Travels

Tuscany, Siena and Florence 🇮🇹🍷

Posted by markhadland on
Winding streets of Siena.
Rooftop view of the Duomo.

Christmas time 2025, I had my friend David Liu over for dinner to celebrate some holiday cheer. He enjoyed the festive and family atmosphere my sons and I create, so he got a bit emotional and asked me to join him at his wedding in Italy in May 2026. I think he was emotional, as his fiancée, Jessica, is a beautiful woman 20 years his junior. As the date neared, David and Jessica sent a well-curated invitation package and website.

https://withjoy.com/jessica-and-david-may-26/travel

I love Italy; I was told there would be many single young Chinese women, and I have friends in Florence, so I pulled the trigger at the last minute, secured my flights and lodging, and headed off for another adventure.

At the same time, Unkle Sean was planning a trip to Paris to attend what I thought was the French Open, but now called Rolland Garros, after the famous French tennis star. I dovetailed Paris with Sean onto the back of my Florence trip, and wedged a slice of Geneva in between.

Beautiful painted walls in Siena.

Tuesday, May 19

Hotel Le Fontanelle

I love stone architecture in Italy, especially in the Tuscany region.

David and Jessica did a great job of planning and curating their wedding, and it was absolutely as high-end as it gets. The Hotel Fontanelle is about 90 minutes outside Florence, in Tuscany’s Chianti region. It is a beautiful estate and reminded me of the many places I have stayed in on my YPO Supercar trips. The estate has two main properties, many acres of vineyards, and a very good winery.

https://www.fontanellestate.com/en/hotel-le-fontanelle-en

The design of the pool.

Interior rooms.

Territorial vistas.

This Berkel meat slices fetches around $10,000.

Rehearsal dinner and winery tour.

Beautiful setting for the rehersal dinner.
David, Jessica, Leonard.
The winery and award-winning Chianti. It was a good Chianti.

Siena – Wednesday, May 20

The next morning, I set off for a countryside drive, passing several wineries in Chianti, planning to visit Siena, the medieval village in Tuscany famous for its Palio horse races. I learned about Siena from an old colleague, Lou Gerkin, whose hand-painted plates adorned his kitchen in Marin County, and I’ve wanted to visit ever since.

Unusual public urinal.
I really like the contrast of the yellow and ochre color schemes with the dark and weathered green and blue shutters, which was prominent in town.
Flag depicting the Palio race.
Piazza del Campo in view.
During the Palio, the square is filled with dirt, seating is arranged in the center with the track on its circumference, and the outer track is lined with three levels of risers filled with cramped wooden chairs for viewing the race. I’ve heard it’s quite the chaotic spectacle.
Many alleys radiate from the square, all sloping upward to other streets. The town has a unique layout, centered on Piazza del Campo.
A green book titled 'Tuscany Marvel' with a pink flower design on the cover, published by Assouline.
Another Assouline book I need for my collecion of places traveled.
A vintage red Berkel meat slicer displayed in a bright room, with a brick wall and wooden furniture in the background.
Again, the Berkel. If I ever get a slicer, it will be this brand.

Random art on the property.

A red Michelin plaque featuring the year 2025 and a flower design, mounted on a stone wall with green leaves nearby.

Wedding Day

TheHad.
Red Barchetta.
An elegantly set long dining table outdoors, adorned with white tablecloth, plates, and wine glasses, under a decorative chandelier and surrounded by lush greenery and trees.
Dressed to kill. I have a license to 007.
David the groom.
Jessica the Bride.
Kat, my friend, stood in for photos since I was a stag. Thanks, Kat, for your company during the wedding.
A plate featuring thinly sliced cured meat on a bed of mixed greens, drizzled with a creamy sauce and topped with small reddish caviar-like beads.
A plated dish featuring sliced pink duck breast served with green asparagus and a potato gratin on the side.

Firenze – Thursday, May 21

A large marble fountain featuring a muscular statue of a man surrounded by water spouting from the base, with ornate sculptures of horses and mythological creatures, set against a clear blue sky and historic stone buildings.
Neptune.
Neptune.
Little David.
The wine doors of Firenze.
One of my favorite watch brands.
Discovered one of my favorite artists is having an exhibition. I must visit.
One of Florence’s best and most famous sandwich shops.
Brass hotel sign for Porta Rossa, located in Florence, displaying four stars and the Colbert Collection logo.
The Obligatory Visit.
The one I want.

The Rothko Exhibit at Palazzo Strozi.

My favorite painting of the exhibit.
This is good too.
I like this too.
Reflecting pool at Palazzo Strozi.

I was staying at the W hotel near the train station. It has an amazing rooftop bar with a spectacular view of the Duomo.

My rooftop hotel bar.

Dinner with Francesco Barontini – Trattoria Sostanza

My dear friend Francesco from YPO SuperCar fame.

I arranged to meet Francesco in Florence about two months in advance, after the wedding. He proposed an old trattoria where his grandfather took his father, and his father took him. I was honored to join him in a historic restaurant with deep family roots.

The menu.
Small kitchen. Three choices of aged steak cuts.
Small wood-burning stove top for grilling.
A large, marbled piece of raw meat displayed on a white plate, showcasing a rich red color and visible fat seams.
Our choice of steak.

Francesco told me a story about the owner and his steak preparation: you get steak, three cuts, three choices, one temperature. Apparently, one evening John Lobb, the famous shoemaker, ordered the traditional Bisteka, and when it was cooked and delivered, requested it more done. The owner replied “I dont’ tell you how to make shoes, don’t tell me how to cook steak”. 😂

Cooked chicken breast with a golden-brown crust, placed on a white plate with a small amount of sauce underneath.
Butter fried chicken. Normally I would think this is a pedestrian way to prepare chicken, but it was delicious.
Old world ambiance.
Since 1869.
Simple Steak and Tomatoes. I often just serve steak and tomatoes.
A close-up image of a large piece of meat on a white plate, showing pink flesh and charred edges, with a hand holding a knife in the background.
Bisteka.
Classic!
A slice of cooked steak showing a pink, juicy interior with some rendered fat and a slight sear on the outside, placed on a white plate with a few drops of oil.
Perfect Temp.
I normally don’t eat dessert, but this was an amazing exception.
Old school bookkeeping.

After dinner, I took a leisurely stroll through town. Florence is a beautiful town at night.

Colorful glass.
Quiet avenues.
Storefront of Ginori 1735, featuring elegant display of ceramics and home décor inside the shop.
SoYoung gifts me items from Ginori 🩵
Florence is beautiful at night.
The Duomo.
My nightcap.

Friday, May 22

I continued my saunter about town.
Neptune.
I love the shadows in this photo.
Il Porcellino. The original bronze fountain was sculpted between 1612 and 1634 by Pietro Tacca, based on a Hellenistic marble copy of a Greek original (which can be seen in the Uffizi Gallery). People make wished by placing a coin in the boars mouth.
Chalk painting on the street.
More Bisteka.
Large metallic 'W' sculpture illuminated with purple lighting, located outside a venue with visible windows and interior furnishings.
My typical breakfast.
Famous ice cream shop – this is swarming with people during the day.

I had a leisurely lunch at a place I have visited before – La Bussola.

I had ordering remorse – I wish I had the pizza – calzone never again.
A bottle of 'Aceto Balsamico di Giuseppe Giusti' balsamic vinegar, displayed with a price tag of 39.00, alongside its elegantly designed packaging.
Balsamico one should purchase.

Dinner at Il Barretto

I could not get into Antinori for dinner. My concierge suggested this restaurant. I felt remorseful because all patrons were tourists, which is never a sign of a great restaurant. The meal was just OK – feigned authenticity and simple theatrics for non-Italians. I’m sure my Mom would have loved it.

Tig 🍷.
Tomato caprese salad.
A plate of seafood pasta featuring fettuccine with shrimp and a lobster tail, garnished with herbs and accompanied by a cherry tomato, with sauce drizzled around the dish.
Lobster pasta.
A plate featuring a serving of meat in tomato sauce garnished with herbs, accompanied by a side of creamy mashed potatoes.
Osso Buco.
My friend Kat.
Kat blew my hair away 😂.

Thanks for traveling with TheHad🩵

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