On my last trip to London, someone asked me: is there something like “New Italian” happening in Florence? An extremely interesting question, as in the states we have “New American” and of course in the UK you have similar concepts, and this “New” term is something that suggests modern visits on traditional classics. Continue Reading →
Everyone knows that Italy does espresso…but does she always do it well? To me, that answer has always been questionable especially in Florence. What????? Is she criticizing Italian espresso??? Well, kinda! Continue Reading →
I’ve been a bit busy back in my homeland of America but I wanted to share the latest piece I wrote for Eater.com before 2015 said ciao and closed its doors on existence for eternity. Continue Reading →
Last year, I discovered a pretty chic gourmet nook in Florence smack dab in the historical center yet in a little backstreet that the massive hoards would have difficulty in finding. Everybody wants “off-the-beaten-path in Florence” in one of the most heavily stomped cities in Europe. If there was a literal representation of a quality food & wine bar off the beaten path in Florence, it was Uscio e Bottega:. Continue Reading →
Ah! Yes! The craft bar scene is finally making a decent presence in Florence! Since I moved in 2012, I have noticed craft brew pubs pop up and that made my Seattle soul glimmer with hope. Hope in that this over-termed “Renaissance Pearl” is getting with the times. In Seattle, I was constantly charmed by craft cocktail spots like Canon Seattle and Knee High Stocking Co. and that love affair with bitter imbibements came to a screeching halt when I arrived in Florence. I missed my bitter old man drinks for my tortured gluttonous soul. Little by little, I discovered bitter bars but only to be heartbroken when one of my favorites (THE Bitterbar, where I actually practiced performing a wedding at) closed their doors to a likewise closed city of Chianti sluggers. Florentines have their habitual ways and it has been my observation that they are not very warm to anything beyond the ordinary. Unless they are the artsy, hipster type. Even then, these kids got lots to learn about living “avant-guarde.” Pardon the extremely opinionated banter, I warned you of my bitter old man ways. Continue Reading →