Daily routine

 My language course has begun and so I spend 3 hours each morning in class from 9-12.  I walk from my neighborhood in the Oltrarno with its picturesque architecture, super fabulous antique shops and on every corner at tribute to the Queen of Heaven:

The antique shops.... oh, if I had loads of disposable income... I would buy this fabulous marble torso:

And the vintage clothing shops... Chanel, Lagerfeld, Gucci.  No junk.  Somehow, Florence always makes me feel like I need to try a little harder:

I mean, I'm looking in the window at vintage Chanel and I'm dumpy.  Ugh.  

Onto class.  I always meet fabulous, wonderful, charming people when I travel.  It's just what happens.  I have buddied up with 3 German women and today we went out to lunch at a rice restaurant.  Yes, rice.  A totally gluten-free rice restaurant.  Why ask why?  It was delicious, I must say.  I had this very interesting pistachio and dried raspberry risotto:

After lunch, my friends went off to a tour and I walked over to Santa Maria Novella, handsome as ever:

From there it is only a short walk down Via della Scala to the Santa Maria Novella pharmacy, one of my favorite places to visit every time I am in Florence.  The pharmacy itself dates back to 1221 when the Dominican Order that founded the convent at SM Novella, decided to cultivate a garden that focused on pharmaceuticals and herbs that could be used both in the kitchen and to heal, soothe and comfort.  They still make some of the ancient preparations.  Tinctures and teas, and other interesting ointments.  They also make a luscious line of perfumes.

Here is the entry way, festooned with garlands of dried herbs:

This is the actual pharmacy from centuries ago, so the building itself has paintings, old ceramic apothecary jars, lovely fresco painting:

It's so divine.  Try and get away without spending $$$!!!  Buonissimo!