CASA VALENTINE…

………WHEREVER WE ARE TOGETHER, WE ARE HOME

Early Morning Drama!

Written By: Arlene Ridolfi Valentine - Jun• 14•19

Offender Being Hoisted

Mornings are very quiet on our little street in Florence……but there was a big commotion one morning so I opened the shutters, looked out, and ran for the camera.  Someone had left their car overnight on this tiny, tiny street……a very big no-no in the old historical zone.  The commotion was caused by the arrival of the tow truck, the noise of the hydraulic mechanism to hoist the front end of the car, and the constant chatter of the two way radios holstered onto the two lady police officers!

Off To The Lockup

Tensions rose at the moment of departure as this car left for parts unknown (actually a vast parking lot on the outskirts of town) because if the owner had shown up at this moment the confrontation would have been serious, exaggerated, but ultimately useless because everyone knows that once the ticket is written and the tow truck is on the scene there is nothing to be done.

Free At Last

Within seconds of the offending transgressor’s departure, the two otherwise trapped residents were able to exit their garages and get on with their morning.  I’m sure they were the ones who called the city police because as you can see a three-point turn is required to exit the garages under their apartments.

Everyone Gone in 5 Minutes!

And presto…….the entire drama was over in 5 minutes and everyone got on with the business of their day.  I didn’t get to see what happened when the owner of that now-impounded car discovered that his car was missing…….the last I heard the fine was 200 euro…..but first he would have to get himself out of town to the towed-vehicle parking lot!

Santo Spirito Antique Market……a Sunday treat

Written By: Arlene Ridolfi Valentine - Jun• 10•19

Santo Spirito Fountain & Bird

Once a month, Piazza Santo Spirito hosts a large antiques market.  It’s always crowded and never disappoints because even though it’s not the largest antique market in Italy it has a little something for everyone.  This time I was not shopping…..I was just looking and taking photos and when I got home and downloaded them all I knew I had to post some of the winners.

Furniture……Indoor and Out:

Classic Cantilever Chairs…Bauhaus anyone?

Stools of Every Stripe

Marching Geese

Vigilant Flamingo

And some fun things..

 

And lots of Useful Things, Decorative Things, Vignette-Creating Things:

English Platters, loved by all……

Fancy Glassware

Lots of Silver….

And some throwbacks to another era of communication and art……

Remember these??

Exotic Prints (by Italian standards)

And of course a large selection of dress-up accessories:

Always a crowd-pleaser…vintage leather bags

More crowd-pleasers

And just to add color and whimsy……

A whole booth of buttons….

And another booth with clever and beautiful pins….never out of fashion….and each one carries a message

And finally…..a huge display of straw hats….something that everyone needs in order to endure a Tuscan summer…..

So…..Sunday at the Santo Spirito Mercato……an aperitivo in the square and then home for Sunday dinner.