Just a bit of GirlinFlorence news for you guys on this fine Thursday afternoon.

It’s not often that someone consider’s you a “super insider” much less an award-winning publication that has often served as a reference point for your own research.

I’m talking about Forbes, yes that Forbes; a magazine I grew up reading with people far more successful than I ever dreamt I could be on the cover and perhaps a few inflated egos.

Well, word on the street is they have really pumped up their travel writing in the past year and writer Catherine Sabino recently asked me to provide a lengthy list of tips for visiting the city of Florence and hopefully avoiding the crowds.

Normally how it works with (some) journalists is that they sweet talk you into giving them tips or use your work as research but rarely, and I mean rarely do you get a link back to your blog or even solely a mention that what you do was part of their research. I do hope this changes in the future, and to put my money where my mouth is, this is something I strongly believe in regarding the work we do at Italy Magazine or for my freelance projects. This means giving credit where it is due and paying it forward without expecting a “favor” in return.

You get so much more out of life and workplace satisfaction when you don’t assume to be the sole “expert” in any given arena. It’s a lonely world for those who claim to be the only ones out there doing anything cool.

Italy has some great travel writers, bloggers and I am honored to share their work frequently.

Ps. My own top references and recommendations here in Florence are the talented Coral Sisk of Curious Appetite Travel (she knows food ya’ll!), my girl Emiko Davies who is just about to release her fourth cookbook with family recipes (yay!), The Florentine, and Alexandra Korey of ArtTrav – the reference on anything cultural in Italy.

Regarding this article, obviously you guys know me, I’m going to keep it real and be entirely honest about the mythical “low season” in our Renaissance city but I answered the questions as best I could so if you would like to read the full story on Forbes.com – here you go!

Also, I know some of you guys might not be regular readers of the blog, but if you are looking for some popular posts but don’t want to search as a reference for general Florence tips and the like, here are a few useful links to get you started. Obviously I have over 600 articles on this blog, many about travel, life, wedding tips, language-learning debacles so it can be hard to wade through it all, I get it. 

• There are a million places to eat in Florence but the great thing about taking advice from someone who lives here, is that the info will be updated
• I am known to partake in a cocktail or three, especially if mezcal has anything to do with it. Here’s where to get a drink in Florence.
• Where to go and where to shop: these awesome artisan boutiques and quirky museums are my happy place.
• People always ask me for hotel tips and I break it down by budget on the blog here.
• Good souvenirs can be hard to find in the touristy center of Florence but these gift ideas will have you covered any time of the year.
• This collaborative article on “Hidden Florence” offers tips from several local experts in one handy article for Italy Magazine 
• I’m thankful for these Italian phrases and here’s why you should be too, on the flip side here are common mistakes that are easy to make (I’m looking at you “fig”)
• When it comes to day trips outside of Florence, here are a few ideas that are easy to reach by train.

On an entirely different note, the sweetest person ever, Tania from Perth, Australia has lovely small-group Italian classes at The Little Italian School and asked me to be a part of her new interview series about life in Italy. This was especially fun to do since I don’t often get asked the “hard” questions that don’t often paint ahem the rosiest portrait of how many people want to see life in Italy.

As you know, I am a generally very positive person but I do appreciate a reflective deep-dive into what it’s really like to adjust to life in another culture. You can check out the interview here and I’d love to know your thoughts on it too!

That’s all the latest news and ramblings for now and I will be back soon on the blog for more articles on captivating places and interesting finds. Trust me, you have a lot to look forward to. Thanks for following the ride so far.