01x01 - First Tastes

[bunniefuu]

♪ Yeah. Why?♪

Sloane?

I'm Amy.

Oh.

Benvenuta a Firenze. Get in.

Uh...

Hmm.

Uh, okay.

Just, uh...

Right there.

♪ If it's quite all right
I need you, baby... ♪

♪ I love you, baby ♪

♪ Trust in me when I say "okay" ♪

♪ It's okay ♪

♪ Oh, pretty baby ♪

♪ Don't let me down, I pray... ♪

Where are you from?

Texas.

It's kind of a miracle that I'm here.

And I wanna see everything
while I still can. The David.

The cathedral at the Duomo,
the Uffizi Gallery, the Ponte Vecchio.

Okay, then what are you gonna do
on your second week?

Florence and Europe
are a lot more than what's in guidebooks.

I'm up for whatever's free.

Take a lover. That's fun. And free.

♪ You're just too good to be true ♪

♪ Can't take my eyes off of you ♪

Eccoci. Your apartment is here.

Thanks. Grazie.

Oh, wait!

My other number, at the bar.

Piece of advice.

Avoid Americans. You'll never experience
Florence if you hang out with only them.

Okay.

No Americans.

Oh. I thought we had a third.

- I'm Caroline.
- Amy.

I'm a legacy at Emory
and a third generation Alpha Phi.

Brown undergrad. Georgetown Law.

I'm Lindsay. Mount Holyoke.

Amy.

Uh, you got last dibs on the room.
Yours is back there.

For the next six weeks,
we will work back from the David

beginning at the inception
of the Renaissance.

Who here has heard
of the Stendhal syndrome?

Artists went crazy from so much beauty.

Unbearable, powerful beauty.

And believing they would never make
anything as beautiful,

they would throw themselves
off the Ponte Vecchio to end it all.

This is why it's imperative that you find
your own voice while you're here.

I'm interested in originality.

In real vision.

This is what we'll be looking for
when we select a few students

to showcase their studio work
in a gallery at the end of the program.

Submit your best work. Be brave.

- Hello.
- Hey, Zora, it's me.

Is everybody there?

It's Dad's Labor Day barbecue.
The whole damn neighborhood is coming.

They still mad?

They're trying to be supportive,

but you know nobody around here
understands paying to learn about art.

So, yes.

No, not mad. More like dismayed.

Dad, it's Amy calling from Italy!

If it's about money, tell her no.

Just tell him
I said it's only for six weeks.

Law school is still
gonna be there next semester.

I'm gonna go back.

And I'm not gonna be asking them
for any money.

I'm covering this.

I'm gonna let you
put all that on a postcard.

I love you.

Bye.

You sure you want this job?

It's the only way that
I can afford to be here in Florence.

Just don't tell anyone, okay?
Like, no one.

The Italian Guardia di Finanza are like
the lovechild of the IRS and the FBI.

They will shut me down.

They live to hunt down lavoro nero.

Black work?

Please tell me
that means working in the dark or...

Here it just means working off the books.

- Oh. Okay.
- Let's get you some fresh air.

We need more vodka anyway. We can borrow
some from my friend Maurizio's bar.

And I wanna hear
if you took any of my advice.

Oh.

A lot of these guys like
to shower American girls with gifts.

I'm just having fun, Sloane. Trust me.
I know how to take care of myself.

Why work when you could play?
Then you won't have to clean toilets.

Surely you didn't come
to Florence to sl*ve away at some...

I just meant
you could find someone who would...

I came here to see and experience art.

To try things
I may never get to again in my life.

I came here to have...

have my own renaissance.

It's not about a man.

Trust me, the last thing I want
is to try to find love while here.

Who said anything about "love"?

Oh!

Ciao.

Sì.

Uh...

Uh, how do I find myself?

- How are you enjoying Florence?
- Right. Certo.

Um...

What did I say?

Uh...

You said something about, uh, the streets.

- And the churches and the bus.
- Yeah.

Then you said you're not a nice person.

Oh, wow.

Okay. And that's fun for you,
pretending not to speak any English?

Nice shoes.

He's a chef.

Ciao.

Grazie.

And, yep, I am the only one.

I promised my mom
I'd call before Touched by an Angel.

I gotta go. Send shea butter.

If the eye is the window of the soul,

today I wanna see your soul.

Don't give me Michelangelo. Give me you.

Non voglio fare sesso.
That means, "I don't wanna have sex."

How do you say, "Just the tip"?

Per piacere, un cappuccino.

Ecco qua. No, è già pagato.

Scusa.

Questo l'ha pagato lui.
Pagato. Lui.

Grazie.

- Ciao.
- Giancarlo.

- Piacere.
- Amy.

- Sei americana?
- Yes.

I mean...

Sì.

You are, uh, here to study art?

Isn't every American?

Maybe some, but...

none as beautiful as you.

So, Amy, tell me.

Who is your...
your favorite Italian artist?

Well, uh... Michel...

Michelangelo, of course.

And, uh...

Some other ones...

A proposito, listen,
my family owns a gallery.

It's close by. You should come.

Hmm?

Okay.

Veramente, tre settimane?

Ciao. Ciao, ciao, ciao, ciao.

- Thank you for inviting me.
- Of course.

Wow.

It's just the technique, you know,

the chiaroscuro,
that dance with the light and dark.

Sì, brava.

You know, Amy, I have a friend who lives
in Caravaggio's very first studio.

To see the light there

is to understand
how he painted the way he did.

Can I see it?

It was this very light
that inspired so much of his work.

- This is...
- Something very few people get to see.

But a rare beauty

deserves rare beauty.

The chef.

- Lino, yes.
- Amy.

How could I forget?

I see you changed your shoes.

I was tired of them.

Yeah, I'm not interested.

It's for my friend.

Oh. Yeah, I know.
Yeah, I'm just here for my pay.

Um, Sloane.

Remind me
why I can't get paid during the day.

Same reason
I don't leave cash in the bar overnight.

In Italy, we have a saying,

"Opportunity makes the thief."

Which makes me a target
walking home with a wad of cash.

Let him walk you home then.

- Huh?
- Let him walk you home.

It would be my honor to escort you.

Is this your attempt to make up
for laughing at me when we first met?

Okay, let me begin again.

What food do you enjoy most in Italy?

- So this is chef small talk?
- Mm-hmm.

I have a weakness for cornetti.

Come on, but that's a doughnut.

You... you do realize you're
in the country known for the best food.

I thought the French
were known for the best food.

You don't want the French
to make you pasta.

Every meal begins
and ends with butter and potatoes.

If I ever make it to Paris,
I might disagree with you.

So one trip to Paris
will make you a food critic, right?

Wow.

- That's the problem with the Americans.
- Are you always this charming?

Before Paris,
you should try real Florentine food.

Have you ever been to Paris?

No. I never left Italy, actually.

- So you know about everything then?
- About Italy, yes.

- Okay, um, then what's this?
- Oh.

Well, you have a good eye.

It is said that Dante met Beatrice here.
The love of his life.

One of the most beautiful
love stories of all time.

Really?

I said, "It is said."

- It was a long time ago. How would I know?
- Why is your English so good?

- I studied to be a translator.
- Of books?

It was the only way
I could leave my small town.

In the end, it was just an excuse
to find my way to work in a kitchen.

So you went to school to translate books,
but now you're a chef.

But my father, um...

It wasn't what he really wanted for me.

- Hmm. I get that.
- Yeah.

More than you know.

It was my mom
who gave me a love of cooking, you know.

She taught me
at her knee when I was a boy.

Hmm.

You can't imagine how different
Florence is from where I grew up.

Texas.

That's right.

The land of Lightnin' Hopkins
and Freddie King.

Okay,
Mr. "I Don't Like America."

Hey, come on, that's blues.

- Ciao, Dulai.
- Ciao, Lino.

I mean,
America did at least one thing right.

Or maybe two.

Uh...

Grazie.

- Kiss.
- What?

"Baci" means "kisses."

No, thank you.

And your name.

"Ami."

In Italian, it evokes love.

It's "Amy."

It's short for "Amahle."

Which is Zulu from South Africa,
and it means "beautiful one."

Yes, it does.

Okay.

- Well, that wa...
- Hey...

- It wasn't...
- Is it...

I have to admit, that was...
that was a lot better than taking the bus.

Thank you, Lino.

Prego.

Oh, here you go.

This is me.

Buonanotte.

Bye.

There's some guy who smells like garlic
downstairs asking for you.

Hi.

Uh, I'm sorry. I tried the buzzer.

Oh, it doesn't work.

Ta-da!

Now you don't have to ride the bus.

- I can't accept this.
- No, it's a gift.

- It looks brand-new.
- No.

No, eh, it's, um, actually, um,

found.

- It's the Florentine way.
- So you're a chef and a bicycle thief?

That is one
of my favorite movies of all time.

I don't know how to thank you.

Allow me to cook for you at my restaurant.

I'm seeing someone, Lino.

Well, I wouldn't dream a woman
like you would be without a someone.

But please, come as my guest.

Sì?

Oh, and they can come too, if you like.

Yes.

Che meraviglia!

Uh, the beautiful one.

Uh, Lino told me about you. L'americana?

- Sì, americana.
- Sì.

Come, friends, please. Come.

Thank you.

Hey, this is pretty cool.

It sure is.

Uh, water? Frizzante?

- Mm-hmm. Yeah.
- Sì. Grazie.

- May we see a menu, please?
- Eh, no.

Eh, you eat the menu.

Tutto.

I think she's saying
we'll have a taste of everything.

- Brava, sì.
- Gracias!

Okay, it's "grazie."

- Did you learn one word in Italian?
- What, are you f*cking this guy now too?

My God, Lindsay.

She's dating that, um,
John what's-his-name.

- Giancarlo.
- Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

- Lino's my friend.
- Right.

A friend who hooks you up
with a bike and a prime table?

Yes.

Here's to friends!

- Mmm.
- Oh, my God.

Mmm!

Wow.

♪ Oh, ho-ho-ho-ho! ♪

♪ Oh! Oh! ♪

♪ Oh, ho-ho-ho-ho! ♪

Oh, you are?

I am definitely
coming back here for my honeymoon.

You're just friends?

Because like...

- Can you be more?
- I think so.

- If you keep coming here.
- Oh, my gosh.

Wow.

We're gonna... we're gonna vámonos.

- Chica.
- Ciao! Bye-bye!

Make good choices.

Ciao.

Your friends had a great time.

I don't think any of us
have ever eaten this well.

I know I haven't.

Thank you.

Amy!

- Hi! Hi!
- Hey!

Oh, it's ten o'clock already.

You say no hello to me?

- No, no, no. Hi.
- Ciao, bella. Huh?

- I said I would pick you up here, no?
- Mm-hmm.

- Oh, okay.
- Yeah.

- Huh?
- Okay.

Ciao.

Bye.

We're almost halfway through the program,
and I was wondering...

How am I doing with my work?

Well, I appreciate your question,

but this is something only you can answer.

I just need to know if...

if you think that any of my work
might be good enough for the show.

Or...

if there are ways you think
I should be improving my form...

I'm sorry.

I'm telling you...

...to look up

instead of down
at the paper you sketch on.

Or rather, look in.

I think you're going to look back one day

and understand yourself in whole new way

because of the choices
you're making as a young woman right now.

And maybe this finds its way to a canvas.

Maybe not.

Either way,

you'll bloom.

Pronto.

Girl, "pronto" sounds like an off-brand
tomato sauce they sell at Kroger.

Z!

- How was the big move to LA?
- Z, baby.

- Where's your grown folks' music at?
- Wait.

- Is that...?
- Your mother? Yes.

She flew to LA last night.

- She and Ron split.
- Oh.

She booked a retreat at an ashram
in Topanga for silent meditation,

which I've encouraged her
to get a head start on.

- The silent part.
- Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!

I'm great, Amahle.

I'm free of the bullshit.

I'm finally free
of the romantic industrial complex

telling women
to put more focus on any relationship

than the one
that they have with themselves.

Mom, can you please put Zora back on?

And... and, baby,

I know you wanted
to study art in white-ass Europe,

unlike Mary's daughter,
who's on that Fulbright in Kenya.

But you listen to me.

Don't get out there and fall
for some Disney princess castle sh*t.

You hear me?

I mean, Mary's girl
is dating a PhD in Nairobi.

Now, you know that's
some different sh*t. If that ain't...

I was not done.
I am talking. Where... okay, zen.

Wouldn't be Mom
if she wasn't contradicting herself

eight different ways on a single call.

Another split?

- Is she okay?
- She will be.

She's had practice.

God, I hope we make
better choices than they did.

Not being halfway through a bottle
of Hennessy right now is a good start.

- How's the new gig?
- It's fine.

I'm supposed to be finishing
lesson plans right now, but, you know...

Now, you know them Destiny children

would want a brother
to stop saying their name. Okay?

Whatever.

What's up with you, girl?

This place has me questioning
if I have real talent.

Uh, we all know you can draw, Amy.

Just like I can play
"Wind Beneath My Wings" on the piano.

That's the thing.
You never play the piano anymore.

And I don't want art to be,
like, this thing that I just did once.

You better go.

Oh, Lord, Mom just found
my Chaka Khan albums.

I gotta go back to divorcée duty.

Oh, Dad and Maxine
got their tickets to come see you.

He's trying to see how much
barbecue sauce he can fit in his luggage.

You will smell him before you see him.

Love you. Bye.

Mom.

- Can you stop going through my stuff?
- No, I can't.

I made out with Neneh Cherry
in that dress after one of her shows.

She actually invited me
to go on tour with her.

What do you know about Lino?

Um, let me think.

We got to Florence around the same time,

so six years
since he came from Sicily to work.

I thought he came here to study.

I can't remember. Maybe.

Probably. If he did,
I can't imagine it was easy.

It's hard for them here.

Them who?

Sicilians.

Sicily is not like the rest of Italy.
It's a north-south thing.

And southern Italy
is a world away from here.

Like a whole other culture.

- They're often seen as outsiders.
- Hmm.

- I know something about that.
- Why are you asking about Lino?

Ciao!

Patrizia is asking if we might borrow, um...

...a bottle of Prosecco.

A bottle of Prosecco?

I can't stop thinking about that dinner.

It was...

It was art.

I express myself through food. Sì.

I didn't mean to rush that night.

It... it's just that, um, Giancarlo...

Well, he and I...

In Italy, we have a saying,

"Love rules without rules."

Of course you do. Let me guess.

It's part of your national anthem.

So we're friends though, right?

We're something.

And a friend can show another friend
all around Florence.

Sì.

- And if you don't fall in love with me...
- Oh!

...at least
you will fall in love with Florence.

Okay.

Ciao.

Okay.

Okay.

Grazie.

You're not gonna buy it?

I don't know.

I have to get
a piece into that show.

Then maybe my dad
will see me as an artist.

What?

Wow.

This one.

This one I really love.

Is this from our night together?

How come you never talk about Sicily?

Well, Sicily's an enigma.

That doesn't really answer my question.

Okay, then let me say that we say,

"When God made Sicily,
he made an absolute paradise."

"And then, to balance it out,
he made Sicilians."

Okay, let's eat.

In the States,
we usually eat the salads first.

Hmm. True innovation.

What's wrong?

How much vinegar did you use?

I... I used the aged balsamic.

Well, at least it's only in the salad.

Okay. Don't worry.

With me, you will always eat well.

Do you have pasta here and some garlic?

- I make us something new.
- Okay.

I have this one, and then I have fusilli.

And then the... the garlic is right there.

Sì. Grazie.

I only have two weeks left in Florence.

I can't believe how close I came to...

going back to law school
instead of coming here.

My parents.

Well, my dad,
who will be here this week,

for him, it's very important that
I have the right degree, the right job.

I guess it just means,
you know, security, safety.

Do you know why Florence
has the most amazing works of art?

Florence sits in a valley,

so it's vulnerable to att*cks.

Back in the centuries. No m*llitary force.

But then they thought,

if we create the most
beautiful buildings, most incredible art,

then people will think we're wealthy.

And they would never att*ck a city
that obviously has a big army.

So, beauty can provide safety.

Cheers, Daddy.

It's a Campari and soda.
It's like, um, like an aperitivo.

It's a drink before dinner
to open up the appetite.

When have I ever had to have
my appetite opened?

Just try it, Daddy.

Hmm!

Okay. So.

About school, Amahle.

You need to come up
with a clear plan for what's next.

You know, Amy,
I think this art program agrees with you.

I mean, you've always done
things your own way, but I don't know.

You just seem more sophisticated.
Happy, even.

These people got you thinking
you're the next da Vinci?

Dad, you do know
that da Vinci isn't Italy's only artist?

And you just evaded my question.

What are your plans
for next semester, Amahle?

You said that Georgetown
was holding your spot.

- You can just jump in where you left off...
- Do we have to talk about this now?

Here? Or at all?

I'm basking in Florence, Dad.

I'm discovering and living and learning.

What aren't you telling me, Amy?

Why don't you wanna talk
about going back to law school?

Because I met somebody.

And who might that be?

His name...

His name is Giancarlo.

Hmm. Young fella.

I'm gonna need a little
something stronger than this.

- Dad.
- You got any bourbon?

Dad, look at me.

It's not that serious.

I wanna meet him.

Sure, yes.

He's actually a good person
to show you a city after we have dinner.

Hmm. That sounds lovely.

Well, I hope you know someplace good,
because I saved up a ton

of Weight Watchers points
for this trip.

I might know a place.

It's nice.

- This way, Dad. This way. Yeah.
- This way?

I know, right?

He looks like something out of a movie.

- Salute, you guys.
- Salute.

Ooh!

Oh, my goodness.

Looks delicious.

- Yes!
- Mmm-mmm-mmm!

Oh, yes.

- Daddy, look.
- Wow. Now we're talkin'.

I'm sure he's gonna show up soon.

- It's fine.
- The food's good.

- It sure is.
- It's the best in Florence.

- Hi. It was so good.
- Ciao.

Ciao. I'm Lino. It's a pleasure.

Oh, so, you're the cook here?

- He's a chef, Daddy.
- Well, the food is amazing.

Grazie.

- Nice to meet you, sir.
- Yes... hey!

I just met you, man.

Pleasure.

- So, uh, Amy tells me you're a lawyer.
- Hmm.

And that you've been working
for civil rights.

Oh, and that you even met
Mr. Martin Luther King once.

I... I read
"Letters from a Birmingham Jail."

In Italian, of course.

- I loved it. How was Mr. King?
- Dr. King.

And I was just a teenager.

Oh. But did he influence your work?

Well, he influenced everyone, son.

Daddy...

Uh, tell me, um...

How did you... how did you come
to work in the kitchen, son?

I mean, uh, you got any school in you?

- Dad.
- You got a degree?

Uh, "school in me"?

He's asking
if you spent time in university.

Oh. Sure, sure, yes.
I've been to university.

I studied, uh,
poetry and translation. Yes.

But unfortunately, I didn't finish.

Studied poetry.

Didn't finish.

Lino, did you grow up in Florence?

Uh, no.
Um, I'm from a very small town in Sicily.

Amy. Scusa.

- I'm so sorry. Ciao.
- No, no.

Sparkling water, please.

- Giancarlo. Nice to meet you.
- Hi.

- Giancarlo. Piacere mio.
- How are...

Okay.

I'm so sorry.

- I was, uh, held up at the gallery.
- No, it's okay.

So, your father
is like a real, uh, Texas cowboy, huh?

You have, uh, horses and, uh, cows too?

I have a doctorate
in jurisprudence is what I have.

Okay.

I don't know
what that was last night.

The fancy one showing up late,
talking big all night.

And the other one, old Chef Boyardee...

Lino's just a friend, Dad.

Who's clearly sweet on you.

And to answer your question.

- I don't like either one of 'em.
- Great.

Let me give you some advice.

You can love many people in this life,

but the trick is to find someone
who you can love and live with in peace.

And...

I don't think you're gonna find that

halfway around the world
with men who are nothing like you.

I don't think that's true, Dad.

It really doesn't matter because
you're coming home soon anyway, right?

I didn't pay all this money
for you to be running around the world.

- Trying to find yourself.
- Actually, I paid for this.

I did this.

I finally gave myself the chance
to connect with a part of me

that I've been ignoring for way too long.

What are you talking about?

I wanna be an artist, Dad.

I want beauty in my life.

You can do your art in your free time.
Ain't nobody stopping you.

I'm not going back to law school.

I'm moving to LA.

I wanna make art as my job.

You done let these people
get to your head.

Smokey Robinson was right.

"Travel is a fool's paradise."

- Dad, that's Emerson.
- Well, whoever it was, was right.

Look... look around you.

This is not your real life, Amy.

Hi.

Look, um...

I know that last night was...

I got you this notebook. The one
that you liked from the flea market.

I thought you wanted
your family to meet me.

But you brought Giancarlo here,
to my restaurant, Amy.

- I know. He was just a distraction...
- And me? What am I?

No, sul serio, tell me what I am to you.
Because right now I don't know.

Either you're ashamed of me...

- No!
- ...or I'm not good enough for you.

I don't have an art gallery.

I'm not educated. I cook. That's me.

And I cook

because it makes me happy.

And alive.

He had my food.

In my restaurant with your family.

I'm so sorry.

Amy, I like you.

And I think you like me too.

That's why you came
to the restaurant last night.

I... I feel something here.

Like no other time before.

I think we can be something great.

Okay.

Ho capito.

Uh...

I think we shouldn't spend
any more time together.

For me, it's...

it's easier.

Lino.

Just please take this.

Please.

Zora,
I broke up with him last night.

Oh, what about Lino?

I don't even know him.
Not... not really.

Well, you just said you feel sick
when you think of never seeing him again.

No one just bumps
into their potential soul mate

on a street corner in a foreign country.

Unless God has a cruel sense of humor.

- Uh, he does.
- The program's over.

And I'm leaving in two days.

Come on, Zora.

You and I both know
this sh*t never works out.

This fairy-tale love.

Those kind of stories
aren't for girls like us.

Well, what if this ain't a story, Amy?

What if this is just your life?

Brava, Amy.

Applause, Ame.

Ames, you got more out of this program
than the rest of us put together.

Can you excuse me,
guys, for a moment?

Lino.

Lino, wait.

Were you just gonna leave?

Why didn't you say hello?

I didn't want to ruin your big night.

Look, the way we left things...

Um...

I'm just glad I got to see you again.

To say a proper goodbye.

Please come by
the apartment tonight after work.

I'll watch by the window and let you in.

Amy, I want
to introduce you to some people.

They're waiting.

Okay.

Please come.

Our story
doesn't have to end here.

My flight leaves in three hours.

People eat all over the world.

What exactly do you have in mind?

♪ I can't stand the rain ♪

♪ Against my window ♪

♪ Bringing back sweet memories ♪