We Survived the First Week!

The students brought the first week in Florence to a close by taking a guided walking tour across the Arno River, through the San Niccolò neighborhood, and up to Piazzale Michelangeo, a piazza that offers sweeping views of the city of Florence. I didn’t go along on the tour as I had too much work to do, but I plan to take this walk on my own soon, perhaps this weekend.

I left the school Friday around 5:00 and returned to my apartment, waiting until the trattorie in my neighborhood opened for dinner. I decided to have dinner at the little osteria right across from my apartment, Vini e Vecchi Sapori (which literally means “Wine and Old Tastes”). This time they actually let me in! (Last Saturday night I took the faculty there, but they wouldn’t give us a table, saying all were “reserved.”) As I sat at my table, right in the front by the window, I noticed that they don’t keep a wait list at this restaurant, nor do they encourage lines out front. If they can’t seat you, they just send you away!

I had a fabulous meal. I decided to do it the Italian way, so I started with a pasta dish, a wonderful gnocchi stuffed with gorgonzola and walnuts. My secondi course was an osso buco (literally means "bone hole"; this is a veal shank), perfectly cooked and complemented with mashed potatoes. And, of course, un bicchiere di vino rosso (a glass of red wine) washed everything down. I was actually honored when the owner himself delivered my pasta dish. That I was certainly not expecting as it doesn’t appear to the norm. Maybe I’m growing on that old curmudgeon after all!

Luckily I turned down dolce (dessert); you’ll see why in a minute. And when the cameriere (waiter) brought il mio conto (my bill), which came to 22 euros, he had crossed the total off and written in “18.” I guess that’s the good-neighbor discount! (And speaking of neighbors, here’s a photo of the owner of and the server at the osteria, along with Guilia, my neighbor, and her vicious guard dog, who literally raced toward the door of the osteria in search of a biscotti (cookie), which of course she was given immediately!)

When I returned to my apartment, I found a message on my cell phone from the same group of students who invited me out to dinner this past Wednesday evening. This time they were inviting me to have pizza with them and their landlady, Denila. I called and told them that I had already eaten but that I would love to join them for dessert. So I headed back out and walked over to La Campane Pizzeria (campane meaning “bells”), which is right off the Piazza San Ambrogia.
I was so excited to meet their landlady. You see, the six girls, all from DVC, who live in this apartment, which they affectionately call Casa Grande, have been raving about her all week. Prior to their arrival, Denila went above and beyond what’s expected of her to make the apartment comfortable for them. She stocked the bathrooms with shampoo, soap, blow dryers, and toilet paper; and she stocked the kitchen with pasta, sauce, and other items so that the girls could prepare meals the first week. And if that wasn’t enough, she greeted them like long-lost family when they arrived, and had some of her own family members waiting to help them carry their bags up the stairs. She then invited them all out to dinner Friday evening, and wanted them to be sure to include la loro professoressa (their professor).

When I arrived, she greeted me as warmly as she had the girls, as did her husband and her friend, who were also at the table. I immediately liked this woman! They were just finishing up their pizza; Danila poured me a glass of wine, and we all toasted one another. Then it was time to order dessert. Most of the girls ordered their very first panna cotta (cooked cream). I can tell you that it was a big hit!

The evening came too quickly to an end as we were all enjoying excellent conversation and Denila’s warm and giving personality. We left the pizzeria, walking back toward the Duomo. But it turned out that most of the girls weren’t going home – they were going in search of a disco! They actually asked if I wanted to come along, but I had to respond, “Sorry, girls, my disco days are behind me!”