Random walks, part 2

I am often struck by the great holiday decorations.

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Along a street near the Bargello is this fabulous wedding store.  Two years ago, when I was living in Florence, I posted many pictures of wedding dresses on this blog.  Here’s today’s dress, with a white fur hat.  Love the hat!

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And even better than the wedding dress is this fabulous gown.

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Loved the storefront below because it is such a quintessential Florentine jewelry store, or gioielleria.  I love the font of the script.

 

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It was a fun walk!

 

 

 

 

 

Random walks in Florence

Out walking the streets today, I happened upon many interesting views.  I share them here in no particular order.

 

 

In the historic center I walked by this fascinating palazzo.  I love the sculpture on the facade.  Very unusual.

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Walked by this coffee shop (called a bar here), and made note of the fact that they have fresh, hot donuts everyday at 17:00, or 5 p.m.  Odd time to have hot donuts, it seems to me!  See the sign that says “Bomboloni” in the lower left.  That’s the clue!

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I’m tasting all the unusual soda flavors that Italians love.  Every supermarket I enter has an interesting array.  This was today’s foraging.  So far, I like the Freeda Lemon Soda the best.

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The street artists are always at work.  These two are not your average theme!

  1.  Santa Claus, American Style

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2. Italian saint, but with Santa’s hat.

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Hope your day was merry and bright as well!  Buon natale!

 

 

 

Joy to the world!

Buon natale a tutti al mondo!  The bells are ringing all day long in Florence!

 

Just for fun, here is a cool poster of a panetonni competition in Rome, to select the best artisanal panetonni.  I’m not a fan of the panetonni I’ve had from the usual sources around Italy, so maybe these artisanal types would be fun to try?  Chi sa?

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Updated art

In a beautiful, historical medieval and Renaissance town like Florence, how do you inject the new in harmony with the old?

Some architects, interior designers, and artists have found ways.  For example, I really admire these two interpretations of an age-old Florentine theme.  I’d be thrilled to have either of them in a Florentine home!

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The decked out streets with church bells.

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