Sarah spends half of her year living in Florence, read more about the beauty of her daily life and why she loves it here!
The start to my day is always the same. I open my kitchen window, inhale the air (temperature permitting) and sigh out feelings of sheer bliss. I tend to sound a bit poetic when I speak of Florence because it is a comfort to have found a place to call home. For half of the year anyway ;).
My neighborhood
One of my favorite things is espresso. First things first in the morning. Am I right? It’s like that quote. “First I drink the coffee, then I do the things”. Very wise. Italy has the most delicious and robust coffee caffè. I look forward to going to bed at night so I can wake up and hear the tantalizing sound of my Moka pot bubbling out piping hot coffee.
Once I’ve had my caffeine jolt I’m ready to take on the day. I love the quiet morning streets and heading to my neighborhood Alimentari for my my daily fruits and vegetables. I live in the Oltrarno (the other side of the River Arno). The sense of community is amazing when the shop owners get to know you. It’s like they’ve been expecting you. Buongiornoooo! Come va? I tend to walk around my street and collect my daily necessities. My favorite is the Sant’Ambrogio market, so I try to get there when I can. Meats, cheeses, fish, fruits, veggies, sandwiches, etc. It is fun to even just walk and indulge in the authenticity of this Italian market.
Shopping at the market in Sant'Ambrogio
I work as a freelance hair stylist so I have no set schedule. One of the things I love most about Florence is how walkable it is. I tend to walk wherever the work is unless of course it’s out in a neighborhood way to far. This way I can explore different city streets I would otherwise miss out on. There is always something great around every corner. New store fronts, cute curb appeal, flowers billowing from apartment windows, etc. All this beauty is very time consuming because then I have to stop, put things down, and take a photo! I could walk around and linger all day, which is what I do most often.
"I love the slower pace in Italy and in my heart rate. To live is to enjoy your life when you can."
Early morning walks along the Arno
Any excuse I have to sit in a piazza and let time fade away is a daily routine. This is Italy though, so I shouldn’t have to make excuses for my leisure. This is something I had to get used to initially. I’m from the North East in the United States and everything is go go go! You feel bad if you’re not accomplishing anything on your “down time”. I love the slower pace in Italy and in my heart rate. To live is to enjoy your life when you can.
Meat and cheese board from Le Volpi e l'Uva
My all time favorite is Piazza Santo Spirito. By day and by night. Which leads me right into Aperitivo hour. Aperitivo is a time before dinner around 7-9 to unwind with a glass of wine or preferred beverage and nosh on small plates of meats, cheeses, salads, pasta, etc. Santo Spirito is so stunning and has a diverse group of people that hang there. Talk about a people watchers dream come true. Everyone hangs outside the restaurants, on the steps of the church of Santo Spirito, and around the fountain in the middle of the square. Dogs off leashes running around and playing with each other, but never seem to stray too far from their owners. The fashion, the hair, and the banter are all so fun to experience, and to pick up some fashionable tips.
Florence is so rich in history and has many incredible sites, and museums that I do love to re-visit when I can. There is always something new to do though! Pop up art exhibits, events, and food sagre (festivals) that celebrate the local food of the season. I defer to The Florentine a lot, which is a newspaper written in English to help us discover local traditions and events around town among other interesting articles.
The most valuable advice I can give while touring Florence is simple. Go slow, and get lost in the beauty.
“We travel because we need to, because distance and difference are the secret tonic to creativity, when we get home, home is still the same, but something in our minds has changed, and that changes everything.”
Meet Sarah
It took one trip to Italy, four years ago to know Italy and a traveler’s lifestyle was the one for me! I now live in Florence for half of the year and I am a complete fein for that city. I value the time I spend with friends letting the hours pass chatting, and people watching in my favorite Piazza Santo Spirito. Of course accompanied by a yummy meat and cheese board, and Sangiovese wine. I adore European travel, finding the best spots to eat, good tunes, espresso, and all black attire. I love to document my daily life and travel on Instagram s.elizabeth.j. Sarah can also be found making connections for Travel Italian Style around Italy (as our Business Relations Coordinator)