Some favorites

I'm not getting so lost anymore. I can now actually leave my apartment and end up at the place that I intended on visiting, without losing myself along the way. This is the first feeling that a city is little more manageable.
This morning, I met with the director of a school here in Firenze that teaches comic art. Amazing stuff these young people learn-and I had a meeting to show what little drawings I have brought with me to him. Although there are no positions now for teachers, he said there is always a chance and I also expressed interest in aiding as well...we'll see! Also, last night, I had dinner with Lorenzo, who is the man that I am renting my apartment from. He lives in the next building, a magnificently modern apartment with remnants of ancient architecture-their ceiling reflects the motifs and colors of the Duomo, but they have a dishwasher and glass doors seperating living room and kitchen. Windows are humongous, walls are lined with ancient stone, the family collects artifacts and art work. His wife cooked a cheese torte, along with zucchini fritti, a salad with beef seared only a minute or two, and a sweet torte made with cooked grapes on top. They drank no wine, but ate some bread along with this (mother and daughter talked of how fattening drinking wine at home can be). We were able to speak well, and Lorenzo is practicing his English. His wife works at the Uffizi, in the education department, as one who guides, teaches, facilitates groups of children that come in to learn (as well as other groups of adults, visitors, etc). She invited me to come along one or more of these educational tours and I plan on taking full advantage of her offer!!! After my dinner conversation with the family, I learned also that most of the gelateria's on my street are not great...that the really GOOD gelato (there is stuff better?!!!) is HAND MADE! I will go tomorrow. :)

My new favorite salad is inspired by my first meal with Sofia: mixed greens, avocado pieces, pepperoni, pomodorini (little tomatoes), corn (mais), carrots and drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper. So refreshing, so good, so incredible without vinegar!!!!!!!!! Also, I splurged and bought a sweet that is NOT gelato-a sicilian cannoli....which I ate with gusto as I sat in my apartment drawing yesterday. Delicious, and no aftertaste that I remember the cannoli in Boston had...shame on Mike's Pastry in the North End!!! Along with my descriptions of food (can you tell I love the stuff?) I'd also like to add that I visited the indoor Mercato Centrale today-which is housed in an ancient building, and yields many opportunities for the eye, mouth, fingers, nose...stalls full of fresh vegetables and fruit, dried nuts, fruit, mushrooms, marinating olives on the second floor, with all types of meat, cheese, dried pasta's and a few florists on the first floor. For the real cooks, coming here is cheaper and more fresh than any supermarket....but for me I just enjoying looking at the variety of sizes, textures, colors, parts of various beasts, etc.

Speaking of variety, I want to add a thought about fashion here. Everything goes-but goes perfectly. Everyone wears color. Shirts sparkle, often are asymmetrical, women wear those strange capri's that tie at the calf, with stiletto heals, men wear sandals and linen pants, with their shirts unbuttoned half way down. They love big, bright, impressive jewelry and never look they just threw some on...everything with intention without looking pretentious. Italian, at least, Florentine Italians have an air about them that boasts confidence-trim, wise, loud, colorful confidence.

I visited the main section of the Duomo today (there is also the long stair way climb to the huge dome and tower) for 20 minutes or so (I have time to come back later, which is helpful so that I can look a little every time). The outside of this church is filled with detail and design, but the inside is oddly empty- tall, many walls are bare, but the stained glass windows are incredible, and the cupola is on huge, faraway, magnificent frescoe. What is important today, or at least interesting to me, is that a small piece of marble (marmo) was being kicked around for several minutes. I noticed it, bent down and picked it up and realized that I had in my hand a piece of the floor of the duomo. I felt like I had found gold, and left with the tiny slice of grey blue marble in my hand, secret, precious, ancient. I don't need souvenirs bought from the vendors, I have this.

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