We had one full, very busy day in Florence on our recent trip to Italy, and towards the very end of our afternoon, we decided to head over to the Pitti Palace to check out some (more) Baroque Art. The Pitti Palace is a massive museum south of the river, and is very impressive. The most impressive part to me, however, was how NOT busy it was on a sunny summer afternoon in Florence. We arrived around 3pm without having…
We love to snag a Michelin star or two while on vacation, especially exposing the teens to new cuisines and trying things that we most definitely will not be trying at Chez Aukse. Our summer trip to Italy was quite pricey, so we settled for only adding one star to our long list, and luckily, there is a Michelin starred restaurant at Como Castello Del Nero, where we were staying. La Torre is located in the main building of the…
The Duomo in Florence (actually properly named the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore) is the number one thing to see in this city, and it’s easy to see why. One of the oldest cathedrals in all of Italy, and one of the largest cathedrals in the world, there is massive history here. And while most of the main part of the church is not really all that much to see, having the opportunity to really take the time and…
It was another year, and another cousin’s birthday dinner, when my two amazing cousins and I have to choose a place for our revered celebration. This year, we chose Osteria Langhe in Logan Square to catch up and raise a glass to another year around the sun. We dined here in August of 2026. Osteria Langhe has a very cozy neighborhood vibe with wood floors and a minimalist bar anchoring the space in the front of the restaurant. It’s not…
I’m so excited to share our experience at La Capanna Del Gallo in Tuscany, Italy, because it was easily one of the best meals we had on our entire trip to Italy. Not only was the food extraordinary, but the service was cheerful and easygoing (though not inattentive), and you can’t beat the sunset views here. La Capanna Del Gallo was recommended to us by the concierge at the Como Castello Del Nero where we were staying for three nights,…