The air is getting crispier...a need my new cashmere scarf

Dear all,

We’ve packed up our beach bags, opened up the shutters, and had that restorative ‘back to business’ clean that always fills me with energy for the months ahead.

It was definitely a different Summer, many more staycations for sure and yet September arrived!!It seems that days are floating slowly while months run away!!

Now our Summer memories are still fresh and we’ve been revived by time spent with our loved ones in magical places, well....most of the time there is no better place than home after all!

It can feel a bit grim to face back into normal life, but actually I love the feelings around "Il rientro" (the return) following the month of August when there’s a mass exodus for the seaside! Everyone feels excited to see each other once again and heads to their local for a café, cornetto and catch up...and wearing masks and respect the 6 feet distance is not stopping one of the oldest Italian traditions!

Today I was reflecting on the city’s origins, as well as on how it manages to keep us all so enamored with thousands of visitors coming back year after year. It was Julius Caesar who founded the city way back in 59 B.C. when he created a settlement for veteran Roman soldiers. From military camp to cradle of the Renaissance, Florence sure has seen many changes and I’m intrigued to see what the city will become now, in these transitionary times. I hope my beloved city will flourish and blossom with all this renewed energy back on her beautiful paved streets and I plan to get out there and be part of it.

Speaking of getting out there, raise a glass to the Renaissance city with the fifth edition of Florence Cocktail Week from September 21-27, as well as the very first edition of Tuscany Cocktail Week from September 14-20. This year, the focus is on “made in Florence” and celebrates the importance of Tuscany, revealing the roots of this wonderfully rich region and its generations of ingenuity and creativity. Events will be held in many locations, giving us plenty of new places to explore....and if you cannot be there, well it is happy hour time somewhere at anytime!!

Another event series I’m looking forward to is “E-State al Forte”, performances held on the stunning terrace of Forte Belvedere overlooking the city. From magic shows to theatre and music, La Compagnia delle Seggiole will provide us with top-quality entertainment throughout September. I’m especially excited about the tribute to Fellini, the famous director, on September 25.

For those of you not able to visit the city just yet, plenty of streamed events can help you bide the time until you can! L’Eredità delle Donne directed by Serena Dandini is an important festival held from October 23-25 celebrating the heritage of women in the city, but we don’t have to wait until then to enjoy their fantastic events! This year, a series of online live meetings will be held throughout September to get us geared up for the in-person events and they promise to be really engaging broadcasts.

Topics range from discussions about Italian literature, featuring many writers who chat about their works, to forward-thinking conversations about the role women will have in the future. The book chats will be sure to give you plenty of new additions for your reading list so you can work on your Italian all while keeping in touch with the city!

You can tune in every Tuesday and Thursday at 6pm on their Facebook page, and also that of La Nazione, their media partner. Bit of info for you, the festival is named after the most illustrious Florentine, the Electress Palatine Anna Maria Luisa de ‘Medici, the last descendant of the Medici family, who bequeathed her enormous artistic collection to the Tuscan state. We can thank her for much of the spectacular cultural wealth that has its home here.

So, let’s kickstart September with lots of energy and embrace our fabulous Florence....while for the one that are here in the Hamptons waiting for Monday...I will simply say: "Happy Labor Day!!!"

All my love,

Jennifer