OUR NUTCRACKER COLLECTION - 19YEARS IN THE MAKING!

Some of our Nutcracker collection

No two Nutcrackers are identical and they each have their own personalities

Traditions have a funny way of sneaking up on you, I feel. Many years ago when my younger son F was celebrating his very first Christmas, my parents gave him and his older brother O, a beautiful nutcracker after we had been listening to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. The following year, they gave O & F another nutcracker for Christmas, and now 19 years later, they have given them one every year since, and as a family we have developed a wonderful Christmas tradition along the way! We have written the year under the base of each one, and no two are identical. Each year they make us laugh as they line up across the table to celebrate Christmas. Yearly we all repeat the same jokes - about the 'leanness'  of the year relating to the little nutcrackers or particularly skinny ones, or the success of the years relating to the fat/large ones. We each have our favourites, plus nick names for many of them, and they have now become part of the fabric of our family and a wonderful source of entertainment for us all. One day when O & F leave home we will split the collection, but whatever happens we will continue to add a new nutcracker each year. These 'little men' give us such delight for the 4 weeks they show their faces each year!  

Our Nutcrackers have become the only Christmas decoration we display each year as they have such visual impact!

They do actually crack nuts, with their movable mouth, but we rarely use them for this purpose!

This centre Nutcracker is our 2011 addition - our 19th one!! My favourite is on the left of this photo

I love a sparkle!

A FEW FAVOURITE PLACES TO EAT & DRINK IN FLORENCE

We were recently running a conference in Florence, and after many visits there over the years we have a few favourite places we visit to eat & drink.  

Life is too short for ordinary food ..... 

Choosing favourite places to eat & drink in any city is a very subjective thing - not just because the writer has particular preferences for food, interior decor & mood of a place, but also because one may have struck a place on a particularly good/bad occasion or chosen particularly well/badly from the menu. So listing the places I enjoy frequenting when we are in Florence means I am putting my neck out, but I am doing it anyway! My preference is always for good honest local food with simple but efficient service, as opposed to silver service - so these places are lovely, but certainly not glamorous. 

A delightful wine bar 
LE VOLPE E L'UVA (the fox & the grape) Piazza dei Rossi 

Whether you are a wine expert or novice you will enjoy sitting at the bar in this atmospheric enotecca which is situated between the Ponte Vecchio and the Pitti Palace. The sommeliers have collected a large variety of mostly Italian wines which are available by the glass, and together with a plate of local cheese and meats it is a perfect spot for a light lunch or dinner. We love that it attracts a local crowd who the friendly staff seem to know, so you don't feel like a tourist even though right in the midst of tourist central.   

Photo from www.levolpeeluva.com

A wonderful Panini Bar

DA'VINATTIERI Via Santa Margherita 4r  Conveniently located under a medieval vault in case of inclement weather, this tiny hole in the wall has exterior stools for seating. It sells very simple, local food - a good selection of panini and a few choices of bean/pasta dishes washed down with local wines by the glass. Fabulous for a short break in a tourist's busy day, but one that will reinvigorate you to continue the impossible task of seeing all that Florence has to offer. (A beautiful traditional leather shop is opposite - he hand crafts superb leather boxes by moulding them over timber blocks, so be sure to check it out also.)

A great bread shop 

CANTINETTA DEI VERRAZZANO Via Dei Tavolini 18/20R Not all Italian bread shops are created equal,  so make sure you go to the best! This one offers a very good cup of coffee, either standing at a beautiful marble bar or seated at tiny tables, many varieties of bread/tarts/cakes in the bread shop, or a small restaurant for a quick meal - but my favourite is the delectable seasonal foccacia served directly from the oven. It is a wonderful pit stop in the middle of the day, or simply a great place to buy fabulous bread for your meal.

Photo from www.verrazzano.com

A lovely restaurant to enjoy an intimate dinner

ORA D'ARIA Via dei Georgofili 11R

Located opposite the old jail, the name colloquially means 'hour of the air' and refers to an inmate's one hour of daily exercise time. In contrast to many of the traditional eating places in Florence, the menu at Ora D'Aria is modern and innovative. We find the environment quiet, and the decor contemporary and stylish - particularly the wonderful view of the open kitchen - it is a place worth luxuriating for awhile. A few weeks ago I read that Ora D'Aria received its first Michelin star, so if you are a foodie, then it is worth visiting for this.

A lovely (if noisy)Trattoria  
RISTORANTE IL LATINI 6r (Palazzo Rucellai) 50123 Firenze tel (+39) 055210916

We like this place even though I am warning you it is noisy, busy and can be quite raucous. The food is Tuscan favourites, served in good portions by happy waiters who like a chat. Rustic traditional food rules the menu and there is a good choice of options. The house wine served in chianti bottles is reasonable and well priced. 

Photo from www.illatini.com

A rustic Tuscan Trattoria
TRATTORIA ANGIOLINO Via Santo Spirito 36/R Recently we were lucky enough to coincide our Florentine visit with a good friend of mine from Sydney, and this is the place we all went for a lovely Tuscan meal of good pasta and vegetables. I know the place is known for its Bistecca Fiorentina, but I love the vegetables or a simple pasta dish, as a huge chunk of meat is rarely my thing. A traditional Tuscan menu and rustic simple tablecloths add to the simplicity of this place. 

Fabulous Gelateria

GROM Via del Campanile (and many other places in Italy as due to a fabulous product their popularity is spreading rapidly). There will be little disagreement with this choice as many people rate this Gelateria very highly. Inspired by the slow food movement, the gelati in this establishment is made with fresh seasonal fruits, no colorings or artificial additives and a host of other high ingredients. Flavours vary with seasons but are always interesting exciting and some of the most wonderfully intense tastes you can have. Queues can be very long but it is absolutely worth waiting for! At the same price as other ordinary establishments, why go anywhere else?  http://www.grom.it/eng/index.php

If you have some other places that you love to visit send me an email - I would love to try some of your recommendations.

Food Markets in Italy

I am back in Italy for work and as always, it is wonderful to be here. One of the first things we always do, no matter which Italian city we arrive in, is to take an early morning walk to the local food markets. A fix of local produce always satisfies - the gorgeous looking fruit that is every bit as tasty as it appears, the fabulous array of cheese, in particular Buffalo Mozzarella which is undoubtedly my favourite, and the wonderful prosciutto and meats - all these things are definitely on my shopping list. Food markets in any city are some of the best places to wander, not just to see the produce but to also engage in the local life, as unlike the major monuments, churches and museums, markets always have more locals than tourists. 

And as a Designer, I do love this amazing attention to detail in regards to presentation! How beautiful do these food products look! I mean it is only lentils/dried beans/paprika etc but they look like something an artist would paint masterpieces with. Presenting spices with artfully cut pyramid shapes, or figs with beautiful leaves to separate them so that each individual one is special - it makes food an art form and eating an event. I think this is so integral to the Italian way of life and I feel goes a long way to negating the whole concept of fast food, over eating and long term cold storage of produce. 


Some of the Food Markets to visit in major Italian cities are
Rome: Campo dei Fiori - Piazza Campa de' Fiori - morning fruit veg & flower markets
Florence: San Lorenzo Market - Piazza S. Lorenzo to Via dell'Ariento, around Basillica San Lorenzo, & Sant' Ambrogio Piazza Ghiberti and Piazza Sant'Ambrogio, the market is both indoor and outdoor - smaller than San Lorenzo but probably more local customers 
Venice: Rialto Food Markets amazing Fish Fruit and Meat (previously mentioned on this blog)

MY FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO IN VENICE

I truly do love visiting this magnificent city. Visually it is as though time has had little impact upon it, and if one was to ignore current day fashions, you could almost feel you were visiting several centuries ago. I have a number of favourite things which I love to do each and every time I visit.

1. My all time favourite thing is to wander among the small calle (streets) and get lost in the magic this city has to offer. The true essence of Venice is found not in the main well trodden paths, but in the tiny streets where every day life carries on despite the hordes of tourists who descend upon the city daily. The labyrinth of streets initially seems daunting, that is, until you surrender to the pleasure of getting lost and discovering the delights off the beaten path.

2. Vaporetto #1. Take the #1 vaporetto from the station the whole way down the Grand Canal for one of the most captivatingly beautiful public transport rides one could experience. Try to score a seat in the front and soak in the spectacular architecture of the palazzo that line the canal. Once you have been in Venice for a few days you realise it is more pleasurable to walk than ride the vaporetto, but this trip is certainly an exception.

3. Bascilica San Marco - The Basilica, consecrated in 1094, is a spectacular display of the power of the Catholic church in Byzantine time. The gold, glass & marble mosaics gleam in the low light & the intricatly designed marble undulating floor is testimony to the fact that it is not built on solid ground. Enter through the door on the left rather than the main entrance - it is more peaceful & solemn.

4. Piazza San Marco This Piazza, is simultaneously vast and intimate. The scale and majesty of this "enclosed" space evokes the feeling of a very grand room. My advice is to visit in the evening when the throngs of tourists have dissipated and peace descends upon it. The surrounding architecture makes this a truly elegant and regal place to practice the Italian art of "passegiatta" - promenading around a magnificent square.

5. The Peggy Guggenheim museum. I love visiting this small and intimate museum of modern art. Located in Peggy Guggenheim's former home, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni on the Grand Canal, it is collection of her own pieces which she accumulated in the first half of the 20th century. It comprises works by Max Ernst (to whom she was married), Piet Mondrian, Georges Braque, Salvador Dali and Constantin Brancus, to name a few. Much of the art was collected as Hitler ravaged Europe and her autobiography is amazing for its unconventional and privileged lifestyle. Whether you are a fan of modern art or not, the Palazzo and its beautiful calm gardens are a wonderful respite from the crowds and you can easily relax here for several hours.

6. The secret tour of the Doges Palace. This tour, taken by a very knowledgable guide takes you behind the beautiful facade of the palacial Doges palace and into the bowes of the gaol that housed prisoners for centuries. The guide explains how the Doge and aristocracy of ancient Venice ruled the Republic through a combination of elaborate monarchic pomp and a republican constitution. Tickets can be pre booked by arriving to the ticket office in the Doges Palace http://www.venice-museum.com/secrets1.html

7. Visit the Rialto Food Markets. 6 Days a week, set on the backdrop of the Grand Canal, the restaurant owners and home owners of Venice shop in Erberia Food market for their fruit and Vegetables and the Pescheria for their fresh fish, calamari, octopus and prawns. It all begins early and ends around midday, so arrive early and wander around for a visual feast. Not only is the product so fresh it's almost jumping, but you will also get to experience a slice of the real Venice. When things start to slow down around midday, and you do not have a kitchen to cook in, just drop in to "Pronto Pesce Pronto" (directly opposite the fish market in the same street) - a small counter service fish cafe which serves an array of wonderful cooked seafood dishes and wine by the glass. The prices are good, plus the food is directly from the market so beautifully fresh and it is a local haunt of many of the market stall holders.

8. Take the elevator to the top of the Campanile in San Marco. The perspective you get from the top of the campanile can not be gained from any other vantage point in Venice. The view is one of terracotta intermingled with water - a scene that would be hard to replicate elsewhere! And into the bargain you don't even have to climb any stairs. This is preferable to do on a bright sunny day, either early or at sunset. You won't be disappointed.

  

9. Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Established by a group of wealthy Venetians philanthropists in 1478, Tintoretto was commissioned in 1564 to adorn the walls of this major guild. The result is large spectacular artworks depicting scenes from the New Testament, largely considered to be his best works. The scale, immense detail and use of colour to create intensity must be seen.

10. An atmospheric Venetian wine bar to have a few glasses of locally produced wines. This is always on my agenda when I visit as the local wines are delightful and I love to consume them in the same places as the locals go. Coupled together with a few pieces of Cichetti - a variety of small freshly made snacks - it is a lovely way to pass some time. There are numerous bar to go to, but a few of my favourites are Alla Botte in Calle della Bissa 5482 San Marco and Al Marca San Polo 213. The other drink definitely worth trying is a "spritz con aperol" - a fabulous orange colour, it is a mix of Prosecco, soda and aperol - slightly bitter and very Venetian.