During my second week in Florence, my sister begged me to join her at her hair salon so that she could have the necessary cut and color while I cared for my occasionally cranky godson. We entered Wave: Active Beauty on Via Dei Banchi (055 265 46 50) to the sound of techno pop, not exactly the best musical choice for a one month old.
Fabio took one look at my sister and declared it had been far too long. Delighted with the baby, he graciously turned down the music, and we spent an entertaining afternoon listening to this Italian David Sederis mock the tourists.
I began to lust for American media or at least anything in English. I learned the horror of an extended time without NPR, as there are no English language radio stations and definitely no Morning Edition. Frankly, I would have been happy to hear the caustic voice of Howard Stern but to no avail.
And unless you have access to cable, which most rental apartments do not, you will only see Italian soap operas and game shows during your visit. I broke down one night and went to see the movie, “World Trade Center,” at the Odeon Cinehall in Piazza Strozzi The movie was a disaster, no pun intended, but the theatre is a delight, plush seats and rococo ornamental detail in the ceiling.
I also found McRae Books (on the Via de’ Neri near the Uffizi), which calls itself the “English Language Bookstore in Florence.” As one who travels with far too many books on any trip, I enjoyed adding to my collection.
This bookstore does not carry the usual sanitized Borders fair. I found many British authors and a wonderful children’s book selection. McRae hosts book readings and other events. It is well worth a visit to the store to learn what programs might be happening while you are in town.
Finally, no trip to Florence would be complete without an excursion outside the city. With friends, my sister and I traveled the much-photographed Tuscan countryside to a town called Radda. Radda is a medieval hamlet balancing on the crest between two silver and smoke valleys laden with olive trees.
