Paperback Exchange

The Paperback Exchange is an Anglo-American Bookshop in the center of Florence, located at Via delle Oche, 4R (Street of Geese). When trying to look for an art history book or the latest English-language best seller, it’s easier and friendlier to shop at this bookstore. (Finding a book in Edison or someone to help you can be a frustrating experience! Though in fairness, Edison has good road maps and a decent travel section if you don’t mostly all Italian books.) The Paperback Exchange carries textbooks that are used in art history courses and these can be fun to browse through. They have both new and used books. If you are here in Florence or Italy for a period of time, picking up a copy of the classic text History of the Italian Renaissance by Hartt is probably a good idea – it’s a must - and the Paperback Exchange carries it. You could always sell it back.

Mostra Internazionale dell’Artigianato

This is the 72nd year for Mostra Internazionale dell’Artigianato - a festival of arts and crafts. There’s food (of course), clothes, household goods (all sorts), people working on their craft in front of your eyes, kiddy rides, and more. Much of the exhibition space (from what we could tell) is devoted to Italian arts and crafts, but International is represented as well. This year it was from the 25th of April to 4th of May at the Fortezza da Basso.

We spent 90% of the few hours we were there in the food section. There were just too many samples to try. We walked out with a number of salamis and chocolate, what else did you expect?

An interesting note is that the fair started back in the 1930s under Fascist leadership in Florence. The fascists were looking to give Fascism a cultural and aristocratic polish by sponsoring cultural events. It looks the fair survived Fascism, thankfully, and today has no political overtones.

Punto Prodotti Tipici

Punto Prodotti Tipici is a nice place to get some typical Sicilian products complete with recommendations for preparation. Plus, visit this place to support the addiopizzo campaign. When we were there just before lunch the owner shared some orange-flavored olive oil on bread and offered wine. The shop is found on Via Mariano Stabile 97, which runs parallel to Via Cavour.

Morganti Piazza Santo Spirito 3r

This is a little shop in Piazza Santo Spirito, close to the church steps. It specializes in dried grains, rices, and beans – sold in bulk. We’ve gone in several times and have always been happy. This time, we wanted to get some barley “orzo” and the guy working there was funny because he was telling us (in Italian) that it was slippery “scivoloso” to him and he didn’t like them. I thought he said gross “schifoso” and he said, yes, that too. A new word of the day.

Factory Outlet: Tua

We went to the Tau outlet store for sportswear in Poppiano. Didn’t find anything exactly jacket or shirt-wise but found a nice pile blanket (coperta).

La Bottega del Cioccolato

La Bottega del Cioccolato is at two locations in Florence. We went to the via de Maci, 50 location (just north of Santa Croce). It was amazing. They were very generous with the samples. Standout cioccolatini for us were:

- aceto balsamico
- zafferano
- olio d’oliva extravergine toscano e bacche di vaniglia
- vin santo

The saffron infused filling was very different and something we hadn’t seen before. Best of all, the prices seemed reasonable. In a previous post I (we) raved about Vestri. Now we are not so sure…. Thanks to Rachel, another student, for recommending Bottega.

Santa Croce Christmas Market

Time for Christmas shopping, it’s December 1st. This is way too early for my taste, but we have to factor in shipping. We first hit Gastronomia G. Tassini (Borgo SS. Apostoli, 24/r), then Enoteca Alessi (Via delle Oche, 27-29/r), and then the German Christmas market in Santa Croce. I guess there are Christmas markets popping up all around Florence, kind of like a seasonal infection. Anyway, we ate some German snacks and then I called it a shopping day. Mark carried on for several hours more. What stamina. (I like Christmas shopping like I like root canals, so that fact that I lasted that long is amazing.)

If you want lots of little sweet things, I think Enoteca Alessi is the best option that I’ve seen so far. There is Enoteca attached and large wine cellar, but the main floor is sweets and liquor. We were sampling whiskey and chocolate while we were there which seemed wrong so early in the day. From what I saw from the booty Mark hauled back from the Christmas market there are all sorts of cute things for the snatching - if you are so inclined to like that sort of stuff. Bah, humbug.

All Ears

They changed the schedule of our classes (as we head into our last two weeks at Centro Machiavelli). We have grammar in the afternoon instead of the morning. So now our mornings are free. We think it will be nice because a number of museums are open in the morning and close early in the afternoon and we had not been able to visit them. But no museums today -instead we headed to the San Lorenzo market (which is a morning affair as well 7am – 2pm) and did some shopping. Okay, Mark shopped and I mostly watched. One photo shows a guy cleaning some calamari that we bought. It was only a couple of bucks for fresh calamari and mussels. The other photo shows some pig parts (orecchie – ears, testa – head, fegato – liver).

Use the Glove or Else

You are suppose to use a plastic glove when handling fruit or vegetables in supermarkets. You pick your items out, put them on the scale and then select the number of the item. Out comes a little ticket that you stick on the bag.

Il Aspirapolvere

Not sure why but we were obsessed with finding a vacuum bag for our vacuum cleaner (“aspirapolvere”, literally, inhaler of dust). It was quite a challenge. Today we scored and found a little electronics store that carried bags right near the Uffizi. One of the greatest art museums in the world and all we are concerned with is getting a vacuum bag. To be fair we end up buying the Amici degli Uffizi card - a card that allows entry into many museums. Best of all we could do it as a "family".

Coin

Went to buy some household things at Coin in central Firenze. The basement has "bargain" items (well not really). We walked out with three bags of stuff which we carried straight through the heart of the main piazze on the way home. We had a bag (with a comforter in it) that was 4 feet by 2.5 feet and bright red. It was fun navigating it around all the picture-snapping tourists. The weather was beautiful and everyone was out (because it is European Heritage Days) with free admission to museums as we would later find out.

Later we passed by the Giardino Bardini and got in for free for some great photos of the city. The garden is really close to our house.