Pastries and Pals In Florence, Italy

Cari Amici,
When I was not painting today, I took some time out for visiting friends. Lisa’s husband John has been visiting Florence from Florida. John became one of my first readers of this blog, I think, shortly after I met Lisa last September. And so today, he got to be surrounded by chicks. We three met up with Skye and Anna at Piazza Salvemini en route to I Dolci di Patrizio Cosi – one of the best pastry shops in Florence. My favorites are Fruttini Misti, mixed little fruits in small pie crusts.

After leaving Patrizio Cosi, we walked down Borgo degli Albizi. I include an image here of one of my favorite courtyards in centro. I never tire of it. Now there are beautiful red flowers – perhaps hibiscus – in the pot.

While Skye and Anna were exploring shops around Piazza della Repubblica, Lisa, John, and I went up to the terrazza on the top floor of La Rinascente that I referenced recently. Lisa treated us to a couple of beers and we enjoyed the sun warming up the day. For sitting around doing virtually nothing, it was a pretty good way to go. A wonderfully warm older Italian woman took two shots of us that I include here. And as she and her party left, she wished us a “Buono soggiorno.” (Have a good stay.)

Soon after, Anna headed off for another walk before sundown and John and Lisa headed back to their place. Skye was still angling for some shopping, so I went with her. We stopped in at some big name department store not too far from the Duomo. Skye was enchanted with the clothes there, while I was less enchanted with the sales staff – one woman in particular.

Knowing that Skye would buy what she was trying on, I felt entitled enough to ask this saleswoman where the restroom was. She actually looked me up and down before saying, “Il bagno e rotto.” (The bathroom is broken.) Now, I am no fashion queen to be sure, but that was just rude!

Later, as I was foolin’ around with my Canon, she told me, “NO fotos!” Feeling a bit annoyed, bored, and rather unappealing, I sat down in an orange area near the fitting rooms where Skye was. And I used my snapshot camera to take this self-portrait. Orange is supposed to make one feel happy. Sometimes I think that only chocolate and good friends can do that.