by Margaret Williams
Photographs by Dagny Piasecki & Taylor Jarrett

Dagny Piasecki and Taylor Jarrett have a certain something. The photographer couple, who own and run Austin’s SHDW Studios, exude style, talent, and warmth. When we heard about their upcoming trip to Italy, we couldn’t help but ask for a peek. Piasecki and Jarrett spent most of May exploring Milan, Lake Como, Venice, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast — not a bad way to ring in the summer. The couple raved about the whole trip, but proclaimed, “The food and wine in Florence was by far our favorite.” Both Piasecki and Jarrett happened to be visiting Florence for the first time, and in the photos they have shared, their love of the city is apparent. In a place as photographed as Florence, we were delighted to see their adventures through a fresh lens.

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A true charmer, Florence is a city where it’s hard not to fall deeper in love with life.

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At the Gucci Osteria, chef Massimo Bottura takes much inspiration from his travels in South America and repurposes Italian classics, like risotto and linguine, with flavors that hit close to home for both of us. The dish pictured is called ‘Sensational Risotto — Where The Forrest Meets the Sea.’

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To our surprise, Florence is home to some of the most coveted wine bars and restaurants in not just Tuscany, but all of Italy.

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We actually had two different stays in Florence. The first was over five days and was spent in the Palazzo Pitti neighborhood. For our second stay, an overnight visit, we were near the Duomo.

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We traveled with two of our best friends, one of whom is a spectacular planner, but in Florence the most important lesson we discovered was to embrace and encourage spontaneous moments.

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As for gelato, it’s a whole different ball game in Italy. It’s a cultural cornerstone. Dagny’s favorites were
fragola and limone. Taylor’s favorites were nocciola and stracciatella.