Day 10 -- Cooking Class

I found Melanie on Travel Advisor--her cooking school is called The Spice Lab.

She took us on a tour of the Food Market in Florence. Wow - gluttony heaven. We sampled all kinds of balsamic vinegars, truffle oil, truffle paste, parma ham, cheese, pear mustard, truffle mustard, OMG...................

We bought fresh ingredients to make ravioli with artichokes and spinach. We learned how to make fresh pasta and roll it out (David has since bought a pasta press with a motor).

On the way back, she brought us to her friend's shop (designer shop, I didn't know it), and low and behold, David and I bought leather jackets (mine is suede and leather reversible), 2 very fashionable "power" blouses for work (white and black cotton with plenty of pleats), a belt which the stylist showed me how to wear (good I need the fashion tips), David bought a very light pair of suede shoes. The creme de la creme was my briefcase which is braided leather--a craft the owner's grandmother has passed down.

At the end of the day I thanked her for spending so much time with us. She said, "I wanted you to have your dream day"......It wasn't until that moment that I realized I had my dream vacation day - and how lucky I am to have had this vacation with David and experience things I've never experienced before. Ok, we are poor but happy from all the truffle oil and leather we bought. :)