A lovely lunch and wine tasting at a farm in Chianti

Buongiorno!

I have been so anxious to tell you all about this farm we visited in Chianti. It is located between the Etruscan city, Volterra, and the incredible medieval town of San Gimignano. There were stunning views from the terrace area where we had lunch after a tour of the farm and the winery. Tuscany is so natural and comforting and everywhere you look there is beauty. Here, we were fortunate to see medieval towns and the endless rolling hills of poppies and cypress trees and vineyards.


terrace where we ate lunch


View from terrace. That is San Gimignano in the background; you can see all of the medieval towers... guidebooks will tell you that San Gimignano is known as "Tuscany's Manhattan" but there is simply nothing else that even comes close. San Gimingnano is a world of it's own... I feel in love with it.

We toured the farm first and I met some farm friends. There were cows (a little one was brought to the world only the day before) and the farm also had chickens and rabbits that were very sweet (of course)! After strolling through the earthy and vibrant rows of olive and lemon trees, we entered the winery. Their specialty was a white win called Vernaccia as it was specific to the region. Everything- the wine, the food, the people- were fantastic and very sweet. The wine tasting was fabulous and we met people from all of the world who were also visiting the farm; it is also a bed and breakfast. I mentioned that we met some Canadian friends (we are email pals now) and I met some fellow students from the states.


A calf that was just born.


inside the winery

There was a little shop to purchase the organic ingredients and we bought some wine and olive oil. I had driven through Tuscany before, but I had never stopped at a villa or toured a farm. The experience was so classically Tuscan and I would recommend that people try this out for a complete Tuscan experience. Florence is very laid back (I think this anyway- but I don't have any complaints about Florence.. ever), but it is still a city. With that said, I found it rather enjoyable to sort of break away from the semi-urban atmosphere and take things a little bit slower in the depths of the Chianti countryside.


My attempt at taking a lovely white floral photo. All of the flowers are in bloom and they are gorgeous and very, very fragrant. It's incredible how Tuscany heightens your senses and envelops them completely... I could smell the wine and the flowers from far away and my eyes were fixated on the terrace view.



olive trees

The remaining photos from the vineyard and a some photos of the Tuscan countryside can be found here.

Much more from Florence and the Tuscan countryside to come! And Venezia too!

I miss you all and thank you for your continued comments; they make me smile and feel connected at the same time. You are all lovely.

kisses,
B

A Day Trip from Firenze: Milano

As some of you know, I took a day trip to Milan yesterday to do some shopping and to visit the Cathedral of Milan. It is the secod largest Catholic cathedral in the world. When you get off the metro in the main piazza, you can be completely overwhelmed by the incredible facade. It's unique Gothic architecture creates a distinctive presence in the square. The spires are very intricately sculpted are quite interesting.


Cathedral

If you are standing facing the cathedral, to the right is the Palazzo Reale, an important seat for government and now it is home to various art exhibitions. We were fortunate to be here to see a Francisco Goya exhibit that was nothing short of being absolutely fabulous. I wish I could have taken photos for you. As master of the grotesque, Goya's works always make an impression. Picasso, Delacroix and Dali were also included in the exhibit.


Stained glass window in the cathedral. They were absolutely gorgeous. I love stained glass rose windows.

To the left of the Cathedral, there is the via Dante and this is a very popular road for shopping. Milan is to Italy what Paris is to France (in my opinion). Famous for Milan fashion week and Roberto Cavalli's new club, Milan offers only the best in fashion. The Gallerria Vittorio Emanuele is an arcade of designer shopping. The mall stretches from the Piazza della Scala (where the Opera house is) all the way the Piazza del Duomo.


Flowers at the Gucci restaurant.

La Scala Opera house was a nice little place to visit. If you have time, you can see a show (we didn't have time). I also walked over to the Pinacoteca di Brera (an art museum) to see their extensive collection. The museum takes great lengths to advertise "The Kiss" by Hayez. Brera is also home to works by Veronese, Caravaggio and Raphael.


La Scala Opera House: We were able to walk in and see Maria Callas' costumes and sit in a grand box for about 2 minutes... lol


Gallerria Vittorio Emanuele Mall



We also saw a confirmation take place. The little kids were all dressed up as angels and little kings and they paraded into the cathedral singing "Ave Maria" and praying the Rosary. It was really a lovely thing to watch in the middle of the day. I think that is what is so amazing about Italy too... I mean, we were in the middle of a business district (Milan reminds me of New York a little bit) and these children are marching through the massive crowds to go to church. A priest and sisters followed them and it was very humbling to witness this in the midst of the grandiosity that is Milan.


A confirmation procession (we think).


MilanPhotos

Love, Brooke.

Fabulous Ferragamo

Hello friends!

Sorry, this is going to be brief and the details lacking, but no worries.

I toured the Ferragamo museum and I was so pleased with how informative it was. This month there is a special exhibition on Greta Garbo's relationship with Ferragamo. Her couture wardrobe was divine and there was a terrific shoe for each dress or coat or suit.


Greta's Ferragamo shoes.

There was even a bit about Beatrice Portinari. This inclusion seems random, but the Ferragmo falgship boutique encompasses an entire city block at a corner where the Via Tornabuoni vanishes into the Ponte Saint Trinita bridge. I didn't take a picture of the large Holiday painting at Ferragamo, but it seems that they quite like Beatrice.


A room full of couture Ferragamo looks worn by Greta Garbo.

My favorite part of this little museum was the final hallway of the exhibition, for it was adorned with photos of Salvatore with all of his limelight beauties. Greta Garbo, Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn are only a few from long list of famous starlets who would consider Ferragamo as kind of podiatrist; he has a classic, chic, professional answer to all matters of the feet! My favorites are always the signature ballerina flats with the bows.


Salvatore in a room with shoes molds for all of the famous ladies he makes shoes for.



Entrance to the museum. It is adjacent to the boutique. The sign looks like Ferragamo's shoe boxes.

Enjoy the Ferragamo photos!

I'm retiring for the evening. I need sleep after a terrific dinner and walk about Florence. I promise to catch up with photos as soon as possible. I hope you are all having a terrific Sunday.

B

Quick Post: Pisa's Leaning Tower

Home to Galileo, Pisa is neatly situated just about an hour from Florence and about 20 minutes outside of Lucca (home to Puccini). The Arno laces around this small city as it flows towards the Mediterranean Sea. I've never had a strong inclination to visit Pisa, but I am happy that we had the opportunity. To be quite honest, I am truly a little worried about the tower- (it's really leaning... really badly... much more than I had guessed).


Arno River

Pisans are very, very proud of their tower and have spent inordinate amounts of money to maintain it's stability. There has been soil removed from underneath it's base and this has helped a little. I was told that researchers predict that the tower (intended to be a bell tower) had at least another 200 -300 years before it would collapse.



Galileo is thought to have tested his theories about gravity by dropping objects from the tower. Young Italians lay around in the grass and hold hands with their girlfriends and boyfriends. Tourists take cheesy photos here. Tacky street vendors think the tower should be strategically depicted on boxers that are sold for a few euros...

I took some photos and then I headed into the beautiful Duomo, Santa Maria Assunata. A pulpit by Nicolo Pisano is in the center of the medieval cathedral and it is also said that Galileo conceptualized the pendulum here (I heard these Galileo facts are myths.) Finally, the Battistrero is famous for it's acoustics.


Tuscan hillside near Pisa

The Arno streams from Florence into Pisa and this has caused a few problems among the Pisans and Florentines. For instance, the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence was initially lined with butcher shops. The Medici family disliked the odor and preferred that the Florentine merchants sell gold (as they still do today). Apparently, when Florentines got rid of their meat from the butcher shops they would throw it in the Arno and the meat eventually floated it's way to PIsa and the Pisans were furious.

Maybe it was karma, but Florence experienced a great flood and a few of the gold shops lost their entire inventory (in the Arno). Yes, this floated to Pisa. The Pisans liked this very much, but when the Florentines demanded their gold back, the Pisans just told them they had no idea what they were taking about...


picture taken en route to Pisa


So that's a little anecdote that I learned in Pisa. In the Middle Ages, these Tuscan city states were always battling for power. Siena and Florence were great rivals and incredibly rich cities. Pisa was wealthy as a result of the shipping business as it is near a port. Siena was a banking city. San Gimignano seemed to align with Florence during political tumult. Despite Tuscan culture being characteristically similar today; the lovely people take incredible pride in the history of their own city.

The remainder of the Pisa photos can be found here

A side note: I learned that my last name would be spelled Puglisi (if my family was Tuscan). Generally, southern Italian names have the suffix (-ese) and Northern Italians have (-isi). I knew my family was southern, but I didn't know this little tidbit. Our last name actually sounds pretty over here (for a change) and It's so nice to here it pronounced correctly. When Italians see our last name when we pay, they automatically go out of their way for us; it's very sweet.


A little taste of the organic farm we visited. I will post separately about it's incredible, family owned winery.

I have a few more things to share with you all. We took a day trip today to Milan for some shopping and touristy things. I had the good fortune of visiting a magnificent Goya exhibit (I'm a great fan of Goya). We also had a marvelous time at a winery that was incredible in every way. I want to post about San Gimignano as well.

Hope all of you are doing well!! Again, many thanks for the comments and emails. I am so thrilled you are enjoying this as I am.

Ouiser, you are making me laugh so much! Thank you darling!
Brigette, I left you a voicemail... I can't contain my excitement over a little something Miuccia made for you.

Link: Pisa

Love, B

"You may have the universe if I may have Italy."-Giuseppe Verdi

Santa Maria Novella and "My fair San Giovanni" (Florentine Baptistry)

I feel so lucky to have had the time to really savor Florence. I have visited before, but was never blessed with enough time for a holiday as extended as this one will be. In my opinion, Florence is not one of those cities that can be "done"... I think you all know what I mean. Sometimes when one travels in Europe, there is an urgency to take absolutely everything in, but in Italy (especially Firenze) I never feel rushed. It's a city to live in, to walk about become a part of it. It's nice to immerse oneself naturally rather than have a forced experience simply to check off your Fodors guide (I'm not knocking Fodors).


Rower on the Arno

Florence is an incredibly rich city, but this is not only measured by tourist numbers to the Galleria degli Uffizi. It's true, Florence has so much to offer that it is impossible to consume everything (even in a few visits). It's difficult to remember which church came first, which Medici Cosimo is (the First...), or how many Michelangelo pietas there are.



A woodwork shop in Santa Croce


Store front with pretty flowers

Here are a few updates of sites I have visited before and some that I had not. I always enjoy going to the Cathedrals on return trips; they are worth every euro entry fee. The large duomos of Italia draw large crowds, but I also make it a point to experience smaller churches off the beaten path because they are all very, very beautiful.


Street artist work with the chalk medium.

And speaking of Michelangelo (you do that a lot over here): we went to see "David". I had actually never visited the Galleria dell' Accademia before, so it was nice to meet him! I'll be quite honest, I didn't think he would be that big (I'm talking about his presence)... even though I knew he was intended for a buttressed apse of Sta Maria del Fiore. I saw down on the bench behind David and spoke with my private guide who is a sculptor about finding faults in the Carrara marble and other detailed things and this really helped me understand David as a sculptor would. When I was discussing these things (including my little sculpture class I took years ago..hehe), my friend told me that he spent years in Piedmont Park/Botanical Gardens on a huge marble sculpture (for my Atlanta blog friends).


I had to sneak this photo. I was practically at the Accademia entrance.

I also visited Santa Maria Novella and San Giovanni (the Battistrero).


Dome of San Giovanni


In Sta Maria Novella, you will find an absolutely gorgeous crucifix by Giotto. Giotto is one of my absolute favorite artists and I think he is under appreciated because people generally do not like all of the gold leafing and "flat" paintings. Truly, Giotto is responsible for introducing the idea of perspective (though he only semi-accomplished this in his own works)- something Cimabue and Duccio did not. This Cathedral also has a lovely fresco by Massacio "Trinity".


"Gates of Paradise" door to the Battistrero San Giovanni



Giotto's Crucifix



Masaccio's "Trinity" in Santa Maria Novella (more Masaccio frescoes are in the Brancacci Chapel in Oltratrana "Other side" of Florence.

San Lorenzo is a Cathedral in the San Lorenzo area of Florence that is known to be the stomping ground of the Medici family. The church is adjacent to the Cappelle Medici (all of the big shots are buried there) and there are many MIchelangelo sculptures there. Pictures were not allowed I am sorry. Donatello is also buried in the Cathedral next to an incredible 'Annunciation' fresco.

Generally, baptistries are located in front of the main Duomos of Italian cities. Why was it that people were not baptized in the church? It was because is was believed that those who were yet to be baptized could not enter the church as a parishioner. San Giovanni is beautiiful- mosaics and gilded ceilings, inlaid marble that mimics the famously bold colors of the Duomo is found in the inside as well. It's octagonal form conveys the Christian sentiment and hope for resurrection from the dead- the "eighth day". I have always liked this little detail. Ghiberti's doors feature biblical stories and the life of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of Firenze.


Santa Maria Novella (Henry Wordsworth Longfellow lived in the building to the left)

Thank you all for reading and for your very kind comments. I appreciate your opinion and I am happy you are enjoying this experience with me. Florence is to be shared amongst friends and family... Florentines have been sharing their city with me so I am passing along their wish.


Pasticceria "Gilli" in the Piazza della Repubblica


I have more video but it is not uploading. I will try again. I'm running a few potential posts behind because I was off in Chianti today (I visited an organic farm for lunch and a wine tasting that was phenomenal.) I tried the white wine, Vernazza that is unique to San Gimignano (and mentioned in Dante's Commedia. This is no surprise as Dante was a Guelph political correspondent to San Gimignano.

I could write an entire blog on San Gimignano. I really loved it. I spent the day there with a few people we met yesterday. A couple from Montreal and a couple from Toronto (believe it or not). We are all great friends now and it's wonderful.

For Brigette, here is my Miu Miu handbag (the Pucci bag contains some scarves if you are wondering):


I'm very sleepy so I am sorry if the details are lacking or the sentences are running on and on. I can tell from my posts how exhausted I have been (and I keep forgetting what time it is for you all (sorry Brigette). I have so much to tell all of you (especially from today) so I will try my best to catch up. Blogging is really a lot of fun.

Oh! One more thing: Florence has love artisanal papers and stationary (I am in heaven). You have the luxury brands like Pneidier but just off of the main piazza there are stunning shops. I purchased some journals and things from a workshop that had the heat stamps and printed all their paper with wooden blocks. (She showed me how they do this- it's amazing).

So, for those of you who enjoy writing love letters to anyone dear to you, come to Florence to get some stationary. :)

NovellaeBattistreroPhotos

Much more on a few Tuscan cities and the region of Chianti to come.
We are going to Milan too (an unexpected addition) so I will mention this as well.

My lemon tree is from the Palazzo Vecchio interior courtyard.

All my love,
B

Quick Post: Night time Slideshow in Piazza della Signoria

Good evening ladies and gents!

I wanted to post these photos from last night. Our hotel is one block from the piazza and on our way "home" we stumbled upon an anniversary celebration of the republic. (That is what the nice police man said.)






You can find the other slides here:
Photos

I'm in early tonight because we are leaving very early in the morning to visit a few places.
Off to upload photos...

By the way, I told Lorenzo about the blog and that he should visit it when he has free time. He is quite charming.

I wanted to do a big Uffizi post, but photos are obviously not allowed. I could have probably spent an entire day there. We had a private guide simply to get ahead of the line. Generally, I prefer to do the "tour" myself, but our guide was a professor of philosophy and he was incredibly knowledgeable and very, very kind. He was very passionate about the Venetian Renaissance which is something I knew less about (I only know about Titian and Bellini and a few others.) When we were in queue, he gave me a lesson about the Medici family. I confess, I knew every little about them other than Lorenzo's patronage of the arts and very basic info about their reign.

I had absolutely no idea that they had a secret passage way from City Hall (Palazzo Vecchio) all the way to the Pitti Palace. This was a security measure as the Medici family was not exactly well liked by the people of Florence. More on that later. I still need to go and take a picture of it! hehe


Love, B

Pitti Palace

Yesterday morning we decided to go to the Pitti palace before the Caravaggio exhibit was over crowded. It's a short walk across the Ponte Vecchio to the Medici's one time residence. The Gallerina Palatina boasts of incredible masterpieces by Fra Lippi, Titian, Canova, Raphael, Peter Paul Rubens... (just to name a few). Photos were absolutely not allowed, but the few that I did take inside will hopefully turn out nicely. Here, they ask you to not take photos, but people seems to sneak them in anyway (knowing they will be reprimanded). Truly, all you have to say is "I don't speak Italian" and that can be an excuse.





In general, I have mixed feelings about taking photos of paintings and sculpture. I prefer not to take pictures of paintings as I really enjoy savoring the intimate moment of recognition and keeping that in my memory. However, sometimes it's nice to have a personal reminder of your time there.

at the beginning of May, the Uffizi Gallery has partnered with the Galleria Palatina to present a special Caravaggio exhibit. "Sleeping Cupid", "The Incredulity of St. Thomas" and "The Sacrifice of Isaac" were just a few of the hauntingly illuminated works by Caravaggio. Photos were absolutely not allowed and I appreciate that, but I wish I could share them with you.

The dramatic courtyard behind the Pitti Palace was designed by Ammannati. The Grotto Grande was something we stumbled on and the stalactites were fabulous. Giambologna statues adorn the interior of the grotto. The lovely Boboli gardens were a place where Lorenzo de Medici would invite his artist friends (like Botticelli) to come and work. The Renaissance garden had Rococo and Baroque hints throughout I think.

PittiPalacePhotos

Love, B

Breathtaking: The Steps to Brunelleschi's Dome

As the humid Florentine air swirled about with intermittent breezes, I endeavored to climb to the top of Brunelleschi's famous cupola; the crowning architectural element to Sta. Maria del Fiore. The steps are incredibly narrow and compose an inconvenient "one way in, one way out" trek inside the cupola. As one ascends they must contend with those descending... (at least they are descending towards the nave of a Cathedral), and this makes for a very uncomfortable experience with people you do not know at all. It's quite a workout (an excuse to consume more gelati), but it is very rewarding.





For starters, midway through the climb, you end up within an arm's length from the interior fresco of the the cupola. I thought it was interesting that the brush strokes are so large and not as finely painted... however, the work is masterful as the intended perspective from the floor of the Cathedral provides a precise illustration. You could also see the cracks of the ceiling as the structure reveals it's age.

Once at the top of the dome, you are able to revert to your normal breathing pattern, but this is useless as the view truly takes your breath away (for the better). There are absolutely no words for how incredible this view is. Hopefully the pictures will provide an accurate idea of the perspective one has from way up there. It is truly a heavenly delight as one can see all of Florence's golden beauty and the hills of Tuscany beyond.








I will also add a video that I took as the bell chimed from Giotto's Campanile. The video would be longer, but I thought I was recording for a while (but I was not). I told you technology and I do not get along! *giggles*

Sorry in advance for the shaking video... it was sort of crowded up there.



There are a few photos of the the Duomo and the Baptistry. Giotto's Campanile is the bell tower.

Here is the photobucket album that accompanies this post: BrunelleschiDome

I have more video as well, but the internet connection makes for an incredibly long download... (sigh).

A few updates:

We also visited San Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella (I was stealth and took pictures of Massacio's Trinity and Giotto's Crucifix.) We also crossed Ponte Vecchio and strolled through the Boboli Gardens (the Grotto was beautiful) and we were able to take advantage of the Caravaggio exhibit that just began. We could not take photos of "Sleeping Cupid" "Incredulity of St. Thomas" or "The Sacrifice of Isaac" but what really matters is seeing them in person and I was more than grateful that I had the opportunity. It's always such a pleasure to see masterpieces time and time again. The other photos will have to be posted tomorrow I suppose (I am a little sleepy at the moment.. it's 2 AM here and I need to be awake in 4-5 hours to visit the Uffizi and Bargello.)

I am also a proud owner of a new Miu Miu handbag. Brigette, you would approve of this purchase! I'm going to visit Ferragamo and Pucci tomorrow and maybe get some shoes or a scarf. My inner fashionista is being indulged and it's fun, but it is not nearly as rewarding as the joy of walking around this beautiful place. I really mean that too. I have fallen in love with Florence yet again.

Love, B

PS. I am too sleepy to log on to photobucket and caption all of the photos. I like to do this, but I really need to get some rest. I promise I will describe everything when I have time.

Thank you all for your sweet comments on here, twitter and via email. I have enjoyed communicating with everyone! <3