Florence | New Olive Oil, Honey, Cheese, and Wine Market

Photo courtesy of instagram @florence_journal 

If you’re currently in Florence right now and the mercato in Piazza della Repubblica of new olive oil, cheese, honey, and wine is going on, do yourself the biggest favor and go take a gander at what’s on offer.  You are encouraged to try all the new oils (olio) on fresh bread (pane), sample the different varieties of honey (miele), and go wine (vino) tasting all in one absolutely beautiful piazza.

Panino, Panini | The Rough Guide to Florence

Now let's get something clear: panino = sandwich, singular and panini = sandwiches, plural.  Get this distinction right and you won't be laughed at when you order these simple yet ridiculously flavorful handheld feasts.  If you thought you had it great at Subway or your local delicatessen, prepare to be blown away.  It's really no surprise, the Italians do everything better, even sandwiches.  Fresh baked pane or bread pressed to perfection holds together between the crunchy goodness a plethora of savory, salty, and flavorful fillings that will be harder to choose from than your senior prom dress.  Panini are the perfect lunch to combat the hunger you will work up after pounding the cobblestone streets all day, darting in and out of the cyclists and people.    

A Pino's panino, photo courtesy of travelblog.org

Like usual, click the colored name of the place to pull up the Google Map! 

Salumeria Verdi - Pino’s Sandwiches

Via Giuseppe Verdi, 36r

Pino’s is a place you have to visit, not just for the panini but also for Pino himself.  A short walk from the Duomo and close to Santa Croce you’ll stumble upon Pino’s where you can have yourself some amazing food. There is almost always a line out the door but you barely notice the wait as your eyes feast over the menu of already perfectly curated panino selections or if that’s not your thing, the overflowing cases of ingredients in which you can stuff into perfectly toasted pane (bread).  Pino himself is a loud and happy man who greets everyone like a friend, even remembering you and your order if you come often enough.  Ask him his favorites and he’ll create a panino I promise you will love and crave for days and in my case, months later.  And it’s not just sandwiches that is served at Pino’s. They always have smaller antipasto (appetizer)  type dishes to go along with your panino as well as a delicious selection of pastas.  My favorite was their pasta con tartufo or pasta with truffle when truffle season kicked into high gear in Firenze.  The clientele is made up of lots of students but don’t let that deter you from picking up a great meal.  

Antica Sosta degli Aldobrandini

Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini, 5/6r

Also known as the "Student Discount Place" by Lorenzo de' Medici students, this corner stop is rustic yet very satisfying and if you couldn't tell by the nickname also a place that won't hurt the wallet.  Antica Sosta degli Aldobrandini is a small stop right at the corner of Via Faenza near many of the buildings that LdM holds classes during the week as well as a lot of student apartments.  They have a pre-set panino menu that you can order off of or you can create your own masterpiece a la Subway but with waaay more amazing filling options.  For about €3,50 you can create your own 5 ingredient panino.  My go-to panino was always brie formaggio (cheese), tacchino (turkey), salame, pesto, and if I wanted something with a bit of sweetness pera (pear) or pomodori secchi sott'olio (sundried tomatoes in oil).  You can have it in restaurant or as take-away if you're running from class to class.  If you dine in there are many more options.  They offer an assortment of salads which come in huge bowls as well as a pretty descent apertivi spread come evening time.

Tip: Coffee to-go is a completely American concept.  You're better off not asking at a bar if you can have your coffee to-go unless you absolutely, positively know they offer this service as coffee drinking is a very important Italian cultural past time.  Antica Sosta degli Aldobrandini DOES offer coffee to-go so rejoice if you're a coffee addict and must have 24/7.

** EXTRA TIP: If you go down Via Faenza a couple of shops after Antica Sosta degli Aldobrandini, on your left you will come across a small taverna and shop that also creates beautifully crafted panini.  It is right across of Antica Gelateria Fiorentina, a great gelateria.  This shop offer a student discount as well and the fixings are amazing, even in my opinion better than Antica Sosta.  However, I found this gem late in my stay and was stupid to not write down the name or take a photo.  There is a quaint cellar eating area in the back of the shop, hidden from the prying, jealous eyes of those who want your panino.  If you do find this place and eat here, please send me the name and a picture of your panino.  Is that weird?  I don't care, it was THAT good.  

Palle D’Oro Trattoria

Via Sant’Antonio

If you want to test your Italian skills and go a little more local, Palle D’Oro is the place. Located around the corner from Mercato Centrale, the trattoria does serve both lunch and dinner plates, but my favorite were the panini served to order. For only €3 or €4, you get a panino stuffed with meats and cheeses on a tasty ciabata roll. They have tons of options and even serve up the Florentine traditional lampredotto. My personal favorite was the speck (cured meat) e brie con rucola (arugula), slightly warmed up to melt the brie. You can either take the panino to go, or sit or stand in the bar area where you will find many locals around 1 o’clock, chatting and eating merrily. I’ve also taken it to-go a few times and sat on the steps of Basilica di San Lorenzo on a nice day to enjoy the delicious and savory lunch. One last thing I love about Palle D’Oro are the owners. The man behind the counter making your panino is always kind and patient, letting you practice your Italian like many won’t, and the woman is always very pleasant as well.

Buon appetito!  Love, Kiyana & Catie

Here is a video of my time in Florence where a trip to Pino's makes an appearance!  The quality isn't the best because I didn't have my settings on HD but to see Pino's skip to 2:42.

Musica: Elisa \\ L'Anima Vola

L'Anima Vola 
Le basta solo un po' d'aria nuova 
Se mi guardi negli occhi 
Cercami il cuore 
Non perderti nei suoi riflessi 
Non mi comprare niente 
Sorriderò se ti accorgi di me fra la gente 
Sì che è importante 
Che io sia per te in ogni posto 
In ogni caso quella di sempre 
Un bacio è come il vento 
Quando arriva piano però muove tutto quanto 
E un'anima forte che sa stare sola 
Quando ti cerca è soltanto perché lei ti vuole ancora 
E se ti cerca è soltanto perché 
L'Anima osa 
E' lei che si perde 
Poi si ritrova 
E come balla 
Quando si accorge che sei lì a guardarla 
Non mi portare niente 
Mi basta fermare insieme a te un istante 
E se mi riesce 
Poi ti saprò riconoscere anche tra mille tempeste 
Un bacio è come il vento 
Quando soffia piano però muove tutto quanto 
E un'anima forte che non ha paura 
Quando ti cerca è soltanto perché lei ti vuole ancora 
Quando ti cerca è soltanto perché lei ti vuole ancora 
E se ti cerca è soltanto perché 
L'Anima Vola 
Mica si perde 
L'Anima Vola 
Non si nasconde 
L'Anima Vola 
Cosa le serve 
L'Anima Vola 
Mica si spegne

Pizza! Pizza! | The Rough Guide to Florence

Me, Aleena, and Erin eating Gusta Pizza on the steps of Santo Spirito

Cibo | Food

Food is arguably the most important thing to indulge in when visiting Italy, or any place in that matter. But Italian food is on a whole other level.  I think I can speak for Catie as well when I say that we both thought we loved Italian food before we came to Florence.  But that love hit a glass ceiling which only getting on a plane to Italy can break through.  You haven’t really eaten Italian food until you’ve eaten in Italy.  Because food is such an important and complex theme in Italy, it only makes sense that we break it down into categories in our guide.

Part I: Pizzaria

Pizza has definitely made the big transition out of Italy and has been embraced whole-heartedly by the rest of the world and for good reason.  A genius blend of dough, sauce, cheese, and basil makes up the basic and classic margherita which other variations then add on to.  A little history for you all: The first pizza margherita was created in honor of the unification of Italy, all its ingredients representing the Italian flag. It was named in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy after her visit to Naples in 1889.  While practically every little restaurant seems to serve and make pizza, there are definitely a few that stand out from the rest.  

Click the restaurant names for the google map directions and add them to your list when you go to Florence! 

Gusta Pizza

Via Maggio, 46r

Across the Arno and right around the corner of Santo Spirito is this little pizzeria.  Don’t be fooled by its lack of space and almost hole-in-the-wall appearance.  This is probably the most well known pizzeria, at least to the hundreds of students who live and study in Firenze.  My Italian professor in Florence said that it was the students who created the hype and popularity of Gusta.  But despite the student crowd the locals love it too.  There is a great fire oven that pumps out beautiful, perfect pies non-stop.  The menu is limited but also extremely affordable.  The classic margherita is €5 and is larger than the circumference of your face.  There is almost always a line out the door but you will never be disappointed.  My friends and I liked to order our pizzas as take-away (take-out) and eat it on the steps of Santo Spirito.  Nothing better than soaking up the Italian sun, people watching, and eating a great pizza.  Oh, and if you think you’re going to share a pizza with someone think again.  Order your own, even if you think “I can’t possibly eat the entire thing by myself!”. You’re going to eat it all and you’re going to love every minute of it, no regrets.   

Le Campane Ristorante Pizzeria

Borgo la Croce, 87r

Near to our house, Le Campane Ristorante Pizzeria is definitely a local spot.  The area we lived in was very near to the Duomo, about a 10 minute walk, but far enough that rarely any tourists ventured around.  Catie and I ate here with our other friend and housemate Dada one afternoon for lunch and it was delicious.  We always passed by on our way to and from an amazing gelateria in the area and one afternoon we decided to actually stop and eat.  It’s quite spacious with two rooms filled with seating.  In the front you can see the large brick fire oven burning waiting to cook our perfect pizzas. Catie and Dada got massive pizzas, I think they both got spicy sausage on theirs, and I got a gigantic calzone.  These kinds of restaurants are the best places to practice your Italian because you’re surrounded by it.  The waiters speak practically only Italian, you order in Italian, the other customers are local, and the televisions and music playing are all the local Italian stations.  Working up the courage to try your hand at just speaking Italian to the locals can be intimidating but they appreciate it and are patient with you.  Plus, at the end of your meal and you walk out the door you feel full and accomplished.

Tavernetta del Battistero

Via dei Servi, 52r

This restaurant literally popped up halfway through our stay in Florence.  Catie, Dada, and I walked down Via dei Servi almost daily and it took us by surprise and just appeared one day.  The restaurant is very spacious and beautiful but the best part is that it’s very reasonably priced.  The menu is both pizzeria items and typical Italian restaurant with antipasti, primi, secondi, and contorni dishes.  The first time Catie and I ate there we witnessed this petite little old woman get served this massive calzone that was literally bigger than her face.  It was definitely a sight to see.  When my friend Aleena visited me in Florence from her own study abroad semester in Copenhagen with her friend Aly, Dada and I took them there for their first meal.  Pizzas were ordered all around and I ordered the massive calzone.  I was nursing an intense hangover so I wasn’t able to conquer the calzone like I planned but I was still impressed.  Aleena, Aly, and Dada all ordered different pizzas but were very happy with them and we all left happy and full of good food.

Julia Roberts had it dead on in Eat Pray Love. 

The Rough Guide to Florence | Florence

So much Florence, so little time.  I got an awesome ask in my inbox the other day from @flawlessindie asking if I’d give a full blown list of some of the things to do, see, and eat while living and studying abroad in Florence.  While I’m more of the “go out, explore, and stumble across the awesome” kind of traveler, it is nice to have a list on hand of tried and true things from people who have been in your shoes and have been on your budget.  My roommate and great friend, Catie ( metheparadox ), actually came with a Florence Bible that students who had studied abroad in Florence from her school Bentley University in MA had compiled and sent to the students who were going during our semester.  I think this was an awesome thing because each semester students add and update the Bible keeping it current and different viewpoints.  So I’m stealing this idea and wrangling Caite to create our own Rough Guide to Florence: The Things You Want to Know, Didn’t Know You Needed to Know, and Should Know.  The title is a work in progress haha.

Spring Breakers 2014: Kai `Oli `Oli | Hawaii

Erin, Julia, me, Lucia, and David

Living in Hawaii definitely has its perks when it comes to vacations.  We don't have to travel to find the sun and heat; all we need to do is jump in a car and head to the beach.  But it's nice to be out on the water sometimes, not just on the shore.  My friend Erin's boyfriend David works on a snorkeling and whale watching boat, Kai `Oli`Oli with Ocean Joy Cruises out in the Ko Olina Marina on the West Side of Oahu.  This break Erin had her friend Julia come visit her in Hawaii from Bellingham, Washington.  David got us on one of the afternoon cruises along with our friend Lucia and we had a bomb afternoon soaking up the sun, sea, and snorkeling out in the open ocean.    

The cruise is rated one of the best on the island and there's no denying why. The crew is awesome and so friendly. There is an 'ono (delicious in Hawaiian) buffet of local food, an open bar (alcoholic and non, but why non people, why??), great snorkel gear to use, and hot showers which you will be so grateful for if you're on the later cruise.  

Tip: If you're like me and are blind, the crew has prescription masks you can use so you can actually see the ocean life.  Just ask and they'll hook it up. 

They also have awesome photographers on the boat who jump in with you as you snorkel and take some awesome shots, like the ones you see here, that you can purchase on a DVD and use as you like.

Big shout out to David for hooking it up and for Captain Pat and the crew of the Kai `Oli `Oli for always showing us a good time.

North Shore Cruising | Hawaii

No better way to spend the day than driving around the North Shore, stopping at your favorite beach, and filling up on simple, yet extremely delicious food.

Matsumoto's Shave Ice

(And yes people, it's shave NOT shaved)

Large guava and lilikoi shave ice with snow cap (condensed milk)

Pay the 25 cents and go for the holder. Thank me later. 

Romy's Kahuku Prawns & Shrimp

Butter and garlic sautéed shrimp plate

Steamed prawns with side of butter dipping sauce (pictured as the aftermath)

Sunfish with garlic butter dipping sauce and fresh lemon

The wait can be long but stick it out and be patient because it's definitely worth it.

Locals and frequent customers, ask for the stamp card. 

Photos taken by Kiyana using Blackberry Bold and Droid Razr.

Morsels: Fresh Café | Hawaii

My younger sister Kayla and I decided to have a full-blown study session today, trying to get a handle on assignments that are being piled on by professors and prepare for upcoming midterms.  I don't know about you but I have a really hard time getting in solid studying done at home.  There are too many distractions, namely my bed, that keep me from really getting shit done.  

Fresh Café is definitely a cool place to go to when you want good food and a place to study.  They found that great balance of vintage, home-y interior decoration with clean industrial accents.  Free wifi and friendly staff make it a good place to crack down on the week's studying.  They have a wide menu featuring gourmet soups, salads, and sandwiches, and all of your standard café beverages.  Massive acai bowls and smoothies are also on the menu if you want something sweet.  

Fresh Café also hosts community events in their Loft in Space space in the back of the café like Art and Flea the last Thursday every month where local venders, live music, and artists come together for a night of festivities.  Other events are Pow Wow Hawaii, a contemporary art movement, First Thursdays where HawaiiSlam, the largest poetry slam in the world, and many other events like weekly Zumba classes and yoga.  

Warm Spinach Bacon & Garlic Salad

house blend soy vinaigrette dressing, bacon, mushrooms, sautéed garlic over spinach 

Bacon Eggs & Cheese Omelet Sandwich

bacon, eggs, and american cheese omelet in a honey whole wheat bagel

Half Chicken Caesar Salad

homemade caesar dressing, chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, croutons, parmesan cheese

Lemon Bar

Fresh Café hours:

Monday - Saturday 8am - 11pm

Sunday 9am - 6pm

831 Queen Street

Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

(808) 688-8055

http://freshcafehi.com/home/

I should have been Greek! | Hawaii

   

One of my favorite times of the year finally happened, Honolulu Greek Festival! I can't even remember how long I've been going, it's been that long.  Usually we try to go to both days but as I've gotten older, I treat my mama to the second day.  I had to work one of the two days this year so my mom and I went on opening day, my treat.  This year was just as great, not to mention delicious.  Over the years we've learned that on the first day you get there super early in order to make it into the pastry line first.  Those suckers sell out by the first couple of hours.  This year we stoked up on pastries up to my eyeballs.  Baklava, chocolate baklava, kataifi, koulourakai, and sooo much more.  It was a good call because by 3:30 (festival opens at noon) half of it was sold out.   

After we pretty much single-handedly bought out the pastries we headed to the greek kitchen section to feast.  I got the spanakopita plate which included greek salad, feta cheese and bread, olives, rice pilaf, dolmathes, and a piece of baklava.  I also got an extra piece of spanakopita because it's my favorite and just so damn good.  My mom shared the plate with me but got her own piece of spanakopita and a piece of moussaka, her favorite.  We found seats near the main stage where we got a great seat in the shade under the trees and watched the live greek band, Apollo, perform.  We lucked out that some of the festival volunteers from the Greek Church danced to traditional songs.  

About an hour later we decided to muster up the energy to get up (and not explode) and walk around.  I always love visiting the booth that a local jewelry store, Artlines, sets up.  I usually find a bracelet or ring that I like but this year I found a sick bell bell chime that I couldn't pass up.  It was so hot that day so to cool off we shared a bowl of lemon sorbet.  Before we called it a day, I picked up a gyro for dinner and a greek sausage and pita bread for my mom.  Overall, another great festival and a very satisfied Kiyana.  

Originally written and published on August 28, 2012 on The Late Night Chronicles