Northshore Magazine

Northshore October 2019

Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.

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NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 34 OCTOBER 2019 FAC E S + P L AC E S tion, for a one-of-a-kind dining and cocktail experience for my first evening in the city. Sushi and small bites are on offer, along with creative signature cocktails made with unex- pected flavors by expert mixologists. Smoky, intense, robust—these fashionable elixirs are all the rage in Florence. The Singapore Sling, which contains gin with notes of cherry and orange liqueur, fresh pineapple, and lime juice, and finally bitter Angostura and Dom Bene- dictine, is not to be missed. The next morning, after an Americano me to my room, a suite overlooking the river. I open the casement windows and look out onto the water and the famous bridge, beckoning with jewelers selling every trinket from silver fleur de lis pendants (the symbol of Florence) to diamond and gold engagement rings. The suite, awash in sunlight that enhances the light blue paint and white trim, has a classical colonnade separating the bedroom and sitting room. The refined blue and white color palette is the backdrop for carefully curated antiques. Egyptian cotton sheets and cashmere throws dress the dreamy queen beds. A wall of closets leads to a bathroom complete with an Italian marble soaking tub. After a bubble bath, I head out into the afternoon sun and cross the bridge into the heart of this magical city. It's November, and above the streets, white lights and decorative snowflakes dangle. Everywhere you look are beautiful shops with wares from perfumed soaps to couture baby clothing. I walk to the White Iris Beauty Spa for a massage. The space is as soothing as the treatment itself. After, this jetlag remedy, I wander back to my hotel, peeking into boutique after boutique. I spy the perfect pair of black leather boots in a shop window. Looking down at my all-American Converse, I make a mental note to come back when they open tomorrow. I dress and head to the trendy Fusion Bar & Restaurant, part of the Lungarno Collec- Clockwise, Views from Hotel Lungarno designer's suite, Fusion Bar, and Hotel Lungarno's lobby in the lounge, I head to Palazzo Vecchio (meaning "old palace") for a tour of its secret passages. Built during the 13th and 14th centuries, the fortress is made of solid rusticated stonework with two rows of Gothic windows and crowned with a battlement and clock tower. A series of courtyards and apartments, the palace once housed the city's governing bodies. Within its walls are also a series of secret passageways and hidden chambers containing breathtaking works of art. Among the secret chambers is the Studiolo of Francesco I. Its walls and barrel-vaulted ceiling are covered with murals depicting the four elements—earth, air, water, and fire. The grandeur of this room is a must- see on an adventure to the city. PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE LUNGARNO COLLECTION

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