Horrifying but Delicious

I haven't blogged in a bit because I've been a little preoccupied (sorry Michael!) but I promise to be more diligent from now on.

I just got back from the most wonderful holiday vacation in Italy with my therapist/rock/compass/leppy Alanna, and instead of doing a play-by-play of my three weeks (which would be too tedious and take forever), I will do a greatest hits version.

Florence:

Teatro di Sale

With a suggestion from our guidebook, we walked into this restaurant/theatre to grab dinner on our last night in Florence. The seating area was blocked by a velvet rope and a 'For Members Only' sign. After some awkward questioning of the bemused lady behind the counter, we successfully made reservations and returned at 7:30 for dinner.

But before we could wait with the dinner crowd in the lobby, we had to become members of the club. We signed up for our 5 euro memberships, were given secret rules, and initiated into the Teatro di Sale family. Inside, the red velvet curtains finally opened and the crowd rushed into the theatre/dining area. Little clusters of tables filled the auditorium. We found ourselves a little two-seater in the corner near the stage and waited...

Then, out of the steamy shadows of the kitchen emerged a round-bellied, white-bearded, Santa-like figure with a red apron. He clanged a ridiculously loud bronze bell for a good 70 seconds and belted out what was to be served as the first course in his deep, booming, opera singer-esque baritone voice. Then, the hungry herd of Italians rushed over to the serving table to grab plates of delicious polenta with nutmeg, 5 different types of potatoes, and yummy yummy bread.

This went on for maybe 13 courses. The chef would ring the bell, yell out the next course, and everyone would stampede to the kitchen. Course after delicious course we filled our bellies with tripe, fish with lemon sauce, potato stuffed chicken, perfect pasta with meat sauce, meatballs, breadsticks, and the list goes on...

A lover of food, my first reaction was delight at the range and volume of food that we were offered for our 30 pounds...but then delight soon turned to horror as Alanna and I both became so full we literally thought we would explode. See, we made the amateur move of actually finishing each dish instead of "sampling" each like the bemused lady at the counter told us when we first made reservations. We underestimated our readiness for an experience like this. Seriously, I estimate that one should undergo at least two weeks of training to increase their intake before going to a place like this.

After having the best whipped cream, cookies and brownies for dessert, it was time for the show. The auditorium was transformed from a restaurant to a theatre and everyone laughed hysterically at the one woman show that came onstage. I'm sure it was a hilarious show...except it was 100% in Italian so we couldn't exactly follow along...

Overall, I highly recommend this place if you're ever in Florence. It was definitely my most vivid memory from my time there this trip. I wish I had pictures of the food and the chef...but photos were strictly prohibited.

Museo Salvatore Ferragamo

Wow is all I need to say to describe this amazing, amazing museum...if you're into shoes. After getting lost looking for something much less significant than what we found, we stumbled upon the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo. See, to explain the pure ecstasy that I felt when I saw this place, you may need a little background on mine and Mr. Ferragamo's relationship...but I could never express the purity of our relationship accurately in words so I will move on to our little detour into the museum.

From celebrity shoe molds to his most classic color combinations and styles, the museum really captured the magnificence of this man's craftsmanship and contribution to the fashion world. One interesting thing that I learned about Mr. Ferragamo's philosophy on women is that he put them in three categories according to shoe size, and had a bit to say about each type's personality. I am a "Cinderella" who loves jewels and furs, and can only be truly happy if I'm loved. I'm not sure how true that statement is, but I'm not in a position to argue with Mr. Ferragamo.

Anyways, it was a little slice of shoe heaven for me, and I really appreciate Alanna's willingness to shell out the five euro to visit this mecca with me. The philosophy, careful craftsmanship, artistic vision, and love that this designer poured into each shoe design made it clear to me why I love fashion, and uphold Mr. Ferragamo as one of its heroes.

OH, and one last thing about Florence...Trippa sandwiches are freaking amazing! We ate them at this hole-in-the-wall (literally) place near Casa di Dante where all these locals were grabbing a quick bite. SO GOOD.


There are so many more memorable moments from Florence, but it would be impossible to list them all off here. Most memorable was probably the marathon conversations that Alanna and I had, but that is true of the whole vacation and I plan to write an ode to my beloved travel buddy and dear friend in a later entry.

Tales from Rome to come later!