Exhibits & Events

Here are some first photos from the 2010 edition of "Fiera del Cioccolato Artiginale" in Piazza Santa Croce:

Here are some photos from this year's ceramics fair, the "Fiera della Ceramica", in Piazza Santissima Annunziata. This is an annual event that takes place the first weekend of October and is organized by the Arte della Ceramica.

I have highlighted the work of German artist Heiner Bauer who is one of my favorites year after year. His studio is called BABELKERAMIK. Heiner recently secured some new studio space in Italy - I need to get the details from him.

There are also pieces by Stefano Innocenti (no website!) and others.

September is a prime time of year to taste wine in and around Florence and the rest of Tuscany - the vineyards throughout the region are busy with the harvest and the towns are buzzing with activity. There are several festivals and tastings that happen this month every year - below we talk about just a few of them in the Chianti Classico region and Florence.

We went to one of the biggest this weekend in Greve, the Chianti Classico Wine Festival or "Rassegna del Chianti Classico" - sorry I didn't write about it before it took place! It is usually the second weekend in September every year though, so you can plan on that in the future. The weather (cool and lots of rain) kept the crowd down a bit this year, but made it easier for us to get to the wines we wanted to taste. This year the tasting glass was 10 Euro, which included 8 samples - 4 from the producer stalls, and 4 from the wine bar. It was more than enough - we actually gave our tickets away with a couple of punches left, and often people won't even punch your card if you are sampling more than one wine at a stand or take the time to spend a few minutes with the producer. This event takes place in Greve's charming and historic triangular main square, Piazza Matteotti.

Next weekend (the third weekend in September every year for the past dozen years or so) is one of my favorites wine tastings - the Vino al Vino festival in Panzano. Many of Panzano's producers are at this event - the quality of the wine is very high, and the mood is festive. The event is held in the small square of Piazza Bucciarelli that is right along the 222 as you come into Panzano from the north or south - it is hard to miss and even harder to park!

And the following weekend (September 26, 27, 28) there is the newer Florence Wine Event that takes place in several locations in the Oltrarno - Piazza Pitti, Piazza Santo Spirito and Piazza della Passera. At this year's festival some of the best Italian and Tuscan wine makers will be presenting their wines from the regions of Chianti, Bolgheri, and Brunello di Montalcino, along with white wines from the northern regions. You can acquire your wine tasting glass with a brochure at one of the two "Glass Points" and spend the day wandering around and sampling some amazing wines. A few of our favorites on the list this year: Fattoria di Rignana, Petra, and Casale dello Sparviero.

The exhibit "Painting Light: Hidden techniques of the Impressionists" at the Palazzo Strozzi will come to end on September 28, 2008

How did the Impressionists paint? Painting Light is not just another Impressionist exhibition – it examines some of the most famous canvases of the last century, looking for clues as to where the paintings were made, under what conditions and, in some cases, by whom. The exhibition brings together over sixty masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet, Manet ,Signac, Sisley, Morisot and Renoir and others from the Wallraf-Richartz Museum Foundation Corboud, Cologne, and other museums.

Painting Light: Hidden techniques of the Impressionists
Florence, Palazzo Strozzi 11 July - 28 September 2008

Info: +39 055 2645155

Opening hours:
Daily 9 a.m - 8 p.m
Thursday 9 a.m - 11 p.m
Last admission to the exhibition 1 hour before closing

Admission
Full € 10,00
Reduced € 8,50 € 8,00 € 7,50
Schools € 4,00

September is the time for many Florentine and Tuscan events and festivals. One of our favorite nights of the year here in Florence is the "Festa della Rificolona", an evening parade through the streets of Florence, with children carrying paper lanterns lit with candles, while other children shoot the lanterns with pea shooters! (In the modern version these "pea shooters" are hollow metal cylinders and the "peas" are tiny balls of clay) The festivals origins are not exactly clear or agreed upon.

The fair will be held from September 29th to October 7th, 2007 in the aristocratic setting of Palazzo Corsini.