How to Save Money on Food in Italy

I'm still decluttering books! Ridiculous, I know. I ran into Jerry, owner of a short-lived used bookstore. So sad. He had the bad luck of opening right before Katrina, compounded by a business sense so poor that even I could see things he was doing wrong. Perhaps running into Jerry after several years was a sign, of what, I do not know.

Until I make more progress, I will be unable to respond to your comments. Sorry, readers! Meanwhile, here is a post taken from Miss Em's email. She is exploring Florence and discovering that if you want to see Italian life you need to get away from the tourist attractions (after seeing the attractions, of course). Getting into areas frequented by regular people has the bonus of offering food just as good at about 1/3 the price.

Miss Em also offers the travel tip of prophylactic food: eating so you WON'T have to interrupt your adventures to eat something that is probably not very good.

My other roommate hadn't eaten yet today, and so said she wanted to grab something along the way. Ugh. Bad travel ethics.

Even eating some bread and cheese before you go is a better idea.

She bought a 15euro sandwich or whatever. They had better-looking ones in our neighborhood for 3. I know it's someone else's money and decision (or lack thereof) and shouldn't bother me, but it does, it does, it does.

(It's been interesting to price-gauge around here. In the most
touristy part of my neighborhood, a coffee is 2.5 euro. A little
farther out, down the street Borgo Pinti, they are 1 euro. By the
Duomo, they are around 4 or 5 euro.

Also, I did a market-to-supermarket fruit comparison, and the fresh
stuff in the stalls is actually CHEAPER than in the grocery! Now
that's what I'm talking about!)


The last sentence of the email: I am in Paradise.

For those of us stuck at home, there's always literature. How about this one?

And if you want the view, watch the movie!