Archives by Subject: Florence
Schmap Uses Photos from Flickr
Got a cool email today from Schmap asking permissions to possibly use some of my photos from Florence for use in some kind of online travel guide of Florence (like this one for Rome):
Hi skidder,
I am writing to let you know that six of your photos with a
creative commons license have been short-listed for
inclusion in our Schmap Florence Guide, to be published
mid-April 2006.Clicking this link will take you to a page where you can:
i) See which of your photos have been short-listed
ii) Submit or withdraw your photos from our final selection
phase
iii) Learn how we credit photos in our Schmap Guides
iv) Download one of our recently released Schmap Guides.
Pretty cool!
Posted in on March 29, 2006, 04:59 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Italians Love Receipts
I'm just back from Rome, where I had an incredible time and will post more on it soon. But in the interim, I feel the need to tell you: Italians love receipts.
Italians give you receipts for everything, and when I try to refuse them, they are suprised. When I was on the train and ordered a three Euro sandwich, they gave me a receipt. When I went to the 99 cent store to get a bottle of water, they gave me a receipt. What's even sillier is the receipts are often void of the important information... such as what you bought. They just give the name of the establishment, its address, and how much money you spent.
As if I need a reminder of how much money I'm spending.
Posted in on October 02, 2005, 07:04 AM | Comments (1) | Permalink
In Florence, ATMs Close Sunday, Too
The guidebooks tell you that in Florence, many shops and businesses are closed Sundays. It's possible that's true for the ATMs ("bancomats") too!
I just spent 30 minutes trying to find a working ATM. Only the seventh ATM I visited was actually working.
Posted in on September 25, 2005, 09:11 AM | Comments (2) | Permalink
Perche No?
Just off Via del Calzaiuoli lies Perche No? (translated: "Why Not?"), Florence's first ice cream parlor ("gelateria"). I stopped in yesterday for my first taste, and while all the people made it hard to decide which flavors I wanted, my chocolate and banana was delicious!
Many friends have suggested I go there, so I'm glad I took them up on their suggestion. Though apparently we aren't the only ones who enjoy Perche No?:
During World War II when the American army reached Florence after the Nazi withdrawal, they had the power grid specially reconnected so that Perche No?'s gelato production -- and G.I. consumption -- could continue.
This, at least, according to Frommer's.
Perche No?
Via dei Tavolini 19r, off Via del Calzaiuoli
Posted in on September 25, 2005, 07:26 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
I'm an Amico Degli Uffizi!
One of the coolest things that NYU does for us here is give us these special blue cards. When combined with photo ID, it allows for unlimited and free admission to state museums (see the PDF below for the full list) -- and lets you cut the lines!
Today I annoyed a tour group when I walked up to their special line and just went in to the Galleria Dell'Accademia. They had made reservations and no doubt planned their trip far in advance. I just decided to walk the six blocks from where I'm living and check out the David.
· NYU Flyer on the Card [PDF file]
· Amici Degli Uffizi Website
Posted in on September 24, 2005, 01:23 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
nineTnine Cent Invasion
One of the most suprising things I've seen in Florence is the "nineTnine Cent Paradise" shop less than a block from where I'm living. Everything there is, quite literally, 99 cents (in Euros, of course).
It actually makes for some pretty good deals -- 99 cent sodas, 99 cent binders, 99 cent packs of pens.
I don't think I've ever been in a 99 cent store in the United States, but I go to this one almost every day.
Posted in on September 14, 2005, 12:14 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
What's In a Name?
Hopefully not that much.
I've always been awful at remembering names, but it's not often as embarrassing as it is now. Since arriving in Florence a little over ten days ago, I've met dozens and dozens of people. I've had trouble with almost all of their names.
Even the fifteen other people that I live with had to be patient for a few days until I finally figured out who they are. There are always those days when you pretend you know somebody else's name and you really don't. The key is to avoid embarrassment.
This problem continues to manifest itself on a daily basis. Plenty of people seem to know my name, yet I struggle to remember theirs. I’ve tried the same old suggestions: associate their name with an article of clothing, or use their name in a sentence out loud. No such luck.
So, if I forget your name, no hard feelings?
Posted in on September 13, 2005, 11:52 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Countdown to Florence
In a little over a month, I will be moving to Florence, Italy for several months. I've never been out of the country, so I'm very excited. You can imagine how happy I was to see that new Gridskipper editor Chris Mohney has added a Florence category to Gawker's "urban travel guide."
The first entry was an article (you can use BugMeNot for a username/password) from the New York Post talking about Florence on the cheap. Sounds good to me!
I plan to eventually redesign this drab blog to better go with my soon-to-be new (temporary) home. I am awaiting delivery of my new digital camera and will be taking more pictures than you can shake a stick at... whatever that means.
Stay tuned!
· Art of the Deal: Florence [New York Post, sub. required]
· Florence [Gridskipper]
· 7.2 Megapixels In Your Pocket [Mike Davidson's Blog]
Posted in on July 12, 2005, 01:54 PM | Comments (3) | Permalink
