Surreal Christmas

We went out to eat with some friends last night here in Florence-they are Another multi-national couple- he is Florentine (and a long time friend of Guido- since preschool) and she is Brazilian. So, for something different- we made plans to eat a a new Brazilian restaurant just on the outskirts of the city....

thankfully, our car was bigger than this cutie that is parked on the street across from our apartment

Well, driving in Italy can be hairy- thankfully Roberto was quite cautious- but we ended up getting hopelessly lost- to the point where we had to ask directions (thankfully the man we asked ended up having us follow him- which was really sweet) and we arrived at the center where the restaurant was located, found a tiny parking space that we barely squeezed into- and we headed up to the place.

OK- here's where I start sounding like a crabby old fogey.

The restaurant was an exercise in the absurd- a house band at full volume, playing like their life depended on it- a woman shaking and shimmying at the band (you know, like the drunk girls do at a whitesnake concert) Television monitors broadcasting some Brazilian music show (unrelated to the band) and - here's the topper- an Italian Kid Rock impersonator bartender, playing the COWBELL like it was going out of style. (MORE COWBELL!)

yeah. um.....ok- we ended up staying there because we knew that was our only chance at finding a place open on Christmas night...and I have to say, the food was not bad- the beer definitely was essential...and I picked up a few skanky dance moves.

But let me tell you- if you happen to be in Florence, and someone offers to take you to a Brazilian restaurant outside of the city- bring your earplugs, a taste for fried bananas -not bad- and a sense of the absurd.

as for me? I'll be at my local trattoria enjoying my pasta and vino