Florence News & Events Sept.13

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Dan Brown’s Inferno fuels attacks on Florentines

Botticelli travels to Israel

Mr

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A survival guide for newbies

Day-trippin’, Florence-style

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September 2013 Supplement No.1 to www.theitaliannewspaper.com

What price, culture?

Debate rages over private hire of public sites Lucy David & Lara May Florence has become a site of controversy in recent months as debate rages over the private hire of public space. This has provoked consternation among locals, who feel that the Florentine authorities are becoming far too willing to use the city’s historical sites and famous monuments as sources of profit, to the detriment of

the public.

In June the Ponte Vecchio was closed to the public for six hours on a Saturday to accommodate a Ferrari cavalcade for top Ferrari clients, to the infuriation of the public and local traders. Locals and tourists complained that there had been no forewarning of the closure, which lasted from 5 p.m. till 11 p.m, and closed the bridge to all but Ferrari guests, which also in-

cluded Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo.

The Italian press lambasted Florentine mayor Matteo Renzi for elitism and the cost of the private hire that was pocketed by the Commune.

According to La Nazione, this fee amounted to €120,000, a fact that also drew public criticism from Renzi’s political opponent Beppe Grillo.

La Nazione quoted CasaPound’s comparison of

Mayor Renzi’s actions to the behaviour of the sixteenth-century Medici, in treating public works “as though they were his own”.

Compounding the issue is the fact that the act granting permission for the use of public land was dated two days after the event took place.

According to Italian press reports, the historic bridge was closed to accommodate the Ferrari cavalcade on Saturday, June 29, but the docu-

ment permitting this occurrence was dated two days later, on Monday, July 1.

Opponents of Mayor Renzi’s council, Tommaso Grassi and Ornella De Zordo, noted the disparity, questioning how the grant could be enforced the day after it had occurred, and also pointed out a stipulation in the document that 3.5 meters should have been left free on the bridge.

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Florence hosts cycling championship

Corri la vita marathon coming soon

Bicycle Film Festival Sept 26-29

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

FLORENCE NEWS A GUIDE TO THE CITY Florence News & Events is the monthly supplement to www.theitaliannewspaper.com Florence News & Events is distributed throughout Florence in all key reference points for the English-speaking community, including hotels and hostels, universities and language schools, libraries, tourist information points, restaurants and cafes.

What price, culture?

Debate rages over private hire of public sites

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: LORENZO PICCHI EDITOR: LUCY DAVID GRAPHIC & WEB DESIGN: NAZ KANGAL THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS: AMBER BROWN, misty evans, SARAH HUMPHREYS, LEE FOUST, FRANCESCA LYNAGH, LARA MAY, ANDREW SHEPARD, JAMES TAYLOR Publisher: IAF Print: Nuova Cesat SRL Via B. Buozzi 21, 50145, Firenze Registered at the Tribunale di Firenze No. 5801, 3/11/2010

Intern With Us Florence News & Events is currently seeking outgoing and motivated candidates for its internship program. Interns will be exposed to all facets of weekly production, including news writing, photography, layout, advertising, public relations, circulation and graphic arts. Students currently studying art history, communications, journalism, marketing, advertising, public relations or graphic design are encouraged to apply.

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allowed theexecution of restoration work”, but it has also “brought the public sector closer to this cultural site”.

This news promptly added fuel to the furore, particularly In contrast, Nove da Firenze reports that new legislation by for disgruntled traders, however the councillor for economic the Renzi administration concerning outdoor premises on development, Sara Biagiotti, maintains that the city acted in public land in the city center has caused protest among busiaccordance with all regulations, as the document in question ness owners, who feel that the legislation fails to measure was merely a formality and that when the event took place up in practice. permission had already been granted.

Business owners state that, despite designing outdoor terSimilarly, the Uffizi Gallery has recently “Compounding the issue is races in line with the municipal regulabeen criticized for elitism as rumors circutions in force, their proposals have been the fact that the act granting rejected. Adding insult to injury is the late that a hefty tariff is being charged for permission for the use of public fact that the unwieldy outdoor structures its use as a dining venue.

Antonio Godoli, director of the Depart- land was dated two days after of Piazza della Repubblica have historithe event took place.” ment of Museum Architecture at the Uffizi cally pushed building guidelines but have Gallery and director of the Museum of Ornow become part of the fabric of the city. sanmichele, spoke on the issue of the so-called ‘tariff’ for Despite the fact that former city councillor Dario Nardella the occasional concessions of museum spaces of the Polo created a unique design for city terraces in order to appease Fiorentino to private individuals. business owners who rely on the tourist market and harmoGodoli dismissed rumors that the so-called ‘Red Rooms’ of nize with the city’s aesthetics, bureaucratic wrangling conthe Uffizi were available for hire as dining venues but assert- tinues. ed that renting out private museum space was permitted by Although Florence’s Renaissance wealth was built on merlaw, and a common practice among museums worldwide. cantile success, the commercialisation of this historic city In reference to Orsanmichele, Godoli described the prac- remains a delicate subject. Everyone wants a front-row seat tise as having had “a positive effect, not only because it has – though at what cost remains to be seen. continued FROM page. 1

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

FLORENCE NEWS

Record crowds set to repeat at Forte Belvedere

Botticelli travels to Israel Philippa Norton This September a masterwork by one of Italy’s finest Renaissance artists will be traveling from its native Florence all the way to Jerusalem.

The Annunciation by Sandro Botticelli (1445– 1510) will be unveiled at the Israel Museum on September 17 and stay on show there for several months. Its voyage is the result of a collaboration between the Florentine Superintendence and the Italy-Israel Foundation for Culture and Art. The work, dated to 1481, is a large-scale mural painting measuring 243 by 555 centimeters. It once resided under a loggia in the old San Mar-

tino alla Scala Hospital close to the church of Santa Maria Novella. The painting was damaged in 1624 after architectural changes to the hospital, and was eventually removed in 1920 using the strappo technique, preserving the superficial paint layer of the work. It was then transferred to the Uffizi and later restored.

The foundation’s general director, Simonetta della Seta, reports that both Italian Culture Minister Massimo Bray and his Israeli counterpart Limor Livnat will be present at the September 17 inauguration.

Also attending will be Superintendent of Florence Museums Cristina Acidini, who will present an interpretation of the painting during the ceremony.

Medici ivories on show The ivory treasures of the Medici family have been placed on show. The galleries of Palazzo Pitti are hosting more than 150 works until November 3, in an exhibition entitled Diaphanous Passions.

The man who started the collection was Ferdinando I de’ Medici (1549–1609), who began one of Europe’s most spectacular art collections, adding several hundred works to it until the end of the dynasty.

In terms of quantity, quality and importance from an artistic viewpoint, the Medici collection reached levels matched only by the collection of the Imperial Court in Venice, and the principalities of Dresden and Monaco. Various objects and themes are represented, from cups to scenes of mythological origins, saints,

portraits of princesses to tapered towers – all carved from pure white ivory.

The works were made at different times, spanning the Ivorian art tradition of the fifteenth century, from when it first captured the attention of Lorenzo the Magnificent to the Baroque, where works from the most famous Flemish and Dutch sculptors of the era are represented. The exhibition also include works by renowned ivory carvers Leonhard Kern, Francois Duquesnoy and Georg Petel, who practised their art in Italy.The exhibition, devised and created by Eike D. Schmidt and directed by Maria Sframeli, is supported by the Minister for Cultural Good and Activities and the corporate business Cassa di Risparmio de Firenze.

Free admission to Zhang Huan’s ‘Soul and Matter’ in September Lara May Fans of Zhang Huan’s Soul and Matter exhibition at Fort Belvedere can enjoy a second chance to browse his works free of charge, with free admission open to visitors on September 8 and 13.

The exhibition has already proved so popular that Fort Belvedere saw a record number of visitors on July 15, when more than 2300 visitors flocked to the site to take advantage the Lotto-promoted initiative for the first time.

Zhang Huan is one of the most thought-provoking players in the international contemporary art world, and his work has provided a stimulus for the reopening of the Medici fort to the public.

The Chinese artist was influenced by the Renaissance works he encountered in Florence, and as such Soul and Matter is a fascinating collection of sculptures, where the Renaissance meets the Orient.

A €5 Forte Card allows entrance to the fort for the period of the exhibition, from which visitors can enjoy spectacular views over Florence, and Zhang Huan’s works can also be found closer to the centre at Palazzo Vecchio.

Tickets cost €5 at Fort Belvedere, €10 at Palazzo Vecchio, and a combined entrance to both sites costs €14.

Art and culture lovers should make the most of this unique opportunity to see not just some stunning artwork, but also to view the amazing historic fort of the Medici.

Soul and Matter

Until October 13 Open every day except Thursday

Palazzo Vecchio:

September: 9 a.m.–midnight October: 9 a.m.–7 p.m.

Admission: €10 €14

Fort Belvedere:

September: 10 a.m.–8 p.m.

October: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Admission: €5 Forte Card: €5 (includes entrance to Fort Belvedere) Combined ticket with Palazzo Vecchio: €14

Death of Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney Boccaccio literary mourned on eve of Florentine seminars prizewinners announced Nicola Ciprotti and Lucy David Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney has died in Dublin at the age of 74. Widely hailed as the greatest Irish poet since Yeats, Heaney’s death on August 30 is being mourned in literature circles around the world.

His death has come as a particular blow to literature lovers in Florence, where Heaney was due to attend seminars and readings in October that included his translations of Dante’s Divine Comedy. Event organiser Semicerchio is trans-

forming the event to commemorate the great poet instead.

Heaney broke ground both as a poet and translator, with a style described by Malcolm Jones in Newsweek as “muscular language so rich with the tones and smell of earth that you almost expect to find a few crumbs of dirt clinging to his lines”. His revolutionary translation of Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf in 2000 drew widespread praise for breathing life into what had previously been considered a dense and inaccessible work.

Known as a versatile author, with work comprising poetry, translation and playwriting, Heaney was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995 and held prestigious academic appointments, including the chair of poetry at Oxford University and poet-in-residence at Harvard University.

Heaney was born in Northern Ireland and, though not personally involved in Irish independence movements, wrote extensively on the Troubles and proudly identified himself as Irish.

Awards ceremony takes place on September 14 The writer Aldo Busi has won the 32nd edition of the Boccaccio Literary Prize, ‘Premio Letterario Giovanni Boccaccio’, which this year celebrates the 700th anniversary of the birth of the great Tuscan writer.

The panel of judges, led by Sergio Zavoli, announced its unanimity for the winner in the section dedicated to Italian literature, agreeing that the stories of Boccaccio’s Decameron had, in fact, found new life in Busi’s work, which conserves the quick rhythm of the original but in a language that is modern, agile and accessible to all.

In the section dedicated to international literature, the prize went to the Irish writer Catherine Dunne for her work entitled The Things We Now Know, a story in which the author explores the excruciating loss of a child to suicide.

The prize dedicated to journalism went to Massimo Franco, the distinguished writer from Corriere della Sera, for his work on the crisis in the Vatican.

The prestigious panel included Sergio Zavoli, Leone Piccioni, Marta Morazzoni, Gabriele Canè, Paolo Ermini and Luigi Testaferrata, who are this year joined by Margaret Mazzantini, winner of the 2004 prize, and respected journalist Stefano Folli.

The awards ceremony takes place on September 14 at the Palazzo Pretorio in Certaldo Alto.

Tuscany celebrates 700th anniversary of Boccaccio See Events page for a full listing of historical re-enactments, literature readings and prizegivings, competitions, exhibitions, concerts and cultural conferences taking place to celebrate the anniversary of this great Tuscan writer.

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

FLORENCE NEWS

Dan Brown’s Inferno launch fuels verbal Knox absence confirmed at new trial in Florence attack on Florentines

The French newspaper, Le Figaro took the opportunity presented by the launch of Dan Brown’s new bestseller to launch an attack at Florence and its inhabitants.

According to La Nazione, the paper announced that, “in Florence, the dealers are crooks and rude, the museum staff are arrogant and the

queues are appalling.” The piece features interviews from museum directors, such as Beatrice Paolozzi Strozzi, director of the Bargello, and Timothy Verdon, director of the Museo dell’Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, embellished with reviews and harsh criticism relating to museum experiences.

For example, it reports that a VIP tour at the Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor costs “$131 per person, 373 per group of up to eight”, and characterizes tour guides as cunning individuals selling ‘Brownian paths’, often in places not open to the public.

Interestingly, though, Le Figaro seems to be an anomaly, since Florence is generally perceived well internationally. Indeed, The New York Times highlights the “gems of the coast, full of secrets, with small towns on the hill, as Populonia, Bolgheri, Talamone, Capalbio and Castiglione della Pescaia.”

Similarly, the Spanish press is generous with its praise of Florence, with La Vanguardia describing the city as “the cradle of the Renaissance and a great attraction for lovers of history, art, and wine and fashion”.Dan Brown’s book, which is set in Florence, certainly presents a marketing opportunity for Florentines. According to Eric Biétry-Rivierre, author of the piece in Le Figaro, “the promotional opportunities presented by Brown’s Inferno could be the solution to the decline of tourism in Florence”, judging by the effect that The Da Vinci Code had on the cities of Paris and Rome. With nine million copies already sold, Inferno is likely to be a great asset to the Tuscan capital, to the detriment of rival cities such as Siena, Pisa and Arezzo.

Pistoia dubbed ‘green capital of Europe’ with inauguration of park The inauguration of Europe’s first nursery park at Pistoia has earned the city the title of ‘green capital of Europe’. The 10-hectare site, a blend of botanical gardens and specimen plants, was welcomed with great excitement by botanical professionals and nature-loving members of the general public at its inauguration in June, and was visited by a staggering 10,000 people in its first four days.

Intended to mark a milestone in the development of nursery activity at an international level, Pistoia Nursery Park is pioneering a new mode of land management devoted to creating a new awareness of nature among future generations.

The park can accommodate more than 1000 specimen plants and contains in excess of 100 different specimen trees in a variety of species, colors and heights, which change constantly

Amanda Knox has recently confirmed that she will not return to Italy for the retrial of her case, which is set to take place on September 30 at the Florence appeals court.

Knox and Raffaele Sollecito, her Italian boyfriend were convicted in 2009 of killing British student Meredith Kercher in November 2007 but acquitted by an appeals court in Perugia, where the killing occurred.

However, Italy’s Supreme Court returned the case to the appeals court in March. The Su-

preme Court criticized the lower court for “deficiencies, contradictions and illogical” conclusions in freeing Knox and Sollecito, and urged the Florentine appeals court to consider all the evidence to determine if they helped kill Meredith Kercher, who was found with her throat cut in her bedroom of the house that she shared with Knox in Perugia.

Knox, who has always claimed innocence, returned to her hometown of Seattle after her 2011 acquittal.

GE invests in Tuscany General Electric Electric Oil & Gas, Nuovo Pignone has decided to invest a staggering €140 million over the next five years in the development of gas turbines for the next generation, of which €105 million is to be used solely for the region of Tuscany.

Local newspaper Nove da Firenze reported the news, which was announced by the president of Nuovo Pignone, Massimo Messeri, during a press conference held with the president of the Tuscan region, Enrico Rossi, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the development of the laboratory of experimental tests. “It’s a decision”, said Rossi, “which will have an immediate and significant impact. The commitment of Nuovo Pignone is one of the largest investments in the energy sector in recent years in Tuscany, where a major objective is the development of increasingly sophisticated technologies with impact on the

workings of production and employment.”

Nuovo Pignone’s €105 million investment confirms its commitment to its goal of expansion in the Tuscan region, where it has already achieved great success. GE Nuovo Pignone has grown in Tuscany from 3953 employees in 2009 to 4654 last year, an increase of 17.7 percent, compared with a national rate of 10 percent. What is more, in 2012, Nuovo Pignone’s turnover increased by 16 percent when compared with 2011, thanks to the fact that GE and Nuovo Pignone invest each year from €120 to 130 million in Tuscany.

Thirty engineers have already been recruited for the new project, and GE plans to recruit a further 70 by 2017. The second part of the project involves the construction of production lines in Tuscany. This could result in another 100 direct jobs, and the employment of a further 500 involved in the construction by 2017.

with the seasons.

The park combines botanical expertise with creativity and design, including a state-of-theart lighting system and custom-made artworks, which this September includes the addition of Claudio Parmiggiani’s 15-meter Carrara marble sculpture, The Hands that Hold the Hours.

The project collaboration with Vannucci Piante, whose presence in this sector dates back to 1938, the park demonstrates the awareness and importance of plants as a fundamental part of the ecosystem and human life.

Vannino Vannucci commented, “For some time we have felt the need to respond to all those who expressed their wish to see the plants placed harmoniously and naturally, not constrained by the strict geometry of a nursery.

The park will open new roads and stimulate fresh projects and ideas.”

Indeed, Undersecretary for Agriculture and Forestry Giuseppe Castiglione said that he will work on “a planning document that devotes particular attention to the nursery industry, a sector that may seem niche, but that has provided Europe with a turnover of €20 billion and is for the country and for this district not only a showpiece, but also a great opportunity for development”.

The park will be open to customers of Vannucci Piante but also, on request, to all lovers of plants and botany, not just professionals.

It is in keeping with this spirit that the park has been able to attract attention and interest, indicating a willingness to try new groundbreaking techniques, and stimulating projects and further research in the industry.

www.pistoianurserypark.it/en/

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Your Trippa Kiosk in San Lorenzo

THE BAR YOUR MOM WARNED YOU ABOUT

Top-ranked Restaurant by Trip Advisor

For more than 80 years, L’Antico Trippaio has provided sustenance for both Florentines and tourists. Located in Piazza dei Cimatori, this outdoor cart is the ideal spot to enjoy a traditional and affordable lunch or snack.

L’Antico Trippaio offers such Florentine favourites as the renowned lampredotto (cow stomach lining cooked in broth and served on bread with dressing), tripe, sandwiches made of pork carved straight off the bone, salami, and wild boar sausages made fresh daily, accompanied by a glass of Chianti.

Just steps from the Duomo, the quality and convenience of its products ensures that L’Antico Trippaio is one of the most frequented lunch spots in the historic city center.

The newly reopened Jack is ready to rock ‘n’ roll! Come by for lunch or dinner and try the revamped menu featuring traditional Italian food and American staples. Enjoy live music, DJ sets and the costume parties that Jack has become famous for, as well as two HD screens showcasing special sporting events. If all that Italian espresso just isn’t hitting the mark, drop by One-Eyed Jack’s to enjoy American coffee with a free refill between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Free wifi is also available.

One of TripAdvisor’s top-ranked Florentine restaurants, Antica Osteria 1 Rosso serves up fresh Tuscan dishes at very reasonable prices, with special lunch offers and discounts to foreign students. Enjoy an assortment of Tuscan cold cuts, fresh hand-made pasta, wild boar ragu, a variety of grilled meats, including Florentine-style specialties, and home-made desserts accompanied by house-made Chianti.

Piazza dei Cimatori 339 74 25 692 www.anticotrippaio.com

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

FLORENCE NEWS

Nibali eyes historic double

Corri la Vita marathon takes place on Oct. 13 LARA MAY

Florence hosts UCI Road World Championships from Sept. 22 James Taylor The winner of this year’s Giro d’Italia, Vincenzo Nibali, believes that he has the ability to mark a historic double in his native land with the UCI Road World Championships, which take place in Tuscany this month. The cyclist, who will prepare for the races by competing in the Vuelta de España with his team Astana, believes that the gruelling nature of the course will work in his favor.

Somewhat surprisingly, it is the first time that the championships will take place in Florence, one of the heartlands of Italy’s passion for the sport. The courses of championships past have historically varied to a great extent, however the rolling hills of Tuscany will ensure a stunning yet physically demanding backdrop in which the world’s elite compete for the prestigious rainbow jersey.

The first races of the week, the men’s and women’s team time trials, take place on Sunday, September 22 from Montecatini and Pistoia respectively. From there the men cycle 57.20 kilometers and the women 42.79 kilometers before finishing in Florence at Nelson Mandela Forum.

September 23 sees the commencement of the individual time trials, which last from Monday

until Wednesday. Thursday offers competitors a brief respite and then it’s game on with road races from Friday until Sunday, which culminate in the Elite Women’s 140.05-kilometer race from Montecatini to Florence on September 28; and the Elite Men’s gruelling 272.26-kilometer route from Lucca to Florence on September 29.

It is likely to be the harsh climbs that will be the decisive factor in the race; competitors will have to confront a 4.3-kilometer climb, passing the historic town of Fiesole, in addition to the smaller and yet more intense climb of the infamous Via Salvati, which has an incline of 16 percent. In total the competitors in the Elite Men’s race will have to climb more than 3000 meters, making the course the toughest in terms of ascent since the 2003 championships in Hamilton, Canada, which featured a similar to course to the present one.

The final race of the week, the Elite Men’s competition – to many the showcase piece – includes almost 59 kilometers uphill. Nibali believes that this will be to his benefit, however he will face stiff competition from Team Sky’s Rigoberto Urán and Richie Porte, not to mention the newly crowned winner of the Tour de France, Chris Froome.

Froome is looking to compile a rather garish wardrobe by adding the rainbow jersey to his

As the heat of summer retreats for another year, September’s cool mornings are ideal to start getting into shape for two of Florence’s most popular fall events: Corri la Vita (Run for Life) fun run on October 13 and the renowned Florence Marathon on November 24.

Corri la Vita is a charity event supporting public health facilities that specialize in the fight against breast cancer. Organized in collaboration with L.I.L.T. Florence (Italian Cancer Society, Florence branch), the event has raised €2.5 million and involved 137,000 participants n its previous 10 editions.

The route capitalizes on the sights and sounds of Florence, beginning in the Piazza del Duomo, and ending in the Piazza della Signoria.

Participants can enjoy the five-kilometer walk or the more challenging 13-kilometer run. For a minimum €10 donation, participants receive the official Corri la Vita t-shirt designed by Salvatore Ferragamo.

If you’d rather break the pain barrier than merely break a sweat, the 43-kilometer Florence Marathon takes place on November 24. This has grown to become the second-largest marathon in Italy after Rome, and is among the 20

Corri la Vita

October 13, 9:30 a.m.

Piazza del Duomo 055 57 69 39 www.corrilavita.it - info@corrilavita.it Registration open from Sept 2–Oct 13 (until 9:30 a.m.)

radiant yellow jersey that marked his victory this year at cycling’s most prestigious race. He recently spent time in Fiesole to get a feel for the course, in the hope of becoming the first man to achieve the historic double since Greg LeMond in 1989.

In any case, the first man across the line will write himself into cycling folklore, the stunning scenes of Florence poignantly countering the gruelling physical strain the competitors must put themselves through. Past winners include such fabled names as Merckx and Cipollini, not to mention the infamous Armstrong.

In the shadow of the recent doping scandals surrounding the sport, most notably in the case of Armstrong but with other prominent cases still ongoing, it is rather intriguing that the mascot of the championships will be Pinocchio. Ostensibly a nod to the creation of the Florentine writer, Carlo Collodi, the mascot carries undertones of the lingering question marks over the sport. Those who most support it can only hope that the eventual winner will not have to cover a growing nose in the aftermath of victory.

For information on the UCI Road World Championships, see: www.toscana2013.it

SO F T D R I N K RO CCO

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MIXOLOGY MEETS MUSIC NEAR THE DUOMO

Whether you want an iced coffee or a bottle of wine, a beer and crisps or a refreshing soda, Soft Drink Rocco has got you covered. It has everything that you could need on a moment’s notice, selling a wide variety of alcohol, soft drinks and foodstuffs. Snugly settled on Via de’ Neri, if you find yourself in the Santa Croce area and in need of a cold drink on a hot day, or anything for that little gathering of friends you’re having, give them a visit.

Located in Via Ghibellina near Santa Croce, Da Que’ Ganzi offers a fresh seafood and meat menu for both lunch and dinner. Tuscan specialties include ribollita and authentic Florentine steak, and all of the cakes and sweets are homemade. A special weekday lunch menu for less than €10 makes the restaurant affordable for anyone.

Mayday Club is where mixology meets music: an artisan hub where notes of all sorts are selected, blended and enjoyed by tastebuds and ears alike. Ingredients are sourced organically and handcrafted to produce unique and surprising beverages, while beer is made from local barley and wheat and served unfiltered and unpasteurized. The bar frequently hosts art exhibitions, live music and poetry nights. Listed on worldsbestbars.com, it was sought out by award-winning barman Victor Delpierre from the Paris Ritz.

Via de’ Neri, 16/r Santa Croce 389 02 50 515 roccosal@hotmail.it

most important marathons in the world.

This year marks the marathon’s 30th birthday, and is set to attract more runners than ever to its 2012 swag of 10,500 participants. This particularly beautiful course, which takes in centuries of art, history and culture enroute, attracts thousands professional and amateur running enthusiasts from all corners of the globe.

The race passes Florence’s most famous landmarks, including Piazza della Signoria, the Ponte Vecchio and Piazza Santa Croce, but it also takes in stunning views of the Tuscan hills and countryside. Indeed, the outstanding beauty of the course makes the Florence Marathon truly unique. Registration currently costs €50 until September 30, and increases each month thereafter.

Opening hours: Mon. to Sun.: 12–2:30 p.m. & 7:30–11:30 p.m.

Closed on Tuesdays.

Via Ghibellina, 70/r 055 22 60 010 www.daqueiganzi.it info@daqueiganzi.it

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

NEWS

Florentine lily reaches stratospheric heights

News review

Four innovative young men from Antella, in the province of Florence, have launched the Florentine lily to a height of 32,000 meters after a successful attempt at stratospheric photography.

Lorenzo Biffoli, Alessio Pampaloni, Tommaso Ristori and Lorenzo Maddii Fabiani worked for six months collecting the necessary materials and creating a structure capable of reaching staggering heights, using a camera, balloon, parachute and a canister of helium. The balloon

was launched with a tiny astronaut doll and a flag showing the red lily of Florence attached.

Amazingly, the balloon reached a height of 32,000 meters during the flight, which lasted approximately three hours before its descent and landing. It was recovered near Cortona in the province of Arezzo, and thanks to a GPS detector the boys were able to see the breathtaking shots captured on the attached camera, with the Florentine lily fluttering in the foreground.

The Italian youth diaspora Graduates jump ship as youth unemployment reaches 40 percent jobs and receiving promotions. This system has “I think they leave because – I don’t know if become more and more of a problem in Italy in it’s an extreme sentence but – they have no As a young student living in Italy for the first light of the extended economic slump, which choice, really,” says Filí. “It’s a generation that time, completely captivated by all that it has to has severely restricted the number of jobs availhere is quite forgotten … The choice is between offer, it is hard to imagine that young Italians, able. Whereas in the past patience might pay off making do … or leaving and trying for a better many of whom have recently left university, and jobs might open up for those in line, this is opportunity not only for their career but for a are choosing to abandon their homeland for no longer the case, and it has better life, a family, a sort of “Between 2011 and 2012 the pastures new. However, this phenomenon is had an astounding effect on civilization.” real and growing in scale in Italy, where young the number of graduates number of Italians migrating to In the film, Daniele Silvesprofessionals are thwarted in their search for leaving Italy and seeking Germany increased by a startling tri sums up the conflict felt success and employment by an outdated and hiemployment opportunities 40 percent, fuelled by young grad- by young Italian graduates erarchical attitude that pervades Italian society. elsewhere. when he says “Today, Italy uates in search of work” The Italian labor market is dominated by arBetween 2011 and 2012 is a place where it is very chaic working principles based on the supremthe number of Italians mieasy to think about going acy of age and experience, which do not value grating to Germany increased by a startling 40 away, but it’s also a country that’s surely a real young professionals, in spite of increasingly percent, fuelled by young graduates in search pity to leave … Leaving is a defeat, not just for varied skillsets and high levels of university of work not available in their own countries those who are leaving, but also for those left achievement. who seek economically fortified opportunities behind, who perhaps forced others to leave”.

The Italians have a word for this system, geronin Germany, where the economy is more stable. Fili’s documentary finds that more than 50,000 tocrazia, or rule of the The issue of youth miItalians leave Italy each year, of whom 70 perelderly, referring to the “Young professionals are thwarted in gration was highlighted cent are graduates. This startling statistic is way in which the econ- their search for success and employ- last year by Brunella reinforced by the UK’s Telegraph newspaper, omy is geared towards ment by an outdated and hierarchical Filí, a young filmmaker which reports that youth unemployment in Itthe elderly and includes attitude that pervades Italian society” in Milan, who travelled aly has risen to 40.5 percent, with an estimated some of the highest penaround Europe inter656,000 Italians aged 15 to 24 looking for a job sions in Europe, with viewing her friends, as a consequence. relatively little expenditure on housing, unemand others like them, about why they moved The situation has become so bad that in June ployment and childcare – benefits that favor the away. The resulting documentary, appropriItaly’s prime minister Enrico Letta issued a youth. ately named Emergency Exit, details the lives statement apologizing to all young Italians who This imbalance in the economy is highly evof young Italian graduates who became, varihave been forced to leave the country to find ident in the workplace, where an entrenched ously, a vet in Vienna, an academic in Paris, a jobs. culture of seniority places young graduates at fishmonger in Norway and an archaeologist in He said he was speaking “on behalf of a politia significant disadvantage in terms of finding London. They are just four of thousands. cal class that for a very long time pretended not Lara May

THE IRISH PUB IN SAN LORENZO

Your unique AND cheap gift

A semi-circular counter, wooden furniture and a Guinness mug make Dublin Pub an Irish haven in the middle of central Florence.

The historic bar opens at 5 p.m. every evening and offers quality beer, fresh cocktails, sandwiches and snacks amidst a traditional Irish pub atmosphere. Located on Via Faenza, just a short walk from the Duomo, the pub also offers various promotions and contests with many exciting prizes. The genuine atmosphere together with the helpful and inviting staff make Dublin Pub an ideal place to spend fun nights in good company or enjoy a beer any time while listening to great background music.

Brass, copper, silver, buttons, stones, nacre, freshwater pearls, beads, crystals, swarosky and twisted or frayed fabrics like cotton balls.

This is all you can find at L’Oro Fuggia, an unconventional and special shop located in the area of Santa Croce. The jewels and the handcrafted arte povera objects produced here are unique, as one exemplary for each piece of art is produced. The affordable prices make this tiny and familiar shop the best solution for a gift that is also a piece of Florentine craftsmanship tradition to bring back home.

Opening hours: Daily from 5 p.m.

Via Faenza, 27 055 27 41 571 info@dublinpub.it www.dublinpub.it

Via De’ Servi, 13/r 339 54 00 072 lamouche@fastwebnet.it ebay: lorofuggia2012

“Once convicted, don’t wait to be kicked out” Florence mayor criticizes Berlusconi

Florentine mayor Matteo Renzi has slammed ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi for not stepping down from his Senate seat after a definitive conviction for tax fraud from the Supreme Court. “In any civilized country, a leader who’s definitively convicted leaves on his own, without waiting to be kicked out,” said Renzi at a recent rally for the Democratic Party in Forlì.

A Senate committee is set to begin proceedings on September 9 to determine whether to strip Berlusconi of his seat in the Upper House as

part of an anti-corruption law that came into force after his August 1 conviction for fraud on film rights at his Mediaset media empire. Berlusconi has appealed to the European Court of Human Rights and Italy’s Constitutional Court.

He dismissed the explanation of the verdict as a ‘collage’ of previous sentences from magistrates whom he has always seen as left-wing.

Members of his party threatened to pull out support from the government, forcing the president of the republic to call for new elections.

to understand that through its words, actions and omissions, it was letting passion, sacrifice and competence go to waste.

“The biggest debt that we are accumulating, by repeating the mistakes of the previous generations, is towards the young people, which is an unforgivable mistake,” Mr Letta wrote in a letter published in La Stampa newspaper on June 2.

A worrying question that must be addressed is whether Italy will be able to recover from its fi-

nancial crisis if a culture of migration develops amongst its capable and qualified young graduates, who choose to take their skills elsewhere.

The problem for Italy is not only that they are going but that nobody is arriving in their place.

In a country where youth and dynamism faces its own glass ceiling, which is enduring and which only the most skilled and persistent can break through, there is not much incentive to join the thousands who are continually facing rejection.

ART CLASSES FOR KIDS 1 Day Lessons AVAILABLE

CELLAR WINE-TASTING NEAR SANTA CROCE

The Art Academy of Bianca Cappello has a wealth of opportunities for artists of all ages.

The instructors are committed to their craft and feel a special connection with the possibilities that children have to create something special, such as the chocolate sculptures lining the walls of the studio. There are also classes in sculpture, mosaic, painting, jewelry and more. The academy is open seven days a week, offering 1-½ hour courses for children and 3-hour courses for adults, as well as studio space for artists.

There are few places more apt to sample Tuscan wine than Pozzo Divino (‘The Wine Well’), where wine-tastings take place in a spectacular cellar dating back to 1312. The cellar features an ancient pozzo (well), while the quality of the niche wine hand-picked by owner Pino easily justifies an interpretation of ‘divine’ in this cosy enoteca’s title. Pozzo Divino also arranges Chianti Classico wine tours and sells olive oil and a superb range of balsamic vinegar aged up to 45 years.

For reservation: Via della Scala, 11 327 19 47 258 info@florenceartschool.it www.florenceartschool.it

Opening hours: Mon. to Sat.: 9.30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.; & 2 – 6:30 p.m.

Sun.: Wine-tasting by appointment (minimum 10 people) Via Ghibellina, 144/r 055 24 66 907 info@pozzodivino.com www.pozzodivino.eu

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ORIGINAL NEAPOLITAN -STYLE PIZZA: STUDENT DISCOUNT:

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

ENTERTAINMENT

ODEON FIRENZE Piazza Strozzi, Firenze 055 214 068 Office: 055 295 051 www.odeonfirenze.com

Tickets: Regular: €7.50; Reduced: €6* *Every Wednesday; students from Mon. to Fri. and selected partnerships.

Club Odeon Classic: €3

We’re the Millers:

Song for Marion: DIRECTOR: Paul Andrew Williams GENRE: Comedy-drama STARS: Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton, Chistopher Eccleston, Vanessa Redgrave PLOT: Arthur Harris is the grumpy husband of Marion, who is terminally ill yet continues to participate with enthusiasm at her local seniors’ choir. Arthur is unimpressed when the choir, led by mistress Elizabeth, serenades the couple at their home.

As Marion’s health deteriorates, Arthur is keen to please his dying wife and even agrees to take her place in the choir. The transition proves to be trying for Arthur thanks to the unconventional songbook that includes racier songs such as “Let’s Talk about Sex”. Arthur’s experience in this new social environment will take him on a journey of self-discovery and thaw his bitterness, qualities that he will need in his imminent transition to life without Marion.

Dates/hours: September, Saturday 7: 4.30, 6.15, 8.40, 10.30 pm.

September, Sunday 8: 4.30, 6.15, 8.40, 10.30 pm.

September, Monday 9: 6.00, 8.40, 10.30 pm.

September, Tuesday 10: 6.00, 8.40, 10.30 pm.

September, Wednesday 11: 6.00, 8.40, 10.30 pm.

The Spirit of ‘45: DIRECTOR: Ken Loach GENRE: Documentary STARS: Winston Churchill, Tony Benn, Clement Attlee PLOT: A documentary on how the spirit of unity, which buoyed Britain during the war years, carried through to create a vision of a fairer, united society.

Dates/Hours: September, Thursday 12: 6.00, 8.40 pm.

September, Friday 13: 6.00, 8.40, 10.30 pm.

September, Saturday 14: 4.30, 6.15, 8.40, 10.30 pm.

September, Sunday 15: 4.30, 6.15, 8.40, 10.30 pm.

September, Monday 16: 6.00 pm.

DIRECTOR: Rawson Marshall Thurber GENRE: Comedy STARS: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Will Poulter, Emma Roberts PLOT: After being robbed of a week’s take, smalltime pot dealer David is forced by his boss to go to Mexico to pick up a load of marijuana. In order to improve his odds of making it past the border, David asks the broke stripper Rose and two local teenagers to join him and pretend they’re on a family holiday.

Dates/Hours: September, Tuesday 17: 5.20, 8.25, 10.30 pm.

September, Wednesday 18: 5.20, 8.25, 10.30 pm.

MOVIE review

Directed by: Dan Scanlon; Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina, Charlie Day, Nathan Fillion, Aubrey Plaza.

Over the last five years or so, it has increasingly become the case that the only filmmakers capable of out-Pixaring Pixar are Pixar themselves.

Accordingly, the most heart-melting animation you will see in the cinema this summer is not Monsters University, but the six-minute short film that plays before it: The Blue Umbrella, which is directed by Saschka Unseld, a Ger-

man-born animator who joined the Californian studio in 2008.

In Unseld’s short, two umbrellas, one blue, one red, meet in a crowded New York street in the middle of a rainstorm. The weather is terrible, which is good news for them, until one blows inside out: the ultimate umbrella faux pas.

The animation is photoreal – startlingly and mesmerisingly so. And the depth of feeling the tale of their friendship evokes is matched only by your incredulity, as you paw at your eyes six minutes later, that you are crying about two computer-generated umbrellas.

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

Culture

Medici villas granted UNESCO World Heritage status

Amid Medici Splendor on exhibit until Oct. 6 The Medici Chapel Museum’s popular exhibition, Amid Medici Splendor, is set to wind up on October 6. Part of the A Year of Art events calendar, the exhibition celebrates Medici pope Leo X, 500 years after his election to the Holy See. The first sections of the exhibition are centered around the pope’s education and upbringing, from his birth in Florence in 1475 as Giovanni de’ Medici, and including the exile of his family from Florence between 1494 and 1512.

Growing up in the Neoplatonic company of his father Lorenzo de’ Medici’s friends and associates, this section of Giovanni’s life was full of the leading scholars and artists of the day, including the young Michelangelo. This part of the exhibition is illustrated with works by Botticelli, Sansovino, Granacci, Ghirlandaio and Perugino.

While the second section of the exhibit highlights the young cardinal’s interests and pursuits, and traces his early events via Florence’s artistic production of the time, the third section is devoted to his papacy as Leo X and the impact it had on the city. Hailed as the new ‘Golden Age’ due to the proliferation of artists, poets and humanists who brought new life to the philosophy of the classical world, these years were the ones in which a great deal of work was started or properly continued on some of the papal capital’s most important architecture and building projects, including the renovation of St. Peter’s Basilica. In this section portraits of the pope, his coats of arms and his symbols are displayed alongside a selection of his projects for Rome. The section also contains work

by Raphael, Bugiardini, Della Robbia and Giuliano da Sangallo, while particular focus is also given to the issues posed by the ‘Lutheran question’.

For Leo X’s visit to Florence on November 30,

Tuscany’s Medici villas and Sicily’s Mount Etna are among 19 sites to have been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status at the UNESCO committee’s 2013 conference in Phnom Penh. The 12 Medici villas and Europe’s largest active volcano joined the coveted list of sites of ‘outstanding universal value’, which also includes Mount Fuji and India’s Hill Forts of Rajasthan.

Built between the fifteenth and early eighteenth centuries, the Medici villas and gardens include the villa at Careggi, site of Lorenzo de’ Medici’s famed Platonic Academy, and the Boboli Gardens of Florence. The villas and gardens were selected on the basis of their ‘’innovative system of rural construction in harmony with nature and dedicated to leisure, the arts and knowledge.”According to a UNESCO spokesperson, Mount Etna was chosen for its “important terrestrial ecosystems, including endemic flora and fauna’’, while its volcanic activity ‘’makes it a natural laboratory for the study of ecological and biological processes.”

UNESCO World Heritage seeks to identify, protect and preserve sites of natural and cultural heritage considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.

Its list of Tuscan sites includes the historical centers of Florence, Siena, Pienza and San Gimignano; the city of Assisi; Pisa’s Piazza del Duomo; and Val d’Orcia in the province of Siena.

Tennis Instructor If you want to work on your swing or just get some exercise into your weekly schedule tennis instructor Celoni Iuri offers professional standard tennis lessons in Florence. Certified by the U.I.S.P (the Italian Sport for Everyone Union) and the A.I.C.S (the Italian Culture and Sport Association) Iuri gives tennis lessons for both groups and one-on-one sessions, at the Marina di Candeli tennis club in the Bagno a Ripoli area.

ARTISAN GELATO IN PIAZZA DELLA PASSERA

Home delivered and poured wine in S. Spirito

At Gelateria La Passera you’ll only find gelato made entirely from carefully chosen fresh and natural ingredients – no artificial colours or preservatives here. Each day it offers a variety of 20 flavours to try, which change seasonally. Gelateria della Passera’s aim is to offer its clientele a highly artisan, homemade product of both classic flavors and new, unexpected tastes and combinations.

Bring your bottle to be filled for less than €1.50, straight from the barrels of Il Santo Vino.

Here patrons can choose from a wide range of Italian wine in bottles or barrels sourced throughout Tuscany and Italy, as well as spirits and digestives. Il Santo Vino also provides a home-delivery service alongside selected local specialty and organic products, such as truffled goods, honey, jam, coffee and a variety of Sicilian spreads.

Opening hours: Mon. to Sun.: 10 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

celoni.iuri@alice.it 3480657769

Piazza della Passera, 15 Facebook: Gelateria della Passera

Opening hours: Monday: 4–9 p.m.

Tuesday to Sunday: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.; 4–9 p.m.

Borgo Tegolaio, 46/r 055 53 87 122 or 345 90 93 425 www.ilsantovino.jimdo.com mariella.croda@yahoo.it Skype: ilsantovino Facebook: Il Santo Vino

1515 the route into the city was adorned with many temporary structures erected by the city’s leading artists: the fifth section of the exhibit amply illustrates these complex decorations and works of art produced by painters and sculptors in the city to celebrate Leo X, as well as touching on the members of his entourage, including his cousin Giulio de’Medici, the future Pope Clement VII. This huge undertaking is recreated in the exhibit, as recorded by diarists, rare documentation and the work produced for it by some of the most celebrated artists of the time – including Baldassarre, Peruzzi, Rosso Fiorentino and Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio – with a selection of their drawings and paintings.

Alongside these works, the section also hosts examples of goldsmith’s art, the illuminated codices and the sophisticated hangings produced in Florence to celebrate the Medici pope’s election.

The last section of the exhibition highlights the efforts devoted by Leo X, and later Clement VII, to realising the architectural projects commissioned by their family in Florence, from the history of the San Lorenzo complex and Michelangelo’s design for the facade of the Basilica to his project for the Sagrestia Nuova.

Amid Medici Splendor Until October 6 Medici Chapel Museum Open daily: 8.15 a.m.–4.50 p.m, excluding 2nd and 4th Sun; & 1st, 3rd & 5th Mon each month.

Full ticket: €9 Reduced ticket: €4.50 www.polomuseale.firenze.it

25 Course Aperitivo near Piazza Beccaria In a young, charming and glamorous atmosphere, Kitsch offers one of the largest aperitivo buffets in Florence. A Wi-Fi internet connection and a DJ set make it the perfect place for hanging out while having a large selection of delicately prepared courses right at your fingertips. The spread includes several Tuscan specialties as well as a rich selection of first and second courses, sides, salads and fresh fruit. Various vegetarian dishes are also available. At the great low cost of €8.50, eat as much as you would like while sipping on your favorite drink, included in the price.

Viale Gramsci, 1/r 055 23 43 890

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

STUDENT LIFE

A survival guide for newbies Avani Kapur Arriving at your study abroad destination can be a stressful experience, even after you’ve witnessed the beauty of your new city. For many, seeing Florence for the first time comes with feelings of admiration, excitement and, of course, confusion. Students are bombarded by class schedules, new acquaintances and the reality of living far away from their comfort zone. This short list of tips will help you make the most of your time abroad.

Take in the scenery: Florence is one of the art capitals of the world, and Tuscany holds some of the most beautiful natural scenery in Europe.

While visiting every museum in the city can be nearly impossible, take a short time every day to visit a museum or a landmark just for the view. Go to Piazzale Michelangelo for the best view of the city or simply look around at the beautiful hills surrounding you.

No matter how long you stay in Florence, there will always be something to marvel at if you allow yourself to notice it.

To get the best deal, go to the Uffizi and ask about the Friend of Uffizi card. For €40 (if you’re under 26 years old, otherwise it’s €60), you can enjoy a year of free entry to numerous museums (go to amicidegliuffizi.it for complete list). Once you’ve covered the most famous attractions, such as the Duomo, Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia, and the treasures at the Uffizi Gallery, focus on the smaller galleries and exhibitions that constantly run through the city.

Think outside the box: The cliché you should never forget while abroad. You have not traveled so far to drink American beer, eat McDonalds and shop at H&M. Having familiar establishments around might be tempting, but trying new things is crucial while here. There might be some hesitation before trying your first panino con lampredotto, but trying traditional local food helps you really experience the culture.

Even if you don’t like it, it’s better to look back at your time in Italy and tell your friends about

how you didn’t enjoy something rather than regretting never having given it a chance.

Don't be afraid to get lost: Getting lost in the city center of Florence is inevitable, but if you don’t panic it can turn into a fun stroll. Many of the streets are small and narrow, and signs can sometimes be hard to find. Don’t let the fear of getting lost intimidate you. Use the landmarks to help you navigate and enjoy the new territory you’re covering. If wandering aimlessly while enjoying the scenery doesn’t get you where you need to go, there will always be someone willing to help you find your way.

Maximize your time: While you’re not in class, it’s important to maximize your free time. The most common mistake many students make is sleeping away the morning. Not only is this the

best time to beat the crowds at museums, it is the best time to tour around the countryside!

Tour groups such as Fun in Tuscany provide easy itineraries, adventure and a chance to experience nature. You can enjoy wine-tasting in Chianti or take a tour of the region via horseback or Vespa scooter with no previous experience necessary. If you depart with the 9:30 a.m. tour, you will be back with hours to spare before dinner. Imagine all this for the simple sacrifice of waking up before lunchtime!

Get a bike: Florence is a bike-friendly city with lots of bike paths (see a map of all the paths at florencebikepages.com). There are a number of organizations that advocate bike usage, such as Firenze in Bici. Once you have your bike, check out the website (firenzeinbici.net) to join

SNACK BAR ANNA THE Bagel POINT Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere and the jumbo cappuccinos while having a chat with Anna and Stefano, who will welcome you in a warm and friendly way. Grab one of the many homemade bagels, the bar’s perfected specialty since 1990. These bagels and sandwiches have made this snack spot one of the most popular among local Americans.

While taking a break in the back seating area you will be pleased to experience the nocharge table service, which places Snack Bar Anna far from the ‘tourist traps’ in the city.

Opening hours: Mon. to Sat.: 8:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

Via de’ Ginori, 26/r 055 23 81 143 stevebar@hotmail.it Facebook: Snack Bar Anna (group)

one of its free bike tours. You can also reach out to the company for help if you ever need a hand fixing your bike. To find the best deal on a bike, go to CooperativaUlisse.it where you can bid for refurbished ones, or visit kijiji.it. Cooperativa Ulisse also organizes bike-sharing for those who prefer not to buy. Once you are all set with your new mode of travel, make sure to get a very good lock, as bikes are an easy target for theft in every city.

Central Market of San Lorenzo: While in Florence, the San Lorenzo Central Market is a must-see. Stroll through the stalls selling leather before you reach the indoor food market (open Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. till 2 p.m.) Enjoy a large selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, bread and pastries. Many of the shopkeepers are friendly and offer free samples, so don’t hesitate to practice your Italian or ask questions about their products.

Aperitivo: If you really want to feel like a local and get a great deal, try having aperitivo. Every evening, several bars offer a light buffet included in the price of your drink. Many places offer apertivo for around €7. You can enjoy an aperitivo as a pre-dinner snack or for a gathering with friends.

Travel: While abroad, take advantage of being in Europe and travel as much as you can. The train system is easy to use and can take you to countless destinations. Student travel companies such as Bus2Alps also provide great travel packages around Europe. If you find yourself wanting to venture on your own, Ryanair offers cheap flights. Wherever your destination, don’t forget to plan ahead for the best deals.

Speak the language: Not only will this help you improve your Italian, but you will give locals a pleasant surprise and stand out from the herds of students who refuse to communicate in anything but English. Whether or not you are studying Italian while you are here, it is a good idea to put some effort into learning basic phrases.

Derek James Mattucchio hosts open mic at Gallery Local star of the live music scene, Boston native Derek James Mattucchio, now hosts open mic for students at Gallery Cafe Art Bar on Wednesdays.

Come along for an aperitivo and share your music, spoken word and stand-up skills.

Located on Via de’ Benci, Gallery Café Art Bar is one of the most vibrant nightlife spots in the city, with an inviting and laid-back wine bar vibe, live music every Wednesday and Friday, and regular exhibitions by young local artists.

information Aperitivo open mic with Derek James Mattucchio Every Wednesday: 9 p.m.–midnight Gallery Café Art Bar Via de’ Benci, 30/r Open daily from 11 a.m.–2 a.m.

Call Derek James to express your interest on 366 15 44 034 or find him on Facebook.

Surviving culture shock Sarah Humphreys “Italia! Oh Italia! Thou who hast the fatal gift of Beauty”: Byron’s tribute to il bel paese still rings true today. Italy’s magnetic charm has been attracting visitors for centuries and it is easy to see why. It is almost impossible not to fall in love with this uniquely seductive country, justifiably well-known for its scenic beauty, artistic treasures, incredible food and wine, and iconic historical and cultural heritage.

Italy is full of surprises, contrasts and chaos; not least for those who are visiting for the first time. Many aspects of Italian life – ranging from eating times, ‘rules’ about drinking coffee, trying to cross the road, and dealing with unwanted attention – can be a real culture shock.

Culture shock can be defined as ‘emotional disorientation caused by continuously unexpected reactions to the new culture.’ Culture shock can manifest itself in various ways, including anxiety, depression, loneliness, migraines and lack of energy. It is described as having four stages: the Honeymoon Period, Crisis Period, Adaption Period and Stabilization Period. Psychologists say that all fours stages must be lived through to achieve intercultural competence.

Apart from being overwhelmed by the exquisite food and wine, musical language, natural beauty and (mostly) lovely weather, the newcomer to Florence also risks being infected by ‘Stendhal Syndrome’, so-called after the 19th-century writer: a psychosomatic condition that causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness and even hallucinations after an individual has been exposed to an ‘overdose’ of beautiful art. Doctors at Santa Maria Nuova regularly admit tourists suffering from ‘mental imbalances’, often after visiting the Uffizi, which is considered a particularly ‘dangerous’ spot. One theory is that

viewing so much culture can bring on feelings of anguish and insecurity.

On recovering from an overdose of art, beauty, ice cream and fine Chianti, reality starts to kick in. As the ‘romantic’ Honeymoon period comes to an end, less positive aspects of Italian life will start to become more obvious. Feelings of anger and frustration are quite normal at this point. Nowhere is this more obvious than dealing with anything connected to any kind of documenti, work permits, banking or transactions at the post office. You will just have to get used to standing in queues for hours (make sure you check that you’re in the right one) before being practically ignored by a bored, power-crazed official with no concept of service.

Bureaucracy is quite simply a nightmare. You need an enormous amount of patience to deal with these situations, no matter how long you stay in Italy.

Once you begin to get used to rude shop assistants, insane driving, triple parking, not drinking cappuccinos after dinner and shops closing over lunchtime, the Adaption period begins and Italian life will begin to seem normal. After adjusting and adapting, it is usual to begin to feel at home. Learning Italian is a crucial step in fitting in and understanding the culture.

After going through culture shock, psychologists say that you develop greater empathy for your surroundings, are able to think in a new cultural frame, have greater cultural patience and develop a more critical mind to see through myths and prejudices.

As a foreigner living in Italy, you are allowed, or even expected to be different and even a little eccentric. In the words of American writer Erica Jong, “What is the fatal charm of Italy?

What do we find here that can be found nowhere else? I believe it is a certain permission to be human.”

GASTRONOMIA NEAR SANTA CROCE

HAIRDRESSER AND BEAUTY SERVICES

Salumeria Verdi is a prime spot for quality food. This gastronomia has been serving the Florentine public since 1900, and offers a range of fresh pasta, bread, meat, cheese and more. It’s an ideal spot to stop by for a quick and satisfying lunch, and also offers catering services. Salumeria Verdi is also the sister company of nearby enoteca Pozzo Divino and therefore offers a cornucopia of quality wine selections.

Located in the central area of Sant’Ambrogio in Santa Croce, Alchimia offers a variety of women’s hair and beauty services using the finest brands, such as Moroccanoil, Paul Mitchell, GHD and CND Shellac. Services include: - Haircuts - Long-length extensions - Keratin reconstruction - Paul Mitchell product retailer - Shellac reconstruction and permanent enamel - Waxing - Massage (healing and relaxation) - Custom make-up - Cut, color and highlight

In 1938, the idea for a shop was born based on the same question it bears as its name: Perché no! ‘why not?’. Ugo Ravaioli, founder and owner of the ice-cream shop for decades found an ideal location on Via de’ Tavolini to start the ‘sweet business.’ Ever since, Perché no! has been one of Florence’s most famous spots for refreshment.

It is an authentic venue for ice-cream lovers famous for its ‘semifreddi.’ Today, the shop is run by Mrs. Paola and her daughters who rediscovered original recipes and create unique flavors while paying attention to the quality of ingredients.

Opening hours: 9 a.m.– 7.30 p.m.

Open daily 11a.m. – 12p.m.

Tues. 12a.m. – 8p.m.

Opening hours: Mon. to Sat.: 8 a.m. – 8p.m.

Via Verdi, 36/r 055 24 45 17 www.salumeriaverdi.it info@pozzodivino.com

Via dell’Agnolo, 47–49–51/r 055 24 16 04 alchimia-hairdesign@hotmail.it www.alchimia-hairdesign.com

The Artisan Ice-Cream Shop

Via dei Tavolini, 19/r 055 23 98 969 www.percheno.firenze.it

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

STUDENT LIFE

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12

Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

FOOD & WINE

Eating ethnic in Florence

where Italo-American musician Derek James Mattucchio and his troupe of talented friends play live music every Wednesday and Friday.

Mattucchio also hosts open mic sessions for students every Wednesday.

Traditional Wild West flavors can also be found at Tuscan Saloon on Via Verdi, a new offering on the Tuscan-American fusion food scene.

Venturing further down into the hotter climates of South America there’s a whole ocean of Brazilian foods to sample, and luckily enough you don’t need to travel so far to do it: Maracanà Grill on Borgo Tegolaio in the Santo Spirito district has a menu rich in all Brazil’s most popular and exotic dishes. Test your tastebuds on dishes such as churrasc, grilled meats on a skewer, typical of southern Brazil; muqueca, and bobò de camaraò, seafood dishes typical of the northern Bahia region; and feijoada, a classic dish including black beans stewed with various meats, typical of the central Brazilian region of Minas Gerais. As is traditional in the ‘churrascarias’ of Brazil, a buffet-style meal is not to be missed, in order to try as many things as possible.

Take a vacation from traditional Tuscan fare with Indian, Mexican and Spanish flavors, and homegrown American favorites

Another quirky choice, more Italian traditional than you’d suspect, are the tons of little doner kebab takeout joints: Italy’s equivalent to fast food. This Turkish ground-meat sandwich is served in pita bread with greens, white sauce and even french fries. Why so popular? Because after a night out at the pubs it’s the food that famished Florentines seek.

Bringing spice and color to the environs of Florence, Fiesole is home to Indian restaurant Ristorante India: lauded by various international guides as one of the best in Europe, you’ve got every reason to get eating outside the box in this locale. Here you can sample dishes from Mughlai cuisine, that of North India, to excite and smart the senses, especially if you’ve been looking for something a bit spicier than Italian dining has to offer.

Last but not least: the restaurant I tried to avoid: the icon of everything that’s wrong with globalization, the guiltiest pleasure of all. Do I have to say the name? Oh fine. McDonald’s is by the train station. And yes, they’ve got Big Macs.

Tips from the expert on how to pair food and wine •

Match the weight/richness of the food and the body of the wine.

• Match or contrast flavor characteristics of the food and the wine.

For example, lightly smoked salmon is a classic partner for Brut Champagne, while smoked meat such as pork can benefit from some slight sweetness in a wine like that found in some German Rieslings. Smoky barbecued flavors suit powerful oaked wines like Australian Shiraz. The stronger the smoke, the greater the oak can be.

Maurizio Colia Kathleen Culliton with Amber Brown The first week or two in Florence dining on bowls of pasta, slices of prosciutto or pecorino on thick slices of crusty bread, bistecca fiorentina and trippa are more than enough to assuage the appetite and please the palate; there is a reason for Italy’s reputation as a gastronomic paradise after all. Tuscan cuisine in particular comes from ancient and delicious traditions that make dining in kind no uncertain pleasure.

But city-dwellers sometimes need a little variety to spice up the routine. Why else congregate in this tiny corner of the country if not to encounter some differences? And certainly what is true for the minds and hearts invariably applies to the stomach as well.

Those seeking a vacation from typical Tuscan fare are in luck: Florence hosts an abundance of restaurants serving delicious food from around the world.

If you fancy some Spanish cuisine to mix things up a little, spend your siesta over at Salamanca: it’s an excellent Spanish tapas bar – with the emphasis on ‘bar’, as it turns into a veritable discoteca after 10 p.m. – on Via Ghibellina. Its enormous menu features small tapas plate offerings, cerviche, paella and, of course,

house sangria, for good food and good fun in true Spanish style.

If you prefer your food spicy and wrapped up in tortilla, House of Sizzle serves a fair selection of quesadillas and fajitas to whet your Mexican appetite, and that’s not all they have to offer by a long shot.

For Americans who miss their homeland’s bountiful produce, the House of Sizzle is a good ol’ steakhouse, with everything you can expect from the best of America, with a huge selection of burgers, hot dogs and steaks, ideal for when you need meatier fare than just a bowl of Italian carbs. Chow down on a plateful while catching a match with beer in hand at its homely bar, located on Via de’ Benci.

And not to be forgotten is The Diner on Via dell’Acqua, near the Bargello National Museum. Here you can find that all-American breakfast that Italians just can’t seem to get right, along with a whole breakfast menu and a variety of burgers, salads, wraps and bagels – that’s right, New Yorkers, you can get a decent bagel all the way out here. The Diner also has vegie options which aren’t found in Italy as easily as back home.

If you’re seeking a hamburger with a difference then try Gallery Café Art Bar on Via de’ Benci,

Spice up your tastebuds at Fiesole's Ristorante India Lauded by various international guides as one of the best Indian restaurants in Europe, Ristorante India brings the spice and color of India to Tuscany. Rich hues, traditional furniture and detailed woodwork by a master Indian carpenter create an atmospheric environment in which to enjoy Ristorante India’s extensive menu. Dishes are drawn from Mughlai cuisine, typical of North India, and distinctive Indian Tandoori.

To get from Florence to Fiesole, take bus no. 7 from Piazza San Marco. Private hall available for reservations and student discounts available.

Via Gramsci, 43/a, Fiesole Tel: 055 59 99 00 www.ristoranteindia.it info@ristoranteindia.it (Closed on Tuesdays)

As many wines are produced as an accompaniment to food, guidelines for pairing the two correctly is important to enhance the taste of both. Originally, wines evolved to complement specific regional cuisines. Although there is no single choice of wine for one dish, examining regional cuisine aids in finding the perfect combination.

The main ways to match wine include trying to match the flavors or trying to contrast them.

Using a cherry-flavored Pinot Noir to match venison with a cherry sauce, or putting fruity, floral sweet Muscat against a nutty, dark chocolate dessert demonstrates these opposing approaches. While the most basic principle includes keeping a balance to prevent the food or wine from overpowering one another, there are a number of other considerations.

• Match the flavor intensity of the food and the flavor intensity of the wine.

• Match sweet foods with sweet wines.

• Match acidic foods with high-acid wines.

• Avoid combining very savory foods with high-tannin wines.

• Pair ‘chewy’ meat with tannic wines.

• Pair salty foods with sweet wines.

• Pair fatty and oily food with high-acid wines.

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

HISTORY

Thwarted romance in medieval Florence

City of flowers

Amber Brown

The story of Florence’s origins the Florentine republic adopted as its symbol of the white iris flower. These flowers grew sponWhat’s in a name, you might ask? Well in the taneously in the valleys surrounding Florence, case of Florence, a surprising amount. Looking and were thought to be the flowers after which Florence was named. at why this city is named as it is reveals its inHowever, at this time, the iris was named the triguing origins and the ancient traditions sur‘giglio’, which translates literally as ‘lily’, rounding this historical and cultural goldmine.

Florence was founded in 59BCE as a Roman meaning that the two flowers often got conmilitary camp, and one theory about the name fused, and so both have come to represent of what was to become the great city that we Florence and have real significance within the know today is that Florence was named after city. In the ‘city of flowers’, the iris flower is considered rare and valuable, the Roman infantry com“The city was founded in particularly as it is so rich in mander who led the expedition, Florinus. Indeed, some springtime, when flowers were mythological and historical have proposed that Florinus blooming in the Tuscan sun- connotations. Not only is the is a kind of patron saint for shine, or perhaps in tribute to flower thought to be central to the naming of the city but it is the first few buildings estabthe goddess Flora” also associated with the godlished by the Arno. dess Iride, the messenger of the Gods. What is However, the more romantic and widely known story about the naming of Florence recounts more, in religious paintings, lilies, and also the iris, are associated with the Virgin Mary. that the city was known as the ‘city of flowIndeed, the famous Florentine coin, the florin, ers’, and accordingly named “Florentia”. This was perhaps because the city was founded in first minted from gold in 1251, had on one side the symbol of the Florentine lily, and on the springtime, when flowers were blooming in other an image of John the Baptist, protector the Tuscan sunshine, or perhaps in tribute to of the city. So successful was the florin and the goddess Flora, symbol of spring, or even Florentine markets at this time, that all other because of the fertile fields that lay by the river. For whatever reason, the Romans chose to Italian coins of note – the genovino of Genoa, bestow upon their small settlement the name the ambrogino of Milan and the Venetian ducat – all had their value fixed according to the ‘Florentia’, a name which still forms the stem for the variety of names this city goes by today. florin, which weighed 3.56g and was made of eighteen-carat gold. The gold florin was also The flower after which the city was named has become a symbol of prosperity, wealth and of used in the international market and became the symbol of Florence’s fortune, becoming the the city itself in Florentine culture. In the thirruling currency in Italy and also abroad. teenth century, during the expansion of the city, Lara May

In fact, in the fourteenth century, 150 European states and coin issuing authorities made their own copies of the florin due to its stability.

The florin was eventually replaced by the scudo, also made of gold, but this coin, stamped with the emblematic flower, represents the age of mercantile success and global dominance of currency, and so is a symbol of prosperity.

At around the same time as the florin was minted the traditional Florentine flag as we know it today was born. Originally the standard of Florence had a white iris on a red background, but the factional warfare that gripped the city in the thirteenth century brought about a change in the standard. The feud between the Guelfs and the Ghibellines ended with the Ghibellines being banished from the city in 1266, and following this the Guelfs reversed the colors on the standard, and it became a red iris on a white background, the symbol of Florence that still exists today.

It is not surprising, then, given the myths surrounding the founding of Florence and the connotations of luck and spirituality that it conjures up, that the flower is still hugely important to Florentines. Even Florence’s soccer team has adopted the iconic flower as its symbol, no doubt hoping that the prosperity it is thought to represent will rub off on their performance.

It is characteristic of the city of Florence – so historical, cultural and even mystical – that something as straightforward as the name of the city should have such an enchanting history, and hold so many clues about what makes Florence the city it is today.

the Guard and the Balia, the playing of violins, mandolins and any other kind of song-singing When you think of the Florence of bygone days instrument was banned. In addition, it was prothe images that come to mind may be reminishibited to make “any sort of noise, under pain cent of Romeo and Juliet: love-struck young of two scudi [currency] or two strokes of the men playing lutes and mandolins beneath flowrope”. er-hung boughs under their love’s window, But you’re willing to risk the whip, you say! where beautiful maidens come to greet them Oh, how romantic you are, a real modern-day and stare longingly down at their beaux...

Prince Charming! You’ve made it all the way Well think again, daydreamer. Those of you to your love’s window... and she slams it in who enjoy the nightlife of our beautiful city your face. The Magistrate of Honesty punished would have a very hard time of it way-backany ‘dishonest’ women by making them climb when. Florentine nights were dark, squalid, down into the cold water of the Arno... naked. silent and spent in solThree times. And in “However, on top of the patrolmen walking the presence of curious itary. A bell was rung the streets to catch out anyone without the for l’ora di notte – the onlookers near Ponte night hour – after which equivalent of a medieval hall pass, you’d Santa Trinita. She ain’t time all citizens were also have to battle through a night lacking risking that for you, expected to stay in their in any form of artificial light (apart from the bud. houses, stay quiet and occasional tavern lantern) and the filth that I see the situation is go to bed – on pain of turning a few of you the darkness hid on the street” being fined. No drinks towards the idea of down at the pub for you! prostitutes? They had prostitutes in the Middle But perhaps you think yourself a bit of a rebel Ages, right?

- YOU’d still risk a midnight stroll to see your Not in the Magistrate of Honesty could help it. girl. However, on top of the patrolmen walkIt made such women’s livelihoods as difficult ing the streets to catch out anyone without the as possible by banning them from living in varequivalent of a medieval hall pass, you’d also ious quarters of the city. In fact, in a decree still have to battle through a night lacking in any legible in the surroundings of the Church of form of artificial light (apart from the occasionOgnissanti, it states that in almost 300 branchal tavern lantern) and the filth that the darkness es of the church: “Women who lead a bad life hid on the street. It was a common bad habit cannot live there, under pain of being captured of citizens to throw their waste – both solids and having their clothes thrown in the street, and liquids, if you catch my drift – out of their and the owners of the house to be evicted from windows. Squelch, squelch. the premises for two years.” Risky livelihood So let’s say that you braved the pitch-blackness choice, if you ask me. of the night, and those mysterious, whiffy piles So, no party lifestyle, no going out at night, no in the streets. You get to your love’s window... making noises, no flirty women... Don’t you but oh, wait! Under decree of Misters Eight of just love 2013?

L’angolo dei golosi Taste the history of the Italian panino What is an Italian panino? In the Italian culinary tradition, the panino has a very long history. It was originally eaten as a light snack consisting of bread, cheese and cold cuts. After a strenuous morning or afternoon of work, a panino is the ideal snack to stave off hunger. Every day we try to give you the freshest food and most fragrant bread, and every day we prepare just what we need to fill a certain number of panini: a choice that means our panini are always fresh and taste better for this reason. Drop in for breakfast, brunch or browse our deli range. Vegetarian and vegan ingredients offered.

Opening hours: Monday – SATURDAY: 10 a.m.–7 p.m.

Via Sant’ Egidio, 22/r 347 118 8056 oilshoppe@gmail.com Facebook: The Oil Shoppe

Your one-stop piazza for the sweet and savory tastes of Italy Located in the centre of the city in Piazza dei Cimatori, tucked away between the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, you’ll find ‘L’Angolo dei Golosi’ – the city’s ‘Greedy Corner’ – ready with a selection of on-the-go foods to keep your energy up while you explore the center’s narrow alleys. L’Angolo offers a wide range of delicious gelato flavors, available in the traditional pot or cone, which can also be enjoyed atop a pile of crepes or waffles – perfect for those with a sweet tooth. Hungrier wanderers can tuck into a variety of hot foods, including panini, pizza, hamburgers and hotdogs, at very reasonable prices.

Should you fancy a more traditional Italian lunch or snack, L’Antico Trippaio is the perfect place to stop. For more than 80 years, L’Antico Trippaio has provided high-quality yet affordable food for both Florentines and tourists. In true Florentine tradition, the outdoor food cart provides trippa, lampredotto, lesso, poppa, matrice, porchetta, salumi, and wild boar sausages made fresh daily. L’Antico Trippaio is the best place to enjoy excellent panini and focacce like a true local. Just steps from the Duomo, it is one of the most frequented lunch spots in the historic city center.

Piazza dei Cimatori www.anticotrippaio.com

TUSCAN, ITALIAN AND FRENCH WINES IN THE CELLAR IN SANTO SPIRITO Beneath the Enoteca Millesimi, carefully looked after and hidden away in its 17th-century cellar, rest thousands of bottles of Tuscan, Italian and French wines just waiting for you to find them. Including all the classics as well as young developing wines, you can find the Enoteca Millesimi in the Santo Spirito district of Florence - just cross the Santa Trinita Bridge, follow Via Maggio to its end and turn right onto Via Mazzetta, followed by your first left onto Borgo Tegolaio and look for number 33/r. You can also take the D bus in that direction from the station.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 2 p.m.– 8 p.m.

Saturday: 10:30 a.m.– 8 p.m.

Borgo Tegolaio, 33/r 055 26 54 675 Millesimisrl@tin.it

14

Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

ART & CULTURE LAST CHANCE TO ENJOY APERITIVO AD ARTE What could be better than gazing at some of Florence’s most famous artworks with a glass of wine in hand? Aperitivo ad Arte is currently being hosted at three of Italy’s finest state museums: the Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia and the Bargello – but it wraps up this month, so be quick!

Bargello National Museum:

Every Tuesday until September 24 7–10 p.m. (final access at 9:30 p.m.)

Accademia Gallery:

Every Wednesday until September 25 7–10 p.m. (final access at 9:30 p.m.)

Uffizi Gallery:

Every Thursday until September 26 7–10 p.m. (final access at 9:30 p.m.)

Cost: €15 Bookings: 055 294 883

The Renaissance Dream passes on September 15 The Renaissance Dream exhibition at Palazzo Pitti passes into the next (viewing) realm on September 15, so wake up if you’d like to catch this mesmerising collection of works.

In collaboration with the Museè du Luxembourg in Paris, The Renaissance Dream explore the multi-faceted concept of dreams and dreaming from the perception of the Renaissance thinkers and artists.

The first section of the exposition begins with the theme of Night, with the inclusion of some of Michelangelo’s work, such as the monument he created in the wake of the death of Guliano de’ Medici, and progresses through mythology and biblical-based pieces in a section entitled Visions of the Beyond. The display concludes with a thematic section surrounding the idea of Dawn, bringing the perception of the dream full circle.

The masterpieces presented in this exhibition also demonstrate critical attributes of the Renaissance period: Neoplatonic ‘enlightenment’, classical Greek mythology and Christian ideaology.

The Renaissance Dream includes pieces from Italian and international galleries, such as Heironymus Bosch’s Hermit Saints from the Doge’s Palace in Venice, Raphael’s Vision of a Knight from the National Gallery in London and Correggio’s Venus and Cupid with a Satyr from the Louvre.

The Renaissance Dream Until September 15 Hours: Tues–Sun: 8:15 a.m.–6:50 p.m.

Closed Mondays Galleria Palatina, Palazzo Pitti Tel: 055 23 88 614 www.polomuseale.firenze.it/en Full-price ticket: €13 Reduced ticket: €6:50

Remarkable relics: the Holy Girdle at Stroll the Medici villa for free in the footsteps of Prato’s Cathedral of Santo Stefano Sarah Humphreys On September 8 visitors have the chance to witness the rare public display of one of Italy’s more remarkable relics: the Sacra Cintola or Holy Girdle of the Virgin Mary.

Housed in Prato’s Cathedral of Santo Stefano, the Sacra Cintola is a gold-embossed belt of green camel hair, which was supposedly handed to St Thomas, famous for doubting Christ’s resurrection, as the Virgin ascended into heaven.

Legend recounts that a citizen of Prato named Michele brought the artifact to Prato in the twelfth century after the Second Crusade and, directed by angels, presented it to representatives of the Church and city.

The Holy Girdle is kept under lock and key in a decorated reliquary box in the Cintola Chapel, which is adorned with frescos by Agnolo Gaddi depicting the story of the girdle. The Sacra Cin-

tola is displayed to the public five times a year: at Christmas and Easter, and on May 1, August 15 (the Feast of the Assumption) and September 8 (the Nativity of the Virgin).

The reliquary box is unlocked by two keys – one kept by the bishop and one by the mayor to represent the religious and civic importance of the relic – and the bishop holds up the Holy Girdle three times, in three different directions in a solemn ceremony.

According to legend, the original church of Santo Stefano was built in the tenth century in a green meadow (prato) after an apparition of the Virgin Mary was witnessed at the site.

The expansion of the church was concluded with the completion of the bell tower in 1356.

Prato’s Cathedral of Santo Stefano is a masterpiece of Romanesque Gothic architecture.

Made from a combination of green and white marble, a familiar sight to visitors of Tuscany, the cathedral is a treasure trove of frescos by noted Renaissance artists.

It displays a marvelous sculpted relief doorway

by Andrea della Robbia and an unusual exterior pulpit designed by Michelozzo. The pulpit originally featured reliefs by Donatello, which can now be found in the nearby Museo dell’Opera del Duomo.

Other interesting features in the cathedral include a series of frescos behind the high altar

by Filippo Lippi, which tell the story of Santo Stefano and Giovanni Battista (John the Baptist). These frescos date from 1452–65 and restoration was finished in 2006. Frescos by Paolo Uccello can be found in the Chapel of the Assumption, which portray the histories of the Virgin and Santo Stefano.

The altar, which houses the relic itself, is crowned by a marble Madonna and Child, considered to be one of Giovanni Pisano’s masterpieces.

The exterior right wall of the church features a sundial in Carrara marble, and there is a clock on the façade in place of the more common rose window.

Prato’s cathedral is a delight for the art lover.

Frequent trains run from Florence to Prato and the journey takes about 20 minutes, after which it takes less than five minutes to walk from Prato Porto Serraglio station to the cathedral itself.

Grand Prince Ferdinando

Spend the fall in the shoes of Grand Prince Ferdinando de’ Medici (1663 – 1713) and enjoy a free wander around the Medici villa of Poggio a Caiano and Museum of Still Life with the exhibition For the Grand Prince Ferdinando: Still Lifes, vedute, bambocciate and caramogi from the Medici collections.

It was here that the young prince, son of the Grand Duke Cosimo III and destined to succeed his father, spent lingering spring and fall days riding horses, attending concerts and operas performed in the theatre of the villa and devoting himself to his passion for miniature paintings, the so-called Gabinetto di opere in piccolo, a collection that has since become renowned.

Designed to complement the Uffizi’s major exhibition The Grand Prince Ferdinando de’ Medici (1663–1713): Collector and Patron of the Arts, to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the prince’s death, the Medici villa is open till November to offer a glimpse of the private life of this cultured and curious collector, who was known for his sense of humor.

The collection displays works not normally visible to the public: miniatures and genre

paintings that include the grotesque and mischievous caramogi. A selection of ancient manuscripts and printed books is also included in the exhibitions, which offer some clues into the private interests and whims of this noted Florentine ruler.

For the Grand Prince Ferdinando: Still Lifes, vedute, bambocciate and caramogi from the Medici collections Until November 5 Villa of Poggio a Caiano Opening hours: Mon–Sun: 8:15 a.m.–5 p.m. (for exhibition: villa open till 6:30 p.m. in Sept, 5:30 p.m. after daylight saving in Oct, & 4:30 p.m. in Nov).

Cost: free Bookings required for Museum of Still Life: 055 87 70 12 www.polomuseale.firenze.it/en

B.C. CERAMICA FIORENTINA ARTISAN CERAMICS Ceramica Fiorentina B.C. produces beautifully glazed ceramic artifacts, reproducing a historic Italian pottery style in the majolica and Montelupo traditions. The majolica style was widespread and very popular in Florence and the surrounding area between 1420 and 1550 and are a part of Florence’s proud artisan tradition.

Discount offer: Bring in this advertisement and receive 15% off!

Via del Melarancio, 15/r 055 23 96 979 ceramicaartisticafiorentina.com peitloren@hotmail.it

LIVE MUSIC ON WEDnesday AND FRIday WITH DEREK JAMES & FRIENDS Located in Via deí Benci, Gallery Café Art Bar is one of the hottest nightlife spots in the city. It offers live music every Wednesday and Friday with local star of the Florentine music scene, Italian-American musician Derek James Mattucchio and his troupe of talented friends. This former art gallery also preserves its vocation to art with exhibitions of young local artists. Offering light lunch, bistro dinner and outdoor seating, Gallery Café Art Bar’s music and art creates an inviting and laid-back wine bar vibe.

Opening hours: Daily from 11 a.m.–2 a.m. light lunch & bistro dinner students granted a 10% discount on meals

Via dè Benci, 30/r 055 22 60 204 Facebook: Gallery Café galleryfirenze@gmail.com

TRADITIONAL FLORENTINE CRAFTSMANSHIP, LEATHER AND JEWELS Saudè Jewels offers customized artisan jewels and jewelry, leather accessories and traditional Florentine items at affordable prices. Each item is produced by hand without the use of machines, allowing visitors to get a real feel for the authentic craftsmanship that Florence is known for. Tourists and locals alike can delight in the genuine ‘Made in Italy’ experience in the heart of the city, just minutes away from the Santa Maria Novella train station.

Via dei Ginori, 12/r 055 26 08 720s www.lecinturedisimo.it

www.florencenewsevents.com September 2013 Supplement No.1 to www.theitaliannewspaper.com

DINING OUT TUSCAN & ITALIAN CUISINE (C2) ANTICA OSTERIA 1 ROSSO Borgo Ognissanti, 1/r 055 26 70 461 (C4) DA QUE’ GANZI Via Ghibellina, 70/r 055 22 60 010 www.daqueiganzi.it (B3) LORENZO DE’ MEDICI RESTURANT & PIZZERIA Via del Giglio, 49 055 21 29 32 www.lorenzodemediciristorante.com (D2) OSTERIA SANTO SPIRITO Via Santo Spirito, 16 055 23 82 383 www.osteriasantospirito.it

(C4) THE DINER Via dell’Acqua 2 Tel: 055 29 07 48 www.theflorencediner.com

SNACKS (C3) L’ANTICO TRIPPAIO Piazza dei Cimatori & Piazza San Lorenzo 339 74 25 692 www.anticotrippaio.com

(*) VINANDRO Piazza Mino da Fiesole, 33 (Fiesole) 055 59 121 www.vinandrofiesole.com

(C4) SALUMERIA VERDI Via Verdi, 36/r 055 24 45 17 www.salumeriaverdi.it (D4) SOFT DRINK ROCCO Via de’ Neri, 16/r 389 02 50 515 (B4) THE OIL SHOPPE Via Sant’ Egidio, 22/r 347 11 88 056

NIgHtLIFE APERITIVO BARS (D2) CABIRIA LOUNGE BAR Piazza Santo Spirito, 4/r 055215732 www.cafecabiria.com (D4) GALLERY CAFÉ ART BAR Via de’ Benci, 30/r 055 22 60 204 (C5) KITSCH Viale Gramsci, 5/r 055 23 43 890 www.kitschfirenze.com (A3) KITSCH DEUX Via San Gallo, 22/r 328 90 39 289 www.kitschdeux.com (C2) SAN CARLO Borgo Ognissanti, 32-34/r 055 21 68 79

(C4) SALOOn TOSSCANO Via Verdi, 47/r 055 38 80 034

(D2) RICCHI RESTAURANT Piazza Santo Spirito, 8–9/r 055 28 08 30 www.ricchiristorante.com

(D4) House of Sizzle Via de’ Benci, 33-35/r 055 24 80 909 www.redgarter-florence.com

(C4) SALAMANCA Via Ghibellina, 80/r 055 23 45 452 www.salamanca.it

(C4) MR. PIZZA Via Pietrapiana, 82 Pizza Duomo, 5/r Tel: 055 38 60 311

(C3) PIZZERIA O’ VESUVIO Via dei Cimatori, 21/r 055 28 54 87 www.ovesuviofirenze.com

INTERNATIONAL

(B5) RISTORANTE INDIA Via Gramsci, 43/a, Fiesole 055 59 99 00 www.ristoranteindia.it

(D4) MOYO Via dei Benci, 23/r 055 24 79 738 www.moyo.it (C2) ONE-EYED JACK Piazza Nazario Sauro, 2/r 055 09 44 561 www.thejackpub.com (D2) PITTA M’INGOLLI Piazza Santo Spirito, 17/r 055 26 42 56

CLUBS (?) MAYDAY CLUB Via Dante Alighieri, 16 055 23 81 290 www.maydayclub.it (D4) RED GARTER Via de’ Benci, 33 055 24 80 909 www.redgarter-florence.com (C4) TWICE CLUB Via G. Verdi, 57/r 055 24 76 356 www.twiceclub.com

PUBS (D4) BEER HOUSE CLUB Corso dei Tintori, 34/r 055 24 76 763 www.beerhouseclub.it (B3) DUBLIN PUB Via Faenza, 27 055 27 41 571 www.dublinpub.it (*) FINNEGAN IRISH PUB Via San Gallo, 123/r 055 49 07 94 www.finneganpub.com (D4) KIKUYA PUB Via dei Benci, 43/r 055 23 44 879 www.kikuyapub.it/en (a2) MOSTODOLCE CRAFT BREWERY Via Nazionale, 114/r 055 23 02 928

www.mostodolce.it (b2) THE FIDDLER’S ELBOW P.za Santa Maria Novella, 7/r 055 21 50 56

SHOPPING (D4) ALVISE GIUSTINIAN Corso dei Tintori, 19/r 055 24 66 295 www.alvisegiustinian.com (b3) CERAMICA FIORENTINA B.C. Via del Melarancio, 15/r 055 23 96 979 www.ceramicaartisticafiorentina.com (c3) Data records Via dei neri, 15 055 28 75 92 (b3) SAUDE’ JEWELS Via dei Ginori, 12/r 055 26 08 720

WINE (E2) IL SANTO VINO Borgo Tegolaio, 46/r 055 53 87 122 (E2) MILLESIMI Borgo Tegolaio, 33/r 055 26 54 675 (C4) POZZO DIVINO Via Ghibellina, 144/r 055 24 66 907 www.pozzodivino.eu

Lorenzo de’ Medici Lorenzo de’ Medici Restaurant and Pizzeria is an elegant yet reasonably priced spot situated right in the heart of Florence, just a few steps away from the Medici Chapel, the church of Santa Maria Novella and San Lorenzo market, and no more than 200m from the Fortezza da Basso. The restaurant seats 250 people at a time, has wheelchair access, five restrooms and two exits for the comfort of its clients. It is the ideal place to try traditional Florentine dishes or pizza cooked in the wood-fired oven. The perfect place for tourist groups, business dinners, meetings or private dining.

Restaurant & Pizzeria Maxi-screens showing Sky sports (football & NRL Super Bowl)

20% discount for students Large indoor rooms Outdoor seating

Tel. 055 21 29 32 // Via del Giglio, 49 www.lorenzodemediciristorante.com

16

Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

CITY GUIDE TOURIST INFORMATION Firenze Turismo 055 29 08 32/055 29 08 33 Via Cavour, 1/r Mon–Sat: 8:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m.

(Closed on Sundays and public holidays; see Commune info points below for Sunday hours.) info1@firenzeturismo.it www.firenzeturismo.it 055 31 58 74 Florence Airport Via del Termine, 1 Daily: 8:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m. infoaeroporto@firenzeturismo.it 055 21 22 45 Commune Piazza Stazione, 4 Mon–Sat: 8:30 a.m.–7 p.m.

Sundays & public holidays: 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m. turismo3@comune.fi.it www.comune.fi.it 055 28 84 96 Bigallo loggia Piazza San Giovanni Mon–Sat: 9 a.m.–7 p.m.

Sundays & public holidays: 9 a.m.–2 p.m. bigallo@comune.fi.it

EMERGENCY SERVICES Police – emergency Police – carabinieri Police – municipal Ambulance Fire department Tourist medical service Poison Center (24-hour service) Pharmacies (open) Vehicle breakdown (ACI) Obstruction, theft & towed vehicles Civil protection services Child abuse hotline Emergency vet services Environmental emergency response Lost & Found (Florence office)

113 112 055 32 83 333 118 115 055 21 22 21 055 79 47 819 800 42 07 07 116 055 42 24 142 800 01 5 161 114 055 72 23 683 1515 055 33 48 02

TRANSPORT BUS & COACH ATAF (www.ataf.net) BluBlus (Copit and Lazzi) (www.blubus.it) SITA Nord (www.fsbusitalia.it) CAP (www.capautolinee.it) Vaibus (www.vaibus.com)

800 42 45 00 800 27 78 25 800 37 37 60 055 21 46 37 058 35 87 897

TRAIN Trenitalia (www.trenitalia.com) Italo (www.italotreno.it/en)

TAXI

89 20 21 06 07 08

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES (A4) Accademia Gallery* (B2) Alinari National Photography Museum* (C3) Bargello National Museum* (B3) Bigallo Museum* (B3) Cathedral Museum (Museo dell’Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore)* (D2) Costume Gallery (Palazzo Pitti)* (C3) Dante House Museum* (D3) Galileo Museum * (D4) Horne Foundation Museum * (B5) Jewish Museum* (C4) Michelangelo’s House (Casa Buonarroti)* (B4) MUDI Children’s Museum (C4) Museum & Florentine Institute of Prehistory Museum of Natural History sections: – (C4) Anthropology & Ethnology* – (A4) Geology & Paleontology* – (A4) Minerology & Lithology* – (E2) Zoology ‘La Specola’* (A4) National Archaeological Museum* (C3) Orsanmichele* (D2) Palatine Gallery (Palazzo Pitti)* (C3) Palazzo Davanzati* (B3) Palazzo Medici-Riccardi* (D2) Palazzo Pitti* (C2) Palazzo Strozzi* (C3) Palazzo Vecchio* (D2) Porcelain Museum* (A4) Science & Technical Foundation* (D3) Uffizi Gallery* (D3) Vasari Corridor KEY SITES (E3) Forte Belvedere (B3) Giotto’s bell tower (campanile)* (C3) Piazza della Repubblica (C3) Piazza della Signoria (E4) Piazzale Michelangelo (B3) Piazza San Giovanni (D3) Ponte Vecchio (A1) S.M.N. train station GARDENS (E2) Boboli Gardens* (A4) Botanic Gardens* (E4) Rose Gardens

055 42 42

RELIGIOUS SITES (B3) Baptistry of San Giovanni* (D1) Brancacci Chapel* (B3) Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo) (C3) ‘Dante’s church’ (Santa Margherita de’ Cerchi) (B5) Jewish Synagogue* (B3) Medici Chapel* (B2) Ognissanti (B3) San Lorenzo (A4) San Marco* (D4) Santa Croce* (D3) Santa Felicità (B2) Santa Maria Novella* (A4) Santissima Annunziata (D2) Santo Spirito (*) included in the FIRENZE CARD. See www.firenzecard.it for more information.

CENTRAL POST OFFICES (C3) Via Pellicceria, 3 Mon–Sat: 8:15 a.m.–7 p.m.

055 27 36 481 (D3) Uffizi Gallery Tue–Sun: 8.15 a.m.–6.45 p.m.

(Closed Mon and public holidays) (D2) Via Barbadori, 37/r Mon–Fri: 8:15 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Sat: 8:15 a.m.–12.30 p.m.

055 28 81 75 (C4) Via Pietrapiana, 53 Mon–Fri: 8:15 a.m.–7 p.m.

Sat: 8:15 a.m.–12.30 p.m.

055 26 74 21 (A/B1) Via Magenta, 13/r Mon–Fri: 8:15 a.m.–7 p.m.

Sat: 8:15 a.m.–12.30 p.m.

055 26 19 81 (B3) Via Cavour, 71/a Mon–Fri: 8:15 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Sat: 8:15 a.m.–12.30 p.m.

055 46 35 01 (B4) Piazza Brunelleschi 20 Mon–Fri: 8:15 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Sat: 8:15 a.m.–12.30 p.m.

055 21 23 96 (A4) Via Alamanni, 18/r Mon–Fri: 8:15 a.m.–7 p.m.

Sat: 8:15 a.m.–12.30 p.m.

055 26 74 91

PUBLIC TOILETS (A2) SMN Station Area

Subway, Piazza Stazione & Platform 5 Disabled access

(B2) Piazza Santa Maria Novella c/o Misericordia Disabled access (B3) Piazza Duomo Area Piazza San Giovanni, 7 Disabled access Baby-changing facilities

(C4) Palazzo Vecchio Area Via Filippina Disabled access (B3) San Lorenzo Area Via della Stufa Disabled access

(D4) Santa Croce Area

Borgo Santa Croce, 29/r Disabled access

(D5) Piazza Madonna della Neve (Le Murate) Disabled access (C4) Piazza de’ Ciompi Disabled access (B5) Piazza d’Azeglio Disabled access (C4) Borgo Allegri Baby-changing facilities (D2) Ponte Vecchio Area Via dello Sprone Disabled access (D2) Santo Spirito Area Via Sant’Agostino Disabled access Shower facilities

(E4) Piazzale Michelangelo Area Viale Galilei Disabled access

@florencenews

Enoteca de'Macci Pharmacy and Health-Center Bargioni Pharmacy professional and English speaking staff will make sure all of your health needs are taken care of. Their Fidelity Card also gives customers access to numerous promotions.

Products range from: Dermo Cosmetics, Modern Homeopathy, Diet & Nutrition, Phytotherapy, Herbal Medicines, Hygiene, Baby, Sport, Veterinarian.

Services include: Booking Center for Hospital (Mon.-Fri. 9a.m.-11a.m.), Food Intolerance Test, Health-food Corner, Herbal Shop, Hair Analysis, Prevention Days With Special Discounts, Skin Analysis, Weight and Height Check, Blood Pressure Measurement and Monitoring.

Via V. Gioberti, 129/r 055 24 44 71 www.farmaciabargioni.it

A BOOKWORM’S HAVEN IN THE HEART OF FLORENCE

COOKING COURSES IN SANTO SPIRITO

A COMPLETE €10 MEAL IN SANT’AMBROGIO

An English-language bookshop tucked away near the Duomo, Paperback Exchange has welcomed expat bookworms into its cosy interior since 1979. Shelves of fiction, non-fiction, Italian and English classics, children’s and Italian-interest books line the walls, with both new and used titles to pore over. Friendly and knowledgeable staff speak both English and Italian and will happily source a book if you can’t find it on the shelf. Bring in your old books to exchange for unread titles or build up store points towards a discount.

The association In Tavola aims to spread Italian food- and wine-rich regional culinary traditions, such as those of Tuscany with its variety of dishes and recipes. The association organizes cooking classes as well as individual lessons for both professionals and beginners. It also offers special deals for students.

Enoteca de’ Macci is a lively bar located in one of Florence’s nightly hotspots. Guests are offered a diverse selection of local specialties, fine wines and exotic cocktails while listening to relaxing lounge music. The menu includes an international breakfast with rich buffet (€4.50 or €3.50 for students), lunch (€4.90 for first course, €5.90 for second course or complete meal for €10), as well as happy-hour specials for €3.50. Enjoy music and cocktails until 2 a.m. with live music between 9–11 p.m.

Opening hours: Mon. – Fri.: 9 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Sat.: 10:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Sun.: Closed Via delle Oche, 4/r 055 29 34 60 www.papex.it papex@papex.it

Courses include: Market tour & cooking class Four-course dinner Easy dinner Easy lunch Home-made pasta Pizza & gelato Via dei Velluti, 18 055 21 76 72 www.intavola.org info@intavola.org

Via de’ Macci, 92/r (corner Via Mino 4–6–8/r) 338 88 46 455 (Matteo) 328 96 72 241 (Marco)

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

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EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (D4) ABC School of Florence Via de’ Rustici, 7 (D2) ACCENT Study Center Piazza Santo Spirito, 10 (C3) Accademia Europea Via Roma, 4 (C4) Accademia del Giglio Via Ghibellina, 116 (D4) American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS) Piazza Peruzzi, 1 (*) AZ Language Services Via Faentina, 9/r (C5) California State University Via G. Leopardi, 12 (C4) CAPA Florence Center Via Pandolfini, 20 (C3) CEA Global Campus Piazza della Repubblica, 6 (*) Centro di Cultura per Stranieri Via Valori, 9 (D2) Centro Fiorenza Via Santo Spirito, 14 (B5) Centro Italiano Firenze Piazza d’Azeglio, 20 (C3) Centro Linguistico Italiano Dante Alighieri Piazza della Repubblica, 5 (D2) Centro Machiavelli Piazza Santo Spirito, 4 (D2) Eurocentres Pizza Santo Spirito, 9 (C3) European Academy of Florence Via Roma, 4 (D4) Fairfield University Corso dei Tintori, 7 (C4) Florida State University Borgo degli Albizi, 15 (A4) Gonzaga University Via Giorgio La Pira, 11/13 (C3) Istituto Americano American Language Center of Florence Via Brunelleschi,1 (B3) Istituto Italiano Via Martelli, 4 (D2) James Madison University Palazzo Capponi Via de’ Michelozzi, 2

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(c3) Kent State University Palazzo dei Cerchi Vicolo dei Cerchi, 1 (D4) L’Arca Srl Scuola Di Italiano per Stranieri Via dei Rustici, 7 Lorenzo de’ Medici (A3) Via Faenza, 43 (C3) Piazza Strozzi, 2 (b4) Middlebury College Via degli Alfani, 48 (a2) Ontario College of Art and Design University Via Nazionale, 7 Palazzo Rucellai (C3) Via della Vigna Nuova, 18 (D4) Corso dei Tintori, 19 (D4) Parola Italian Language School Borgo Santa Croce, 4 Pepperdine University (*)Viale G. Milton, 41. (*)Via del Landino, 15. (d2) Richmond, the American University in London Via Maggio, 11 SACI (Studio Art Centers International Florence) Palazzo dei Cartelloni (C4) Via Sant’Antonino, 11.

Palazzo Jules Maidoff (B3) Via Sant’Egidio, 14.

(A3) Santa Reparata International School of Art (SRISA) Via San Gallo, 53/r (D4) Sarah Lawrence College Borgo Santa Croce, 10 (B4) Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Via Bufalini, 3 Scuola Linguaviva (A2) Via Fiume, 17Smith College (C3) Piazza della Signoria, 4/a (C3) Smith College Piazza della Signoria, 4/a (B4) Scuola Spirito Italiano Via dei Pilastri, 51 (*)Societá Dante Alighieri Via G. Capponi, 4 (d3) Stanford University Palazzo Capponi alle Rovinate Via de’ Bardi, 36 (*)Syracuse University Piazza Savonarola, 15 (C3) The British Institute of Florence Piazza Strozzi, 2

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(d5) The Florence Academy of Art Via delle Casine, 21/r (E4) Vanderbilt University CET Academic Programs Lungarno Serristori, 29

PIA ZZ MICHEL ALE ANGE

(C3) FLOWERS & PLANTS Via Pellicceria (under the loggia) Every Thurs (except public holidays): 8 a.m.–2 p.m.

(C3) PORCELLINO Clothing, textiles, Florentine straw products, leather and souvenirs.

Piazza del Mercato Nuovo, Via Porta Rossa Daily: 9 a.m.– 7:30 p.m.

(B3) SAN LORENZO Leather goods (bags, shoes, clothing) and souvenirs.

Piazza San Lorenzo and neighboring streets Daily: 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

(C5) SANT’AMBROGIO Fresh produce, flowers, clothes and homewares.

Piazza Ghiberti Indoor market: Mon, Tues & Thurs: 7:30 a.m.– 2 p.m.; Wed & Fri: 7:30 a.m.– 7 p.m.; Sat: 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

Outdoor market: Mon–Sat: 8 a.m.–2 p.m.

VIA AS

TIO

NI

SE

RV .R

AM

ON

AC

I

Hospital

Train Station

(C4) FLEA MARKET Piazza dei Ciompi Daily: 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

IB

Tourist information

MARKETS

Cascine Park Food products, clothing, antiques and homewares.

Viale Lincoln – Viale Lecci – Piazzale J. F. Kennedy Every Tues: 8 a.m.–2 p.m.

DE

LEGEND

Parking

(A3) Central Market Fresh produce, local and Italian food products.

Via dell’Ariento Mon–Fri: 7 a.m.– 2 p.m. ; Sat: 7 a.m.–5 p.m.

July and August: Mon–Sat: 7 a.m.–2 p.m.

PIAZZA F. FERRUCCI’

E

LO

(*) Located off the map

(C4) Antiques Borgo Allegri – Via dell’Agnolo – Piazza dei Ciompi – Via Martiri del Popolo Last Sunday of each month (except July): 8:30 a.m.– 7:30 p.m.

AC

Urban buses - Info and ticket office suburban buses central post offices PUBLIC TOILETS

(D2) SANTO SPIRITO Piazza Santo Spirito Fresh produce: Mon–Sat: 8 a.m.–2 p.m.

Handicrafts & antiques: 2nd Sunday of each month (except July & Aug): 9 a.m.–7 p.m.

Organic produce: 3rd Sun of each month (except Aug): 9 a.m.–7 p.m.

SHUTTLE SERVICE TO FLORENCE AIRPORT From Florence S.M.N. train station to Florence Airport (Peretola): Every hour and half-hour from 5:30 a.m. till 11 p.m.

Bus stop located outside train station near taxi stand.

From Florence Airport to Florence S.M.N train station: Every hour and half-hour from 6 a.m. till 11.30 p.m.

‘Vola in Bus’ ATAF/SITA service 800 42 45 00 www.ataf.net Florence Airport (Peretola) 055 30 61 300 www.aeroporto.firenze.it/en Pisa International Airport (Galileo Galilei) 050 84 93 00 www.pisa-airport.com

18

Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

CITY GUIDE TRAVEL & TOURS (c4) BUS2ALPS Via Ghibellina, 97/r Skype: Bus2alps www.bus2alps.com (A2) FUN IN TUSCANY Via Fiume, 20 338 59 22 682 www.funintuscany.com (C4) WHEN IN FLORENCE Via Verdi, 46/r 055 38 60 864

SERVICES (c4) CARATELLO SHIPPING SOLUTIONS Via dell’Agnolo, 115/r 055 01 18 470 www.caratello.net (c4) WHEN IN FLORENCE STUDENT SERVICES Via Verdi, 46/r 055 386 08 64 www.wheninflorence.com (c4) TIM Via Verdi, 46/r 055 23 44 407 www.tim.it

CLASSES & COURSES (*) CELONI TENNIS INTRUCTOR 348 06 57 769 celoni.iuri@alice.it (D2) IN TAVOLA COOKING COURSES Via dei Velluti, 18 055 21 76 72 www.intavola.org (d3) TUSCAN WINE SCHOOL Via dei Bardi, 23/r 055 23 44 142 www.tuscanwineschool.com

HEALTH & BEAUTY (C5) ALCHIMIA

Via dell’Agnolo, 47-49-51/r 055 24 16 04 www.alchimia-hairdesign.com (*) FARMACIA BARGIONI Via Gioberti, 129/r 055 24 44 71 www.farmaciabargioni.it (D3) IT’S YOGA FIRENZE Via dei Bardi, 21 328 66 41 652 www.itsyogafirenze.it (D4) TONO SU TONO Via dei Benci, 37/r 055 23 44 885

GELATO (d4) GELATERIA DE’ NERI Via de’ Neri, 20-22/r 055 21 00 34 (d2) GELATERIA DELLA PASSERA Piazza della Passera, 15 055 29 18 82 (c3) L’ANGOLO DEI GOLOSI Piazza dei Cimatori (d4) perche’ no Via Tavolini, 19/r 055 23 98 969

ENTERTAINMENT (*) IL GIGANTE ADVENTURE PARK Via Fiorentina, 276, Vaglia 320 32 61 243 www.parcoavventurailgigante.it

OPENING HOURS POPULAR SITES (B3) BAPTISTRY OF SAN GIOVANNI* Piazza San Giovanni 055 23 02 885 Mon–Sat: 11:15 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sun and 1st Sat of every month: 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m. July 4– Sept 28: Thurs–Sat: 11:15 a.m.–11 p.m.

Easter Week (Thurs, Fri, Sat before Easter & Easter Mon), April 25 & May 1: 8:30 a.m.–7 p.m.

Closed Jan 1, Easter Sunday, Sept 8, Dec 24 & 25.

Mon of each month; Jan 1 & Dec 25.

(E2) BOBOLI GARDENS* 055 23 88 786 March Daily: 8:15 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

(6:30 p.m. with daylight saving) April–May & Sept–Oct Daily: 8:15 a.m.–6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. with standard time) June–Aug Daily: 8:15 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

Nov–Feb Daily: 8:15 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Closed 1st and last Mon of each month; Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

(B3) CATHEDRAL CUPOLA* Piazza del Duomo 055 23 02 885 Mon–Fri: 8:30 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sat: 8:30 a.m.–5:40 p.m.

Closed Sun; Jan 1; Jan 6; Thurs–Fri– Sat before Easter; Easter; June 24; Aug 15; Sept 8; Nov 1; Dec 8; Mon & Tues of the first week of Advent; Dec 25 & 26. Note: 463 stairs by foot only, no lift.

(B3) GIOTTO’S BELL TOWER* Piazza del Duomo 055 23 02 885 Daily: 8:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; January 6: 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

Closed Jan 1, Easter, Sept 8 & Dec 25.

Note: 414 stairs by foot only, no lift.

(B3) CATHEDRAL MUSEUM (Museo dell’Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore)* Piazza del Duomo, 9 055 23 02 885 Mon–Sat: 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; Sun: 9 a.m.– 1:45 p.m.

Closed Jan 1, Easter, Sept 8 & Dec 25.

(C3) DANTE HOUSE MUSEUM * Via Santa Margherita, 1 055 21 94 16 April–Sept Daily: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Oct–March Tues–Sun: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Closed Mon (Oct 1–March 31), Dec 24 & 25.

(D3) GALILEO MUSEUM * Piazza dei Giudici, 1 055 26 53 11 Mon & Wed–Sun: 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m.; Tues: 9:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Closed Jan 1 & Dec 25.

(B5) JEWISH MUSEUM * Via Farini, 6 055 23 46 654 June–Sept: Mon–Thurs & Sun: 10 a.m.– 6:30 p.m.; Fri: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Oct–May: Mon–Thurs & Sun: 10 a.m.– 5:30 p.m.; Fri: 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Closed Sat, Jan 1, Dec 25 & Jewish holidays.

(D3) VASARI CORRIDOR Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6 055 29 48 83 Available to private groups only: contact Uffizi Gallery for information.

(C4 )MICHELANGELO’S HOUSE (Casa Buonarroti)* Via Ghibellina, 70 055 24 17 52 Mon & Wed–Sun: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Closed Tues, Jan 1, Easter & Dec 25.

MUSEUMS (A4) ACCADEMIA GALLERY* Via Ricasoli, 58/60 055 23 88 612 Tues–Sun: 8:15 a.m.–6:50 p.m.

Closed Mon, Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

(A4) NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM* Piazza Santissima Annunziata, 9b 055 23 57 720 / 23 575 Tues–Fri: 8:30 a.m.–7 p.m.

Sat–Mon: 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

Closed Jan 1 & Dec 25.

(B3) PALAZZO MEDICI-RICCARDI* Via Cavour, 3 055 27 60 340 Mon–Tues & Thurs–Sun: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.

Closed Wed.

(C3) PALAZZO DAVANZATI * Via Porta Rossa, 13 055 23 88 610 Daily: 8:15–1:30 p.m.

Closed 2nd & 4th Sun, and 1st, 3rd & 5th Mon of the month; Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25.

(C3) BARGELLO NATIONAL MUSEUM* Via del Proconsolo, 4 055 23 88 606 Daily: 8:15 a.m.–1.50 p.m.

Closed 1st, 3rd & 5th Sun and 2nd & 4th

(E2) PALAZZO PITTI* Piazza Pitti, 1 Palatine Gallery 055 23 88 614 Tues–Sun: 8:15 a.m.–6:50 p.m. Royal

Apartments closed every year during Jan for maintenance. Closed Mon, Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25..

Costume Gallery 055 23 88 801 / 23 88 713 March Daily: 8:15 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. with daylight saving) April–May & Sept–Oct Daily: 8:15 a.m.– 6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. with standard time) June–Aug Daily: 8:15 a.m.–6:30 p.m.

Nov–Feb Daily: 8:15 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Closed 1st and last Mon of each month; Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

Gallery of Modern Art 055 2388601 Tues–Sun: 8:15 a.m.–6:50 p.m.

Closed Mon, Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25..

Silverware Museum (Museo degli Argenti) Piazza Pitti, 1 055 2388709 March Daily: 8:15 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. with daylight saving) April–May & Sept–Oct Daily: 8:15 a.m.– 6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. with standard time) June–Aug Daily: 8:15 a.m.–6:30 p.m.

Nov–Feb Daily: 8:15 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Closed 1st and last Mon of each month; Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

Porcelain Museum 055 2388709 March Daily: 8:15 a.m.–5:15 p.m. (6:15 p.m. with daylight saving) April–May & Sept–Oct Daily: 8:15 a.m.– 6:15 p.m. (5:15 p.m. with standard time) June–Aug Daily: 8:15 a.m.–6:15 p.m.

Nov–Feb Daily: 8:15 a.m.–4:15 p.m.

Closed 1st and last Mon of each month; Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

(C2) PALAZZO STROZZI* Piazza Strozzi 055 27 76 461 Piano Nobile: Mon–Wed & Fri–Sun: 9 a.m.–8 p.m.

Thurs: 9 a.m.–11 p.m.

CCC Strozzina: Tues–Wed & Fri–Sun: 10 a.m.–8p.m.; Thurs: 10 a.m.–11 p.m.

Closed Mon. (C3) PALAZZO VECCHIO* Piazza della Signoria 055 27 68 325 Oct–March Mon–Sun: 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; Thurs: 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

April–Sept Mon–Sun: 9 a.m.–midnight; Thurs: 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Closed Dec 25.

(D3) UFFIZI GALLERY* Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6 055 23 88 651 Tues–Sun: 8:15 a.m.–6:50 p.m.

Closed Mon, Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

Bistro, Wine AND Cocktails at Borgo Ognissanti

Home delivered and poured wine in S. Spirito

San Carlo bar offers continental and American breakfast and brunch, simple but refined lunch, a large aperitivo buffet, and an extensive wine and cocktail list. Music and art create a warm, lively atmosphere while friendly staff members are always ready to cater to any requests. San Carlo is a bar suited to any time of day: great for a quick coffee or snack, a leisurely aperitivo or meal, or simply an after-dinner drink with friends.

Bring your bottle to be filled for less than €1.50, straight from the barrels of Il Santo Vino.

Here patrons can choose from a wide range of Italian wine in bottles or barrels sourced throughout Tuscany and Italy, as well as spirits and digestives. Il Santo Vino also provides a home-delivery service alongside selected local specialty and organic products, such as truffled goods, honey, jam, coffee and a variety of Sicilian spreads.

Opening hours: Monday: 4–9 p.m.

Tuesday to Sunday: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.; 4–9 p.m.

Borgo Ognissanti, 32-34/r 055 21 68 79 www.sancarlofirenze.it Facebook: sancarlo.firenze

Borgo Tegolaio, 46/r 055 53 87 122 or 345 90 93 425 www.ilsantovino.jimdo.com mariella.croda@yahoo.it Skype: ilsantovino Facebook: Il Santo Vino

19

Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

NIGHTLIFE

The ‘Electric Circus’ of Florence

Space, a club that embraces five generations FRANCESCA LYNAGH The legacy of Space Electronic began in Febru-ary 1969, in the midst of the electrifying ‘underground’ music phase. Carlo Caldini, Mario Bolognesi and Fabrizio Fiume had a vision – to create a place in the heart of Florence where showcasing music would be the main focus. Caldini supposedly got the idea from a place he visited in New York in 1968 called the Electric Circus.

The groups that first played at Space were primarily rock bands, and they mainly covered British and American songs, but bands such as Le Madri Superiori had their own songs to perform. Foreign bands came mostly from London and, because they lacked management, Space was able to contact them directly, offer them a place to stay and give them a regular slot to play in Florence. Some examples of big names that played there include Rory Gallager, Van Der Graaf Generator, Atomic Rooster, and notable Italian rock band Premiata Forneria

Marconi.

Space continued in this way until 1975, and since then the live music scene has died down and it has become a more modern nightclub. In recent years, several famous DJs have taken the stage there, including Chingy, DJ UNK , Chris Willis and Pitbull. What has remained the same since the late ‘60s is that from the time the club doors open until closing, Florentines and international students come together for an unforgettable music experience.

Downstairs hosts a karaoke party until midnight, and has a particularly unique instalment – an aquarium. Marshall McLuhan’s theory about media in his famous work Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man (1964) was the inspiration for the club’s interior when it opened. His view was that media could be used to manipulate environments and create a social effect. As a result of his ideas, clubbers at Space these days find themselves caught up in exciting laser effects that accompany the pumping music vibrating from wall to wall in

the upstairs room. There is a spaceship feel to the club, which is enhanced by the mirrored walls, heavily used smoke machines and snazzy white furniture that line the dance floor. The smart VIP lounge sits proudly above the dance floor, giving all those inside a superior view of the dancing talent below.

People still fill the club today, although the pull factor is different to that of the late ‘60s. Nevertheless, Space Electronic continues to entertain Florentines and the international crowd alike, seven days a week.

TABLeS: €20 per head, min 10 people TO make reSerVATIONS Or BOOK OuT FrOM FLOreNCe email: camboinjapan@hotmail.com Selim: 348 77 68 434

Saturday VIBE FALL EDITION

Space Club and Frst Class Promotion presents Resident Djs Alex Cicco and Remo Giugni UPPER FLOOR

VOICE: MAX COOL J CLAUDIANO

Lower floor: Dj Yomegas with the best HIP HOP, Reggaeton and Latin PRICES: €13 for men + drink, €10 for Women with drink

Friday campus Friday nights are a whole other campus, a big college party.

Evening "campus" for academics and Italian students!

The soundtrack, on the basis of House, Electro & Dance Commercial, will be curated by DJ Lorenzo Cassigoli.

PRICES: €13 for men + drink, €10 for Women with drink

20

Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

FASHION

Italian fashion and what not to wear Misty Evans

Dolce & Gabbana fall from grace Lara May

It’s September and students are settling into the city all wide-eyed and high on life, trying This is good This is not a This is good to fit into their new surroundings, figuring out (minus the fur) fall/winter language, culture and local fashion. In my opinion the students are arriving at the best time outfit in terms of aesthetics, as clothing stores are brimming with fall/winter collections. Finally!

It’s easy to loathe unstructured, clingy, cheap fabrics and short jersey dresses (too often worn with visible granny panties), combined with glistening pre-cancer skin.

I am aging-phobic, and when I see a beach babe I think: “Oh honey, in five years, honey, no.”

Winter fashion, on the other hand, is smoldering: exploding with attitude and repressed sex appeal. The style in Florence reflects this and more. I’ve fallen in love with the commonly worn layers, red lips, boots and leather pants.

I practically start skipping across the cobblestones when I see store windows begin to fill up and become dominated by sexy, sophistifashion-focused city but very different from its in the cold, historical streets is fitted, often cated black and calming neutrals. In the winter fashion-obsessed big sister, Milan, or its much tight and covered. Makeup and hair are simFlorence is a black sea of bodies, regardless of less fashionable cousin, Rome. ple: think black winged liner, loads of mascara what’s ‘in’ for the rest of the world.

What is ‘in’ changes frequently in Florence, and a little lipgloss for your face; and for hair, Milan Fashion Week rocked an array of Italian and obviously everyone has their own personal well, go with a Mary-Kate or Ashley Olsen sexy at this year’s Fall 2013 show. Womensnatural mane to frame your pretty style, though there are always a wear was full of gold, religious symbols, masfew trends that can be seen every “In the winter Florence is face. Rarely do you see an Italian culine cuts, splashes of warm orange-reds, fur fall/winter and have been seen a black sea of bodies, woman with what I like to call, (for the cave-people out there), over-the-knee for the past few years. The color regardless of what’s ‘in’ ‘little girl hair’: pigtails, ponytails, stiletto boots in black and an array of browns, scheme is usually shades of black for the rest of the world” crazy braids or knots, or heavineutral Mary Janes worn with thick wool and gray, sprinkled with some ly hair-sprayed hair (unless there socks, sequined tops, and the usual and timeneutrals. You can be sure that leather leggings is a wedding, then things become terrifying). less structured tweed If you’re going out for the night, ladies, think or black skinny jeans dress. On the men’s side “Sexy is different in Florence from how it is will frequently be short, fitted, structured dress with wool tights they rocked fitted, slen- in the US, so if you’re looking to blend in worn with knee-high or and high boots. Burn the bright purple tank-top der black slacks, bulky more than stand out I would avoid some over-the-knee stiletto jersey dress that many will undoubtedly try wool sweaters, black to wear with stiletto boots, sans a coat in the boots, riding boots, or common foreigner trends.” ankle boots of various the infamous heavi- middle of January. Guys, find some clothes that styles combined with the signature man-scarf actually fit you, and please burn your basketball ly studded ankle-biker boot. Huge over-sized wrapped around the neck repeatedly to form a knit cardigans in neutral colors, massive knit jerseys and basketball shoes. In the winter, it’s patterned barrier against the cold. easiest to spot foreigners for this reason alone. scarves or capes, layered blouses, over-sized Clothing stores in Florence are showing similar sweaters in asymmetrical or ‘unique’ cuts, and An American, for example, can usually be spotlooks and then some. Many non-Italian brands ted 50 miles away by the fact that they are the structured black or gray tweed dresses. Kneeare pushing Midwestern looks, dresses with length black coats with funnel necks or leather only people in the street wearing a rainbow of Little House on the Prairie-style prints, “Ma jackets, up until it’s cold enough to become the colors, tiny dresses and thin sweaters or hoodwas eaten by a dingo” cuts, and “I was rodeo hideous ‘puffy coat’ season, which usually be- ies without a coat. but now I’m rock-n-roll,” boots, alongside NaWhile it’s great to maintain individuality and gins towards the end of December. tive American-inspired prints and colors, and Sexy is different in Florence from how it is in dress in a way that represents who you are, schoolgirl skirts. While Italian runways had the US, so if you’re looking to blend in more Florence houses trends that are timeless and some of these similar themes, they were conthan stand out I would avoid some common for- effortless. Join the black-clad masses. structed with the usual Italian grandeur and eigner trends. Sexy in Florence isn’t walking nose-in-the-air elitism, lending a little snobaround half-nude showing off your Smurf-tintFOLLOW MISTY EVANS ON: bery and a lot of black to the Quaker rodeo. ed frozen skin. That is called “trashy” and survivinginitaly.com But this isn’t necessarily Florence, which is a “ugly.” by my Italian friends. Sexy clothing

For all your hairdressing needs Tono Su Tono hair salon offers some of the latest in fashionable hair styling techniques: with cuts and stylings from €30, Tono Su Tono are also able to do the Shatush hair dying technique from €50, a natural-looking technique favoured by celebrities such as Belen Rodriguez and Jennifer Aniston, amongst others. Male cuts are only €19.

Wella and Moroccanoil products are both used and for sale in the salon, which also offers keratin straightening treatments and many others. Come along to the salon to discover them.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday: 9 a.m.– 6 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m.– 7 p.m.

Via dei Benci, 37r 055 23 44 885

Dolce & Gabbana’s reputation is as distressed as a pair of its haute couture jeans after falling foul of the law.

In July, Stefano Gabbana and his partner Domenico Dolce were convicted of tax evasion amounting to more than a billion euro, after setting up the front company Gado in Luxembourg, and were sentenced to one year and eight months in jail for their crime. The iconic duo, who are expected to appeal, were also ordered to pay compensation to Italy’s tax authorities.

Subsequent comments made by city official Franco D’Alfonso and published in the media led to a three-day closure of Dolce & Gabbana stores in Milan “for indignation”. Il Giornale quoted D’Alfonso, as saying that while fashion is highly important to local business, “we do not need tax-evaders to represent us”. Furthermore, Il Corriere della Sera quoted D’Alfonso

Vogue Fashion’s Night Out returns to Florence Shopaholics are on standby for the return of Vogue’s ‘global celebration of fashion’: Vogue Fashion’s Night Out returns to Italy in 2013, taking place in Florence on September 12 and Milan on September 17.

Initiated by Vogue in 2009 in New York, the event kicked off in Florence in 2012 and celebrates fashion with the aim of cultivating consumer confidence and boosting the economy. In

recent years, the initiative saw an enthusiastic participation of thousands of shoppers throughout the world.

Involving 19 countries in 2013, this edition promises to be bigger and better than ever. True to its motto, luxury boutiques and department stores will be open until late, featuring special limited-edition products, celebrity appearances and unforgettable performances.

for details See: vfno2013.vogue.it

RESTAURANT RICCHI ELEGANT DINING IN PIAZZA SANTO SPIRITO Restaurant Ricchi sits elegantly in the center of one of Florence’s most culturally affluent squares, Piazza Santo Spirito. The local setting offers a warm and cozy place to grab either a low-cost lunch or a more sophisticated dinner.

Offering taste, art, and culture, Ricchi changes its menu every day for lunch, ranging from various meats to different types of spaghetti and lasagna. Ricchi is also locally renowned for

saying that symbolic places of the city should not be conceded to VIP brands that have racked up tax fraud convictions.

Dolce & Gabbana activities in Milan remained closed for three days, including the Via Della Spiga 2 newsstand, the Martini Bar, a barber and the Gold cafe’ in Via Risorgimento, the public relations office confirmed. Gabbano responded personally to the situation by lashing out at D’Alfonso, tweeting “You suck”.

The controversy follows hot on the heels of the decision made in June by the National Chamber of Italian Fashion to remove Dolce & Gabbana and Giorgio Armani from the Milan Fashion Week roster because they are not due-paying members.

It appears that perhaps the notorious Dolce and Gabbana are falling from grace somewhat: in the eyes of the authorities on fashion, the media, and the law.

the cooking of its own lunchtime desserts: legendary custard tart plums and cheesecakes.

By night the menu varies less as the restaurant boasts its special seafood dishes. Alongside a well-designed and seasonal menu, Ricchi offers the opportunity to enjoy your meal while taking in the artistic atmosphere of Piazza Santo Spirito at one of 20 outdoor tables.

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday Sunday: On the second Sunday of each month, lunch only.

Lunch: Midday – 3 p.m. Dinner: 7:30 p.m.–11 p.m.

SPECIALTIES: MIXED SEAFOOD PLATTER Pre-booking is advised and easily done on the website Piazza Santo Spirito, 8–9/r 055 28 08 30 info@ricchiristorante.com.com www.ricchiristorante.com

Cocktails & Aperitivo near Santa Croce Located in the Santa Croce area, Moyo is one of the most frequented bars in the city.

The simple and elegant design, deep lighting and free Wi-Fi make the bar ideal for a relaxing work environment or an evening get-together. Lunch offers a range of first and second courses, sides, salads, hamburgers, omelettes, sandwiches, small pizzas and desserts. The aperitivo buffet, from 6:30p.m. to 10p.m., includes numerous courses on a large wooden table at the entrance. After 10p.m., the room is left for the American bar, with various cocktails and a list of both Italian and foreign wines updated monthly.

Via de’ Benci, 23/r 055 24 79 738 info@moyo.it www.moyo.it

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT

Time-traveling with Lara May Stepping into Data Records 93 on Via de’ Neri feels a little like being transported to another age, with its pink-and-purple psychedelic interior and thousands of CDs and vinyl records lining the walls. It’s hard to imagine that it is 2013 when browsing the classics from the ‘80s and ‘90s with the Beatles playing in the background. And yet this shop is not an outdated throwback from decades past but a unique phenomenon that attracts music lovers from all over the globe, interested in its vast collection of music, which is fully up to date and even includes vinyls of recent releases.

The shop has a rich history of involvement in the music industry, which explains its success and reputation as an exceptional musical destination. Data Records 93 was founded in 1977 on Via Verdi by Giampiero Barlotti, and was originally called Contempo Records, a name that reflected Barlotti’s desire to supply new music not available in Italy at the time. Indeed, in the 1970s Contempo gained a reputation for being cutting-edge, a characteristic for which it is still known. Initially the shop focused mainly on the punk trend of the late 1970s, but over time it came to incorporate new wave, electronic music and other progressive styles, attracting

visitors from all over Italy looking for the latest releases by new bands. In fact, the shop became so popular that in 1982 it was moved to a larger location to accommodate more music and more visitors.

Building on the relationships it had cultivated with up-and-coming bands, Contempo began a record label in 1982, and in the 1980s produced a number of New Wave records, the first of

which was Altrove, by the Italian cult band Diaframma, in 1983. Over time, Contempo became an international label, and managed such bands as Florence’s LITFIBA, Clock DVA, Christian Death and the Pixies.

With such a history of musical expertise, it is unsurprising that today the shop remains a ha-

ven for music lovers and collectors of rare records alike. Its collection of valuable and eclectic records means that Data Records 93 ships all over the world, and receives visits from DJs from Milan, Paris and London, all looking for uncommon records and enticed by this small shop’s impressive reputation and vast collection.

Indeed, the shop holds a number of rare and valuable vinyls, such as first pressings of the Beatles and Pink Floyd, which can be sold for up to €500. One particular record, a Beatles album called Yesterday and Today is valued at €1500 or more because of its controversial original front cover featuring the band dressed in white smocks and covered with decapitated baby dolls and pieces of meat. A new cover was issued, but some of these new covers were simply glued on top of the original releases, and in subsequent years the glue peeled off to reveal the original cover beneath.

Tucked away on Via de Neri, Data Records 93 is a the perfect spot for those looking for musical aficionados, those looking for a different take on current music or those looking for a nostalgic ‘70s throwback experience. Even if you are just looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Florence, you will not be disappointed.

CABIRIA LOUNGE BAR LIVELY NIGHTLIFE IN SANTO SPIRITO Named after Federico Fellini’s Le Notti di Cabiria, this lounge bar evokes a nightlife full of beautiful people, music and social events.

With a modern, fashionable and trendy feel mimicking that of an old Parisian cafe, Cabiria is a unique place to enjoy a memorable night.

One of the most popular nightclubs in the lively Piazza Santo Spirito, an ancient and fascinating square in the city, Cabiria’s location makes it a sought-out place for locals

and tourists alike. Open every day until 2 a.m., it offers a generous aperitivo buffet of snacks and hot gourmet dishes specially made in the private kitchen from 7 – 9:30 p.m, paired with a selection of high-quality cocktails and wine. Cabiria is also an ideal location for dinner and a great late-night spot to relax and enjoy music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The lounge bar also acts as a host for photographic exhibitions, presentations and other events.

Piazza Santo Spirito, 4/r 055 21 57 32 info@ricchiristorante.com www.cafecabiria.com

Cinema, music, art and... bicycles: Bicycle Film Festival arrives in Florence The Bicycle Film Festival stops by Florence on September 26 for four days of cinema, music, art and design, as part of its global tour of 30 cities.

A film festival that “celebrates the bike in 360 degrees”, this is the first time that Florence has hosted the event, which left New York in June and arrives in Florence to coincide with the UCI Road World Championships.

Leopolda Station hosts a selection of more than 60 films drawn from all over the world, including documentaries, video art, animation, reportage, music clips and visual clips, united in the goal of celebrating the world of two wheels. The festival also includes workshops, exhibitions, contests, concerts, DJ sets and a

BMX park.

The Bicycle Film Festival began in 2001 and has gained momentum ever since, becoming a powerful catalyst for the urban bike movement. The 2013 festival reaches from Sydney to Stockholm, Helsinki to Hong Kong, and Mexico City to Madrid, and several other cities in between. Its screenings are sold out every year, so hop on your bike and get down there.

Bicycle Film Festival Sept 26–29 Leopolda Station www.bicyclefilmfestival.com

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

EVENTS EXHIBITIONS

FINISHING THIS MONTH

PIETRO TESTA: ARTIST-PHILOSOPHER OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY Until October 6 Uffizi Gallery Info: 055 29 48 83 www.polomuseale.firenze.it/en/mostre/

THE ROMAN MEDALLIONS OF THE COINS COLLECTION OF THE NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF FLORENCE Until September 30 National Archaeological Museum Info: 055 23 57 720 or 055 23 57 717 www.archeotoscana.beniculturali.it

DIAPHANOUS PASSIONS. BAROQUE IVORIES FROM THE EUROPEAN COURTS Until November 3 Museo degli Argenti - Palazzo Pitti Info: 055 29 48 83 www.unannoadarte.it THE MYTH, THE SACRED, THE PORTRAIT: PAINTINGS FROM THE REPOSITORIES OF THE PALATINE GALLERY Until October 13 The Palatine Gallery Info: 055 23 88 614 www.polomuseale.firenze.it/en/mostre/ AMID MEDICI SPLENDOUR: POPE LEO X AND FLORENCE Until October 6 Medici Chapel, San Lorenzo Info: 055 23 88 602 or 055 29 48 83 FROM ROBERTO CAPUCCI’S HANDS: FABRICS TO BE MOLDED Until December 31 Villa Bardini Info: 055 26 38 599 - 055 20 06 6206

THE RENAISSANCE DREAM Until September 15 Palazzo Pitti Info: 055 23 88 616 - 055 29 48 83 www.unannoadarte.it FRANCESCO MESSINA. A SCULPTOR OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY Until September 29 Villa Bardini Info: 055 20 06 6206 - 055 23 88 616 www.bardini-peyron.it

GUIDED VISITS THE ASTRONOMICAL TORRINO OF LA SPECOLA MUSEUM September 14 Natural History Museum, Zoology sec., “La Specola” Info: 055 23 46 760 www.msn.unifi.it

SAMURAI! JAPANESE ARMORS OF THE STIBBERT COLLECTION Until November 3 Stibbert Museum Info: 055 47 55 20 www.museostibbert.it FROM THE LILY TO THE DAVID: CIVIL ARTS IN FLORENCE DURING THE MUNICIPAL AGE Until December 8 Accademia Gallery Info: 055 29 08 32 www.unannoadarte.it THE GREAT PRINCE. FERDINANDO DE’ MEDICI (1663 – 1713) ART COLLECTOR AND PATRON OF THE ARTS Until November 3 Uffizi Gallery Info: 055 29 48 83 www.unannoadarte.it ANTONIO CANOVA. BEAUTY AND MEMORY Until October 21 “House of Buonarroti” (Casa Buonarroti) Info: 055 24 17 52 www.casabuonarroti.it

MUSIC/THEATRE CONCERT - LEONIDAS KAVAKOS CONDUCTOR, ORCHESTRA OF MAGGIO MUSICALE FIORENTINO September 28, 29 Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Theatre Info: 055 27 79 350 www.maggiofiorentino.it CONCERTS BY THE FLORENTINE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA September 29, 30 Auditorium Santo Stefano a Ponte Vecchio Info: 055 78 33 74 www.orcafi.it GUIDA ALL’ASCOLTO From September 25 Piccolo Teatro del Comunale Info: 055 27 79 350 w w w. m a g g i o f i o r e n t i n o. i t / c o n t e n t / guide-allascolto LA TRAVIATA BY GIUSEPPE VERDI September 7, 14, 21, 28 Duomo Auditorium Info: 328 35 62 380 www.musicainmaschera.it

CLOSING PARTY SUMMER EVENTS AT VILLA STROZZI. DJ SET: CLOSING PARTY September 21 Limonaia di Villa Strozzi Info: 055 20 01 875 – 338 44 58 473 www.officinecreative.fi.it

NEXTECH SPECIAL. ELECTRONIC MUSIC September 5, 6, 7 Fortezza da Basso Info: 055 28 73 42 www.nextechfestival.com BARGELLO THEATRE: THE BACCHAE THEATRE SHOW BY EURIPIDES Courtyard of the Bargello National Museum September 5, 6 , 7 Info: 055 62 18 94 - 055 23 88 606 www.archetipoac.it HISTORICAL MARKETS IN MUSIC 2013.

CONCERT OF ITALIAN POP MUSIC AND VINTAGE VESPA MEETING September 7 Sant’Ambrogio Market Info: 333 43 38 838 www.mercatiinmusica.com O FLOS COLENDE. 17TH EDITION September 8 Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore Info: 055 23 02 885 www.operaduomo.firenze.it CONCERTS BY THE FLORENTINE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, 33RD CONCERT SEASON September 8, 9 Orsanmichele Museum Info: 055 78 33 74 www.orcafi.it CONCERTS BY MOZARTEUM FROM SALZBURG September 9, 12 Courtyard of the Bargello National Museum Info: 055 23 88 606 www.polomuseale.firenze.it CONCERT BY THE FIESOLE MUSIC SCHOOL AT VILLA BARDINI September 10 Villa Bardini Info: 055 26 38 599 - 055 20 06 6206 www.bardinipeyron.it MUSICAL WEDNESDAYS ORGAN CONCERTS 8TH EDITION September 11 Auditorium Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze Info: 055 53 84 001 - 055 53 84 012 www.entecarifirenze.it HISTORICAL MARKETS IN MUSIC 2013 CONCERT BY FUNNY MOUNTAIN BOYS September 11 San Lorenzo Central Market Info: 333 43 38 838 www.mercatiinmusica.com

CONCERTS BY CHERUBINI CONSERVATORY From September 14 Cherubini Conservatory and other venues Info: 055 29 89 311 - 055 65 02 720 www.conservatorio.firenze.it

ZHANG HUAN. SOUL AND MATTER Until October 13 Palazzo Vecchio and Forte Belvedere Info: 055 26 25 961 www.oncevents.com/fortedibelvedere/ THE AMAZING SHOEMAKER. FAIRY TALES ABOUT SHOES AND SHOEMAKERS Until March 31, 2014 Salvatore Ferragamo Museum Info: 055 33 60 456 - 055 33 60 455 www.museoferragamo.com THE RENAISSANCE FROM FLORENCE TO PARIS ROUND TRIP – THE TREASURES OF THE JACQUEMART MUSEUM RETURN HOME Until December 31 Villa Bardini Info: 055 20 06 6206 - 055 23 88 616 www.rinascimentofirenzeparigi.it

CONCERT - ZUBIN MEHTA CONDUCTOR Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino September 25 Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Theatre Info: 055 27 79 350 www.maggiofiorentino.com

LOVE THIS GIANT. DAVID BYRNE & ST.VINCENT September 12 Verdi Theatre Info: 055 21 23 20 www.bitconcerti.it

OPERA FESTIVAL September 1, 6, 20 Limonaia at Villa Strozzi Info: 340 81 19 192 www.concertoclassico.info

FLORENCE ART MUSIC EXPERIENCE CONCERTS September 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 settembre Bargello National Museum Info: 055 23 88 606 www.accademiasanfelice.com HISTORICAL MARKETS IN MUSIC 2013: REMEMBER FRANK ZAPPA September 19 Piazza de’ Ciompi Info: 333 43 38 838 www.mercatiinmusica.com

THE RIFICOLONA. FESTIVAL OF PAPER LANTERNS September 7 Piazza SS. Annunziata Info: 055 27 67 607 www.comune.fi.it

LECTURES/MEETINGS IADR CONFERENCE 2013 September 4-7 Palazzo dei Congressi info: 055 49721 www.ced-iadr2013.com MEETING ON MACHIAVELLI BY SOCIETÀ ITALIANA DI SCIENZE POLITICHE September 12 Palazzo Vecchio, Salone dei Cinquecento Info: 055 055 www.comune.fi.it CULTURAL MEETINGS ORGANISED BY LIONS ACADEMY September 29 Cinema Odeon Info: 055 61 33 27 - 333 26 53 052

BOCCACCIO

FIRENZE VINTAGE BIKE RUN September 8 Various locations Info: 392 92 45 717 www.pedalafirenze.it BACCO ARTIGIANO CARRO MATTO: HISTORICAL RE-ENACTMENT OF THE BLESSED WINE OFFERING TO THE FLORENTINE SIGNORIA September 28 Historical centre Info: 055 26 16 056 www.comune.fi.it A ROOF WITH A VIEW Until September 30 Various locations Info: 055 29 08 32 - 055 29 08 33 www.firenzeturismo.it

September 2-8 Certaldo (FI), Praetorian Palace INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AND COURSES Competition and composition courses, masterclasses and concerts.

G.A.M.O. | Artistic director Gianluca Ulivelli September 7 Certaldo (FI), Praetorian Palace, 9 p.m.

MARATHON CONCERT Concert of courses and masterclasses Boccaccio 2013 September 8 Certaldo (FI), Praetorian Palace, 9 p.m.

PERFORMANCE OF WORKS BY THREE WINNERS Competition of Contemporary Music Boccaccio 2013 September 8 Settignano (Florence), Piazza N. Tommaseo, 9 p.m.

ARTISTS FOR BOCCACCIO Performance projections of works of art on the facades of the building September 13 Certaldo (FI), Casa Boccaccio - 9 p.m. & 10 p.m.

LYDIA, WIFE OF NICOSTRATO Reading theater with live music (Decameron, VII, 9)

CONCERTS BY THE FLORENTINE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA September 8, 9 Orsanmichele Museum Info: 055 78 33 74 www.orcafi.it/ XXXIII _ Stagione _ Concertistica _ Gennaio-Ottobre-2013-Programma.php

CLASSICAL CONCERTS AND OPERA IN FLORENCE September 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 28 English Church of St. Mark’s Info: 340 81 19 192 www.concertoclassico.info

INCANTO GREGORIANO. INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS OF FLORENCE. CONCERTS OF GREGORIAN CHANT September 21, 28 Basilica of San Miniato al Monte and Orsanmichele Church Info: 339 83 62 788 – 328 04 27 031 www.gregoriano-virigalilaei.it

SPECIAL FESTIVALS

PALIO OF THE TOWN DISTRICTS AND JOUST OF THE STAR September 8 Bagno a Ripoli, historical centre Info: 055 65 10 500 - 339 34 37 150 www.giostradellastella.it

VOGUE FASHION’S NIGHT OUT. INTERNATIONAL SHOPPING NIGHT September 12 Historical centre Info: vogueitalia@vogue.it vfno2013.vogue.it/it

September 14 & 15 Certaldo (FI), various sites: Sept 14: from 8 p.m.; Sept 15: from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

THE GREAT WORK Parade, medieval entertainment, theater September 14 Certaldo (FI), Piazza Boccaccio, 10 a.m.

YOUNG BOCCACCIO Presentation of Boccaccio by schoolaged storytellers September 14 Certaldo (FI), Praetorian Palace, 6 p.m.

BOCCACCIO LITERARY AWARD Prizes awarded for Italian and foreign literature, and journalism.

For more information, see: www.boccaccio2013.iten

Bicycle Film Festival Sept 26–29 Leopolda Station www.bicyclefilmfestival.com

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234 5 5 0 : L E T 80r -

h s i n Spa n a c i x Me t n a r u a t s re y a d s r u Th l a n o i t a Intern Party

Salamanca, a local Mexican-Spanish restaurant and disco pub, is hosting a special night for study abroad students on Thursdays. The restaurant, which is just a few minutes’ walk from the Duomo, offers authentic Mexican and Spanish food. Tapas, typical Spanish appetizers, are served along with traditional Spanish dishes.

To accompany the great food, Salamanca also offers a lively atmosphere in which to experience it. In addition to a restaurant, the venue also features a bar, lounge and club. If you're not in the mood to dance then you're welcome to simply sit back and enjoy the entertainment, which includes live Latin music and flamenco dancers.

www.salamanca.it

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

Sport

Forza Viola: The highs and lows of Fiorentina

Andrew Shepherd Were aliens to land in Florence and spend 10 minutes walking the streets of the city, they’d be forgiven for thinking that we Earthlings worship the color purple as our god and that all the flags, scarves, posters, clothes and TV channels around every corner are displays of piety perpetrated by the most devout as a means of pleasing the great Purple One. This, of course, isn’t the case, but like so many football cities around the world, Fiorentina is a team with proud traditions, a devoted fan base and a not uninteresting history. So you can forgive the devoted fans for proudly showing their support. Although by no means the most successful team in Italy, Fiorentina have nonetheless experienced a level of success over the years, yet in their darkest days have probably put their fans through more than most teams (unless, like me, you’re a Leeds United fan. Not sure who they are? I’m not surprised).

For those of you new to the city and looking to catch a game, how better to do so than armed with a little bit of history? Originally founded in 1926 following the re-emergence and increasing popularity of Calcio Storico Fiorentino, the famous purple shirts didn’t emerge until 1928. Wearing red and white for the first two years, legend has it that the team’s shirts were washed incorrectly, causing the colors to

mix together (although by my estimation that would’ve made them pink). It was 30 years before the team first tasted success, winning the league championship in 1956, followed by losing in the final of the European Cup (now Champions League) in 1957, becoming the first Italian team to reach that stage of the competition. It would be a 13-year wait to experience the same success, winning the league championship again in the 1969 season.

Following several years of relative mediocrity, the early ‘80s marked the beginning of a particular period of interest in the team’s history: the enduring rivalry with Juventus. In the final game of the 1982 season Fiorentina and Juventus faced each other to decide the winners of the league title. Following a dubious penalty decision to decide the game, Juventus were crowned champions for the year, much to the dismay of Fiorentina fans. Following that, the teams faced each other once again in the 1990 UEFA Cup final, Europe’s second most prestigious club competition.

Confident of victory, and elated at reaching the final of the competition for the first time, Fiorentina’s fans were hopeful. Or at least hopeful until the news broke on the day of the final that talented young player (and future Italian soccer legend) Roberto Baggio was to be sold to their rivals. Predictably, Juventus were victorious on the day, and riots broke out on the

streets of Florence in protest at the actions of their owners. And so, one of Italian football’s biggest rivalries was born. Newcomers to the city take note: keep your Juventus jersey hidden deep within your suitcase.

The 1990s were a time of little success for Fiorentina in terms of silverware, but there was no shortage of exciting players. Brian Laudrup, Stefan Effenberg and club legend Gabriel Batistuta all had spells at the club, at the time Batistuta was arguably the best striker in the world.

But soon the mid-table comfort and occasional European qualification of the 1990s made way for the darkest period in the club’s history.

Following severe financial difficulties, and the subsequent offloading of star players in 2001, the club was relegated to Serie B, the second tier of Italian football. However, the financial problems were so severe that an administrator was appointed, and the team were refused entry into Serie B, resulting in the effective liquidation of the club. ACF Fiorentina ceased to exist.

The club was quickly reincorporated under a slightly different name and entered the league in Serie C2, the lowest tier of Italian professional football. However, the club was boosted when star player Angelo Di Livio agreed to stay on at the club during their exile, effectively ending his 40-cap career for the Italian national

team. Di Livio became a legend amongst fans for his loyalty, and within two years Fiorentina were back in Serie A. The club was quickly re-established under the name ACF Fiorentina and spent the following years trying to get back to where it once was.

Under the guidance of longest-serving manager Cesare Prandelli, Fiorentina once again established themselves as one of the resident teams in Serie A, achieving European qualification a number of times until he left to become the manager of the Italian national team in 2010.

As of today, the future once again looks bright for ACF Fiorentina. Fan favourite target man Luca Toni left, but German Mario Gomez is incoming. As one of the most effective strikers in European football, Gomez was linked with many of the biggest teams in Europe but eventually opted for Fiorentina, citing his love of their attacking style of football. Following an admirable attempt at Champions League qualification last season, Fiorentina lost out at the very end of the season, but nonetheless managed to qualify for the Europa League (formerly UEFA Cup).

In short, whether you’re a die-hard fan, or here for a few days looking to catch a game, you could do far worse than going to watch Fiorentina this season.

FIORENTINA GAMES Fiorentina - Cagliari 15/09/13 15.00 CEST Fiorentina - Pacos Ferreira 19/09/13 20.00 CEST Atalanta - Fiorentina 22/09/13 15.00 CEST Inter - Fiorentina 25/09/13 15.00 CEST Fiorentina - Parma 30/09/13 20.45 CEST

info on Fiorentina: en.violachannel.tv

How to get to the stadium By foot: Start on the North side of the Ponte Vecchio. Head East until the parallel street finally turns into Lungarno Pecori Giraldi. Turn left at Viale Giovani Amendola, past the roundabout and then right onto Viale Giuseppe Mazzino. This street takes you to Stazione di Campo di Marte, go across the footbridge over the river. Follow the road for one block down Viale Manfredo Fanit and you will arrive at the stadium.

If you start near the Piazza Repubblica , go down Via dei Speziali and head east on the same street which will turn into, in order, Via del Corso, Borgo degli Albizi, Via Pi-

25 Course Aperitivo near Piazza Beccaria In a young, charming and glamorous atmosphere, Kitsch offers one of the largest aperitivo buffets in Florence. A Wi-Fi internet connection and a DJ set make it the perfect place for hanging out while having a large selection of delicately prepared courses right at your fingertips. The spread includes several Tuscan specialties as well as a rich selection of first and second courses, sides, salads and fresh fruit. Various vegetarian dishes are also available. At the great low cost of €8.50, eat as much as you would like while sipping on your favorite drink, included in the price.

Tennis Instructor If you want to work on your swing or just get some exercise into your weekly schedule tennis instructor Celoni Iuri offers professional standard tennis lessons in Florence. Certified by the U.I.S.P (the Italian Sport for Everyone Union) and the A.I.C.S (the Italian Culture and Sport Association) Iuri gives tennis lessons for both groups and one-on-one sessions, at the Marina di Candeli tennis club in the Bagno a Ripoli area.

OpenING HOURS: 5p.m. - 3a.m. & lunch Via San Gallo, 20/r (near Piazza San Marco)

celoni.iuri@alice.it 3480657769

etrapiana and then Borgo la Croce. You will meet a roundabout on Viale Giovanni Amendola – go left onto Viale Giuseppe Mazzino and then walk across the footbridge mentioned above and follow the same directions.

By shuttle bus: #52 departs 90 minutes before the game from Santa Maria Novella Station. The same shuttle returns to the station after the game. From Rifredi Train Station take the #54 shuttle.

By car: Try to avoid coming by car – it is the least convenient method as there is no car parking for the stadium.

Florence Club weekly event schedule For 10 years Florenceclub has been one of the city’s leading organizers of parties and special events for young visitors, students and expats. For a small city that can be walked across in little more than 20 minutes, Florence has a wide range of bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

We’re here to make sure that those of you looking for a party know exactly where to go every night of the week without the hassle of having to find the places yourself by trial and error. With everything from raucous beer pong tournaments to high-end outdoor nightclubs, Florenceclub have something for you.

Thursday: Kiss @ Blanco Beach Bar (via Generale dalla Chiesa, 11)

Monday: Swagged-Up @ TwentyOne

Club TwentyOne has been a huge student spot for several years now, and Mondays are no different with the latest in hip-hop and R&B. With a large bar area, a great dance floor and one of the best sound systems in the city, Mondays are not to be missed.

Free entry every week!

Tuesday: Beer Pong @ The Red Garter (via de' Benci, 33)

An institution for study abroad students for nearly 10 years, the weekly beer pong tournaments at Red Garter are not to be missed! The tournament is free to enter (sign up from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.) and there are great prizes on offer (including one of their famous steak dinners)!

Discounts on beer pitchers are also available to participants.

Wednesday: Student Night @ Blue Velvet

One of the city’s newest clubs, Blue Velvet on Wednesdays has become established as one of the top fashion venues in the city.

Wednesday nights are exclusively for students, entry is free and the doors open at 11:30 p.m. Resident and guest DJs playing the best in hip-hop and R&B every week!

If you go out once in the week, make sure you make it a Thursday night at Blanco Beach Bar! This year the famous outdoor club has opened its doors to international students and tourists for the first time. This high-end outdoor club holds up to 1500 people and offers one of the best VIP experiences in the city. The cover is €10 with two drinks included and a free round-trip shuttle service is available every week from 11:30 p.m., and every half-hour thereafter. Simply meet in the Red Garter 30 minutes before the bus you want to take to reserve your spot. Or even better, make your reservation in advance by calling the number on the flyer! Doors open at 11:30 p.m. with residents and guests playing the best in house, hip-hop and commercial.

Friday: International Student Night @ Space

Arguably the most famous club in the city, Space Electronica has been running some of the biggest student nights in the city for over 40 years. Friday night is the only night of the week reserved exclusively for students, and is one of the best atmospheres you’ll find in Florence nightlife. The club has a huge upstairs dance floor and VIP, as well as a downstairs room with a huge karaoke selection. With the latest house and commercial every week from the resident DJs, this is the perfect opportunity to party with friends and meet other students.

Saturday: Full Up Saturdays (via della Vigna Vecchia 23-25)

As one of Florence’s top student venues for the last five years, Full Up club is one of the city’s top upscale clubs. With one of the best indoor VIP services, this is the perfect opportunity to party in style!

Local DJs playing the best in hip-hop, house and commercial.

Doors open at 11:30 p.m.

For more information on any of these nights or to make reservations for buses/tables simply call 342 84 21 509

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

nightlife

Twice the nightlife scene

Pizza and hamburger around the clock

Located at Via Pietrapiana, 82 and Piazza del Duomo 5/r, Mr Pizza is open until late at night and offers a delivery service from 7 to 11 p.m.

Saloon Toscano is open till late too, among its specialties are hamburgers.

Located at Via Pietrapiana 82, just steps away from the beautiful Santa Croce Basilica, is the contemporary Mr. Pizza. Open since last October, the restaurant offers a simple and fresh menu.

The pizzeria is among one of the only restaurants in the entire city that is open all day and night. Luciano, the owner of the pizzeria, was inspired by the clear lack of late-night dining options available to night owls, hungry after a night of socializing and dancing. A former nightclub employee himself, Luciano noticed that after leaving the bars and clubs, many people were forced to go home with empty stomachs as all of the restaurants had already closed hours before.

Mr. Pizza, which is frequented by visitors and locals alike, serves as a clear choice for anyone looking for a good meal at any time. The interior features a pizza-themed color palette. The

wicker stools have tomato-red frames, the walls nod to the color of fields of well tended wheat and the fresh white accents along the door and walls suggest fresh mozzarella cheese. The funky barrel-shaped tables are full of different types of pizza ingredients. The menu items are equally fresh and contemporary, such as the classic Mr. Pizza recipe featuring tomatoes, mozzarella, parmigiano and riduja and many other classic Napolitan favorites. The staff assures that Mr. Pizza has something to offer to everyone.

“Mr. Pizza is a wonderful place for a casual date night, a meeting spot for friends and wonderful for children as well,” said Luciano. The restaurant is centrally located in the historic Santa Croce district, not far from other points of interest, including Il Duomo and Ponte Vecchio. For it’s prime location, the food has an unbelievable value and is very affordable.

According to Luciano, a diner can experience a satisfying meal for between €8 to €12. The restaurant is open for lunch beginning at 11 a.m., through dinner hours and all night until 5 a.m.

Mr. Pizza Via Pietrapiana 82 or Piazza Duomo 5/r Delivery service from 7 p.m. - 11 p.m.

055 38 60 311

OPEN UNTIL 4A.M. FRANCESCA LYNAGH A common complaint among Florence’s American student population regarding clubs is that they sometimes feel overwhelmed by the lack of certain similarities to American nightlife.

While they recognize that immersing oneself in another culture is one of the most important things to do while visiting the city, sometimes it can be comforting to be surrounded by people like yourself.

The owners of Twice Club want their student clientele to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves when they visit, and in order to do so, they are offering international student nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays, where students can meet people like themselves. Luciano Purpi, one of the club’s owners, knows students and what they like, and makes a conscious ef-

fort to separate his club from all of the negative stereotypes about Florentine nightlife. Unlike most of the city’s similar establishments, Twice has a drink menu with varying prices, rather than simply charging €10 no matter what you order.

“During the week, nearly 80 percent of our business comes from American students,” says Purpi. “We are not a snobby club; you’re just coming here to have fun.”

All six of Twice’s owners are native Florentines with years of experience with nightlife promotion and club management. Another thing that sets their club apart from the competition is the simple fact that it has never been shut down for problems such as drugs or violence.

Twice Club Florence, located on Via Verdi 57/r, doesn’t have a cover charge, and offers open format hip- hop DJ sets on the weekends, house

music on Thursdays and Latin nights every Wednesday. Twice is closed on Mondays until the summer.

TWICE CLUB Free entrance for international students Saturday night is “HOTTEST SATURDAY”, with a large selection of dance and house music by DJ Andrea Martini.

Karaoke every Thu. and Sat. night from 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Via Verdi 57/r

FREE ENTRANCE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS Tel. 055 24 76 356 - Info & Reservation: 348 47 72 096 - info@twiceclub.com

27

Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

LITERATURE

Italy, Rilke, and the sentimental object Lee Foust Lee Foust is a performer, teacher and the author of Sojourner, a collection of fiction and verse on the theme of place. He teaches literature and creative writing courses at four US universities in Florence and Bologna.

Read more at www.leefoust.com.

There exists a general misconception, particularly in the case of poets, that writers write about their feelings. Novices, consequently, often sit before their first blank page, ask themselves, “How do I feel?” and compose the answer in the form of an introspective poem or journal entry. Although I am personally convinced that there are no absolute rules to the composing of great literature in either verse or prose, most readers tire rapidly of reading about a would-be author’s mood; generally we prefer stories, images, the weather even—and particularly alluring in travel writing is the depiction of foreign and exotic objects.

In almost any kind of writing, a feeling or a sentiment is better expressed through the description of a tangible physical object than in the all-too-subjective jargon of emotion. This is why Italy works so well as the subject of travel writing, or as the backdrop for a narrative; it’s a country filled with wondrous and significant objects for the literary eye to note and the pen to depict. Italy’s stage-set city squares and green countryside, its medieval castles, antique ruins, churches and monasteries were all staples of Romantic landscape painting as well as the first post-Shakespearean English narratives depicting Italy: the Gothic Romances of Walpole and Radcliffe.

One unlikely master of spotlighting the sentimental object in the Italian landscape is the Prague-born Bohemian-Austrian poet Rainer Marie Rilke. In one section of his collected Neue Gedichte (1907), translated by Edward Snow as The New Poems (North Point Press, 1990, revised 2001), Rilke records his impressions, in verse, of the Italian stops along the later nineteenth-century version of the Grand Tour: Venice, Rome, Naples, and Capri. The most celebrated of these poems is The Archaic Torso of Apollo, in which the artistic integrity of a truncated piece of Greco-Roman sculpture seen in the Vatican Museum convinces the poet that all things are part of an all-seeing and interconnected moral universe and that gazing upon it is to gaze upon oneself and to proclaim, “You must change your life.”

Nearly 40 years later, New Jersey Imagist William Carlos Williams proclaimed, in his epic Patterson, “No ideas but in things,” meaning in verse of course. Williams was only giving voice to a technique that Rilke’s Italian-set poems, Gothic, and Romantic literature had already used to great advantage. The many objects of Italy’s urban and natural landscapes have always been a sumptuous feast for the observant eye and fodder for meditation, as well as for the figuration of feelings and ideas in literature. My favorite of Rilke’s Italian-set lyrics is Late Autumn in Venice, where, after a long tour-filled summer, the Serenissima “hangs like a heap of marionettes,/Headfirst, exhausted, done in.”

This, too, is how I see Florence in September, somewhat wilted and awaiting the return of its citizenry from the mountains and the beaches and the enthusiasm brought by the city’s many students, both native and foreign.

Readers and writers of Florence take note LEE FOUST Straight outta Dublin, Ireland, by way of study in Perugia and a stint working in Rome, Mundy Walsh has blown into town and is single-handedly constructing a new literary scene in Florence. “After returning to Dublin from Rome, I thought about trying Florence,” she tells me, “but, like everyone, I assumed it would be too difficult to find work.” However, work she did find, as the first administrator of the Anglican St. Mark’s church in Via Maggio in the Oltrarno. Given the mission to increase the church’s profile and interaction with the English-speaking and native Florentine community—a relationship that’s already partially established through the church’s musical events—Mundy has launched a monthly series of literary talks and workshops, and also has a writers’ support group and a spoken word/poetry series in the works. Move over New York City, Florence is soon to have its own St. Mark’s Poetry Project!

“There are so many outlets for readers and writers in Dublin, Ms. Walsh told me, “groups, book clubs, the Irish Writers’ Center, festivals... I saw a vacuum in Florence that I thought the St. Mark’s Cultural Association could fill.”

Upstairs, the church’s palazzo features a lovely

salotto not unlike the nearby apartment of the Brownings in the Casa Guidi, complete with nineteenth-century parquet floors, a grand piano, and Victorian paintings. It’s ideal for snacks, a snifter, and literary talk in the Anglo-Florentine tradition of Forester, Lawrence, and the Romantics.

The inauguration of the monthly events begins in the salotto (Via Maggio 16/18) on Monday, September 16 at 6:30 p.m. with the presentation of Taiye Selasi’s novel Ghana Must Go. A perfect choice for we international types, Selasi is a London-born child of Nigerian heritage raised in Massachusetts who currently resides in Rome and her novel is a sweeping story of an international family drawn momentarily back to its point of origin due to the death of a patriarch. In October (Saturday the 5th,, 10 a.m.) the Association will sponsor a poetry workshop on the Japanese haiku and Korean sijo with Jeanine Hathaway and, on Monday the 7th, 6:30 p.m., a talk on the problems involved in romanticizing the lives of the Brontes and Shelleys by Janice Graham. November’s event (Monday the 4th, 6:30 p.m.) is a presentation of part-time Florentine Libby Cataldi’s nonfiction Stay Close. The talks and presentations are free but there will be a nominal charge for the

hands-on workshop.

If you’re interested in joining Walsh’s proposed writers’ group and/or participating in a monthly poetry reading series, drop her a line at administrator@stmarksitaly.com. I’ve already joined!

Also in from Hibernia this fall, the Florentine poetry review Semicerchio has organized an intense three days, October 2–4, of seminars and readings at the Palazzo Strozzi and the Robert F. Kennedy Center on the work of Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney. Two seminars will focus on the poet’s encounters with Dante’s Commedia and the Greek and Latin classics, and the weekend culminates with a reading on the poetry of work, topic of Semicerchio’s upcoming number. Hurry, space is limited to 35 spots for the seminars and enrollment closes on September 6 and, yes, there is a fee.

For information/enrollment email semicerchiorpc@libero.it.

Due to the death of Seamus Heaney on August 30, organizers of the Semicerchio event have decided to transform the program that Heaney was to have attended in order to commemorate the great Irish poet.

Jess Walter’s Beautiful Ruins Reviewed by Lee Foust Jess Walter’s hit novel of last year (now in paperback), Beautiful Ruins, depicts a world oscillating between Portovenere, the avowed gem of the Cinque Terre, named for the public cult of our veneration of the female as ideal, and Porto Vergogna, the disavowed sixth terra, unscenic site of a derelict house of ill-repute become the habitually empty Hotel Adequate View.

The core drama of the novel is enacted in the spring of 1962, when a starlet bound for a secret rendezvous in Portovenere with a famous actor is diverted to Porto Vergogna by an unscrupulous studio publicity man. The tale spins out from this center point in time, character, and place, taking us to Hollywood, Seattle, and Idaho in the intervening decades between 1962 and ‘recently’, in a novel depicting the journey to understanding our true desires, how we are usually caught between a chimerical ideal and a shameful truth.

The search for fame in the performing arts, in relationships, and in one’s offspring (here

sons) are the fields in which the various dramas of search-for-ideal and shameful reality get worked out in the narrative—not in chronological order but rather dramatically, sentimentally to be sure, but thankfully not melodramatically.

The word that I want most write about this book is ‘charming’. Beautiful Ruins is a charming novel—note, however, that charm is mostly the result of a con—as are great performances, movies, songs, love, as well as child rearing.

As a con, the novel’s spiraling form well fits its theme and the performing arts of which it speaks inform the illusion of profundity it creates. I was honestly moved, choked up in parts, even more so because I appreciated how Walter’s narrative artifice had brought me to emotion without much pretense to realism—rather reveling in the absurd joy of an artifice, a story, a performance.

For the handling of the Italian setting and its protagonist, Pasquale Tursi, son of a Florentine transplanted to the remote and ignominious Porto Vergogna, Walter (hailing from Spokane, WA), proves more than competent. Yes, we do

get to see Firenze briefly (Piazza d’Azeglio— great choice!). Although Walter does occasionally do the thing I hate—use an Italian phrase and then translate it into English; I would prefer an author choose one or the other—mostly the Italian dialog is conveyed in English and it’s convincing enough. There’s even a fun drinking game played by exploring the variety of rude Italian insults—and, although there really aren’t Italian equivalents of the insults invented (in English) to sound Italian to American ears, I was again charmed by the artifice; the insults created are better than actual Italian vituperation.

Although I wasn’t too enamored of the novel’s prose style—favoring normally a more original and lively use of words, even though recent readings of our current masters of such style (Michael Chabon and Amelia Gray) have left me cold—the form of Beautiful Ruins works quite well. The novel creates an affecting dramatic arc out of a mixed bag of times, places and characters. A very satisfying illusion. A wink to the conman. Charmed, I’m sure.

A BOOKWORM'S HAVEN IN THE HEART OF FLORENCE

Opening hours: Mon. : Fri.: 9 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Sat.: 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Sun.: Closed Via delle Oche, 4/r - 055 29 34 60 - www.papex.it - papex@papex.it

28

Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

TRAVEL

Day-trippin’, Florence-style

Michelle LaPorte There’s no argument that Florence is an absolutely amazing city. From the Duomo at the epicenter of the city, to Piazza Republica’s gorgeous archway and carousel, to Piazzale Michaelangelo’s breathtaking view of the city, there’s beauty around every corner in Florence, but there are a number of other destinations only a few short hours away worth having a look at.

1. Taste of Tuscany – Tour wineries in Montepulciano and Montalcino and taste some of the world’s most delicious wines, meats and cheeses. Take in breathtaking views of the Tuscan hillsides and vineyards so unbelievable that you won’t even believe they’re real.

2. Cinque Terre – Explore the five towns of Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso, and see what this amazing destination has to offer.

Go cliff-jumping in Manarola, enjoy views of the towns on a beautiful hike through nature or chill by the beach with a Piña Colada at Monterosso’s own country music bar. If you’ll be in Florence, Cinque Terre is a not-to-be-missed trip!

3. Venice – Visit the historic floating city of Venice. Be serenaded on a relaxing gondola ride through the city’s 150 canals, visit St. Mark’s Square, home of the famous Carnival festival, and bring home locally blown glass statues and jewelry from the island of Murano.

4. Pisa – The famous Leaning Tower of Pisa is only a short one-hour train or bus away from Florence, so make sure to visit one of Italy’s most famous landmarks while you’re in Florence!

5. Siena and San Gimignano – Travel back in time back to the medieval era when you visit the beautiful historic hillside towns of Siena and San Gimignano. Enjoy a traditional Tuscan lunch, coupled with a tasting of delicious local wines.

CINQUE TERRE

This is the most popular beach and outdoor activity day trip from Florence. This day trip can be as active or leisurely as you want. With challenging hiking trails, fresh local seafood, easy nature walks with breathtaking scenery, beach chairs and glittering sea, the Cinque Terre has it all.

Trips departs every: Sunday – from the first weekend of April until the beginning of October Wednesday – from the end of May until the beginning of August This tour departs from Florence only, however, if you are visiting from another city, you should definitely join us!

Pisa, Siena & San Gimigano

This is the perfect day trip for the wine enthusiastic, or for those who know nothing about wine but just want to have some glasses of it. Taste some of the world’s best wines and take in the incredible views of Montepulciano and Montalcino with a remarkable day in Tuscany.

Get creative with your picture in Pisa before heading up to the medieval town of Siena and stroll through its Piazza del Campo. Then head off to a three-course lunch accompanied by a generous wine-tasting. Located in the Chianti wine region, the tasting offers a unique and delicious experience. End the day on the hilltop town of San Gimignano while overlooking the beauty of Tuscany. (Did we mention this is the home of the world’s best gelato?)

Trip departs from: Florence Rome

Trip departs from: Florence Rome (Siena Palio day trip only)

This trip departs on various weeks from early March through late October. It departs from Florence and Rome, however if you are visiting from another city, you should definitely join us!

See http://www.bus2alps.com for full details

The Siena & San Gimigano trip departs every Tuesday in the summer and on various weekends from March until October. In addition, there are day trips to Siena during the Palio Horse Race.

See http://www.bus2alps.com for full details

TASTE OF TUSCANY

VENICE

Cruise to the canals of Italy’s most photographed town in the most economical and easiest way possible, by a bus trip that costs half the amount of the train. Put on your carnival mask and be serenaded under the Rialto Bridge by a gondolier, visit the glass-blowers of Murano or see the colorful island of Burano.

Trips depart from: Florence Rome (Carnival only) This trips departs on various weekends throughout the year from Florence only, and from both Florence and Rome during Carnival.

29

Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

TRAVEL

Oktoberfest toasts 180 years of revelry Claudia Niemann This year marks the 180th anniversary of Oktoberfest, the world’s largest folk festival that annually takes place in Munich, Germany. Traditional lederhosen, brass band music and giant beer mugs are the most common characteristics of Oktoberfest, and 2013 sees Munich’s fairgrounds again transforming into a city of beer tents, amusements, roller coasters, performers and vendors providing traditional handicraft and gastronomic delights.

Running from September 21 to October 6, the festivities attract more than six million visitors every year who consume approximately five million liters of beer and 480,000 roasted chickens. But there is more to the event than the mass (one-liter beer mugs) and the dirndl dresses. The Oktoberfest signifies two weeks of coming together, celebrating common traditions and indulging in the finer things of life.

The festivities are traditionally opened by the mayor of the city, who taps a beer barrel and solemnly proclaims, “O’zapft is!” (It’s tapped!).

This is followed by the official Costume and Riflemen’s Procession, in which 7000 performers – groups in traditional costumes and historical uniforms, marching bands, old-fashioned carriages, and numerous floats – parade through the streets of the city center showcasing the diversity of local, regional and national customs. The second Sunday of Oktoberfest features an open-air big band concert involv-

BEER HOUSE CLUB NEAR SANTA CROCE

AWARD-WINNING ARTISAN BEER IN THE CENTER

Beer House Club was one of the first artisan pubs in the city of Florence. A few steps from Santa Croce is the true temple of craft beer, with 10 draft beers, three hand pumps and more than 150 bottled labels from all over the world. BHC is also the ideal place to eat sandwiches, fries, pasta and more or spend a few hours with friends playing darts or table football, and enjoy free Wi-Fi, musical events and more.

Mostodolce craft brewery was the first of its kind to open in Prato and now supplies twin pubs in Prato and Florence with its award-winning artisan beer. From pitch-black stout to honey beer and a seasonal Christmas variety made from chestnuts, Mostodolce’s range appeals to the most earthy and subtle of palates. Match your choice with complementary dishes created in the pub kitchen: from the hefty flavours of smoked ribs and tortelloni with wild boar ragout to light snacks and the intriguingly named ‘birramisu’.

Open every day from 6 p.m. – late.

Corso dei Tintori, 34/r 055 24 76 763 www.beerhouseclub.it Facebook: Beer.House.Club

Opening hours: Daily from 11 a.m – 2 a.m.

Via Nazionale, 114/r 055 23 02 928 www.mostodolce.it info@mostodolce.it

ing the 400 musicians who comprise the bands presented at the Wiesn (short for the location’s name Theresienwiese (‘Meadow of Therese’).

Between events and beer tents, visitors can traverse the grounds to ride a ferris wheel or water slide, navigate their way through a labyrinth or haunted house, be entertained by numerous types of performers or stop off at the agricultural show.

The Oktoberfest tradition started in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to the Saxe-Hildburghausen Princess Therese. The citizens of Munich were invited to join in the festivities, which took place on the fields in front of the city gates. Anniversary celebrations were held annually thereafter, which eventually became larger and more elaborate.

Originally, the main event was a horse race, accompanied by tree-climbing competitions, wheelbarrow and sack races, eating contests and goose chases. By the 1870s, mechanical rides became an expanding feature and, in 1908, the festival boasted Germany’s first roller coaster.

Soon makeshift beer stands began cropping up until beer halls eventually replaced them in 1896. The local breweries also sponsored these, much like the beer tents of today. The festival was eventually moved ahead to September to allow for better weather conditions, as well as for the celebration of the German Unity Day on October 3. During the past 200 years, the festival has been canceled 24 times due to cholera epidemics and war. In 2010, grand celebrations

were held for the festival’s official bicentenary anniversary.

Even though there is a clear awareness of history and tradition, the Oktoberfest is a modern event with visitors coming from all over the world.

Hearty meals belong to the Oktoberfest as much as the beer and costumes. Available all over the fairgrounds are specialties such as hendl (grilled chicken), roasted meats, sauerkraut and reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), as well as the typical Bavarian weisswurst (white sausages) and obatzda (spiced cheese-butter spread). Delicious dessert dishes include dampfnudel, a steamed honey-dumpling served with vanilla sauce, apple strudel and kaiserschmarrn, a sugared pancake with raisins.

German folk music is not the only sound echoing from the massive beer tents, as rock, pop and disco tunes also fill the air. Still, the numerous brass bands regularly interfere to call upon the collective clinking of the heavy glasses to “Eins, zwei, g’suffa! Prost!” – Cheers! As the evening goes on, the music becomes louder and more people begin to sing, linking arms and swinging beer mugs from side to side, some dancing on benches or tables. This cheerful atmosphere continues for two weeks.

30

Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

LEISURE

Seeking adventure at Florence’s frontiers

Tuscany on horseback This tour offered by Fun in Tuscany, the fivestar reviewed tour operator, is an original and popular adventure tour in Tuscany.

You will be taken to the Chianti region, where some of the most famous wines are produced.

The ride will take you through lush vineyards, native woods, olive groves and rolling hills, offering a collection of breathtaking and unforgettable views.

No prior experience is needed for this adventure. Before the ride, you will be given a lesson by a trained guide in order to become better ac-

quainted with your horse.

After the ride, you will visit a 13th century castle where you you will enjoy a delicious Tuscan meal washed down with a Chianti wine tasting.

If you do not want to ride a horse, you can still come and enjoy the tour with a 20% discount. While your friends go on the horse ride, you can enjoy snacks, drinks and a nice walk around a traditional Tuscan farm.

If you have never whispered to the horses, then let the horses whisper to you.

BOOK A TOUR WITH

Daily departure at 9:30AM / 3:30pm

Tourism pioneer A few words with Issam Jerfel, the first to offer horseback riding tours in Tuscany

Discovering Il Gigante Adventure Park AMBER BROWN If the kids are starting to complain about the number of museums they’ve dutifully had to trudge through then perhaps it’s time to look into a couple of kid-friendly alternatives – but if you thought art was all Florence had to offer, then think again. Florence is in no way lacking a fantastic way to get your kids out in the fresh air and having fun – an adventure park.

Just slightly outside Florence in Pratolino is Tuscany’s biggest adventure park, Il Gigante.

Taking you up high into the trees to climb, jump and slide along zip-wires, the park has 10 rope courses at six different difficulty levels,

based on age and height, with the training and assistance of expert instructors – and it’s not just for kids! The hardest black-ropes course is popular with adults too.

It’s the perfect location for all kinds of celebrations; you could go there for anything from a child’s birthday party to your hen and stag ‘dos, with discounts available for school, camp and scout groups.The trails, meadows, picnic areas and shade also offer a great opportunity to escape from the city and have fun. Located in the woods of Poggio la Garena of Pratolino, opposite Villa Demidoff, you can get there using the ATAF bus number 25A from Piazza San Marco, or SITA bus 306 from the train station.

OPENING HOURS: May to September – Tuesday to Sunday: 10 a.m.– sunset Rest of the season – Saturday, Sunday and festival days: 10 a.m.– sunset Closed December to February The park can be booked outside of these hours for groups of minimum 10 people.

Via Fiorentina, 276-5036, Vaglia Tel: 320 3261243 parcoavventurailgigante@gmail.com www.parcoavventurailgigante.it

com, which was the first of its kind. After taking a horseback ride with my friends to a castle in the Chianti area of Tuscany, I thought it would be a wonderful experience to share with tourists and students. This is where the idea for Fun in Tuscany came about. I then added other fun activities, such as Vespa and quad tours that included wine-tasting. This was the first company to offer these types of tours in the Tuscan area.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES FUN IN TUSCANY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER COMPANIES OPERATING IN THE TOURISM MARKET? My company is completely different from ‘supermarket tourism’; our tours are hassle-free and allow guests to truly experience the authentic ‘behind the curtains’ side of Italy.

WHAT CAN GUESTS EXPECT FROM THIS COMPANY IN THE FUTURE? My plan is to continue to offer tours for small groups, up to eight people, and offer customized tours and experiences. This will ensure that the guests have as much fun as possible with a personalized experience. I love to meet new people from all over the world and share my hobbies with them. And there is no better place to do so than in one of the most beautiful areas of Italy.

Dan Anderson A few words with Issam Jerfel, the first person to offer horseback-riding tours in Tuscany.

Issam Jerfel is the owner of Fun in Tuscany, the company that first offered horseback riding in tours Tuscany.

Issam was born in Tunisia and moved to Italy when he was 14. He spent most of his youth in the south, where he worked for a few high-quality resorts and tour operators before moving to Florence to start his own company.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO OWN YOUR OWN TOUR COMPANY? I’ve worked in the tourism and hospitality industry since I was young, from tourist entertainment to hotel reception and management, and I’ve worked as a taxi driver in Rome as well. I combined one of my hobbies, which is horseback-riding, with my background of working in the tourism and hospitality industry to create my own company. Fun in Tuscany presents a way for people to experience the beautiful countryside of Tuscany from a different point of view: on horseback.

WHEN AND HOW DID YOU START FUN IN TUSCANY? In 2005 I started horsebackridingintuscany.

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Florence News & Events September 2013 No. 1

FIESOLE

Traversing hills and history by bike

Fiesole’s fascinating villas Tiffany White When wandering the streets of Fiesole, reminders of its magnificent history become readily apparent through the ancient villas that scatter the sloping hills. Most of these date as far back as the fourteenth or fifteenth century and at one time served as country or vacation houses for wealthy Florentine families. In addition to their function as ideal vacation venues, these villas also served as farms to supplement the income of the families who owned them.

One such villa, Villa Schifanoia, a name which literally translated means “to chase away boredom,” was built on the remnants of an old farmhouse, Villa Palmieri, and features paradisal gardens that cover a small section of the vast Fiesole hillside. An inspiration for many writers, the villa has been credited for the construction of several famous literary compositions.

Boccaccio mentions it in his Decameron as the refuge for young people seeking to escape a plague-ridden Florence. Alexandre Dumas, a French writer who had previously resided there, named his collection of travel essays after it Impressions De Voyage: La Villa Palmieri.

Over the years, the villa has belonged to a

Adrianna Paidas Clear blue skies: breath. Deep green hillsides: breath. Old Italian farmhouse glowing to the left: breath. Wild horses staring to the right: halt. Step off the bike and look around. I am in the Tuscan countryside, not beside it, not looking at it from a distance, but actually in it – living and breathing the adventures that lie within.

This is the beauty of experiencing Tuscany on a bike, or even walking. Both are active ways of seeing a place that is incomparable to most landscapes throughout Italy.

A group of friends and I had the pleasure of touring the countryside on mountain bikes with Fiesole-born outdoor enthusiast, Giovanni Crescioli.

As Giovanni led us through the tiny hillside town of Olmo to Fiesole, he kept a steady pace, stopping every so often to point out some of the houses, gardens, paths and roads used for centuries by pilgrims, merchants and adventurers.

We found ourselves surrounded by stony walkways, grassy paths, muddy trails and smooth cement roads.

One of the roads we travelled on was Via Vecchia Fiesolana, the old Fiesole road that, up until 1840, was the only road that linked Florence to Fiesole.

lengthy list of investors including Myron Taylor, the U.S. president Roosevelt’s personal representative to Pope Pius XII, and to Pope Pius XII himself. It eventually became the seat of the School of Fine Arts and Music at Rosemary College where young American women were educated in art. Today, outlasting numerous ownerships and designations, Villa Schifanoia plays host to the European University Institute which also houses part of the Department of Law, the Department of History and Civilization and the Academy of European Law. The Medici family can also be credited for a vast collection of villas strewn throughout the Florentine countryside, numbering 27 in all with 16 major villas and 11 minor ones. Villa Medici in Fiesole, despite its incredible beauty, is one of the lesser known of the family’s estates and the fourth oldest of all the Medici villas. Accurate knowledge regarding the original architect has become a topic of great dispute among many, with some accounts pointing to Michelozzo and others to Leon Battista Alberti. Eventually, the villa transformed into a meeting place where intellectuals including Marsilio Ficino, Pico della Mirandola and Poliziano could gather. The villa’s connection to

the famous Pazzi Conspiracy makes it somewhat of a historical landmark. Supposedly the Pazzi Conspiracy – a failed attempt to murder Lorenzo the Magnificent and his brother Giuliano – was originally planned to take place in the Villa Medici but instead took place in the Florence Cathedral.

Looking back on the history of Fiesole’s many villas, it’s a spectacular testament to the overall history and culture of the Italian people. In most recent times they have also been adapted to serve a variety of functions, such as temporary monasteries or universities. It is miraculous to still walk today the halls of these villas that have served so many purposes throughout the centuries.

Medici Villa

visit: www.villamedicifiesole.it.

To read about Villa Schifanoia, see: www.eui.eu Visits to the latter are organized by cultural organization: Associazione Culturale Città Nascosta, Lungarno B. Cellini 25, Firenze 055 68 02 590 / 055 68 01 680

Another part of the route went through the countryside around Fiesole. Here we journeyed through little ancient villages, past the old Castel di Poggio, built in the nineteenth century in a neo-medieval style. This area is also, according to legend, where the love between Dante and Beatrice blossomed.

During our biking adventure, Giovanni introduced us to la pietra serena, a very precious stone that the Etruscans used to build their homes and the same stone that Brunelleschi used to build the dome of Florence’s Duomo.

The caves that house this stone still exist in the hillside high above Florence near Montececeri.

The myth says that Montececeri was the hilltop where, in 1506, Leonardo da Vinci launched his flying machine. Because he is such a history buff, Giovanni explained historical myths like da Vinci’s first flight while we ventured the hillside with him.

The terrain in the midst of the hills was arduous at times. We found ourselves walking the bikes through some of the paths but, after a short walk down the steep, bumpy trail ways, we hopped back on the bikes and rode with the wind beneath the sunset.

“Both the city and the country have a magical atmosphere suspended between past and present,” Giovanni said. “There is so much beauty to be seen and so much history to be learned.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE : www.fiesolebike.it

RISTORANTE INDIA RENOWNED INDIAN CUISINE IN FIESOLE Lauded by various international guides as one of the best Indian restaurants in Europe, Ristorante India brings the spice and color of India to Tuscany. Rich hues, traditional furniture and detailed woodwork by a master Indian carpenter create an atmospheric environment in which to enjoy Ristorante India’s extensive menu. Dishes are drawn from Mughlai cuisine, typical of North India, and distinctive Indian Tandoori. To get from Florence to Fiesole, take bus no. 7 from Piazza San Marco. Private hall available for reservations.

Closed on Tuesdays.

SPECIAL OFFERS FOR STUDENTS Vegetarian menu: €15, no cover charge, one drink included Non-vegetarian menu: €17, no cover charge, one drink included.

Via Gramsci, 43/a, Fiesole 055 59 99 00 www.ristoranteindia.it info@ristoranteindia.it

VINANDRO RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR TUSCAN TRADITION SINCE 1074 Located in Fiesole’s central piazza, Vinandro derives its name from Florence’s first tavern, which opened in 1074. The restaurant and wine bar is known for its charm and flavors reminiscent of a bygone era. Its rich, warm ambience is enhanced with a marble bar, vintage lamp and wooden tables.

Vinandro practises the Slow Food philosophy, offering traditional Tuscan dishes made from fresh local products and carefully se-

lected wine. Enjoy a selection of local cheese and salami; pasta crafted in-house; grilled specialties, including the coveted Florentine steak; and home-made desserts, including cakes, pastries and semifreddi, and a range of sweet wines and liquors.

Vinandro is open every day for lunch and dinner, and also offers dinner by candlelight for romantic evenings.

Piazza Mino da Fiesole, 33, Fiesole 055 59 121 vinandro@libero.it www.vinandrofiesole.com

For table reservations, call: 349 29 68 513

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