by Penny | 14 Oct, 2015 | Books, Italian language, Social History
Rolando Ugolini had an unforgettable Florentine face – worthy of inclusion in the line up of St Peter’s admirers frescoed on the walls of the Brancacci Chapel – and he is much missed from the Via di Sant’Agostino where he held his...
by Penny | 28 May, 2013 | Architecture, Books, Garden tours, Icons, Italian language, Tuscan gardens, Wine tasting, WW2
My first disclaimer – this is not an attempt to completely rewrite Katie’s enjoyable presentation on Monday night – my hope is solely to stimulate readers sufficiently to find out more about this fascinating women and her extraordinary garden , shown...
by Penny | 3 Apr, 2013 | Architecture, Books, Films set in Italy, Italian language, News, Religious History, Renaissance Art, Social History
From Acciaiuoli to Zecca Vecchia – the Street – Names of Florence researched and written by Mark Roberts. This little known book is a treasure-house for anyone interested in the history of Florence – all these Vias, Borgos, Piazzas, Vicolos and...
by Penny | 4 Oct, 2012 | Architecture, Exhibitions, Italian language, Modern Art, News, Sculpture, Social History, Women artists
4.10.12 Last night at the British Institute Library in Florence we were treated to another great talk by Canadian Director General of the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi DR James Bradbourne. In his position of joint Curator of the latest exhibition at the Strozzi Palace...
by Penny | 2 Oct, 2012 | Books, Films set in Italy, Italian language
The End Justifies the Means – the law according to Montalbano I have just finished reading – (more or less within 24 hours!)the latest Montalbano novel by Andrea Camilleri to be published in English – It is called the Potter’s Field so part of...
by Penny | 13 Jun, 2011 | Feature, Italian language, Newsletter, Social History, Tuscan gardens
It all began with Boccaccio! – For the English Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales are ground breaking because they are the first stories in England written in the vernacular, (Middle English), at the end of the 14th century when the dominant...
