Candelaria Design Tour Italy - Day 3 - Welcome dinner in Florence
Originally, this dinner was scheduled for the evening we arrived. However, due to our delay in arriving we were fortunate to move our reservation to this evening. I am glad we were able to as this is always an amazing evening.
Dinner at Villa San Michele http://www.villasanmichele.com/ is always the making of a marvelous memory. We all met in the Hotel Brunelleschi bar for some cocktails. Everyone was dressed so nicely and I could tell no one had a clue what they were in for.
After our cocktails we grabbed some cabs and made our way out of the maze of streets in Florence and escaped to the hills above the city. Immediately, you feel the contrast between the hustle and bustle of the city and you sense the calm, serenity, and beauty of the country. As we pass villa after villa lined with olive trees and Italian cypress groves you realize that something of a treasure is awaiting us.
We proceeded in where we were welcomed and escorted through the hotel to the beautiful back terrace/garden were we were seated for cocktails. Nothing like a bellini on a terrace in Tuscany!
We enjoyed the terrace for about an hour and then proceeded to dinner on the grand loggia and my usual table and waiter, Antenello, who has been serving our group for the past ten years! That is one of the things I love about Italy – the familiarity and permanence of having the same waiter for all these years. It just makes the dinner so special.
As the sun set over the Florence and the wines of the region flowed the evening and our table came alive! Everyone tried different appetizers, entrees and desserts from a rack of lamb, to sirloin with a Brunello sauce, veal to lobster – I think every dish available was being enjoyed at our table. The meal started at 7:30 and we finished at about 11:30 – nothing like a 4 hour meal in Italy!http://www.villasanmichele.com/