A witty and warm-hearted memoir of abandoning fast-paced American days in favor of discovering the Italian secrets of food, community, and life. Moving across the globe meant Michelle Damiani soon found herself untangling Italian customs, delighting in glorious regional cuisine (recipes included), and creating lasting friendships. From grandmothers eager to teach the ancient art of pasta making, to bakers tossing bread into fiery ovens with a song, to butchers extolling the benefits of pork fat, Il Bel Centro is rich with captivating characters and cultural insights. Throw in clinking glasses of Umbrian red with the local communists and a village all-nighter decorating the cobblestone streets with flower petals; as well as embarrassing language minefields and a serious summons to the mayor’s office, and you have all the ingredients for a spellbinding travel tale. Exquisitely observed, Il Bel Centro is an intimate celebration of small town Italy, as well as a thoughtful look at raising a family in a new culture and a fascinating story of finding a home. Ultimately though, this is a story about how travel can change you when you’re ready to let it. With laugh-out-loud situations and wanderlust-inspiring storytelling, Il Bel Centro is a joyous and life-affirming read that will have readers rushing to renew their passports. “This is one of the most beautiful book I’ve ever read.” “I absolutely couldn’t get enough of this book.” “This book made me want to pack my bags.” “I loved, loved this book. Fabulously written, engaging, and entertaining.” “A magical read.”

In this delicious book, noted food scholar Carole M. Counihan presents a compelling and artfully told narrative about family and food in late 20th-century Florence. Based on solid research, Counihan examines how family, and especially gender have changed in Florence since the end of World War II to the present, giving us a portrait of the changing nature of modern life as exemplified through food and foodways.

A little girl is sad to say goodbye to her parents when they leave for work, but always has fun with her special friend Nanny.

Mission Florence takes your young travelers through the famous sights of Florence, engaging them in an exciting scavenger hunt as you explore city landmarks together.

This book examines the forms of estate management in the countryside of Florence and Lucca between the eleventh and the middle of the thirteenth centuries. It argues that their change reflects wider transformations of medieval economic patterns, and specifically the surge in overall demand that occurred in the decades bridging the twelfth and the thirteenth centuries. The reasons for a comparison between the Florentine and the Lucchese countryside lie in the alleged differences of their historical evolution--as it has been outlined by scholars so far. The so-called manorial system (sistema curtense) is believed to have ceased to exist in the Lucchesia around the beginning of the tenth century, whereas in the Fiorentino its disappearance can be dated to the early thirteenth century. Similarly, the Florentine countryside is generally regarded as the birthplace of a particular type of sharecropping regime, the mezzadria poderale, which spread over much of central Italy during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and would later become an essential component of Italian agrarian identity. On the contrary, the mezzadria poderale is thought to have never developed at any point in the history of medieval and early modern Lucchesia--and this was indeed the case with all the coastal areas of Tuscany. The book endeavours to examine the characteristics of estate management in the central Middle Ages in their own right; that is to say, by detaching those transformations from any teleological view, and by placing them within the economic and sociopolitical context of the period 1000-1250.

Eight walks take shoppers to unique shops that uphold Italian standards of quality, craftsmanship, and creativity. With this discriminating book as a guide, visitors will find a trove of eighty shops that only native Florentines know well. In its pages you’ll find exquisite handmade lingerie, jewelry inspired by Renaissance paintings, handcrafted leather boxes, beautifully tailored shirts for men and women, vintage French and Italian designer clothing, shoes, hats, gourmet items, and much, much more. The walks include forty dining recommendations from where to get a quick caffe-ciok (“the best thing to ever happen to espresso, hot chocolate, and steamed milk”) to a sumptuous Tuscan meal. The book also serves as an informative guide to often perplexing opening days and hours, the always perplexing street numbering system, and shopping etiquette.

"Highly informative and remarkably entertaining." —Elle From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to eucalyptus groves in California, Florence Williams investigates the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain. Delving into brand-new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas—and the answers they yield—are more urgent than ever.

"Meet Florence Gordon: blunt, brilliant, cantankerous and passionate, feminist icon to young women, invisible and underappreciated by most everyone else. At seventy-five, Florence has earned her right to set down the burdens of family and work and shape her legacy at long last. But just as she is beginning to write her long-deferred memoir, her son Daniel returns to New York from Seattle with his wife and daughter, and they embroil Florence in their dramas, clouding the clarity of her days with the frustrations of middle-age and the confusions of youth"-- Provided by publisher.

Visitors have been drawn to Florence's architectural and artistic treasures for centuries - and for good reason. But, with an historical center of only half a square-mile, it can be hard to see the sights through the crowds. The throng on the Duomo steps, the lines for the Uffizi and the jostling for photos on Piazzale Michelangelo all require a good dose of patience, especially under the blistering summer heat. Fortunately, early evening offers a respite; the quieter streets and softer lighting at that time bring out the colors of the marble-clad cathedral topped by Filippo Brunelleschi's archetypal dome, the sheer immensity of the Palazzo Vecchio and the charm of the medieval Ponte Vecchio, with its shops latched shut for the night. But avoiding the lines when you enter the buildings and museums takes some preparation, especially if you arrive in the busiest and hottest summer months when the only option is to drag yourself out of bed at sunrise to beat the crowds to the 8:15 am openings. Not to be missed: * Piazza del Duomo: Famous address of the Duomo, Campanile and Battistero. * Galleria degli Uffizi: The most select picture gallery in the world and potent symbol of Medici power. * Palazzo Vecchio: Medieval town hall architecture at its most forceful. * Galleria dell'Accademia: Home to Michelangelo's David. * Via dei Tornabuoni: Even if you can't afford to buy, you'll enjoy the window-shopping on this luxury-laden street. * Piazza Repubblica: The 19th century makes its mark. * Museo Nazionale del Bargello: Florence's national sculpture museum. * Giardino di Boboli: Sculpture-packed gardens behind the museum-packed Palazzo Pitti. * The Oltrano: A warren of narrow streets filled with artisan workshops and some great restaurants. * Piazzale Michelangelo: The classic Florentine view. * The churches: Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo, Orsanmichele, Santa Croce, Santo Spirito and San Miniato al Monte are just some of the delights on offer. * The markets: Shopping the Florentine way. * Ponte Vecchio: Medieval bridge architecture at its most splendid. * Le Murate: Atmospheric ex-convent and ex-prison now the venue for Firenze Estate events. This guide focuses on Florence and the surrounding region, including San Gimignano, Chianti, Mugello, Upper Valdarno, Val d'Elsa, Fiesole, Pistoia, and Prato - all easily reached in day-trips. This history-rich region offers some of Italy's classic landscapes - pole-straight cypress trees lining dusty farm roads, rolling hills that stretch as far as the eye can see, fields of vibrant sunflowers, medieval villages perched on rocky spurs above crashing surf. Visit them all with this comprehensive guide that helps you explore the very best places. A largely untouched coastline and protected wild areas only add to the appeal of this top vacation destination. Regional chapters take you on an introductory tour, with stops at museums, historic sites and local attractions. Places to stay and eat; transportation to, from and around your destination; practical concerns; tourism contacts - it's all herel Detailed regional and town maps feature walking and driving tours. Then come the adventures - fishing, canoeing, hiking, rafting, llama trips and more. Never galloped along a beach on horseback, trekked up a mountain, explored ancient sites? Also includes extensive lists of recommended outfitters, with all contact details - e-mail, website, phone number and location. Adventure Guides are about living more intensely, waking up to your surroundings and truly experiencing all that you.

The Rough Guide to Florence & the Best of Tuscany is the essential companion to discovering the romantic Italian city and its breath-taking surrounds. The full-colour introduction highlights the renaissance architecture that dominates the streets of Florence, as well as the dramatic and varied scenery of the best pockets of Tuscany. There are full accounts of all the major tourist sites, including Michelangelo’s statue of David the charming Ponte Vecchio and Tuscany’s world-renowned wine regions, as well as thorough explorations of those hidden gems, from small hillside villages and Florence’s dynamic drinking scene. There are special features on Florence as the capital of Italy and Tuscan Food & Drink, not to mention countless recommendations for Michelen-starred restaurants, humble pizzerias, bars and cafés and hotels for every region and budget. The guide has all the practical information you need to get there, travel around with ease and ensure you don’t miss the unmissable. Make the most of your time with The Rough Guide to Florence & the Best of Tuscany.