The Joys of Food in Florence

As many of you already know, I spent my spring break split between Florence, Italy and the Canary Islands (Fuerteventura and Tenerife), Spain. It was a magnificent 10 days – I don’t think I’ve ever been so overcome with gratitude and joy – filled with new flavors, internationally famed art, and laughter with people I care about. You probably care most about the flavors, though, and I didn’t eat out of the house at all while in the Canaries. So here are my favorite restaurants of Florence, in no particular order:

1. Fratellini in Firenze - This isn’t so much a restaurant as it is a literal hole-in-the-wall sandwich stand. It was recommended to me by the Italian student I sat next to on the plane (while we spoke to each other in broken Spanish), and he did not disappoint. It serves exclusively small sandwiches with stuffings that range from fresh mozzarella to fresh sausage – each boasting an unmatchable freshness. All sandwiches are 2.50 euros, so for the price and size I recommend getting two. I should also mention that they offer glasses of wine for around the same price. Great for a walking snack while exploring the city.

image courtesy of http://blog.studentsville.it/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/italia_cpd1y.T0.jpg

2. Vivoli - Nothing says “Italy” quite like gelato, and this hidden gem has been acknowledged as the best since the 1930s. I am telling you, as someone with a sensitive stomach and aversion to excessive dairy, do not miss this. Portions are great, flavors are better, and the prices are totally reasonable. I split my bowl between scoops of hazelnut and coffe, and honestly had to ask my travel companions for help finishing the whole thing. The only weird thing about the setup is that you pay first for the size you want at a separate counter, and then bring your ticket to the gelato section with your flavor requests.

3. Parione – This is where we had our “nice dinner” out for the weekend, by the recommendation of my friend’s uncle. I can’t say enough good things about the service, food, and wine. After speaking with the owner about the restaurant’s reputation, we were seated in a cozy corner of the downstairs and waited on respectfully and promptly  - despite the fact that we were three 20-somethings on a budget. We split a bottle of deep red wine and tried each other’s entrees – ravioli in a parmesan sauce, some variation on a margherita sauce,  plus an order of wild boar – and finished the meal with two orders of their infamous cheesecake. The whole thing was to die for, and the owner ended up removing the wine charge from our bill. If I’m ever back in Florence, I’ll be back.

4. Zaza - I should start by clarifying that the service was fine at best. Six of us were seated in an area near the outdoor smoking section, so we were slightly bothered by the smell throughout our dinner, but I think we were only seated there due to the size of our group. We also had a hard time initially getting the waitress’ attention for water, bread, etc. That said, I should also mention that the food and prices were outstanding. More pasta, some salad, and more meat. Servings were generous, but not overwhelming, so I recommended splitting two or three between a small group. It’s a great (and pretty well-reviewed) place for a cozy dinner with friends and family.

5. La Proscuiterria - Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a website, so the name is linked to its (excellently reviewed) trip advisor page. It’s another hole in the wall – seemingly attended mainly by Florentine natives and Italian tourists. When you order, you’re essentially ordering sandwiches or platters of meat and cheese. You pay for wine based on how much of a bottle you consume, and the walls are lined with locally made pastas, sauces, and drinks. We had a delicious lunch on our way out of town, and still bought two bags full of peppers, pesto and pasta. Overall: inexpensive, delicious, non-touristy and a great time.

House-made wine

Open-faced sandwiches

One of our two courses for lunch

Basic Updates: Oliphant and Nerja

Another five weeks flown by. How does this happen? The last month and a half has been a sunny blur of tapas, classes, excursions and Spanish. I’ll work my way through everything eventually.

First things first: I’ve officially received my first freelance paycheck! $100 to be spent on my upcoming long weekend in London, if not on souvenirs for my sisters and friends. The full story about Oliphant – an interior design and jewelry store – can be found here. Its sister piece – a list of the storeowner’s favorite spring selections – is also available.

Second, a heads up that my next few posts are about things that have happened between today and spring break (which started on March 20th). A lot to say about dressing European, recommendations for restaurants and accommodations throughout Spain, Italy, and France, and various lists of favorite things thus far.

That being said…let’s start with Nerja. At the beginning of our time in Spain, Jake and I took a long weekend together on the southern coast. We stayed in Hostal Plaza Contarero - a small, family-owned hostel that gave us one of the best and least expensive accommodations I have ever experienced. Our private room ended up being about 75 euro for three nights (with its own bathroom, cleaning service, tea and coffee, etc). A 3 minute walk from the bus station, a 10 minute walk to Balcón de Europa, and a 7-minute drive to the caves. On top of the budget-friendly price and ideal location, owners Tanya and Pepe were wonderful. They gave us the most romantic room available with a perfect view of our street (see below), restaurant recommendations, and made sure that we were no less than thrilled with our stay. I can’t recommend them enough.

If any of my readers are taking this advice seriously, I also need to emphasize the following recommendations for restaurants: La Taberna and Pinocchio. The former is a traditional Spanish restaurant with great service and even better sangria; the latter a romantic italian joint with some of the only real pesto I’ve seen in the country. Both provide menus for English and French speakers.

Dinner at Pinocchio

Finally, make sure to make the caves of Nerja a priority during your hypothetical vacation. At first, I was hesitant. Cold, dark, damp caves? When I could be at the beach or sipping margaritas? No, thanks. But Jake convinced me and I immediately withdrew my qualms.

The caves are a natural piece of artwork, adapted into an annual concert hall and attraction. In addition to being a natural piece of artwork carved by elements and time, they are especially moving in their exhibition of music from prior years’ “Festival of Music and Dance.” I was lucky enough to experience Strauss’ “Emperor’s Waltz” – a piece I find to be cathartically soothing and simultaneously exciting, so my prior bad mood was squashed. Tickets for the live concert are difficult to obtain, but information can be found here.

Another post to come later with wardrobe selections for the semester (how to blend in), and eventually some favorites from Florence and Paris.

Stay beautiful.

Sonia, Lashxtend, and Almay

This is my second of three posts I’ve been meaning to write for the last two months.  The next one will be about restaurants I’ve tried, but this one is going to be about makeup because it’s easier and I’m in-between important assignments, so bear with me.

Since being here, I’ve added a few favorites to the list of products that will always travel with me. They are as follows: Sonia Kashuk’s Velvety Matte Lip Crayon in Berry Nude from Target, ModelCo’s Fibre LashXtend Lengthening Mascara from Birchbox, and Almay’s Makeup Eraser Sticks, available at the drugstore of your choice.

Sonia Kashuk introduced her lip crayon to me during an interview for Passport Magazine, but I wasn’t really hooked until I started packing for Spain and had limited room in my toiletries case. (Yes, I know, I packed three toiletries cases. Not the point). So anyway, after trying on a gazillion lipcolors to determine my “can’t live withouts” for the spring, I stumbled across the lip crayon.

My favorite shade: Berry Nude

I was stunned. Unlike Ruby Woo (which I still adore), the crayon looks relatively natural and doesn’t budge. Berry Nude goes on smooth, layers beautifully, and compliments my winter-fair skin without overwhelming the rest of my face. To be fair, I should add that I apply lip crayons like I do lip pencils – line the outside of the lips first, then shade the inside and layer to your liking – so it was easy to find the right color balance. But I honestly believe that this would easily look great on anyone. And the $7.59 price tag doesn’t hurt, either.

ModelCo’s Fibre LashXtend Lengthening Mascara arrived with my Birchbox a couple months ago. But, being a spoiled brat about mascaras, I left in untouched for an embarrassingly long period of time until I finally ran out of Covergirl NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara (another staple I can’t live without). Though I already had a backup of my longtime favorite, I thought “Eh, what the hell, I’m just going to the movies and no one will see this anyway.” Two coats later, I was dying to change the plans so I could show off my false-looking lashes! Thick, dark, long and defined – I could literally feel them hitting below my eyebrows. And it lasted through the night, without flaking, so I woke up the next morning looking bright-eyed and ready to go. Birchbox, I will never doubt you again.

image courtesy of Birchbox

(Note: I should add that this mascara sometimes irritates my eyes when removing with cleanser or while in the shower)

Of course, this can’t hold true 100% of the time. We’ve all experienced it: waking up late, pulling on clothes, checking the mirror and realizing you don’t have time to clean up the raccoon look. Or spending full days out of the house – both working and playing – only to find that your primer has betrayed you and you resemble the joker. Frustrating, and generally difficult to prevent. For me, the solution came from beauty guru Jenn Falik’s blog post on how to “Melt-Proof Your Makeup.”

image courtesy of Allure

Almay’s makeup remover sticks are an easy, quick, portable way to clean up the smudges without disturbing the rest of your makeup. They’re pre-filled with a skin-conditioning, oil-free cleanser that’s released to one end of a q-tip when the other is snapped, and are available for between $5 and $6 at various drugstores. I use them mostly when I oversmudge my eyeliner and/or accidentally poke myself in the eye with a mascara brush and end up swiping my face…both of which occur with embarrassing frequency. I also keep a handful with me during the day, so I can do a quick touch-up while running between classes, work, and various social commitments. You’ll see no love lost to the days of finger-licking from me!

On that note, I’m off to watch Carne Trémula for my film class and write a scholarship essay for the summer. Check back soon for my list of favorite restaurants thus far in Spain.

Stay fabulous, my friends. XX.