Today is the day that I am finally reaching my goal of posting on my new YouTube channel. I’m joining the 21st century, better late than never. If this link doesn’t get you there, my new channel name is Get back Lauretta! which you can find here: www.youtube.com/@GetbackLauretta
My first vlog on Youtube shows scenes of Florence, both natural and man-made. I hope you will like it! I’m excited about the format: you can extend it to full screen for a much better viewing experience. It’s almost like being right here in Italy with me!
I plan to keep posting here as I love the format, but in time I’ll be moving primarily to YouTube. I sincerely hope you will join me there!
Buon ferragosto! Today is the Italian holiday officially kicking off the summer break, but most Italians are already on vacation!
Yikes! It’s hotter than Hades here again! I’m so looking forward to fall!
The only time I can enjoy being outside is first thing in the mornings. Even late in the evening is too hot to be pleasant for a walk. Today I wound up at the Sant’Ambrogio market, which is all but shut town for Ferragosto , the annual vacation month of August.
Figs are my favorite treat in August and September.
The Italian grapes are just now showing up in the market place. Previously they were imported and while good, they weren’t as good as these!
Inside the market building is almost deserted as well this month, but a couple of stalls are still open.
Walking home, I loved seeing this apple tree filled with fruit.
The pleasures of the season mixed with the heat! This is August in Florence!
A quick trip to neighboring Pisa is always a treat for me. Many people think the only thing to see there is the famous tower, but that isn’t correct. Pisa was heavily damaged during the Second World War, but I am here to argue that the city is nevertheless a vital place and that even much remains that can take us back to its medieval past. See the bottom of this post for info about war destruction in Pisa and the city’s subsequent rebuilding.
This is an excellent museum:
I highly recommend visiting this fine museum for any serious art lovers.
The 20th century history of Pisa is as tragic as it was seen as essential by the Allies:
High above the earth, research and writing goes on in our world’s finest institutions. I feel lucky to be living in Florence where I can brush elbows with the excellent if heady work that is going on at the Kunsthistoriches Institut. I attend as many of their presentations as I can as well as those by the Medici Archive project. I recently came across this study, which is very interesting indeed for someone who cut their art historical teeth on 19th century American marble (and bronze) sculpture.
I don’t know about you, but in the summer heat of Italy, the best place in the middle of the afternoon, when Italians traditionally disappear from public life for their daily pausa, you will find me in my air conditioned apartment reading. And I am so grateful for the plethora of excellent books available online. What a great time to be alive!
Here are some of the best of the best of my recent reading.
A great read. Kept me in suspense to the last page. Bravo!
Fabulous writing, incredible story, all based on painful truths. Highly recommend.
A sprawling saga, well drawn, recommend! There are worse things than having an estranged adult child as you will read in this book.
Edith Wharton is one of my favorite authors and I had not read this book before. I enjoyed it thoroughly. There are all kinds of parent/child relationships in humankind. This is a short study of one type.
An easy, light read. Sweet and summery.
By the same author, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, an uplifting book that is as charming as it title suggests. Honestly.
A prequel to the same author’s book, Long Island, about which I posted 2 book posts back. Enjoyable, light read.
The Dressmakers of London. I was sucked in immediately and could not stop until I finished it.
And Then She Was Gone. Recommend!
Fabulous novel.
First Born Girls by Bernice L. McFadden. Liked it a lot.
The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel. Tells a great story and educates the reader about the resistance in occupied France during WWII.
How does this view strike you?! It’s from a public library, a place I frequent frequently, in the heart of historic Firenze.
Here are 2 videos showing you a view of the lovely courtyard outside the entrance to the library complex.
The next 3 photos will tell you everything the Oblate wants you to know about itself.
Did you read above that the hospital, which is what the Oblate was founded as, was funded by Falco Portinari? Did that name ring a bell for you? He was the father of Beatrice, who was the muse for Dante’s Divine Comedy of course.
Portrait of Folco Portinari by Hans Memling, c. 1490
Below is just a quattrocento fresco depicting the Annunciation. You know, like you find in your average library anywhere in the world. Ha ha.
The Oblate has an excellent spaces for readers and researchers, as well as a fine little cafe for sustenance from all the hard thinking that goes on here. The open air loggia outside the cafe, where the views of the dome of the duomo are to be enjoyed, is without parallel in the city. Sigh. What a wonderful world!
On a day when we were blessed with a 10 degree drop in the temperatures, I went out for a long walk in one of my favorite Florentine neighborhoods. I adore the summer sound of cicadas, and they were out in force this day as you will hear!
There are many beautiful little villas lining this gorgeous boulevard in the Oltrarno. Here are some views and details.
The villa above is partially shielded from public view by a stand of bamboo.
Across the street are some art deco and art nouveau era villas.
I was impressed with this brave solo ivy vine climbing its way up a tree trunk. I like spunk wherever I find it!
I stopped and looked up where the loudest sound of cicadas chirring came from. It was a beautiful view with the sun hiding behind a white cumulus cloud for a brief moment.
There’s a school called Liceo Sacro Cuore (Sacred Heart High School) along the boulevard. I thought you would find it interesting that a student can get an American high school diploma here, according to the billboard.
Ad advertisement for the city painted on a sidewalk, complete with a QR code.
Soon, the dome of the duomo comes into view. It never ceases to impress.
There is a collection of bronze statuary along here, just where the boulevard reaches the Arno River. I’ll be danged if I know what message the sculptures are intended to convey.
How’s this for a beautiful little townhouse? I adore it!
And another palazzo with lovely decoration.
And, nearing home, after crossing the river I come upon my favorite grove of gigantic deciduous trees. The cicadas were very boisterous here as well!
I came home, happy to return to a/c and a good book after all the visual stimulation provided by this amazing city!
The wisteria is undergoing its second florescence of the season, and this remarkable specimen caught my eye when I walking down a narrow city street in the center. I am always charmed by the sight of buoyant nature living in connection with medieval architecture; it is such a contrast.
The engraved marble plaque below notes that Giuseppe Garibaldi stayed in this building on 22 October 1867. It doesn’t seem like the tourists who are crowded around the entrance to the building care a bit about that! They are looking at the menu posted for the restaurant called Osmo.
Down the street on which I live is this artisanal glass making enterprise. The ancient looking brown facade at the end of a long drive way is visible from the street.
I followed the driveway to the end and found this lovely building facade, that looks like a building that Ruskin would like.
To the right is the entrance to the shop.
I never cease to be entertained by the fact that I live within an enclave with streets named after some of Italy’s finest painters!
I was struck by the loveliness of this courtyard with magnolia trees and pretty paving stones. I like the way the iPhone camera handles the direct sunlight. Back in the days of film cameras, we did everything to avoid this kind of shot. But now I like it.
You see signs like this one all around the city. It says Vietato L’affissione, which mean, it’s forbidden to write graffiti or attach posters to the wall. This one is explicit: I’ve never seen a sign like this before that actually cites the precise penal code number.
Sitting on the bus, I noticed that this particular police station is blessed with an image its patron saint (not sure who, sorry). I come from America and I’m not used to religious figures associated with the police.
I see carabinieri vehicles often in the city, but this was a rare sighting of a van especially for the penitentiary. I shudder to think.
You find snack bars on every corner in Italy so you can get a coffee, but you also find vending machines for the same purpose, just in case you are in need of a quicker fix! This one was very interesting in its vast array of offerings. I saw it in Ferrara but added it here because it’s an wildcard among my pix.
I end with a pretty hibiscus blossom. In a city made of stone, it’s not often I happen upon such a pretty flower on its streets.
get back, lauretta! 
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