A Little Gnocchi

Ummm, I'm sort of blogging again...

2009-11-26T18:21:00.000-08:00

I'm still trying to find the groove, but you can find me hardly incognito over here...
Grow family. Grow!

I'll probably take this down in a little while.

A Little Gnoccho

2009-10-02T00:03:00.000-07:00

And so, a whole month and two days after we landed back in the US I'm ready to end the Italy blog posts. I wish I could say I've thought long and hard over this post, but I haven't. Life here is more hectic than Italy and I wonder how people ever get to blog more than once a week never mind every day. How do they do it? Are they such natural writers that the words just bubble out, ready-made and beautiful? Not so much with me, I just spew and am done, but I did promise one more Italy post.

If we were given the opportunity, would we do it again? Oh hell yes!
Would we do everything the same? Oh hell no.

Favorite places, things and people of Florence

Favorite Green Space to take a Toddler in Florence
Parco de Villa Strozzi - not far from the city walls, with some nice strolling among locals and spectacular Tuscan views from the Southeast corner and cool playground equipment. This is how a park should be.

Favorite Place to View the Firenze Skyline:
Giardino Bardini - This was a favorite haunt as you know. There were days when we visited on a Sunday morning and didn't see another soul there for hours. Then the tourists would show up, recovering from last nights big meal and the breakfast pastries ready to do the tourist thing and we'd give up our fanciful dream of the garden actually being ours.

Favorite Trattoria to take Guests:
Toss up between Quattro Leoni and San Agostino. Personally, I liked the funky twist on food that San Agostino did.

Best Place to buy Produce in Oltrarno:
In the morning market of Santo Spirito. It wasn't my favorite place to buy produce, that was down the road at a Ortofruta down on San Agostino, but it had the better produce. I enjoyed the joking and the bantered down at the Ortofruta and they did have the best mint.
Favorite Date Trattoria:
D and I would probably argue over this, but seeing as I'm writing the post I get to say Cavolo Nero. Their menu changes 4 times a year with the seasons. Go in Spring.

Favorite Trattoria to take a Toddler:
Trattoria da Ginone followed by any of those in Piazza della Passera. Da Ginone has straightforward good food, Nola (the chef) and Massimo (the waiter) were fab with our toddler too. We were always met with a smile and we left with one too. The Piazza della Passera sports 3 great eating establishments and lots of character. Music often in the evenings and a small square that a toddler can run around in a little after dinner.

Favorite Gelato: Nocciola or maybe fig. Yes, definitely fig or perhaps yogurt and nutella. Pistachio? I think I need to go back and try some more.
Favorite town or city:
Sienna - I'd love to go back

Favorite place to sit with child asleep in a pram
Osteria Santo Spirito. Okay, I had a very large glass of wine in my hand and a fabulous salad in front of me. Only a few lunches were spent like this. In fact that is a regret that more weren't spent in such a manner.
Must see big attractions
Skip seeing the inside of the Duomo. As my mum says there is no sense of God or anything else other than tourism there. You can find that ethereal beauty in many of the other places around town. See David. Take the double decker bus tour if you're in for a quick visit.
Favorite Neighbourhood: San Niccolo

Oh Lord, this favorite thing could go on forever. I should stop. What would we do differently?
Living right by the Arno and Ponte Vecchio meant that we did get to go out in the evening(not often because of my work) there was loads going on and that was fabulous. I wish we had spent more time exploring Florence in the summer evenings. It was a great apartment, but the lack of any outdoor space, any easy place to open a door and let Ila out in fresh, alright high particulate matter air, was frustrating. Another time we would rent something outside the city walls, and with a least a good size patio. We'd also try and get some beat up car for the time so that we could travel a little more. There was much to see and do in Italy and we both wished we'd seen more of Tuscany, a car would have afforded us more options to do that. (Potty training didn't make lots of bus trips particularly attractive.) I think I'd actually like to have a tv. I think I would have learned more Italian that way. I also would actually study the language before. I wouldn't say I was going to work 20 hours a week. It was definitely closer to 30 hours which after a day with a toddler was tough. Although, I'd also put said toddler in some daycare next time. That was the toughest thing about this trip, Ila's isolation. But Italy. Italy was pretty damn cool.

A note. This blog is called A Little Gnocchi. It was named before I had taken any Italian classes. After about the second one I realized I had a problem. Gnocchi is plural, gnoccho singular. For the sake of agreement this really should be A Little Gnoccho. Thanks for reading along and keeping me company.

Best,
A Little Gnocchi.

2009-09-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

Good grief! How did it happen? It is almost a month since we left Florence and I've yet to wind this blog up. Perhaps, I just don't want it to be over, although I must say it is lovely to be home among friends, family and, as of this evening, our non-human animal companions.

The last week in Italy was, as you can imagine, a mad cap caper of packing, working and trying to fit that last trip into Bardini and it seems like it was so much more than a month ago and in a very different life.

We did make it to Galileo's last home so that I could be relieved of my envy of Doug's earlier visit. The visit was everything a wacky little science geek like myself could possibly have hoped for. Piero Salinari, the head honcho over at Arcetri Observatory gave us the private tour, complete with his insights on Galileo, the church, the status of science ( as compared to philosophy) etc. We picked yet more figs from the trees. Explored both basement and upper tower drying room. Drank in as much of some of the most picturesque views of Tuscany to be had. Fabulous.

Next: Top things to see, eat and drink when in Florence. I promise it won't be a month.

In Tavolo

2009-08-26T23:17:00.000-07:00

When I tell people that I have taken cooking classes in Florence I'm sure a pasta making class is what they imagine. I've taken half a dozen cooking classes, only one fits the bill. The rest have been Indian and Thai classes with The Spice Lab in the basement of the American church. The class that fits the bill, pasta making at In Tavola.

Unlike the Spice Lab classes, In Tavola's class was made up entirely of tourists, seventeen people, Australians, Brits, Americans, and some, I think, from Latin American. The instructor, an Italian and his Japanese sous-chef efficiently moved us through making a several different pastas:

a flour based sea shell type, labor intensive but yummy, called conchiglie covered with sugo al pomodoro, basilico e aglio

a couple of egg pasta based dishes:
Ravioli di Ricotta e Melanzane with Ragu' Toscano,
Tortelli di Patate with a simple sage and butter sauce

and for dessert, panna cotta.

It was a fabulous exercise in Tuscan cooking, simple flavors, good produce to create great food. The amount of dough required to make so much pasta was miniscule. Those little flour & egg delivery packets for cheese and veg were really impressive. To top it off, at the end we sat down with our classmates to consume the products of our labor. A bottle of wine, some fabulous conversation with Maggie and Elizabeth, our cooking classmates, a perfect ending.

What did I actually learn? Ball up parsley to chop it up. How to core tomatoes and cut onions, although I may have forgotten how to do that and that those who support healthcare reform come from all walks of life and from many different groups. Thanks Elizabeth.

Retribution

2009-08-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

Now when an individual with a medical history like me gets consistent chest pains it is not so unreasonable to be just a tad bit worried. Okay, I totally leaped to the worse case scenario. After figuring out what I'd need to do in the middle of this holiday period (Getting into a GP that speaks English to explain I'd like a 12 lead and blood work done would be difficult right now and explaining in Italian near impossible)other than going immediately to the ER* (did I mention how I hate hospitals?) I called a few of the medical professionals I deal with in the US. Now, with a history like mine they're always going to say go to the hospital, but I explained, this doesn't feel bad, or like the other times, just a little discomfort relatively frequently. My pulse feels as normal as it ever gets and I don't feel nauseous like when I'm having lots of PVCs.

Hmmmm, could it be heartburn? Have you tried a little mylanta?

Ummm no.

So I did and I charted when I had discomfort and it is almost entirely after eating. The Maalox doesn't seem to be an immediate relief, but it certainly seems to help.
The question is why? So I look up trigger foods ... for heartburn: Tomatoes, wine, cheese/fatty foods (aka gelato), garlic, chocolate: check, check, check, check, check. Lets just call this a little retribution for 6 months of indulgence.

*My friend W says she finds the ER here miles better than back in the US

Shoe Love

2009-08-25T04:39:00.000-07:00

It is our last week here. I admit I had grand plans for this weeks of blog posts, grand plans that didn't accommodate for packing, fabulous family visits, last minute must go do things, and of course the first week of school back in AZ and a rather steady stream of emails and virtual meetings. Needless to say the blog posts haven't happened. More disappointing is not having caught up this week with the two women and their children who Ila and I have made friends with. I'm hopeful that we will before we leave. I'm also hopeful that if I keep these short I'll get the last little bits of experience down.

Image shamelessly borrowed from the Salvatore Ferragamo Shoe Museum We did pop into the Salvatore Ferragamo Shoe Museum, that our friend B recommended, with my Aunt and Uncle (Happy Anniversary to them). The very sharply dressed man at the front desk looked decidedly non-plussed at our attire and the wild two and half year old tugging at my arm. Despite his frosty welcome, we thoroughly enjoyed the shoe love. From bizarre to exsquite this museum is a very polished and appealing display to lovers of shoes and even for those of us not so into heels etc. Ila actually had a glorious time picking out the shoes she liked and the colors. I'd definitely recommend a visit. For five euros it is worth a stop.

Galileo's Figs

2009-08-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

We've had a spectacular day today. A trip to Boboli exploring areas we hadn't investigated before. Yes, there are still areas we haven't been in. A cooking class at In Tavola (I'll tell you more once I've digested it a little...) and tonight we're off to Cavolo Nero while my mum babysits Ila for a dinner not spent chasing a 2.5 year old.

My head is still buzzing from the half bottle of wine or so that I consumed at the cooking class. I'm not up to writing about the cooking class, which certainly is worth writing about, but I did want to share our geeky, celebrity connection, something that makes me absolutely tingle with excitement.

A couple of days ago, Doug had the opportunity to go on a private tour of Galileo's last home, the one he was held in house arrest at for the last years of his life. At the end of the tour, he was offered figs from the garden. Now, I'm pretty sure that life span of a fig tree is not 400 years, but still the idea that these figs have been nurtured and grown on the same ground as the father of modern science stood on, that they might be the descendents of figs that once were appreciated by Galileo...wow!

I'm embarrassed to admit that my envy of Doug's tour was significant, but easily addressed as on Tuesday, Ila and I get to go too! Until then...

Bonbons and the rest...

2009-08-20T04:33:00.000-07:00

Oh, yes this is the life. I spend all day lounging sipping a fine Chianti while Italian gods feed me bonbons and waft me with large palm fronds. Yeah, not so much.

Life here has tumbled into this less than ideal routine the past few weeks or months as the semester gears up and various work related problems arise that were unexpected. I'm not quite sure how to rectify it or if it can be rectified. Suggestions gladly accepted.

A quick run down of our routine:
We wake at 6-7am with the girl

9am Get out of the house for a few hours while it isn't so cloyingly uncomfortable. This is when the good stuff happens. Today we got to go play with Z and C and introduce them to the Park at Villa Strozzi. Yesterday, it was Mercado Centrale for some present buying.

Return for She, Who Must be Obeyed's siesta around noon until about 2 or 2:30pm (during which I work) although today I worked in the morning, while Doug worked with Ila.

Then packing/cleaning/doing laundry in a semi cooled apartment while trying to keep Ila entertained.

Around 4 or 5pm we brave the heat and humidity to find boxes or buy groceries (remember this is without a car). Did I mention the high yesterday was 102 degrees F, it is already up to 100 degrees today and average humidity for August is 66%?

We eat dinner, I go back to work and Doug gets Ila off to sleep. It seems I am rarely off work and in bed before 1am, and even more rarely getting to sleep before 2am. I'm not getting a hell of a lot of sleep.

Those few hours in the morning, those are what I look forward to each day. A chance to explore this great city, although I do it alongside throngs of hot, sticky tourists. Oh wait, I guess I'm a hot sticky tourist.

For our last week I feel I need a goal each day, something that makes me feel like I've experienced something that I wouldn't in the US. But what to do?

A few days ago, as we explored a warren of streets West of Santa Croce we stumbled upon the gelatari that is listed everywhere as the must go to, Vivoli. It is rather an unassuming place, with no outward display of its renown. I hadn't bothered to find it before, quite happy with our local gelatari, plus I assumed it would be heaving with tourists and very expensive. It was effectively empty, the prices more reasonable than those at Grom, the other big name gelatari, so what the heck! By the time I'd decided to go try their take on a couple of my favorites (noccolia and pistacchio) Ila had fallen asleep, so she didn't get any. My intentions were honorable, there are two spoons there!

I just couldn't wake her...it would have been cruel, plus I would have had to share!

I took the smallest little cup out into the piazza ....a sweet, quiet little piazza that might become my favorite, and took my sweet time over some of the creamiest, most scrumptious gelato ever! Their name and position as number one is well deserved. While I savored my little indulgence I decided that perhaps the goal/challenge/experience that could be done easily and would bring me great pleasure...to try a new gelato flavor every day. It doesn't have to be from Vivoli, but somewhere with gelato made specifically for that gelatari. I take my duties very seriously.

She gets her own Frutta di Bosco and Pesche

Yesterday from Vivoli: 1/2 a scoop of Fichi (Fig) and 1/2 a scoop of Riso (Rice)
It supplemented for breakfast. I know, rice gelato. It seems like a very bizarre choice, but imagine the richest, creamiest rice pudding and you can begin to conceive of its delightful flavor. The fig was my favorite though, little seeds along a refreshing fruity flavor. I am convinced that our yard in Tucson is not complete without an Italian Honey Fig Tree. And of course have fantasies of harvesting and making fabulous fig preserves that would be eaten along with a slice of apple and some Parmigiano-Reggiano. Oh God, I think that might be heaven especially if topped off with some homemade fig gelato. Think of all the fiber. It has to be good for you, right? Our rainwater harvesting efforts maybe able to provide for the initial water investment. Maybe while I'm waiting for a first fruit I could explore the use of Mission Figs, I'm reliably informed they do exceedingly well in our climate, certainly the ones on campus that are now gone were very yummy. I digress...

Today we stopped by another gelateria in the San Frediano neighbourhood on our way back from the park at Villa Strozzi and Gelateria Damiani did not disappoint. The choices were spectacular. I had a little taste of pompelmo rosa (pink grapefruit) which even tempted my anti grapefruit taste-buds, but settled on 1/2 a scoop of Pinola (pine nut) and 1/2 a scoop of Boreo (?) which was a rich chocolate and cherry. I'll be honest, despite my chocolate addiction I'm not keen on chocolate ice-cream and while this was rich and creamy, I preferred the pinola.

Not sure about tomorrow, but for now there is a short period of the day where I feel like I'm sipping Chianti, being fanned by Italian gods, and being fed the sweetest fruits of human creation. Let's just call it Gelato Time and hope it gets me through the next week.

Serenata

2009-08-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

This evening trundling along to the store Ila and I saw this old geezer, leaning out of his third floor apartment window. Resplendent in all his white undershirt glory, reverse serenading the street full of tourists. I guess for a true serenade he should have been at ground level and us at the window, but details details...He couldn't really sing, but could he project! It seemed so, Italian.

I thought about taking a photo, but it just seemed wrong to meet such a gift by taking without permission...so we waved and shouted bravo.

Getting What You Pay For...

2009-08-15T14:05:00.000-07:00

Made in Italy! Not made in China.

I can't tell you how many times I've been told that since we've arrived. From the little Antica Merceria which sells yarn to bras, to the craft, fruit and veg stalls in the market in Santo Spirito, sellers are emphatic and passionate (it is Italy after all)about the Italian origin of their wares. The buy local and slow food movements are at a whole other level compared to those in the US. The participants in the movement do not seem to be restricted to any particular group of society, but a much larger cross section of the population appears to be involved. It isn't just pride in what they make, but there also seems to be a greater comprehension of the environmental and quality impacts when you transport your food and goods long distances from countries where enforcement of labor and environmental laws may be sorely lacking.

Several months back, over dinner, we got into an interesting conversation with an Italian friend who lives in the US about the cost of shoes. Every few years, when he is home in Firenze, he goes to a place around the corner from us and picks up a pair of handmade Italian shoes.

(Like the furniture restoration stores the area also has a fair number of cobblers. Now some cobblers strictly just repair shoes, others make and mend and there are a few who 'design' and create. The prices for handmade shoes where you can see the individuals making the shoes right there, varies widely. At one shoe store on the other side of the river well heeled young men and women work exquisite shoes that hang delicately in the window. I stopped once and asked how much a pair of shoes would cost.

Oh, all our shoes are custom made, but these (a gorgeous pair of red flats were a basic pair) start at 900 Euros.

Don't think about it too much, it hurts. The lady was very nice as I spluttered. Anyway, back to our friend, who I assure you isn't spending 900 Euros on his shoes.)

Wow, are they that much better? I asked. Surely they are expensive?

Yes, they are that much better.

Our friend buys a pair of shoes designed by his friend Stefano every couple of years. He wears them practically every day and, he was emphatic about this, not only do they last, but they are infinitely more comfortable.

But the price... said I.

Ahhhhh, our friend said, better to pay for one pair that is comfortable and lasts several years than 6 cheaper pairs that are not comfortable and do not last.

True.

But that wasn't the end of it. Our friend continued to talk about the value of knowing the working conditions of those who made what you buy and questioning whether saving a little money was really worth the karma points. Well, he didn't say it exactly like that, but that sums it up. Now, if you don't have the money to lay out anyway and you're scrimping to buy one pair of shoes, or you're buying them second hand (both of which I've done, the second more recently than the first) then this argument is null and void.

All this got me to thinking. So after dinner I rushed home and dug out all my shoes. Well all the shoes that I brought with me.** Where were they made? Did it matter how much I paid for them?

Shoes are the one item that I'll actually spend money on, well relatively speaking. Shoes don't know that I've put on a crap load of weight, they still fit me and don't add insult to injury when I try them on in the store.

The answer? China.
To a pair. The boots, the Ariats that are so damn comfortable, the MILFS (oh such a bad phrase), the red pumps, the flats, my sandals...all China.
Now, I don't have a problem with the Chinese and, other than the wish to invest in my local economy and to keep transport impacts down, no problem buying from another country. I know that it is the Big Corporations who add to the labor and environmental issues, the plight of the Chinese worker and their low wages is what keeps wages and conditions low elsewhere. In Tucson, I'm not sure I can be discerning, other than maintaining with new soles/ heels and buying second hand, but here in Italy I have a chance to buy something made from a person I can shake hands with, in a place less than 100 meters from our front door.

This is the window display at Francesco's

and this is Francesco:

So I did. I've eyed these shoes everyday for the past six months. They're not exactly glamorous, rather they're classic in that 'I can wear them when I'm an old lady' way. In fact, I'm pretty sure that they're something that my Granny H. use to wear. Okay, maybe they are old lady shoes, but they're very work friendly and after a little stretching they fit me perfectly and I love them. So I bought them. If they'd had them in my size in the aubergine color I would have got those instead. They cost a tiny, minuscule fraction of those over on the fancy side of the river, but it was really nice to purchase something from the family that made the product and who seem to be doing just fine.

**My unsolicited assvice for the day: Packing for a trip to somewhere that oozes Old World charm? Skip the heels and the pumps. Forget trying to impress the locals, you can't. Wear something comfortable and flat. The roads and sidewalks can only be navigated in any kind of heel by some other species. Definitely not me, probably the same species that can wear white linen.

Chiuso per Ferie

2009-08-12T15:19:00.000-07:00

Wahoo! Surfs up. We're out of here! Summer Hols.

Actually, we're not, but everybody else seems to be. The local Magi Market, my favorite greengrocers, both of them, the farmicia, the doctor's (hell, he has been gone since July 24th and will be gone until the end of August), all 'chiuso per ferie'.

Hey, but today I made a new discovery...a little mini grater in the nutmeg jar. Do they have these in the US as a regular part of nutmeg spice jars? I've never seen them before, but then I'm rather uncouth. I'll load a picture up as soon as the internet gets a move on. Gosh, it is painfully slow today, probably because near everyone has left for 'ferie'. Why not the little electrons involved in my wireless transmissions?

Oh, I've signed myself up for a pasta class this Saturday. I haven't heard back from them yet, but hopefully I'll be able to regale you with tales Saturday evening.

Blackberries, fishing and relaxation

2009-08-09T15:01:00.000-07:00

Out the back window

There are few advantages to be had from living so far from our parents. However, one advantage is the appreciation of how much sheer joy our daughter brings to my mum and N which is matched only by her squeals of delight at seeing them again. Likewise, for her Granddad and Babushka and Grandma & Grandpa. I'm not sure how it would be if we lived in the same place. Would we recognize how sweet each others company is?

We're having a glorious time. Listening to tales spun over a few (?) stiff whiskeys; indulging in hearty breakfasts and pies with homegrown or foraged blackberries and apples; foraging for berries; fishing (with no success) and getting to take long naps. Oh, if it didn't have to end.

Back to Florence tomorrow, hope RyanAir doesn't screw us over like they did on the way here!

Cool, green, and a tad wet

2009-08-08T01:47:00.001-07:00

We're in Ireland. At my mum and N's. The sun pokes out occasionally, but just occasionally and it is cool, green, a tad wet and we love it.

The view from the breakfast table:

Beer

2009-08-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

Julie,
Doug says this is probably the best Italian beer he has had. Not very hoppy. We thought you might like it.
Salute

What to do?

2009-08-05T06:11:00.000-07:00

Puff! Up in a cloud of smoke. I typed out this witty, sharp little post and it just disappeared. Alright, it wasn't witty or sharp, or even remotely funny, but I did type out a post just to have it vanish from all sight. Sigh. So now you're getting the abridged version. Its probably preferable anyway.

We have less than a month until we return to the US. We don't want to be like those inhabitants of a city who never have seen or experienced some of the city's sights, but at the same time not wanting to run through a list of items briefly glanced at then checked off. So what would you do? If you had say 20 days in Florence, or in any gloriously rich city what would you try to experience, to capture?

I have some ideas, but can't pursue all of them. Please tell me what you would do and suggest others:

1. Take an Italian cooking class
2. Check out one of the operas at a local church
3. Take a trip to Cinque Terre (our Italian friends say it is hot and you can't escape from the sun at this time of year)
4. Survey more gelato stores
5. Official walking tour
6. Sight seeing bus (eh.)
7. Tuscan wine tasting

Or perhaps just soaked up a little more of the Firenze we've come to know?

On the way to Bardini on Sunday

Dearest Desert Dame,

2009-08-02T01:37:00.000-07:00

This post goes out to Desert Dame:

What do you think this is for? I'll give you one guess.

Vegetarians Avert Your Eyes. Gratuitous Cow Flesh Image Ahead

2009-08-01T15:15:00.000-07:00

To both to the South and to the North of Florence are these amazing, seemingly endless fields of sunflowers. It makes for a spectacular sight. D informs me that they are probably used for oil. I guess I never thought too much about how sunflower oil might be harvested before. Pamela of Red, White and Grew gave me the heads up to look out for this. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

We had a fabulous time this evening. On Thursday we found out that one of D's colleagues who arrived from Spain in April, happened to be accompanied by his partner and their 2.5 year old child. How D & J managed to go for 3 months without mentioning their toddler children to each other is beyond me, but wahoooooooooooooooooo! You know, just a month before we leave, but still. Cool people. In fact, this weekend has been pretty much a social whirlwind relatively. Last night, we went to a lovely birthday party for a terrific two year old, the same one we had a playdate with last weekend and D & I got to meet and talk with really interesting people to boot! Sometimes it just takes a little time to meet people you connect with. Six months is a difficult length of time. It's a long time to be away from dear friends and perhaps too short a time to connect to many people here. I'm thankful for those friends we have met here though.

We've been fortunate to have plenty of visitors to save us from loneliness though. Last week it was my dad, Auntie C and Tio Pepe. Fabulous to see all. A little birthday celebration for my dad at Quattro Leoni. A bit of a stroll to the bridge my father describes as heaving with pubescent hormones because of the abundance of Italian teenagers making out on it. At least they have good taste with regards to the view. And, because it was a birthday after all, a little gelato.

Ponte dell'ormone

Bistecca Florentina
This is THE dish. Every restaurant offers it and no it isn't really cooked at all. I'm purposefully making this a small image as it might be a little much for some.I will share that it was extremely tasty and we had difficulty stopping Ila from reaching over and grapping it. She has become a serious meat fiend.

Living Green the Traditional Way

2009-07-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

Living in a city know for its art, statues and palaces it isn't surprising that there is a focus on antiques and restoration. The neighbourhood we live in is littered with furniture and art restoration places as well as little art galleries. I've no idea how the art galleries are making it, but the furniture restoration places seem busy. The thing is that there must be at least a hundred of these furniture restoration places in our neighbourhood an area a mile square. They're not just restoring antique furniture, but the furniture that people use on a daily basis.

On our daily walks we pass tens of these places, smelling of hay, wood shavings, lacquer and wax. On piano terra (ground floor) below apartments, and with open doors, these places seem like throw backs to another time. Yet this is the way things are done well and so this is what the Italians do. Appreciating workmanship and beauty, the work is done by hand. Chairs and sofas live long lives here, I expect beyond the human life span. Why don't we do this in the US? Or do we? Is it just off my radar? I wonder how many furniture restoration places are in Tucson? Or even tv repair places? I don't see them any more. Such a disposable society. It happens here too, Ikea does exist, but not at the same level.

Oh and workMANship...while the furniture stores seem to be exclusively the domain of men, the shoemakers, art restoration and picture framers have a high proportion of women working too. I find this gender division, or lack there of, in certain areas flies in the face of my stereotypes of Italian gender roles. I like that.

Stocking up for those deep winter Tucson nights

2009-07-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

We've just less than a month left. It seems unreal. I went to a few stores today and asked when they'd be closed...this Monday until the 20th, the 23rd, the 27th, until September. So I stocked up. You know, on the important stuff, cotton,alpaca,worsted wool and merino. Food, schmood. Then we got home and pulled out the rest of the stash I've accumulated since we arrived...

Oh dear.

And to think, this is how it started.

In my defense, some of it is a gift for an avid knitter. The rest...I only have this to say:

Dear Family,

For the next few seasons all gifts from our household on the occasion of your birthday or various Winter holiday will resemble a knit or crochet hat, scarf or bag. I say resemble because I don't have a very good reputation for finishing my projects. Still, something to look forward to?

All my love,

Your wife/mother/daughter/daughter in-law/sister in-law/cousin/niece/aunt (Delete as appropriate)

ps. Dear mother in-law I will finish that hedgehog for you before this December. Honest.

I fear, however, that I may have imparted some of my less desirable traits to my daughter. This is how I found her after leaving her alone for just a few seconds in the living room with the yarn stash:

Clutching on to cool memories with sweaty hands

2009-07-28T06:44:00.001-07:00

The German Alps near Bertesgarten
Originally uploaded by rhubarbqueen

At some point in our plans to be in Florence this year, I got really excited by the idea of not being in Tucson this summer and getting to see a 'real' Fall. Mainly, I was under the false impression that I would be in a cooler place this summer rather than the blasting oven heat of my beloved desert. I had images of Ila and I prancing through parks, lined with trees and cool breezes. Well, we're not going to be here for Fall and if 96 degrees and 45-65% humidity is cooler...

The main thing is that air conditioning is not prolific here. You aren't jumping out of your air conditioned vehicle to be blasted for a few minutes while you make a dive for your air-conditioned office or home. Oh no, more like you step out of your barely-air conditioned home (if you're lucky)into a dripping semi tropical (without the green) environment to enter various business establishments that have no air conditioning at all, okay maybe a fan. This might be the reason why the locals escape for the month of August. Yes, that's right, the whole month of August! They're not stupid. They take off for the beach or the mountains and the city apparently slows to the speed of a snail. Hot, bothered tourists fly in for a day to do the usual and fly out. Shops close, cafes close, I'm assured there will be some supermarkets open.

I went into my favorite yarn store yesterday, and asked when they closed, Friday the woman said barely containing her excitement. She practically jumped up and down as she said it, a woman in her mid forties, typically reserved, jumping with glee! When do you open? I asked. September! Can you imagine what it would be like to take a whole month off? How relaxed you would be? How rejuvenated you would feel? Funny thing is, it isn't just Italy. The Germans do this, the French, the Scandinavians. While I'm a little concerned about what August is going to be like for us, I can't help think what a good idea this is. They think we're nuts for the lack of vacation time. The lack of balance. I think they're right. So, I'll be without the local English speaking newspaper, The Florentine, the neighbourhood American Bagel store, the sweet, but expensive, Danish kids clothing store along with a host of other now familiars for our last month. It'll be interesting.

Given the heat I think I'm going to ask D to print out a few rough copies of our Austria/Bavaria photos so that I can just imagine a cooler place. Thought I'd share them with you too. The top picture is from just by where we stayed on the Austrian/German border. I must admit I think this countryside some of the prettiest I've ever seen. We hoped to stay at a farm. D had done this on his visit here 15 years before with his sister and Aunt, but we didn't find any ones with room. So we settled for this Gastehause, which was none too shabby.

Simple, clean, good food, welcoming family. A stream near by, cow bells, a forest to walk into, time to make daisy chains...

and even a little bit of snow

Speed Demon

2009-07-27T03:52:00.000-07:00

We had a play date yesterday afternoon with a little girl 6 months younger than our speed demon. I met her mum in a cooking class. It was fabulous.

The lack of interaction with kids of a similar age for our kid has been the biggest issue with our move here. Funnily, I felt so much guilt about having our daughter in daycare when she was 6 months old, and now I feel guilt about her not being in a good day care setting and with other kids her age rather than me. She desperately needs the company of other children of a similar age. You can't win. Is this guilt a generational thing? Would I feel so torn if I were 15 years younger? Or perhaps if this were 20 years ago?

I'm still behind with posts from Austria/Bavaria and last week to share, but for right now I wanted to share what my day often feels like.

When I'm a parent I'll never...

2009-07-23T04:28:00.000-07:00

never dress my daughter in frilly, pink crap. Then again, I also said I'd value/listen to her opinions too. Can't have it both ways really can you? I will publicly admit I think it rather sweet.

Look out Heidi

Salzburg...you mean there is something else important other than the Sound of Music?

2009-07-22T01:14:00.000-07:00

Not that we just went because it was the location for the Sound of Music, but somehow a lot of our conversation while we were in Salzburg went like this:

"Oo! Oo! Isn't that where Maria sings in the square, right by that fountain before she meets the Von Trapp family?"

"No, I think it's that square with the horses. This is the one where she is with the children and..."

and...
"This is just like when Maria and the children are running along the river side..."

"Oh, lets sing "Doe, a deer, a female deer. Ray, a drop of golden sun." And yes, Ila does know most of the words now.

and "What do you mean? Edelweiss isn't an Austrian folk song?"
"Nope dear. Only if Rodgers and Hammerstein were Austrian folk artists."
"Oh."

You'll have to guess who was way out in left field about that one.

Oh, so we did stop by Mozart's birth place and inhale a few Mozart Balls, I mean Mozartkugeln. Chocolate, pistachio marzipan, etc. lovely.

Follow up to Dear Gabby

2009-07-21T16:19:00.000-07:00

I have pictures and posts to follow from our trip, but I wanted to come back and touch base about the healthcare issue.
Thank you so much to those who emailed, or called, or wrote to Representative Gabrielle Giffords or their congressperson. If you haven't, please do so now.

I just had a quick gander at tweets @Rep_Giffords and she is being bombarded with tweets from a number of people who are very anti healthcare for all. Please, please, please let her know that there is a huge number of us who don't feel that way and feel that the health and success of the country is best served by health care for all. If you've already written, go ahead and write again. If you're on Twitter, let her know that way too. Seriously, the opponents write multiple times a day!

Kucinich's amendment to the Education and Labor Bill that would allow individual states to adopt a single payer system is maybe the way to go forward for now? It has to stay in the bill. Lets make sure that Gabby supports a bill that includes at least such an option! http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18620.cfmWeb Video: House Committee Approves Kucinich-Sponsored Measure to Keep Single-Payer Option Alive

Shared via AddThis

The Great Bavarian Beer Hunt

2009-07-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

It takes cunning.

It takes stealth.

It takes a strong arm and a steady wrist. To lift the glass that is.

The Great Bavarian Beer Hunt was a grand success. Although we did have to pursue the beasties into Austria and beyond the original hunting grounds. We bagged several glasses, although many more were left untested.

Schneider Beer House, Germany

Andechs Beer Garden, Tutzing, Germany

The guest house near Berchtesgaden, Germany

Schweinebraten in einer Zweiebel

2009-07-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

Yep, I've no idea either, but it tasted mighty fine although probably the heaviest meal I've ever had.

We're in Austria. D would argue we're in heaven. See the pictures below. Actually, we're in Innsbruck, home to the Winter Olympics on two occasions and it is pretty sweet.

I must admit it is rather nice for once not to stand out completely. After 5 months in Florence where we are instantly recognizable as not of Firenze, which is fine, but just sad somedays, this is kind of nice.

Alright and now is where I try to load up all the pictures I can in my remaining 10 minutes of internet time afforded me for the grand price of 2 Euros for 30 minutes.

A little funky wall

The view from our room. Not too shabby.

The golden roof thingee, one of Innsbruck's famous sights.

Alright got to dash. Don't forget to contact your congressperson about HR 676. Yes you. If you don't who will? Yes, it does make a difference...go on. Please.

Dear Gabby

2009-07-12T14:35:00.000-07:00

This post goes out to M & M, to A & her daughter and to my friend M and her sweet family. From one individual with underlying health issues that mean health care coverage dominates her life, to you, who definitely know the feeling.

Thanks to Ilana for providing the ammunition to better understand the issue. Please note this post is not just about Arizona. If you're a voter in the US please read, at least the first bit.

One of the top galvanizing subjects of the 2008 presidential campaign was health care. However, it was not enough for us to vote at the presidential election with this in mind, now we have to make sure that our Congresspersons and Senators respect our desires.

This weekend my dad went to the Single Payer Rally at the Tucson Convention Center which Congressman Raul Grijalva held. Dad was pretty impressed with Grijalva and also with State Legislator Phil Lopes and their thoughts on health care. My father's concern, like mine, is where does our Congresswoman Giffords stand on this matter? Specifically, where does she stand on HR 676? Can we assume she represents our strong convictions about the importance of health care for all? I checked in to Blog for Arizona, where they had an interesting post urging us to remind her what we, her constituents, want by emailing her. If you live outside Southern Arizona, do you know where your Congressperson stands? You can check it out here on Open Congress. Kudos to Ed Pastor for also co-sponsoring this bill. If you don't know who you congressperson is, check it out here.

After our conversation my dad wrote an exquisitely eloquent letter to Congresswoman Giffords. I shot off a quick email and then read his letter. Realized the errors I'd made I rewrote my letter nicking the general gist of the argument and a few phrases, supplementing it with my own experiences. It isn't my father's letter, but I've included my rambling letter below so you can take a gander.

The general gist of today's post is won't you please, please, please send an email or give a call to your Congressperson today? You don't have to have the verbal diarrhea that I exude here, but just include the following:

1. Urging them to publicly and actively support HR 676

2. Remind them that you, as a constituent, do hold some power, voting power. You can say "I won't vote for you if you won't represent me on something so important to me."

3. If you have a personal anecdote that is appropriate, include it.

4. Remind them again what you want them to do: Support HR 676 and tell them what you will do if they don't support it.

5. Request that they explain why they are not representing you if they choose not to co-sponsor the bill.

If you want more information about HR 676 and the Single Payer System check out Physicians for a National Health Program.

ETA: Really this is too long. Make yours shorter. Do it now. Go on...

Dear Congresswoman Giffords,
I write to urge you to support and sign on as a cosponsor of HR676 and establish a single payer national health insurance system. I am registered as a democrat in your district. My vote for you in the future will depend on how you vote on the health issue. Single payer is the way to attain freedom from the extensive medical bankruptcy that cripples our wonderful country.

Do not be swayed by the misinformation about single payer systems you will be bombarded with in the next few weeks. I grew up in the UK. A large portion of our family still lives there. Anecdotally, the comparison between the medical costs my mother and stepfather in the UK face and those my in-laws face are dramatic. My in-laws, who live in Nebraska, pay in one month for medications more than what very similar and sometimes even the same medication my mother and stepfather pay for an entire year. My parents in the UK receive personal, attentive care certainly comparable to what those with good insurance receive here. Putting aside anecdotes, data from WHO that reflects this personal cost difference; the substantial difference in governmental spending from the US to the UK and demands that you, as a fiscal conservative, consider and support a single payer system.

Contrary to rumors, those in the UK are free to choose their own doctors. The health authorities are accountable to the people. My mother sits on a committee (voluntary) that oversees and addresses issues within their local health authority. The bureaucracy associated with billing and claims, the limitations and regulation imposed on doctors by the insurance agencies are just not a concern in a single payer system. We in the US could have a simpler, more elegant and effective system than the broken system we currently have which does not effectively cover most Americans.

As I type this, my spouse is ordering our medications online. Currently we have insurance, ‘good’ insurance, yet we pay more than $300/month for four medications. Some of the preferred medications are no longer covered by our medical insurance. In the short-term, we can afford it, but our ability to invest and save for the future and contribute to the economy is severely hampered. Further, the fear of losing health insurance is a constant for me. One that dictates where I work and the salary I accept. How are we capitalizing on our people potential if the fear of loss of health insurance compromises their potential?

We believe that government is for the people and OF the people. Not of the insurance companies. I hope you hold the same belief, please reflect that with your public and active support for HR 676. If you do not at least support for a bill with a truly effective public option I will not vote for you again. I would appreciate a response explaining your decision if you chose not to support HR 676.
Thanks for your attention.

Sincerely,
A Little Gnocchi (okay, maybe I didn't sign off like that, but you get the idea)

“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.” Martin Luther King Jr. 1966

Okay, now go back to the top of this post and email Gabby, or your congressperson today. Let your Senators know how you feel too. IF your Congressperson already co-sponsored HR676, thank them.

Some things never change...

2009-07-09T16:52:00.000-07:00

It's 1:53am and I just finished my Italian homework.

Oh, we're off to Austria for our little jaunt. The hills are alive with the sound of music laaaaaaalalala...

ps. another cool thing or two to do in Northern England:
Visit Martin Mere a wetland and wildfowl trust. My parents took us there when I was but knee high to a grasshop...no goose. I remember having to be very, very quiet in the bird hides and being amazed at the grass on the roofs of the main buildings. We were quiet in the hides AND there still is grass on the roofs.

Check out a local park. We caught up with one of my oldest friends (we've known each other for nigh on 30 years) her partner and son at Victoria Park in Widnes. There was a great big band playing, crown green bowling, a climbing wall, butterfly & iguana garden, tennis courts, the biggest awesome play area separated for the little uns and the larger kids and splash park. What a great space. Just to finish it off, despite looming rainclouds these folks steeled themselves against the mounting wind and soaked up a little sun. The Italians would have brought out the minks for such weather.

Finally, it was fabulous to see my friends and I'm hoping that a couple still might make it over to Florence. It was an even better trip for the sweet time we spent with my gran. She might not recognize us anymore, but both her and my toddler had so much fun with one another. I hope the remainder of her days are filled with such joy.

A Little Jaunt to Blighty

2009-07-08T22:26:00.000-07:00

Living in Italy we had fantasies that we'd be off travelling around all the time, and we have done a little travelling, but not as much as we'd like. There is that pesky little problem of my partner's work assignment and my so-called twenty hour a week job. Please remind me anytime I say I want to work part-time that twenty hours quickly looks like twenty-five and then thirty. Anyway, getting over to Britain (with the exception of a few days for just two of us) has proved difficult.

This weekend we finally made it over as a family. Just for three days, but three really great days. While I sang the praises of Northern England as a tourist destination last time, it isn't going to stop me shouting them now. If there isn't a public art tour of the North there should be. You could even make it a Big Art exhibit. Starting with 'The Dream'. This is a huge sculpture on the old slag heap of the colliery I lived close to during my early childhood. Actually, by American standards I lived in its shadow for about 17years of my life, never moving than about 5 miles away. The colliery was closed in 1991, seriously impacting the already fragile economy of St. Helens (the big glass maker Pilkingtons had already reduced its workforce and Beechams had too.) Apparently, the land was handed over to the Forestry Commission and then after consultation with a group made up of miners and folks from St. Helens a proposal for a sculpture was developed. Commission by Channel 4's Big Art project, the community group didn't want something that looked at the past, they wanted to look forward and to the future and so The Dream by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa is fitting. Twenty meters high, white luminescent stone, the sculpture is the elongated head of a child in dream. Looking out from the top of the slag heap, now with a young forest on it, it looks out over gently rolling hills and was just opened this May. I don't think I ever noticed how pretty and soothing the countryside was there. It is spectacular. Well worth the visit.

We were on a roll so the next day we went off to see Anthony Gormley's Another Place on the beach at Crosby. One hundred cast-iron figures spread over several kilometers of beach, standing as the tide comes in and moves out. Static and yet not, subject to weathering and becoming quite crusty. This, like The Dream, is fabulous public art; accessible, provoking and stunning. This is the kind of art that can prompt reaction from all ages including a 2 and a bit year old. Plus no stuffy gallery snobs to contend with.

You can also add to your visiting list the Tate Liverpool and the The Walker Art Gallery. The latter was where I first saw a real Hockney, larger than life, 30 years on or so it is still etched in my memories. Hey, they even have tours and activities for the very young at the Walker. Next time we're in the area we're going here. What else would you add to your tour of the Northwest, specifically art or not? Mum? Suzanne? Oh and a few last plugs for the North and the Northwest of England.
1. The people are warm and funny
2. It is much cheaper than London and the South
3. The chips/fries are really good.

Oh and the kid picture:

Enjoying her wellies and the sea.

The Thing about Florentine Women is...

2009-07-02T14:59:00.000-07:00

They're skinny, cream-skinned beauties who don't appear to sweat, and never spill anything on their effortless white linen and cotton attire. I see them leaving the gelataria with cones piled high with sweet dairy goodness or laughing with friends over a glass of chianti. Unless they're in some special climate bubble they're in the same hot humid place as me, yet they don't look flushed or sweaty and they certainly don't have olive oil, wine and gelato stains on their clothes. Of course, most are not involved in hand to hand combat with a meter tall dictator when I see them, but still a disproportionate number of Florentine women are endowed with an effortless chic I think must be denied to me by a lack of the specific genetics.

In an attempt to at least not be quite as sweaty I do use deodorant, but since running out of my Mitchum Stick for Men, I've been stuck with some crap called Infasil, which sounds like deodorant for the below 24 month crowd, but I doubt it would cut it for them either. There just isn't much in the way of deodorants here. And honestly, something named Infasil just isn't going to be able to deal with my over productive sweat glands. Perhaps Florentine women are a different species from me? Kind of like those beasties that ride bicycles up Mt. Lemmon?

The thing I appreciate most about the Italian white linen clad, is the effortlessness of it all. With the Swiss there is effort, even linen doesn't crease. Italians wear linen, it creases, but in a way that looks stylish. I wear linen and well...

Yep, beaten down today I figured I could join the cream goddesses in something and got a gelato. Snob enough that it didn't taste fabulous I walked down the street to another gelataria to buy one to erase the memory of a sub par gelato. Some of this isn't about genetics...

and yes, you've just read a post about sweat and deodorant. Be pleased I didn't include the picture.

ps. Anyone know why there is such a dearth of anti-perspirants and deodorants here?

Nottarno - Kerry, can you remember any of this?

2009-06-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

It was late. The wine was cheap. There was music and thousands of people in the street, mostly locals. Do you remember anything Kerry? It was fun, I remember that. Oh, and we stayed out past 1:30am which is unheard of now. That was Saturday night Notte Bianca in Oltrarno - Nottarno.

The amazing thing? The next day the streets were clean.

They look so respectable don't they? Don't be fooled. Hellions, all of them.

Santo Spirito in Pink

Dance baby, Dance.

Want to lose weight? Mediterranean Diet!

2009-06-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

Of course, the Mediterranean diet only works when you pair it with the same exercise that Mediterranean folks do. In Atrani the main streets were reminiscent of Who-ville a la Seuss; several hundred stairs up to the apartment; old ladies hanging their bags on sticks slung over their shoulders and us sweating sticky messes by the time we'd reached the apartment.

Who-ville

In case you're expecting a svelte Rachel upon my return, I hate to disappoint (I really do), but the gelato and wine is just too scrumptious.

Skiving off in Italy

2009-06-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. I've been remiss on my duties: informing you of what we're up to so you can live vicariously through or laugh hysterically at us (please note: I didn't say with us). It's late so I'm going to stick mainly with pictures tonight.

This past week, after saying bon voyage to one group of Tucson friends, we joined our friends K, T & M & K's mum in Atrani on the Amalfi Coast. For those of you cretins who don't know where Amalfi is, think the front ankle area of the boot of Italy. Alright, I had no idea either. Craggy coastlines, blue oceans, wacky little seaside towns, wild lush terraces jam packed with grapes and lemons (All the better for making lemoncello with. Oh yes, we did indulge) It was spectacular (the lemoncello) and the Amalfi coastline was nothing to sniff at either. For those prone to motion sickness, when visiting Amalfi remember the Dramamine. Also, I had a fabulous picture taken at sunset that I was going to share, but it along with all the other photos from Wednesday and Thursday have disappeared. We don't know where. Any ideas?

Photo by Tim. Scorpio setting.

The beach at Atrani, by Tim

The view from Ravello

Terraces from Ravello

And it was gone

ps.

2009-06-22T15:21:00.000-07:00

My lovely friend M is obviously out to make me very homesick and is sharing her impressive gardening inside an oven on a blog. The woman is a whiz when it comes to cooking and cocktails. I'm looking forward to some nice drink & food from the garden tales. Hint, hint.

pps. I've mentioned Help A Mother Out (HAMO) quite a few times here. HAMO was the inspiration behind the Mother's Day Diaper Drive.

These two women and their blog provided me (an individual of limited financial means and time) with:
a manageable objective: make a child's life a little easier, safer, and happier, at least for a little while and in so doing help a family
An easy way to do it: donate some diapers, by pointing, clicking and helping.
Ask your friends to help. Which I did and you did. Thank you.
AND the hint of a possibility of doing something to close this stupid gap in the social safety network and people to work with on this.

So I nominated Help A Mother Out for the most inspiring blog on http://www.socialluxelounge.com/blogluxe/. There are other blogs that make me cry or laugh, others that make angry about the state of our world, yet more that I read that make me feel rather feeble with regards parenting, activism, crafting etc. HAMO moves me from rhetoric to action from nearly 7000 miles away via the internet and I am very grateful for that.

If you have a sec and like what HAMO is doing will you pop on over and vote for them please.

And so the onslaught begins

2009-06-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

We've only got a couple of months left, but we're going to be enjoying it with plenty of friends. This week we have a veritable gaggle in the vicinity. D's old roommates, partners and a couple of parents. Sweet. We went out to the place they're staying at, a castello outside of Impruneta. Fabulous scenery, scrumptious food, and tip top company. What more could a girl ask for? Oh wait, did I mention we're off to the Amalfi Coast this week too?

San Agostino is a sweet little trattoria close to Piazza di Santo Spirito on the street of the same name. Nice, funky, cool, friendly owners and great Tuscan food with a wacky twist...

Vegetarians look away...

The converted farmhouse attached to the castle

With the olive oil press and vats

Someone stops for ants

and later still after splashing in the pool

Not quite a block party...

2009-06-19T05:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening down our street

What to give Dad for Father's Day

2009-06-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

Father's Day is this Sunday. At least in the US it is.

Now, if I'd had my stuff together I would have sent my dad and father in law sweet little hand-drawn/scrawled cards from Ila, but this is me and I don't. So, I'm going to do what I know they will both appreciate and donate to the Diaper Bank via the Help A Mother Out wish list. Come on, you can too, Dads love the good karma thing. Perhaps in honor of a granddad. Actually, maybe I should in honor of my late granddads.

Maybe I'll send Dad & FIL one of the colorful cute pdf cards we had for Tucson Mamma Mother's Day Diaper Drive. You know, except without the whole Happy Mother's Day thing. If you want to donate and send a little email pdf card let me know and I'll set it up.
While the badge says Help A Mother Out, groups like this help out FAMILIES; mums and dads, grannies and granddads, and children.

Check out this report from Florida about a dad having to decide between food and diapers.

Santo Spirito

2009-06-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

Before the whole family came over to Firenze, Doug came over for work and to find a place for us to live. Before he left we talked:

"I don't want to be way out in the boonies. No more than a twenty minute walk to a shop and ten minutes to a park. You hear? Ila and I will need some interaction with people."

Alright maybe I talked and he was patient. I think I was a little freaked out and maybe not trusting enough in Doug's ability to see what was reasonable.

Funnily, since we arrived in Firenze there have been times when I desperately wanted to be further out of town, even up by the observatory, which would break all those conditions. Certainly, if we were to come back again I'd be up for it. I know the bus system now. Having a door out onto a little green or even a little patio that Ila could just run out on to would be sweet, but then we'd never looked out onto this street and never seen these things...

1. Calcio Storico Fiorentino- Bianchi

We're walking toward our apartment, in front of us a bunch of men who look like a mix of soccer and rugby players. I know it isn't a soccer team, but it wasn't quite a rugby team either. (Yes, too many years spent around rugby players. I can spot them a mile off.) but they're all wearing the same emblem either on their skin or a shirt. They stop and start to put up a ladder, hoist a young boy in medieval garb to the top and proceed to prevent any traffic passing down the street. We get out of the way. It turns out it was a photo shoot of the neighbourhood team of a nice and bloody, violent traditional football game. Just the sort of thing I'd turn my nose up as a rule, but then this is Florence/Firenze and I get over myself for a few minutes to find out a little more.

The game has been around for 500 years. There are four teams in town, our neighbourhood has one, il Bianchi. It used to be the rich dudes, it still is neighbourhood guys. The games are played in June with a big ol' final in the Piazza di Santa Croce and a parade to begin with. It is apparently one of THE things to see in Florence if you're here. Which we won't be when it actually happens. Oh, and they play in medieval flavored pants and often bare chests! It fulfills all those stupid bad boy issues I had when I was younger and much more foolish. They get to head butt each other. And I thought Aussie Rules and Gaelic Football was rough. For more information check this out

Then if that wasn't a nice little neighbourhood oddity to find out about there was that evening.

2. After 11pm, the Santo Spirito bells are going nuts, but we figure someone just dipped a little too much into the communion wine. We're all cuddled up on the sofa watching an old episode of Chuck (we've just discovered Chuck) when we hear this incredible singing. Mass numbers of beautiful female voices coming from the street outside. So we rush to the one window that actually looks out on to the street and see this...

Actually we saw a lot more, but I didn't think about the video until several minutes in. You only hear the singing for a few seconds, but it went on for a long time and was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. There were nuns and priests and what looked liked monks, with a few ordinary folk to boot. I've no idea what it was. Any ideas?

This is an experience that would have eluded us if we had been out of town and it really is incredible.

I'm saving the best until last, the toddler picture. Those cherries at the top? Those were up at the hotel my mum & step dad were staying out this weekend, outside the city walls. This, having foraged for them, eating them? My girl. What a great Sunday.

Up Your Skirt

2009-06-13T13:28:00.000-07:00

On the way to Trattoria Bordino we saw the below. It is warm. About 8 in the evening and pretty much perfect.

I wish we had a window we could hang out our pretty skirts and fancy lace edged sheets out on. Unfortunately we don't have the window, nor the appropriate sheets and skirts. We did have a lovely meal though, my mum, step dad and I.

Why despite walking everywhere I can't get to a healthy weight

2009-06-12T14:40:00.000-07:00

In reverse order

10. Pasta, lots of it doused in olive oil
9. Parmiggiano Reggiano eaten in chunks not grated
8. Apparent inability to leave a dish with food on it, mine, Doug's or Ila's. Don't sit to close to me it might be your plate I go for next.
7. Cheap, good chianti pretty much every night
6. Gianduia chocolate. A certain colleague has a lot to answer to.
5. Limone gelato
4. Pistachio gelato
3. Yogurt and Nutella gelato
2. Nocciola pasta sauce
1. Nocciola gelato

ps. Stumbled a store that sells Young's Chocolate Stout & my mum brought Doug some Starbuck's Coffee over from England. Result a very happy man. Now if we could only find a nice IPA.

pps. Just found this recipe for Nocciola gelato

Is it just my kid?

2009-06-09T14:05:00.000-07:00

Or are all kids gaga over insects and dirt? I'm wondering if there is a genetic disposition for the love of entomology and soil? My dad, me, and my daughter? She isn't into dinosaurs or trucks (trains, bikes & boats that is a whole different deal), but all things insect and soil.

Looking for Odonata nymphs

Following the Ants at Bardini

A little corner at Villa Strozzi

So what to do about the whole cocoon/chrysalis thing in The Very Hungry Caterpillar? You know, big important questions of the day. Despite Eric Carle's explanation below, I still change cocoon to chrysalis, just to keep it accurate. Doug keeps to cocoon and keeps the poetry. She'll learn to be flexible at least, unlike her mother apparently.

Eric Carle on the great Cocoon Chrysalis Debate
From the V. Occasional Newsletter called The Caterpillar Express

A number of readers of The Very Hungry Caterpillar ask,
Why does your butterfly come from a cocoon, not
a chrysalis? That’s a good question.
Here’s the scientific explanation: In most cases a butterfly
does come from a chrysalis, but not all. There’s a rare
genus called Parnassian, that pupates in a cocoon.
These butterflies live in the Pacific Northwest, in Siberia,
and as far away as North Korea and the northern islands
of Japan.
And here’s my unscientific explanation: My caterpillar is
very unusual. As you know caterpillars don’t eat lollipops
and ice cream, so you won’t find my caterpillar in any
field guides. But also, when I was a small boy, my father
would say, “Eric, come out of your cocoon.” He meant I
should open up and be receptive to the world around
me. For me, it would not sound right to say, “Come out
of your chrysalis.” And so poetry won over science!

Despite this egregious sin I still love Eric Carle, cocoon or chrysalis.

For all those bikers out there, it isn't La Milagrosa

2009-06-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

it isn't La Milagrosa, but it'll do.

The man himself:

Lago di Ledro

2009-06-07T12:29:00.000-07:00

They say there is no such thing as coincidence right? We turn into the drive of the Family Hotel Adriana in Locca and see this...

if you weren't sure what I was referring to it is the sign, good German beer. Along with the mountain bikes available for free to hotel guests I'm not buying that it is all coincidence. Doug?

We're in the Italian Alps for the weekend, in a valley above Lago di Garda near Lago di Ledro and it is fabulous!

Wisteria gives way to Hydrangea

2009-06-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

The wisteria flowers have all but disappeared and now the Bardini Pergola is showing off with a massive display of different types of Hydrangea. I might as well just call this blog Ode to Bardini. I'm afraid we really do spend that much time at Bardini, as if we're afraid to waste time on other possible sights for fear they won't live up to our expectations. Come visit us and we'll surely use it as an excuse to go, as if we needed an excuse.

Last week it was one of my best friends from England and her family who were subject to our obsession with Bardini. It was fabulous to have them here, not only, but especially because we got to meet their little boy who is just 5 weeks younger than Ila. The two of them together were like a little whirlwind wreaking havoc, joy, mayhem and laughter wherever they tumbled.

We still haven't made a decision about our vacation, thanks for the suggestions though. We're taking off for a rainy weekend at Largo de Garda tomorrow. Wahoo! I'm looking forward to mountains. Doug is talking about taking off for a little bit of a mountain bike ride too. Did I mention the high chance of thunderstorms? We're renting a car. Not this one, but almost as small...I love Fiat 500s. Can you imagine driving one of these on the streets of Tucson? They make Smartcars look huge!

Sans Camera

2009-06-02T23:39:00.000-07:00

I need to have my camera glued to me. We always see the coolest things when we don't have it with us. The other day, walking through Boboli Gardens toward the southern exit Ila and I saw a beautiful heron perched on the tall fountain. It seemed so out of place in the middle of a city, even inside this glorious garden. We hung out there for a while watching this grand creature and getting progressively soggier as the drizzle refused to cease and desist.

I think I may have also identified who is practicing in the studio below our bathroom. Do you remember that photo of Ila in the daises and buttercups? It has now been covered by a massive stage and bleachers. Aida is being performed there this month. While watching the heron we heard similar snippets of music and singing to that we've heard everyday through the bathroom floor.

Room with a View & Survey

2009-06-01T02:38:00.001-07:00

view from the window
Originally uploaded by rhubarbqueen

Well, not quite. More like room with a heady jasmine smell. The view from our bedroom window. I wish we had access on to this terrace, but we don't. I'll just enjoy the smell of jasmine, which has to beat the alternative, the smell of the septic tank. Apparently, inside the city walls all the houses use septic tanks which are then drained on a regular basis. Ours has just been drained, but that doesn't seem to help with the smell, the jasmine is strong enough to though.

My question for you is this:
The only time we have open when we don't have visitors is 5 days at the very end of July. We'd like to take one trip (we would have liked more, but don't have time) as a family somewhere on mainland Europe outside Italy. It has to be quick and cheap to get to, have water, and relatively cool temps. Where would you go if you had the chance?

Yes, but ...

2009-05-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

Just in case you thought everything here in Florence was all peaches and cream, I thought I best share a couple of truly trying situations we have dealt with in the past few days:
Example number one:
Paying for private health insurance for the three of us.
Health coverage for us for a year = 1260 Euros total (we have to get it for a year for the residency card, not because we plan to stay a year)
Admittedly, the insurance doesn't cover a bunch of stuff including injuries resulting from atomic bombs, and jumping off spring boards (they have a thing about springboards in this policy which shouldn't be a problem because I hate heights even short spring board heights.) Oh, and they were so apologetic about the cost. Ummmm, for 1260 Euros we'd be lucky to cover this family for a month in the US if we had to get private health insurance.

If we were working for an Italian company we would be able to access the state system which actually has a fabulous reputation. The state system covers Ila as it is I believe. Some nonsense about looking after children. As if it isn't their fault their parents can't access healthcare. Anyone might think the health of our children had an impact on our society present and future. Hmmmmm...

Example numero due (got to practice my italfranish somewhere)

You have options on your electricity supply that limits how much you can access. We somehow got signed up for 3kW which meant today when we tried to have the ac on (92 degrees, 75% humidity) with the lights in the living room, the breaker went. We went ahead an moved up in the world to a 6kW allowance. I wonder why they do that? Perhaps they have a different rate for those who promise to keep their energy consumption low. Kind of cool possibly, but also just a bit weird.

and number three
On the train to Rome
Me: Hey honey, there is a guy selling beer here
D: Oooo...oh, yes, but it's Italian beer. I'd rather drink water.

See deep, deep suffering

I can tell you hear our pain. Well, maybe with the humidity and temperatures?

On a more positive note, this just appeared in a gallery down the street. It isn't greatest shot, but the actually picture is about 2 meters tall and is completely created using colored drawing pencils.

Because this should be seen...

2009-05-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

and because I'm bummed that the California Supreme Court upheld Prop 8 which banned Gay Marriage. Iowa before California on this? Of course Arizona is in the deep, deep, deep hole of despair on this and other matters

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

https://secure.couragecampaign.org/page/contribute/Fearless

Sightseeing the Toddler Way

2009-05-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

As we watch the fall of Empires, why not go visit the seat of a fallen, yet still influential empire. Of course, the Roman Empire far outlasted the more recent ones.

We had grandiose plans, the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peters Square, an audience with the Pope, the Colosseum, Spanish Steps,the Pantheon and then we got there and it was hot, and so we stopped for a drink and a little something to eat. Hit the Colosseum, very hot, so got a little gelato with our friend and Doug's colleague R who is from Roma.

At that point we decided that the Forum was out, not enough shade. Perhaps a little Metro trip to the Spanish Steps? Then we got there and this beautiful park at Villa Borghese looked much more appealing (a virtual friend had suggested it). It was shady, and cool, and green...

Our grand plan down to the Colosseum & the park at Villa Borghese and Ila's first trip on an Underground. We do our sightseeing gently.
Anyway, sometimes the best sights and sounds are found when you're not looking for them, like the free concert in Chiesa di Santa Trinita by L'Orchestra dei Ragazzi that we stumbled upon on the way home from the station that night. An orchestra of 10 to 17 year olds performing music from the sixteen and seventeen hundreds. Spectacular.

Next time, perhaps we'll squeeze in a quick visit to the Pope. I'm sure he was disappointed that we didn't make it this time.

Just us & Galileo's Ghost

2009-05-23T07:41:00.001-07:00

This week we got the news that we're back to Tucson for the beginning of September. We'd not so secretly hoped that we would have longer here and for a while it looked like our hopes may be realized. Sigh. We're going to try and pack as much in to the next three months as possible.

Yesterday, we marked our half-way point with a picnic dinner up at the observatory. Imagine rolling Tuscan hills basking in sunset, air heady with the scent of jasmine, the sounds of Italian 16th century music drifting through the air* from the Galileo library and a dessert of cherries picked from a tree at the bottom of the road. I don't have pictures that can even begin to capture how perfect this evening was, you'll have to settle for these and your imagination. Next time I'm bring a bottle of wine.

*At the top of the hill at Arcetri, within stumbling distance of Doug's office is the Galileo Library. On Friday night the library was host to a free concert in celebration of the 400 year anniversary of Galileo's work. The library is beautiful, but small. Just thirty people watched the concert, with a toddler we chose to sneak a listen from a safe distance.

Who should David throw the stone at now?

2009-05-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

It has taken us nearly three months to go and see David. I know it is disgusting isn't it, uncultured slobs that we are, but fear of the lines kept us at bay. We shouldn't have worried, because of our passes we got to walk right in and skip the line. Ha!

So David is big. I mean really, really, really big, not quite as tall as an LBT mirror is wide, but still massive. I like David, he is a muckracker, a ramble rouser, a down with The Man kinda of guy. The sling held over his arm ready to bring them all down. Who would David and Michelangelo been gunning for now? Your suggestions below please.

Oh and no pictures with this post as they forbid photographs and movies in the Accademia and I wasn't feisty enough to stand up to the man and say I will use my camera

Happy, happy, happy

2009-05-19T15:05:00.001-07:00

We're going on a bear hunt
Originally uploaded by rhubarbqueen

Just a quick flight over, a 70 minute bus ride up from Pisa and she's here, my mum, for the weekend. Reveling in all the Ila goodness. The closest we've lived to each other in 20 years. More visits together in the past months than in couple of years. How glorious to live this close, but still distant enough that a visit is familiar and still exciting. I don't think she stopped grinning the whole weekend. And neither did we.

Just like Pinocchio, but with an F.

2009-05-16T14:33:00.000-07:00

I'm days behind with this. Lots of little anecdotes to share, but too busy to share, which is good, isn't it?

Wednesday's Italian class confirmed that my lovely Italian teacher has me completely sussed. My taste buds and my stomach are the avenue to my heart and brain. After a lesson reviewing how to order food she pulls out this odd looking bulb.

Fortunately, thanks to my dear pal M. I did not appear like a complete uncouth, corn syrup sucking idiot and was able to identify the funky bulb - fennel, in Italian, finocchio. I think my teacher may also be attempting to save me from myself with the introduction of lots of healthy foods, in this case verdure fresche in pinzimonio. Apparently, this is a very Tuscan approach to vegetables in the summer. A mixture of vegetables cleaned, peeled.... il sedano, i caricoi, i ravelli and, of course, i finocchi served with the very best olio, sale, and aceto. Mmmmm finocchio. Ila and I give finoccio the big thumbs up.

Free to Be... You and Me

2009-05-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

It might be Thursday in the US, but it is now Friday here and so a new post to share two things, no scratch that, three things, before I go back to the inane drivel of an over privileged middle aged woman (yeah, I said it out loud) living the life of Riley.

1. The first item I didn't see at the time, it was part of the 08 campaign. I stumbled upon it on Brook Yung's blog, and how I got there? Interest piqued after watching B.Yung here and I got there? From following helpamotherout on Twitter.

Check out the other poets on B.Yung's blog. Love the Dolphin poem. You guys didn't know I'm a poetry fiend did you? Love the stuff, love it more when it kicks my ass and gets me thinking, "What should I do and how will I do that?" We'll get back to that thought.

2. At some point in the day, every day, Ila and I dance like the crazy is right there with us and there is no stopping us or it. Utter bloody joy. We have a compilation I put together for her birthday which starts out with Marlo Thomas and the New Seekers singing Free to Be...You & Me (the crazy starts a little slow) and the second line always gets to me...
"And I say it ain't far to this land from where we are" It isn't so far to achieve that dream. We have all the tools to make it happen, they're just not be used, I'm not using them. When I think about what is standing in the way of the dream of every child being free to be themselves, in the US at least, I think that lack of accessibility to healthcare is a, or even the, huge overwhelming stumbling block. When you consider the leading cause of bankruptcy and financial ruin is not some addiction to an illegal substance, not some gambling or shopping problem, but medical bankruptcy it is hard to ignore the impact the crappy lack of healthcare is having on our society. This along with the video above brings me to item three.

3. Kathy McClure, the purple bus lady and her blog is giving voice to those who have lost it along with their health insurance. It is compelling stuff. Kathy is actually doing something, making the case for a healthcare system that addresses the needs of the people. So, the question is what can I do? I'm not getting in a purple bus any time soon. Who do I write to, who needs to hear this? My congressman? My senator? Not sure I'll convince Jon Kyl given his history on healthcare, but if I don't try...

What else can we do, you know other than or in addition to donating to the Organizing for America ?

Alright, I'm done now. Well, at least for now.

ps. Thanks to Helpamotherout.org again for the lead on the purple bus lady.

Keeping within our quarter

2009-05-14T06:26:00.000-07:00

We've been fairly low key this week. Ila has been under the weather and so no-one has had a great night's sleep for about 5 days. Lack of sleep does not foster a sense of exploration and so we've kept almost exclusively to the Oltrarno this week. Hopefully, our friends B & G who were visiting will forgive us. The photo above was taken on Mother's Day before the cold really set in. Oh, how we love Bardini.

In saying we've kept it low key, it is hard to pass a day where you go outside without seeing something spectacular. Ila, B and I had a special Firenze treat this week when we stopped by the Giardino dell' Iris on the way down from the hike up to the Observatory.
The garden is open just for 18 sweet days. Who knew there were so many colors of iris? The picture doesn't show it, but the garden is not small and is set on a slope you walk down among a cloud of irises (sorry Wordsworth) to a pond with water lilies, no Rydal Water admittedly, but pretty idyllic all the same.

Ila has been thoroughly spoiled with B&G's visit, super silly adults in the best sense of the word who showered her with fun and excitement and some very cool gifts. B made a series of threading cards out of laminated photos of our Tucson home and garden and large colorful shoelaces and they are a huge hit! Ila spent a good 30 minutes (a long time in toddler time) with them yesterday and I think I need to break out my embroidery project and see how much I can actually get done under the guise of us both playing together.

And then Bear, the caterpillar was very sick

2009-05-11T15:30:00.001-07:00

And then Bear, the caterpillar was very sick
Originally uploaded by rhubarbqueen

Bear is read to quite often. I love that she loves this book.

The Spice Lab does Samosas

2009-05-10T13:50:00.001-07:00

The Spice Lab does Samosas
Originally uploaded by rhubarbqueen

Northern England isn't exactly a culinary hot bed for much beyond good stodgy comfort food (breads and pastries) except for food from the Indian sub-continent. Boy, Indian food was one of the favorite picks for a meal out, but the idea of actually cooking indian food has never really been in the cards for me. Like most ideas about cooking I have, it never gets beyond the purchase of a pretty cookbook. I have Madhur Jaffrey's Far Eastern Cookery book, and have even cracked it open, but never actually cooked from it. It always looks a little daunting. However, stick me in a situation where I'm desperate for adult interaction and offer food and babysitting and I'm there.

One of the fellow mums, an American expat, who attends the playgroup hosted by Firenzemoms4moms at St.James church, has a couple of chef's degrees and has a business teaching cooking classes and honestly, she is bloody good at it. I now know how to make paneer (have to find a good saag paneer recipe now) which is really bloody easy and vegetable korma. This week we cooked vegetable and beef samosas and made a yummy apricot chutney. All easy peasey. Apparently, one of the big deals is the use of fresh ground spices. Not the stuff we get that has been pre-mixed and sat on a shelf for months or years. So next class I go to I'm going to learn how to grind spices myself and when back in Tucson you'll have to come over and make samosas.

Before I sign off for this evening I'd just like to say Happy Mother's Day and thank you for all those who supported the TucsonMama Mother's Day Diaper Drive. There was the equivalent of 1500 diapers donated. Very cool.

I give up. A post all about food.

2009-05-09T16:12:00.001-07:00

Tacos in Firenze
Originally uploaded by rhubarbqueen

I've been suppressing the food chat worried that you might think that I'm just a big old glutton. The thing is, I am. The only thing saving me from myself here is that we walk everywhere. I'm not losing weight, but I might if I actually reduced my intake of gelato and pasta.

After three months it is actually possible to be a little tired of really good pasta, not very tired of it, but enough to crave some other type of food occasionally. Today as we walked back from the Horticultural Garden we stumbled across a fast food Mexican place called, imaginatively, Tacos. Briefly considering the absurdness of people who regularly live in Tucson, Arizona going to a taco place in Firenze we went in, ordered 3 tacos and a beer and sat down. They were bloody good. Better than most fast food Mexican places in Tucson, although not as quite as good as a fish taco or one of those sandwiches and grilled cebollas at a taco stand say in Magdalena Sonora. I know, we're heathens. Absolute bloody heathens. Mmmmm Mexican food.

I did go to a great Italian restaurant just down the street from us, il Santo Bevitore, on Thursday night as part of a Mums Night Out event (a bunch of expat mothers from English speaking or English/French speaking lands). Great company, and also a good lesson in eating in Italian restaurants without exploding. Restaurants here have multiple courses:
1. Antipasto (think starter)
2. Primo (soup or pasta)
3. Secondi (the meat or main dish, this is usually just the meat and you order...)
4. Contorno (the veg or potato side dish or even a salad)
and if you're up to it
5. Dolce (Sweets, good God, sweets)

Up until now I've been starting the antipasto, the pasta and a dolce. Sometimes I skip the antipasto and go for primo, secondi, contorno and dolci. I almost explode. No longer. After watching all these waifs eating, I'm going for a shared antipasto, salad (contorno), and the secondi and if the mood is right, which it usually is, a dolce. Il Santo Bevitore was definitely worth a second visit unlike another trattoria on the same street where Doug broke a toilet seat cover. I didn't tell you about that? Hmmmm, a story for when we get home.

If I forget I love you, don't you forget I do.

2009-05-06T14:12:00.000-07:00

Dignity.

My gran was in the Auxillary Territorial Service during WWII, the women's branch of the British Army. As German bombers rained hell on British cities, my grandmother stood behind the searchlights and tracked the oncoming planes with that artificial moonlight so the German planes might be shot down, stopped before they hit British cities. Not a job for the faint of heart. Rather like sticking a large red target on yourself and standing in front of a shooting squad.

My Gran in her ATS uniform, early 1940s.

Gran has dementia. Along with memories and basic skills, dementia is stealing her dignity. There are very brief respites where she has some recall, but only enough to know that she doesn't remember those around her, that she doesn't remember who loves her and whom she loves. Terrifying for her and heartbreaking for us. Now, the most basic skills are disappearing, how to wash her hands, how to eat an ice-cream bar (yes, I just counted eating an ice-cream bar as a basic skill), and how to go to the bathroom . My grandmother is in a UK nursing facility for those with severe dementia where there is some, albeit limited, provision for incontinence supplies, adult diapers. Our family is able to address the rest of the need and grant her a little dignity. What happens to those whose families are not able to meet that need?

Gran & I in 2004. She couldn't recall my name at this point but she was still doing yoga.

In the US there is no subsidy for incontinence supplies, it is not covered by medicare nor by other insurances. Incontinence not only affects those with dementia like my gran, but between 15-20% of adults over 65*. How many people who are perfectly healthy otherwise become homebound, for fear of an embarrassing accident and so sink further into poverty and depression?** How many of us who have given birth to a child have an inkling of what this might be like? I'll admit to that worry and even to the fact that I know that there is a 4-5 month wait to see the specialist I was referred to on this matter.

The Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona has just launched its 7th Annual Adult Drive, and as TucsonMama nears the end of the Mother's Day Diaper Drive, I'd like to do a little push for cash donations (Facebook Cause Page, search under TucsonMama or Diaper or on the Diaper Bank's website) that can be used toward adult supplies or a donation via the TucsonMama Amazon Wishlist in honor of your mother and your grandmother. Let me know if you do via diaperdrive at gmail dot com and I'll send a sweet little ecard for you to print out and present to your honoree this Sunday. Truly, a way to honor mothers this Mother's Day with providing a little dignity to a mother.

* &** from diaperbank.org

Carciofo

2009-05-05T15:48:00.001-07:00

Artichoke - carciofo
Originally uploaded by rhubarbqueen

At the observatory there is a small overgrown garden and in it carciofo, artichoke. Brilliant eh?

Which brings us to today: At the end of Italian class, my very polished Italian teacher pulled on a pair of impossibly small yellow kitchen gloves, dug into a plastic bag and produced an artichoke.

"Una, pulire i carciofi. You wear gloves so your hands don't become black and you can eat the stem, just cut the woody piece of the stem off.
Due, tagliare i carciofi in quarti.In Italian you can use the infinitive to give these directions. Also, put the quartered artichoke in in heavily lemoned water so it doesn't blacken.
Tre, mettere olio, tre spicchi di aglioe poco acqua in una padella.
Quattro, aggiungere poco sale e coprire.
Cinque, cuocere per 15/20 minuti a fiamma moderata."

The way to learning Italian is through my stomach.

Once home, I packed up Ila and we went to the grocers (the one where they all but put on a parade when she comes in, and come close to performing circus tricks to get her to say ciao.) "Vorrei quattro carciofi per favore." I'll let you know how it goes.

How do you say Happy Mother's Day in Italian?

2009-05-01T04:35:00.000-07:00

Despite being here for nearly 3 months, my grasp of the Italian language is practically non-existent. I've never been very good at languages. Hell, I barely speak English. However, for the past month I've been taking Italian classes, once a week, one on one lessons. It is fabulous, not because I'm picking up much Italian (the teacher is great, I'm just a very lazy student), but I love going to class. I love that this week my teacher clued me in on some Italian cooking tips. I'm thrilled that next week she is hopefully going to show me how to prepare an artichoke to cook (you see artichokes everywhere here in their just picked state), and one of the best bits: the 15 minute walk back to the apartment, with my backpack on, ipod in, pretending that I'm 20 and not 40. I walk over the Santa Trinta Bridge, watch the rowers training on the Arno, the students strolling to classes, the Florentines being unendingly patient with the tourists. I'm not any of them, but this still feels pretty sweet. The absolute best bit, getting back to the apartment and not being 20 with all the associated angst, byt being 40 and on the parenthood roller coaster and most of the time loving it.

An update and a question for the TucsonMama Mother's Day Diaper Drive:

As of this morning, we've passed the $300 mark between donations via the Amazon Wish List & the Facebook Cause Application (search for Tucsonmama under Find Causes if you have that app). Wahoooooooooo! Our new target is $500 by Friday. Remember if you donate $25 on the Amazon Wish List or on Facebook Cause page and forward me your order statement to diaperdrive at gmail dot com I'll send you a card to present to your loved one.

Being able to help families in immediate need is really great, but why are diapers so expensive and why aren’t they subsidized by any governmental office? Do diapers have some wacky street value out of line with the stores? Is this just a matter of jurisdiction? How do we change this? Really, inquiring minds want to know. As the spectacular San Francisco group Help a Mother Out say: “If the government can make cheese, subsidize infant formula, AND childcare to the poor, why can’t they contract with Seventh Generation or gDiapers to manufacture diapers and then subsidize diapers?" Diapers aren't exactly an optional item and an item needed by the most vulnerable in our community, our children and the elderly. What do you think? Suggestions?

There but by the Grace of God go I*

2009-04-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

picture from almost a year ago

Every night, every morning, and often in between, I hold my daughter close to me and inhale. Glorious. She is so precious, so vibrant and so fragile. It is good to remember the sweet times when she exploring the “dark side” of all her two year old glory. You know those times, right?

Becoming a parent has turned my understanding of my own parents upside down. Did I know I could love so much? I think I understand now, with surprising clarity, the immensity of my parents’ hopes and fears, and the impact of my choices on them. Watching the most important thing in your world toddle of into the wild and crazy outside world is scary stuff. Hell, my daughter is only two and it scares the crap out of me. I don’t even want to think about the teenage years.

As scary as those thoughts are to me, I have the peace of mind of knowing that we’re able to provide for all of her, and our, basic needs. Things like having enough diapers and wipes is something we’re fortunate enough not to have to worry about – but a great many families can’t say that now, due to layoffs, foreclosures, and the other economic woes that surround us. Diapers, wipes, and sanitary supplies are some of the items most requested and least donated to those in need, and we all know how important they are in keeping our kids clean and healthy. If you hit hard times and had to debate between paying the utility bill, or for your month’s bus pass to work, or diapers for your little one, how could you choose? Hopefully, you don’t have to – and neither should other parents.

With all that in mind, this year on Mother’s Day (May 10th), as I think of how to best truly honor my mother, I vow to move away from the Hallmark card and the flowers and back to the original sentiment behind Mother’s Day. I want to honor her and other mothers in my life by nurturing, by helping other mothers, other parents, other daughters and sons and in doing so building a better world my own child and all children.

Join me in honoring the mother figures in your life by participating in the online Tucson Mama Diaper Drive benefiting Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona, the nation’s first diaper bank. Donate more than $25 via our Tucson Mama Diaper Drive Amazon Wish List and email us at diaperdrive at gmail dot com the proof of purchase with your honoree's name before midnight on May 8^th and we’ll send you a nice little e-card to present to your loved one.

That’s right, forgo the chocolates that may be gone in a single evening, leaving only regret behind (am I projecting too much here?), the flowers that will wilt and fade – instead, honor your mother with an investment in our world. Won’t you join me?

ps. This online Diaper Drive was inspired by the seriously cool Help A Mother Out organization

*This from a good little humanist

Even when you don't try you can't avoid a little culture here...

2009-04-24T15:35:00.000-07:00

One of the coolest things about our apartment became apparent just this week. Below the bathroom (where mold is growing- not so cool, must contact the landlady about that) is an empty space. At least, I thought it was an empty space. Apparently, it is a music studio where voice and piano classes are taught. During the past week, each afternoon, we've been treated to some rather fine singing. Sometimes all we hear are scales being sung, but other times we receive quite the concert. Ila and I hang out on the big bed, look up at the ceiling and listen. Today it sounded like opera.

This evening we were treated to a whole other type of concert. Massive cheering and chanting in the alley/street that our apartment borders on. I open the bathroom windows to see this:

The communist party is apparently alive and well here. This was the tail end of the parade as they wound their way around to a rally in Santo Spirito Piazza. This neighbour is a lot more lively than ours in Tucson, for sure.

Daisies & Buttercups

2009-04-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

On the very southern tip of Boboli Gardens, close to the Porta Romana is a large, open, grassy area. Unlike the grass areas close to Palazzo Pitti it doesn't have large looming "Keep Off" signs, written in enough languages that you can't feign ignorance. Until recently, this area looked rather forgotten, too far from the Palazzo for most tourists, and too plain to be of interest to anyone, but the truanting high school students and parents, whose young children are eager to race around.

This week, we saw the reason the field was left fallow. At least, a good rationale, if not the intended one:

The field has become the epitome of balmy spring and summer days. Sweet smelling clover, daisies a plenty to thread together or pick apart, and enough buttercups to drive the cholesterol through the rough. Blissful. Ila and I spent the better part of an hour there in the morning and then met Doug there on his way home from work in the afternoon. Neither time did we have to share the space, although we would be happy to. It was all ours.

Is this what they mean by slow parenting? Feels good.

What weekends were meant for...

2009-04-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

We have had a fabulous weekend. Once all of us were well again.

Operation Potty Train is now Operation Undies.
Marge, my very wonderful MIL, Ila and I went to a fabulous park on Friday (more about that in a minute)
Doug and I got to go out for dinner together and eat and talk without once having to get up to chase a sweet, but spirited child around the table, out of the kitchen, off the dessert tray, or even from the neighbouring diners' tables. Date night is bliss.
Yesterday, we went to the magnificent city of Siena.

and

Today, lounged lazily around, as you do on a Sunday, only making a big effort to go out and meet a couple of Doug's work friends for a fabulous dinner.

Ahhhh, its a tough life. Back to work tomorrow though.

Back to the park discovery though. Not too far from here, the grounds of Villa Strozzi are designated a public park. A beautiful park with wooded nature trails, views of Tuscan rolling hills, dog walkers, places for children to play and places for folks to be quiet and contemplate. It is absolutely gorgeous. For the introduction to this beautiful place I must thank a woman I've never actually met, and know only via her blog, MammaAmericana.

I found MammaAmericana's blog way back in mid-Fall when the possibility of our move became a likelihood. I checked out an expat site with some links to blogs and there was her blog all about her life in Firenze and her family. Whenever I worry that my blog is a rather self-indulgent exercise on my part I think about the huge help that MammaAmericana's blog has been to me in helping me adjust to Firenze. By sharing information about shops that she accesses materials for her crafty stuff, links to resources such as Firenzemoms4firenze,
and of course places like Parco di Villa Strozzi I have been helped immensely in adjusting to life here. If you stumble on this blog because you're about to move or visit Florence with a small child, I hope you find something useful here. I certainly encourage you to take a gander over at MammaAmerican's blog as she actually knows what she is talking about. With that I leave you with images of my girl enjoying Parco di Villa Strozzi. Thank you MammaAmericana.

I almost forgot...

2009-04-17T09:22:00.000-07:00

...and how could I?

The inspiration behind the schiacciata, well beyond my MIL's adoration of this rustic bread and of course the bread itself: This book give away on Words to Eat By a wonderful food and writing blog which I was introduced to by Julie of TucsonMama, who has also mentioned this book giveaway. I figure between us and anyone reading our blogs we might win and maybe someone will share the book?

All you have to do is subscribe to Word to Eat By's feed which is well worth the time and leave a comment on the Words to Eat by site to that effect and I think that is about it. Check, of course. And what could you win? Too Many Cooks: Kitchen Adventures with 1 Mom, 4 Kids, and 102 Recipes by Emily Franklin. If you win and I don't, you'll share right?

En route to Domestic Goddess Status

2009-04-17T05:02:00.000-07:00

Maybe not, but we made passable Schiacciata yesterday. Doug's mum has declared that she could live just off it. We used a recipe found here and we kind of used it. I'm very much of the cooking school that believes that measuring spoons and strict obedience to the recipe is for cooking woosies. If I'm going to be in the kitchen, I'm going to relish havoc in and on it. Of course, I'm also not known for my cooking skills. This approach can work though. My stepdad's late SIL, a wonderful Irish lady called Peggy made the best cake. Watching her make them it all seemed to be a handful of this, a cup of that and the results were utterly delectable. It made it easy to say yes when she insisted you have a drink and something to eat as soon as you came in the house. I'm afraid our results do not compare to Peggy's fine creation. Next time we'll add more oil, let rise longer, knead longer and cook less. Still, it was all gone within 1/2 hour and Ila had a grand time kneading the dough.

We also made a trip back to Giardino Bardini to check out the pergola. We planned to go back once a week, but then we had Operation Potty interrupt one week, and then something else another week. We made it back finally and though it wasn't as sunny a day as when I took this image, it was still spectacular especially now with the wisteria blooming.

The next shot was a blurred mistake shot as I realized Ila had picked some of the buds and seemed to contemplate eating them. Did I mention all parts of wisteria are toxic. We spent a few hours watching for nausea. Blummin' kids, walking hearts on the outside of your body, all exposed and vunerable.

She was fine.

Pleasant Surprises

2009-04-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

Held semi-captive not so much by OPT (Operation Potty Train), but by my bright red, raw and dribbling nose and the sinus swollen chipmunk cheeks; today I'm sharing not so much our exploration of the exquisite cultural highlights of Florence, but something more practical:

One of these things is not like the others,

Did you notice what was amiss in all but one of the pictures?

A series of doors, only one with a mail slot and there are no mail boxes outside.

Just how does the mail get to the intended recipient?

By many accounts the Italian Postal Service leaves something to be desired, but maybe the system isn't set up to be favorable to the postal service. In the morning, upon getting to the front door, which probably doesn't have a mail slot or box, the mail person just starts ringing bells of each apartment in the building in the hope that someone is home and will answer and open the door. Talk about cumbersome and impractical. What happens if no-one answers? I don't know.

Today was my turn to open the door. Wahoo. I did something for my neighbours. Maybe they will forgive us the ungodly hour that Ila wakes them on weekend mornings with her protests?

Last week, someone else answered the door and thank goodness because the mail person was carrying a piece of mail for little old me. My first piece of mail in Italy. From an unfamiliar address in New York. Kind of a thick envelope. Ila and I climbed the stairs, with the young one carrying the precious mail and together we opened it to reveal:

My very first The East Village Inky zine! Hell, my very first zine.

A gift from a wonderful friend back in the US. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Ila thanks you too. She has taken quite a shine to it and pours over it. I have to fight her for it. So maybe the Postale Italiane is just fighting an uphill battle against circumstance and when something is this important they make it happen? From New York, US of A to Florence, Italy 3 days flat. I think that is bloody brilliant.

Batten down the hatches

2009-04-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

Alright, maybe not quite stormy weather, but Operation Potty Train is in full force in our apartment this weekend which means only one adult gets to escape at a time from the apartment and the little one is held hostage in the apartment for three whole days. A friend in the know tells us that this approach reduces/inspires some parents to attempt only when completely baked. We're doing okay here without the help of illegal substances, but what a 'fun' ride. Needless to say so far the primary result of all this 'training' is one of us has to go to the bathroom every twenty five minutes or so and it isn't Ila. Well, you didn't drop by to read about potty training/learning did you?

Buona Pasqua!

Please note the deep contemplative look on I's face as she regards her first chocolate egg. It didn't stand a chance and was consumed rapidly and with glee once cracked. Thanks Suzanne, Alan and Sam
Today I can only share what I would have done if Operation Potty Train wasn't in full swing and if Doug had been well enough to be left with our young hostage (which, poor bugger, he wasn't). The plan was for me to attend the big parades in Firenze celebrating/observing Easter. This celebration seems to be a very big deal in Firenze. Street music, big bangs, fireworks, men in tights, and white oxen with flower bouquets on their heads and it all sounds like a great morning to me. As I wasn't there it doesn't seem right for me to say what happens so here, read about it over at Burnt to a Crisp Under the Tuscan Sun
Oh, and check out the firework display here:

At the time of all these fireworks we were giving up on the every 25minute toilet break and just going with hourly reminds to go to the bathrooms. The thing is, there is always going to be something going on, someone visiting and in between these things have to happen. Wish us luck on Day Three of Operation Potty Train and then we're going to be out on the streets of Florence diaper free! With that goodnight. Happy Easter, Pasqua, Passover, Springtime or just happy day to you what ever you celebrate.

Haiku to Schiacciatta

2009-04-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

Schiacciatta
Carbohydrate loveliness
Better than chocolate

I have found my bready heaven here in Italy, with enough salt and oil to keep me H.A.P.P.Y. as well as bonny and fat. Schiacciatta is its name.

Blame my stepdad for being a flour miller. I may not be a wine snob, but I'm verging on being a bread snob. Previously the Tuscan bread bored me with the poor flour and lack of salt, but all that has changed now. Every morning, every evening if we're lucky we pick some up from Giovanni Galli's Bakery just off Piazza di Santo Spirito. Often, it is still warm by the time we sit back down at our dining table, that is if the bread made it home and wasn't guzzled on the way. This is how bread should be consumed, made that day, still warm and happily. Can you overdose on bread?

Oh, and this random piece on Twittering, because it is so right on and yet there I am...

2009-04-09T14:48:00.000-07:00

Not from today, but from Sunday. The thing about moving to a foreign land, where you don't speak the language, with a child is that you end up accosting any family that has a small child of a similar age. Last Sunday it was an American family that had moved to just outside Milan for about the same length of time as we are here. Their daughter, 3 years old, and Ila ran the mazes together. We need to find some steady playmates for Ila of a similar age. She talks about her friends at ECE every day. Amelia is 'called' multiple times a day on the phone.

Then of course there is that fill your own bottle wine shop down the road. I can now report that the wine is just fine. Of course, I'm not much of a wine connoisseur, but seven Euros for three bottles will help me as I establish my status as a lush.

Venice

2009-04-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it. I'm completely shattered. This whole WAHM thing is great, really, really great, but just working after the short one has gone to bed means it is 1:20am before I even get to this part of my day and I feel like I've been on the go all day. I really need to foster more independent play in Ila. You know, so I can hang out, watch her and do something with that yarn I bought. Well that, and help her foster independence too. I know, no sympathy is deserved, this is fabulous even if I'm pulling late nights to do it. That said. I'm keeping it short today.

Doug's mum, sister and niece are visiting currently and so Doug and I both took Monday off work to go to Venice with them. Even, if there was an inkling of sympathy it has disappeared now hasn't it? Venice is, even when you experience little food poisoning, absolutely worth the visit. The bustle, the water, the architecture, the sheer craziness of the place. I'd like to go back and take a longer gander one day.

The gondola ride was worth the money. Although for those about to visit us I suggest asking around a bit. We took an inside channel boat trip for less than 80 Euros and about 40 minutes. Others were charging 150 Euros. I assume for longer rides, but 40 minutes was lovely. And with that, I say goodnight. It really is too late to be up.

As safe and sound as we ever were.

2009-04-06T14:26:00.001-07:00

I've had quite a lot of emails and a couple of phone calls about the earthquake that shook central Italy today. Thanks for all the good wishes. We are fine. I don't think Florence even felt the quake. I wish I could say the same for those in L'Aquila. L'Aquila, where the epicenter was, is about 100 miles SE of Florence.

We were actually in Venice today. Which was glorious, other than a touch of food poisoning. Anyway, I'll catch up with that tomorrow.

Thanks again.

Puritanical Modesty Meets Eric Carle

2009-04-04T15:42:00.000-07:00

or...
No br*asts please, we're British (or American) . Asterisks placed just to stop weird Google searches not because the human form should not be discussed or is in some way a shameful thing.

It isn't quite done, but this is the result of all that tissue paper mania the other day. Rather than using glue, we stuck the tissue paper to contact paper. Ila, her aunt and I had a grand old time sticking tissue, pants, fingers, and food to the contact paper . Enough of a good time that we may yet stick tissue paper to contact paper again.

Once we'd wrecked havoc on the contact paper, and pretty much covered it with tissue paper, we put another piece of contact paper on top. Sealed in contact paper, hopefully the tissue paper won't bleed. We cut contact/tissue paper up into strips and curves and placed it on the window. Quite a successful family project, I think and all for less than four Euros.

And now for something a little different.

This week, here in Firenze, something changed. We're still getting rain, but the temperatures rose a touch, the mink coats disappeared, babes and toddlers were no longer dressed for 20 below (even though it was probably 60 degrees), and it just felt different, like Spring had arrived. The trattatorias and cafes started to dress the outside tables AND people began to sit outside. I think I'm going to enjoy this.

ps. M, I think I found the type of gnocchi I want to emulate, but I've only signed up for a Indian cooking class so far. Hey, I'll be able to make paneer.
pps. The Italian language class was a great success, but now I have homework.

Finding Direction

2009-04-02T16:27:00.001-07:00

Years ago, I suffered from insomnia. The only remedy seemed to be driving. So I drove, all over Tucson and listened to BBC World Service. After a couple of hours I would be ready to go to bed and sleep. I was averaging three to four hours a night.
It sucked.

I know, it is terrifying to think I was driving when so utterly sleep deprived, but at least I was informed. The insomnia went on for months too, ending only when I moved my bed, replaced the carpet (necessitating cleaning under the bed) and took the telly out of the bedroom. I ended up dividing up a map of Tucson into about eight sections and exploring each section. I didn’t cover much of the SE, nor the far NW, but a lot of Tucson. Now, I feel like I’m dividing up Florence and, with Ila, walking the city. Not because I have insomnia, but to have some structure in getting to know Florence/Firenze. Better still, Firenze is already divided into sections.

Rather than actually using a map when walking around, we use architectural landmarks. The maps here confuse me. It is easier to focus on a dome or a bell tower and head that way, not knowing what street you’re on. In Tucson, everything looked the same other than the mountains so you gauge everything by where the Catalinas, Rincons, Santa Ritas or Tucson Mountains are. Where I grew up, you can’t navigate by the geologic landscape as much as the by the gastronomic landscape: pub, the fish and chippy, the roundabout, mainly the pubs. Here it is by the churches, the domes, the piazzos, the bridges and the gates.

Every day, Ila and I make it beyond the old city walls. Mainly we’re just exploring the Oltrarno. Beyond this gate, an Indian restaurant, and a Japanese one, the brewery, a great paper store, wider streets, fewer tourists and better graffiti.

A couple of days ago we went to the far East side, and outside the city walls found a busy little children’s park right there along the Arno. It isn’t a bad way to navigate a city I think.

(Yep, I have no idea why I started with the insomnia connection either)

Tissue Paper Madness

2009-03-31T15:35:00.000-07:00

So, in our apartment is this fabulous bathroom (the one with the Jacuzzi tub), but there are two problems with the bathroom:
1. The frigid temperatures
AND
2. This window

Yes, the pretty arch window on the right with the frosted glass. The window means that the bathroom is the lightest room in the apartment, but it isn't all frosted glass. See the picture that the former resident had in the middle? That covers up a coat of arms in clear glass, and all around the edge is a clear border. So, anyone on the terrace above, or coming in this entry way,
may be subjected with a view of us going to the bathroom or getting out of the shower. That isn't necessarily a pretty sight and, after all, I am still British; my modesty does not permit flesh exposure below the neck or above the shoulder.

Ila and I spent the afternoon, post nap, ripping up tissue paper. We're going to make some sort of sunset/water tissue paper border for the clear glass. I'm not sure how to accomplish this exactly, but I thought ripping up tissue paper seemed like a good start, plus it was fun. D. didn't think that the newspaper plastered on the window was really the thing to do. Now, I need to see if I can find contact paper, or maybe something else transparent to glue the tissue too. Any suggestions? The neighbours are going to love us.

ps. Tomorrow is my first Italian language class.

We Need Wellies

2009-03-29T17:19:00.000-07:00

On our way back from the UK, we stopped in Pisa. There were the typical toddler antics. You know, pushing down the Leaning Tower rather than holding it up.

Hail, chips and truffles

2009-03-27T18:01:00.000-07:00

This morning we embarked on our morning walk only to be forced back at the end of the cul-de-sac by hard little pellets of ice bombarding the pram and me, hail. Forget that. We did make it out a little later on, driven in part by gluttony. The love of the best little rum truffles, ever, from M.Ray Bakery. Baked goods in the UK are absolutely delicious.

In my last post, I was remiss in not mentioning the wonders living in a climate that actually has moisture in the air (and less sun) does for your skin. Julie, another week of this climate and my skin would be positively dewy. Perhaps we can turn back years of sun damage and dehydration if I just move back here? Hey honey, what do you think, lets move back to the UK so that my skin looks better? Hmmm, yeah, didn't think so.

This trip to England was also an important travel experience for Ila. She was finally introduced to her culinary cultural heritage, fish and chips. actually to be more specific, a split. A split is mushy peas, chips and fish. Yummy. Actually, you'll notice on this plate she actually has pie too.

Tomorrow we're back to Pisa and then Florence. Hopefully, the weather will be warmer.

Night, night for now.

ps. I've been playing with the idea of maybe arranging to be on a walk around nap time and seeing what kind of nap Ila will take in those situations. Yesterday and today she fell asleep in the pram for about an hour and a half. Is this tempting the end of naps if I do this?

A brief interruption in blissful tales of Florence

2009-03-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

Ila and I are back in the UK for a few days. Tourists to the UK often hit London, maybe Oxford and Cambridge, Stratford upon Avon, you know the cultural highlights. The North of England, Wales, Scotland, the west country and N. Ireland don't make the agenda. It is a shame.

Liverpool is a fabulous tourist destination if you're looking for a little theater, some interesting history, warm people, and lots of pubs. I definitely recommend it.

While I recommend L'pool I'd be hard pushed to recommend the town my family lives in. Today, as I pushed Ila in the borrowed pram, fighting strong gusts and what I think was light snow, I can't imagine coming back to the town my family lives in outside of L'pool for anything other than a visit. In another place, maybe outside the north, there would have been something more made of the historic center, but the place was gutted in the 80's with the loss of the big employer (the wire company) in town and then later by the opening of one of the biggest Tescos in Europe. I can remember factory bell sounding in the morning for the workers to get up and when it stopped. There is a lot of history here, really there is, but the decay of the town center just is so bloody depressing it adds to grim weather and derelict areas. Redeeming qualities to the area: I have family here, I still have wonderful friends here, the people are warm and funny, the chips are lovely, there is beauty here under the grey skies, Daniel Craig (he of James Bond fame) grew up here.

Now Daniel and I are just a year apart...what are the chances I met him in a pub here sometime before he took off to pursue a humble acting career?

Promise

2009-03-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

My mum says that what she loves the buds and new leaves of Spring is that they hold the promise of Summer. I think I just like the promise of Spring most of all. This is the main pergola at Bardini. The wisteria are just beginning to bud, the hyacinths below are hinting at becoming green. I can't wait to see it in full bloom. We spent lots of time looking at pebbles, and water, at flowers, for nuts. One of Ila's favorite books right now is Each Peach Pear Plum by the Ahlbergs. At Bardini there is a small orchard of dwarf fruit trees, currently budding. Among them, peach, pear, plum, as well as cherry and apply. Another few weeks and it should be the sweetest smelling place ever.

For future trip tips, if when you get to Boboli Gardens the line outside going in is huge, go to the ticket office (the line is shortish), get your ticket and go to another entrance. Much quicker and less frustrating. This is the view from the Kaffehaus in the Bardini Garden.

This, because we miss our dogs so much that even petting a stone puppy brings us joy.

For the girls - I'm loving it here, but I do miss Girly Night at the PP, SnB, and the bookclubs...

2009-03-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

..and most of all your company. However, I've found something here that I think you will all appreciate (Mags, this might count as food p*rn, kind of.)

This place is about 10-15 minute walk from ours. All that stainless steel, I know you're thinking this is more Doug's thing, beer. Nope, this is wine.

Rebecca, forget the Trader Joe's wine in a box. This is the ultimate in cheap wine and ties in with the last post about reducing trash. Here you take a bottle and have it filled up. Haven't tried it yet, but just think of all those SnBs, girly nights and Bookclubs and how useful it would have been to have such a place, if the wine is good or even marginal.

Now, don't worry too much about Doug in this land of wine. The grocery stores may have an abysmal selection of beers, but just a few doors down from the wine place is this place - a brewery.

Between the location of the brewery and the close proximity of a couple of Irish pubs, I'm beginning to wonder about how the apartment was chosen. Anyway, all is not lost. I'll do some research and see if such places are worth their proximity. Another example of the Italians doing their bit to save the earth by reducing trash and recycling.

ps. Seeing who this post was dedicated to, I thought I might include a little more yarn p*rn. This kid mohair blend (80% kid mohair) was $3.40 a skein at an old lady store, right next to a bunch of 100% merino for similar prices. The store was wild, bras and support hose next to tablecloths and tea towels with places for cross stitching. Actually, looking at this yarn I think it is something Granny H would have knitted with.

Airing my laundry (clean) and my trash

2009-03-20T16:31:00.000-07:00

Trash, rubbish, garbage, whatever you call it, it is bit of a stinky problem, isn't it? When I taught elementary school, we took several elementary school classes to the landfill, part of that shock and awe campaign, "Look at this, isn't this awful. Don't grown up to trash the earth like I'm doing." but I don't think that approach really works. The connection might be made, but the pressure to act isn't immediate enough. I think the Italians (and the rest of the world) might have the solution.

We're actually pretty good back in the US, relatively that is. We compost a bunch (I was going to use an expletive there, but this is a family show.) and we try to cut down on packaging and use shopping bags rather than disposable bags, but moving here is encouraging me more. The first night we were here we had to take the trash out. Big deal eh? Except taking the trash out meant traversing down 70 steep steps, out into the cold night and crossing over to the next street to where the trash cans are, dropping off your stinky trash, which in our case includes diapers/nappies and back up 70 steep steps. Yep, trash cans and recycle for a fairly substantial number of people in containers not much larger than the ones that we have outside our back gate, just for our personal use. It is enough to make you try and cut back on how much you throw out and in doing that lower our consumption too. For example, the use of paper towels to wipe up kitchen surfaces or Ila's hands. Why am I using paper towels when I could use a cloth? We do a little of this at home, but not enough.

So, Ila and I set about making some.

Not quite as good as the ones we have from Aunt Ila, but they will suffice. A little mad crocheting here and there and there is a set of washable cloths. I just wish we had one of those huge pots that my mum used to boil up the teatowels and cloths when I was a kid.
Step one. to less consumption, less trash and less trips to the dumpster. And thats it really, isn't it? It isn't guilt, or concern for the environment that pushes us to change, but for matters of immediate ease and finance. Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to say 'us' and just keep to talking for myself, but as I look around at the proliferation of Smart cars and motorbikes here, the consistent use of timed lights for hallways, the absolute frigid inside room temperatures (Deborah, you were right about the insides of Italian houses - freezing), use of drying racks and lines and less reliance on pre and over packaged foods, I think that the average Italian must consume considerably less than us each year. While we're on the topic of consumption and I haven't yet mentioned food in today's post, We should mention it now. Ladies and gentlemen, that stuff you've convinced yourself is cheese, is nothing more than fake plastic cheese. Real cheese is so much better! I'm pretty convinced that all the EU regs are not being followed as those tend to take from the flavor of food. I didn't know you could like parmesan so much. Revolt dear countrymen and women, demand good cheese!

For Mags

2009-03-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

Because you asked...

Yarn is a beautiful thing

2009-03-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

On this, my fortieth birthday I present you with unadulterated yarn p*rn. Picked up at Santo Spirito's Organic Market (held every third Sunday of the month) for a ridiculously cheap price. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it yet. Suggestions accepted. For right now, I'm happy to just pet the yarn and know it is here.

I know I'm supposed to bemoan this point as I pass, without doubt, into middle age, but I'm really excited to be here. In the past decade I have met the most wonderful man and married him, been lucky enough have and parent my lovely child, shared my life and home with two dogs and two cats, have fabulous and rewarding friendships, found a job that I truly love and moved to a different country. Twelve years ago at this time I was still off work following a cardiac arrest that I was extremely lucky to survive. I do not take this day lightly, nor any day. I look forward to fifty, sixty and seventy as long as health and sanity serve me well. After a full, wonderful day my parting shot is this, Doug, Ila and I blowing out the candles on my birthday cake. May your birthday this year and every be filled with much joy too.

ps. Remember that picture and the olive trees that I had posted under the Arcetri post? I was asked by a complete stranger whether they could use it on their First Daffodils blog. Both flattering and wacky. Check it out. the photos is Friday, March 13th Daff of the Day:

2009-03-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

Today was FABULOUS! This is a very good start to a birthday weekend.

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.

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.

Moving

2009-03-13T14:35:00.000-07:00

Blossoms at Arcetri

So things have been a little quiet on 'A Little Gnocchi', because things are very much not quiet in the Little Gnocchi household. Both our jobs kicked up a notch this week. My students finally beginning to use my virtual walk-in hours, no more email answering during walk-in hours! Ahhhh, how will I manage it all? And Doug's work seemed to be moving forward too. For those in the know, they finally got the mirror on the test stand. Happy dance, happy dance. This, of course, during the week where we move to the new permanent apartment.

Moving to, not just visiting, a place where you don't speak the language kicks up the frustration level a few notches. Where do you get a phone? Soap dishes? Trash cans? I mean going out to Ikea via the free bus is cool a few times, but it quickly loses its appeal when you're dragging a two year old in tow and then walking through the center of Florence with large blue Ikea bags on the way back. So we're still without a phone, an iron (you know, for all that ironing I do), a hairdryer etc. For 24 hours we were also without pots, pans, silverware, cups, plates etc. I was pissy. Doug was patient. Anyway, that got me thinking about my mum.

Nearly forty years ago my mum and dad were living in Denmark and until just before I was born they were living in a hut like structure for students doing a residence at the field station. She is pretty sure they had hot water. Yeah, I'm spoiled. They were in a field in the middle of rural Denmark, I'm in Florence. They had hot water, I didn't on Wednesday, but really all I needed it for was to fill up the jacuzzi tub to relax and forget about moving frustrations. Did I mention the jacuzzi tub? It must have been incredibly isolating for my mum, pregnant, miles from anyone, but the cows, which apparently use to surround the hut and prevent escape. Here I am, in an incredible city, with the internet which via Ravelry and The Florentine I have found not one, but two knitting get togethers and an English speaking, once weekly playgroup, and ludoteches which are basically free organized playarea/groups with staff. Internet, I thank you.

The other big difference between now and forty years ago, ease of travel. My mum was isolated. Visits from friends and family were close to non-existent. Although apparently my Gran did have Guinness Beer regularly shipped to my mum after I was born to help with the breastmilk production. I know, that explains so much about me. My mum has been able to come out and visit twice and we've not been here a month yet.

My mum is here this weekend, playing with Ila, enjoying Italy, celebrating my birthday. England to Italy in 2009 is just not that big a deal. Have to love that. To celebrate her second visit to Italy, we shared the delights of our local gelateria, La Carraia. I know any excuse.

La Carraia, is just south of the Arno, which makes the prices very reasonable and they have lovely homemade gelato. I've walked past at 5:30pm on a chilly day and the place was heaving. We wait a little while after dinner before indulging. I have to say, I'm more of a fruit gelato gal than a creamy chocolate gal. I know, you're shocked.

Gelato is mind bogglingly good. I typically just try one flavour at a time, to make sure that my taste buds don't get overloaded and go into some sort of super stimulus breakdown. That is probably how I should address my moving frustrations too: one at a time. And of course, to keep remembering how fortunate, how privileged and how spoilt I am by a life that occasionally sends along a few moving frustrations.

Great Sights of Florence

2009-03-09T16:59:00.000-07:00

David

Boboli Gardens

Ponte Vecchio

Uffizi

Santa Croce

Duomo

and.....

We're just that kind of family.

This Mimosa's for you

2009-03-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

Today is Festa della Donna, International Women's Day. The Italians celebrate and honor women by presenting them with sprigs of mimosa. The scent of mimosa is everywhere (Julie, you would love it!) A shame it isn't celebrated everywhere, although the Russian part of my family informs me that there are similar celebrations in Russia.

I went to the Santo Spirito antique fair this afternoon. The fair happens once a month, all sorts of stuff, bric-a-brac, posters from the 1930s, dried fruit, hippy stuff, punk clothing, handmade soap, plants. Not so much an antique fair, but good fun.

At several of the stalls were mounds of doilies and older linens. My gran used to have doilies on the tables and I never quite understood the purpose of them. For our wedding, one of Doug's relatives gave us some intricate crocheted doilies she'd made herself. I appreciated the gesture, but at the time wondered what I could do with them. Now, having done a little crochet I recognize the incredible amount of work that goes into such things and better appreciate, I think, the gift that was given to us.

Thinking about the doilies and the amount of work that goes into such detail, in conjunction with IWD made me think about this series that the BBC did, Blood, Sweat and T-shirts. I guess the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory isn't that far away after all. So, I leave you with that thought and my gratitude to all the women in my life, for all you do.

Sweet

2009-03-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

Today's highlights:

1. Being recognized on the street by someone almost as if we lived here
The wonderful chef, Nola, from the restaurant we were at last night recognized us and came over and said hi. Nola then proceeded to gush all over Ila. Someone knows us in Florence.

2. Remembering last night's meal cooked by Nola
Primo - First course (for all of us, not just me)
-Crespelle alla Fiorentina (Spinach, ricotta pancakes/crepes in a tomato sauce - yum)
-Ravioli di ricotta e spinaci (in a butter sauce & sage)
I love the use of sage leaves in food. We had this tremendous butternut squash tortellini while we were in Marin this summer that had a butter sage component. This dish reminds me a little of that. I obviously need to include sage in cooking at home.
Secondo
-Filetto di maiale in crosta - Pork filet in bread crust. It sounds so plain and maybe a little bizarre, but it is a sinful plate of salt, carbohydrate and meat. Delicious.
-Swiss Chard sauteed
We need a little green

3. Avoiding lines and saving money
Walked into the correct office at the Uffizi at opening time (10am) and bought a family pass (100 Euros for the calendar year) with no fuss and no wait. This pass will get us into a bunch of places and I estimate will pay for itself in the next 3 weeks. If you're planning on visiting and want to see a bunch of places over a few days this maybe the way to go.

4. Finishing the beret
I made some errors in gauge. It is a little top heavy, but so soft AND purple.

Arcetri

2009-03-06T16:34:00.000-08:00

I have an admission, and some blame to place.

I've read three out of the four Twilight series books. Yeah, teenage, vampire/werewolf, dysfunctional relationship, fatalistic drivel. Trish, it is all your fault. You gave me the first book. I have no control over my reading.

I had planned to get it out of my system on the airplane over, sure that the airport would carry the books, but no all they had were the top ten paperback books and a bunch of spiritual and self help books. No trashy teenage vampire books. Dang it. I had to buy the third one here and finished it in about two days. I am, however, putting off getting the fourth to read something with a little more substance. Given where we are, that is the 400th anniversary of Galileo's use of the telescope to study the skies (2009 is The International Year of Astronomy) and the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth. I'm thinking some reading that is a little more science based or historical. Any suggestions? Nothing too substantive though, I'm still recovering from Eclipse (book three of four).

Today we walked up with Doug to Arcetri Observatory. Outside the city walls, up in the hills, close to where Galileo was held in house arrest, Arcetri is set up among rolling hills and olive trees and is just what the doctor ordered after several days of rain. Today was beautiful. Armed with cornetti for breakfast and a few panini sandwiches for lunch we picnicked up in the grounds of the observatory. A good start to the day.

There was a little girl...

2009-03-04T16:35:00.000-08:00

There was a little girl,
Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
And when she was good,
She was very, very good,
But when she was bad, she was...

oh I just can't say she's horrid, because she isn't, more - but when she was wild, she crazy, when she was two, she was terrific?
What do you think?

It is STILL raining here. I decided that rain or no rain we were going to spend all morning out of the apartment. We might be sweet, but we're not sugar and we're not going to dissolve. Please note the false bravado of someone who has spent the past 20 years in the desert. So we went back to Palazzo Pitti and visited the Galleria Palatina, the main art gallery. Hey, it might be just 7 minutes walk, but it was still in the rain.

The gallery was outstanding, but no photos, no cameras allowed. Not that other people were abiding by that rule, but I was too busy chasing a toddler around to whip out the camera and catch a stealth shot. Not that I would. So, I'm afraid I can't share. Just think Raphael and you have it about pegged.

We managed for a while looking for horses and babies in the pictures before Ila just wanted to run around. The museum staff were wonderful. Thankfully. I only got a few snotty looks from one of my fellow countrywomen.

Dear Fellow Countrywoman,

While I understand the wish to enjoy the art in peace and quiet, the focus of many of the paintings in this gallery is the child. If I want my daughter or any child to appreciate art, to know how to behave in such a place, it is going to take some training and experience. The first few times her behaviour might prove a bit of a disruption until I move her out of the space which, don't worry, I will. Please take a little joy in the exuberance of a two year old gasping and saying wow when she sees frescos on the ceilings for the first time. The artist is taking joy in the beauty that nature created, can't you?

Sincerely,
me.

P.S. I can take you any day. I have the snotty look down pat. As well as the teacher look. So there.

That said, I'm probably going to attempt the next gallery with Doug along. Maybe we'll keep to looking at architecture for right now.

Yesterday, when it was raining we had a flour day. One of the activity bags that Kerry packed for Ila included these great stretchy lizards. At Kerry's suggestion we buried the lizards in a shallow pan with flour and then went a lookin'. Ila loved this. The activity turned from playing with flour, patting it, letting it run through her fingers, sprinkling it to searching for lizards, stretching lizards, piling lizards up, and then burying lizards. Rinse, repeat. Much fun. At the end we were both covered in flour and so was the floor. Fun, so much fun.

Under the Tuscan Sun?

2009-03-01T10:20:00.000-08:00

What the hell? Its raining. Apparently, it is forecast to rain all week. I left the grey drizzle of England twenty years ago for sweet desert warmth, where the rain is limited in the winter and dramatic and entertaining in the monsoons of the summer. Now, I'm back to drizzle. At least it is amid impressive settings, warm company and delectable food.

We went to Parco delle Cascine this morning, before it started to rain. This is Firenze's huge public park to the west of downtown. It is impressive in size and if it weren't for the screaming child some foreigners (us) brought with them, quite serene. Just don't look too carefully for syringes, this park has a deserved sullied reputation for its night life.

I'm not well equipped for rain. I think I forgot my rain jacket even. Hell, I've barely used a raincoat in the past twenty years. So if it is going to rain for the next week or so, I'm going to have to get creative about what to do with a toddler, in a small apartment, with few of our usual toys and things. Any ideas? Those with kids, what do you do? I know we can still go outside, just looking for some inside options too.

This afternoon we pulled out one of the surprise activity bags that Kerry sent with us for the plane. Kerry, you're brilliant. I love these activity bags. Simple idea, a paper bag with some objects guaranteed to make a toddler squeal with delight. We've opened most of these already, repacked them and Ila still delves into them with gusto. Did I forget anything here Kerry?

Today's bag: Insect theme
Ladybird beetle shakers
Glittery butterfly stickers with paper to stick stickers on
Beads

I think that we'll try and come up with an activity bag for each day. Suggestions gladly accepted.
p.s. Happy St. David's Day
p.p.s At home date night tonight, movie, wine, and dessert. Got to love it.

So much for no gelato

2009-02-28T15:22:00.000-08:00

A day that starts like this....

continues like this...

and ends like this....

Can't be bad

Gastronomic Indulgences

2009-02-27T14:48:00.000-08:00

I dreamed about gelato last night. I haven't had any yet, its too darn cold here, but I'm already dreaming about it. This isn't a good sign for my waistline. Unfortunately, (Dang you, B. for suggesting them) I did find another delicacy to tempt me until the weather warms up. Cornettis. Sweet pastries that really do melt like butter in your mouth. Could it be that they are full of butter? Ila and I stopped at a cafe on the way home from the park (We found the neighbourhood garden, which looks fantastic, we just couldn't figure out how to access it.) There it was calling to me. An apricot cornetti. Luckily, there was only one left and once we were home Ila called first dibs. Who could argue with this?

It would be so easy to go out for every meal living here. Easy on the taste buds that is, not so easy on the pocket book. So we've been cooking. Don't laugh! You make it sound like I never cook. Okay, maybe microwaving isn't really cooking. I'm just not really into it, more into the eating side of the equation. However, the local Magi Market is no Trader Joe's. So we're actually cooking from scratch. Alright, now really, get off the floor. The idea of me cooking isn't that implausible. Of course, we've kept it to low fat risottos and soups, so nothing particularly fancy. I'm working up to the gnocchi. No way am I hauling a bag of potatoes up these stairs.

That isn't to say that we're not indulging a little. We went out with Guido on Thursday night, to the place right by his apartment that I mentioned the other day. Absolutely sumptuous. Crespelle for the first plate, Wild Boar for the second with Fried Zucchini Blossoms for the side dish. Zucchini Blossoms seemed to be a commonplace here. You see them in the grocery stores. So may be with all my talk of cooking I should do something with zucchini blossoms this week? It would be hard to be vegetarian here, or at least a lot more limiting than in the US. Good thing I gave that up.

Peek-a-boo

2009-02-26T15:31:00.000-08:00

Peek-a-boo! Now you see me, now you don't.
We found a little public neighbourhood garden just north of San Croce complete with play equipment and a real to goodness Italian mother with her two children. Perhaps this is how play is done? In small public gardens dotted across the city.
Tomorrow, I'll go in search of of a neighbourhood garden our friend Guido says is in our vicinity. We ate with Guido this evening, but more about that tomorrow. Tonight, I've had too much wonderful food and wine to stay up any later. I'll share the gastronomic delights tomorrow.
Until then, here is Ila playing peek-a-boo.

If we're not here when you call, we're at Boboli.

2009-02-25T10:44:00.000-08:00

Today was Doug's first day at the Observatory. Ila and I were officially on our first day of this grand adventure, where I play at being a SAHM, who is also a WAHM. I think most SAHM are also WAHM. The weather was absolutely spectacular, the grey haze of the past couple of days had lifted and it would be a crime to have stayed inside. We packed a few snacks, the nice camera and then Ila and I walked to Palazzo Pitti to visit Boboli Gardens. For those who know Firenze, Pitti is about a 7 minute walk from where we're staying.

I admit when I saw the facade of Palazzo Pitti, I was not impressed. I think I might have made some crack about it looking like a prison. I take it all back. Don't judge a book by its cover and all that.

Beyond the frontage, Pitti is spectacular and in no small part due to Boboli Gardens which stretches south of the palace approximately a kilometer. There are carefully manicured lawns, fountains, statues and artifacts throughout the area that we walked. Between the lawns, the fountains and the stairs are a whole host of little back pathways walled by tall bushes, excellent for running through and looking for birds and insects.

We covered a tiny portion of the gardens in the two and a half hours we were there. We sat, we watched, we listened, we explored. Ila threw pebbles into a grate. She ran, with that fabulous toddler gait around a mini topiary maze. We ate cheese and the best tangerines I've had a long time. The fruit here, so far, is divine. I plotted our next trip back. Soon, very soon.

My concerns about the lack of outdoor space have somewhat subsided. This isn't our crazy yard, or my beloved wild high desert, nor the wind blown coastlines and moors that I dream of, but it is pretty sweet.

Oh, and while we were there we finally got a nice clear shot of The Duomo, to make up for the lack of a good picture a few posts ago.

Cheat

2009-02-24T16:57:00.000-08:00

I'm cheating today. Tomorrow, I promise, great things! Today, I share some art - an animation of a favorite poet's work found on YouTube: Roger McGough's Cinders. Something about it takes me back to being a child. McGough's was a voice from my childhood. You don't even hear his voice in this clip, but I can, in my head. Now, as an older parent of a toddler there are other aspects of this that resonate with me. So while in this city of great art, I share with you something from a few hundred miles away from here, but close to my heart. Tomorrow, Ila and I will set out to find a little art for us here in Florence. If you're not familiar with Roger McGough, check him out and to the animator - thank you.

Oh and this, a promise. M - I'm going to learn to make great gnocchi. Hope you're ready to be subjected to gnocchi constantly!

Brought to you by the letter V and the color purple

2009-02-23T16:05:00.000-08:00

This post goes out to my cousin Nikki and my colleagues and friends Olivia and Cheryl. The first two, because they luuuuuuuuuuuuuv shoes, the third for her love of purple.

One of Ila's first words was purple. Certainly, it was one of her first multiple syllable words, and Viola was a top contender for her name, so I'm a little partial to the color. Here, in Firenze, purple is everywhere. I'm not interested in fashion, but the difference in dress here as compared to Tucson is not completely lost on me. I saw a little purple in Tucson. I knew it was one of this season's colors, but nothing like here. Everyone, men, women, old and young is wearing some shade, violet, indigo, lavender, orchid....

Just down the street from our apartment is this fabulous shoe display, a shrine to purple and insane shoe prices. You can't quite see it here, but the shoes in the center have some sort of metallic wedge heel. I can't imagine wearing any of them for more than a few steps, but they're cool to look at. While I'm not so sure about shoes that can double as torture devices, actually I am sure I don't like them, I'm not sure that I think fashion is all bad. As long as it doesn't hurt, confine, restrict, but allow creativity and expression in some format, I hope Ila will appreciate fashion as something to be playful with rather than a set of rules. I'm afraid I see it too much as a set of rules, so I just shut down and ignore fashion all together.

Despite my aversion to fashion, I do love the color purple and so in honor of the color purple, of my almost named Viola, and in an attempt to use up some of the yarn stash I brought with me, I've started knitting a beret. Yes, I did bring some yarn stash with me. Yes, to one of the global capitals of yarn, a place where it was the Wool Guild (Arte della Lana) that commissioned Brunelleschi to build one of the most famous domes (Duomo) and the cupola of the Duomo, I brought yarn. I guess, at this point, I should share a picture of the Duomo, but mine came out terribly today. Will have to try again, another time. The yarn, Frog Tree Alpaca worsted weight, like the Duomo, is beautiful, the picture doesn't do it justice. It is incredibly soft (knitting should be confined to working with the softest yarns and only small projects) and the purple deeper and more vibrant than represented here. I got the yarn on sale at Kiwi Knitting (my LYS in Tucson). I'm working on a beret from Baby Beanies by Amanda Keeys. The pattern has some issues, but I'll subject you to those when the beret is done.

So the fascination with purple didn't occupy the whole day. We started off visiting the San Lorenzo Central Market. Downstairs are fruits, veggies, meats, and cheeses, upstairs leather goods. I didn't actually go upstairs. It was more like the markets I grew up, except with better (and more expensive) food. We bought some very pricey, but amazing tortellini from this place and just across the way was this amazing dedication to cheese. Who couldn't be moved by that? Don't think about the last sentence for too long.

While getting to know where to buy everything is going to take a while, I love being able to go to a market like this again; to have specific stores for bread, veggies, meat etc. It seems so much more respectful of food. Thanks to my dear friend M, I have some cooking classes to explore too. As for the lack of 24 hour supermarkets, Doug went out tonight and found a place that was open until midnight where he bought a bottle of not bad Chianti, chocolate and some milk for Ila. What more do we need?

With that, I leave you with my almost Viola, in true to form fuzzy mode and her dad. She is really into giving hugs right now. It is wonderful.

Sabbath

2009-02-22T13:04:00.000-08:00

It being the sabbath and us good church going folk,
we set off in search of a place of worship. At the first church we realized we were a little late as everyone was already exiting, and they were all dressed in fur coats. Apparently, a fur coat is a necessity when paying penance for your sins. Then we checked out our local church, Santo Spirito and the plaza in front which was missing the organic market that is supposed to be there on a Sunday. The feel was quite different, as was the clientele.

We still didn't stay and went onto have a little lunch sandwich at a nondescript place just down from the Santo Spirito plaza. Eh, not bad. Cheap, filling, patient with our lack of ability to speak Italian. Nondescript enough that I've forgotten its name. It looked like it last got refurbished in the 1980s or maybe early 90s.

Today we stuck to south of the river, visiting
Porta Romana, the huge Roman gate, and a playground within the grounds of what looks like a decaying Istituto Statale d'arte di Firenze. You can see the Istituto in the background. In the next photo, Ila having a fine old time riding the elephant. She made trumpeting sounds to match.

We were the only family at the playground. Another came as we were leaving, but I wonder where the rest of the families are. Florence is a city of gardens, but most people do not have a garden associated with their home. Are there cool playgrounds in this city to be found? Places where children can run freely and play? Yesterday we went to another playground not too far away from this and there were probably four families there, only one of which was Italian. In a city, a dense, compact city such as this, where do you take your children to scamper and frolic?

While I'm really excited about this move, our garden, the Arizona mountains, and the desert are all going to be sorely missed. I think we're going to spend a lot of time in gardens. With that thought I leave you with the typical tourist poses. This bridge is just minutes from our apartment and the view over to Ponte Vecchio.

Primo

2009-02-21T14:27:00.000-08:00

I promise no literary brilliance, no wit, no fabulous insights, and no grammatical precision, any provided are a result of sheer bloody luck and probably attributable to someone else. That said, you asked for it and so here it is, a blog so you can experience Florence vicariously through us. Please note that most posts will probably written after a few glasses of wine and so your vicarious experience is probably one recollected by someone a little inebriated who tends toward the verbose when drunk. Welcome to "A Little Gnocchi".

Despite our fears that our last transatlantic experience (18 unmercifully long hours with a screaming toddler, who never slept) would be repeated, we totally lucked out. Maybe it was the Benadryl, the brilliant travel bags prepared by Kerry (I'll share more about these at another time, but thank you Kerry), or maybe it was the portable DVD player that made the difference, who knows, who cares, but the trip wasn't bad at all.

We're staying at a temporary apartment until March 9th, when we get to move into our long-term apartment which is close by. We're just south of the river, the Arno, which runs through Florence. The river separates us from the hustle and bustle of the main tourist areas, but within a five-minute walk of Ponte Vecchio. We're surrounded by small trattorias, local artist galleries, bakeries, butchers, cheese shops, antique restoration places, and best yet, a yarn store AND a fabric store are just down the street. Now the yarn store is closing this month (must check out and see if they're having a sale), and the fabric store appears to be home decor stuff, but what a good start.

The temporary apartment is great. A loft with a kitchenette and a couple of bathrooms. The owners have really accommodated us, providing a pack and play for Ila, some small toys etc. For your viewing pleasure, the photograph above is out of the window of our apartment.

My mum and her friend Jill arrived the same day as us, stayed in a hotel on the other side of the river and joined us for meals. It is twenty years since I've lived this close to my mum and the majority of my side of the family. I'm pretty excited about seeing them more. Mum, I owe you 200 Euros. I'm holding the money ransom until Norman comes over, or at least until your visit next month.

We've done no sight seeing ourselves. Correction, we've done no intentional sight seeing, but it is hard not to see sights at every turn in this city. We've skimmed the edges of Boboli Gardens, walked past the Duomo, and walked across Ponte Vecchio multiple times. I love that this is a city for walking.

So what can I share? Well, it's me, so what do you expect? Today- places to eat when you visit us (you are going to visit us, aren't you?):

Alla Vecchia Bettola http://www.florence.ala.it/bettola

Just outside the city walls. This is one of Doug's favourite places.

Good God, this place is great. It opens at 7:30pm, we arrived shortly after and by 8pm the place was heaving. The food was amazing. We ordered a crostini that Ila devoured, leaving little for me. Note to self, must get two orders if I expect to have any. The Penne alla Bettola is in a spicy vodka tomato based cream sauce. It has a nice kick to it and so we licked our plates clean. This is the time where I admit that we drank some wine before dinner, some while we were there and then I finished off dinner with some biscotti soaked in cognac. Sinful and yes I was toast. I'm guessing the smaller portions and our lack of car are going to be what save me from myself while we're here.

Trattoria da Ginone

Just inside the city walls, south of the river this is close to our friend Guido's place. Guido introduced Doug to it last time they were both here. Little hole in the wall place. I had the Zucchini Blossom Fettucini, which was amazing, and because Ila has been demanding gnocchi morning, noon and night for the past 36 hours she had the gnocchi. Which brings me to the title of this blog. What is it with kids? I mean we've introduced her to gnocchi back in Tucson, but all of a sudden she starts demanding it, when we get to Italy? Not sure I blame her, all that potato goodness in a nice light puffy package. Trattoria da Ginone's was the best gnocchi I've ever had.

Hey, just have to share, outside our window in the street there is a guy singing. Somehow drunks singing in Italian sound so much better than English drunk singing.

So beyond eating, I have the following goals for while we're in Firenze:

1. Check out the city for toddler friendly experiences

2. Learn Italian

3. Learn to cook

and a question...

What do you think, Ila's bedtime in Tucson is 7:15pm and she wakes between 5:30am-6:30am. As we adjust for the time difference, I'm thinking of moving it to 8-8:30pm so she wakes after 7am or do I have no say in this really, am I just fooling myself? Those with toddlers, is it feasible to move bed times around like this?