There is a FT dinner scheduled for Saturday evening.

Saturday, May 7

Flyer Talk Dinner Gathering

Wine and snacks up on rooftop garden of Palazzo Magnani Feroni
Borgo San Frediano, 5
Being arranged by Dedehans and hotel manager....time likely 6:30 pm....Pay as you go....

8:00pm Flyer Talk Dinner (8 people so far....) Trattoria 4 Leoni
www.4leoni.com
Piazza Della Passeria

Fixed price menu and pricing 50euros per person plus 7 euros tip per person...

Here again is our menu for our fine repast......


Starter: Mixed Tuscan Ham, Salami and different cheese

Mixed Tuscan Fried bread with liver and Buschetta with tomato and oil


First course: Tomato Tuscan bread soup

Pasta with pears, Taleggio cheese and asparagus


Second course: T-Bone Florentine Steak or grilled beef/Chicken

Fried vegetables


Dessert: Homemade Tiramisu' Cake (with white cream and coffee)

Special Prato's Biscuits with Vin Santo (sweet wine)


Beverage: Aperitif " Valdo" Sparkling wine

Mineral water

Red Wine "Pater" Sangiovese Frescobaldi

Moca coffee


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Here is information on who's attending, where we are all staying, and arrival/departure dates.

Confirmed Florence Arrivals

Staying at the Hotel Orto dei Medici
Via San Gallo, 30
tel 39 055 483427

Dorlee Ar FLR 05 May DL 8593 @11:50A Dep FLR 11 May DL 8265 11:15A
Leonard " "
MsEverywhere 06 May By Train from FCO TBA 09 May early train to FCO
KLC May 6, 2005 FLR AZ 1692 AR.11:00 AM Dep: May 9,FLR 2005 AZ 1678 11:15 AM

Staying at the Palazzo Magnani Feroni
Borgo San Frediano 5
Tel 39 055 239 9544

dedehans Ar FLR 04 May DL 8593@11:50A Dep FLR 08 May AZ 1682 @3pm


Staying at the Westin Excelsior
Piazza Ognissanti 3
Phone 39 055 27151

Radiocycle Ar. FCO 4 May NW 66 Ar. 10:20 AM - 05 May to FLR via 1730 Train arriving FLR 1906 Dep. 09 May 1230 via train to Milan/Paris
Mrs Radiocycle " "

Hotel or lodging tba
Skye1 --- Ar from Rome by train May 5 TBA, dep May 8 or 9 by train back to Rome...

A short 45 minute ride from Florence brings us to Sienna, a wonderful 15 Century Medieval City of unimaginable charm.

RC

Darn, off by a year!! That's the weekend I was there last year.

Whoever attends should have a fantastic time.

I have never been to Florence, but would very much like to go, so I would be very interested...too far out from today for me to make plans, though .

Very interesting proposition! I was in Florence/Rome about that time two years ago, and as I remember it was a great time to be there. The weather was fine (although I do remember some rain??), and the summer crowds hadn't arrived yet. Put me down for a 'maybe'...although my schedule would most likely be arriving Fri am with a Sun departure or Sat am with a Mon departure.

Put me down for a "maybe" as well. Sounds like a great time to be in a great place, and with great people. Working for a school, the only times I can really get away for international do's are 3-day weekends, and I THINK we'll have on that weekend (I think that's the same weekend as Mothers Day in the US, and we usually give our residential students an extra day home with their families). I'll check the work schedule and see, then the flight options and see if prices aare all right. Thanks in advance for organizing this!!

They don't get more tempting then this one, there proably isn't a better time to visit that area, no tourists yet, the weather is fine, etc. Florence at 6 when the bells start, nothing like it in the world. Something we certainly have to think about.

soooooooooo tempting.

I know it's a long way off, but if I want to snag an upgrade on this flight on AA, before AA's nice "copayment" kicks in, then I have a little over four weeks to nail the flights. Can't leave any earlier than early afternoon on Friday, and would like to do all flights on AA/Oneworld. Have looked at going to BRU, then SN Brussels to FLO, to LHR then AA to FLR, etc. but many of those flights don't get me in 'til Sat. afternoon. What about going to Rome and taking the train (Eurostar?)? The train ride doesn't look much longer than what I'd spend snagging a connecting flight outta' FCO, and the ride is probably beautifull....so it looks on the net....any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!!!!!
Cheers,
John/Skye1

The train fromTermini in Roma is about an hour and a half. F tickets are cheap and a great ride. As a former resident of Florence I hate that airport. Small and I have almost been delayed everytime I have gone somewhere. My experiences with LH have been hellish. YMMV Either way have a great time in Florence, I was there this past March and it rocked!

It would be outstanding to have a true FT Florencean at the DO in May. Sometimes there are places to see and great nightspots to visit that only a native can find.

Can we confirm you're attendance, or at least a "maybe"?

RC

At this point I will say maybe. No reason to say no at this point. I am not a native of Florence, just a resident at one time. Hope that still counts. Hopefully I can make this DO! Any questions fee free to ask.

Even though I can't join this wonderful group for this amazing trip.

I visited Florence one September a couple of years back. Actually it was part of my trip to Italy. I simply love it. So many things to see in so little time. I didn't want to leave. I do agree May will be an excellent time to avoid the crowd. Have fun for those who can make it!

Too early to tell, but I would like to go if possible.

Flights booked! Connecting thru ORD, then nonstop to FCO, all on AA, got the upgrade request in B4 AA's co-pay (YAY! ). waitlisted for upgrades--looks likely (as likely as it can at this point I'd guess---if it goes thru, would be happy to guest one into the AA/One World into the lounges, etc. as needed). then taking the high-speed train from FCO to FLO. Am running into a few different on-line and by-phone booking agencies for that train, so if anyone has any experiences from which to make a recommendation on these, GREAT! I'm researching it here in the meantime.
Still shopping hotels, likely a *Wood as I'll need the stays next year. Same question: if anyone has experiences w/ their Florence properties, pass it along! Researching this on F/T too.

This is going to be a GREAT do, and many thanks in advance to those who've thought this up!!!!! ^ ^ ^
Cheers,
Skye1

I love Florence (and Italy in general), and would be interested, but don't know yet if those dates will work for me.

Do you have any particular hotel(s) in mind to house the group? The reason I ask is that I recently attended the wonderful Venice Do, which was made more wonderful by the fact that nearly all of us stayed in the same hotel! And it was a gem of a hotel, and reasonably priced to boot!