Gold Records and MillisiMi Wine Caverns in Florence what do they have in common!
Anne Marie, the French Capo of MillisiMi, has a Gold Record Producing Husband who's 5 Gold Records sit on the wall behind her very French very Italian huge office amidst the dusty wine bottles that are rare collector labels in the Caverns below the 16th century palazzo and the new bottles upstairs. 
http://www.florencewinemerchants.com/.../enoteca...Anne Marie's son, a delightful ball of energy, has a craft beer cavern in the rear of the elegant sophisticated wine store, where she says,"It is a project of his since he is into distribution and importing of the beer which is different than the wine. The people know the quality of wine and the many centuries history of the vineyards around the world and shall pay a higher price for a good and rare quality of wine, yet my son has craft beer. It is very expensive in the terms of beer. The people that go to a pub want a good beer for around 5.00euros. Here they have to pay at least 8.00 euros to 12.00 euros per craft beer and maybe higher. My wine people don't understand paying that much for one bottle of beer." she laughs enthusiastically. I tell her that the beer aficionados pay that much, trust me.
We just have to let the beer lovers know that the beer in the rear of the 20 year old sophisticated rare wine store is here and they will come. Perhaps traipsing with their blue jeans and sweatshirts to buy the 12euro bottle, yet they'll come! 
Millesimi Birra is owned 
of Anne Marie's son, who is very passionate about his beer! He imports tons of it from everywhere around the world, including America and I am trying to encourage him to import my neices's brewery beer:
Chicago, Maplewood. https://www.facebook.com/Millesimi-Birra-589146637848471/ For the Millesimi Beer and for Maplewood http://www.maplewoodbrew.com/
Located at: Borgo Tegolaio 33/r
Firenze, Italy. Please call: 055 26 54 675
or email Anne Marie with questions: at
millesimisrl@gmail.com
RESERVATIONS: 003 905 5 241 7 73
Believe it or not, the pizza I believe is the best in Florence, and it is such a fancy place you would imagine Massimo's other restaurant, Francescano, would have the pizza. Yet it is here in the elegant 1920s atmosphere of the very chic Baldovino where you can find it. https://www.baldovinobistrot.com/ Via S. Giuseppe, 22R 
The second restaurant of Baldovino's is Francescano, which is a very old and respected restaurant on the square of Santa Croce, where all the celebrities come for it's cozy and untouched home feel and its great personal service.
"When I bought Francescano from the original owners, I wanted to keep the elegance and the respect of that restaurant and not let somebody turn it into something its not. No, I loved Francescano, myself and I only added higher ingredients and better quality of the recipes that we use. Some of the recipes at Francescano and Baldovino are mine, of course. Some the old school traditional ones of Florence. On the walls you see many famous people and your favorite one was Armani, right!" laughs Massimo when I say, "O MY GOSH ARMANI!" www.trattoriailfrancescano.com/
"Franciscano is traditional, and my chefs have the experience of many years of Italian cooking and their grandmother's recipes, should we say that?" laughs Massimo, who is very proud of having saved the legendary restaurant and kept its original owner's vision. "I haven't even changed the decorations in the 5 years that I have owned it. I keep it all the same, yet I would love to add some famous stars on the wall from my reign if course!" he says. Let's see! "The Francescano has every Florentine recipe and the old-school version. It has a home feel that when you enter you are in my home and the waiters treat you as such. There is always friendly and easy laughter at Francescano and perhaps that is why the people that are famous in the eyes of society come here. O yes we are very famous for truffles which you say that you love. They are lovely to work with as a chef, too, since you can do many things with my favorite." 003 9 05 5 241605
"To be treated as if they are in their own homes. And of course the Florentine steak which is the best I can buy." 
Good, Old-Fashioned and my favorite wine Chianti, with Francescano's own label! 
"The two restaurants are of me and 3 socials," says Giuseppe, the chef pictured above with his team at La Spada Trattoria. "My brother is at our other restaurant named Cento Poveri, which is from the church in the square opposite the restaurant and is for the tradition of feeding the poor everyday. They used to feed for centuries at least 100 people everyday and now they sleep and feed the poor there. We decided to give that feeding of the needy respect and honor the important tradition and that is why we named our second restaurant after that ritual everyday. That restaurant is opened for 10 years now." he says.
The Basilica di Santa Maria Novella is the famous church of Cento Poveri. 
"At Cento Poveri we have the Pizza, which is I would say not the best and not even close to being the worse, it is right in the middle, a very good pizza and the pasta dishes and the Florentine steak are very traditional, of course. Yet at La Spada we have the Steak and the pasta not pizza and the typical Florentine traditional plates, too. Both restaurants are very reasonable and we want a family place not a super expensive place." says Giuseppe.
"Along with my brother Claudio, and the other Claudio and his cousin, Augustino who you have interviewed the last 3 years, that makes up our team. Yes we have a great time. The restaurant here has been here 25 years and it started as a little restaurant with a big rosticceria and now it is a very big restaurant with a little rosticceria.
Yet for 300 years it was a little Osteria with wine and maybe a panini." http://www.centopoveri.it/it/
The original Rooster Cafe is located on Via Sant'Egidio 37r, and is opposite the restaurant that Francesco originally started named L'Oriuolo, which his brother, Allessandro and his wife Angela now own. His girlfriend, Meaghan and I had a couple of chats at the cute international one of a kind cultural cafe last year and today. "O yes I am American, yet I have made Italy my home, at least now today, with Francesco!" she laughs when I ask her if she plans on staying in Italy. "I just came back from America for visa reasons, yet I love Italy much and missed Franceso!" she says as she tells me of her influence in the way the two cafes represent International food and American culture and the very traditional Italian culture. https://www.facebook.com/RoosterCafeFirenze/ 
Meaghan says, "My boyfriend, Francesco, is a visionary and has many creative ideas. I am the artist, having trained here in Florence, yet he is the designer of both restaurants. I have my little artistic touches, though."
"The students feel at home here and now they say that they are very happy that a second location that is open all day, gives great cocktails and has a traditional Italian menu with cool and new presentations to try is open for them too!" laughs Meaghan.
"Francesco does Italian food like no other person I have met, and it is beautiful to look at too!" 
"Let the Francescos do the food, I can do the artists!" laughs Meaghan. 
"I believe that we are the only restaurant and cafe that does what we do. It is innovate and fresh and young and along with the new addition of the opening of Rooster Cafe Firenze at Porto Rossa 63, with Francesco's uncle, the famous Francesco at the helm of head chef, we are slowly receiving a respected reputation as a great restaurant. We have trendy mixologists all day at the Firenze Restaurant location and they make some great cocktails, too!" laughs Meaghan as she enthusiastically gushes about both places.
"You know my Francesco won't admit to being a great cook, yet he is, I've tasted his," giggles Meaghan. "I, myself, and the artistic one and I am very happy and excited to be introducing artists of all medium to both cafes, with art, photography, live music and live readings perhaps in the future."
"We opened the Rooster Restaurant in April and it is doing alright. I LOVE the fact that the Rooster Cafe on Porto Rossa 63r is open all day and all night and has two very special and highly particular menus. One in the day is international and has such items as the waffles and pancakes and fried chicken and at night the Italian Traditional Kitchen is and it isn't such as: the famous uncle of Francesco, who's name is Francesco Bilotta, and who is the head professor at the Accademia Italiana Chef here in Florence for the Famous Culinary school, is finally able to showcase his own cooking skills as our head chef. (Kind of like Chef Gordan Ramsey having his own restaurant in addition to having his own school, yet without the screaming.)" says Meaghan and me adding my own little comments! "We have many of the students from the schools here, the international ones and especially the Americans who love the cafe. I guess they miss pancakes!" My Friend Meaghan and Francesco and the team...
"We both have beards and wear casual clothes in the culture of the very elite Whiskey Clubs such as the old distinguished gentlemen sitting sipping their whiskeys and smoking the cigars. We want to introduce the whiskey to everybody and if people feel comfortable approaching the bar and asking to taste a whiskey and yet some say they don't really know how to drink it, I am very happy to chat and talk about the way to drink a whiskey to have the best taste that you can from that particular one. We have Scottish and American and Irish and Russian and Japanese, we have a lot of whiskeys, 150 and counting and it is very important to know that there is very different tastes and strengths of each one." says Gabriele. "The other reason that we have beards is that we are member of the charity club that is named Bearded Villians which is anything except villianous! ,http://www.beardedvillains.com/(Originally Established in 2014 in Los Angeles California U.S. with the purpose of showcasing the bearded men with character from your next door neighbor to the supermodel on GQ mag.)
They work around the world for a good heart and soul to help charities." 0039 055 269 2 968
They work around the world for a good heart and soul to help charities." 0039 055 269 2 968
"When it becomes busy, we have full bar waiting and they are happy to wait 4 to 8 minutes. The reason is that it isn't a bar where you order a drink grab the drink go sit in the chairs. It is a whiskey bar where you can ask us about the whiskey's, order a flight from the chalkboard which includes 3 types of whiskeys. 
For instance the FLIGHT WHITE RABBIT is a 3 whiskey taster of American, Italian, and Russian whiskeys. You try each one. The total of 3 is probably equal to 1 glass of whiskey. Maybe you have never tried a Russian whiskey and want to and Yes there is a huge difference between a Russian Whiskey and a American Whiskey." says Gabriele.
For instance the FLIGHT WHITE RABBIT is a 3 whiskey taster of American, Italian, and Russian whiskeys. You try each one. The total of 3 is probably equal to 1 glass of whiskey. Maybe you have never tried a Russian whiskey and want to and Yes there is a huge difference between a Russian Whiskey and a American Whiskey." says Gabriele. Manuel laughs, "Gabriele is the Whiskey Capo and I am the mixologist and the difference is that I am the one that makes the fancy drinks for you and Gabriele serves you Whiskey in all different forms. I know the Whiskeys of course and yes we do have to drink the Whiskey. I love the bar and I love the concept, yet coming from the mixologist side, I had to learn a little about the Whiskey. I need to be able to tell you the difference between a Smokey Whiskey and say a Spicey Whiskey, for instance. You need to let the guests smell the bottle, inhale the vapors and let it permeate the senses to really taste the whiskey. We have tasted each one and I guess Gabriele says that it took many years to actually drink a glass of each of the whiskeys." ( I mean they only have 150 Whiskeys and with 365 days in one year, you could actually drink all of these in 1/2 a year.) 
Gabriele says, "Yes I have drank all of these and I will admit that is one of the fun parts of owning the bar! In the future I have already picked some of the rare Whiskeys that I hope to give my guests a chance to taste. The one Whiskey that is 30.00 euros a glass here is the PREMIER BARREL Whiskey, (I have it pictured above) and since they don't make this Whiskey any longer it is the last time you can ever taste it. I would suggest buying a glass and although it is 30.00 euros you can be one of maybe 5,000 people in the world that can say they had a glass of that Whiskey. That is how rare it is. The reason that I love Whiskey is that each Whiskey and each Whiskey Distillery has many combinations of the right way to taste it. You can have Whiskey with ice or straight up or with a tiny little drops of water and taste it to your comfort. And of course many ways to have Whiskey in a cocktail drink, yet I am talking about enjoying the Whiskey. The pureness of the Whiskey in and of itself."
ADAGIO RESTAURANT in Florence Italy is a Unique concept restaurant that highlights different regions of Italy every month, along with a special evening with a guest chef from that region and a degustation menu along with it. The two partners that own Adagio are David and Giavanni, both full of innovative and detailed ideas of what they want their restaurant to be. 
"The month of September was the region of Puglia and we had a lovely cook who came and greeted the guests during dinner and introduced each course. We have between 3 to 4 wines with the dinner from that region and since Giovanni is a sommelier he is the one who works with the regional chef to choose the wine for that night and for the month. The cost of the degustation night with the chef from 8.00pm to midnight, or later, is around 45.00euros and includes it all. Chef, intro, music, food, wine, and the culture education of the ancient tradition of the food, of course. October is the North of Tuscany." 
"I love that Adagio has two different souls in the kitchen. The traditional regional kitchens of each section of Italy and the Ancient traditions and the modern exotic, yet Italian dishes that the chef has on the menu everyday. The first month we were settling in and we weren't too much in sync with David and my vision of how we wanted the menu presented to the guests, yet now when the chef does the menu he knows just what we want. I love his menu, such as the Duck with licorice or the Pappardelle with Rabbit Ragu which the Italians eat all the time, yet the tourists find fascinating. Or the Erotic Ravioli which basically is I guess the uterus and the stern and the tongue stuffed inside the ravioli. Quite tasty, yet exotic. " says Giovanni. "You should come to a meet the chef night and try the regional dishes, you would love that experince." he says and I hope to, someday. 
"We started together about 3 years doing Christmas gifts for employees of Italian companies all around Italy, with concentration of food and wine. We traveled to different local suppliers and farmers and vineyards and make Christmas gifts for the companies to give to their employees so of course we knew everybody after awhile and when we decided to open the restaurant it began a long process of about 1 and 1/2 years. In May of last year we finally found the location and 7 months later we opened the restaurant. We took many hours, many of planning the regions and the menus and how we would present these to the guests and the best way to introduce the chefs and to introduce each region from a food culture point of view. I believe the restaurant is special for many reasons yet especially the fact that we are the only restaurant to have a modern exotic daily menu and a traditional regional menu that is presented every month. Very unusual everywhere in Italy and in Florence." Says Giovanni, David's partner. "The piano player is pretty cool too, with the piano that you see here. I was going to say that he ususually comes on Tuesdays yet since he only came once I guess we should wait and see." he says laughing. 
"Here is the most famous Truffle Restaurant and where the precious white truffle comes from, " says the very funny Luigi, who knows more about the daily Italian life than literally most anyone I know. "Me and my two friends bought the restaurant villa, which has been here a very long days, about 3 months now. The little village is most famous for the white truffle, which of course is used very rarely and very delicately around the world. Alba is famous in the north Italy and here." says Luigi. "You must tell the tourists to come, since it is world famous, the truffle festival in November. Every weekend we pay special homage and respect to the November month and every weekend every restaurant holds a festival on white truffles. Tourists come from everywhere in the world. Yet please tell the tourists they must drive or have somebody drive to the famous village!" says Luigi. San Miniato Basso, Tuscany between Pisa and Florence 
Reservations: 0039 0571 408 11 4
Reservations: 0039 0571 408 11 4 https://www.facebook.com/Il-Convio-Ristorante.../ 
The elegance and total Old-School respected sophistication is found at the lovely Vecchio Mercato
The elegance and total Old-School respected sophistication is found at the lovely Vecchio Mercatonear the famous actual Mercato in Florence, Italy, soley owned of the Capo, Luigi, who in addition owns the Tuscany Villa named Il Convio just mentioned! 
"You know, Florence is all about the Florentine steak that we are very proud of actually. We have many guests and we try to show the culture with the food and the song on Monday nights here at Vecchio Mercato," says Luigi, my personal friend about 5 years now. 
Luigi's passion is "playing the piano..." says the affable owner of Vecchio Mercato...you guessed it right across from the famous Central Mercato in Florence. "Here let me play for you..." and he plays "happy birthday." I start giggling. "Wait, I can play two songs..." and he plays a second beautiful ballad. Why only these two songs? "Because I love the piano and I love these songs and I wanted a piano in here and I wanted to say that I can play two songs." Although I wrote the passage above about 3 years now, I love the fact that a Capo loves a Piano so much that he actually learned two songs when he added a piano to his restaurant!
Me? I love the food and the music and the great funny company. Luigi is ALWAYS HONEST and Normal, you know a real person who loves to chat with you. You will love that restaurant trust me.
I love the photo here since it reminds me of my little baby, Matti at the age of 8, playing the piano! 
While Demetra is formed to as a compliment to the famous
Fullup Dance Club in Florence Italy only a couple of months now, sitting quietly above the famous club of 1958 its heavily covered cloth chairs and elegant soft hues of ivory and white with brown and soft orange linen napkins, has friendly formal and elegant service as well, yet a comfortable atmosphere prevails, maybe do to its playful persona of its club owners, Monica and Simone. However, the sophisticated quiet restaurant above is on its way to a degustation menu and Michelin status, of that I am sure!
During the fifties in Italy the night life and the club scene, as well as in America is a very social way to meet people, to be seen and to intregrate the culture of the era into everyday life, of which is was a Big Part of music, especially. The 1958 Club promotes Diversity since the family of Monica has entered the scene, buying the dance club in 1978, and adding the beautiful elegant restaurant above since only 2 months. https://www.fullupclub.com/demetra.htm
"Yes Phil Collins, Denzel Washington, they come and they are very big stars, too" says Guilian, "Yet my dream is to have the aura of the golden ages such as the Frank Sinatras and the Sophia Lorens and the Carlo Pontis, such as Francis Ford Coppola. Many times has Berlusconi dined here. " And as we spoke and I had a lovely glass of that sparkling Italian prosecco, a Arabian sheikh and I had a chat at the marbled 104 year old bar.
"The restaurant is only one in the entire Europe that is awarded the UNESCO HERITAGE SITE AWARD AS A RESTAURANT" says Guilian as to one of the reasons he loved it. 
https://www.ristorantesabatini.it/
"We are the only place in the world that specializes in Flambe cooking with the true and authentic process of Flambe at the table here at Sabatini. It is art form performed only with the highest quality of talent and only very few can ever perform it with grace and safety and showmanship." says the very qualified Capo.
"The Sabatini family already has the reputation of a solid respected character and the building is a protected fine arts site, my job is to present the service and the atmosphere along with the finest rare wines and champagne with the highest quaity of food to the plate. I have only been here 3 months and within a couple of more I am bringing on my entire team that I am creating to include the Head Michelin Star chef and his team of 3. My entire focus is on the real Italian hospitality of formal and friendly with impeccable service and discretion." says the very happy Capo as he twirls my Prosecco in my chilled glass and presents it to me. It is all about the show!
A very beautiful Italian guest shows how elegance is meant to be! It is about simplicity and grace. 
"Yes of course with us being very traditional, we have the Chianini Florentine steak from the very finest cuts we can find."
The talented waiter is careful to keep everybody safe while he performs the show! 
Here the garden room with its architectural beauty combined with nature. 
Tours 
from169€p/p
Says Ahmed, "I can bring you on the real exciting tours of Florence. You know people come to Florence to eat the food, of course, yet to experience the culture especially. Since I have been many places in the world, and born in Egypt, I know that cultures are different. For instance, one time I went to the Italy wine in Verona and met Russians. They bought $12,000.00 worth of wine in 30 minutes. They say, "I love it buy it now." That is Russian tourists. They love life. They see something they love. They buy it." he says laughing. I say that I know. I stayed at the Villa Franceschi http://www.villafranceschi.com/ The day before they opened Louis Vuitton in Venice. Marc Jacobs wanted my room the next day so I had to leave. The helicopter pad was occupied I guess. However, the night before I dined in the exquisite dining room with 5 Russians and their very chubby 17 year old. The entire night after the Verona wine event,which Antonio the Capo had brought them to, they ate much. The chubby kid ate nothing. They brought me a dessert tray of 3 cookies. I ate these. They brought the Russians a 3 tiered tray "high tea english style" tray of dessert cookies. 
When the 17 year old saw me eating the desserts, the adults brushed these away and ordered more wine. The "little" boy looks at me, grabs all the cookies from the three tiers and starts eating! I laughed and asked for more cookies. We kind of bonded in the sense I hope I made him feel included in the dinner since the other adults ignored him, and in the sense that I showed that it is acceptable to enjoy which one loves.
When the 17 year old saw me eating the desserts, the adults brushed these away and ordered more wine. The "little" boy looks at me, grabs all the cookies from the three tiers and starts eating! I laughed and asked for more cookies. We kind of bonded in the sense I hope I made him feel included in the dinner since the other adults ignored him, and in the sense that I showed that it is acceptable to enjoy which one loves."Yes, since each culture is different, it is important to let everybody have different tastes and when they ask questions to acknowledge their wants." says Ahmed.
"Actually in Russia, the kids are encouraged to eat tons of food since the fatter you are the more esteemed and weatlhy you are regarded."! says Ahmed. Nancy his assistant and I laugh. "That is the way with my Italian Grandmother, too, " she says laughing, "as a matter of fact when I call her and say I want to visit she never asks what time I arrive, instead she asks what do I want to eat! She assumes I will arrive it is just a matter of how much food she has prepared for me to eat." she says.
How poignant, sad and majestic is the reality of beauty...the statue of David,
Met the new director of Florence Tours Italy with us, today. His name is Ahmed and his great funny assistant is Nancy.
"Alright, I want you to add every tour we have here and Rome, "says Nancy when I first meet her. She is funny and delightful and most of all trustful and honest. "You have to meet my director, Ahmed." she says. And I finally meet him. He is very serious and very knowledgeable about his tours. They have a great private tour of Ufizzi for only $125.00 per person and if you bring more than 2, the 3rd on is only $40.00 per person in your group! (hint you can share like a fraternity group!).
Such innocence and fragility in his face! Hmm...he reminds me of someone, I can't put my finger! on it!
The famous Michelin Restaurant in Florence is located at 10 and 18 Borgo Pinti; reservations: 055 241341
Is the food good? I ask Soldano. "I hope so," he says quietly. His voice is very quiet and he is one of the most sincere and humble people you will ever have the pleasure of meeting, love going to each table personally and saying hi to the guests, taking the orders and having fun every night.
"That is my joy honestly. I am usually at La Giostra II since that restaurant my father made for me, and La Giostra is his restaurant. Now I do the recipes for both restaurants, yet my presence is almost always at the La Giostra II where yes I do play loud rock and roll every night. We play that music in both restaurants and ever since a lot of the music stars have become my friends. Yes, we have Michelin, yet they seem to love the difference between the music and the food and the atmosphere. Everyday I meet people from all around the world. I talk to the backpackers from America and the movie stars, and the music stars from America. The young people come in here and they love the music and they love that they can feel 100% comfortable in my restaurants. The music is my love and I dress that way with my taste every night. The restaurant is for the daily person who works and the Prince. It is a everybody restaurant and that is what my father taught me. He said, "Remember Soldano, the guest is the guest of your party that you are giving. Every night at the restaurant you have invited friends to come to a party. And that is why the music that I like I play and the food that I add to the table is the food I love." he says. 
055 241341 Borgo Pinti 10/18 Rosso https://www.facebook.com/ristorantelagiostra/"The guests vary from the 3 American girls that you met on the bus who said that they loved my restaurant, which is why you came here, to the Egyptian Prince who invited me 3 days to Egypt and flew me around in his helicopter. Which is amazing and I still wonder why he invited me!" he says. I say that it is his lovely person, his coolness and his great and lovely food that the Egyptian Prince probably wanted to steal recipes from! Ha ha ha. Yet totally a treat. https://www.instagram.com/lagiostrafirenze/?hl=it
have to meet the Soldano who does that, I said. 
Alright maybe you are a vegatarian! Yes they do have asparagus scrumptious items on the menu, and they present the plates with flair, and remember I said that it is a romantic restaurant which means that everybody needs to dress up when they chow down on the wild boar...just kidding! 
https://www.facebook.com/ristorantefirenzelamaremma
The cool sweet Capo of Maremma 
The traditional restaurant is softly lit at night and you can hear the musicians as they play on the Santa Croce Square if the doors are open, or the soft happy chatter of people from everywhere in the world, usually laughing at the Florentine Steak presentations! 
The Micheal Collins Pub in Florence Italy at Piazza della Signoria 30r.
"It's your local Pub in Florence!" says the young Irish owner of the famous Micheal Collins Irish Pub on the famous Piazza where you can stare at the Statue of David all day..."It is about drinking a good Irish pint of beer and meeting other international travellers, being a American Student drinking your first pint of beer ever at the age of 18, which is funny to watch how much they love that Guinness, and having a great time talking to the real local Florentines who appreciate the great selection of quality Irish beers that we have." 
And what self-respecting Irish Pub would be the same without the standard Wild and Crazy Irish people!
And what self-respecting Irish Pub would be the same without the standard Wild and Crazy Irish people! "My slogan for my famous Micheal Collins Irish Pub is to have the people know it as "The Local Pub in Florence" says Jimmy who is 1/2 Irish and 1/2 English and as fun and sweet as can a person be. "I worked here a total of 8 years and the last couple of years bought the Pub. I try to combine the students and the international tourists with the Steady Loyal Irish, English, American, Canadian, Australian and let's not forget the Kiwis, the New Zealanders. And the local Florentines are very important because they want to feel at home and welcome in the city that is literally their home." he says. "My team is international with a couple of the Florentine bartenders and a girl from Croatia and one used to be here from New Zealand. I want my team to be funny and friendly and talk to people and honestly that is why it is of interest to me since it keeps me in touch with the world too."
Besides watching it happen at Florence right in front of everybody, you can see the statue of David, people watch and drink the cheapest Guinness of any Pub in Florence right in the famous square. O and the pizzas, yes real pizzas are only 6.00euros! REAL PIZZAS 6.00 Euros people and they have chicken pizza! "And the nachos are very big and good too, don't forget the nachos!" says Jimmy.
To Book Directly at the most Romantic Candlelight Only Restaurant: http://www.ristoranteilpaiolo.it/prenotazione/
Ristorante Il Paiolo...via del Corso 42red
"My vision is to make my restaurant Michelin. It is very easy to work hard everyday with that goal. I am revamping the recipes and now they are 80% mine, along with the team, and at night we have 5 servers for such a tiny restaurant. Yet I want a good reputation and the only way to slowly move up the ranks is with hard work, attention to the guests and food, and a great attitude. 
That is my aim, to make the best traditional food from the kitchen, yet to keep the tradition of the woman who made it famous for 40 years. My promise to her." says Gulian. He is animated, young and talkative and I know that you will have a great time to lunch and dinner and most importantly the food is awesome!
That is my aim, to make the best traditional food from the kitchen, yet to keep the tradition of the woman who made it famous for 40 years. My promise to her." says Gulian. He is animated, young and talkative and I know that you will have a great time to lunch and dinner and most importantly the food is awesome! The traditional authentic recipes that Guilian has added from his mother's kitchen perhaps are given at the romantic tables with love. 
"I think that people should come here not because it is me but because of the way that I live and the way that I envision my restaurant. I want people to read that maybe I am 50 years old or 20 years old. Let the people guess. In the last year that I owned the restaurant I raised the Trip Advisor from 1,600 place to now about 160 ish place. That is important to me." Guilian says. He offer me the Ravioli di patate al tartufo nero which I am going to try and of course to take a picture of as the Japanese in the past often do! However being modern and having heard that it is more Chic today to hide and discover I am going to tell you of my lovely experience! Located at : Via del Corso 42, 055 215019 it is the "only restaurant on the street, only cafes or etc fashion is allowed here, I am the only restaurant which helps!" says the young owner Guilian. "And we do it all in a quiet way. We don't attack the people and even when you are sitting at the table we take care of you and we offer you very formal attentive service yet in a very friendly happy way and a family way."
one of my favorite quotes of Guilian:
"The Restaurant is Lit with Candles Only at Night"
Marco, the Capo, loves Truffles, and although it is added to the dishes of Osteria Cinghiale, it is a delicacy that only the finest restaurants of Florence can afford to carry on the menu. reservtions: http://www.cinghialebianco.com/it
"Today I have to rush, since the film people come to film the wild boar, yet you can come for some champagne later at the Osteria del Pavone, if you wish." says the gracious Marco as he rushes around preparing for the girl that eats a lot and the film crew! 
Located at Borgo San Japoco, 43r, with the new restaurant named, Osteria del Pavone on the alley side, is a favorite of mine...famous because of the or for Wild Boar. INDIRIZZO: Borgo San Iacopo, 43R
THE COOLEST APERITIVOS IN FLORENCE...kitsch 1 and try to find the hidden Kitsch 2, too!
And of course everybody loves the buffet at Kitsch 1 
"You know Martini sponsors me and gives us signs and brochures and especially cool DJ events, and it is a great collaboration. I know that when people see the name Martini it signifies respect and good quality and that is my place. Highest quality. I of course want my guests to have a fun night with the best possible food and drink. And music and yes itis true, sometimes we do dance on the tables.!"
Does the "IN" team really come to Kitsch? 
When I met with Fabio at Kitsch 2 on Wednesday the 12th, the Martini Liquour Group was sponsoring the event to promote the new Fuori Martini to promote Aperitivo Spritz. We had a couple of course and they are lovely. Fabio told me of the way that he is totally conscious of his guests and the quality of food at Kitsch. "I only allow meat that is farm raised in my buffets. I know that the animals are raised to roam freely in the farm lands and that it is with respect when I eat food on a plate, I respect that food. I only use about 5 to 7 meats every night on the buffet, yet each cow or pig is raised on a farm. And the fish we use is of the highest quality, too. In addition the pasta is biological. I care about my guests and the food here is of the highest quality. I am first a cook. I am as good of a cook in the restaurants in Florence that only serve lunch and dinner, yet my place is elegant, funky, renaissance style with a DJ and music and great mixologists that do the cocktails every night. I am proud to have Kitsch 1 and Kitsch 2." says Fabio. 
Great cocktails, great dancing with DJs and great highest food...all at Kitsch...number one in Florence the last 20 years to do aperitivos til 2.00am! 
Warning: ONLY the COOLEST IN CHILL GROUP of people who love to have fun and risk in life to meet new people, the Keeping up with the JONES's , the Double Doses of the Twins in Town and the Key people allowed at Kitsch...Ciao and o yes have a lovely day and a lovely night! 
JIMMYS Leathers...Florence Italy "The designs that we have are mine mostly and Sean, my brother. They are all original and I try to concentrate on the quality, feel, and I am famous for the colors. The new jackets that we have we carry in 15 colors. That is important since we are the only leather company that does that." says Jimmy. When I say that his store is becoming quite known around the world, Alex, his cousin says, "It is a brand, not a name. The name Jimmys is a brand that people around the world are starting to know like Louis Vuitton is branding the name Louis Vuitton." which actually is very true. Anyway the minute you walk into the stores I promise you that you shal say "O MY Gosh O my Gosh O MY GOSH it is beautiful." Jimmy has so many cousins and relatives working with him, that it is difficult or should I say impossible to have a conversation about leather that less it eventually reflects back to the owner, Jimmy himself.
They all love him and they all love and are totally proud of the leathers that they 100% design and tailor themselves. Each and every one of the pieces of leather whether it be the gorgeous leather coats that they have become famous for, or the soft leather bags...you will absolutely love the team and the selection...about 1,000 different furs and leathers in two locations at the San Lorenzo Mercato. The one repeating comment that my guests that shop at Jimmys leathers say is they had "so much fun with the fellows!" or "they were so much fun to buy leathers from!" a australian team told me. It is true. They are really nice. Plus the leather is GORGEOUS! "We tailor every piece to fit you. We can do just about any color and if you need something totally made to fit you it takes a couple of weeks, but we can ship anywhere in the world." says Jimmy.
They all love him and they all love and are totally proud of the leathers that they 100% design and tailor themselves. Each and every one of the pieces of leather whether it be the gorgeous leather coats that they have become famous for, or the soft leather bags...you will absolutely love the team and the selection...about 1,000 different furs and leathers in two locations at the San Lorenzo Mercato. The one repeating comment that my guests that shop at Jimmys leathers say is they had "so much fun with the fellows!" or "they were so much fun to buy leathers from!" a australian team told me. It is true. They are really nice. Plus the leather is GORGEOUS! "We tailor every piece to fit you. We can do just about any color and if you need something totally made to fit you it takes a couple of weeks, but we can ship anywhere in the world." says Jimmy.
Via Sant'Antonino, 80r, 50123 Firenze FI
Piazza San Lorenzo 2 
Jimmys Leathers Piazza San Lorenzo 2
The coolest addition that is 100% only Jimmys Collection is the attachable fur black cuffs that you can attach to any jacket. "I have a collar, too that you can attach. It gives the jacket a little more sophistication and elegance. You can wear the one you love, for instance, the green jacket that is very soft and fitted to the body and when you add the black fur cuffs on the wrists it gives it a little something." says Jimmy. I say it gives it that feel of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffanys! It is true. Gorgeous! Jimmy's brother above is the designer of the latest mid to long length men and womens' leather coats and although Jimmy does not let anyone photo his new styles, since he wants them exclusive, I can tell you that the leather melts in your hands, is super smooth and great huge collars...hint hint. 
Trattoria Armando Florence 
"I have had interns the last 10 years and I have these young talented people here about 1 month to 6 months. I take care of the housing for each. My mother loves to teach these young people since they have tons of energy and they absolutely love her." When I ask how her mother deals with the long hours of the kitchen, "Everyday my mother says, can I please come to work! and I say mama you can come at lunch or dinner because it is a long day. Yet she loves to come here all the time. It is amazing and it truly is a unique situation that we have in terms of women culinary owners and chefs." Since the Teatro House has moved 1 kilometer away, "We have less of the opera stars and the ballet house is gone. It is usual for the people to visit one day to do dinner, yet in the old times they came for one month to prepare for the opera and concerts and ballet. It would be nice to see the young stars of today come to visit to meet in the photos, the mentors of their youth." says Alessandra. You seriously have to see these people...it took me 15 minutes to calm down from all the energy and laughter they share with everyone.
"I have had interns the last 10 years and I have these young talented people here about 1 month to 6 months. I take care of the housing for each. My mother loves to teach these young people since they have tons of energy and they absolutely love her." When I ask how her mother deals with the long hours of the kitchen, "Everyday my mother says, can I please come to work! and I say mama you can come at lunch or dinner because it is a long day. Yet she loves to come here all the time. It is amazing and it truly is a unique situation that we have in terms of women culinary owners and chefs." Since the Teatro House has moved 1 kilometer away, "We have less of the opera stars and the ballet house is gone. It is usual for the people to visit one day to do dinner, yet in the old times they came for one month to prepare for the opera and concerts and ballet. It would be nice to see the young stars of today come to visit to meet in the photos, the mentors of their youth." says Alessandra. You seriously have to see these people...it took me 15 minutes to calm down from all the energy and laughter they share with everyone. "My father didn't help me because he didn't want me to do the job but my mother always in the kitchen had mixed feelings. To keep the restaurant yet how could a young woman do the job? Usually with the Italian restaurant it is a couple and my husband has another job and it is only me. I didn't think about it. It was a passion for me. It is the field of my life and I try hard and I have success at the end. I have grown up here." she says.
Although Alessandra's mother, Giovanna, speaks only Italian, as does the entire kitchen team, she and I had a funny non-verbal and verbal conversation. She said that when the famous ballet dancer came to the restaurant that he wanted to marry her. And I believe her...at least that is what I think she said! She is such a beautiful lady inside and outside as is her daughter. It is a elegant restaurant where you have a hidden sanctuary to enjoy a relaxed and private lunch and a intimate romantic dinner, unseen from passerbys. Or if you like to people-watch there is still two tables in the front reminiscent of the early days where you can do just that! 
It is as if I expect Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti to walk in the door! "When I am 8 years old I took the picture of my hero Georges Pretre, the famous French Conductor and I went to his concerts since the Teatro House of Florence at that time is only 200 meters from the restaurant." says Alessandra.
"I think the walls show the story of the Restaurant. It is 3 family generations and it is today to work in a family traditional restaurant one must know the history. We usually do a lot of work and to know that it is his. That in many ways it is a lot of sacrifice in a certain way. I was the Economic history at university. When my father got ill, I was 35 years old. He was going to give up the restaurant and I said let me come in and keep the tradition." The atmosphere at the restaurant is gracious and traditional. A must treat of Florence. On the walls we have such stars as Russian Ballet Dancer Rudolf Nureyev... to which Alessandra says, "Yes he came here to eat many times yet when the restaurant is closed he came to eat at my house." And that is only one of 100's of photos that adorn the famous restaurant's hallways...it is a look back in time and as of today the only actor is "Dustin Hoffman who came with his parents!" says Alessandra's mother, Giovanna Pieralli, the famous matriarch cook who brought her culinary talents to join the family when she at the age of 17 met Alessandra's father. "My grandfather, Armando, started the restaurant only in the front with meats and cheeses and wine. They only had a couple of tables..,and he bought the rest of the trattoria later and they made the restaurant." the elegance of the hidden restaurant is a safe landing place for the international stars of Teatro... 
The Lovely Private and Exquisite Restaurant in Florence named Trattoria Armando is Amazing for its Discreet hidden location and it's 60 years of traditional family recipes. However, wait before you say O another Florentine restaurant, it has the most special adornment of famous photos of musicians, opera stars and ballet performers that you will ever find except in the original Teatro Houses which of course no longer exist. Located at:Borgognissanti 140, 0039.055.217263
And of course we must talk about the romantically elegant restaurant's food, since it is a restaurant. I tell Francisco that when I enter the Napoleone, I first see it all and approach the bar for a cocktail, a light caffe and about 15 minutes later realize that I can actually dine here!
For instance on the menu they have a entire page of truffles, with a first course page of truffle dishes, and a main course page of truffle dishes that follows. Entire pages! Which is truly amazing.
"I truly focus on the food. The restaurant is beautiful, yet it's purpose is to have my guests have a good time and to enjoy and taste the food. Every item is fresh and the chefs are the original chefs, by the way. When I bought the restaurant, I kept the chefs! We want to serve the freshest fish that we can find, for instance in addition to the fact that it has always been known as a restaurant that has the finest cuts of the Florentine steaks. That is why people come from all around the world to dine here." says Francisco. They offer me to try the wild boar which I love, and the Merlot from Castello Ginori.
Okay below is my Wild Boar! My favorite in the world.
When I ask why they love the restaurant? "Because we love Dante!" says Luciano. And Mario? "The same." he says. "We're proud to see the vision that we created come to a reality. It is ultimately our design with the way we wanted to create something and the architect designed it for us. Coming to the table is special and we like to show off. We want to have fun and make you happy." he says. And Michelin? Is that a plan?
Mario laughs, "We hope to do Michelin in the future yes!" he says. 
"Yes, we have specialty of fish and honestly you can have a nice meal starting from 30.00 euros per person. If you want expensive bottle of wine the price could be 100.00 euros per person or more. Yet it is a restaurant that looks very expensive and is reasonable. I want everybody to come and enjoy the restaurant. Come have a Beatrice or Dante cocktail or a flamme bois of lamb for a special dinner." says Mario, with the help of my translator!
And guests having elegant dinner at Inferno. 
"My brother loves to show off and bring the flamme bois to the tables. The flames are high and we have a great banana dessert flamme bois, too. The cocktails have flames to some of those and since it is the INFERNO, we must keep the tradition of the name!" says Luciano. Does he do the flamme bois? "Only with the cocktails, I do." he says.
"The bag is great for the airlines, it is the perfect size, yet it is a little expensive, here let me show you all the compartments," says Stefano as he throws the stuffing out and shows me the soft leather. I LOVE THAT BAG.
"Here beautiful Kenya woman," he says as a couple from Kenya walk in and the woman, although a little sophisticated starts to giggle. You will laugh with them, trust me. They are fun. And after all isn't that why you come to Florence and on vacation? To have fun? "We both worked many years, at least 20 in the Florence leather market, and we worked with Jimmys, who I see on the site. Yet here is our baby. It is brand new. We have to bargain with people. There is too many leather places and we have the highest quality leather, yet we have fun with people. We don't want to rob you and we want you to tell your friends and tell your friends and tell your friends, and that is the way you grow a new business. You work real hard and long hours, you're honest and you bargain. When you are more established in a couple of years you can be a little more choosy, yet we know people have to buy from us and we work with you. We want to grow the business, not get rich overnight." says Stefano.
"I live in the most famous section of the world for leather, and that is Santa Croce, not the square, yet the city where the finest leather is produced." says Marcus. "We choose the finest leather and work with designers. We custom make the coats for you and ship these to you. We are trying to do our best with the highest quality and right now we are concentrating on showing off our baby store.!"
"Meet Marcus and Stefano," says the funny Capo, "That is the names we give ourselves since the tourists can't pronounce our names, we have adopted Italian ones," jokes Stefano.
O hey, at least they are honest! 
The Kenya woman whispers to me, "I'm a chemist and even in the winter in Kenya it is 20 degrees, yet I AM ALMOST CONVINCED TO BUY THE COAT!" she laughs and I say she should buy the airline bag and take it everywhere. "Hmm I never thought about buying a bag instead." she says. 
"The above jacket is leather cuffs and collars and we can make it in any colors. You know we bargain and say Okay I can do you a great deal and the Americans love it. They say, Okay make me a deal. Some people maybe are too serious, yet the ones that come in here come to have fun and of course take home a real Florentine leather." says Marcus.
"I love the ones with the hoods, and they are detachable and they are reversible, which is why they are a little more expensive, yet most people can do pretty good with us!" We do custom colors and custom made and only if you come into the store since we don't want to take your measurements over the internet." they laugh. Marcus and Stefano in their "baby" store. "Wait, wait, we need to dressup!" shouts Marcus, yet he lets me take the photo anyway. They are very fun and everybody stays and laughs and talks to them. "The Americans are the nicest. They always say, O I have to think about it, then they buy it and say, O what the hey." he says. (0039) 347 27 85550
"Come let me show you the downstairs," is how me and Laura bond! The "downstairs" is the cellar of the original Corbizzi Palace and is elegantly beautiful. The leather soft grey booths are so gorgeous and I keep oooing and aaaing. "Yes I love these and added these in January. I love the way that they blend with the original Palace walls. When we came here me and Claudio start taking down the plaster walls and discover the 1000 ad brick. It is so beautful, yet is flakes so we can't really have the exposed brick above the heads of people. We chose to keep the covered white above and yet to all sides and the wine cellar you can see and feel the original structure." she says. It is so cool that I believe that you can bring a tour group here to talk about the Palace and learn the history of the structure. "Yes, yet ultimately I want to tell of the fresh ingredients and to promote the families that we use that farm with care and don't mistreat the animals. The cows have a good life and aren't mistreated" he says and here is the wonderful cuts! O and should I mention eat the Tuscany food that is lovely! And fattening. Now I must go jogging! 
"We physically own the Corbizzi Palace," starts Claudio, who sits down with his very funny and gorgeous wife, Laura. "That is the reason here that we can give a family traditional Tuscany meal in a 1000AD palace. Most of Florence is owned by 10 families and the palace's are rented to other people at outrageous rents. They can't honestly afford to have family restaurants in these. Yet we can and many times people approach me, yet I love my mother and father who started the restaurant and I love my tradition of being a Florentine.
I want to give the best food. The only thing that me and Laura have done the last couple of years is add fish to the menu, making it a little more appealing to a certain sect, and redecorated. Yet, the fish is cooked in Tuscany style. Every item is from Tuscany. The wine, the recipes, the ingredients." He pauses and for some reason me and Laura laugh a lot! He adds, "That is the real reason that Italy has the best food. We have the best ingredients, especially here in Tuscany. The very best. And we use the best. You must try!" he says and of course the pasta was the best!
I want to give the best food. The only thing that me and Laura have done the last couple of years is add fish to the menu, making it a little more appealing to a certain sect, and redecorated. Yet, the fish is cooked in Tuscany style. Every item is from Tuscany. The wine, the recipes, the ingredients." He pauses and for some reason me and Laura laugh a lot! He adds, "That is the real reason that Italy has the best food. We have the best ingredients, especially here in Tuscany. The very best. And we use the best. You must try!" he says and of course the pasta was the best! The waiter, Valerio, brings me the wine of his choice and it is Vermentino. Everybody around the world knows that is MY FAVORITE one! How do they know !
Via S. Pier Maggiore, 8 0039055 214424
ZIO GIGI
via Folco Portinari 7 red. 
"What do the Americans want?" Raluca asks and I say that they want to know that you like them. Basically it gives everybody hope around the world to come to a city that has smiles and hospitality and that greets the tourists with real honesty, respect, and happiness. It gives people hope to be in Italy since everybody seems happy! "Yes I am happy truly to have fun with my guests and I have made many facebook friends from everywhere the last 10 years." says Raluca."I am out here saying hi to everybody and I tell my guests that they don't have to spend tons of money here. They can have a entire bottle of wine plus a HUGE PLATE OF pasta for under 20.00euros and if they don't plan on drinking the entire bottle themselves they can each spend about 13.00 euros for wine and pasta." The plates of pasta are HUGE and they look scrumptious! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Osteria-Zio-Gigi/1131906573617423
The fun kind Capo Gigi singing to his guests.
And here in Italy where vineyards are abundant a Capo can have his picture on his on wine! 
I am hungry just talking to him!
Via dei Michelozzi 9red www.trattorialacasalinga.it
Andrea
and the team! 
CINTO Cucina in Torre Restaurant is simply the best cut of meat in Tuscanyand do we have Tartar, the Classica at 100/200grams, Tartare con capperi di Salina e filetto, Tartare con pesto di pistacchi, (my favorite), Tartare in camicia e olio al tartufo, Tartare pomodori, crema di olive, A Plateau of 3 tartares each 100grams, you have the idea! 1/2 the menu is tartare! http://www.cucinaintorre.it/
"I am only 24 and have been here running the day to day operational section of the CINTO since 2013, which is 4 years. My father and socials make up my partners, yet my father is a Professor of Physics at the Institute of National Research here in Florence. He is VERY smart!" says Lorenzo as we sat down in his adorable very chic restaurant to talk about the difference of CINTO and the rest of Florence. "We don't do the Florentine Steak, and the Ribollita for example. We do use some of my mother's and grandmother's recipes in the traditional food we serve, yet it is all about the cut of the beef. I guess you could say we are famous for raw meat, the tartare and we are very good at it, trust me.!" he says. 
The cool showroom of total custom handmade shoes from the son, Matteo Caparrini who branched out of the long tradition of his family's 50 year legacy of making custom made leather shoes in Florence, Italy. "My father is excited yet not so happy since I am a very good leather expert and shoemaker and I left to start my own design and brand, the first one in my family to do that. I had to open my own leather factory, of me only, since my father just signed a exclusive contract with Valentino to do his shoes." says the young and totally enthusiastic Matteo who along with his partner, Marco, own the Lab_Shop concent store. If you want to order the shoes and you are physically in a foreign country you can only order the ones on my website. The custom ones you have to come into the store in Florence. I have my shoes in Hong Kong, too!" says Matteo. The website is : https://www.instagram.com/levillagesneakers/ https://www.facebook.com/leVillageFirenze/ https://levillage.it/shop/ 
Since the year's fashion shows are featuring sneakers of all kinds on the runways I say to Matteo that is why he chose a perfect time to showcase his first collection. The models will all want to wear evening wear long slinky dresses with his sneakers and bows and the men will want to accessorize with the gorgeous leather shoes. "Yes, I know. I am very happy about that. I am real proud of my first collection and the opening days here were crazy with people buying everything. Check it out on facebook!" he says and I do. Kind of sad I missed the party...I love to drink wine, eat aperitivos and wear cool comfy sneakers that make me look funky!
Still trying to find him? Call: 0039333 3695 002
http://barcucina.com/
"As far as having any say in the choices my chef makes to bring to the table, I eat his food!" laughs Matteo Mechelli,
The Restaurant Garga is famous for many things, most notably, from the Capo, Alessandro, is three items: the love of the art of Florence inherited from his Canadian artist and chef mother and famous Florentine artist and chef father, the combination of the culture of the international plates that Alessandro himself has since brought to the table(having worked 8 years in New York city), and the interaction of the guests with both his food and the ability and opportunity to become artists themselves!
"When my mother and father started out in 1971, they were butchers for 8 years. They had parties at the house and painted all the time and it might not seem to be creative to be a butcher, yet think about it!, who knows the quality of the meat and how to prepare it better than a butcher!" laughs Alessandro and it certainly makes sense.
"They decided to open a restaurant right here to incorporate their love of being entertainers and artists and their love of cooking. My mother brought her famous Canadian cheesecake to the Florentine people, yet coming from America, she also brought many famous international people that came because they heard of a restaurant where the chefs came from the kitchen after the dinners and cleared the big wooden tables and painted while the guests stayed and drank wine and talked about philosophy and the importance of art. Every night they would paint on the tables and when my father became sick we started a foundation at the local hospital where we gave some of his most important paintings to the exray department. Here while you are waiting for the technician instead of worrying about what is next you can enjoy the beauty of the art and the memories of it. That is important for me as well as for Garga. In my life the pleasure of cooking has brough many important people to let us meet and has brought many important memories. Art conjures up memories as well as the smell and taste of food," explains Alessandro.
When I ask him of his fondest memories of people that we would recognize he immediately says, "Definitely Jeff Bridges. He came here during the showing of his film, The Big Lebowski, which me and my father had gone together to see. He is exactly the way he is in the movies. The nicest and most down to earth person ever. He shows up and he is totally cool to sit and have a great time with. He sat with my father and his friend who has done many of the artistic pieces here and they talked for hours about life and philosophy and painting and we have stayed in touch all these years. He sent 2 of his best friends, one is Robin Coleman of the Gladiators and they came and chatted with us. They said that Jeff had told them to come and meet me that I am pretty famous in America! We have had many stars such as Robin Williams and Leonardo DiCaprio and Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft, all of which are the nicest people you can ever meet. I won't mention the ones who weren't," he says laughing. Ah People!
"I would say the way that me and my father are alike is that he loved to eat and make parties all the time and I love to eat, entertain and cook! Yet that is certainly the job of a chef, right? To entertain the guests. And since you asked me if I am nervous when I serve my food to the guests, the answer is yes, everytime. Especially when I make a new recipe, I sometimes hide in the kitchen if they sit in the room where I am cooking in the window and peek to see if they love my food. As a chef, it is a profession and we should be used to it, yet everytime I wait since the individual tastebuds are each unique, right? My plate, I hope, is beautifully presented to the guest, and I know that to me the food is ready to be tasted of the guest, yet since each person is different I do tend to be nervous each time. And I can tell if a person loves it. They taste first and a little smile comes on their face and they eat a couple of bites. Perhaps they sit back and talk a little about the food to the people at the table about the food, and they continue to eat.That is when I know I did my job!" he says. 
"My father always said that the plate is like your canvas. The food is your masterpiece of colors. I stay true to that inspiration. Every single dish has to have my approval before it comes from the kitchen to the guest. As if they are in a photo shoot! " Says Alessandro.
"You know, many people have asked me if I am happy with my life. The answer is yes and maybe. I have only known the life I have and I know that it is special and that I am priveleged to have had such famous parents. Yet I lived in a bubble of the art world of Florence! It is all that I have known and I hope that I bring the excellence that my mother and father have come to be known for to the table." he says humbly. I think of the Dan Fogleberg song, "the leader of the band," which is one of my favorite songs and memories of my father. 
located at: Via San Zanobi 33-R
located at: Via San Zanobi 33-R
"Of course people come to restaurants to eat, yet here they have a total experience of the atmosphere and the service and the artistic experience and history of each piece of art and finally the food. It is decorated from years of my mother and father and the last 5 years of my touches. It is as if you are in my home, instead of a perfect architectually designed restaurant. That, I feel, is why people love it. And I have continued the artistic tradition of my family with the tablecloths and the painting. Each guest is allowed to paint on their tables as I ready the food. When the dinner is finished, at the end of the month, we have a little contest and the winner receives a dinner for two from us. I, myself, am not a artist, yet I know the importance of continueing the tradition of the painting on the tables that my mother and father used to do that made the restaurant world famous."
"O and of course my mother has cooking classes, which you can reserve ahead with 3 classifications: up to 8 people where you all start the morning at 9am in the Mercato choosing the ingredients, and 8 to 16 people where they all go to the Mercato, yet the prepping here is divided into 2 groups, and finally the 16 and above groups where it is more a cooking demo of me and my mother and they have lunch! Every year the Smithsonian group comes here from Washingto DC and they do that class. Every class, of course, has the lunch included. Afterall, you have to try your own cooking, right!" he says laughing.
The two brothers from Albania, "the wild and crazy Albanians" says the talkative Zeno, the younger of the two, the older brother is Erion. "You saw me at the King Grizzly Pub", reminds Zeno, although I knew he worked there, I didn't know that he is the brother the older one told me about all the time. Last December I met Erion, who was thrilled to be opening his own Craft Biere with lots of different crafts on tap, yet he always said he had to talk to his brother too, his partner. And then when I went to chat with the friendly and knowledgeable bartender of 6 years at the King Grizzly pub, Zeno, I didn't know it was the same person! Now I met Zeno and I said "O you must be the brother everybody talks about!". 
"You know people drink a lot of beer in this city!" laughs Zeno, as he shows me the huge selection of craft draft beers from "countries around the world. Every week we have different beers. And yes I have tried all of the beers!" he says laughing. Well, you gotta try the product to know what it is ! They also have something fun on their website named Untapped where you can write your ratings of the beers! cool. "My little daughter is named Aurora!" says Zeno, and of course he has a beer for her too! 
"I think one of the things the international tourists and especially the Americans love is the high selection of the foreign craft beers, and of course although we have many Italian craft beers that the Italians come in to try they say they are always willing to try other countries beers too!" says Zeno. And Zeno? "I myself like the dark lagers." and he lets me try one. It is on tap tonight, the best dark lager I have ever tasted and make sure you run to that bar! December 6 is my sister's birthday so I have to wish her a beer birthday and she, too loves lagers!
"You know here it is about the beers! We don't have a kitchen and honestly there is so many aperitivos around us that once your done snacking and ready to get serious about drinking walk straight to us!" says Zeno. 
If you want to hear the chatter of real Florentine Italians and the Old School boys, you must come here on a Friday and Saturday night to experience the real Italian culture. Hint: tons of loud talking, affectionate yelling and lots of laughter. 
The cool funky fun of the traditional and elegant Acqua al 2, located at Via della Vigna Vecchia, 40/R.
Since 1978 the original Acqua al 2 has been in Florence and the last 33 years the local Florentines have flocked to it, yet now it includes tourists and the students who love to try the fantasy dishes of Mr. Innocenti. In 2000, Martin Gonzalez opened the Acqua Al 2 in San Diego, California and in 2010, Stefano's childhood friends, Ralph Lee and Ari Geidenson opened the internationally loved Florentine restaurant in Washington DC. We must ask if Mr. and Mrs. Trump have dined at the restaurant and that way we can all feel a little Florentine!
Along with the American Diner on Via Acqua right around the alley of the restaurant Acqua Al 2, the owners Valentine and Stefano also own the Dive all night famous Club THE BLOB...here a Friday night event...
Friday at 11:45 PM - 4 AM |
...the coolest Cuban bar around, right in between my buddys FELTRINELLI LEATHERS and JIMMYS LEATHERS.SABOR CUBANO...REAL LIVE DANCING CUBAN STYLE...
THE COOLEST VINTAGE BAR OUTSIDE MERCATO
You know that it is a 1920s real authentic Cuban bar, a cuban speakeasy where you can imagine Billy Holiday with her benefactors having a intimate meeting since the owner is totally Cuban...however, it is also ingenious. And seriously, a genius thought of the concept 1920s real Cuban clothing vintage style store upstairs where "everything is for sale." says the owner in a charming Cuban dialect of halting English. 
"WE HAVE LIVE MUSIC ON THURSDAYS...! where the Cuban girls dance, sing and fight in the Latin way,!" as he shows me the hilarious video, yet they have great music! "Every night I write Cuban music 5 hours here and my protege plays the music on the piano." he says. He shows me upstairs and I try hats on and ooo and aaa at the gorgeous vintage dresses. LOVED IT: 
From vintage Cuban rollerskates to derbys, which Lopez , the Cuban owner, gave me to sewing machine tailored dress patterns of the 1920s Cuban styles, you can find these upstairs, "where I thought, people work til 7.00pm or tourists come to a city for a couple of days and after visiting the Ufizzi Gallery they try to buy a dress but all the stores are closed, so at 8.00pm to 2.00am they can come to my concept Cuban bar and clothing store upstairs and buy a nice dinner dress, a nice men's suit to go our for the night or party all night here with me..I make great Mojitos, by the way," says the dashing Cuban Lopez. (ps. he does make great Mojitos of which I had a virgin Mojito, no alcohol please since I already had two wines at a non-descript no sign outside alley bar earlier...I take after my father...).
"Maybe we can say that my store is open from 11:00am to 19:00pm, which is 7:00pm, yet honestly usually I am here early and stay late since many tourists and guests, especially the 20 to 30 year olds want to come in after 18:00pm. If you come into the store and love something you can stay and buy til 21:00pm, if you want. I love my store and I collect so much. The shoes I have from the 1930s to the 1980s and some are new colored sneakers such as the Gucci. Every item is special and I hope people find something that they love." says Fabio as two young people age about 24 to 25 come in and buy some cool vintage. "We went shopping at Gucci today," says one of the youngsters who's name was Domenico, "We wanted a little modern and a little vintage to mix it up." They say laughing as they buy their clothes and go out to see the city. 
"The details is what makes a difference." says Domenico who takes one month to do his wine list, travels to the Verona famous wine event and tastes "at least 500 wines every year in 2 days. Of course you taste and spit the wine out or you would be very very very drunk!" he says laughing. "I used to be a professional handball player for Italy, yet at the age of 27 I decided I wanted to own my own restaurant and although I can cook, Matteo is a very good cook. I have two girls that follow my orders to every table and we make it professional, yet familiar." says Domenico who laughs a lot. 
"Okay the food. Let's see. We have pesce that is our specialty and we have Tuscany food. The wine is from all of Italy and the food Tuscany and a little Sicilian since my mother is from Sicily. We have octopus, sea bass and a couple of huge soup bowls full of mussels, clams, calamari, all seafood in broth for 2 people and that is named the GANZI. Which by the way the QUE'GANZI is named for a Italian slang which means it is a "cool restaurant. A special cool place to eat." 
Everybody knows what comfort food is, right? "Yes we come from California and it is our second day here in Florence and we eat here everyday!" says a young enthusiastic American couple today at lunch.
Later, Bettina, one of the two owners, says, "Yes it is true. Last night they came and ate the linguini and the wild boar and stayed and chatted with me over wine. And today at lunch I come in and see the same two people and they are sitting at the same table! They ordered different food, yet they said they loved the cooking. That is the way with Buzzino which has been here since 1848. In that time it is opposite the Medici palace which used to have real lions caged in the walls to show the prestige. That is why the street is named Via Dei Leoni" says Bettina. 
"I love wine. Tuscany alone has over 3,000 wines and here at the restaurant we have new ones every year. Yet we only have 30 wines a year. I choose from vineyards and festivals and wine invitations. You name it and I try it. I love the wine. You must tell me which one you prefer, " Bettina says as she has me try a traditional Chianti and a smoother softer one. I prefer the softer one. "Yes the Badilanti is a very good wine!" she says laughing. "You have very fine taste!" and I am afraid to ask how much it is! My mother always would say to me, "Emme if you have to ask one can not afford it." and I always said what if I am only curious? She would raise her eyebrows at me as if to say, Curious about how much it is? 
"You are either a food person or you're not. I am a food person. I love November at the restaurant since the old-school Florentines come in and they sit at night and talk for hours. It is quiet here from now to Christmas and it is nice to sit and have cheese and wine til the wee hours of the morning. The food that we serve you say is comfort food. It is true. It is simple traditional Italian food, yet it fills you up. It actually is the same food that almost 200 years ago they used to serve here. They would put the stewed beef with wine in the terracotta ovens at 5.00am and they would all go to work. They used to work very hard in those days, and at 12.00 lunch time the food would be ready. They would come back and all eat here in the kitchens. Allessandro was a good friend of my husband. We all owned the Trattoria 20 years since, and eventually only I am the other owner." she says. "Allessandro is the brother of the owner of Tre Merli, which I see on your site. They are both very different of course. The recipes that we use here are mine. I used to cook in the kitchen and now other's cook for us and use my recipes. I love to eat and sit with the people!" she says laughing. Me too! 
She gave me torricelli and pepeso, a dark meat stew to try. Can I say I am very fat plus 3 desserts, lemon tart, tiramisu, and a lovely cream one that I loved the most! 
The two brothers who make up Fratellini at the Lorenzo Mercato showroom are as different as night and day. One quiet and shy and one very creative. I usually deal with Elias since he is the creative one and talks all the time. They both have such beautiful bags and accessories at the Lorenzo Mercato that you keep falling in love with the next one and the next one and the next one...come see for yourself! Elias kept showing me the classic and traditional luxurious ones and his brother kept showing me the multi-colored snakeskin and patterns which I love!
Questa foto di Trattoria Roberto è offerta da TripAdvisor.
Questa foto di Trattoria Roberto è offerta da TripAdvisor.
"My name is Allessandro and he is my father, Roberto. We've owned the restaurant 41 years and I should say that in the kitchen my father is the boss and my mother is the second boss. My father is a better cook, but don't tell my mom I said that and in addition she only speaks Italian!" he says as we all sit down today to try some homecooked food that they prepared before lunch. 
Mine is a vegatarian casserole of rugala, broccoli, cauliflower, and artichokes inside. Yummy and healthy with red wine of Montepulciano. They ate the lovely pasta and the father prepared the famous Florentine Steak. Why have they had success 41 years and others not? "We have homemade food, everyday, of the highest quality 41 years, and my family comes from the Amalfi Coast. They know how to cook the fish!" he says. "...and we're cheap!"
Mine is a vegatarian casserole of rugala, broccoli, cauliflower, and artichokes inside. Yummy and healthy with red wine of Montepulciano. They ate the lovely pasta and the father prepared the famous Florentine Steak. Why have they had success 41 years and others not? "We have homemade food, everyday, of the highest quality 41 years, and my family comes from the Amalfi Coast. They know how to cook the fish!" he says. "...and we're cheap!" 
http://www.trattoriadellorto.com/
The Trattoria is very beautiful and totally hidden, you probably won't just wander down a alley to find it, therefore let me help you, it is located at: Via dell'Orto, 35/ A Telephone/reservations 055. 224 148
Questa foto di Trattoria dell'Orto è offerta da TripAdvisor.
Arturo is old school, about as old-school as you can get! The lovely aspect of the real Italian cuocos who also happen to be capos is that they have such great stories. Arturo was worried that the Italians couldn't read my English story on him and so I have a two fold story, English and Italian! 
"The Florentine steak is my specialty as is the meat of Florence. I use only traditional recipes and fresh products from Tuscany. I speak only a little English," says the adorable Capo and I say that is alright I speak a little Italian and we can talk like Reeses Pieces, a little Italian mixed with a little English! "You must try the food. As only when you try the wine and the food can you write about the quality." says the wise Capo. That is true and although my articles are about the Capos, when they ask if I want to eat I always say Yes! Hmm...I am as wise as Arturo! I love the gleaming dark elegance of the haunted atmosphere of the great Trattoria, please try and say hi to Arturo.
"You need to come into the restaurant tonight to try some of the vineyard wine that we produce..." says the nice and life loving Capo, and since I am invited to try his wines ...you know where I shall be tonight! 
Trattoria San Pierino and Trattoria Sant' Agostino of Florence "Alright ready, I am the owner of two restaurants, one is Trattoria Sant Agostino and the other is the newest one which is Trattoria San Pierino. The two unique things about each is that the Trattoria Sant Agostino, which is located steps from Santo Spirito Square is that we are the only restaurant in Florence that deep fries the Florentine Steak with Egg whites, and you have to call me a day before for lunch or early say about 12.00 to do dinner. It takes a while to marinate the sauce. Alright and the restaurant here is that it is the only place in Florence that has the farina flour from Ferrara Italy. A finest flour that makes the pizza very soft. The Florentines love the thin pizza and since I am a traditional Florentine I do too." says the very happy and young looking, Saverio. "I have been the capo here one month and at Trattoria Sant Agostino about 10 years." he says. "We participate in a couple of events such as the wine tastes and the food festival of one day that is named Triticum which is on 11.22. 2017 in Florence at Piazza Pier Vettori at the Palazzo Confesererceuti. We are showing how to make the piazza and of course you can eat it!" he says. Alright we shall.
http://www.trattoriasantagostino.com/
https://www.facebook.com/trattoriasantagostino/
Trattoria Sant' Agostino is located at via Sant' Agostino 23R, Florence, Italy 50125 Tel 055 281 995
....the charming rustic traditional Trattoria 1958 of Sant'Agostino and the modern Naples inspired Trattoria San Pierino both show the creative and inspiring side to the happy Capo, Saverio, who says, "I look young since I am always happy. I am never stressed. I love my new idea of great pizza at San Pierino and I love to try to do new things!" he says. 
https://www.facebook.com/TrattoriaSanPerino/ Via dell?Oriuolo 18/r, Florence, Italy 50123 tel 055 200 1225
Benvenuti all' OSTERIA DEL PORCELLINO
"Since I am here 6 days per week, and we are open 365 days a year, the one day that is my play day I always see the Tuscany country. Yesterday I went to Sienna, here let me show you." he says happily as he shows me the lovely pictures of his day in Sienna. "I always see different restaurants and visit Tuscany vineyards. I love that. And I enjoy eating quality food and yesterday ate steak in Sienna. The people that own the vineyards, and especially Frescobaldi are my personal friends. As you can see from my wine, I have almost every Frescobaldi wine that they offer!" says Alesandro.
I personally love the Frescobaldi wines and family. 
"I love white wines, especially the white wines of Tuscany. I am the person that chooses the wine for all the restaurants. My dad is young, yet he is retired and I am the one who runs both the Il Matti and the La Braceria. A new fish restaurant is opening soon too, and I will let you know when. The La Braceria is a very posh restaurant with only 35 seats and a must reservation every night. La Braceria
If you want a certain cut of beef you can request that one day ahead of time. And in addition, I would say that at La Braceria it is a very intimate romantic restaurant, where here at Il Matti it is a family restaurant." says Alesandro. http://www.labraceriadiscandicci.it/
If you want a certain cut of beef you can request that one day ahead of time. And in addition, I would say that at La Braceria it is a very intimate romantic restaurant, where here at Il Matti it is a family restaurant." says Alesandro. http://www.labraceriadiscandicci.it/The young capo, only 24, is a delight. "I spent 6 months in New York, and now I am back in Florence. I love the Americans and always talk at the tables with the guests. It is my passion.! " he says. 
The elegant , sophisticated beauty of Vincanto.
"The restaurant is set in a 15th century Palace and the tiny cocktail bar next door is a 11th Century Palace. We work with the beauty of the structures and the restaurant has a open garden in the back and two different staircases up to two different levels and rooms. The upstairs is private as is the gardens where you can have a special intimate dinner. At times we can have as many as 100 people here and I do it all myself. Of course I have runners help me, yet I wait on each and every table myself and talk to the guests. I don't use menus, since I know the special inventive items everyday, I am the one who deals with the highest quality fish everyday and know what the chef is having and I know the traditional Japanese menu that we have everyday. At first the Inventive Menu and the Japanese Menu were together. Yet I the new owner said that the Inventive menu isn't so inventive if it is the same everyday. So, now we have the everyday Japanese menu and we have the Inventive menu which is inventive new everyday." Let's just say it looks yummy!
Borgo degli Albizi, 17/r - 50122 Firenze -
055 289404
I first met the family that has owned Natalino in Firenze for 25 years about 3 years now. I interviewed Gabriele, the son, and the matriarch mother, Alessandra. Today sitting with honor at family table at lunch, I interviewed Laura, Alessandra's daughter and her nephew Alessandro, Gabriele's son. It is a funny treat and Laura makes you laugh a lot!
"It is my mother's restaurant since her and my father started it in 1993. I started working for her in 1995 at a early age. I have much fun here and I am happy that I do the restaurant. If I could have a choice of anything it would be to do Natalino since it makes me happy to have something that makes people proud to come to. It is difficult work and with my brother, Gabriele, of course we argue. Um, everyday!" she laughs good-naturedly. "Doesn't every brother and sister argue? See I am the type of person that asks my boss, who happens to be my mom, about every decision. Whether it is where to seat the important guest that is coming here for the first time, which wine we choose for the restaurant or if we should redecorate the tables with the glass tops...I always ask. Gabriele is the type that the next day you come into the restaurant we all have new wine glasses! I guess that is the difference!" Laura says laughing. 
"Although my mother looks like a little frail Italian Grandmother, she is the boss. She rules with how do you say? A iron fist in a velvet glove. She is the boss and she chooses all of the wine and all of the food that we serve. She speaks ONLY ITALIAN! and she wanders around the tables talking to the guests only if they speak Italian. We all speak english and talk to everybody. Everybody smiles and nods at her, yet they should know that the entire feel of the traditional Natalino is because of my mother, " says Laura with the utmost respect. "Hmm, let's ask Alessandro that question," she says when I ask if it is funny to work with her mom. "AAA, " starts out Alessandro, "is it always funny? Is it fun to work with my Grandmother? It can be." he says trailing and Laura and I laugh. "She is the boss," says Laura finishing his sentence. "I would say yes I hope so that it is a fun day since it is my life here. We are a simple people and a simple family. We try to be friendly with our guests and to be kind always with everybody. Yet we, me and my mother and brother, we are 3 different bosses and sometimes the heads have different ideas!" Okay got it! And the food?
It is a gorgeous place and a gorgeous location and a great people watcher place and of course we love to meet the Italians and eat great food...
It is a gorgeous place and a gorgeous location and a great people watcher place and of course we love to meet the Italians and eat great food... Near Il Barroccio V. Vigna Vecchia 31r
is a amazing 20+ year Tuscany kitchen that is homey and classic. The owner sometimes in the busy season has the help of the cuoco, yet in the little section as you enter is a computer on a small table and his handwritten checks for tables. It is amazing that on some days he is the cuoco and the waiter! How does he do all of it? "I am passionate about my life and my restaurant, young I think!, and you say I look shy yet I am not shy. I only look shy. I love to have guests to my home everyday for dinner. When you come here you are a guest in my house and of course when you come to my house, I cook the food!" he says. Yes however 30 to 50 people as guests everyday for 20 years that is a lot of people.
For Reservations click on the link
below or call: 055.627.109
It is named "the little restaurant that could," for a reason. "Guests say that when they come to eat at 6:45pm they end up staying and having a bottle of wine or two til 10:00pm. I love my guests, if they want dessert and they want another bottle of wine and they want to talk about Florence and Italy and Chianti wine, I let the guests stay!" he says. The huge picture of tons of bottles of wine on a cart dominates the tiny room's wall and I imagine that it is a subject of many of his guests questions. "Yes they always ask if that is a real picture and they want to know the story. Let's just say the Italians love Chianti as much as the tourists!" 
Giovanni has great "Italian Grandma" food as I love to name it. The kind my very Italian Grandma from Modena used to make for us everyday. "The people who come here usually know us since we are a little hidden from the tourist traffic. They come for a week in Florence and if you read the trip advisors, you can see that they come here everyday of the vacation. They say they feel like family and when they come and say, Giovanni make us something special, I go to the kitchen and cook dinner. That is every night. Every item is special and of course we have Florentine Steak and the Tuscany dishes yet it is my cooking and recipes. I hope that you bring me many lovely and fun guests," he says. I say yes that I do to!
The restaurant is charming and has a open glass kitchen with a very French Provincial look to it. "That is odd since we bought the restaurant and it is the way still that we bought it. However, we hope the year of 2017 to redecorate it and yes I want to do a French elegant look to the restaurant. Of course it is a Italian restaurant and all real homemade Tuscany food, yet I am French and I know how to decorate!" Lea is laughing, trying to help her little boy eat chocolate Easter eggs, and smiling at the twins all at the same time as the interview. Do they ever go out for elegant romantic dinners? I ask. "Um....no!" they both laugh. "We are too busy doing the restaurant, the babies, and when we go home we only do family time with each other." I guess at the moment they had enough romantic nights.!
"Aldo is the waiter and he and I am always with the people. My husband helps his cousin in the kitchen and they are the big cooks. Me and Aldo have real fun with the guests who are almost always tourists and it keeps us busy talking to that many people of different languages. I speak Italian and French and English and my husband speaks Italian and English and Albanian." She says. When I ask if they always ask for the Wild Boar?
"The special is the Florentine Steak and honestly people come here since it is only 1 kilo for 35.00euros for two people. That is why they come and we of course have the pasta with wild boar. The Americans love that. No I do not have Trippe since we do not eat Trippe why should the people that come here try it." she says. Um....YUM
"We had a Creative Aperitivo Group come here and ask to do a privato party. We made food for 60 people and expected that many.
That Saturday night about 250 people came since they promoted it on social media and the internet and they were standing outside and inside and at about midnight we ran out of all of our alcohol! People were yelling at me "WHERE'S THE FOOD!" And I kept saying that we thought only about 60 people would show up! Seriously. Yet 1/2 of the people didn't even pay since it is only me and my brother behind the bar and a girl helping and we just couldn't make it to everyone. And I was just learning how to make drinks. IT WAS INSANE! Trust me. Fun yes yet at the time JUST INSANE! Next time, I shall hire more people to help out with all the guests that come!"
That Saturday night about 250 people came since they promoted it on social media and the internet and they were standing outside and inside and at about midnight we ran out of all of our alcohol! People were yelling at me "WHERE'S THE FOOD!" And I kept saying that we thought only about 60 people would show up! Seriously. Yet 1/2 of the people didn't even pay since it is only me and my brother behind the bar and a girl helping and we just couldn't make it to everyone. And I was just learning how to make drinks. IT WAS INSANE! Trust me. Fun yes yet at the time JUST INSANE! Next time, I shall hire more people to help out with all the guests that come!"
The gorgeous cobblestoned Via Santo Spirito... 
"When I go to the table I am very honest with the guests. I say that I am still learning. Trust me you can't fake my inexperience, yet at the same time in the last 2 months I have become quite a good bartender!" says Alexander. "I come from a family that sets very high standards and I expect to set the same high standards. I didn't drink alcohol til now. Okay now I must taste the drinks to make sure that I am making the drinks right!" he says laughing. "Hmm...am I happy? Let's say that I am never satisfied. I am always trying to make better, yet I believe that I have a high quality place where friends can come and chill and spend a couple of hours drinking and socializing and having a good time. They come here and drink one drink and go to dinner and come back. In one week we shall have a entire new menu. Right now it is food from Beirut Lebanon, and France and Italy...let's say International. Yet now the last 4 days I have learned to cook since I just hired a new cook. I am learning new skills everyday!" he says laughing. "Mostly and honestly since I went back to Lebanon after 1 month and asked my friend who is one of the most sophisticated and experienced bartenders in the Beirut culture to teach me. And he had to teach me everything about bartending. And I learned silly things such as how to shake a shaker! Seriously. I had to learn it all. I jumped right in. I had to. I didn't have a choice. And now I am successful. I am happy and proud of what I have created." says the charming Alexander! 
You must come to chill and check out the fun and natural ambience of GOSH!
"I started the restaurant with my cousin when he is 20 and me 21. I know that I look young since I am young." the very sweet owner of Trattoria Lo Stracotto in Florence, Italy says when I say wow you look really young..."now I am 28. We've been here almost 7 years. When we first opened the restaurant I said to my cousin hey do you want to open a Tuscany restaurant with real traditional food that you can only find here? And he said yes. After looking everywhere in Florence we found the perfect location near the Duomo and the Central train station. From the 1st day when my grandmother came in the kitchen to teach us to cook, we've been giving our guests traditional Florentine cooking. It is all handmade. The first thing she taught us to cook is Florentine Steak and Florentine beef stew with pepper. Sometimes she comes in and tastes the food and she says O that needs a little less of that, or this add pepper. She is funny and we always do whatever she says to do!" Francesco says. 
| Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini, 17, reservations 055 2 30 2062 |
Here is the beauty of the Restaurant named Trattoria lo Stracotto..."that is a traditional restaurant that people know is homemade cooking. All done with the hand." Francesco says..."When we want to try a new dish we call my Grandmother and she comes and teaches us still today. We're all young here except for Mario he is Executive Chef in the kitchen...he is 50 okay he is old!"
The owner of Trattoria Lo Stracotto, Francesco with his friends.
door which translates to? If you can solve that riddle you can go eat here! 
I must also say that they are very smart as when I keep hinting after Stephano says,
I must also say that they are very smart as when I keep hinting after Stephano says, Stephano says and Andrea starts laughing again, "Yes we are crazy but professional."