La Giostra & La Giostra II Florence Italy La 
Soldano is a real Prince from the lineage of Imperial Russia and the Grand Duke of Austria, and the very famous family of the Chianti Ruffino region. "Yes when we were young we had parties at the Palace which had maybe 1,200 people coming and the parties would last 3 days with my father cooking for his guests. He loved to give parties. Since we were a famous wine maker for 60 years we of course gave the real original Ruffino to the guests. I mean we owned the vineyards and it is easy to do that." he says. I became interested in opening a restaurant after my father approached my brother to be his partner. My brother was not interested and my father had to convince me to be his partner. He was my partner and my best friend. And he kept saying to me, Soldano why do you think a restaurant will be a success? And I had to convince him. I think it was his reputation for hospitality that drew the 100's of friends everyday from the first day to the restaurant. And since we do a great job with the food they kept coming back. Everyday I am busy the last 20 years and we opened the La Giostra 2 and we're busy everyday! Now it is the friends, the Italians, the tourists, the famous people, the politicians, and no not just my friends. If it is only my friends I would have to have a lot of friends to keep open every night!" he says laughing. 
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=
have to meet the Soldano who does that, I said. 
The Frijia Family of Ristorante Buca San Giovanni and Ristorante Le Carceri 
Alright time to loosen up. The website is always about the wine, the food, the bicycles, the places to stay in every city that I love and here as well. However, how about some celebrities and fun stories today.
Meet Sharon Stone! 
The three brothers, which I suggested they open a new restaurant named The Three Fratellos, are Giovanni, Vito (who runs the famous Le Carceri in Florence) and the funny and friendly always kind, Piero. Two are pictured here.
The location is: Piazza San Giovanni 8 reservations: 055 21 9151
The Beauty and Elegance of the Ristorante Buca San Giovanni is shown with the care that the three brothers, from Calabria, take with the ristorantes and the life that they have created. "It has been a long process. I always dreamed of being a chef. That is my love and when in Calabria, I took cooking classes at the professional Academy. We moved to Florence and we opened a couple of tand hotels. Finally in 1996, we bought the Buca San Giovanni." 
The Micheal Collins Irish Pub in Florence Italy at Piazza della Signoria 30r.(ps the statue of david)
PLUS YOU CAN DRINK TIL 2.00AM!
"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!
ALRIGHT IT IS SATURDAY NIGHT JUNE 8, KAREOKE 22.30PM TO 2.00AM,
THAT IS 10:30PM TO 2:00AM AMERICAN LANGUAGE, AT MICHEAL COLLINS PUB, DAVID STATUE SQUARE!
"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."
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." 
By the way, they have great chicken pizza and great nachos and "we just added very big burgers since a couple of months. The students have 3 days that they can have special prices with us, and they love the burgers.
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! " says Jimmy.
https://www.facebook.com/collins.firenze/
Actually everybody is welcome here. The students need a little help with the pricing, yet our beers are 6.50 euros a pint, the most expensive and 5.00 euros a pint the less, so tell everybody if they want to have fun, speak english if they are homesick and just want to meet cool people around the world to come to us," says Jimmy, the Irish kid in Florence!
https://www.facebook.com/collins.firenze/
Actually everybody is welcome here. The students need a little help with the pricing, yet our beers are 6.50 euros a pint, the most expensive and 5.00 euros a pint the less, so tell everybody if they want to have fun, speak english if they are homesick and just want to meet cool people around the world to come to us," says Jimmy, the Irish kid in Florence!While the Micheal Collins Irish Pub on the famous Piazza with the statue of David and Neptune in Florence is a great drinking and socialising pub in the summer on the outside garden, during the autumn and winter they have the basement music club open everyday with a variety of shows including open mic and kareoke!
WE HAVE GUEST BEER OF THE MONTH, NOW, TOO, SO COME ENJOY.
The Historic Le Carceri ristorante with its beauty and majesty set amoungst the history of the Republic Prison close to the majestic Sante Croce in a small alley known as the Isola delle Stinche and in the 14th century to the fall of the republic in 1530 the prisoners used to be kept there. Located at Piazza Madonna della Neve 3 yet maybe calling with reservations is better! 
055 24 7 9327 While at Le Carceri say hi to VITO!
055 24 7 9327 While at Le Carceri say hi to VITO!
"The coolest thing about the Le Carceri Pizzeria is the fact that we won the 3 star best pizza of the entire world award in 2019. The fact that it is the best pizza in Florence, well that is a given.
And of course, you said that you found the lovely courtyard 5 years ago and now you can add us!" laughs Piero talking about the ethereal restaurant in the middle of what used to be the old prison Florence used to keep prisoners! I told Piero one night very lost at midnight I finally found a magical place that seemed to be a dream! A courtyard, a old fortress with prison doors and in the middle elegantly dressed guests with long evening gowns drinking cocktails. A couple of years after I couldn't find it and thought maybe I had dreamed it! Last year, a Florentine said that I must be talking about the famous Carceri and I found it! The three brothers have a famous restaurant pizzeria in the middle of the courtyard and it is definitely worth the visit. Beware, though, since as Piero told me, "Last night on Friday we sold 300 pizzas! And it is a restaurant, too with typical Tuscany food. Yet the pizza is famous!"
And of course, you said that you found the lovely courtyard 5 years ago and now you can add us!" laughs Piero talking about the ethereal restaurant in the middle of what used to be the old prison Florence used to keep prisoners! I told Piero one night very lost at midnight I finally found a magical place that seemed to be a dream! A courtyard, a old fortress with prison doors and in the middle elegantly dressed guests with long evening gowns drinking cocktails. A couple of years after I couldn't find it and thought maybe I had dreamed it! Last year, a Florentine said that I must be talking about the famous Carceri and I found it! The three brothers have a famous restaurant pizzeria in the middle of the courtyard and it is definitely worth the visit. Beware, though, since as Piero told me, "Last night on Friday we sold 300 pizzas! And it is a restaurant, too with typical Tuscany food. Yet the pizza is famous!" 
Since the Pizzeria is actually a Pizzeria and Wine bar, you can expect the Le Carceri to have a great wine list and it doesn't disappoint with many to choose from My suggestion is a couple of pizzas and a huge plate of homemade pasta to share. Have fun!
http://www.iliopesca.it/
How about some raw sweet salmon for lunch! The freshest natural vegetables from the local mercatos combined with the highest quality of seafood, which as the owners of the first flagship store in Florence, you arrive with the number one picks of the day! And, you can ask the owners where they do catering of their fish at the local restaurants for fine dining at night in the city! 
Or with some great Chianti wine and Florentine Craft beer try the Hawaiian Tuna Classic. Tonno, riso basmati, avocados, edamame, goma wakame. Insalatiera e posate compostabili in eco plastica di mais e canna da zucchero.
"The showroom sits in the empire of Ferragamo, who owns the building, and the floor is 800 years old, the ceilings from the 12th century; it makes a perfect compliment to my age-old tradition of craftmanship of hand pressing with vegetable tanned leather. Each piece is handcrafted and even the tiniest piece of art, such as the leather photo albums, take at least 2 weeks to make. A person can come in and order the pool table, which is 100% custom made, and in 1 year have that beautiful pool table delivered to their door!" says the very charming and very protective owner of IO Arte and Lusso, Art and Luxury, of Flòrence. 
LUNGARNO ACCIAIOLI 78red
is the location of the elegant showroom.
The most beautiful restaurant, lined with 1895 books of law from the start of the Republic, is on the square of the Sante Croce. One of the three in the dynasty of the big Capo, Marco, the Director here is named Salvatore and is one of the kindest people that I have ever met. CASA TOSCANA is located at Via Giovanni da Verrazzano 3/5. https://www.trattoriacasatoscana.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ristoranteboccadama/
The sweetheart Rocco with his team, is just a couple of people that work for the Capo, Marco, who has family from the south of Italy. As a matter of fact most of the team of 20 years is from Puglia and Calibria. 
https://www.facebook.com/trattoriacasatoscana/
The very kind and decent Capo, Salvatore.
"Okay, honestly we have the best lasagna in Florence, and of course we have to have lasagna since the Americans love it!" says the friendly Capo Marco who says that "my 60 year old Florentine cook Luana with the Lasagna is off on Sundays so you have to chat with the young cooking team!" 
Outside table facing the beautiful Santa Maria Piazza, a gorgeous elegant, yet intimate tiny boutique wine bar and restaurant, and friendly very unassuming and very real nice team of VinCantoWine Bar, makes it the most popular destination in Florence. Here is my Capo and his favorite team of the swanky and yet fun intimate restaurant on the square. 
https://www.facebook.com/ristorantevincanto/
P.zza S. Maria Novella, 25 rosso
What do I love about the wine bar? The wine, of course, and if I have to eat, I want to eat something that I remember and talk about to my friends, hence VinCanto! 
"The VinCanto of the last 5 years has evolved to be in the top 5 of my favorite places to dine and wine in the world. The Capo is the sweetest and most honest andsays, "I recently eased out of my other socials in the 3 restaurants that I was part of and now I am only here. I can tell you that the festival in Verona of wine, I bought tons of new wines and sparkling wines and added these to my menu. I love to add and change the wine menu every year. The Name VinCanto is for that and the menu itself is the same. We have a great food menu of the region, with local dishes prepared exotically and expertly and I want to keep that. Yet the wine must change because actually I love to drink wine and that Festival is very good for me!" Warning, he is a cute and funny capo!
RESERVATIONS: 003 905 5 241 7 73
The day that we took the photos I laughed with the waitresses who showed me that the little alcove here with it's elegance and privacy is the favorite of the guests. I would imagine it to seem that way since it is cozy and fun to sit here. The little room that it is hidden in is very elegant, too, and it is my jewel that I found on the 3rd visit to Baldovino.
"Yes," says the sweet Capo, Massimo, "many of my guests say that they didn't know it is here and now they must eat in that room!"
The entire restaurant is decorated only with the eye and talent of Massimo and his wife, who blend colors and style with aplomb. Love that restaurant.
Now the second restaurant in Massimo's empire is named Francescano... here is the story of that..."Francescano 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."
"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
"The combination of the fresh and raw fish is seen here and is a famous platter of Baldovinos."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 chicBaldovino where you can find it. https://www.baldovinobistrot.com/ Via S. Giuseppe, 22R 
"I hire the talented chefs and let them do what they do best, along with suggestions from me, of course. I have a image in my mind of what I want my restaurant to be and I discuss with them this vision. And then they create. They're very good and I trust them." says Massimo. 
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. "We have the traditional Florentine steak at Francescano along with very old traditional recipes, yet I believe in addition to the food, the people come here because it is Old-School. They want a long respected Florentine Restaurant with a history of quality and discretion, and that is what you can find here.
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/
Via dei Vagellai 16R
houses the newset Tuscani 4.
And of course the Tuscani 2 which is located at via de’ Federighi.
"Every Tuscani restaurant has the same plates and you just happened to catch Alberto and Barbara and Giacomo and me, Gabriele, here at Tuscany 3 trying some new meat plates. Here have some wine," he says as all of them grab forks and ask me to try the gorgeously prepared meat, Thomas, the chef of Tuscani 3 has made for us. One could become really fat in here! 
Corte dei Pazzi, the Palace of Chianti Ruffino, where they do indeed have plenty of Chianti and plenty of real traditional Tuscany food,along with a VERY PROFESSIONAL team to serve you the enticing plates of Florence.
The motto of Corte dei Pazzi is Friendliness.
And the spirit of the Palazzo and the Graciousness of the aristocracy who used to live here is felt thoughout the lovely garden restaurant. Make sure you take a trip to the wine cellar, where Chianti is a plenty. 
"Lorenzo is off racing in his Italian Rally, you know he is a professional rally racer, right?" asks Cosimo today as we talked about the fun Mamma Mia. We love to make that sign of "MAMMA MIA" with our hands, the way the real Italians do. Cosimo laughs and does the gesture. I tell him that Lorenzo always sings the song, "Mamma Mia!" which is very different! Cosimo is a very professional Capo who has a lot of people that come in and ask for his suggestion with wine and pasta! Okay, let us try and ask what, today, we should eat on the Mamma Mia menu? 
I have known the family and especially Chiara, the 3rd generation daughter, 6 to 7 years now. As a matter of fact, Chiara and Cammmillo restaurant were my very first sponsors in Florence, Italy when I started the website. "The one item you must say about Cammillo is that we are very steeped in tradition and keeping the same recipes of my Grandmother since 50 years. You can find the same food that my mother has taught Salvatore, who came to us when he was 15 and he is now 57, to the recipes that my mother herself cooks everyday. Although I am the 4th generation, I wouldn't even change the beautiful pictures adorning the walls everywhere. I love the restaurant and the feel of the importance as you walk into it," says the very beautiful daughter, Vittoria. 
Borgo S. Jacopo, 57/r, 50125 Firenze 
As you can see, Cammillo is a very traditional restaurant, with the waiters themselves being here 37 and 30 years each respectively. The family is lovely and graceful and very aristocratic although when you walk into the historical restaurant that "doesn't even have a instagram, facebook or website to it after 65 years," as quoted from the 4th generation daughter, Vittoria,you feel as if at a real Italian home. 
"We have the same traditional dishes that we have always had. Some restaurants say that their clientele has changed for the worse? Not their story. Ours is different. We have every lunch the real nobility of Florence, the 3,000 euro Tailor who eats lunch with us everyday and designs the last 50 years the aristocracy of Florence; the everyday worker who comes here to eat lunch; the tourist who has a story of their mother and father eating here 20 years ago. You know, that is my guest. My guest can pay 35.00 euros and feel comfortable, satisfied with a family traditional table and meet the famous person who wants a couple of hours of normalcy in life next to them at the long picnic tables that we have inside." 
Salvatore, the famous tailor is eating his risotto. We have a funny lunch chat and I tell him that when my German Prince, Albert Thurn und Taxis asks me to marry him, I promise he can design my wedding dress..."You know, the famous people come to me because I am good. I am a artisan. The famous people come here because they want a original family meal. And when the tourists figure out where Coco is, they come too.!" he says..jpg)
So, basically, love the royalty or think their silly, you got to come and meet Gloria, the very sweet and shy and very normal, by the way, Capo of Coco Lezzone, who has met and wined and dined all of em! 
And everybody knows that Giorgio Armani is my favorite since I have been trying to woo him to do my script, "THE LIFE OF ALBERT" costume designs...sponsoring my movie of course! 
Okay! Not enough star power from us, you say? Gloria would say to differ. She is a down-to-earth person who inherited her lovely restaurant from a father she loved, as mine, and when I ask if she would sell the restaurant and move to Tahiti, for instance? "No Never. I LOVE my life and I love my restaurant." 
"Fabrizio, my best friend and head chef, came to my father about 33 years now. When my father passed away, he took on socio or as you say in America, partner. I love Fabizio and I love Claudio, my other partner and best friend. The other cooking helper is Dario in the kitchen and my son, Matteo. We are the team. Only us. It is perfect. We love to sit and talk to people and if we are talking drinking wine at your long table, never has any of the guests said, hey hurry up...where is my steak! IF we are too busy sharing stories, Fabrizio walks out of the kitchen and gives you his food. It is that way. That is life. Why do you such a hurry? Come to my house, Coco Lezzone, and rub elbows with Mr. Armani and while you are at it, enjoy life." says Gloria.
http://www.trattorialacasalinga.it/#!/main
Trattoria la Casalinga located at Via dei Michelozzi 9r, right on Santo Spirito Square.
reservations: 055 218 624
Since the young 3rd generation Capo, Andrea is actually my real friend, it is sometimes difficult to remember a funny nice evening conversation as a interview and write what we said! Tonight mostly talked about the family that has been here since 1963 and the warm casual laughter in the 3 rooms of the historical trattoria.
The most perfect provincial picnic in the region of the countryside of Italy has always been imagined by me, riding on a old fashioned italian bike in the hills with vineyards on both sides and a lovely dinner of pecorino and wine and pears dripping with honey.
I finally had that real Italian treat after 8 years at my friend, Andrea's restaurant named Trattoria la Casalinga, in Santo Spirito Square, Florence.
The rabbit dish is named Tagliatelle ai Sugo di Coniglio and it is a traditional Florentine entry.
"One vineyard of Chianti we loved too much and bought the entire 2012 bottles and since it is ours to own, Manuele and me have designed the labels," says Zeno as he shows me one of his two designs. They have 4 designs in total and the beautiful tree is the result of Zeno's drawing for a reserve of Chianti that the team of 3 at the Enoteca Cantina loved too much. I have seen two of Manuele's designs which are so exquisite if they ever had to make a living as artists they certainly can. 
Okay, here is how much fun and wine I had...from the "300 labels we have and about 4,000 wines,"(Zeno)...BRUNELLO Di Montalcino 1968 that the lovely Capo and his wife from Tuscany brought in, along with his gracious insistence of me drinking Tenuta del POGGIONE and CAMOSSI and a couple more reds and whites and a sparkling champagne. They were the best of the best and I had such a lovely afternoon with exquisite company and my first every taste of real Florentine Liver pate on carmalized italian homemade bread! YUM. "We started the Enoteca as Capos on the New Year's Eve of 2008 and celebrated 10 years on December 31,2018" 
The Decor...Cuban, the Music...Cuban, the Conversation Cuban...(if you know what I mean, enter!)
"At the height of its power, Sabatini had the unheard of respect of two Michelin Stars and that is my hope for the future. To bring the recognition that it deserves to the surface and to do it in my way," says Julian. 
https://www.ristorantesabatini.it/
"Dining at my restaurant is one of elegance and ease and for every table. I want to remember the 100 years of Sabatini culture and respect it and bring the modern presentation of the food to the present. It is a Unesco Heritage Site restaurant and the ONLY ONE in Europe that is allowed to do real flambe cooking at the table, and has the expertise." the new proud owner, Julian, of Sabatini Florence.
"Dining at my restaurant is one of elegance and ease and for every table. I want to remember the 100 years of Sabatini culture and respect it and bring the modern presentation of the food to the present. It is a Unesco Heritage Site restaurant and the ONLY ONE in Europe that is allowed to do real flambe cooking at the table, and has the expertise." the new proud owner, Julian, of Sabatini Florence.
"For me, Il Paiolo has always been my riskiest adventure in life, a romantic interlude!"
The Capo of Il Paiolo, who has added a bigger addition to the very intimate and packed restaurant is a young gentleman and entreprenuer named Julian. "I had graduated law school, the first in the family and had eaten at the restaurant everyday, it seemed and loved the 40 year old grandmother lady who owned it. One day she said that she is closing and refuses to sell it since she needs to remember the elegance of the tradition. I said that I wanted to buy it and I bought the restaurant. About 6 months later told my mother who wasn't willing to talk to me for awhile. Now she eats here all the time!" 
Vini E Vecchi Sapori, via dei Magazzini, 3R
"Yes, come here, it is a picture of my Grandfather and Grandmother when they opened over 60 years in Santo Spirito and 35 years now here at the location just about 50 meters from Piazza della Signoria, yes the famous one with the statue of David. We are a BIG family, 7 of us, brothers, mother and father and cousins that work in the tiny Osteria everyday," is the start of the conversation that I had with Tommaso, as he shows me the family pictures in the cozy alley Osteria. "My brother, GianLuca is the cook along with my Mama, Rosanna. My father loves to wander in the stores around the Osteria and talking to his friends and wanders in and out to talk to all the old-timers. And my brother, Enrico is with the guests, along with my cousins Massimo and Pasquale. And of course Gloria is with the kitchen help. We have fun, yes, yet sometimes with family...you always talk about the Restaurant both here and at home."
"Yes we need breaks," says cousin Pasquale and Enrico chimes in fast, "Yes, we need breaks a lot. We're always with each other." 
The restaurant is cozy and you most probably will have a conversation with someone sitting next to you, in addition to the people you come with! If you are solo, you shall meet new friends. I got kisses from the entire family! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vini-E-Vecchi-Sapori-Di-Costantini/153632174669937
Pasquale says,"We find the wild boar from the hunters and the wild rabbit and the guinea fowl, and I am a hunter of women." I ask him if wild women are on the menu? He laughs, "Only rabbit, fowl and of course the wild boar that the Americans love!"
Tommaso,"Ok, just to let you know that Pasquale is kidding. We buy the wild boar and the wild game from the farmers that are certified to accept these from the hunters. I love eat the food, however, I am a bad cook. At home, mama cooks for me and here mama and Gianluca cook." 
...chatting with Laura who is the lovely director the last 3 years and the Capo at the "sharing table" at La Menagere, I felt too much as if repeating myself again and again. I couldn't find the words to exclaim how sincerely and seriously beautiful and awe-inspiring the restaurant is. "That is truly because of the architects," says the shy Capo. "They designed the entire place to fit into the style of the very important noble family of, Ginori that aligns the street of the same name. The architects are from Florence, of course, http://www.q-bic.it/la-menagere-1896/," They designed here and the new project that the owners are involved in which is the Student Hotel of Florence. Angelo is the head Director of both and these days can be found at the gorgeous Student Hotel overseeing the Restaurants and Workspace that they have inside the Hotel. 
When you hit the pages of Vogue you should know that you have made it in the world! http://www.q-bic.it/la-menagere-1896/
"The food here is a mix of let's say International fusion with Italian recipes and Italian products. The chef is a Michelin one star and we are very lucky to have him as our head chef. Although we don't strive to be Michelin, we are too quirky and too varied, I believe and the utmost comfort and stimulation of the intellect for our guests is more importance for us, the fact that he can make Michelin quality and does is important for us," says Laura. https://www.facebook.com/lamenagerefirenze/
Now to talk about the new project which the Capos and Laura have said is a totally separate entity, yet one in which the same architects built and since it is to gorgeous and has the restaurants of the team inside it here it is: https://www.thestudenthotel.com/florence/it/
Alright the coffee machine looks like something out of James Bond movie and as I chat with Julian and Denis, about 15 Italians mosey in to have their daily espressos. "For us it is important to give the cafe a great reputation and that is why we try to do that with the best coffee. You might say, it is only a espresso, yet so many people start the day around the world with that ritual of a social moment with coffee." 
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/ 
"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.
"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...
"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. 
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! 
"The restaurant, Demetra is only a couple of months old and it is something we designed and thought about a long while, since it is above the famous FullUp Dance Club and since we are the first time open in the summer with the tiny, exquisite and elegant restaurant, Demetra, we spend much details on the presentation of the food. On the highest quality, with a special menu. A tiny menu of the most delicate and charming items, such as Tagliatelle al Ragu di Cinghiale, or Filetto di manzo al Chianti conn chipos di patate viole e sedano rapa alle due consistenze. https://www.fullupclub.com/
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/
"Come follow me," starts my tour with Monica being my tour guide through the VERY BIG Dance Club, FullUp, although open again in August 27, it is a maze of 3 rooms and a private room complete with its own intimate bar and DJ booth. "In here we do live music too. And it is available to do aperitivos in the room here and the room to the left of the smoking room." she says as I say how beautiful the club is. 
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!
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! 
Alright guess what the restaurant is famous about? That is right...eating the WILD BOAR? nope the famous Florentine Steak,
And here proves the fact that many love to eat the boar which the restaurant is famous of, yet the Florentine Steak will get you a photo so I guess if you want a picture on the facebook hall of fame, dress up, put on that makeup and ask to eat the Florentine Steak.
"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"
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.!"
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. 
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! 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!
"I always have a couple of proposals from Beer and Liquour companies that want to sponsor us to do the year. Now Martini and a Beer company sponsor Kitsch since we bring a lot of people to taste the items, and I must do a couple now to renew the year. They love us and we love the sponsors since they come and do events of music and such with us all the time." says Fabio and above is the Germain! 
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.
"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.
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 the Capo'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
"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.!"
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
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"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!
"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. 
"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 cool funky fun of the traditional and elegant Acqua al 2, located at Via della Vigna Vecchia, 40/R.
...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. 
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...).
"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!" 
