their perspective and contemplate about the relation of good and bad side of man's soul. As the result people ask questions, express their concerns and compare them with Giovanni's and in this way the chain of communication emerges between the artist and the viewers through the Art. And this is Giovanni Mazzi's mission and sense of doing what he is doing.
Stylistically his paintings and graphics are very much affected by the symbolism of ancient and contemporary philosophy, which suit the best in expression of concerns of the artist, which belong to the problems and concerns of the contemporary people.
He says "the art must be inconvenient, the art is ethic" .

Giovanni Mazzi has had many exhibitions in various cities in Italy between 2001 and 2010, among them 'Faust' and 'I fantasmi di Scano Boa' in caffè Giubbe Rosse in 2009 (in colaboration with other italian artists) in Florence. Presently he is working on the organization of the big exposition in New York, willing to show his works also to the global audience. He promises to show there some of his projects that is working on right now. One of them is a creation inspired by the the ancient story of Orfeo and Eurydica.

In Scandicci, there are works presented from last two years of this young and talented artist. It is an opportunity to meet Giovanni Mazzi in person and after seeing his paintings talk to him and ask him questions that he is so happy to get from people, and last but not least spend nice time drinking Chianti in the beautiful tuscan landscape in the villa not far from the Center of Florence.

Adress: Via di Rinaldi 8
50018 Rinaldi Scandicci
(10 km from Florence)

Summer Fair in Lastra a Signa

2010-08-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

Summer fair in Lastra a Signa, not far from Florence: 4 days of events and meeting occasions. The places are the old town, the new piazza Garibaldi, the River Park and on the 29th of august the area of "corea" and the stadium with the spectacular musical fireworks.

During these four days Lastra a Signa will present exhibitions, poetical, theatral and musical shows, the ancient tradeworks and the fireworks. The River Park will host for two days the traditional Horses and animals' fair and a new horses' exhibitions, like it used once.
How not mention the pictures' exhibition in the Spedale di Sant'Antonio - which will then be held in Tokyo - of the great photographer Massimo Listri?
This year's program presents two news: on Thursday 26th august the opening of piazza Garibaldi with a live concert of Banda Improvvisa, attended by the major and the authorities; on Friday 27th august "Bread and Theatre": the old town will become a big stage with performances that will have as a leading theme the Popular Tuscan Tradition.
The evening will offer the possibility of dining in the small lanes or in the place at discounted prices, attending the shows or performances taking place.

July wine festival in Florence

2010-07-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

The week between July 21st and July 23rd is an extremely interesting one for wine lovers. Theretwo wine festivals in two of the most beautiful estates of Florence.

The first one is in the garden of Villa Bardini (Costa San Giorgio 6a) in Florence which starts on July 21st and ends on the 23rd. There will be more than 40 selected wine producers that will “offer” to taste something like 150 different labels: red, white, rosé wines. While you taste different wines you can listen to various cultural talk-shows in different points of the garden. With only one ticket you can taste as much wine as you want and participate in the show. These are only few of the wine producers present in the wine fair: Alepa, Coltibuono, tenute Folonari, il Borro and many others. The fair starts at 5,30pm until 10pm. The ticket costs euro 15,00

Information at :
mail: vinoingiardino@moba.fi.it
tel: 055 – 2008 444 - 055 289020
cell: 366 – 3171834

The second one is called “Mid night summer wine” and it takes place on July 22nd at San Paolo della Croce, at Impruneta. You can taste fabulous wine but listen to good music as well such as jazz or classical myths such as Giuseppe Verdi.

The wine producers are la Montina Franciacorta, Agricoltori del georgrafico, Zonin, cantina Pievevecchia and others. The tasting will have an important sommelier as host, Andrea Gori, vice- European sommelier champion, recently cited on the New York Times.

The wine fairs starts at 7,30pm

Elba Island: hotel and turquoise sea

2010-07-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

Elba Island is the biggest island in Tuscany: you can get there by car or by train from Florence, it takes only 2 hours to get to the Ferry Boat that will bring you on the other side in 45 minutes.

The island offers both sandy and rocky beaches and a turquoise sea.
This hotel in Lacona is the ideal location for a relaxing holiday at the seaside in connection with sport and nature. The hotel is located in the middle of a beautiful park, just a stone’s throw from the long sandy beach of Lacona. The hotel features pleasantly furnished bedrooms, many of them recently refurbished, spacious common areas, a 25-meter swimming pool with hydromassage zone and 2 tennis courts. Guests have the possibility to practice different sports such as sailing, snorkeling and underwater diving, windsurf, tennis and cycling. The hotel is also the ideal resort for families, the Mini Club for children is provided and activities are held in the playground within the park and on the beach, where your children will enjoy days of fun.

At Hotel Lacona you can have lots of fun and sport in complete safety for an unforgettable holiday in Tuscany.

Los Angeles Singer-Songwriter perfoming in Florence!

2010-07-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

Don’t let the demure face fool you. When judging Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Jacqueline Becker by her cover, key in instead on that mass of black hair cascading down in an unmanageable frenzy as the best physical allegory of just what this girl’s voice is capable of, because in her case, big hair certainly means big voice. A music degree from Yale and a lifetime of study no doubt form the foundation for her talent, but when Becker sings, it’s easy to forget about the more formal elements of composition in the absolute rush of emotion her music inspires. Perfect pitch, astounding range, and sheer vocal muscle have all combined on what can only be described as an epic scale to lend her voice its uniquely thrilling factor; couple that with her carefully-crafted songs that boast the soul-plucking rhythms of the best kind of jazz, and clever lyrics that impressively succeed at echoing both the spunk and the emotional capacity of their writers, and you’ve got an artist that effortlessly walks the fine line between being a throwback to a better era and someone refreshing and original in her own right. She has the surging power of an Alicia Keyes and the delicate restraint of a Norah Jones, a deft navigation of the balance between might and tenderness.

Acoustic guitar, violin, bass, and various percussion with an incredibly clean and natural voice.
Following the release of her new album, the Los Angeles singer -together with her band from California- will make Florence the base of her Italian tour. Original songs coming from jazz, eclectic pop rhytms and a soul personality with a California flair.
Check her beautiful melodies on her Myspace page!
Jacqueline will be at the Soccer Stadium Franchi (Estate Viola) on July 6th, at Teatro del Sale on July 7th and at the Limonaia di Villa Strozzi on the 13th of July.
See below for all dates and venues of her shows:

* LUGLIO 2010 * JULY 2010 * LUGLIO 2010 * JULY 2010 *
4 Sunday S.Vincenzo, Livorno - Fronte del Porto
[8.00pm & 11.30pm - Piazza del Porto, 2 - rooftop terrace - website]
5 Monday Follonica, Grosseto - Congo Bar
[10.00pm - via Spiaggia di Levante, 17 - beach stage - website]
6 Tuesday Florence - Lady radio showcase & interview
[daytime, broadcasting on Lady Radio and RDF Radio - website]
6 Tuesday Florence - "Franchi" Soccer Stadium / Estate Viola
[10.30pm - Viale M.Fanti / Curva Ferrovia - concert after World Cup semi-final - website]
7 Wednesday Florence - Teatro del Sale
[dinner starting at 7.15pm - Via de' Macci, 111r - acustic show - website]
8 Thursday Rome - Rock City Festival
[opening act Roberto Billi - via Lemonia, Parco degli Acquedotti/Cinecittà - website]
9 Friday Rome - Conte Staccio
[12pm - via Monte Testaccio 65b - website]
10 Saturday Riotorto, Livorno - Nano Verde
[6pm - Parco della Sterpaia, Riotorto - beach stage - website]
11 Sunday *album release private party*
12 Monday La spezia - Loggia dei banchi
[7.00pm - via Mazzolani, 32 - website]
13 Tuesday Florence - ControRadio Interview & showcase
[5.40pm broadcasting on Contro Radio - website]
13 Tuesday Florence - Limonaia di Villa Strozzi
[10pm - Villa Strozzi, via Pisana 77 /@ Polimoda - website]
14 Wednesday London - The Troubadour
[8.15pm - 263-265 Old Brompton Rd, London SW5 9JA - website]
15 Thursday London - Icarus Club
[8.15pm - The Station Hotel: 14 Staplehurst Rd, Hither Green, London SE13 5NB - website]

16 Friday London - Cavendish Arms
[8.00pm - 128 Hartington Rd, SW8 2HJ- website]
17 Saturday London - Club333
[8.15pm - 333 Old Street, Shoreditch, UK EC1V 9LE - website]

Visit Palazzo Vecchio after dinner!

2010-06-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

For the whole month of June you can visit Palazzo Vecchio, the main family museum in Florence, until midnight. There are guided tours in italian, english and french:

4 June
5 June
7 June
11 June
14 June
18 June
19 June
21 June
25 June
26 June
28 June

Pitti Immagine uomo: summer edition 2010

2010-05-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

Design Watching will be the theme of this summer edition of Pitti Fashion Fair: the world of fashion will be making a curious – and indiscreet – foray into the world of design through the ideas and visual-acoustic-verbal notes gathered by a platoon of “design watchers”, the spearhead of Pitti People, the international community of the Pitti Uomo buyers, journalists and opinion leaders,. They will choose, between tradition and contemporaneity, their preferred design object and will be coordinated by Cristina Morozzi. The settings, designed by Patricia Urquiola will create an ideal continuity between the outdoor and indoor areas of the fair, and will offer a new concept for the lounge areas and special refreshment-food points. It’s just one more and new proof of a clear calling and the across-the-board nature of Pitti Immagine events that are the ideal venue for launching new projects and presenting special previews in the most important areas of contemporary fashion, lifestyle and design. Among the design watchers at this edition: Roberta Valentini from Penelope, Giusi Ferré, Max Kibardin, Jorge Koch, Stefano Roncato, La Pina.

New ideas and special projects
Pitti Immagine Uomo is the world’s most important men’s fashion fair selected by the top international firms to launch their collections and global strategies worldwide at the start of the season. The special projects featured at the Fortezza da Basso include:

_ the new era of C.P. Company presented in world premiere in Florence;
_ an important return to Pitti Uomo, and specifically G-Star Raw a cult brand in contemporary jeanswear that will present the Raw Essentials collection;
_ the exclusive presentation of the new project Made in the USA by Levi’s® Vintage Clothing;
_ the launch of the new collection by Roberto Menichetti for Brema;
_ the debut of the international cult brand GCW;
_ the new special project by Brembo;
_ a new look from the historic English brand, Daks;
_ the international debut of Seventy Pulse, a new project by Seventy;
See Pitti fair winter edition>>

Florentine May: a programme of evening activies

2010-05-11T02:02:00.000-07:00

On May 2010 the Palazzo Vecchio Museum, Monumental Apartments is open until midnight everyday, except for Thursday afternoons. In that occasion, the Museo dei Ragazzi offers to the public the possibility to discover some unusual sights of the Palazzo, that was built at the end of 13th century to house the Priors of the Guilds and the Gonfalonier of Justice, the city government during the Middle Age, and was turned into duke Cosimo’s Court during the 16th century.

Visit to the Secret Passages:

There are places in Palazzo Vecchio where time seems suspended and where it is easy for today’s visitors to relive the emotions of the past. Since 2000 the Museum has made many of these special places accessible to the public but they can only be visited by small groups accompanied by an expert guide:
The Stairway of the Duke of Athens – an escape route built inside the thick walls of the Palazzo between 1342 and 1343 that exits from a tiny door in Via della Ninna.
The Tesoretto di Cosimo I and the Studiolo di Francesco I, located one on top of the other next to the Salone dei Cinquecento.
The Trusses of the ceiling of the Salone dei Cinquecento, double rows of Vasarian trusses holding up the roof in the Salone dei Cinquecento and the imposing gilded lacunar ceiling of this hall.
When and timetable: on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays at 6.30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
For info: tel. +39 055 2768224 / 055 2768558
info.museoragazzi@comune.fi.it
www.palazzovecchio-museoragazzi.it

Florence, best destination in the world for Tripadvisor

2010-05-05T10:45:00.001-07:00

We are very proud to read that for Tripadvisor readers Florence, Italy, is the best cultural destination in the world... It's a winner also in "food and wine" and "romance". See here the page>>

Free iphone application for Uffizi Gallery

2010-04-20T01:26:00.000-07:00

From April, the 12th, for 2 weeks it is possible to download the free iphone application for Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. Available in english and italian language. On itunes store>>

Culture week 2010: free entrance to all museums in Italy!

2010-04-16T02:40:00.000-07:00

From today, the 16th of April, until the 25th of April, in Italy there's the week of culture ("settimana della cultura") wanted by Italian Culture Ministry: you can visit monuments and museums without paying! For info see on Mibac website.

Original sound movie in Florence, april 2010

2010-04-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here are the original soundtrack movies at Odeon, close to Piazza Repubblica, in the center of Florence. Special rates for students.

ODEON ORIGINAL SOUND PROGRAMME – APRIL 2010:
Thursday 8

CHLOE with Italian Subtitles (USA – 96’) byAtom Egoyan with Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson

SHOWS 3.45 - 8.15 p.m.

Monday 12

CHLOE with Italian Subtitles (USA – 96’) by Atom Egoyan with Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson

SHOWS 4.30 – 6.30 – 8.30 – 10.30 p.m.

Tuesday 13

THE BOOK OF ELI (USA – 117’) by Albert & Allen Hughes with Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman

SHOWS 3.45 – 6.00 – 8.15 – 10.30 p.m.

Thursday 15

THE BOOK OF ELI (USA – 117’)by Albert & Allen Hughes with Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman

SHOWS 3.45 – 6.00 – 8.15 – 10.30 p.m.

Monday 19

SHUTTER ISLAND with Italian Subtitles (USA – 138’) by Martin Scorsese with Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo.
I have seen it! Spectacular! Di Caprio plays a great role. A movie directed in the best noir tradition.

SHOWS 3.00 – 5.30 – 8.00 – 10.30 p.m.

Tuesday 20
ALICE IN WONDERLAND (USA - ) by Tim Burton with Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp
It's strange... enjoyable but not humorous.
SHOWS 3.00 – 5.30 – 8.00 – 10.30 p.m.

Monday 26
CRAZY HEART (USA – 112’) by Scott Cooper with Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal
SHOWS 4.00 – 6.10 – 8.20 – 10.30 p.m.

Tuesday 27

THE GHOST WRITER (USA, Germany -128’ ) by Roman Polanski with Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan

SHOWS 3.30 – 5.50 – 8.10 – 10.30 p.m.

see what's on in Florence in April>>

What's on in Florence, Italy in April 2010

2010-03-31T03:08:00.000-07:00

These are some of the April events in Florence and surroundings:

The first event will take place in the magnificent park of the Villa Caruso in Lastra a Signa (Florence) from April 3rd to April 5th. which hosts deGustibus and the Flowers fairs: you can chose to drink a glass of wine, buy or admire flowers or simply buy a book. Instead on Sunday I would like to inform a very nice lecture made by Giovanni Santarpia of the restaurant Palazzo Pretorio di San Donato in Poggio (Tavarnelle Val di Pesa where he will teach a lesson about the making of the pizza. Don’t miss it!

On April Sunday 4th it is Easter and in Florence you can admire in the cathedral square the famous the fire cart, instead for Pasquetta on Monday, in Greve in Chianti there is a picturesque antique market.

During the whole month of April the Oblate library (they have a splendid view on the Brunelleschi Dome) they organize three meetings about Mexican cuisine: two lessons and one dinner. The dinner will be on April 17th with Guacamole, Mole negro de Oaxaca, Tortillas, Tamal de milpa e much more. Then two lessons on April 12th and 19th from 7pm to 10pm where participants can make and taste their plates.

From April 16th to April 25th there will be again the “Week of culture” where state museums, archeological areas, archives, libraries there will be free.

From April 16th and April 18th in the garden of Corsini Palace in Florence there will be the annual vintage auction for the Calcutta children. In the green houses of the garden there will be a lot of different vintage clothing of the most important talents of fashion from the past and present: Dior, Balenciaga, Hermes, Gucci…the fair is open from 12pm

Sunday April 18th: visit to the Vasarian Corridor with an excellent guide. The tour lasts 2 hours and comprehends a part of the Uffizi gallery. FOR info and booking: elisacuoreviola@hotmail.com

From April 25th to May 2nd don’t miss the flower fair at the Giardino dell’Orticultura in Florence. Free entrance from 9am to 7pm.

In the same days, from April 24th to may 2nd at the Fortezza da basso there is ART, art and craft fair . it opens at 10am until 11pm. Price € 3,00 during the week, wek end at € 5,00.

Florence in April, 2010

2010-03-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

The first weekend of April is Easter. The biggest event in Florence is the burst of the Carriage: on Sunday, the 4th. It'a a florentine tradition to remark the ending of the winter. Free admission.

Once again from the 25th of April to the 2nd of May there will be the beautiful fair of Flowers in the Giardino dell'Orticoltura: "Mostra mercato dei Fiori". A free market where you can buy flowers, plants or just have a look around. Admire the ancient steel and glass pavilion built in 1800 for the great exhibition, and the huge dragon fountain that reminds me the spanish style of Gaudì.

Read the post of 2007 edition of Flower market>>.

At Oblate public library (very close to the Duomo) in April there will be special mexican tasting and dinners. On the 17th of April a special mexican dinner>>

Taste, the exhibition for those who love food

2010-03-22T12:26:00.002-07:00

Last weekend I have been to the Leopolda Station where Taste, the exhibition about food, was held: 3 days of tasting, food design, stores, kitchen accessories and more...

As the year before the event was successful, with many people coming from all the parts of Italy. I liked a lot the decorations by Riccardo Barthel, a famous florentine house of interiors. I was astonished with the press area featuring a dining room: a large oval wooden table lit up by a chandelier in cast iron with fabric lampshades and several nice prints representing scenes from the italian countryside.
I loved the exhibition of food & kitchen design, items of clothing as well as technical and professional tools for cooking and catering.
Unfortunately I couldn't go to the showroom in via de' Serragli where some events about Fuoriditaste were taking place: the food market, the Cipriani Day and the aperitifs with the italian winemakers Cantine Lunae Bosoni.

I visited also the stands of several food and drink producers: I enjoyed the Cannonau wine from Sardinia, the coffee 7gr, the Torta Pistocchi (chocolate cake), the gluten free biscuits...

Irish festival in Florence

2010-03-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

IRLANDA IN FESTA 2010

Wednesday 17th, and Thursday the 18th of March we renew our annual celebration with "IRLANDA IN FESTA": two intense evenings of concerts, dancing, games, traditional tasting dishes, exhibitions and performances. Among the performers, which by now have conquered Fiorentine hearts, there will be: the nu-folk of LUNASA from Dublin, one of the most appreciated Irish bands in the world; the Whisky Trail reunion, with the originai 70's line-up; the world music of Antoni O' Breskey; the unmistakable bagpipes of Massimo Giuntini, and the English fiddler Chris Hamblin.
To begin ....BEER, Wednesday 17th, ST. PATRICK'S DAY. In Florence, as in the rest of the world, we celebrate the patron saint of Ireland who, as the Irish themselves like to remember, had Italian ancestry. A perfect frame for the Celtic atmosphere of WHISKY TRAIL (9 p.m.). The Fiorentine band celebrates its 35th year and is stili performing on stages throughout Europe. Along with Giulia Lorimer, Vieri Bugli, Stefano Corsi, Massimo Giuntini and Pietro Sabatini there will be three other musicians from the 1975 line-up: Antonio Breschi, Daniel Craighead, Piero Bubbico. Another great guest will be English fiddler Chris Hamblin who played with Whisky Trail at the end of 70's. Their 35th anniversary is being celebrated also with the release of their CD "Beginnings", released by Saschall.
On Thursday 18, again at 9 p.m., the festiva I begins with the folk of ANTONI O'BRESKEY, a composer, a pianist and eclectic musician, but above ali a real pioneer of world-music: 25 CDs released, an infinite number of collaborations and partnerships such as Gabin Dabirè, Ronnie Drew of the Dubliners and Josè Seves of Inti IlIimani. Artistically born in Florence, but by now a citizen of the world, in 2005 he received a tribute from the National Concert Hall of Dublin for his large contribution given to the Irish culture. His return to Saschall together with Consuelo Nerea will be a mix of voice, fiddle, bodhran, with special guest Massimo Giuntini playing the bagpipes and f1ute.
The grand finale (10.30 p.m.) is ali LUNASA, one of the most famous bands of the past years, champions of nu-folk that renewed the traditional sound of with their own energy. It's not by chance that many members of the band had previous partnerships with Waterboys and Sharon Shannon. Stars of the Celtic Connections in 2010, LUNASA shared the stage with Natalie Merchant, guest in their next awaited CD. Folk Roots magazine defined them "The Irish Music Dream Team".
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Both evenings of "IRLANDA IN FESTA" (on Wednesday 17, at 8 p.m. in the little room of Saschall, and on Thursday 18, at the same hour on the main stage) will be opened by a Tuscan band, THE HIDDEN NOTE: fiddles, whistles, harp, bagpipes, guitar and bodhran, an ensemble which represents most of the instruments of the Irish tradition.
Beyond this, from 7.30 p.m., there will be a small market of artisan crafts, clothes, records, books, and Celtic jewellery. And we are not without food stands where you can try typical dishes such as "Colcannon", "Turnip and bacon soup" , "Dublin coddle", "Irish stew" and other wonderful flavours. And of course we can't forget the awesome ....beer!
"Irlanda in Festa" is organised with the support of Florence Municipality and the Irish Embassy.

IRLANDA IN FESTA 2010
xv edition - March, 17-182010 - Saschall=- Firenze - info 055.6504112

Thursday 17th and Friday 18th, March
St. Patrick's Day on the Arno
15 years o( ''Irlanda in Festa"
/ 17/18 marzo 2010 - Saschall- Lungarno A. Moro - Firenze
Entrance 'rom 7:30 p.m. - Pel'formances begin at 8p.m.

As in the past 15 years, the Saschall Theatre of Florence once again immerses itself in the atmosphere, the music, the dances and flavours of Ireland.

Vintage selection

2010-01-27T14:01:00.000-08:00

From today until next Sunday at Leopolda Station there's Vintage selection, one of the main fashion fair dedicated to vintage clothes and accessories. Entrance: 5 euros.

Talking about museums and libraries in Florence

2010-01-24T03:27:00.000-08:00

Last friday I was attending to a conference dealing with the "hot" theme of museums, archives, libraries... how to conserve them, how to promote them, how to use social networks for making people participate and be committed.

Here you can find a list of interesting web sites of some good examples of using "web 2.0" for this purpose.
Here you can find the live blogging of the event in english thanks to Alexandra Korey.

Pitti men fashion fair: a big kiss from Florence, Italy!

2010-01-14T03:01:00.000-08:00

In these days Florence is showing its best... thanks to Pitti Immagine Uomo 77th edition in the whole city there are events, shows, openings, parties everywhere. The city is crowdy with glam and stylish people... it seems to be somewhere else, as New York or London!
I took this picture outside the stand of Fornarina, at Fortezza da Basso, inside the fashion fair, just few minutes before the fashion show took place.
Pitti Immagine Uomo is the biggest fashion fair for man clothing in Italy: 765 exhibitors, 22672 buyers, 59.000 square meters of stands, 936 fashion brands...

More info>>

Winter sales in Florence!

2010-01-09T09:24:00.000-08:00

This weekend I'll go downtown in Florence for some shopping. From the 7th of January in the stores of Firenze there are the wintersales.

I think I need a pair of high heels shoes, I have heard that in all RomanoFirenze shoe shops the whole fall/winter collection is up for a bargain price.
If you are interested too hurry up, the stock is limited and Florence has a lot of shoelovers, so come by as soon as possible!
And from next tuesday all the shopping and fashion addicted will be amazed from the Pitti Uomo Fashion Fair, the biggest event in Italy regarding man clothes.

Pitti fashion fair for men

2010-01-04T11:25:00.000-08:00

Next week in Florence there will be the main fashion trade in Italy: Pitti Immagine Uomo 77. From the 12th to the 15th of January the city will be transformed by this fashion event. More info on the official website>>

“What’s Fashion About?” is the new tribute to the international community of buyers and visitors attending the fair, as well as the leitmotif of this edition, based on words, concepts and gossip related to the world of fashion. An installation with a huge banner in the Fortezza da Basso forecourt will display the words, ideas and suggestions proffered by some of the lead players at Pitti Uomo - with additional interventions in the newlayout for the Main Pavilion.

In January Pitti Uomo will unveil a new layout that symbolizes the changes taking place in the world of fashion. The Main Pavilion, the event’s core that showcases some of the most important brands in classic-contemporary looks, will be totally revolutionized by Patricia Urquiola, the Spanish designer who recently completed some of the most successful set designs in the world. An important part of the new layout will be the POP UP STORES – three areas on the Lower Level dedicated to a selection of lifestyle accessories: from bags to jewels, from eyewear to watches, from cosmetics to books and pocket technologies.

Book your lodging in Florence: a brand new B&B near the train station "Campo di Marte".

Happy New year from Florence, Italy

2009-12-31T07:16:00.001-08:00

It's raining from this morning. That's a pity: the major has organized many events in Florence this year (4 big free concerts) for those who want to celebrate the New Year's Eve walking and smiling in the streets... I hope this night the weather will be better.
I will go to a friend of mine's house to have a dinner all together.

I would like to send you the very best wishes in 2010.

Happy new Year!

Cheap Florence new years eve dinner 2010

2009-12-23T03:40:00.001-08:00

Are you coming to Florence for the New Year's Eve? Looking for cheap places to eat?

Buffet dinner (served, with your own seat) only 70 euros in a historical and elegant palace in Florence, close to the Duomo. For info: stefanobosia@stefanobosia.it or +39 347 4238636 After the dinner you can dance all night long.
If you are interested in Florence new year 2010 street celebration, I can tell you that there will be a free concert at Signoria square (classic music), a jazz session at Repubblica Square and an italian concert at Santa Maria Novella train station.
See also palaces in Florence for new year's eve dinner and dance>>

Florence view with the snow

2009-12-20T06:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I decided to get out by foot and after a lovely walk in the snow, to go to the center of Florence to see the city under the snow. So beautiful! It's vanishing... but I took a picture from piazzale Michelangelo.

Florence under the snow

2009-12-19T03:00:00.000-08:00

It happens very rarely, but when snow comes in Florence it's a breathless event.

Yesterday it started snowing and this morning from my windows all I can see is a wonderful white panorama.

So beautiful...

Fine dining new years eve florence 2009

2009-12-16T09:57:00.000-08:00

Here are the best places to eat and spend new years eve in Florence Italy 2009:

- Alle Murate restaurant: few steps away from Duomo (the main church in Florence), a restaurant in the warm, relaxed atmosphere of an antique florentine palace with the original frescoes of Italian poet Dante Alighieri. Service is judged ‘close to impeccable'. For info: silvia@allemurate.it Here is the menu>>
- Big new years eve 2010 party at Palazzo Gaddi: a gorgeous italian dinner and after dinner dj + live music to dance until late. Open bar for only 50 euros! Close to the main rain station of Florence, in a 14th century old palace. For info: stefanobosia@stefanobosia.it

Don't miss the ice skating rink in Piazza Libertà and the big Christmas Tree in Piazza Repubblica!

Florence Noel 2009: Santa's house in Florence!

2009-12-10T03:05:00.000-08:00

Until the next Sunday (December, the 13th) at Leopolda Station there's a Christmas fair for children called "Florence Noel": toys, stands, food and chocolate tastings, gifts. Visit Santa Claus grotto and take a picture with him!

Opening hours: from Friday to Tuesday from 10 am to 8 pm. On wednesday and thursday from 3pm to 10 pm.Tickets 7.50 euro. Kids under 3 years old: free entrance.

Florence Christmas markets

2009-12-06T06:47:00.000-08:00

Today I have been to Piazza Santa Croce, to see the Florence Christmas Market. I have bought some decorations for my Christmas tree and I have eaten bread with wurstel (typical german food). The square is full of wooden stands coming from all over Europe and you can buy gifts and presents for Christmas. The market will remain in Florence until the 20th of December.

Looking for info about newyears eve in Florence?
Here find the best Florence new year's eve 2010 dinner:
- Italian new years eve dinner with a gorgeous menu and after Super party with dancing all night long and open bar at Palazzo Gaddi (close to Piazza Duomo)
- Elegant and fancy restaurant Alle Murate (only dinner)
- Informal and cosy restaurant Il Rifrullo (only dinner)

Lodging in Florence for Xmas?
Romantic B&b in Florence with Jacuzzi>>
Brand new B&B in Florence belonged to a famous italian painter>>

Have a romantic Florence on christmas!

Read also ice skating at Parterre square skating>>

International conference in Florence: cultural heritage on line

2009-12-06T06:32:00.000-08:00

Following the success of the previous conference in 2006, the 2nd "CULTURAL HERITAGE on line" conference will be hosted by Teatro della Pergola in Florence in December 2009. This conference aims to explore, analyze, and evaluate the state of the art and future trends in user communities and cultural contents on the web from an international perspective, and bring together academic researchers, policy makers and practitioners, providing a forum for the discussion and dissemination of the selected themes.

Internet continues to have an impressive impact on cultural heritage and humanist communities by affecting the way they work, use, exchange and produce knowledge. New architectures and radically different paradigms arise continuously engendering a deep rethinking of traditional roles and tasks. Though a continuous increase in ICT use has spread in the cultural heritage community, cultural institutions have been slower to adopt new technologies for cultural, economic and organizational reasons. Today it seems that users not only are able to adapt to technological changes faster than cultural institutions, but they are also driving innovation, by proposing new ideas and building up new paradigms of knowledge production.

The conference will start on the 15th of December with keynote lectures that investigate user needs and expectations, analysing how to better involve users and the cultural heritage community in creating and sharing digital resources. The plenary session on the 16th will start with the presentation of national and international scenarios, followed by two thematic sessions with scientific speeches selected through a Call for Papers, that will ascertain the advancement of the research on the relationship user-institution towards the development of cooperative Web 2.0 tools and on sustainable digital preservation policies.

Who should attend:
* Cultural heritage institutions administrators and curators
* Digital humanities researchers and students
* Cultural tourism operators
* Professional associations in the fields of museums, archives, libraries
* Funding agencies
* Technology providers and developers
here is the programme>>

A Christmas tradition in Florence

2009-12-05T03:29:00.000-08:00

Christmas in Piazza Repubblica: the switch-on of the towering Christmas tree given to us by the municipality of Florence takes place this Sunday, at 6.30 pm, with carols sung around the tree and the speech of our young brand new Major.

Icerinks for skating in Florence

2009-12-03T08:43:00.000-08:00

Yes! even this year we have the ice rink in Florence, it will remain open until January, the 11.

It's just above the Parterre parking, not far from the center of the city. You can rent the skates there. Probably it will stay open also for the New Year's eve, until midnight.
See the old post about ice skating in Florence>

Winter sales

2009-12-02T10:16:00.000-08:00

From the 1st of December romanofirenze.com, a shoe store in Florence, has started with the winter sales. Exclusively for those that buy online the whole fall/winter collection 09 is discounted, from 20% up to 40%.

Do not miss this opportunity to buy the trendiest shoes for a convenient price, and to get them shipped right to your home. The store has worldwide free shipping for orders over €250.

Christmas tree and New year's Eve in the streets of Florence!

2009-12-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

Sunday, December 6th at 6pm it will be will flipped a switch to light the Christmas tree in Piazza della Repubblica and contemporary they will be lit up also the lights along the main boulevard and in the Cathedral Square.

Following the Xmas theme, the Tuscany orchestra will give a concert at the Verdi Theater, In via Ghibellina on December 24th at 4pm. They will be played the Grand Mess of Mozart for chorus and orchestra K.427 in co-production with the Chigiana Musical Academy of Sienna.

And lastly the events for the New Years Eve in Florence with dancing and concerts in the squares (first time after years!)

There will be a free concert directed by Maestro Lanzetta of the Chamber Orchestra of Florence in Piazza della Signoria then in Piazza del Duomo and in Piazza della Repubblica there will be other kind of music: jazz, street bands...and in Piazza SS Annunziata there will be a space dedicated to Riccardo Marasco, the most important and celebrated Florentine singer.
See also Florence New Year's parties>>

Traditional Christmas Roast in Florence

2009-11-30T08:34:00.000-08:00

Traditional Christmas Roast and Fundraiser for Groups
December, 13. 2009

The Phantom Christmas
Starter: Welcome of mulled wine, cheese straws, blue cheese & walnut paté with port jelly
Main: Roast stuffed goose with prunes & cognac served with roast potatoes, braised red cabbage, carrot & celeriac purée OR Vegetarian option of red onion tarte-tatin
Dessert: Mince pies with custard and a glass of sherry
Water, wine and coffee included

Price: Euro 40.00*

* FUNDRAISER: Mention which group you belong to when reserving and we’ll donate 10% back to them!

at Villa del Molino “DULCAMARA”
Via Dante da Castiglione, 2 - Loc. Cercina 50019 Sesto F.no Firenze

335.6591939 – paula_carrier@yahoo.co.uk

The exhibition L’Oratorio di Santa Caterina all’Antella e i suoi pittori

2009-11-25T10:10:00.000-08:00

The exhibition L’Oratorio di Santa Caterina all’Antella e i suoi pittori (the Oratorio di Santa Caterina all'Antella and its painters) in Bagno a Ripoli (Florence) will last until December, the 31.

Approximately in the nineties of the 14th century, in coincidence with the realisation of the paintings by Spinello Aretino, a large triptych by Agnolo Gaddi, today in the Uffizi Gallery, was placed above the altar of the Oratorio: it represented "Madonna col Bambino in trono fra i santi Filippo e Lorenzo" and, in the round frames of the cusps, Cristo benedicente and the characters of the Annunciazione. The temporary reallocation of the artwork in the Oratorio di Santa Caterina, recently restored, represents the main event of the exhibition.
This exhibition near Florence aims to temporarily reinstate the original conditions of the florentine church thanks to one of its most evocative features, thus celebrating the undoubted splendour of this place, both famous and secluded at the same time as a religious building as well as for being a treasure chest filled with important artworks.
The two most important painters of the last years of the 14th century in Florence and Tuscany, that is to say Spinello Aretino and Agnolo Gaddi, found themselves side by side in Antella, after having worked together in 1387 when drawing the projects for the sculptures of the cathedral of Florence and for the famous decoration of the sacristy of the church of San Miniato al Monte, where the frescoes with Storie di San Benedetto by Spinello were put side by side with the polyptych by Agnolo Gaddi, now shown in the National Gallery of Art in Washington.
The first-rate role played by Spinello di Luca in the development of late Gothic art in central Italy is pointed out in the exhibition thanks to the presence of Crocifissione tra dolenti e quattro santi. The definitive return to the Oratorio of the the fresco lunette Madonna col Bambino e due angeli by Spinello Aretino with its related sinopia, that Spinello painted above the entrance door of the Oratorio, is equally important.

Within the exhibition, it is necessary to remark the role of the relatively “minor” characters of Maestro di Barberino and Pietro Nelli, authors of the first phase of painting decorations of the Oratorio dating back to mid 14th century. Pietro Nelli's art is represented by an Annunciazione coming from a private collection and by round frames with detached frescoes, respectively representing Santi Antonio Abate e San Domenico, coming from the Franciscan building complex of Santa Croce in Florence.

Saint Catherine was particularly venerated during the Middle Ages and was considered the protector of judges and notaries.

Location and opening hours:
Oratorio di Santa Caterina all'Antella o delle Ruote, Via del Carota (Bagno a Ripoli)
Monday:
15.00 – 19.00
Tuesday to Sunday:
9.00 – 13.00; 15.00 – 19.00
The exhibition is closed on December 25th only
(31th December: 9,00 – 13,00)

Admission:
Standard ticket: € 5.00
Concessions:

Groups of 10 or more visitors , visitors over 65 years of age, Coop card holders: € 3.50

Students and school groups, families with children under 14 years of age: € 2.00

Free admission: teachers accompanying students, people accompanying organized groups of 10 people minimum, journalists with professional identification card, children under 6 years of age, disabled people with escorts, tourist guides, and public security officers

Christmas Markets in Tuscany

2009-11-17T02:21:00.000-08:00

Christmas Markets in Tuscany. While we are waiting for the annual Xmas Market in Santa Croce square, here are the best places to go to shop. Explore Tuscany in November:

- Florence Noel. Christmas market in Florence at Leopolda Station, from Novembre 28 to December 8.
- Christmas Market in the historical center of San Godenzo, not far from Florence. On Sunday, 22 of november.
- Advent exhibition and market in Palazzo Malaspina, at San Donato in Poggio, on the highway from Florence to Siena.
On 28 and 29 of November, 2009.
- If you like to admire the italian "presepe" (=nativity scene) come to Le Piastre, on the tuscan hills close to Pistoia (towards Bologna): from December until the 6th of January every person living in this village creates his own presepe. You can admire more than 100 of them!
Some of them are made with electrical movements!

Don't forget the New Year's Eve events in Florence.
Here is the post of Xmas Markets in Florence 2008.

Xmas holidays in Florence: new year's eve dinner and hotel

2009-11-08T08:42:00.001-08:00

If you are planning you Christmas holiday in Florence or you are making up your mind where spend the New Year’s Eve in Florence (December 31, 2009) here are some suggestions for your trip.

For the lodging I can suggest you a small, lovely, and very fashionable boutique bed and breakfast in Florence center. There's a small spa with a romantic jacuzzi and a turkish bath available just for the guests.
They offer a special Christmas package:
- tasting the typical italian Xmas dessert “panettone” cake in your romantic room upon arrival, and the warm athmosphere of the candle lit SPA with jacuzzi hydromassage, a bottle of Champagne and red candles. Prices starting from only 145 euros for 1 room (2 people!) Here are more info and the prices>>

And for the night of the 31st of December enjoy the big party just few step away the B&B: new year's eve galà and party in Florence at Palazzo Gaddi.

Piazza Duomo, Florence, is for pedestrians only!

2009-10-29T04:01:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday Florence had a very special change in its viability, a sort of revolution: the very central cathedral square, piazza Duomo for the Florentines, has become for pedestrians only. It means that all the buses, tracks, cars, motor scooters are not allowed to enter the area, and obliged to change their routes.

Thanks to the perseverance of its young major, the square has been given back to Florence citizens and tourists.

This revolution took place on October 25th and even if a lot of people had their say about that, many others understood the importance of closing the traffic in Piazza Duomo and enjoy the silence of the square, admiring the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Giotto tower.

This day was welcomed by concerts, historical parades and many events and even though a lot of buses had to change their routes, it's been a good thing for Florence and its citizens.

Come to see Piazza Duomo and enjoy its new magnificence!

Chef in Tuscany

2009-10-26T04:34:00.000-07:00

Chef in Tuscany!

Lately there's a bit fashion to pay someone to come and cook at home: in short, a chef to prepare dinner for a special event. Knows something the good Arturo Dori who left the Black Cabbage ("Cavolo nero" restaurant in Florence) in order to dedicate himself to this activity.
How does the chef at home?
The chef takes care of all: does the shopping, food preparation, equipment, imbadisce the table, serve food, cleans everything ( I like especially this! ).
A reader writes to tell me a site where you can book just a cook at home (I did not understand if they work in all of Tuscany but I assume that at least in and around Florence is). I read on the site that they do for tourists who book a Tuscan villas.
Interesting ...

The New Meyer paediatric hospital in Florence, a champion of respect for the environment

2009-10-21T01:49:00.000-07:00

Last thursday I went to visit the New Meyer, the main paediatric hospital in Florence.

The New Meyer is the first bio climatic hospital in Italy. The whole complex has been planned and constructed with a new concept for the environment, capable of matching together the need to save energy and minimizing the impact of polluting the atmosphere. Both in the recuperation of the antique Villa Ognissanti in Florence, Italy, and the realisation of the new building, hidden in the hills that houses the confinements, eco compatible solutions have been adopted, financed by the European projects Revival and hospitals.

The New Meyer responds to a series of parameters: the reduction of emissions of Carbon Dioxide, protection of summer overheating, ventilation and the best air quality, containment of the use of air conditioning, the best use of natural light. To permit the best use of natural light within the areas of confinement, particular systems have been adopted, such as “Pinocchio’s hats” and “solar tubes”.

Systems that direct sunlight from the sky towards the inside, lighting up every room and every area within, including the day room, the play areas and even the consulting rooms.

Another particularity is the bio climatic photovoltaic “green house” hallway, that acts as an entrance way and a greeting area. A structure built from thin sheets of wood and glass, just like rows of trees. An “inside forest” that matches with the surrounding park. The “green house” hallway uses photovoltaic panels that have the double function of producing electric energy (30.5KW) and to filter natural light.

Thanks to these solutions the New Meyer beats 40% of energy consumption and reduces the emission of carbon dioxide by 35%. Light, sun, greenery at the service of the health of children and adolescents.

And on the roof there is a field!

At the New Meyer, greenery is everywhere, on the terraces and on the roof. A decision that the project managers of CSPE Studio in Florence have made in order to protect the building from heat, ice, rain and ultra violet rays. A carpet of cactus plants (Sedum), that during the summer remove heat from the structure up to a maximum of 4°C. The garden terraces cover a total area of 5,000 square metres. At the New Meyer, the greenery is inside and out. The hospital is surrounded by a 72,000 square metre park, rich in trees and plants originating from the Tuscan region.

The New Meyer is a hospital that for the attention paid to the whole project represents a total innovation in the healthcare sector. There is no area, no small detail that has not been thought of for the children and their families, the most important people of the Paediatric hospital.
It's a hospital for kids, but it's also a place where children can feel comfortable, receiving care, affection and respect, together with medicines and cures. Because children may feel ok also in hospital.

Pitti fashion fair

2009-10-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

This is the calendar for Pitti fashion fair 2009 - 2010:
Moda prima 69 in Milan (November, 28th -30th )
Pitti Uomo (men) 77 in Florence (January 2010, 12nd -15th )
Pitti_W (women pre-collection) 5 in Florence (January 2010, 12nd -15th )
Pitti Bimbo (kids) 70 in Florence (January 2010, 21st -23rd )
Pitti Filati 66 in Florence (January 2010, 27th -29th )
Touch neozone cloudnine in Milan (February 2010, 28th - March 2010, 3rd )
Taste 5 in Florence (March 2010, 13rd - 15th)

related posts:
- Pitti uomo fashion fair number 74
- my pictures about Pitti Uomo 73
see also Pitti Immagine Uomo 72
and the post about Pitti UOMO 73

Florence Indian Film Festival

2009-10-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

Starting December 4th, 2009, until the 10th, the 9th edition of the Florence indian film festival will take place at Cinema Odeon, Piazza Strozzi, Florence, Italy.

It's the first festival in the world totally devoted to films from and about India. The first edition of River to River. Florence Indian Film Festival took place in October 2001 in Florence, Italy, as the first festival in the world totally devoted to Indian cinema and films about India, including Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
More info: http://www.rivertoriver.it/

Creativity festival in Florence

2009-10-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

The Festival of Creativity returns to the Fortezza da Basso in Florence from October 15-18, 2009 and dedicates its 4th edition to the city, where creativity becomes innovation, production and development. After the increasing successes of the first three editions (with 400,000 visitors in 2008), the Festival is taking on an international profile as a premier event of the 2009 European Year of Creativity and Innovation. The 2009 programme offers four days of meetings, talkshows, workshops and live performances with artists, scholars and scientists from around the world—a rich schedule which allows each visitor to create their own ideal route through the event, whatever their age or interest.

CORRI LA vita, run the life!

2009-09-18T02:35:00.000-07:00

This is one the most excited event of the year for the city of Florence and not only.

Corri la Vita is at its 7th edition and every year it brings more people. This could be a competition race for professional athletes or a simple walk but all the people who join the event do something important to fight against breast cancer. All the funds raised go to help doctors and people who suffer to improve the research.
CORRI LA VITA
Sunday, September 27th 2009
Piazza della Signoria, Florence
at 9,30 am
CORRI LA VITA is open to all: youngster, children, professionals, and aged people. A unique occasion also to see, during the walk troughout Florence, the most amazing secluded places of this important town.
All the funds will be given to the New Cancer rehabilitation Centre of Florence.
There will be two routes: the competition (12 km) and the walk (5,7 km) will be between the historical centre and Diladdarno. It will be the occasion also to see among others jewels like the church of Orsanmichele, Palazzo Strozzi Sacrati, The courtyard of Palazzo Rucellai, Frescobaldi garden, church of San Jacopo, Cloister of San Pier Martire, Giardino Corsi, Giardino di Boboli, Giardino Bardini and Museo Bardini

HOW to register and contribute:
FILE
Via S. Niccolò, 1 - Firenze tel. 055 2001212
Firenze Marathon
Viale Fanti, 2 - Firenze tel. 055 5522957
Universo Sport
Piazza del Duomo, 6/7/8r - Firenze
When you register and donate a minimum of 10 Euros you will be given two vouchers, one to pick up a gift the day of the race and one to pick up your Corri la Vita T-shirt 2009 designed by Salvatore Ferragamo, the main supporter of the event.

Join the race, CORRI LA VITA!

New years eve Florence, Italy

2009-08-19T02:58:00.000-07:00

As every winter even this year there will be christmas markets in Florence: at the end of November, 2009, in Santa Croce Square the little woody stand will offer to everybody many ideas fro Xmas gifts.

And what's on for the new year's eve 2010?
After the success of last year, the Uffizi Center organization will bring back its Capodanno Banquet and Ball, to be held near the Duomo of Florence in the center of the city, at palazzo Gaddi (historical building).
From 8 pm: entrance for those who want to have all-inclusive dinner.
From 11 pm: entrance to the party with open bar and midnight cheers.

Here's the menu:

- Carpaccio di cervo in crosta di sesami leggermente affumicato con bouquet di germogli di rafano e mele flambate al cocco grattugiato e ristretto dolce di vino rosso
- Fagottino al nero di seppia con salmone affumicato e salsa di carciofi Orzotto sfumato al Brunello di Montalcino mantecato con salsiccia al finocchietto e cardoncelli della Lucania
- Filetto di vitello in crosta di erbe aromatiche con mousse di foie gras e topinambur
then...
- Cotechino con lenticchie di Castelluccio
- Alzata di piccola pasticceria e finissima pasticceria
- Panettone con Moscato
INFO and reservations +39 347 4238636 or you can send an e-mail to stefanobosia@stefanobosia.it
Watch the video of the gorgeous location>>

Up on Palazzo Vecchio walls

2009-08-05T05:19:00.000-07:00

Visit to "Quartieri Monumentali" with the access to the "Camminamento di Ronda": tour of the ancient patrol walkways with access to the small balcony.
Scheduled every day at 11,30 a.m. - 3,30 p.m.
During the visit to the Quartieri Monumentali, visitors can track down the Medieval past of the Palazzo dei Priori in the present-day rooms. You can reconstruct functions and features of the public and private rooms, by visiting the apartment housing the Priors elected every two months, the chapel where they where used to pray before having a session, their audience hall where they administered justice. The final part is visiting the balcony used by sentries to watch over the environs of the Palace. You can have a special look over Florence from this point of view.
Information and bookings Call centre ph. +39 055 2768224, fax +39 055 2768558
every day from 9.30 am to 5 pm.
info.museoragazzi@comune.fi.it
Open all summer.

Farmhouse in Tuscany

2009-08-04T02:37:00.000-07:00

A perfect place for relaxing in the swimming pool sipping a glass of white Vernaccia wine, the typical white wine of San Gimignano, where the agriturismo is.

Agriturismo il Caggio – from San Gimignano on the route to Volterra
http://www.il-caggio.com/
info@ilcaggio.com
Tel/Fax 39 0577/941501