Saturday, March 14, 2009

Today was FABULOUS!  This is a very good start to a birthday weekend.  
Smelling the lilac (?)
Our neighbour from the temporary apartment told us about Giardino dei Bardini. We started off in Boboli, but decided to take the detour, just to check out Giardino dei Bardini. This isn't the big name Boboli Gardens, but a sweet smaller garden with amazing vistas of Florence. Terraced gardens, a wisteria pergola, honeysuckle, camellias, peonies, azaleas, oh this place is delightful. The ticket to Boboli gets you in the back door to Giardino dei Bardini. The garden opened to the public just 4 years ago after some protracted (30-40 year) struggle. This environment is more toddler friendly, fewer people, and more country garden than Boboli.  
Outside the fort
After all that running around a little nap was in order and necessary to be properly prepared for this evening's dining event.
Doug and I got to go out on a dinner date for my birthday. Bar Christian's lamb and the delights of last summer's Iron Chef taste bud bonaza, tonight's meal was probably the best meal I've ever had. We went to a restaurant, Cavolo Nero, recommended on a website we heard about from our friend R, Pig and Cheese. Holy cow, they were so right. We went with the Taster Menu. Goat cheese cannoli, some olive tapenade type thing for appetizers, the most succulent octopus I have ever had. Beef that melted in your mouth as if it was butter and a chocolate dessert, well, chocolate dessert.

Tomorrow, well today, I'm forty. Wahoo! Forty. I made it.

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