Florence cultural tours with yummy stops in harvest time

6 September 2019

September it’s harvest time in Tuscany so in this period of the year we can find by bakery a special sweet focaccia made with grapes called : schiacciata con l’uva ; just simple ingredients but very very yummy : ideal for breakfast or as a cake for a tasty snack . This could be your … More Florence cultural tours with yummy stops in harvest time

“Wine windows” in Florence: one just re-open!

29 August 2019

Have you ever seen “buchette del vino” in Florence? Maybe yes but you didn’t know what they were… In English could be translated in : “wine windows”, for wine lovers since the XVII century when , due to some export restrictions the Florentine noble families decided to sell wine  produced in their countryside estates , … More “Wine windows” in Florence: one just re-open!

Summer colors of Pistoia : sun is here,on our food market today

5 June 2019

Buongiorno from my birthplace, Pistoia! This morning I after having visited the clothes market that as I wrote in another post of some time ago, it is on Wednesday’s & on Saturday’s in the main square of Pistoia since the Middle Age, I took a walk at the vegetable market on the “Piazza de La … More Summer colors of Pistoia : sun is here,on our food market today

Berberè in Florence : an authentic Italian pizza in the heart of Florence

15 January 2019

If you are in Florence you can’t miss the Basilica of Santa Croce , the Pazzi chapel and of course all the nice shops in the nearby, especially http://www.aquaflorfirenze.com in Borgo Santa Croce no.6 a lovely shop where you could find the best room fragrances, parfums and luxury soaps to bring home as gifts for … More Berberè in Florence : an authentic Italian pizza in the heart of Florence

A museum about lies:ever heard?It exists and it is on Pistoia’s mountains

19 June 2018

I am pretty sure you have heard about Pinocchio, one of the most worldwide known lier with his long long nose and the theme park dedicated to him that is near Pistoia – in Pescia – but have you ever heard about a museum of lie? It exists and it is just twenty minutes driving … More A museum about lies:ever heard?It exists and it is on Pistoia’s mountains

Pistoia : in Italy today we celebrate Carabinieri institution since 1814

5 June 2018

You can’t imagine how times foreign people in the last past years asked me : what is a carabiniere? This morning I have had the pleasure and the honor to be invited to the annual celebration of this important and historical institution founded in 1814 by Vittorio Emanuele I of Savoy – King of Italy … More Pistoia : in Italy today we celebrate Carabinieri institution since 1814

An amazing studio in the heart of Florence : a jump in the Renaissance

28 March 2018

http://www.imosaicidilastrucci.it What a coincidence : about a month ago a gemmologist from Pistoia , Lucia Gori , told me about this place in Firenze . Two days ago a friend of mine Carmen , native from Canarie island but living in Florence since long time, brought me here and I immediately recognized the name engraved … More An amazing studio in the heart of Florence : a jump in the Renaissance

Easter time : it’s Colomba sweet time in Italy!

19 March 2018

Have you ever tasted Colomba Pasquale ( Easter dove in English )? Not yet? Here follows some photos I took on the ‘backstage’ of Fratelli Lunardi bakery in Quarrata – Pistoia – http://www.fratellilunardi.it This special kind of soft pastry needs many rising hours to be ready for the oven in this case the Lunardi brothers … More Easter time : it’s Colomba sweet time in Italy!

Dario Longo :a contemporary artist from Pistoia

31 January 2018

Immersed in an amazing artistic and natural setting , on Pistoia’s hills , by http://www.fondazionevivarelli.it I visited this lovely contemporary art exhibition by Dario Longo “Meeting point” is its title and here you could see some works made by http://www.dariolongo.it a good friend of mine since we were children . The colour and the shapes … More Dario Longo :a contemporary artist from Pistoia

Pistoia & Tibet : the first European in Tibet was from Pistoia, in 1716

28 October 2017

My passion for Tibet was born many many years ago when my father visited this  Country in the 1988 for a trekking experience : he brought me back some Tibetan handmade moniles and lots and lots stories  about a very special, mystic place of which I didn’t know anything before his trip . A thousand … More Pistoia & Tibet : the first European in Tibet was from Pistoia, in 1716

Passioni visive exhibition: Visual passions in Pistoia tribute to Marino Marini 

29 September 2017

The most preminent event in Pistoia in 2017 , in which Pistoia has been crowned Italy’s capital of culture, just open in the beautiful old palace palazzo Fabroni http://www.palazzofabroni.it  Not just sculptures made by the  great worldwide well known artist Marino Marini – born in Pistoia in 1901 – but masterpieces from the Etruscan era, … More Passioni visive exhibition: Visual passions in Pistoia tribute to Marino Marini 

A typical  Italian – freak – market in Florence

22 May 2017

Love markets like this : full of nice stalls with organic food & aromatic herbs coming from the  countryside full of different kind of people, a real melting pot !any kind of food fresh straight from the producers , hard   hands & tanned faces so different from the citizen ones   I love the feeling they … More A typical  Italian – freak – market in Florence

Pistoia : Domenicans library ~ another old library just restored 

5 April 2017

Last Saturday I’ve been invited by one of the two architects who projected the restoration of this beautiful old library , Antonella Galli , to the new opening . Another old library in the heart of Pistoia , at the disposal to Pistoia’s people , open three days a week but previous reservation even in … More Pistoia : Domenicans library ~ another old library just restored 

Pistoia : the old Fabroniana library since 1726

4 April 2017

I’m sure you can’t imagine how many libraries Pistoia has ! This is such a great location in the heart of Pistoia : open just twice a week  ~ Tuesdays & Thursdays morning . You can find more info here https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblioteca_Fabroniana Cardinal Carlo Agostino Fabroni was the founder & still today after so many centuries you … More Pistoia : the old Fabroniana library since 1726

Hooray!

24 March 2017

Originally posted on Hello World:
This particular stemma (coat of arms) in Pistoia both  fascinated and frustrated me. The latter emotion was because even my super detective on the ground in Pistoia, Miky of https://passion4food4fashion.com/ couldn’t seem to locate it again in her city. She recruited a friend and they went out determined to find the darn…

Made in Pistoia :  embroidery museum  & the precious Tuscan stitch 

10 March 2017

Pistoia & its territory , especially  in Casale & Casalguidi area, have been considered since the 17th century a centre of excellence and top quality handmade embroidery  first made by convents & enclosed orders for the ecclesiastic pomp and later for noble families . The “Whitework” it is how they call this kind of embroidery … More Made in Pistoia :  embroidery museum  & the precious Tuscan stitch 

Pistoia &  “Il Funaro”a special space/place for artists

23 February 2017

Pistoia reveals hidden gems behind its doors or its gates , as in this case. http://www.ilfunaro.org Il Funaro is an indipendent cultural center founded in 20o9 by four women : passion for theatre leads them to renovate this forgotten ,ruined building – from which the street takes its  name too,  Via del Funaro – that … More Pistoia &  “Il Funaro”a special space/place for artists

To be a working woman in Italy : a business speed date to meet other women – Confcommercio Pistoia & Prato together

7 February 2017

Have you ever took part to a speed date? For me it has been my first time last Thursday evening & I’m sure it will not be the last one!  Not to know a new man for a love story but a business “one-to-one” meeting of just 3 minutes each to introduce ourselves to another … More To be a working woman in Italy : a business speed date to meet other women – Confcommercio Pistoia & Prato together

Pistoia : Vinicio Polidori an artist with a special touch 

6 February 2017

Vinicio Polidori : born in Pistoia same year as me ( so, a young man indeed !) met him first through its drawings explosed by Bar Nazionale in the library room & then met him personally through my friend Alessandra Vannetti who is the owner ‘s bar. Vinicio ‘s life is made of success & … More Pistoia : Vinicio Polidori an artist with a special touch 

Migliacci pistoiesi : traditional  crêpes made with pork blood  (Made in Pistoia – Italy’s capital of culture 2017)

18 January 2017

My grand-grandmother Inès introduced me to these particular kind of food when I was a child. I didn’t know what they were made of and so I tasted them & loved them inmediately. Nowadays , as my daughter knows what they are made of , she doesn’t want to try them : she really can’t … More Migliacci pistoiesi : traditional  crêpes made with pork blood  (Made in Pistoia – Italy’s capital of culture 2017)

Where is Pistoia? More than 10 reasons to visit this hidden gem in Tuscany , Italy’s capital of culture in 2017!

13 January 2017

Why should you visit Pistoia? Not just because it is my birthplace , of course! ( or  maybe…. just for this ?) not only because it is crowned  Italy’s capital of culture in 2017  but first of all for its geographic position in Italy in the second century BC it was chosen by the Romans as a … More Where is Pistoia? More than 10 reasons to visit this hidden gem in Tuscany , Italy’s capital of culture in 2017!