Florence — hsiaos without borders

"La vita e troppo breve per mangiare e bere male" (Life is too short not to eat and drink well).

I first came to Florence back in 2000 on a high school summer trip. Our group toured around all of the major cities in Italy for two weeks, and although we only spent a couple of days in Florence, there was something about it that resonated with me, though I couldn't articulate why at the time. I returned in 2007 on a week-long trip with my parents following a pretty significant break-up. Although I was pretty emo, the city energized me. It had a liveliness that was exciting and intriguing, yet not overwhelming, and also an intimacy that I found calming and comforting. It represented to me the intersection of all things classic, stylish, historic, and of course, delicious, without all of the pretension. Since then, Florence has remained one of my favorite cities I've ever visited, and I suspect it will maintain its place in the rankings despite all the future traveling I will hopefully get to do. I couldn't wait to return to the city that had always left an indelible impression on me, and to bring my hubby and create new memories there with him. It made my heart happy that he fell in love with the city just as much as I did. We talked half-jokingly about one day returning to Florence after all of our kids and grandkids are all grown up and we are retired, renting an apartment in the city center, taking Italian classes together, and eating gelato and pizza and drinking wine as we turn old and gray together. #lifegoals

Here are some of our favorite pictures in *our* favorite city :)

No big deal, just the door that inspired the Renaissance.

We climbed all the way to the top of the Duomo! Gotta work off all of that gelato somehow ;-)

This is the first time where I seriously contemplated licking a wall. Don't judge me.

One of the best pastas we had in Italy. Michael still talks about it.

Two of my favorite things: gelato and...more gelato.