Eduardo and Manuelo at the wine bar gave me a couple of suggestions for good “non-touristy” restaurants for my dinner on Thursday night.  I wanted to make a reservation and I truly just wanted to have an amazing dinner alone to ring in my birthday.

Eduardo recommended a place called Ristorante Oliviero.  He told me that it was not touristy, that it had excellent food and service, was not overly expensive.  It sounded perfect!

The next day in the midst of my wanderings, I found the place on a tiny side street on the opposite side of the Arno from my apartment–only about a fifteen minute walk. I stopped in and made a reservation.  For some reason, I did not look at the menu.  In retrospect, that is strange because I normally would.  I was just a bit nervous making dinner reservations in Italy for myself and myself alone.  I suppose I just wanted to seem confident and asking to see a menu would not contribute to that allusion!

November 8th, 2012 arrived.  I was 50 years old now. Whew–made it! Something about that number is transformational.  I had so much unexpected change thrust upon me in my life before that 50 year dawn even arrived, that turning 50 for me seemed to have even more significance than if my life had still remained in cushy, crushing corporate America as it had been since I was 22 years old.

November 8th, 2012 was a beautiful day in Florence, Italy.  I always feel blessed when the sun shines on my birthday, and it definitely was that day.  That was a double score since Florence can be quite cloudy and rainy in November.

I hiked up to the Piazza Michelangelo that day.  It was quite a hike, but well worth it.  The Piazza Michelangelo presents to one the classic view of Florence that is perpetually seen on calendars and tourist brochures. The photo on this post is one that I took that day.

I  sipped a lovely glass of wine while I savored this amazing view and then I was ready for my next birthday stop– a long hike to see the real David once again at The Accademia.