Surfing in the Cascine
Florence’s biggest park will soon offer free wi-fi access. As of spring 2014, visitors to the Cascine will be able to navigate online free of charge via seamless technology.
Feeding ideas
The first stone was recently laid, marking the initial step in renovating the upper level of Florence’s historic Mercato Centrale. Scheduled to open on March 8, 2014, the revitalised upstairs area will offer local food, cooking lessons and tasting sessions. The renovation is part of the entrepreneurial vision of Umberto Montano, Claudio Cardini and Aldo Settembrini to restore a central role to one of the best-loved and most interesting spaces in Florence’s cityscape.
Pollock at Pietre Dure
Alchemy is one of Jackson Pollock’s earliest poured paintings, executed in the revolutionary technique that constituted his most significant contribution to twentieth-century art. Now the painting has come to Florence’s Opificio delle Pietre Dure from the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. Alchemy’s visit to Florence marks the second stage in a unique and complex project to assess the work’s condition and clean it: restorers will enter Pollock’s world, inspecting every drop of colour.
Loaves of charity
Until December 31, enjoy a slice of Africa in Florence with a piece of pane Shalom. Through supermarket chain Unicoop Firenze, the nonprofit association Movimento Shalom is offering pane Shalom, bread of peace, to raise funds to support economic and education projects in Africa. Sprinkled with sesame seeds and resembling a plaited baguette, the delicious loaf keeps well. Proceeds will go towards building a new bakery in Koupéla, Burkina Faso, along with a guesthouse and a primary school.
Celebrity chefs
Hollywood actor Debi Mazar and her Fiesole-born husband Gabriele Corcos recently paid a visit to Florence’s ACCENT Study Centre in piazza Santo Spirito. Speaking to a large audience, Mazar and Corcos regaled the students with details of how their romance bloomed in Florence through food and wine, and how they came to film their popular cooking shows, Under the Tuscan Gun and Extra Virgin, aired on the Cooking Channel in the United States and Food Network International.