The Trip of a Lifetime — Sophisticated St. Louis

If I ever disappear from St. Louis, look for me in Florence.

Written and photography by Craig Kaminer

What better way to celebrate key milestones in life such as a 35th wedding anniversary and our 60th birthdays than with our kids and dear friends in the place where it all began for us in Florence, Italy? While there is no shortage of love stories told about the Tuscan countryside and cuisine, ours started in 1985 — and is still going strong. And to share this place with adult kids and great friends was a dream come true…truly an unparalleled experience.

Debbie and Craig Kaminer sampling Tuscan hams, cheese and olives at local salumeria while celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary and 60th birthdays in Florence, Italy.

For many, a once-in-a-lifetime trip takes them to faraway places they have never been before and are unlikely to ever see again. But for us, we returned to where we first met and have returned many times since. This time, we stayed in a well-appointed three-bedroom apartment on the Arno, and we and our guests lived the lives of Florentine locals. Feeling like a native was the best feeling of all and by the end of the trip we referred to Florence as our city, just as our tour guide did about her beloved Firenze where her family had lived for hundreds of years.

Florence is just that kind of place.

Great views of downtown Florence abound from the various overlooks near Piazzale Michelangelo.

Spectacular view from the bar atop of the Excelsior Hotel.

Walking the same streets as the Medici, following in the footsteps of Brunelleschi, Botticelli, Michelangelo, da Vinci, Galileo, Dante, and many others who had the vision to change the course of history through the patronage of the arts and to pack a city with visitors as the envy of the world to this very day, is unlike any other experience I have had. Some cities have great war histories, ancient ruins, citizens whose names we all know, or wild animals roaming the tundra. Florence has it all: the foothills of the majestic Tuscan country, the Chianti wine region, and small hill towns one more charming than the next, and each chock full of truffles, porcini mushrooms, wild boar, and vineyards as far as the eyes can see.

“Florence is a fully-fleged city with a small town feel that will charm its way into your heart and remain there forever.”

Narrator

Santo Spirito and the artisan district where we lived.

I first visited Florence in 1984 as a senior study abroad student from the University of Michigan. I was eager to complete my studies and become a restoration architect. Fifty students and our professors lived in a fabulous villa near San Domenico on the outskirts of Florence and a few minutes by car to Fiesole, the small Roman and Etruscan hill town from which Florence was born. Our classrooms were either in the villa or on-site at the many landmarks we studied.

This time, our home was at Sonderini Lugarno 1 which is right on the Arno, two bridges down from the Ponte Vecchio known for its jewelry stores which have catered to tourists and locals alike for hundreds of years. In fact, it was the only bridge in Florence the Nazis spared when they occupied the city during WWII. Our location was across Ponte Carraia in the Santo Spirito area known for its artisan workshops and the Augustinian church designed by Brunelleschi – who also designed and completed the great Dome of the Florence Cathedral (Duomo) – and today is best known for its quintessential Renaissance design.

We chose this spot to be out of the centro where crowds of people congregate at all times of day and night, and to be closer to one of the more authentic parts of Florence where the artisans still work and the restaurants cater to the people of the neighborhood. And it turned out to be perfect.

The apartment was large, lovely, and following a restoration by a father and daughter, newly on the AirBnB rental market. While it didn’t have hundreds of 5-star reviews (yet), after speaking with the owner Sophia, I had the sense this was the perfect location and ideal place for a month. It was. Since coming on the market, it has only received rave reviews. (https://tinyurl.com/35hy5xpn)

During our stay, our two sons, our daughter-in-law, and four groups of close friends visited, each staying from four to six days.

Bear & Emily Kaminer, Debbie Kaminer, Sara Papini, Craig & PJ Kaminer in front of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.

David & Julie Marcus, and Debbie & Craig Kaminer at Osteria a Passigniano in Chianti.

Dr. Charles Nathan and Bridget Nathan in front of Palazzo Vecchio.

The view from our AirBnb looking up river.

As we were preparing for this trip, I reached out to three of the au pairs who had helped us raise the boys 30 years earlier and with whom we have stayed in touch via social media despite their living in Denmark or Sweden. Furthermore, they didn't know each other as they were never in St. Louis with us at the same time, but one month before we left the United States for Florence, the au pairs announced on a group text that they were all coming to visit us. At that point, I panicked a little not knowing what the expectations were (when they were au pairs we paid for all of their travel, accommodations, and food) and my kids were concerned that the au pair time would infringe on the family time. Suffice it to say, it all worked as I had hoped, and the experience was one of the highlights of the trip.

Despite not having seen each other in 30 years, it felt like yesterday when they stood in our kitchen crying when they had to leave the boys they helped raise. I felt that way when they left Florence this time, and of course, my kids loved every minute of it, too. They didn't remember the au pairs as they were very young, but they sensed a deep connection based on the stories and photos they shared with us now. They sang lullabies they had taught our kids, and surprisingly they were extremely familiar to us all 30 years later.

For anyone who knows us, you know the highlight of any Kaminer family trip centers around food. Our sons, PJ and Bear, (and to a lesser extent my wife, Debbie, and daughter-in-law Emily) took charge ordering everywhere we went. Did we have leftovers? Of course not. These kids ate like there was no tomorrow.

PJ Kaminer proving that every meal in Italy is good to the last drop.

Some of the restaurant highlights were: Angiolino, Chingale Bianco, Cammillo, Osteria Vini et Vecchia, Club Culininaria, Il Santo Bevitore, Neromo, and 4 Lioni. Of course, one of our personal favorites is La Spada and we've been going there for 40 years since our days as study abroad students. The Tuscan food is so delicious that many nights we ate the exact same thing from the night before; we couldn’t get enough of it.

We always started with a pasta course with fresh porcini mushrooms or black or white truffles, followed by roasted chicken, a veal chop, or a 2-inch-thick piece of Bistecca Fiorentina. The fresh spinach was so good (and good for you) that we ate it daily. Of course, there were exceptions to this daily diet when we ate pasta with pesto, carbonnara, caccio e pepe, chingale (wild boar) or vongole (clams). The food never disappointed us. No restaurant was more than $50 per person including amazing wine and a tip (which in Italy is not expected).

Frequently, we enjoyed gelato twice a day — at least I did. On the first floor of our building was an excellent gelateria named Gelateria de Carraia, but we found smaller boutique gelaterias called Gelateria della Passera and Sbrino that combined the freshest ingredients, unusual flavor profiles and artistry which called to our senses frequently.

5 glasses of wine later, happy guest Julie Marcus and childhood friend Debbie Kaminer, at Osteria di Passignano.

Julie Marcus, who grew up in St. Louis, at Osteria di Passignano in Chianti.

During the days we had a variety of fun-filled adventures. We did a truffle hunt with Giulio the Truffle Hunter and his team of truffle-sniffing Lagotto Romagnolo dogs. Giulio lived a short taxi ride away in the hills overlooking Firenze so it was easy to get there and back without turning it into an overnight experience. Following our hunt, which yielded seven black winter truffles, Guilio shared one of his prized white truffles he found just the day before. We went back to his house where he prepared a typical Tuscan meal with a first course of cured meats, cheese, olive oil, and shaved truffles; followed by fresh mozzarella cheese with Tuscan olive oil with shaved black truffles; and then homemade pasta with the white truffles which filled the room with their distinctive perfume. We were stuffed but we were still able to make room for the dessert course.

Emily Kaminer, Debbie & Craig Kaminer, Bear & PJ Kaminer with Lagotto Romagnolo truffle hunting dogs.

PJ Kaminer shows one of the seven black winter truffles we unearthed during our hunt.

Sign leading guests to Giulio the Truffle Hunter's home.

Some of the black winter truffles from our hunt, and one of his prized white truffles he found just the day before that Guilio The Truffle Hunter shared with us.

Fresh mozzarella cheese with Tuscan olive oil with shaved black truffles.

Another day we signed up for a Vespa adventure in the hills surrounding Firenze. The day started out slowly while we waited for late guests and went through a safety check to make sure everyone could drive safely. Eventually, we got onto the roads, zipping by monasteries, Galileo’s home, multiple vineyards, and of course, the Cypress tree-lined Tuscan countryside that once you see, you’ll never forget.

With the wind in our faces, we traveled around the hillside, ending up at the Romanesque church of San Miniato al Monte, and terraced overlooks which were perfect for taking photos with the Duomo in the background. The experience was excellent, but we decided to rent our own Vespas another day without the restrictions of the group, That was even better and we had the chance to see where we had once lived (Villa Bosco Bello near San Domenico), eat at the neighborhood pizzeria up the block, which is still owned by the same family, and stop at the Piazzale Michelangelo to take a group shot where we had taken so many before but couldn't resist the opportunity for one more memory. We slowly drove back to the Vespa rental location, stopping at a variety of places, and relishing the fact that for once we were able to drive in the center of town which are typically off-limits to cars. It was electrifying…literally, as we rented the all-electric 125 Vespa which are only available in Europe.

Garage full of vintage Fiat 500's and Vespa's available to rent.

In all of my travels, our tour guide Sara Papini is the best…and unforgettable. She reads her audience perfectly and makes each tour fun and invigorating. Our kids noodled me before the tour acting as if I wanted to punish them and make them go “on a tour.” By the end, they wanted Sara to eat lunch with us and be with us every day. She is a true Florentine and so proud of the city’s amazing history, art, and culture.

During our stay in Florence, Sara led us on the following tours: The Uffizi Galleries, The Food and Artisans of Florence, and the Accademia where Michelangelo’s David stands in all his naked glory, and finally an in-depth tour of the Dominican church of Santa Maria Novella. Sara has the unique skill of selecting the highlights of each location, presenting the history in manageable bites, and always adding humor to the history—like when my wife asked why David didn’t have a larger penis? Sara had the answer. She took us to the original pharmacy at the convent known to be the oldest still functioning. It is where herbal medicines were made during the Renaissance, and then later perfume, soaps and other aromatic housewares. It continues to create these to this very day.

Donatello’s David at the Bargello museum. Note Medici crest on pedestal.

Another interpretation of David by Verrocchio.

Once we rented a car and drove to The Mall which is a fabulous luxury outlet mall with Gucci, Prada, Brunello Cucinelli, Armani, Balenciaga, Loro Piana, Bottega, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, TOD’s, and much more. If you're a shopper and covet these brands but would prefer to pay 40 percent less, it's worth the half-day trip. We drove thru Chianti on the way back, had lunch in Greve, and ended up at a vineyard called Verrazzano (as in the Verrazzano Bridge in NYC) taking a tour, having a tasting, buying some wine and balsamic vinegar, and heading back to Florence in time to drop off the rental car in order to avoid a late fee.

Some of the luxury goods at The Mall which is a fabulous luxury outlet mall with Gucci, Prada, Brunello Cucinelli, Armani, Balenciaga, Loro Piana, Bottega, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, and more.

Another day we drove to the ancient walled city of Lucca. It was charming with lots of history. Most notably, Lucca was able to remain independent from Florence which conquered most of the cities in its reach. We walked many of the streets, stopping for cappuccini and biscotti (also called cantucci) before wandering into the town square (actually it is a circle). In need of some water and wine, the kids selected a restaurant with a thoroughly modern take on Tuscan food. In truth, it was very good, but in our collective opinion, the traditional Tuscan recipes are best left alone.

We continued the journey to the other side of Lucca, stopping to climb a bell tower and see miles around the city and to listen to a street musician who played his guitar, kept rhythm on the body of the instrument, while singing and tap dancing at the same time. He was quite talented and as the crowd would suggest, he is an Italian troubadour or better yet Sgt. Pepper. Then we made our way in the direction of the car. Before we got there, my eldest son suggested that we rent bikes and ride atop of the ancient walls (kind of like the High Line in New York City but thousands of years old). Despite being exhausted, how could I say no? So we did it and it was great! On the ride back to our apartment, the whole car was asleep until we pulled up to the building.

A couple of our friends surprised us with a day-long cooking experience. It started when Chef Matteo Giuliani from thecookingtouch.com met us outside our apartment and led us to his favorite small grocer for some fresh vegetables and fruit. We learned of his history as a top chef and his need to give up the chef’s life to raise a family. Lucky for us, he was quite handsome and charming — as I was reminded repeatedly by my wife — and made a 5-course lunch from scratch. Matteo’s kitchen, called The Cooking Lab, was more like a studio with large pane glass windows overlooking the Ponte Vecchio and Arno River, which he said was owned by the Ferragamo family. We watched and asked questions, and Debbie decided to jump into action and help make the fresh pasta for the ravioli. Our meal included stuffed zucchini flowers, fresh artichoke-and-tomato salad, made-from-scratch ravioli and gnudi (pasta-less ravioli), a fresh hot lava cake, and, of course, gelato made from the in-season persimmon. On top of this, each course was paired with a wine so by the end of the experience we were drunk and full. But o dio it was good.

Jeff and Katie Brodsky with Debbie Kaminer shopping for the freshest ingredients for their cooking lesson.

Just one of the many shops at the market of San Lorenzo.

Local purveyor of fresh vegetables near Palazzo Vecchio.

Dr. Charles Nathan at San Lorenzo market.

Debbie Kaminer helping make the fresh pasta for the ravioli with Chef Matteo Giuliani.

Chef Matteo Giuliani with his finest students.

While I always prefer the family owned trattorias, osterias, and rosticcerias, our day trip to visit the Antinori-owned Badia a Passignano and the hamlet of Volpaia arranged by our closest friends was truly the highlight of the trip. We were picked up in front of our apartment by a private Sprinter van and driven to the Badia located in the heart of the Chianti region where we were dropped off at an ancient monastery dating back to 395 AD and founded by the Archbishop of Florence. Today it is inhabited by the monks and one nun of the Vallombrosian order who remain custodians of its cultural and historical treasures tending to their gardens and grapes, but have turned the wine production over to the Antinori family. We were greeted by Gabriele Gorelli, the director of the Osteria di Passignano (https://tinyurl.com/yc2rvdm7) who led our *four-person private tour and who personally oversaw our 5-course lunch and wine tasting.

Craig Kaminer near vineyards of Badia a Passignano.

Debbie and Craig Kaminer touring the countryside with sons Bear Kaminer and PJ Kaminer.

Dr. Charles Nathan and Bridget Nathan on Ponte Trinita.

We started with a sampling of three different and unique Tuscan olive oils and a glass of 2021 Where Dreams produced by Jermann. It was followed by guinea fowl in milfoil pastry paired with the namesake red 2020 Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico. No one thought they would like the guinea fowl, but we all did and the Chianti Classico was the best we have ever had. Next, we had gnocchi made with veal cheek and spring onions and paired with the incomparable 2020 Tignanello. We all sampled the award-winning Super Tuscan and immediately asked for a refill. The pairing was perfetto. Then we graduated to a perfectly prepared veal course with Cartoccio potatoes paired with 2020 Guada al Tasso, Marchesi Antinori's super-stylish Bolgheri Superiore Bordeaux blend. The color is intense, almost black with a shiny, purple rim. If this wasn’t enough, we were served a variety of Tuscan cheeses and a 2018 Maggiarino Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. As a special treat, Gabriele served us some very rare Biondi Santi Brunello. Despite not being from the Antinori collection, it was the perfect compliment to the perfect day. Before rushing off to our next tasting, we were served petit fours and coffee by our incredible hosts.

Gabriele Gorelli introduces each course and wine pairing to his guests at Badia a Passignano.

Each course and wine pairing was great in their own right, but when served one after the other with each being better than the former, it is one of those experiences we will likely never have again…ever.

Glancing down at our watches, we noticed that we were late for our next wine tour at Volpaia, which was 50 minutes away. So we rushed out, thanking everyone for their hospitality, but missing the chance to buy some wines and olive oil directly from the producer so we could ship it home. Don’t worry. I followed up with Gabriele and he sent a case that arrived in three weeks.

When we arrived in Volpaia, everyone in the van was asleep but we quickly mustered up a second wind to explore this little town—called a hamlet by the inhabitants— where just 26 full-time residents live. Sure, the town swells to 40 during the wine production season, but the raw simplicity, serenity and smell of the earth was intoxicating…as was the wine. We sampled four or five more wines, all featuring the Sangiovese grapes, but the last, their Super Tuscan called Volpaia Coltassala, was truly excellent.

The small town or hamlet of Volpaia in Chianti which boasts a population between 26 and 40 depending on the season.

Chianti Classico still reigns supreme in Tuscany but I prefer the Super Tuscans which blend the Sangiovese grapes with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and/or merlot. I simply like the taste of the oak and the smoothness of the blend. But this is still a controversial topic among the locals who have fought against the new world Super Tuscans. Regardless, Italian wines are best paired with foods compared to drinking without and these were among the very best. We didn’t go to Montalcino this trip to sample the newer vintages of Brunello, but that is reserved for the next trip—and the next story.

Florence’s weather in October was warmer than I remember. The days were mainly sunny with temperatures climbing as high as 85 degrees and the nights dropping back into the 60’s. Just as we were preparing to come home to St. Louis we had a cold snap where the temps never rose above 70 and the nights were a brisk 50. It rained most of the day on our last day but it cleared by late afternoon. Just as I stepped out on the terrace overlooking the Arno to take a picture, I saw it…a double rainbow. I interpreted it as Florence saying arriverderci and welcoming us again for when we return. And we will.

Debbie Kaminer in front of Santa Maria Novella in Florence.

I have experienced many great places in the world, some for a short stay, and others for an extended period. But I can truly say Florence is my favorite. Maybe it’s the fact that I met my wife there, or because I know it like the back of my hand, but everything about the center of the Renaissance speaks to me…the art, the politics, the city planning, the colorful characters, and certainly the food. If I disappear from St. Louis one day, you should first check Florence as that's where I hope to spend my life…amongst the art and artists.

*Footnote

It should be noted that our friends who arranged the Antinori and Volpaia experiences and who were supposed to be on this trip with us, had to stay home at the last moment to care for a sick parent, and unfortunately missed this unforgettable culinary and wine indulgence which they would have loved. Thankfully his father is recuperating as planned and we hope to have many more adventures together in the future..