Tuttle Tattle: Monna Lisa Good-bye

Last night Tiziana and I went to Prato to hear Interpol.

Last night Tiziana and I went to Prato with her car to hear Interpol, an "indi rock" band. The concert was in Piazza del Duomo, where the cathedral is. We had dinner before at a little Osteria and I had ravioli with sugo di cingiale (wild boar sauce). The waitress made it herself and it was well done.
The concert was on a stage at one end of the piazza. The lighting and effects were stunning, complimenting the renaissance architecture. The music was atmospheric and quite good. Though it was very, very loud. I guess I'm getting old, because I'd forgotten my earplugs - so I stuffed my ears with kleenex.

Renaissance fountain and Indie rock.

Tiziana decided she wanted to wait for the band to come out after, but they never did. We waited for an hour and finally I said - Enough, it's time to go. It was 1 o'clock in the morning! So we left and got lost on the way back to Florence. I didn't get in until 2:30 in the morning. Luckily, I could sleep in and I did. I slept until 10:30 and felt dazed all day, but it was a fun night.
Tiziana and I laughed a lot. Easy to do with my half baked italian. We were standing in a group waiting and Tiziana said she'd be so disappointed if the band didn't come out and say hi. I said, in italian, "You're crying." But I used the word lacrime, (instead of piangere) which is apparently the special word italians use for the Madonna crying that you see in churches. Everybody was laughing.

In front of the plate store.

The next morning, getting a rather late start, I continued my wander/shopping expedition. I saw strange little cars, dogs in the market, and bought some gloves. I stumbled across a little workshop that made mosaics, which began when the medici put it together to do the mosaics at the medici chapel.

Strange little car.

Dog in the market. Not something you see in America much.

The mosaic workshop. I just walked past a door and looked in and there was a sign saying come in. So I went in.

A mosaic like this takes about three months to put together. Gorgeous.

Buying gloves from this hidden gem of a place courtesy of the Monna Lisa hotel.

Waiting at Piazza Becheria.

After my walk, I went back to the hotel to change and waited for Tiziana at Piazza Becheria so we could go to dinner. We had a fantastic meal at Cibreo, where the waitress remembered when Dan and I went there the last time. We made friends with all the wait staff because we went early - 7pm. - and were the only ones in the restaurant. Tiziana had to get home to get ready for Andy and Vaud's arrival. By the time we left, the place was full, but when it was time to order dessert, I ordered the merange (however you spell that) and Tiziana was full, so she didn't order anything. In the end, they kept coming by and dropping off free desserts "just because", until we had three. A budino of cream and a fig tart. We said goodbye and I rolled home.

Lovely dinner by candlelight.

The antipasti plates were adorable and delicious.

I remembered the merangue cake from the last time. Tiziana with the budino on the house.

Yet another free dessert. Fig tart. Really good.

It is time to leave the Monna Lisa. A great hotel in the heart of a great city. I am typing this once more on the balcony overlooking the garden (though it is dark, so I can't see too much). The fountain is softly pattering and I can hear the distant sounds of motorinos in the night from over the courtyard walls. It's been a lovely stay. Till the next time, Good bye Monna Lisa.