HANGING OUT WITH AMERICAN FRIENDS

The last few days have been quite busy for us.  On Tuesday, our friends from New York arrived and that evening we met a business associate and friend of Joel's, Jim Fisher and his wife, Jackie for a drink at Gilli in the Piazza della Repubblica.  It turns out that our friend, Cheryl and the Fishers have mutual friends who live in Cheryl's town, Armonk, NY.  Another crazy example of Jewish Geography:  Melissa's friend from the school here, Carly,  is from Sidney, Australia.  I told her that I only knew two people in Sidney, that they are cousins of my good friend, Susan Katz,  and that their names are Norton and Stevie and they live in an apartment with a beautiful view of the opera house (Danny met them and had shabbat dinner at their house when he was traveling in Australia with his friends).  Carly told me her grandparents live in a building with a great view of the Opera House and that they are close  friends with a couple named Norton and Susie.  I had Susan email her cousins the name of Carly's grandparents and they wrote back that not only were they friends, but they were actually having dinner with them when Norton got the email!  Small world.

First day in Florence for Josie and Cheryl

Melissa and Josie sharing a "Spritz" (pronounced "spreetz" by the Italians.  Prosecco, aperol (orange liquor and a splash of soda water)

Dinner at Spaghetteria Fratelli Briganti with Daniele (and the owner, Leonardo)

The street sign for our street

Another view of our Piazza

An Irishman we met (along with his new wife--they are on their honeymoon) who decided to go out of a store and model a shirt for us so we could get the "full effect"

Josie with Moo

And let's not forget that in a moment of weakness and sheer insanity,  I agreed to have my ear
cartilage pierced with Melissa so we would have a permanent reminder of our time in Florence together. OUCH

Petting the nose of the cinghiale (wild boar) for good luck

A gorgeous Florentine sky