I’m just about ready to call Eric Vokel Gran Via Suites home… it’s only for five days, but we’ve very comfortably moved in and nothing’s missing, so we could stick around pretty much forever!
It’s been …

This is a kind of personal post. And it’s so rare and out of character that there is not even a category on this blog into which I can easily slot it. But I have …

100,000 Florentines and tourists alike flooded the streets of Florence’s historical center last night for the Notte Bianca “Insonnia Creativa”. The creative (and apparently low-cost) solution of interventions in the city’s piazze, on the bridges, …

The “notte bianca” or “white night” is when the city sanctions staying up late and has special events and late openings planned. For Florence this year the date to mark on your calendars is Saturday …

If you’re interested in the impact of Americans and the Anglo community on Florence, this talk is for you. Garden historian Katie Campbell will be talking at the British Institute about those eccentric Anglos who …

I’m always happy to announce a good academic talk… even when the date is in conflict with by own event, the BettaKnit KnitLounge at Le Murate organized by The Florentine.
The talk by John Hoenig is …

Here’s a really cute event for your creative/crafty side! On Thursday April 28 2011, come out to Le Murate from 7-10pm to learn how to knit, or to knit in a group and help others. …

Every culture has its expressions for why you should wake up early. In Italian it’s “la mattina ha l’oro in bocca” (morning has gold in the air – they haven’t smelled my breath, apparently) and …

If you want to photograph Dante in Piazza Santa Croce, you are going to have to wait two months while the Carrara marble gets a good scrubbing (starting today). The 34,000 euro cleaning is financed …

The exhibit Angry Young Men: Picasso, Mirò, Dalì, the Birth of Modernity is on now through July at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence and my full review of it is available in the latest issue of …

If you participated in International Slow Art Day in Florence that I hosted last year, you already know that you’ll want to sign up for this year’s edition. And now that I’m going to tell …

Today was the perfect weather for a good urban hike – a good free activity, a way to get some exercise, and very pleasant too. Florence has the advantage of being surrounded by beautiful green …