Oh my god, readers, I got out of the apartment today. For several hours. I ate at two pasticcerias. I even tried on a dress for my sister's wedding here in Florence which, as the top is an off-white, looked quite lovely due to my not having eaten for two days. I might need a spanx for the real event. It was beyond marvelous to get out into this beautiful city. We first did a brief but inordinately satisfying pasticceria crawl during which I had due cappuccini, a ricotta-stuffed pastry and shared this magnificent torta alla crema with Tom.

Then we strolled through old, beloved haunts: the mercado sant'ambrogio, my favorite market here where I bought the same ravioli al limone (fresh ricotta and lemon) that I basically snorted like pasta crack during my last stay and for which I am boiling water now despite mild nausea as well as gorgeous fresh favas, tagliatelle for the boys and so on; the playground in the piazza dei ciompi where we played with Jack almost every day last time and where his preferred activity was picking up the endless, used cigarette butts, throwing them into the trash cans and saying "no-no" much to the Italian mammas and nonnas vast amusement ("look at that funny little American bambino"); and to the fabulous mesticcheria where you can find any household item you might need. In fact, I just bought a tube pan.

Feeling on the brink, we returned home to rest. My wonderful sister and mother took the ever-active boys to Pisa today, so we've got a really great chance to rest up before meeting Michele's (Elia's fiancé) family tonight.