Florence. Italy. 6.14.2014-6.17.2014. SLR. Film.

Pantheon & Piazza Navona. Rome. Italy. 6.10.2014-6.14.2014. SLR. Film.

Positano. Amalfi Coast. Italy. 6.8.2014. SLR. Film.

Basilica di Santa Croce. Florence. Italy. 6.16.2014.

Basilica di Santa Croce is home to the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, to name a few. It also houses a few Donatello sculptures.

Taceant colloquia. Effugiat risus. Hic locus est ubi mors gaudet succurrere vitae.

Il Duomo. Florence. Italy. 6.16.2014.

Petro Corsinio Florentiae Episcopo & Card. Ampliss. ob Familiae nobilitatem & eximias Animi sui dotes haec urbs opt. de se merito sepulcrum hoc.

Uffizi. Florence. Italy. 6.15.2014.

Uffizi has a room full of Botticellis, which is my favorite room. Everyone loves The Birth of venus, but my favorite work of his has always been La Primavera (my favorite composer is Antonio Vilvaldi and The Four Seasons has always been my favorite piece to play when I played in the orchestra, so maybe there is a theme...). If you go, I would say do not buy the advance tickets online. The fees are outrageous. Just go when they open or at 4PM to miss the crowd.

Palazzo Vecchio. Florence. Italy. 6.15.2014.

Osteria delle Belle Donne. Florence. Italy. 6.15.2014.

Classic Tuscan cuisine. Get the osso buco and the cheesecake. Unless you are a vegetarian and lactose intolerant...

Osteria delle Belle Donne
Via delle Belle Donne, 16
50123 Firenze
Italy
39.055.238.2609

Galleria dell'Accademia. Florence. Italy. 6.15.2014.

The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.
-Michelangelo

Galleria dell'Accademia

Michelangelo's David
Giambologna's original plaster for The Rape of the Sabines
Gipsoteca Bartolini

Picci Carousel. Piazza della Republica. Florence. Italy. 6.14.2014.

I got to ride on this antique carousel at Piazza della Republica. I recommend it for yourself.

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. Florence. Italy. 6.14.2014.

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella was founded in 1221 by Dominican friars. This must be one of the most beautiful perfume shops in the world. If you know of any other perfume shops with their own frescos in a monastery, please let me know.

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
Via della Scala, 16
50123 Firenze
Italy
39.055.216276

Ponte Vecchio. Florence. Italy. 6.14.2014.

Of all ridiculous things the most ridiculous seems to me, to be busy.
-Søren Aabye Kierkegaard

Dei Lanzi. Loggia. Piazza della Signoria. Florence. Italy. 6.14.2014.

The Rape of Polyxena
Pio Fedi 1865

Perseus Holding the Head of Medusa
Benvenuto Cellini 1554

Parade with drummers. Palazzo Vecchio. Florence. Italy. 6.14.2014.

I had no idea what was going on when this happened. Just that it's magical to stumble upon this. As you can tell from all my tales, I stumble upon a lot more random things than your average person. After some research on the internet, it may appear that this was a parade for The Calcio Storico Fiorentino. Go figure!

Trattoria ZàZà. Florence. Italy. 6.14.2014 & 6.15.2014.

We loved Trattoria ZàZà so much that we went back another night for dinner. Not a bad first meal in Florence! I got the ravioli with truffle sauce and the tiramisu the first time for lunch. The second time we started with the artichoke and I got the veal with porcini mushrooms with truffle sauce. The truffle menu is where it's at.

Trattoria ZàZà
Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 26
50123 Firenze
Italy
39.055.215411

Florence. Italy. 6.14.2014-6.17.2014.

This is where I stayed in Florence. It was such a great flat and super convenient to everything. Il Duomo was 5 minutes away on foot. Like all old buildings, you have to watch out for the water pressure. Unlike our flat in Rome, the temperature did not change. You just have to be patient with the water pressure if another in the building is using water.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/747741