Elitism Florence ::. issue 8 .::

YOUR PERSONAL COPY issue n° 8 March ∙ April ∙ May 2019

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Welcome

If you’ve chosen Florence as your holiday destination, you will already know that however long your stay is going to be, in any case, it will always be too short to reveal the wonders of Florence, a city full of monuments, art, museums, squares, and unforgettable experiences. As locals, we’re the ones who experience the many gifts of the city first, and therefore Elitism aims to be a collection of suggestions, a notebook, a smart guide, to make your stay in the cradle of the Renaissance a piece of your life that you’ll always carry in your heart.

Breathe in, breathe out. Spring is around the corner, and the time has come to reestablish direct contact with ourselves and Nature. It is the moment of the blossoms, of rebirth, of the first sunshine. An explosion of energy. Thanks to the mild temperatures, Florence will amaze you more than ever. Drink in the inebriating scents of the most beautiful gardens in the city: the Rose Garden, the Iris Garden and the Torrigiani Garden.

We talk about it in our column “No, you can’t miss it”. The agenda is becoming just as full, bursting with concerts, shows, exhibitions and unmissable events: have you ever witnessed the “Scoppio del carro”? If you don’t know anything yet about this Florentine tradition, flip through the magazine to page 46. Visit the city’s periphery following our tips. Nearby will point out itineraries and tours to follow and the destinations to head for. And then, the cool places to eat in the top 5 of “Where to Eat” and the venues where you can spend your evenings in “Where to Drink”.

Browse through Elitism because what we choose has been tested by us. We select everything carefully, to make your stay unique. And above all, to welcome you again when you return.

Because yes, we’re sure: you’ll fall deeply in love with what we consider to be the most beautiful city in the world.

Elitism Florence: the quarterly magazine focused on discovering and experiencing the city and its magnificence. What to see, where to eat, trendy bars, historical places, architecture, shops, clubs with complete address lists and all the advice you need to enjoy the city the way Florentines do. And more, interviews with locals, details on the surroundings, highlights on what to buy, fun facts, and all of the top events you don’t want to miss out on in town.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails” - Mark Twain –

DESIGN + COVER Sally Studio CONTRIBUTORS Cinzia Azzerboni, Serena Becagli Marta Matteini, Liliana Antoniucci Cristina Tedde, Francesco Sani PHOTO CREDITS Matteo Vistocco, Francesca Nardoni TRANSLATIONS NTL traduzioni PRINTING IGV s.r.l. - Piazza Nasoni, 4 San Giovanni Valdarno (AR) PUBLISHER F Society SAS Via del Leone 37, Firenze p.iva 06722440481 Aut.Trib.

Firenze N. 6048 del 14 Aprile 2017 WRITE US AT General : info@readelitism.com Advertising : adv@readelitism.com ONLINE CONTENT www.readelitism.com You can follow us on:

@elitismflorence @elitismflorence #elitismflorence

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“This issue is dedicated to Beatrice Portinari” Beatrice Portinari (1266 - 1290) Dante’s muse, the girl who inspired the greatest literary work of all time: The Divine Comedy. Also known as Bice, daughter of Folco and wife of Simone De’ Bardi.

Beatrice was the first woman in history to leave an indelible mark on Italian literature.

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VICE - EDITOR Francesca Cellini

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EDITOR Francesca Querci

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In partnership with: Windows On Italy Doorways to Italy Apartments Florence Family Apartments Madeinitaly Holiday Home Dot Florence bb Charme Suite Florence FLOspirit Holiday Itaco Florence Concierge What about a house in Florence?

Florence Luxury Rent Incredible Tuscany haloria.com Acacia Firenze www.torremannellisuites.it

ELITISM FLORENCE There’s beauty all around you Issue n° 8 March | April | May 2019 Quarterly ~ Florence ~ Italy

Le informazioni diffuse hanno finalità divulgative, le fonti utilizzate riflettono le esperienze e le opinioni degli Autori. I link citati e le immagini tratte da altri siti sono proprietà dei rispettivi Soggetti. L’Editore, che ha posto ogni cura nel citare correttamente la fonte, si dichiara disponibile a pubblicare eventuali rettifiche per involontarie citazioni improprie. L’Editore e gli Autori di Elitism declinano ogni responsabilità per uso improprio delle informazioni riportate o da errori relativi al loro contenuto.

welcome to where it all happens fun, food and designer fashion for up to 70% less

only 30 minutes from Florence 2 for 1 on shuttle bus tickets from S.M.N. station* mcarthurglen.it/barberino show this page to claim

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CONTENTS March~April~May 2019

TO DO

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TO SEE

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DRESS WELL&ACCESSORIES

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Five amazing things to do in Florence we selected and guarantee for you

First things you have to see once you arrive

What and where to shop in town

WHERE TO EAT

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WHERE TO DRINK

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SUGGESTED BY

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FLAIR

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NO YOU CAN’T MISS IT

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The staff of Elitism presents you the top 5 restaurants of the month selected after a fine and accurate test

Best wines and drinks around town.. raise your glass with style

Luca Canonici

The unfogettable Wanda Ferragamo

Find passion in all the city has to offer

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CONTENTS March~April~May 2019

OUR SELECTION

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STYLE ICON

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THIS IS SO CONTEMPORARY

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ONLY IN FLORENCE

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Our selection of beautiful products

Sophia Loren

The amazing Meri Iacchi

The Scoppio del Carro

AGENDA

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From events and festivals to attractions and tours, find out what’s going on in Florence

NEARBY

Discovering Monte Amiata

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MOSTRA MERCATO DEI PRODOTTI BIOLOGICI E BIODINAMICI TRADE FAIR OF BIOLOGIC AND BIODYNAMIC PRODUCTS

15 · 16 · 17 MARZO | MARCH ORE 10:00 - 19:00 | 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

FORTEZZA DA BASSO · FIRENZE

INGRESSO LIBERO FREE ENTRANCE EXPO EXPO INCONTRI MEETINGS CONVEGNI CONFERENCES COOKING SHOWS ATTIVITÀ CON LE SCUOLE ACTIVITIES WITH SCHOOLS

festival 2019

Via Tornabuoni

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You cannot miss the recently renewed Mercato Centrale, a real gastronomic melting pot, for those who want to taste emotions. The Loggia del Porcellino where you can buy genuine leather products and caress the famous luck charm bronze boar muzzle at the side of the market.

Arno River

Enjoy the Diladdarno discovering San Frediano, snooping around workshops, antiques and art galleries. Piazza Santo Spirito is the right place for a typical dinner or a late evening drink. Piazza del Carmine with its mixed between sacred and profane atmosphere is another must-see.

· The Rive Gauche

To do

· Not just Art

Go for some top-level shopping in Via Tornabuoni: Gucci, Emilio Pucci, Tiffany, and many more are there waiting to fuel your vanity. Discover vintage jewels in Piazza Strozzi at Barducci Jewelry. Design and crafts lovers are welcome in Via della Spada where a tour is a must.

· Tuscan Food

Taste tradition: a Lampredotto sandwich in Piazza de’Nerli, Bistecca alla Fiorentina at Cambi restaurant, extraordinary Pappa al Pomodoro at Santo Bevitore. Want some ice cream?

Sorbetteria in Piazza Tasso and the world-famous Vivoli near Piazza Santa Croce are waiting for you.

Il ratto delle Sabine

Loggia del Porcellino

· Markets Tour

Second Italian museum for number of visitors, the Accademia displays the largest amount of Michelangelo’s sculptures in the world. A must-see, where you can find the original Michelangelo’s David and probably experience the Stendhal Syndrome. Remember to book in advance!

· Galleria dell’Accademia

IL Dumo

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Piazzale Michelangelo

Ponte Vecchio

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Palazzo Vecchio, the seat of the city’s civil and administrative authority. Sight is surrounded by ancient marble, bronze and stone statues, like Donatello’s Marzocco, the lion leaning on the coat of arms, and the Nettuno fountain. Here, the most famous gallery: the Uffizi.

Links the main part of the historical city centre with the “Diladdarno”, with artisan goldsmiths that once were butcher shops lining the path to the scenic terraces. The Vasari Corridor, that crosses the Arno at Ponte Vecchio, was built in 1565.

· Ponte Vecchio

To see

Palazzo Pitti

· Piazza della Signoria

Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, Campanile di Giotto and Battistero; with its white Carrara marble front, hallowed in the year 1436, the Duomo dominates the whole square and Giotto’s Campanile. The Cathedral’s dome, finished with red bricks, outstands everything around.

· Piazza Duomo

Piazza della Signoria

A 5 minute walk to embrace absolute beauty: the city sight from Piazzale Michelangelo. You can walk the ancient stairways “Rampe del Poggi” starting from San Niccolò to climb up toward Piazzale. Once there just a few more steps to fall in love with the Church of San Miniato.

· Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato

Residence of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, home to the Medici, the Lorena and the Savoia families. The palace hosts an articulated compound of different galleries and museums: Palatina Gallery, Appartamenti Monumentali, Modern Art Gallery, Boboli Garden.

· Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Garden

Campanile di Giotto

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Florence Factory shop via dei Neri 6/8 r, Firenze Opening Monday 13.30 - 19.30 Thusday - Sunday 10.30 - 19.30

www.florencefactory.it

A.N.G.E.L.O Vintage lover’s paradise. From Gucci to Yves Saint Laurent, here you can find that unique special piece that was missing from your wardrobe. An unparalleled “one of a kind” selection hosted in this small store, right in the center of the city. The right place for a tour of the past trends. //Via dei Cimatori, 25r www.angelo.it

LOUIS VUITTON There’s not that much to say about the world of LV, the brand itself says it all. The historic Maison in Florence is located in the heart of the town center with an almost 500 square meter wide display of bags, clothes and suitcases. Like most of the single brand stores all over the world, LV windows are amazing, but Florence and its Renaissance architecture makes it even more magic… //Piazza degli Strozzi, 1 www.louisvuitton.com

Dress Well & Accessories EREDI CHIARINI A centuries-old store! The history of Eredi Chiarini begins in 1884. Philosophy of beauty and the continuous top-level quality products search are the keys to success that still makes this store one of the Florentine’s most beloved. This store is the Eldorado of fashion addicted! //Via Porta Rossa, 33r www.eredichiarini.it

HELLO WONDERFUL In the super-cool neighborhood of San Frediano, an all-feminine shop. They design and create uniquely elegant and tasteful garments, all crying out “We love to make you feel wonderful”. And with passion and dedication, they create incredible collections. // Via Santa Monaca, 2r www.shophellowonderful.com

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Experiences in Florence

“Unique tours for every traveller”

» UNCONVENTIONAL ART IN FLORENCE Enjoy an afternoon of unconventional curiosities around the district of Santa Maria Novella that will lead us to a very special visit to a Contemporary art gallery that showcases a number of contemporary National Italian Artists that includes Uliviero Ulivieri. You will have a chance to meet the Florentine artist at the studio.

Our experience begins at the Pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella. Admire the many rooms of ancient perfumes, soaps and special potions. One of the potions includes the hysteric water invented in 1612 by Friar Angiolo Marchissi.

The water is used for calming and digestion.

Arrive in the Piazza di Santa Maria Novella. This magnificent square is very particular as we can see a vast story of Florentine Architecture from medieval, Renaissance to Art Deco of the 1920’s. Admire the glass mosaics of Hotel Roma by Galileo Chini. Continue toward the Arno River we enter inside a sculpture gallery to admire ancient and modern works. Arrive at an independent book store to admire its selection and to enjoy a glass of wine with snacks at there comfortable bar where they also have a number of fun events. You arrive to Faustini Arte/Galleria Faustini where you will enjoy a glass of prosecco and gain insight to local contemporary Italian artists.

1-12 persons small group. Tour Starts at 05.00pm - 80 euro per person

» FLORENCE FOODIES TOUR Get ready for the perfect introduction to Florence. Learn about local and regional cuisines while exploring the city’s small alleyways. Walk through charming districts while strolling around the main squares and sites to arrive at a local bakery. Taste a few sweet delights. Learn about our DOP breads and use of ancient grains and regional product.

Taste local bread with seasonal toppings like tomato & artichoke.

We will take a stroll along the Via dei Tornabuoni to arrive at a farm to table delicatessen.

Meet owner Alessandro who will welcome you to his store situated close to the Port Vecchio.

Taste Tuscan Prosciutto and other typical salumi all coming from the owners free range organic farm. Savour Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil on toasted bread with our local pecorino cheese perfectly washed down with a glass of Chianti.

Arrive at the best Gelateria in town. Owner Ciro and his family make these perfect flavors fresh every day like true artisans. Continue to a chocolate store on the main high street just by the Duomo Complex to taste the delicious chocolates including the blood red Sicilian orange rind dipped in dark chocolate. We will bid farewell with a glass of prosecco and truffle panino at a historical wine bar.

1-12persons 03.00pm -05.30pm 67 Euro per person

» FLORENCE APERITIVO TIME TOUR Upon meeting your local guide, we’ll take a stroll through the city, chatting about national and local aperitivo traditions. Our first stop will be at a historical wine bar for a glass of Chianti DOCG with Tuscan snacks or local salumi and cheese. Continue along one of the most beautiful high streets to arrive at a historical wine bar. The pretty bar belongs to a family who have been producing wine for 30 generations after a glass of a full bodied Red Super Tuscan we will visit the palace and see how they served wine at a drive through outside their palaces hundreds of years ago! Arrive at our final stop a local cocktail bar where you will meet professional Florentine mixologists who really know their stuff when it comes to mixing a killer blend. Choose from a selection of classic Italian cocktails, your guide (who is an expert on all things wine and gin!) will fill you in on local stories related to the bar’s vast cocktail selection. More local snacks will be served, paired perfectly with your choice of drink, of course. After a fun filled crash course in Italian aperitivo, we hope you feel ready to try it on your own.

1-12persons 05.45pm - 08.15pm 77 Euro per person

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» WINE TASTING WITH A SOMMELIER Meet our expert sommelier for a one hour where you can choose a selection of National wines covering the Regions of Liguria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Piedmonte & Tuscany or you can enjoy a taste of our Top Tuscan Wines.

Arrive at local and family run wine bar to visit their cellars that have hundreds of regional wines from all over Italy and of course France.

Top labels include Barolo, Barberesco, Amarone, Sicilian Nero D’avola the crisp and fresh flavors of the white wines of Friuli and then the largest room Tuscany.

This is where you will begin to learn about our Region wines. Our sommelier will go through the main grape varietals of Tuscany. You will taste five glasses of wine that will include two types of Tuscan White’s Vermentino coming from the Coast and Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Vernaccia is one of the most antique wine appellations in Italy. Coming from the medieval town of San Gimignano this wine was the towns major economy during the middle ages loved by Popes, Michelangelo and even Dante who spent most of his life in San Gimignano after being thrown out of his beloved Florence.

Our Tuscan Reds will include three types of Sangiovese our main red varietal that grows in Tuscany. The Red wines will be Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino a Super Tuscan or a bold DOCG Carmignano.

Starts at 02.00pm - 03.00pm /Duration of Tour 1 hour /Price per person : 75 Euro Includes 5 glasses of wine

» FLORENTINE BEEF STEAK DINNER IN THE OLTRARNO Get ready to enjoy a truly local Tuscan dinner with an expert guide who will help you learn all about our regional traditions and how to eat an authentic Bistecca alla Fiorentina. This is the most typical meal you can enjoy in our city and we will take you to a very special place, where the locals like to eat this fantastic T-bone!

The Florentine T-bone is a cut of beef that comes from an ancient breed of cattle called Chiana. But before we get to all that food, you’ll be enjoying a lovely evening stroll from the historical centre over the Ponte Santa Trinita to see some iconic views of the Ponte Vecchio, as well as palaces of historical wine-making families who have been producing wine for multiple generations. See the private home of the Barone Ricasoli, said to be the founder of the Chianti recipe, and whose winery has been making Chianti for over 1,000 years.

You’ll also experience the lively atmosphere of Piazza Santo Spirito with its local bars and authentic restaurants. Arrive at an authentic restaurant where you will meet the owner who also runs one of the most reputable butcher stands at the San Lorenzo Central Market. Finally, it’s time to enjoy all of our local flavours that will include, of course, Florentine beef steak, as well as handmade pasta, wild boar ragu, Chianti, Vino Santo and biscotti.

1-12persons 07.00pm - 09.30pm 120 euro per person

» OLIVE OIL TASTING AT A BIO DYNAMIC FARM Escape the crowds in Florence and spend the morning in the glorious Tuscan countryside, taking in spectacular views of rolling hills and historic villas. Stop for coffee and amaretti biscuits in a beautiful town before visiting a family-run bio dynamic farm to try the area’s best olive oil, with wine and seasonal bites to accompany the tasting.

Starts at 09.00am includes all tastings Groups of 1 - 3 persons 185 p/person / 4-7 pax 97 euro p/person

FLORENCE URBAN ADVENTURES www.florenceurbanadventures.com - info@florenceurbanadventures.com Via Dei Sassetti, 6 - 50123 Florence - Italy readelitism.com

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Where to Eat Enjoying food is one of the best pleasures of life. The staff of Elitism presents you the top 5 restaurants of the month, selected after a fine and accurate test.

Calino

$$ Buca Lapi Buca Lapi is the oldest restaurant in Florence. It was founded in 1880 in the Palazzo Antinori cellars and still shows evidence of more than a century of history, thanks to a very careful restoration. Meals recall the genuine tastes of the old Tuscan cuisine such as hand-made pasta, ribollita, a pan of tripe, fried food.

$$

Here the menu changes every day depending on the availability of the catch, although there are some regular warhorses; the basic ingredients come primarily from the Tuscan coast. The cuisine manages to highlight all the characteristics of the seafood, particularly in such “poor fish” as black ruff, silver scabbardfish, but also the sepiola rondeletii and the mullet. There are also excellent desserts! // Piazza delle Cure 3 www.ristorantecalino.it

// Via del Trebbio, 1r www.bucalapi.com

Chalet Fontana

$$$

A place for tasting the overwhelming magic of dishes to savor with your sight, sense of smell, touch, taste buds and, why not, your hearing too! A striking location for those seeking a romantic restaurant in Florence and a point of reference for fine dining in the cradle of the Italian Renaissance, the Chalet Fontana Restaurant combines mastery with all the necessary ingredients for a memorable dining experience. // Viale Galileo 7 www.chalet-fontana.it

Berberè

Essenziale

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Essenziale is a project started in September 2016. Essenziale serves Italian cuisine that enjoys contaminations from the rest of the world. Inside the same space, guests have a choice of three different ambiences. Each one focused on the simplicity and creativity that characterizes this place. // Piazza di Cestello, 3r www.essenziale.me

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$$

Berberè was born in 2010 with the mission of serving delicious artisanal pizza, made only with living sourdough, digestible and without frills, in a welcoming atmosphere. They work with organic ingredients, and the pizza that they made is soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside: eight slices of a super special taste. // Via dei Benci 7 // Piazza dei Nerli 1

Where to Drink Places to taste fine wines and artistic cocktails. Our top 5 selection, with some alcoholic degree.

MAYDAY AMBLE

FUSION Nikkei Tapas, Sushi and Cocktails.

The fusion cuisine will transport you to a world of unexpected combinations and spicy flavors: you’ll have a great time exploring the Tapas menu and ask our Barman to create a bespoke cocktail just for you. The ambience in the Fusion Bar & Restaurant is lively and dynamic, ideal for an evening with friends.

Although in the heart of Florence, its atmosphere has international tones.

A cozy space in one of the best hidden corners of Florence, Piazzetta dei Del Bene, a place hidden in the alleys of the city center, enclosed between the palaces but only a few meters from the Ponte Vecchio, out of the chaos and typical frenzy of the crowded streets of contemporary cities. A place designed for the enjoyment of food and at the same time… shopping for beautiful furnishings!

At Mayday you’ll find the distilled essence of the alchemist’s magic. It’s a place where everything, even the beer, bears the consummate touch of the artist. Selected organic products are teased apart and blended anew, in expertly calibrated combinations that strike the right note. // Via Dante Alighieri, 16 www.maydayclub.it

// Piazzetta dei Del Bene, 7/a www.amble.it

// Vicolo dell’oro 3 HEMINGWAY

MOYO Hot DJ sets and excellent cocktails in one of the coolest bars of the Florentine nightlife. Recently renewed, it stands out for an original drinks menu and the staff kindness. An external area and two inside rooms always crawling with people perfectly explain the great success that this place has. Groups should better reserve in advance. // Via dei Benci 23r www.moyo.it

A short walk from the Arno, this café boasts of being the best chocolate shop in Florence: the desserts are excellent, the chocolate sublime, and the atmosphere welcoming.

Not just chocolate, but pralines and cheesecakes. If you are feeling like an after-dinner drink, this is the right place. A cozy, warm spot for spending an evening with friends (or couples) in the main room. Small, but...excellent. // Piazza della Piattellina 9

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www.lucacanonici.it

A nice place (or two) to go drinking in the evening after dinner

Where do you like to go for breakfast

La Pasticceria Cosi (Gavinana) To Giorgio for a very good Schiacciata alla Fiorentina

What do you like most about Florence

I know Florence very well. For me, it’s always been a place for study, leisure, work and photography.

One of the projects I’m working on, which I’m very fond of, revolves around the English Cemetery, and is entitled Animae.

I really like looking at it from above and spying on it as the light creeps slowly and relentlessly in summer, and fast and damp in winter.

Favorite restaurants

Fishing lab...fantastic!

Fusion Bar Trattoria Cambi

For more

Canonici

Definitely the Murate Or in the San Niccolò area, Il Rifrullo

Your favorite Piazza

I love Piazza della Passera Piazza della SS. Annunziata, because never before has a Tuscan piazza had so much sophistication Piazza Beccaria, I love those segmented circular buildings Piazza Demidoff because it is a very delicate spot ennobled by the monument of Lorenzo Bartolini

Your favorite shop

I like to walk along Via Maggio, regretfully. Every time I come back I find one less antique shop: a blow to the centuries-old history of Florence and our capital as a destination for quality antiques.

A funny thing that you’ve discovered about the Florentines

Something that amuses me very much is the argumentative vein of the Florentines! Everyone wants to say what they think. They don’t give a damn what you think but want your understanding. Typical and lovable...

Tenor, Artistic Director, Photographer

Suggested by: Luca

CONSULTING SERVICE Personal Art Advisor Interior makeovers & Art decoration Art Consulting & Selection Art estimation & Authentication

OTHER SERVICES Full-service Art installation Packing & Crating Worldwide Shipping Art storage

FAUSTINI ARTE Borgo Ognissanti 21/23r Tel. +39 055218021 www.galleriafaustini.com info@galleriafaustini.it

PRATO a city of art and prestige

Datini Palace, External view

Datini Palace, Prato “Cucina terrena uomini illustri”

Palazzo Datini the museum house of the “Merchant of Prato”

C

asa Datini in Prato represents the most illustrious example of a medieval merchant’s palace. It is located near the City Hall and for this reason, it was destined by the owner, the famous “Merchant of Prato”, to play a public role, that of hosting, in 1409 and 1410, the king of Naples, Louis II of Anjou. In the Palace, decorated inside and out by the important Florentine artists of the day such as Agnolo Gaddi and Niccolò Gerini, Francesco di Marco Datini invested, in addition to huge financial resources, strong symbolic and emotional projections, transforming an entire city block into a public sign of his personality designed to last through the centuries, impressed on the very heart of the city of his birth, and from which he departed to build his extraordinary fortune throughout Europe, Francesco Datini was one of the wealthiest merchants and bankers of his time and in the fourteenth century, his textile/financial company had branches in Italy and abroad (the main ones in Avignon and Barcelona, but the network extended throughout the whole Mediterranean as far as Alexandria in Egypt).

After his death, all the papers in his archive were walled into a high and narrow room in the building and miraculously found almost intact in the nineteenth century. There are thousands of books, textile samples, commercial letters, private letters, in an extraordinarily rich and complete collection (about one hundred and fifty thousand documents), making it the most important medieval mercantile archive in Europe.

Starting from 2009, the rooms on the ground floor of the Palace were transformed into a museum, dedicated to the history of the owner, his house and the welfare institution,

the “Ceppo dei poveri di Francesco di Marco”, which the merchant founded and to which he wished to leave all his possessions.

In addition to the museum part, Palazzo Datini hosts prestigious scientific institutions such as the State Archives. where the documentary heritage of his activity is preserved, the International Institute of Economic History, the Institute of Historical Postal Studies and the Case della Memoria Association, making it the “Palace of memory, identity and culture” in the city of Prato.

In the frescoed rooms on the ground floor it is possible to admire not only the splendid house and works of art that embellish it, but also to retrace the merchant’s personality, his relationship with his wife Margherita, his economic activities, the history of the construction of the building and that of the Ceppi located there since 1410.

Through the wealth of iconographic and didactic materials in the rooms, in Italian and English, the selection of original letters (including a particularly evocative one of Margherita’s), the paintings and frescoes on the walls, it is possible to understand something of the life and work of the merchant who, starting from Prato, made his way throughout the Mediterranean basin.

Admission to the Museum is free.

Winter hours: from October 1 to May 31, from Monday to Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 6 pm.

Guided tours: minimum number of participants, 20 people; reservations are required by email at gruppi@museocasadatini.it; rate to be agreed upon. readelitism.com

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Leonardo Da Vinci ingenuity, fabric To celebrate the five hundredth anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, the Fabric Museum in Prato, Museo del Tessuto, dedicates to this Renaissance genius an exhibition that highlights the artist’s interest, sensitivity and ingenuity in the development and invention of devices and machines for one of the main economic activities of his time, textile art.

The exhibition is organized by the Museo del Tessuto Foundation in collaboration with the Leonardo da Vinci National Science and Technology Museum in Milan and the Leonardo Museum of Vinci. It benefits from the patronage and contribution of the National Committee for the celebrations of the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci.

The exhibition strives to be an effective tool for understanding and disseminating Leonardo’s inventions through 3D reconstructions, multimedia devices and scale models. It is also an opportunity to value the importance of mechanical engineering applied to the textile industry, an element that solidly connects it to the history of the Prato district.

The main sponsor of the initiative is ESTRA, the Tuscan holding company which is one of the top ten industrial groups for the sale of energy in Italy. The exhibition is also funded by the Tuscan Region, the Acimit Association and companies in the Meccanotessili di Confindustria Toscana Nord Group.

The exhibition itinerary opens with a first section that displays large-scale reproductions of some of Leonardo’s paintings. The portraits and religious subjects featured in the exhibition are interpreted with a new and unusual approach that sheds a light on Leonardo’s studies of drapery and his observations for a better painted rendering of the texture of cloth and the movement of the folds in relation to different types of fabric. The paintings also reveal Da Vinci’s attention to the decoration of the garments interpreted by the famous “knots” that further testify to his “universal and philosophical” approach

Leonardo, Exhibition Hall (ph Marco Badiani)

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Leonardo, Piece from the exhibition

to nature. The visitor will also be accompanied by a sound installation created by Giorgio Ferrero and Rodolfo Mongitore of Minus&Plus, inspired by an imaginary score conceived from Leonardo’s designs for musical instruments. The cyclical nature of the composition recalls the motors, repetitions, and circular mechanisms of ‘Da Vinci’s knot’, while the raw material used in the inventions resonates in the concrete nature of the dull sound of wood.

The second section is a theatrical display evoking the cogged mechanisms found in Leonardo’s designs and is an introduction to the theme of the studies of devices and machines.

During his stay in Milan, in addition to mechanics, engineering and architecture, Leonardo also made studies dedicated to the textile industry, which in Lombardy - thanks to the court of the Visconti and then the Sforza - developed significantly during the fifteenth century. Representative of this historical moment is the display of the two famous portraits from the Pinacoteca di Brera, “Portrait of Francesco Sforza” and “Portrait of Bianca Maria Visconti”, by an unknown Lombard painter, from around 1480.

Immersive multimedia - which accompanies Leonardo’s drawings in the Codex Atlanticus and Madrid I Codex and the dynamic 3D models created by the Museum in Vinci and the Textile Museum through the kind collaboration of Lorenzo Barni of Lido Barni - presents to the public the parts of the wool and silk production process that Leonardo focussed on, guiding the user

on an emotional journey through his brilliant mind, his ability to anticipate the times with an unparalleled engineering vision.

The exhibition provides an opportunity to understand how Leonardo’s genius and studies were oriented towards optimizing labour, since a more fluid, faster and precise processing could have economic advantages in terms of production times and personnel employed.

The exhibition also benefits from the technical sponsorship of Unicoop Firenze and Trenitalia. The coop members and holders of a valid regional train ticket or season’s pass for Prato will be entitled to purchase reduced-rate tickets for admission to the Museum and exhibition.

For the occasion, the Museo del Tessuto and the Museo Leonardiano di Vinci have stipulated a convention that includes - for the entire duration of the exhibition - mutual reductions for admission into the two museums.

Hours Tuesday - Thursday: 10 am – 3pm; Friday and Saturday: 10 am 7 pm; Sunday: 3 pm – 7 pm; closed Monday Guided tours Saturday, March 2, Sunday, April 7, Sunday, May 5, 3:30 pm Total admission cost + guided tour: 10 Euros In collaboration with ArteMìa By reservation only at 3405101749; info@artemiaprato.it

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ph: Wanda Ferragamo | Audrey Hepburn | Salvatore Ferragamo \ www.corriere.it

Flair WANDA FERRAGAMO Wanda Ferragamo, definitely one of the most important figures in Italian fashion, passed away several months ago, aged 96.

H

er death meant the loss of a real person who was spared nothing in life. At only twenty years old, she married Salvatore Ferragamo. She was merely the wife of the man who “shod the feet of Hollywood stars” but after being widowed at just 38 and with 6 children to raise, she did not lose heart. She continued to pursue “Salvatore’s dream”, wanting to make the Ferragamo name the most appreciated luxury brand in the world.

Born into a wealthy family in the small village of Bonito in Irpinia, the meeting with the much older Salvatore was the prelude to a great love that culminated in marriage.

He was the “cobbler” who had emigrated to America and become famous for his avant-garde footwear loved by actresses and princesses. He wanted to make bespoke shoes for her and just like a beautiful fairy tale, the great love could only lead to the crowning of a dream, marriage.

With Salvatore’s sudden death, Wanda was forced to give up the glittering world of Hollywood and the society of famous people.

Her life underwent many changes. After the first period of pain and loss, with great determination, she managed to show the whole world what a tenacious woman she was, with her lucid and fruitful economic-commercial vision.

With the valuable help of professionals and her children, she took over the helm of the company, developing and transforming it into a global brand, also making “Salvatore’s dream” come true.

At first, nobody would have bet on this “rebirth”, but today the Ferragamo company has about 4000 employees and all the children actively participate and contribute to its ever-growing development.

In a letter to her grandchildren, Wanda Ferragamo wrote these beautiful words: “Do not conform to the bad things happening in the world, but let yourself be transformed, improve your way of thinking and acting, and be in harmony with all that is good and pleasing to the Lord.”

These words could only have been spoken by a great soul.

by Marta Matteini 26 readelitism.com

No, you can’t miss it

On the right: Special view from the “Giardino delle Rose”

the gardens of FLORENCE

Boboli Gardens A must-see for tourists, the Boboli Gardens is the aristocratic park of the Florentines, a concentration of beauty, nature and great art. Impressive and beautiful, Boboli is one of the most famous and beloved gardens in Italy: perfect if you want your fill of history and nature in the city center.

Bardini Garden Four hectares of forest, garden and fruit orchard flanked by the medieval walls of the city, the Bardini Garden is not only nature, but culture, art and history: a part of Florence. Located between Costa San Giorgio and Borgo San Niccolò, it preserves a pristine spot to explore right in the center of town.

Cascine Park The Parco delle Cascine, located on the right bank of the Arno, covers about 118 hectares and is the largest public park in Florence. The buildings housing the Aviation School were built in 1937 on a design by Raffaello Fagnoni. Where the Grand-Duchy’s Farm once was is now the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Florence, which has enriched the park with specialized crops in the areas surrounding the building.

The Rose Garden The Rose Garden in Florence is a park in the Oltrarno area below the Piazzale Michelangelo to the west, in Viale Giuseppe Poggi. Once open to the public for only a short period in spring, the garden is now open every day of the year from 9 am to sunset.

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29

Piazza San Marco

26

Giardino dei Semplici

Galleria Dell’ Accademia

S.M. Novella Central Train Station

Mercato Centrale

Piazza dell’Unità

Piazza della S.S. Annunziata

San Lorenzo

Piazza S. Maria Novella Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore

Palazzo Strozzi

Piazza Goldoni Ponte Alla Carraia

Piazza della Repubblica

Piazza San Firenze

Piazza S. Trinita Ponte S. Trinita

Mercato Nuovo

Piazza della Signoria

Piazza Santa Croce

Galleria Degli Uffizi Piazza Ponte Mentana Vecchio

Piazza Santo Spirito

Arn o

Piazza Dei Pitti Palazzo Pitti

Piazza De’ Mozzi

Ponte Alle Grazie

ei

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Giardino Giardinodella della Gherardesca Gherardesca

a

Sinagoga

Piazza Piazza Dei Ciompi Dei Ciompi

Piazza Piazza S. Ambrogio Ambrogio

e

AArrnno Torre Torre G. G.Poggi Poggi

Get lost in Florence · Santa Croce Impossible not to stop to admire this gorgeous Church, that gives its name to the neighborhood. Walking the narrow streets and the small squares in the area you will find old workshops and small but precious museums like the Museo Horne and the Museo di Storia della Scienza. The first one displays a significant collection of paintings and sculptures collected by the art critic Horne itself, who lived there. The second is kind of a shrine to Galileo Galilei and hosts his telescopes and the lenses he used to discover the largest moons of Jupiter. Among the many peculiarities of this area, Michelangelo Buonarroti lived for a short period of his life right in Via Ghibellina. Time for the best ice cream in the world now, Vivoli! · Santo Spirito and San Frediano Workshops, goldsmiths, restorers and antiques shops make this two adjacent districts the area of the city in which still lives the old Florentine craftsmanship tradition. A visit to Church of Piazza Santo Spirito, Piazza del Cestello and to the Church of San Frediano in Cestello is in order. Walking through typical cobblestone small alleys named like the old jobs once exerted in the streets themselves (via dei Tessitori, via dei Cardatori, etc…) you can reach Piazza del Carmine. Don’t let the unfinished front side mislead you!

Inside the Church one of the greatest Renaissance masterpieces, the Cappella Brancacci, especially known for the astonishing fresco “Expulsion from the garden of Eden” painted by Masaccio. · Duomo and San Lorenzo San Lorenzo was one of the districts where the Medici family lived and where you can discover unbelievable beauties, strolling around the lanes maze. After the Duomo named Santa Maria del Fiore, the main city Cathedral, you can find the Cappelle Medicee, with their gorgeous marble and stone walls cladding and the first Medici palace, Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, at number one in via Larga (now via Cavour). If you are hungry, the best for a quick meal is the Mercato Centrale, that offers a wide food and drinks choice in a fine steel, glass and cast-iron Art Nouveau building.

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Piazzale Michelangelo Michelangelo Piazzale

· Sant’Ambrogio Lively, dynamic and always hot! The Sant’Ambrogio area usually surprises first time visitors. The main square, with the Sant’ambrogio Church, is one of the oldest in town and it is one of the locals favorite night-life places because of the plenty of clubs, bars, bistros and restaurants all around. A must-see is the Sant’Ambrogio covered Market where you can taste some of the traditional Tuscan products like “la Pattona”. This district is also home to the Synagogue and the Jewish Museum.

· San Niccolò It is not a district, not even a block, it is Via San Niccolò! In the Diladdarno is one of the oldest streets, and takes its name from San Nicola di Mira to whom the Church of San Niccolò Oltrarno is dedicated. The area is rich of notable historical buildings like the Palazzo del Rosso from the 17th century, the Palazzo Demidoff-Amici and the Palazzo GianniLucchesi-Vegni that shows on its facade a plaque to the memory of the Russian director Andrej Tarkovskij and his Florentine days. At number 99 Palazzo Stiozzi-Ridolfi, attributed to Baccio D’Agnolo, and at 107 the decorated front side of Palazzo Nasi-Quartesi with paintings from the 15th century.

· San Miniato al Monte and Piazzale Michelangelo The San Miniato al Monte Abbey is one of the most beautiful Romanesque Churches of Florence and is sacred to San Miniato, one of the first Florentine martyrs. Once you exit the Church, there you see it! The magnificence and the heart of Florence... Forte Belvedere, Santa Croce, the Arno, the Bridges...with the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, Bargello and the Badia Fiorentina bell tower standing out among the breathtaking panorama and, north-side, the smooth hills of Fiesole and Settignano. Piazzale Michelangelo can be reached from Viale Michelangelo, a lovely tree-lined avenue that climbs the hillside, or from the old stoop of the Rampe di San Niccolò.

info@readelitism.com www.readelitism.com Follow us Instagram: @elitismflorence Facebook: @elitismflorence readelitism.com

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Hear ye, hear ye!

Blue Man Group / 1 Marzo / Teatro Verdi

We will rock you / 22 23 24 Marzo / Teatro Verdi

A P R

Chicos Mambo / Tutu / 27 Marzo / Teatro Verdi

∙

I

R C H

L ∙ M

A

A

Y ∙ M

Giorgio Moroder / 18 Maggio / Nelson Mandela Forum

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Our Selection

03 / GUCCI

01 / AQUAFLOR

02 / FURLA

05 / SOTF 04 / ERMANNO SCERVINO

01/ AQUAFLOR | Flamboyant | € 140 | Via Borgo Santa Croce, 6 www.florenceparfum.com

04 / ERMANNO SCERVINO | Shopping bag + pochette| € 790 | Via degli Strozzi 32r www.ermannoscervino.com

02 / FURLA | Bella Bag | Retail Price: € 291.00 | Outlet Price: € 189.00 | mcarthurglen.it/barberino

05 / SOTF | Sneakers Nike Blazer Mid Rebel |€ 111 | Via de’ Tornabuoni, 17/r www.sotf.com

03 / GUCCI | Travel bag Gucci Courrier in GG Supreme | € 2980 | Via Dei Tornabuoni 73r www.gucci.com

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ph credits Silvia Maglione IG Silvia.maglione

Florence

There’s beauty all around you

I

f I had to describe the city of Florence and had only one adjective, I would use Superb.

Arriving in the city, if you’ve never been here, is like stepping into the Renaissance. The light, the buildings, the historical center, are still as they once were.

Cars pass near us, the tram runs right past us, but an undeniable slice of history walks constantly with us.

I could make an endless list of the beauties to visit and admire in the city. But I decided to write down those that are never described in any guide.

In the spring, the color of the sky in Florence goes from deep sky blue to sweet pink in the evening, as soon as the sun begins to set.

It’s still not too hot and cycling across the bridges is a beautiful experience. The streetlights go on and everything looks bathed in gold.

Buy a book in any bookshop. The city has some interesting and very well stocked ones. Let it be your souvenir. Read it in Santissima Annunziata, on the steps.

Chat with anyone. About the weather, about food. About why you’re there. Smile on the street. Someone will surely smile back.

Admire the landscape, always. Whether you’re at Piazzale Michelangelo or in a narrow street in San Niccolò. Florence will become your personal postcard.

Don’t take a lot of photos, but just enough. Look around you.

Make every possible image yours. It will be worth more, once you’re home.

Walk along Via Tornabuoni and feel beautiful.

At sunset, order a glass of wine. Go and sit in any piazza.

It’s as though the city were full of living rooms. The steps welcome kids, tourists, passers-by. They treasure secrets and promises.

Choose an ‘Osteria’, possibly small and intimate.

Get advice on what to eat. On which wine to pair with it and taste every dish. Try it, taste it.

At night, walk along the Arno River.

Listen to the river flow.

And the next morning, after a good breakfast, take another walk.

And if it rains, admire the colors of the Duomo. Which will remind you of why you came here.

Because you’re loving the city.

Because it will be one of the most beautiful things you’ve ever seen. Because you’ll probably come back again.

Because you’ll never forget it.

By Cristina Tedde

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AREZZO

History and Style: where time seems to stand still

F

orget about looking at your watch. Forget alarm clocks and appointments. Rethink your concept of time: welcome to Arezzo.

Here an hour has 90 minutes, the seconds are dilated, your breaths become longer and deeper and finally you want to enjoy life.

Perhaps lingering for a while to look at the valleys from the Medici Fortress that dominates the romantic historic center of town, steeped in traditions and culture. Or again, enjoying the astounding food and wine that will satisfy even the most sophisticated palates. Or exploring the unique nature of the countryside surrounding the city.

Arezzo’s cultural heritage is endless: just think that this town was established before Alexandria in Egypt.

Its crenellated towers are unmistakable, as is the outline of the Cathedral with its stained glass windows and unforgettable allencompassing Piazza Grande, where you can admire the Logge del Vasari or the Palazzo della Fraternità dei Laici.

In Arezzo, you will find Piero della Francesca›s frescoes in the Church of San Francesco and the Cathedral, the Crucifix by Cimabue in the Basilica of San Domenico and the polyptych by Lorenzetti in the Pieve or Parish Church; this is the city of the Roman amphitheater and Archaeological Museum but it is also the small town that reveals itself little by little, as you stroll along and look up at the houses to glimpse the vaulted ceilings and

beautiful paintings that make them unique.

Here, surrounded by an almost aristocratic Tuscanism, not found elsewhere, everything becomes possible. Also forgetting about time.

In Arezzo the visitor is more of a citizen than a tourist. And it›s a strange sensation, because you never have that feeling of being surrounded by tourists they way one usually does when thinking of Venice, Florence or Barcelona.

Arezzo›s strength lies in the way it opens up to guests immediately, involving them in its sophisticated and never excessive lifestyle.

It is no coincidence that this city is dedicated to great artistic craftsmanship: the Italian capital of the goldsmith›s art and important textile district, Arezzo also hosts the Antiquarian Fair, a famous open-air market exhibition that, for 50 years now, every first Sunday of the month and the previous Saturday, takes place in the heart of the historic center and offers an unmissable opportunity to buy precious and modern objects.

It is no coincidence that it’s so easy to move through the narrow streets that intersect with Corso Italia, the main luxury shopping street.

And it’s no coincidence that anyone who arrives at the end feels “at home.”

Relax and enjoy Arezzo. Here the hour has 90 minutes. There is all the time in the world…

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LET’S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER: JOHN MAYALL LIVE IN FLORENCE!

by Francesco Sani

“Ladies and Gentlemen, the legend, Jooohn John Mayaaalll!” The entertaining ritual for the onstage presentation of the “Godfather of British Blues” will be happening again on March 25 when the European tour of John Mayall comes to Florence’s OBI Hall (Via F. De André; Tickets €34.50 - €46.00; 9:30 pm). It will be a blues lesson with the best possible teacher in the classroom, an 80 year-old who taught half of London to play in the 1960s scene, bringing Chicago rhythm & blues to England. After a career lasting more than fifty years, beginning with him opening English concerts for the legendary John Lee Hooker in 1964, he is a worthy part of music history.

His band, the Bluesbreakers, was a hotbed of talent. Many of its musicians went on to become international guitarists: Eric Clapton, with an extraordinary solo career that needs no introduction, Mick Taylor, known for having played with the Rolling Stones on some of their classic records, and Peter Green who in 1967 founded Fleetwood Mac, another group that became a rock milestone.

After four albums, the band broke up in 1968, and John moved to Los Angeles, fascinated by the artistic ferment in the United States of the time. He was influenced by what American musicians were doing and his sound evolved, gradually incorporating elements of jazz, funk and pop music. In 1984, he and Mick Taylor revived Bluesbreakers, embarking on a long and successful world tour and then recording eleven studio albums. This continued until 2008 when the band broke up again, and this time definitively.

He celebrated his seventieth birthday in 2003 with a celebrity charity concert for UNICEF at the Kings Dock Arena in Liverpool, joined on stage by special guest Eric Clapton. It should be stressed that in the last ten years this incredible musician has entered Blues Hall of Fame, continues to perform live and be prolific, with five albums! The last one, “Nobody Told Me”, recorded at Studio 606 in California on the same legendary console used to produce many of the most important rock records in the fabulous 70s, was just released in February. So here is the opportunity to appreciate John Mayall playing it live with the same energy as always. At eighty-five years of age, the Lion of Macclesfield is still roaring!

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By Cinzia Azzerboni

Discovered by Carlo Ponti her mentor and husband of 40 years ,who changed Sophia ‘s life by all means.

Grazie Sophia!

With love and appreciation

Many years later Robert Altman asked them both to repeat the striptease scene in his movie Pret-a Porter, but as Sophia tells : “They wanted to do the striptease to re-create that moment.

But Marcello was much older … so instead of being excited, when I undress for him, he falls asleep. He’s snoring.”

Among many others prizes and rewards , in 1995 the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievements while in 1999 she was named by the American Film Institute as one of the 25 greatest female stars of Classic Hollywood Cinema.

She grew up in poverty, she was so skinny her nickname was “ Sofia Stuzzicadenti “ (toothpick), but then what a transformation in the beautiful, voluptuous and very sensual woman that all women admired and all men desired. Capable to mesmerize everybody with those amazing cat like eyes.

One for all “Ieri, oggi, domani” (1963) “Yesterday, today and tomorrowˮ the movie that won the Oscar for the Best Foreign Film in 1965. Unforgettable and in the annals of the international cinematografy Sophia Loren’s famous striptease. They performed this scene with such a rare and ironic elegance, that it soon became a cult scene known to most. Sophia was so amazingly sensual in her teddy and garters while she is peeling off her silk stockings in front of a Mastroianni enraptured in pure ecstasy and joy.

Impossible to try to pay a tribute to Sophia without mentioning her acting companion of almost 40 years, the wonderful Marcello Mastroianni. They were true friends in real life, sincerely loved each other as they were siblings, and one of the greatest couple in the history of the International movies. They were both very attractive, magnetic as only very few could be, and the magic between the two was so apparent that all their interpretations together were unforgettable major successes.

A love story hers with Carlo Ponti that lasted a lifetime and went against all the prejudices of the times, him being married, a sin in those days in Catholic Italy which caused grief and sorrow, but was a love much deeper, definitely enduring and stronger that anything else and won above anyone and anything. Also bigger than the passionate love affair Sophia Loren had with Cary Grant who wanted to marry her, but in the end she chose Ponti. Even though when Sophia and Cary Grant were back again together on the set of the movie “Houseboat” the sexual tension between them was still clearly obvious to all.

She started very young in 1950 when she was only 16 years old.

In her long career she received several awards, in 1962 already she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Vittorio De Sica’s “Two Women” (La Ciociara), the first actress to win an Oscar for a foreign-language performance. It was Cary Grant to call and tell her she won. She did not go to L.A., but stayed home with Carlo Ponti and Vittorio de Sica.

Sophia Loren is still today the same incredible timeless Icon, and there is not much which has not already been said about her. Or dreamed of !

She has it all : beauty,elegance, talent, intelligence, charm.

Vanity Fair Italy just recently described her as “the last living Star, an emotional and anti-social Diva”.

And among many other praises, appreciations and compliments, she is also considered to be the most famous walk in the history of movies. And in fact also art director and actor Roberto Benigni said of her and her walk: “It’s like watching all of Italy walking – there’s the Tower of Pisa, here’s the Pitti Palace, there’s the Uffizi … the gondolas of Venice”.

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote a song for her “Pass the wine (Sophia Loren)ˮ There is one and only Sophia Loren! Our Italian pride.

Style Icon SOPHIA LOREN

Ogni ragazza siede sulla sua fortuna e non lo sa (photo Angelo Palumbo)

MERI IACCHI Art & Connections

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- Art & Connections - Meri Iacchi -

This is so contemporary

by Serena Becagli

M

eri Iacchi was born in Pelago, in the province of Florence. She graduated from Art School and enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence.

She continued working in a workshop in the historic Via San Gallo in Florence, a very popular street with students, close to some universities and the Academy itself. Her workshop became a meeting place for artists and creatives.

Her attitude to relationships, also as a leader of citizens’action groups, became a strength in her artistic research.

The meeting with the artist Maria Lai (Ulassai, 1919 - Cardedu, 2013) was a great inspiration. Lai was one of the first artists to adopt practices defined as “relational aesthetics”. She met Maria Lai in Florence, during a set design workshop organized by the Tuscany Region. Meri then visited Maria Lai in her studio in Rome, and returned to Florence very inspired and with many catalogues that she still refers to.

In 2013, Meri Iacchi did two important projects within the Botanical Garden of Florence and the Primo Conti Foundation in Fiesole entitled “Connected and Playing”; two double solo shows with the artist Isabelle Cornière curated by Silvia Petronici, in which Meri Iacchi made a series of site-specific works that presupposed active involvement from the audience and other professionals and colleagues. It was no coincidence that the following year, still under the curatorship of Silvia Petronici, the artist did a similar work in the Botanical Garden of Palermo with the project “Connected#Palermo”. The references to plant neurobiology and landscape studies by Gilles Clément seemed to anticipate by four years the ideas that provided the basis for the 2018 Palermo edition of Manifesta, the nomadic biennial of contemporary European art, for which the same Botanical Garden was the main venue.

Worth remembering, in Florence, is the action “Qualcosa in libertà (Something in Freedom)”, created by Iacchi together with the artist Gioia Bernalotti and the citizens’ action group “Qualcosa da dire”, a collective that aims at reviving the historical Via San Gallo with a series of events and actions that often see the artist as leader or co-ordinator. In the case of “Qualcosa in libertà” the artists and association revived

La Canzone della Pace (photo/screen, Alessandra Cinquemani)

an unused workshop, for three months turning it into a place to create little boats in paper maché. Many citizens, residents of the neighborhood, curious people, friends and supporters of the project took turns in the workshop providing moments of exchange and conviviality. The project closed with a performance that saw the “liberation” of about 4000 little boats in the fountain of Piazza della Libertà.

In 2015, she carried out the action “Ogni ragazza siede sulla sua fortuna e non lo sa (Every girl sits on her fortune and doesn’t know it)”, in which a dowser searched for water reserves under Piazza Brunelleschi, the piazza in front of the entrance to the Faculty of Literature a few steps from the Duomo, reduced over the years to little more than car park. Garden gnomes were reproduced, accompanied by their Snow White, and sought a place among the parked cars. With this action, Iacchi proposed to give meaning to the piazza, and to defend it from a possible privatization: “Enhancing the public territory favors situations of confrontation and cohesion that are at the origin of critical thinking” (Francesca Biagini, curator of the project).

The relationship with the family and memory are present in most of Iacchi’s works. Often her family, but also acquaintances, become subjects and protagonists in her works. In these cases she could be defined as a “reactivator of memory” as happened with the collaboration and involvement of Signora Maria Monzecchi in various works. In the video “La Canzone della Pace (The Song of Peace)” the artist puts Signora Maria, descendant of a family of poets of ottava rima (the ottavina is a metric form typical of Tuscany, Lazio and Abruzzo derived from the ottava rima, and still used today in improvisational competitions), in front of a camera where she began to sing a poem written by her brothers and dedicated to the end of the Second World War. The artist ensures that not only Maria but also her family, according to precise directions, also sing, reactivating a tradition that is now disappearing and that the younger generations know little about.

For the summer of 2019, the Florentine artist is preparing a residency project in Palmi, Calabria, for a work that will refer to the Procession of Spinati in honor of San Rocco and the Varia festival held in this southern Italian town every four years.

Tutti giù per terra (photo Meri Iacchi) readelitism.com

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ONLY IN FLORENCE

NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD

A

nd when the bells of the Campanile di Giotto, the Giotto’s bell tower, ring out in Florence…what an experience! The sky seems bluer, the air feels crispier and the feeling and the emotion lift your hearth with joy.

In Florence every year on Easter Sunday takes place a very special and absolutely unique event, called “The scoppio del Carroˮ, which means “the Explosion of the Cart”.

The main characters of this celebration are: a particular cart called “Il Brindellone” meaning “the clumsy” and the “Colombina” which is a rocket, shaped as a white dove.

“Il Brindellone” is an antique cart, almost 400 years old, built in 1622 and which sees the light of the day only once a year on Easter Sunday, when it moves from where it is jealously kept to Piazza del Duomo, to arrive and stand in front of the Church of Santa Maria del Fiore. The Cart is extremely high, over 9 meters, approx 30-foot-tall. Pulled by white oxen festooned with garlands, the cart is escorted by people dressed in historical costumes together with musicians and flag throwers.

This is the Florentine way to celebrate this religious holiday in a ceremony that repeats the same unchanged celebration since the end of the 15th century. A folk tradition, which stands in between history and legende, both laic and religious.

It was 1099 at the time of the First Crusade in the Holy Land when a young Florentine named Pazzino, from the noble Pazzi family, one of the most powerful families in town, stood out in bravery, the first to scale the walls of Jerusalem to raise the Christian banner. For his courage he was given three flints from the Holy Sepulchre, which he brought back home with him. This reliquary is still today preserved in Florence in the Church of Santissimi Apostoli.

And this is what happens on Easter morning at about 10am.

Inside the Church of Santissimi Apostoli, a priest rubs the Pazzino’s three flints together to start the fire to light the Easter candle which is used to light some coals stored in a container on the cart. Then in procession this holy fire is carried and delivered to the Archbishop of Florence in the Duomo where he celebrates the Easter Mass.

Meanwhile in front of the Duomo, between the Cathedral and the Baptistery, the cart is loaded with fireworks and it is connected through a wire to the inside of the church.

At about 11 am as soon as “Gloria” starts being sung inside the church.

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The Archbishop uses the fire to light the “Colombina” the rocket which symbolizes the Holy Spirit, which flies out down the wire to hit and ingnite the cart and start the spectacular fireworks that last about 20 minutes and goes back to the inside of the church to the high altar. Only if this ritual goes well and it is completed back and forth, there will be good harvest and good business and good luck is ensured to the city and to the citizens.

In 1966 it did not go well and in Florence that same year we had the devastating flood…never underestimate a tradition perpetuated for centuries and centuries.

By Cinzia Azzerboni

This is the Florentine way to celebrate this religious holiday in a ceremony that repeats the same unchanged celebration since the end of the 15th century.

The scoppio del Carro

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COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE PLUMCAKE

SERVES

4

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE 150 g of classic Solidal coffee 250 g of wholemeal flour 100 g of whole cane Solidal sugar 1 sachet (1 TBSP) of baking powder 3 eggs 100 g of extra dark Solidal chocolate 1 teaspoon of soluble Coop coffee powder 1 vanilla pod 150 g of white “0” flour 125 g butter

METHOD

OVEN

MINUTES

60

DIFFICULTY

5/10

Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise with a small knife and extract the seeds. In a bowl, mix the two kinds of flour with baking powder, soluble coffee, and vanilla seeds.

In another bowl, work the butter - previously softened at room temperature into a cream with the sugar. Add the egg yolks and mix.

Pour the coffee into the bowl with the flour. Add the egg and sugar mixture and mix everything together.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and gently add to the mixture by blending them from the bottom up with a spatula so that they don’t lose their fluffiness. Stir in, still gently mixing, 80 g of chocolate.

Pour the mixture into a 28 cm cake mold lined with baking parchment.

Sprinkle the surface with the chocolate flakes. Bake at 180° C for about 45 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

Box Ideal for breakfast, this sweet can be served, using a little trick, as an afterdinner dessert as well. Just pour a delicate vanilla cream over it. Pour 250 ml of fresh liquid cream and 75 ml of whole milk into a saucepan, add the vanilla seeds and bring to a boil over a low heat. Separately in a bowl, mix 4 egg yolks with 75 g of sugar until frothy. Pour the milk into the egg yolk mixture and put back on the heat until the cream thickens.

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Agenda: For information and to buy tickets: Box Office

www.boxofficetoscana.it - info@boxofficetoscana.it

MARCH FIRENZE FANTASY From Friday 15 until Sunday 17 Firenze - Fortezza da Basso ELISA Monday 18 @ 20:45 Firenze - Teatro Verdi IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA From Tuesday 19 until Thursday 28 Firenze - Teatro del Maggio musicale fiorentino JOHN MAYALL Monday 25 @ 21:00 Firenze - TuscanyHall PFM CANTA DE ANDRÉ ANNIVERSARY Thursday 28 @ 21:00 Firenze – TuscanyHall

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BLUE MAN GROUP From Thursday 28 until Sunday 31 @ 20:45 + 16:45 Firenze - Nelson Mandela Forum LA DIVINA COMMEDIA From Saturday 30 until Sunday 31 @ 20:45 + 16:45 Firenze - Teatro Verdi

APRIL MARTHA ARGERICH/CUARTETO QUIROGA Friday 12 @ 20:00 Firenze - Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino STEFANO BOLLANI PER IL MEYER Monday 29 @ 20:00 Firenze - Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

MAY CAVEMAN Saturday 11 @ 20:45 Firenze - Teatro Puccini MORODER Saturday 18 @ 21:00 Firenze - Nelson Mandela Forum ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO From Thursday 16 until Sunday 19 Firenze - Giardino Corsini ZUBIN MEHTA From Sunday 26 until Thursday 30 @ 20:00 Firenze - Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

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NEARBY

Discovering Monte Amiata In the province of Siena wonderful trails, rocks, rivers and much more!

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T A

he mother mountain The gentle majestic outline of Mount Amiata tells of a Tuscany yet to be explored. What today is one of the lushest and greenest landscapes in the world, was born on the slopes of an active volcano barely 400 thousand years ago.

Mount Amiata, a mountain born from fire, and already considered sacred by the Etruscans who first lived there, today is still a mother who nurtures the soul of her children.

An emotional journey winds through beech and chestnut trees, revealing small villages, still on a human scale, inviting you to forget the hustle and bustle, to savor the pleasant flow of time and discover a lifestyle where authenticity is the only watchword.

Art, nature, food and wine, from Abbadia San Salvatore to Arcidosso, Castel del Piano, Castell’Azzara, Piancastagnaio, Roccalbegna, Santa Fiora and Seggiano, each town has a story to tell, a typical dish to taste, a tradition to share. bbadia San Salvatore Abbadia San Salvatore has a very ancient history. This village was established near the homonymous monastery, a center of power in the feudal era. Legend has it that the abbey was founded in the eighth century at the behest of the Lombard king Rachis. This is where the famous Amiatina Bible comes from (or Amiatino I Codex), the most ancient and complete testimonial to the Bible in its Latin version. The historic center characterized by piazzas and tiny streets suffered various fates until Abbadia was reborn with the opening of the cinnabar “mines” at the beginning of the 20th century. The extraordinary multimedia museum constructed within the old mine recounts this story today. Feasts, rituals, and traditions characterize a schedule full of unique events: Abbadia San Salvatore is in fact “La Città delle Fiaccole”, city of torches, with an ancient fire festival that has been handed down over the centuries. Many other events are also dedicated to the mountain’s volcanic origins, allowing the inhabitants of this village to call themselves the “children of fire”. This village to be explored is also the privileged gateway to the summit of the mountain with its nature trails running through one of the largest beech forests in Europe.

A

rcidosso An evocative fortress set into the western slopes of Mount Amiata: Arcidosso still surprises its visitors today. The imposing Aldobrandesca Tower (dating back to the 11th century) dominates the medieval village with its churches and winding characteristic streets leading to the Castle. History here has always been intertwined with art and culture in an atmosphere that embraces the visitor, and guarantees a stay in a timeless setting, inviting spirituality.

This is the home of David Lazzaretti, the “prophet of Amiata”, the soul of a religious movement with a social background, which marked the end of the nineteenth century. A walk to Monte Labbro, a place of preaching steeped in mysticism is highly recommended. From here you can enjoy a breathtaking view that takes in the Maremma and the sea. Don’t miss a visit to the Museum of Medieval Landscape housed in the imposing beautiful Aldobrandesco Castle. It recounts the life and evolution of the Amiata landscape. readelitism.com

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WE ARE A SUSTAINABLE CITY, WE TAKE CARE OF: INCREASE TAP WATER CONSUMPTION

Play Play with the App! You can wincan the win Florence Urban Water withWaste the Waste App! You the Florence Urban Water flas flask and pick it up at the tourist infopoints. Search with the APP the you can fill them up. You can also get the Urban Waste Florence map at t fountains,where you can fill them up. You can also get the Urban Waste Florence map at the tourist infopoints.

Project realized by Regione Toscana

nfo points. Search withProject the APP the fountains,where realized by Regione Toscana in collaboration with Publiacqua Spa.

sk and pick it up at the tourist info points. Search with the APP the fountains,where qua Spa. the tourist infopoints

a in collaboration with Publiacqua Spa.

F L O R E N C E

See it, snap it, share it.

There’s something magical around every corner.

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See you next time in Florence.

We can’t wait to welcome you again. www.readelitism.com