Tory and Melissa

About an hour after Seth and I returned from Verona, Seth's brother, Tory, and his girlfriend, Melissa, showed up on our doorstep to visit for three days. We had been trying to get them over to Florence the entire year and they finally came out in my last couple days in the country. Even though it was hot, crowded, and I had to prepare to move, it was better late than never!

Luckily for Tory and Melissa, they arrived just in time to celebrate Lorenzo's 2nd birthday. I made Lorenzo a mini Tiramisu cake, which just so happened to be one of Melissa's all-time favorite foods.

And of course we sampled lots of gelato...

...and wine at the local vino sfuso, Bacco Nudo (or, "Nude Bacchus"). This is the place where you bring in an empty wine bottles and have them refilled. Brilliant!

Melissa was hired on the spot

Melissa, Tory, and I drinking our wine in front of one of Seth's favorite monuments, the Loggia dei lanzi (and specifically Cellini's Perseus)

Dinner at Trattoria NellaIn my final dinner out in Florence I finally got to order coniglio (rabbit) alla cacciatore. It was really good! Like a tiny, bony chichen.

It was a nice dinner

...topped off by a bit more Tiramisu!

Taking an evening stroll since it was too hot and unpleasant to walk much during the day

We found these really tough looking guys (pirates, perhaps?) carrying a litter through the streets. After following them for a little while they took a pause, took a smoke from the cigarette in Tory's mouth, and tried to explain that they were getting ready for Mezzo Mediceo, whatever that is...

Stopping in front of Seth's favorite building, Orsanmichele