Week Five in Florence

After a perfect weekend in Tuscany with my parents and my roommates, we drove back to Florence to spend two nights exploring the city that has become my home. As a New York City girl I have been missing my Sunday brunch, and I was so happy to discover that the J.K. Place Firenze offers a brunch that rivals that of The Smith (yup, I said it!). I happily downed a strawberry bellini and one of my absolute favorite dishes, grilled octopus. It was a little slice of New York heaven in Florence and having my parents there to enjoy it with me really made it feel like home. 

Sunday Brunch at the J.K. Place Firenze

Grilled octopus

I took my parents to the leather market where they purchased almost everything in sight and then to my favorite panini place in Florence, Verdi. Afterwards, we walked the streets along the river and admired the beauty of the city... and shopped some more!

A view of the Ponte Vecchio

I finally climbed to the top of the Duomo (463 steps), and although the view was beautiful I don't see myself doing it again anytime soon. Imagine a lot of people and tiny spaces to travel through, not exactly ideal conditions for the claustrophobic type!

A view from the top of the Duomo

After a great five days with my parents it was time for them to go back to New Jersey. Luckily they'll be coming back to Europe in another three weeks for my spring break. We'll be traveling to Zurich, St. Moritz, Milan and Prague, so stay tuned for updates from our 10 day trip! 

This past weekend my roommates and I stayed in Florence and did some of the things that we've been meaning to do since we arrived. One of them was traveling to Piazzale Michelangelo, a piazza that overlooks all of Florence. Here we drank red wine and watched the sunset. It's a beautiful place to come with a picnic and I anticipate that we'll be back again soon once the weather starts getting warmer.

Me watching the sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo

A view from the piazza

A view from the piazza

On Saturday night after going out to dinner my roommates and I decided to stay awake and take a trip to one of Florence's secret bakeries. These bakeries typically open around 2AM to serve hungry young adults who are on their way home from the bars. The suppliers who provide many of the city's pasticcerie with their pastries set aside some of what they make and sell them in the middle of the night. This is done in various locations throughout the city. 

First, we traveled to a bakery that we thought existed near our apartment. We found a location that seemed suspicious and saw an Italian guy standing outside smoking a cigarette. I asked him if he worked for the secret bakery and he looked at me with a blank stare. I guess the secret bakeries are primarily a tourist thing! Needless to say we walked to the next location on our list and smelled our way to the door. We asked for the best thing on the menu and got in return a raisin tart for only 1EUR.  I would never have ordered this item off of a menu but it was absolutely delicious, especially at 2 o'clock in the morning!

The door to the secret bakery

Me and my raisin tart

This Friday I am headed to London to visit my best friend Ryan. We have a lot of Asian fusion dinners planned, I need a break from the Italian food (and so do my thighs)! I've never been to London before,  so I'm really excited to be going there. Ryan also tells me that the city is a lot like New York. They have Whole Foods, Starbucks and everyone speaks English so it will be a nice little fix of home! Stay tuned for updates from my trip. Ciao for now!

Tuscany in the Wintertime

Last weekend was the first time that I had ever been to Tuscany and I must admit that I was apprehensive about going in the wintertime. While the countryside is beautiful any time of year, I had heard from many people that the weather in February would be cold and snowy. Also, because it's Tuscany's off season, many of the stores and restaurants in the area are closed during the winter months. Unfortunately, everyone was right about the weather. We left the rain in Florence and drove an hour into the countryside of Colle di Val d'Elsa, where the rain turned into snow as soon as we reached the mountains. Now I understand why the concierge was so adamant on us renting an automatic car with four wheel drive, which we failed to do!

While in Tuscany we stayed at Castello di Casole, a Timbers Resort that is set upon 4,200 acres in the Tuscan countryside. On the hotel property are mountains, valleys, olive groves and vineyards. Farmhouses and villas for rent are scattered throughout the land, while the main hotel is housed in a restored castle. The property was breathtaking and my only complaint was the winding dirt roads that led from the main road to the hotel. They were at times very steep and worn, although this also added to the sense of seclusion and privacy. 

Unfortunately the hotel was closed during our stay because it was low season. Instead, we stayed in Paradiso, a four bedroom farmhouse equipped with heated floors, an infinity-edge pool and an outdoor patio. My favorite part about the house was the old stone and tile on the inside walls that served as a reminder of the villa's long history. While I am partial to the houses at Castello di Casole, I am sure that a hotel room in the main building would be just as luxurious. The benefit of being in the hotel is being within close proximity to the pool and the hotel restaurants. 

Paradiso, one of many farmhouses at Castello di Casole

The pool at Paradiso

Castello di Casole features a relaxing spa that is housed in what was once the estate's wine cellar. The hotel also has a fitness center, although many of the roads through the property are ideal for walking, running and hiking. Guests could not ask for a better location. The town of Colle di Val d'Elsa is historic and beautiful, and Castello di Casole is less than an hour from popular towns such as Volterra, San Gemignano and Siena. I highly recommend this boutique property and I already cannot wait to return.

A view of the countryside from Paradiso

Note: Although the wintertime is Tuscany's low season we loved being in the area in February. The house was incredibly cozy and watching the snow fall from the living room was like a scene out of a movie. Many of the restaurants were closed but we still made it to some great places, including Osteria del Borgo in Mensano and Officina della Cucina Popolare in Colle di Val d'Elsa. 

My parents and I enjoying dinner in at Paradiso

A private chef dinner at Paradiso

Artichoke risotto made by our fantastic chef, Susanna

Squid ink tortellini with truffle and ricotta at Osteria del Borgo

A baked onion stuffed with bread and parmesan cheese from Officina della Cucina Popolare 

When we were not busy lounging in our adorable house we drove to Siena to visit the Duomo. We also arranged a wine tasting at a local family run vineyard, Setriolo. I worked with Sophie Chamberlain of Untainted Tuscany to arrange our experiences and she was terrific. From truffle hunting to private chef dinners and gelato making classes, Sophie is able to arrange it all. 

What I learned during my first trip to Tuscany is that, any time of year, this area is an incredible place to visit. Each season brings new experiences and adventures, making return trips a must. Whether you're planning a family vacation or an anniversary trip, Tuscany should always be in the back of your mind. Molto bello! 

Pisa

Below are a couple of photos from my recent trip to Pisa. Seeing the Leaning Tower in person is much different than viewing it in pictures. It may be touristy, but it's an incredible sight to take in and my roommates and I were very happy that we arranged a day trip to the area. There is a direct train that runs between Florence and Pisa. We took that, which was only a 45 minute ride, and walked right to the tower from the train station. Two hours is plenty of time to see the sights. After taking the classic Leaning Tower photo (below) we checked into buying tickets to climb to the top. However, we were shocked to learn that it was 18EUR, more than our round trip train ticket that day. A photo was good enough for us, so we boarded our train back to the city that we have come to love so much!