On Piazza San Paolino, not far from the basilica of Santa Mara Novella, sits a new establishment of hotel and restaurant in an old monastery.

https://www.25hours-hotels.com/en/hotels/florence/piazza-san-paolino?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5aWOBhDMARIsAIXLlkelqjdDhbZp-P1gHwxMd4ryPHl_EDQbfY8tWYx7M5g61eoy_JgCLnwaAiCjEALw_wcB

I’ve had a meal in both the main dining room and in the bar, and both were great. The atmosphere is really great. You feel like you are in Paris or Milan, but it’s Florence!

I rarely, but sometimes, buy jewelry from the posh stores on the Ponte Vecchio. But, when I did buy a necklace and bracelet recently, I was offered an amazing view from the back of the store, right on top of the Arno.

As the year winds down, I’ve had the chance to enjoy some great films. If you haven’t seen The Book Thief or The Best Offer, I can highly recommend them!

First, keep things in perspective:

On a walk up and over the hills behind my home in Florence:

Walking home through the Giardino Orticultura, I stop to admire the Pinocchio statue: