Getting the Hang of It

You can take the Richmonders out of Richmond, but you can't escape the tattoos.

On the recommendation of Chef Tim Love of Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, we decided to try Cafe Duomo sitting under the magnificence of Bruneleschi's dome.

Scoring an outside table, our server shows up with a full sleeve and the hint of a chest piece sticking out of his shirt.

Got any more tattoos, I inquired, sure that he did.

With a huge smile, he nodded and began naming them off.

When I asked if they were all Florence creations, he admitted that only one was.

It turned out he was Brazilian which was the source for all the other tattoos.

He seemed pleased to share his ink stories and a rapport was born, despite his basic English.

I'm getting the hang of this Florentine eating thing - always an appetizer or two, then a primi pasta and a secondi if we have room, followed by dessert.

Given the quantity of food we're taking in, I've been trying to start with a salad misto just so my body can remember what raw food is like.

The bruschetta that followed was loaded with the beautiful tomatoes we find everywhere.

A housemade lasagna was everything it should be with layers of delicate pasta, a subtle red sauce with none of the cloying tomato taste that defines the dish at home and a portion generous for even two.

We threw up the white flag when it came time for the secondi. It wasn't happening.

But I am my mother's daughter and as she used to tell us, "There's always a corner left for dessert," and indeed there was.

A plate-sized Nutella crepe helped us finish off the bottle of Sangiovese as we watched people circling the Duomo, even at almost midnight.

At least they weren't taking pictures.

And if we'd taken one of ourselves, it would have shown two people who'd walked for miles and eaten as much as they could stuff in their mouths.

You know, happy people. Practically Florentine.

As it is, I fit in surprisingly well with my daily dresses and bright lipstick.

But I am not riding a bike in high heels, no matter how long I stay here.

At least I don't think I would. But I prefer not to rule anything out.

Yet.