Search Results for:oltrarno

Shoe master Roberto Ugolini and his traditional atelier in Santo Spirito
Fashion & Shops & Markets

Shoe master Roberto Ugolini and his traditional atelier in Santo Spirito

2 enero, 2023 / By:
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Roberto Ugolini is one of the most prestigious shoemakers in Florence. His workshop is located right at street level, in Via dei Michelozzi 17, in front of the basilica of Santo Spirito, in Oltrarno, as if in old times, when medieval guilds were so present in cities. The business opened twenty-two years ago just like a repair shop, but he soon began to make shoes too, always in Italian and English leather tanned in Italy. It takes thirty hours of work to create a pair of handmade shoes; thus there´s a waiting list over six months to acquire any. Above and below, photos show one of the craftsmen, probably the sexiest shoemaker in the old continent.

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Rasputin, a secret cocktail bar in Florence
Wine & Food

Rasputin, a secret cocktail bar in Florence

26 octubre, 2022 / By:
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There is no doubt that prohibition awakens desire. Rasputin stands as a speakeasy: an exclusive bar behind closed doors, to which only a few are granted access. Indeed, all cities in the world have their secret bar. The speakeasy concept emerged in the first decades of the twentieth century in New York, in full swing of Prohibition. I’m not very fond of cocktails, as seeing a beautiful glass with just capacity for a cappuccino, priced 10 or 15 euros, from which one could only drink a sip almost as fast as a shot, makes me feel terribly upset. I prefer a jar of beer or a generous glass of wine, which despite the anxiety for drinking guarantees a prolonged delight. …

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Palazzo Guadagni, aperitif deluxe in Florence
Wine & Food

Palazzo Guadagni, aperitif deluxe in Florence

16 agosto, 2022 / By:
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Rooftop views are unparalleled in Florence, proof of it is the rooftop garden bar at the Hotel Palazzo Guadagni. This ancient palace in the Oltrarno area has a privileged view from the loggia, which turns the palazzo’s terrace garden bar into a marvellous setting for having a red wine or a cocktail in Florence. It is a novel space neither overly exploited nor well known in Florence yet, thus you can take an aperitif as a local and without the need of a previous reservation. The views, the atmosphere and the service are simply unique and it is the perfect spot to amaze dates and visitors.…

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Before sunset at Ponte alla Carraia
Moments & People

Before sunset at Ponte alla Carraia

13 agosto, 2022 / By:
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During the spring and summer evenings, when the Arno River runs low, Ponte alla Carraia grants one of the most picturesque sights of Florence. An isle in the middle of the river called Pescaia di Santa Rosa — between Ponte Amerigo Vespucci and Ponte alla Carraia — stands as a sort of no man’s land and becomes the spot where young people get together for a beer, a chat or share a joint. The water drop reaches three meters, thus the force of the current is considerable. However, whereas the bridge helps to maintain the natural flow of the river, the area close to Oltrarno remains dry and passable. Moreover, here the town flourishes against the light, a top scene for those in love with melancholic sunsets in Florence.…

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Brands made in Florence #3: Angela Caputi Giuggiù, unique and inimitable jewellery
Fashion & Shops & Markets

Brands made in Florence #3: Angela Caputi Giuggiù, unique and inimitable jewellery

22 octubre, 2021 / By:
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Angela Caputi started her costume jewellery business in Florence in the 1970s taking classic Hollywood cinema as inspiration. For almost half a century and although she has achieved international recognition, Caputi has managed to stay faithful to her original craft principles, continuing to use resins made in Italy, and setting up the pieces in her Santo Spirito shop-workshop. Caputi has stores in Milan and Paris, and nowadays she is immersed in the launch of her new shop in Rome.

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Cappella Brancacci, the Sistine Chapel of Florence
Art & Culture

Cappella Brancacci, the Sistine Chapel of Florence

23 octubre, 2020 / By:
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Beyond the streets crowded by the omnipresent tourists looking for Florentine gems from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, there are less exploited corners of great historical and artistic richness as the Brancacci Chapel, also known as the «Sistine Chapel of the first Renaissance». The paintings on the walls are among the most popular and influential frescoes at the time. They are distributed in two horizontal levels along the chapel, which is part of the Carmine church and convent, founded in Florence in the mid-thirteenth century by a group of Carmelite monks from Pisa. Located in Piazza del Carmine (Florence-Oltrarno), the Cappella Brancacci is one of the oldest monumental buildings in Florence. The frescoes illustrating the life of Saint Peter are masterpieces by Masaccio and Masolino, painted between 1425 and 1427, just in the early years of the Florentine Renaissance. Later on, Filippino Lippi was called to complete Masaccio’s chapel decoration, which had been left unfinished due to Masaccio’s death in 1428.
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Firenze Jazz Festival 2019: where Florence’s streets become a jazz club
Events & Entertainment

Firenze Jazz Festival 2019: where Florence’s streets become a jazz club

10 septiembre, 2019 / By:
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Jazz bassist Furio Di Castri founded the Firenze Jazz Fringe Festival (FJFF) intending to bring jazz to the general public. It converts churches, squares, and other Oltrarno premises into the stage for the concerts. Past editions already counted around 40,000 participants. During five days, from September 11 to 15, the festival, now renamed as Firenze Jazz Festival, returns to Florence offering 40 live acts in different locations. The program stands out for the coexistence of new productions and renown international artists concerts. Firenze Jazz Festival is an innovative and sustainable show pursuing a cultural alternative in which the participation of the public is crucial. It is, above all, an event by and for the people, which is involved in the street performances, concerts, improvisation and DJ sessions. …

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Lyric Dance Company presents «PIAF. Hymne à l’Amour» at the Puccini Theater in Florence
Events & Entertainment

Lyric Dance Company presents «PIAF. Hymne à l’Amour» at the Puccini Theater in Florence

5 abril, 2019 / By:
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«PIAF. Hymne à l’Amour,» the new choreography by Alberto Canestro performed on stage by the Lyric Dance Company, premiered on April 4 at the Teatro Puccini in Florence. After having explored great female figures, such as Artemisia Gentileschi, Frida Khalo, Tamara de Lempicka and Maria Callas, Alberto Canestro dedicates his latest work to Edith Piaf, the celebrated French singer. «The voice of Edith Piaf has always hurt my heart»— says the choreographer — «as well as her biography, which fluctuates between the numerous difficulties in her private life and the triumphs in the artistic sphere.» Through dance, the Lyric Dance Company creates an intense portrait not only of Piaf as a woman, but also as a unique and exceptional artist, who was always able to provoke emotions with her music.
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Gosh: cocktails & pink flamingos in Florence
Wine & Food

Gosh: cocktails & pink flamingos in Florence

24 septiembre, 2018 / By:
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Taking a cocktail surrounded by pink flamingos is precisely what happens in Gosh, the coolest (and a bit pretentious) cocktail bar in Oltrarno. I like to ascertain if its decoration is the result of an in-depth and well-paid interior design studio or simply due to the exquisite taste (or not) of its owner. In fact, it is noted that the owner of Gosh, Alexander Vartivarian, comes from the fashion world (he worked for Elie Saab and was trained in Polimoda). In Gosh there´s vintage furniture and the original cocktails are based on ginger, spices, flowers and mezcal, all served in metal jars, in my opinion, with too much ice. Not only the decoration of the place is the choice of Alexander himself, but also the menu and the music — «Gosh» is actually the name of his favourite song. Aperitivo, snacks are served between 18 and 21 hours. Cocktails are better when in twilight, in its relaxed atmosphere. They also offer boring cocktails without alcohol.
Gosh – Via di Santo Spirito 46R – Florence – from 6p.m. to midnight, even later on weekends.
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