I have never been more happy to welcome a new month than I have for this one so let’s talk June events in Florence. While you can’t blame a month for bringing bad luck and despair; I am going to do so anyway, leaving behind any irrational thoughts with the moody, grey cold that now seems a lifetime away. My plans are to slowly finish off my massive list of deadlines and hopefully embrace a more peaceful existence thanks to folks like Relax Firenze (they seriously are incredible people). 

June has mercifully arrived with sunshine and warm enough temperatures to wear sleeveless shirts and shorts. While you’ll still want a (light only) sweater in the evenings, highs to kick off the month are in the mid to late 80’s (28-30 degrees celsius) so pack accordingly.

This is when you need sunscreen, good sunglasses, a decent pair of shoes (skip the flip-flops as the city is very dusty and you don’t want to catch them on a cobblestone and be shoeless back to your hotel/apartment. 

Florence is now back to being its normal annoying high season self. The Ponte Vecchio heaves with people come 10:30am and Ponte Santa Trinita is predictably covered with sad, lost discarded gelato (speaking of – TimeOut included a roundup of my favourite gelato shops in the city here!) that has quite literally melted itself into the bridge by mid afternoon. It is what it is and for peace, quiet and perhaps a tad more harmony my advice is always to get up early and enjoy the city before everyone else does. You can thank me later. 

This month’s link love from Italy and beyond 

• News from the Uffizi; Following nearly a year of renovation, the museum has debuted the rooms dedicated to 16th- and 17th-century artworks, vaunting 105 pieces by Venetian and Florentine masters across 14 rooms. Via The Florentine. 
   
• Speaking of The Florentine, one of their best editors/writers is leaving and wrote this sweet sendoff. You will be missed Mary, but we all know great things are ahead for you. 
• I recently went on a rant on Facebook about instagrammers behaving badly and this article on Curiousity Mag pretty much sums up my feelings about the weird wild West that travel “influencers” sometimes encompass. 
• Speaking of… this is MY kind of influencer. 
• This sounds like the perfect summer pasta, thanks again Jul’s Kitchen! 
• “Husband, 100, and wife, 103, believe Hershey’s Chocolate is the secret to their long marriage” I mean THIS. 
• Surprisingly or maybe not so, I’ve been taking the time to read again and this summer list by The New York Times has many I want to devour. 
• “The woman defying tradition with pistachio.” I LOVE this piece by Curious Appetite aka Coral Sisk who went down to Sicily to bring us this amazing story. 
• Last but not least, this is actually my latest piece for Dievole regarding Italian cocktails and the cities where they are from. Hand me a Bellini y’all.. 
  
   

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June 2nd (worth mentioning even if this post is being published on the 3rd) is a holiday in Italy that everyone who lives and cares about this country should care about, it is a day that celebrates Italy decision to become a republic in a tight vote following the Second World War. Viva #FestadellaRepubblica

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This June returns as per usual Calcio Storico, Florence’s own brand of violent historical football pitting together men in tights grouped by neighborhoods of the city (obviously I’m for Santo Spirito or “Bianchi”)  who are very very angry (or really excited, it just depends how you look at it.). The games begin on June 9, 10 with the final winner-takes-all taking place on June 24th on the Festa di San Giovanni, feast day in the city of Florence which also includes a costumed parade throughout the city. It’s always a lot of fun in my book! Tickets range from 29€ to 80€ depending on just how much of a fan you are. More info on tickets here.

Cool contemporary artists space Numeroventi this year is turning three (and she’s potty trained) and they are set for a week-long series of events from June 7-15th showcasing their current artists in residency. They will also be opening up a shop and gallery  with the launch party taking place on June 8th from 3-8pm. 

Storytellers in Florence is back this month on June 8th and voting is still ongoing to pick a topic though “adventures on the job” seems to be the near winner here. a great follow up after last month’s escape (was an absolutely splendid night. As per usual it will take place at independent bookshop cafe Todo Modo (Via dei Fossi) starting at 7pm and ending at 9pm. You are more than welcome to just come and watch people share their stories and do keep in ind that there is a minimum participation fee of 10€ that includes a beverage of your choice (I love a cynar spritz). Beyond the costs to keep Storytellers going, any proceeds from the entry fee will be donated to an organization that, if possible, will be related to the theme . If you have a story to share based on this theme, be sure to contact Linda on Facebook or by email at linda@the-beehive.com. 

As per usual the lovely ladies of Cultural Salon Firenze have an exciting lineup for the month of June. Events to watch out for include Yoga with Brenda Swanson on June 4th together with a pool party at Klab, a social meet up event at Enoteca Bellini on June 11th, and a book presentation at the Harold Acton Library on June 12th. 

Love Open Mic nights? Don’t miss the one held the first Friday of every month at Virgin Rock Pub, Via dell’Agnolo 78 (9:30-11:30pm), hosted by the lovely Patti DeRosa.

For those who want to improve their Italian or simply just meet new people in Florence, I highly recommend attending the “Speakeasy art gallery night” on June 5th at a local art gallery (Chiasso Perduto). The linguistic libations take place from 7-9pm.. 10€ entry which includes drinks and snacks. 

NYU in Florence kicks off its season of special summer music recitals, opera, cabaret and theater on the grounds of Villa La Pietra this June on the 6th with a “Singing Verdi in the 21st century” concert followed by three other exciting events, see the full lineup here. To book your seat, email lapietra.reply@nyu.edu. 

Crossing Borders and Boundaries – with more people on the move than ever before, Kamin Mohammadi and Katja Meier will chat with David Orr about the great issue of our times, migration, and the nuances and differences between being an ‘expat’, an ‘émigré’, an ‘immigrant’ and ‘refugee’. What do these different terms mean and how do they affect our lived experience? The talk with take place on June 6th, 6-7pm, at St. Mark’s English Church. 

Thursday, June 6th one of my favourite local bars in Piazza Tasso, Circolo Aurora, will host a music show –  Gajè Gipsy Swing live – from 9pm-midnight. 

June 6th: I love anything involving books and the British Institute is hosting a reading exchange that evening that asks just that you bring a book you have read and enjoyed recently –  everyone will have a few minutes to talk about their books.  This event is open to all. Afternoon tea served from 16.30.

Everyone has a story to tell but how do you actually go about turning that into a book that will speak to a general readership? This workshop on June 8th with authors Kamin Mohammadi and Katja Meier. will help you navigate how to boil down factual research into a palatable and engaging narrative, and how to weave larger societal and global questions and issues into a personal story. address. St. Mark’s English Church. more info here. 

Love artisans? Me too! And guess what, the Heyart foundation will host a Creative Market with handicrafts on display from June 8-9th. in beautiful Piazza Ciompi from 9:30am until May 12^th, 8pm.

Need a pick-me-up? Well, every Thursday morning there is a flower market (see featured image) in the porticoes of Piazza della Repubblica. If you’re serious about buying flowers and plants come early to get the best of the bunch.

Pitti Uomo is back this June from the 11th to the 14th with three days of fashion shows showcasing the latest in menswear and a plethora of events that coincide with this biannual fair. Though most of the events are by private invite only, the city becomes a well-dressed open fashion show with “candid” posing in various squares, coffee bars and fancy bars.  Check out the event list here.

The Estate Fiesolana (Fiesole Summer) concert series kicks off at the Roman Theater in Fiesole (one of the arguably coolest venues for such events) on June 20th and there is a rich calendar of concerts to look forward to until August. Here’s where to see them. 

San Giovanni is the city’s Feast Day for St. John the Baptist that takes place annually on June 24th. With a day off for locals, it also marks the finale of the famous Calcio Storico football match and a fireworks show around 10pm from Piazzale Michelangelo. The best place for a great view is along the Lungarno (but get there early to nab a spot!). 

This is the chance to check out the photo exhibition “Heroes: Bowie by Sukita” dedicated to David Bowie, an undisputed icon of pop culture, portrayed by a master of Japanese photography: Masatoshi Sukita (who was a personal friend of Bowie and features him in over 60 photos.) I first fell in a sort of trance over Bowie’s music myself due to an obsession with a dark European movie about drugs from 1981 called “Christiane F”. You can check out the exhibition at Palazzo Medici Riccardi on Via Cavour until June 28th.

Outside of Florence: My Top Picks

• Not in Florence but this is an event close to my heart and would be such a wonderful experience for anyone visiting Florence. A wonderful organic winery Querceto di Castellina (in Castelina in Chianti, a hour from Florence) is hosting summertime celebrations showcasing the culinary delights of La Tenda Rossa and their fabulous organic wines in the beautiful setting of their vineyard!. This summer’s vineyard dinners will be on June 15th, June 29th, July 13th  and July 27th. Reserve your spot by emailing mary@querceto.com, +39 0577733590 or ristorante@latendarossa.it, +39 055826132. I had a great time last year and would recommend this to anyone who loves unique dining experiences.

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