GREAT FLORENCE WEBSITES -- PART 10

SILVIA NESTI, MAKER OF FINE JEWELRY 

Silvia Nesti has a fabulous little ateller on the ground floor of an ancient building on Via Dei Velluti, just east of Via Toscanella in the Oltrarno.

A stone's throw from the famed goldsmiths, silver smiths and jewelers of the Ponte Vecchio, her stunning creations are 100 times more interesting and a fraction of a cost of the old bridge's shops.

She is interested in folded jewelery -- a kind of Florentine origami -- and sells handmade pieces for as low as 40 euro.

Nesti has exhibited her jewellery in Italy, at Inhorgenta; in Munich, Germany and in Aura2007 at Burton Agnes Hall in Yorkshire. 

She completed her Jewellery education at Le Arti Orafe Jewellery School in Florence, Italy in 2005.

"At the moment I am developing my personal research in contemporary jewellery, working with materials like silver, gold, precious stones, and Japanese paper for Origami.

My research is based on the concept of folding, using a very important quality of metal, flexibility," she notes on her website.

Nesti, who designs and makes her own jewels, was awarded a recognized diploma as a goldsmith.

She also practices with soft and hard wax and enamelling.

Nesti attended a metal-forging workshop with Giovanni Corvaja, a renowned Italian goldsmith.

To see Silvia Nesti's latest collection, visit her website at:

www.silvianesti.com

GREAT FLORENCE WEBSITES -- PART 9

GIAMPIERO M. GALLO & THE FLORENTINE

When we were in Florence, we had the great pleasure of meeting Giampiero Gallo inside the historic Palazzo Vecchio.

Palazzo Vecchio has been the home of Florentine government for centuries and it also has priceless art treasures displayed throughout.

Mr. Gallo welcomed us to the city as a consigliere of the comunale -- basically, an elected city council member.

He is part of forward-thinking Florence Mayor Matteo Renzi's majority party, Gruppo Consiliare Partito Democratico.

We noticed that our new friend Giampiero was wearing a pin shaped like a bicycle.

It sparked a long conversation about walkability, bikeability and our favorite -- wheelchair accessibility.

A brilliant professor of economics, he speaks flawless English and understands that urban areas depend on being able to move people around without being car-dependent.

We found a great interview with him in The Florentine, the online site of the great English language newspaper of Firenze.

The article is here:

http://www.theflorentine.net/articles/article-view.asp?issuetocId=7522

Gallo's academic website is here:

http://unifi.academia.edu/GiampieroMGallo

THE OLTRARNO -- IT'S WHERE YOU WANT TO BE

An Artisan Walk Through the Oltrarno Quarter

We strongly recommended staying in the Oltrarno (the district south of the River Arno) when visiting Florence

You can pick an apartment close to the Pitti Palace, Ponte Vecchio and Santo Spirito, but you can still shop at local groceries, dine at less touristy trattorias, shop at the workshops of true artisans and people watch in small piazas populated by locals.

The brilliant folks at EveryTrail.com have come up with an exquisite 0.5 KM, one- to three-our stroll "through the narrow streets of this neighborhood that feature unique studios."

In the words of EveryTrail:

"Overview: Florence’s Oltrarno district is known for its artisans—"artigiani" in Italian—a dying breed of creative hands that carry on centuries' worth of Florentine traditions. 

From bookbinders to sculptors to metalworkers and gold-gilders, the little maze of streets between the Ponte Vecchio and Santo Spirito are quietly off the beaten track, overlooked by most visitors.

It’s a wonderful neighborhood to explore and get a peek into another era.

Some of these workshops look like something straight out of the Renaissance. 

While you are here, visit some of the great little cafes in the area. 

Also in this neighborhood are the Pitti Palace’s beautiful galleries—a visit here would complement this artisan trail that looks at the decorative arts in Florence.

Tips: Note that Florence has a unique address system! Any street number with an "r" after it means "red." 

Look for red-colored numbers, which usually signify a business. 

Any numbers written in blue or black are usually a residence.

This means any street could have two separate places with the same number, one black, one red and they are not always near each other!

The best time for this walk is morning, from 9am to 12:30pm or the afternoon up until 7:30pm. 

Artisans usually have a schedule much like office hours—that is, Monday to Friday, but some will probably also be open on a Saturday morning. 

Try not to do this walk around lunchtime, as most will be closed from 12:30 to 3:30pm.

The Pitti Palace is also a wonderful place to explore and if you wanted to beef up this trail, visit the Silver Museum, the Costume Gallery or the Palatina Gallery of the Pitti Palace for more."

http://www.everytrail.com/guide/an-artisan-walk-through-the-oltrarno-quarter