As of yesterday, we are back in the yellow zone in Florence, joining the rest of Tuscany at last! Yippee! Now we who are lucky enough to call Firenze home, are able to travel anywhere within the city without carrying a document declaring who we are, where we live, and why we are away from our home should the authorities choose to question us. Freedom! At last!

I celebrated the day by going to my favorite locale, Piazzale Michelangelo, and then walking down through the city, starting at the Rose Garden. Here were the sights along the beautiful, gorgeous, beloved way!

• 

Sevres porcelain and Madame de Pompadour – a match made in heaven! This week I look into the love story between the Marquise and King Louis XV, and show how their relationship is reflected in the exquisite works of art created by the Sevres porcelain factory in the eighteenth century.

Firenze, the fascinating!