Cena con I Nostri Amici

Dinner with our Friends

I am one of those crazy organizers, the ones who don’t really live on a whim and I like to have everything planned out. Sometimes this is great, but when things don’t go, as I like them, I get irritated. I like to plan because I want things to run smoothly and the more things are organized the less room or error or mistakes. I think this habit I picked up from my years working in the hospitality industry. Regardless where I got this habit, it has stuck.

Anyhow, last night, after arriving back from Maurizio’s parents house, we had planned to have dinner with friends. Currently, our friend KK whom we met through my sister is visiting Firenze. Her daughter Kelsey was lucky enough to come here on a study abroad program and now KK is making her Italian debut. Knowing in advance she was coming I had suggested that we plan a dinner out together. I wanted to make sure Maurizio was able to come as well and the only night he wasn’t working was last night. So, being the organizer that I am, I had Maurizio make reservations in advance at a lovely little restaurant on the Oltrarno in the San Niccolò area called Il Rifrullo. They had asked him if we were going to be just having aperativo and Maurizio said no that we wanted dinner in the restaurant.

We had decided to meet KK and Kelsey directly at the restaurant and not wanting them to have to wait for us since they weren’t exactly sure where to go, we made sure to get their early. While we were waiting for their arrival, we had a spritz and enjoyed the perfect night air. The weather here now is absolutely beautiful. When they arrived, after getting a little lost (which made me feel terrible), we all went inside to the restaurant. The restaurant was basically empty and the upstairs garden was closed off and there were only 2 other tables with people dining. I didn’t really think much about it because it was only Monday and there aren’t usually many people dining out on a Monday. While us girls were chatting and since no one had approached the table, Maurizio went to look for our waiter. After speaking to the waiter we were told that they didn’t offer, currently, the restaurant menu and they only had a limited menu, which consisted of club sandwiches and burgers. I was so angry. Not that the restaurant was very far out of the way but it was not close to either my apartment nor the hotel and apartment of KK and Kelsey. I had wanted to plan something special for them. We had called in advance and everything and here we were with NO menu. This makes me so mad. Anyhow, I refused to take them for dinner with a menu like this and we decided to leave.

I wasn’t sure where to go on a Monday night, a lot of restaurants close on Mondays. We set off back across Ponte alle Grazie to search for another restaurant. We had decided first to go to Osteria dei Pazzi (where we had our rehearsal dinner) but it was closed so instead we went to Osteria de’ Benci. We had a very good meal of Tuscan crostini, salamis, and grilled steaks. Even better was the company. After not having my plans turn out exactly in the way I wanted, the most important part which was sharing a good time in good company couldn’t have been better. It was another great evening in Firenze. I guess it just goes to show that sometimes life just can’t be planned.