Monday 28 March 2011

Heidi comes to Florence




My first term at Angel Academy has come to its end and this last week has also been such a treat with cousin Heidi here from Paris working on one of her projects. We ate and talked and then talked some more about how well we were eating, went out for pre-dinner drinks and ate some more. I feel inspired now to enjoy being a foreigner and (gasp) a tourist in Florence, so that I might experience more that life has to offer here (which is largely about food)… and especially to let myself make linguistical bloopers for the sake of connecting with the locals in my ‘hood’. I have to confess to avoiding many of the small interesting food shops because of my lack of Italian and my VANITY – not wanting to be another stupid tourist – but after enjoying the fruits of Heidi’s shopping and zest for discovery I see the necessity for courage to venture into unknown territory. Pickled lettuce, huge green olives (incredible), tender veal from the local butcher, cheeses, ETC.

My own greatest discovery of late is rabbit. I tried my famous lemon chicken, except with rabbit, for dinner one night and we both declared it most excellent and worthy to be the focal point of many future eat-fests. It’s readily available in butchers, supermarkets and restaurants at no great expense, is similar chicken only more tender and less fatty, and works very nicely with lemon, potatoes, tzaziki and salad (write to me for the recipe).

Last night Heidi and I walked around the streets of Santo Spirito and I took her to see where my new apartment will be, in a little ‘tower’ in Via Santa Maria. Then we strolled along the quiet late night streets, admiring the Florentine architecture, the grandeur of the Pitti Palace, little ornamented door handles, ancient torch holders along the sides of buildings, the juxtaposition of a quaint stone church hundreds of years old beside a brightly lit hotel with art deco interior, the Ponte Vecchio lined with jewellery shops closed for the night, looking like a scene from a movie set in the 1500s. If only I could have a glimpse of what those old stones have seen!





















The first term of school has flown by… above is my final life drawing. I have 2 weeks off which I’m very pleased about and which will involve sleeping in, discovering uncharted galleries and museums, perhaps a day trip here or there, some private Italian lessons, meals and cuppas with friends (those that haven’t gone home for the holidays!) and of course moving house (which is the greatest pre-occupation this week). I miss Heidi already, can’t wait to visit her in Paris in summer. Thanks for a great time Heidi!

È tutto per oggi!

(For latest pics click here)

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