Luca's Gift Turns into a Show

I get ideas for shows at odd times. Sometimes I get up in the middle of the night with an idea and start writing my thoughts and composing as show using the photographs. Or perhaps while driving in the car, with my rock music playing something hits me, most inconvenient, since I usually hope I remember by the time I get home. The idea for last night's show came from a book given to me by my friend Luca during our most recent trip to Florence in May. I always admired photos Luca and Mary have on their walls of photographs of 19th century Florence. The book contains a bunch of such photos, and when he gave it to me, I immediately thought that this would make for a good show. While I was in Florence one evening just before we went to bed, it came to me that a show which consists of showing a 19th century photo, and then the modern one, and even perhaps showing them side by side would make for an interesting presentation. From that point on while I was in Florence, I endeavored to go to the spot in the city where the old photo had been taken, some as long ago as 150 years and try to take the same picture or at least something similar. I did that for many of the photos in the book. When I got back to the USA, I began to put together all the material I had, scanning photos from the book, searching out older photos Laura had taken during previous trips, and adding to that the ones I personally took just after Luca gave me the book. I worked perhaps harder than I ever did before for a show, and the result was last night's show, Show# 24 - Florence, Then and Now. Luca had also showed me additional photos of places not even covered in the book, such as the excellent photo of the Piazza Repubblica showing the slums located there in 1860, and he also focused my attention on the loggia from that same spot which had been moved to the Piazza dei Ciompi after Florence became the national capital after the Unification of Italy in 1871 by Victor Emmanuel. Laura had taken this loggia photos a few years ago, but we could never figure out where or what it was. It simply sits peacefully in the middle of a piazza near the Synagogue. Coupled with the modern photos, it makes for excellent viewing. While back home in Woodstock, I also figured out how to present 2 or 3 photos side by side in a frame, and Florence, Then and Now became a reality. I prepared for this show, as I said, for many hour, but after I did the show complete last night, I must say I had a bit of a let down. Fortunately I now will be doing some shows that will be deeply personal. Another idea struck me to focus on my favorite things in Florence such as streets, piazzas, parks, and restaurants, not to mention my favorite hotel, Croce di Malta. So, next week is the beginning and the first of such shows will focus on my favorite street in Florence, via della Scala, highlighting the hotel, gelaterria on the corner, Lidia's store, Gioia Chiara, the Herb Store from the 15th century, my second favorite restaurant in Florence, Grotta di Leo, and a sweets and chocolate store, Dolceforte. There will be interviews, especially at the hotel, and interesting facts about the venues. From this point on I will also be using many of the interviews we did at hotels and restaurants, so I will once again recharge my batteries and delve into new territory. This show was dedicated to my dear friend, Luca Rolloni. Thank you Luca !