Dinner Can Be Musical

Believe it or not, we found the restaurant. Armed with my map of Florence, we followed the twisting roads that led, right off the Ponte Vecchio, to La Posta. With a row of tables along the sidewalk under a yellow canape, pink napkins on the tables, and the friendly greeting of the staff, the restaurant is not to be missed on your visit to Florence.

 Of course, right away, we ordered wine and much to my surprise, my mother had an entire glass. Perhaps now, I will only order red so I can keep it all to myself. Starting the meal with Forttunta (toasted bread soaked with olive oil and TONS of garlic), the dinner was off to a gastronomic delight. Rosemarie had gnocchi ala pomodoro while I dived into Ravioli Rosa. The pasta was so light that it didn't seem as if we ate at all. In fact, I had to scrape all of the sauce from my mother's plate - I wasn't about to waste a drop. The pasta and antipasto reminded us of my father's mother who loved garlic as much as I do. For years, she would tell Rosemarie that there was no garlic in her cooking despite my mother biting into huge chunks of it. We sprinkled both with a generous helping of parmesean cheese.

Of course, I added a primo secondo and it was one of my favorites, veal. Politically incorrect, but someone has to eat it and this is Italy and I'm Italian. Yet, perhaps the most incredible portion was the Tiramisu..overladen with marscapone cheese and just the right amount of rum, bits of chocolate sprinkled throughout and strawberries folded into the delicate yellow cream, the dessert lasted less than two minutes between us.

Sitting next to us was a lovely young couple from, of all places, Orange County. Celebrating their four years together, the two were the most gorgeous couple and heard us talking about our day and asked me my opinion on the Pitti Palace, since like us, had visited Paris and loved Versailles. Since I think the Florence equivalent is a poor man's version without the Marie Antoinette history, they took my advice and opted to save their euro for Rome.

Of course, my mom's obsession with the Casey Anthony trial came to a conclusion during our meal when my brother texted me the verdict. The Orange Country couple and I knew what the outcome would be so we had a grand time convincing my mother that the jury had done its job. As if on cue to get Rosemarie's mind back to surroundings, soon after we paid our check, we listened to the incredible sounds of a youth symphony in the Piazzia Signoria. With the strings echoing throughout the square, we were both enraptured by the string section. And, for a little taste of home, the rousing 1812 Overture echoed over the night sky. Every American in the crowd and everyone else of course, cheered - it's a small world and one where music can really make the world unite.

I walked my mother back to our bed & breakfast and I went out for a nightcap that proved that men are men - no matter where in the world you find them.Give me a Tiramusa in Florence over them any day.