Wine Bars on the streets of Florence, Italy

Florence, Italy is a lovely city to be discovered on foot. That is exactly what I will do- I am scheduled to run the Firenze Marathon on Sunday, November 28, 2010!
We arrived yesterday, Wednesday from California via Frankfurt, Germany.

For the past one and a half days, we have walked around the center city and enjoyed every minute of it! I tried to capture interesting sights in the past 36 hours in Florence and share them on our blog. Here are the first group of photos...

Wine Bar off Via dei Calzaiuoli

Rack for the wine glasses used by consumers who buy a drink! What a clever idea!

Italians enjoying their drink at the outdoor wine stand or bar

Socializing while drinking on the street!

Another stop on our New England Tour: Exeter, New Hampshire!

Every town's got to have a Main Street (with a capital "M"), here it is in Exeter, New Hampshire...

Main Street, Exeter, NH

We had a soup and panini lunch at a cozy bakery cum cafe called "Me and Ollie" that's located on a street corner that has a view of the Main Street (pictured above). The cafe sells delicious pastries (we bought the granola and oats cookie and raspberry pie to-go). The cafe is family-friendly with a kids' corner and set of lounging chairs.

I love those photographs that you can now have enlarged to put on walls as artwork! I wish to have one done to put in my house.

Maddie and I took a walk, not only on the main road but on alleys and corners that most visitors would not normally take (unless they are lost!). I think this gives a visitor a different and interesting view of a place.

My inspiration here is Alfred Hitchcock's voyeuristic approach! Coming out from the narrow alley and peeking into the main street, I got a shot of a sidewalk activity (woman walking her dog) with a backdrop of the old buildings.

I took picture of Maddie walking out of the alley, a shot I've seen a lot in many fashion catalogues.

Fashion & Finds in Northampton, MA

On our recent trip to Massachusetts, my brother and sister-in-law took us to the city of Northampton, MA to browse the shops there and have dinner. A college town, home of Smith College, it has a diverse make-up, with an artsy vibe. Walking along Main Street, it is reminiscent of Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley, CA. Known as home of many progressives, Northampton has a big LGBT population. I witnessed an androgynous-looking young couple kissing at a Dunkin Donuts, that's progressive enough for me. I have not even seen that in Berkeley!

Stores and shops on Main Street, downtown Northampton

Another shot of the Main Street

The Urban Outfitters store is housed in an old Northampton Savings Bank. It is pretty cool!

I can't remember if he was waiting for the bus or just hanging out...

Bookshop inside Thorne's Marketplace (150 Main Street, downtown Northampton)

Coffee bar along a corridor inside Thorne's

A boutique store called Monella also inside the marketplace

Maddie trying on a pair of leather boots at Monella

Day Trip to NYC

Interior of the Guggenheim

My daughter and I just got back from a weeklong trip to the New England states (Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire). Before heading home to California, we took the train for a day trip to NYC. We had an awesome day-- saw an art exhibit at the Guggenheim, ate Belgian waffle from a street vendor, took a stroll at Central Park and browsed the flagship Anthropologie shop at the Rockefeller Center.

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the museum primarily displays modern art.

Another interior shot of the museum

Outside view facing Fifth Avenue (corner 89th)

Maddie takes a stroll in Central Park

Waiting for a taxi, St. Patrick's Cathedral on the right