STAMINA AND MENTAL ACUITY

I have a number of friends in my age group who have just returned from ‘big’ trips, are on a long road trip, or are planning a future trip.

I think it is fair to say that almost all travel these days, big or small, requires a combination of physical stamina and mental acuity and both are equally important! 

Mio marito and I are still fairly independent European travelers.  But we both agree that is doable for us because we tend to visit familiar places.  We have lost count of the times we have been to Sestri Levante in Italy.  Our flights do change each time we go and we are routed through either Paris or Amsterdam.  And we now know both airports quite well!.

We always do some exploring though. During our Sestri stay this year, we checked out a new village (Chiavari)  and returned to places we haven’t been to for a number of years (Vernazza in Cinque Terre and Portofino).  This year we also ventured back into the centers of Florence and Milan – we haven’t done that for awhile.

Keeping physical stamina and mental acuity in mind, here are 3 tips from Rick Steves:

Pack light and skip tight connections

My days of running through an airport to catch a flight are in my rearview mirror!  We always allow plenty of time to catch connecting flights. Since we will be gone for 4+ weeks, we do check bags.  And my shoulders aren’t up for lifting a heavy bag into an overhead bin these days!

Book your top reservations then go with the flow

We always book any hotels, our apartment, and rental car in advance.  Other than that, we are footloose most days.  I think if there was an amazing restaurant or site we wanted to see, we would definitely plan accordingly and make reservations.  

Avoid overcrowded spots

The crowds in Florence and in Cinque Terre were a challenge for me this year!  We like Sestri because it gives us the ambiance of the Italian Riviera without the crowds. 

I’m going to add a few other things to consider when planning your travels:

Don’t overestimate your physical abilities

Here’s where physical stamina comes in. My knee gives me problems and I know I can’t do serious hiking or stair climbing anymore.  And Europe has very little in the way of accommodations for disabilities.  Good luck finding an elevator or an escalator.  Walking is the primary mode of transportation and there is no such thing as smooth pavement!

Consider a solo trip…..or a group trip

Either can be the ticket, depending on what is most important to you.  Our friends just took an amazing tour of France and other friends toured the Dalmatian Coast.  I think these were more doable on both counts because they were well organized group trips. I think if we ventured to unfamiliar spots in Europe, we would certainly consider a group tour.

Utilize technology

We had digital copies of all our key travel documents and were able to share them with our daughter (I also make a paper copy – redundancy is good).  We used the airline app for check in and to keep track of our flights.  Since we do need to check bags, we are big fans of Air Tags to track our luggage. Google Maps was put to good use.  Using our ‘mental acuity’, thanks to Maps we were able to navigate an alternate route from Milan to Sestri when we arrived jetlagged. We also used Maps to find our way around in Milan on foot.  Europeans all seem to use ‘WhatsApp’ to communicate and we followed suit so we could stay in touch with our friends. Fortunately Wi-Fi is ubiquitous these days!

We continue to learn new lessons with each trip. And, as luck would have it, mio marito and I love traveling together and are looking forward to our next adventure!

I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them. – Mark Twain

Allene

ECCO L’AMICIZIA

Ecco l’amicizia (here’s to friendship)!

We returned from Italy last week and I am still in ‘re-entry mode’.  I seem to be stuck in this mode this year!

I have been reflecting on our 5 week stay in Italy.  People often ask me what my favorite parts are. I always answer the same way – 1) a day in hanging out in Sestri and 2) visiting our Italian friends (who live in Florence).  Both are equally magical.

What is so special about a day in Sestri? I pretty well covered that in an earlier post (April 23, 2024)

The other top of the list treat for us is seeing our long time Florence-based Italian friends…

We first met them back in 1995 in a ‘friend of a friend’ sort of way. We were on our first real trip to Italy with some California friends who had friends who had recently done a house exchange with a Florence family. We called the family and were invited to lunch, sight unseen! We met their 3 children, who were close in age to ours, and a friendship was formed that is still going strong after almost 30 years!

We’ve lost count of the many trips to Florence we have taken to visit them over the years. It has turned into a family affair.

Our daughter was first introduced to our friends in 1997 during her first trip to Italy. Mio marito took the older daughters to Italy and they stayed at our friends’ farmhouse near Sienna. In 2002, our daughter studied in Rome. She and some of her classmates traveled by train to Florence and spent a weekend with our friends. That same year we went to Italy with mio marito’s sister and brother-in-law. Of course, we had to take our family to Florence and were treated to yet another lovely lunch at our friends’ home. We went to their son’s wedding in Florence – what a treat it was to experience an Italian wedding! And over the years we have even met their 4 dogs – Bianca, Max x 2, and now Otto (lower left).

We’ve been introduced to some of their close friends and we, along with these 4 Italian couples, took an Alaskan cruise together in 2008. It is trip we all still talk fondly about when we gather.

A trip to Italy just isn’t complete for us without seeing our Italian friends. Last year was a bit dicey, because mio marito and I both had COVID and had to scrap our planned trip to Florence. But as soon as we tested negative, we managed to meet them for lunch in Pietrasanta (a very cool town in Tuscany)!

This year, we were able to return to Florence for a visit. We love staying at the Hotel Park Palace, which feels like a step back in time! It is located south of the city center on one of the hills, near Piazzale Michelangelo. Our friends live nearby and we can walk to their house from the hotel.

Note: While we were in Florence, we took what was billed as ‘an easy 20 minute walk’ to the city center. It took about 45 minutes and was far from easy. According to our Italian friends, the city center is jammed with tourists from March until sometime in November and they avoid it, whenever possible. Our quick visit was plenty crowded and it was also hot and humid. I did have a caffe at Rivoire on the Piazza della Signoria, along with my favorite Tuscan treat budino di riso (middle right), so I was relatively happy, but no less hot!

On this trip, our Italian friends were gracious hosts, as always. We had a number of meals with them and they also hosted some of our fellow Alaskan cruisers for a wonderful dinner (upper right). We got to spend some time with their oldest granddaughter who is the same age as one of our grandsons. She recently returned from spending a quarter studying in Bordeaux. She now speaks both French and English fluently, along with her native Italian.

We’re already looking ahead to 2025 and may be able to meet our Italian friends in Paris. What a treat that would be!

Ecco l’amicizia!

Allene

ITALIAN STREET STYLE – PART 2

We are back from our month-long Italian adventure!  I want to do my follow-up post on style before I forget the finer points😅

The weather was never quite warm enough to qualify as ‘summer’ but the Italian women finally shed their quilted jackets for some lighter layers.

Starting with the head – 

I still didn’t see any hats on women, but the sunglasses were definitely out in force!  And when an Italian woman is indoors, her sunglasses are always perched on her head (see the lower middle collage photo).  I am not able to copy this style because my head is too big.  I would burn through many pairs of sunglasses if I tried.  I didn’t mention makeup in my last post.  I think it is a bit of a mixed bag.  Some wear makeup, others do not.  This is a huge generalization, but many Italian women seem to have strong features which probably makes makeup less essential.  Eye makeup is more common than lipstick.  And I can’t forget jewelry – earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, etc.

Now onto clothing – 

Blazers were everywhere (see the upper left collage photo). Women were wearing them with jeans and pants.  I also saw women in dresses on warmer days, knee length or mid calf. I even spotted shorts (see lower right collage photo). I also noticed some interesting graphic tees (see upper left collage photo).

Head to toe monochromatic looks in white, cream, or beige were common (see middle upper collage photo and lower left photo), but I also saw head to toe bright colors (see upper right collage photo). As I mentioned in my last post, I continued to spot athleisure, particularly pants, as the weather warmed up.  

Scarves continue to be ubiquitous.I came across this interesting fact about Italian scarf wearing, regardless of the weather:

Apparently all of Italy knows, and has known for generations. If you live here long enough, you will know as well. A blast of air on your neck, throat, or head is the root of all illness. Because of it, an Italian would never leave the house without having the neck and throat area securely covered with a scarf.

And ending with feet – 

Light colored sneakers continue to be the most common footwear (see lower left collage photo).  I’ve been seeing Birkenstocks on women in Italy for a number of years and this year was no exception.  Store windows were full of Birks.  Women also wear sporty sandals.

I’m sure I will be back with some more reflections on our amazing Italian adventure, but this is a wrap on fashion for now.

Allene

A Perfect Slice of Italia – The Autogrill!

Mio marito is back with a post about one of our all time favorite stops….

People always express some level of consternation when they ask me about driving in Italy. My response has always been the same, that it’s no different than driving at home. My up-to-date response is threefold… It’s much easier than driving in the endless traffic of the Seattle-Tacoma area. Second, rental cars anywhere in the world are now more expensive since the pandemic. And, third, I now prefer a car with automatic transmission in Italy, versus all the distracting shifting with a manual. A game changer compared to the old days is the Google Maps app on our mobile phones, which greatly assists navigation in Italy, and anywhere. The most interesting and appealing aspect of Italian driving is the toll freeway system, the Autostrada. I don’t know how the Autostrada compares to Germany’s Autobahn, but it’s a very efficient, well maintained and a fast way to travel throughout Italy, although you do need to kick your alertness level up a notch. But, if you want a more leisurely drive with plenty of stops, it may be better to stick with the local Italian, non-toll highway system.

The Autostrada is a very controlled system in which you MUST take a ticket from the booth entering the Autostrada, and you pay the toll with your ticket when exiting. It’s not for leisurely driving or stopping in interesting views or towns along the way. You must wait for an exit location, pay the toll, and repeat the process when re-entering. The Autostrada does have speed limits and cameras that will catch you if speeding, but you get forewarned of them in advance and know where to slow down. Very interesting…

By far, the very best part of driving on the Autostrada are the ubiquitous Autogrills along the way. Really, the only Autostrada stop you can make is an Autogrill. We are used to the dingy, stark, not-frequent-enough rest areas in the U.S. Italy’s rest stops ARE the Autogrills, and they are certainly more than just designated highway restrooms and ‘pet areas.’ It’s been fun to experience the evolution of Autogrills. Today, the Autogrill theme is “feeling good on the move…”

The first time we visited an Autogrill in the early 1990s, needing to use the restrooms, we were utterly amazed at finding an oasis-like emporium of everything Italian to eat, drink and travel product niceties. But definitely, the Autogrills have evolved much more positively compared to the 90’s. I remember having to place coins in a dish entering the men’s restroom, under scrutiny of the matron sitting there (and who must clean them) glaring at me. I was more surprised by the Autogrill coffee bar area that was filled with smoke back then and watching all these older male Autostrada drivers ordering a caffe corretto (the usual small ceramic cup of espresso, but with a shot of brandy or grappa added). My order of a wimpy cappuccino always left me a little intimidated by all the looks I got…

Autogrills, which originally served as a convenient ‘pit stop’ for a handful of motorists, are so much more now! They actually started after WWII in 1947, with an Italian biscuit maker opening a roadside restaurant on the highway between Milan and Turin to help market his cookies. Well, the 1950s-60s boom years of Italy, similar to the U.S., brought the mass production of affordable Fiats and suddenly everyone was driving. And, of course Autogrills also took off and expanded throughout Italy. By 1993, they were also in France and Spain. The first, rather bizarre ‘bridge-style’ Autogrill, made perfect Italian sense by allowing one store to serve both directions of traffic, was in 1959. Many Autogrills now are a glassed-in bridge structure above the Autostrada traffic, with restaurants and much more shopping. Today, Autogrill is now a Starbucks-like international company based in Milan, with not only 600 locations in Italy, but 3,300 locations in 30 countries. You even see them in airports, train stations and downtown shopping areas of major cities. It has become the leading global operator of food and drink services for travelers. Here’s something you may not know…Autogrill came to the U.S. in 1999 by buying Host Marriott Services (HMS), that we all see in our airport catering and food service facilities. Yes, anytime you see ‘HMS Host’ in your travels, it’s owned by Autogrill.

Today’s Autogrill features spacious, clean restrooms, auto service stations, EV charging, cafeterias and shopping. You can find all sorts of packaged snacks, toys, sundries and regional specialties like olive oil, cheese, wine, beer and dried pasta. But, best of all are the bars that serve all sorts of reasonably-priced espresso drinks, pastries and paninis. All Italians know the Autogrill branding of its variety of sandwiches. The most popular and ‘king of paninis’ is their ‘Camogli,’ with prosciutto and swiss-type cheese, toasted. My favorite is the ‘Bufalino’ panini, with thick sliced buffalo mozzarella, sliced ham and basil leaves.

All it takes is driving the Autostrada on a Saturday or Sunday and you will see in action the love affair that Italians have for their Autogrills. Busy places and much fun, with lots of families enjoying their break from driving. We hope the Autogrill will be a treat on your next Italian vacation.

Ciao e Buon Viaggio!

Sweet Italian Treats…While Remaining Flexible

Mio marito is back with a new report from the field….

First, stay flexible!

Our prowess as experienced travelers seems to always be put to the test by ‘out of the blue’ difficult situations. Life will always be full of those annoying and unforeseen disruptions to our plans, at any time and any place. The troubles, however, are magnified when traveling to and within a foreign country. These unbelievable events can easily trigger a tail spin in Europe, when you really can ‘ lose it’ and find yourself running so fast through an airport terminal or train station that the wheelies on your bag scarcely touch the ground. It’s those times when the word ‘flexibility’ is unfortunately absent from your mind, but you know that you must quickly regroup. If you are a believer, like us, of accepting even unforeseen changes –  your plane or train’s sudden cancellation, delay or departure platform changing at the last minute, or a new transportation strike happening out of the blue, be ready! And, be flexible in how you respond while trying to focus on a reasonable ‘Plan B.’ Just keep reminding yourself that you are on holiday, occasional adversity happens, but everything should turn out fine. Aw yes, wishful intentions…

And don’t forget some sweet treats along the way!

For us, food in Italy is an equal priority to any sightseeing or travel adventure.  I personally nourish my travel bug very well, thank you, with all the sweet treats Italy and the region of Liguria has to offer. I have a few favorite bakeries at home in Tacoma and Seattle, but otherwise the typical donuts, rolls and muffins don’t appeal to me. The breakfast (colazione) routine for the majority of local folks in Liguria, is standing at the counter of a bar or cafe, with a tiny strong cup of espresso and a plain slice of focaccia. Maybe it’s because they’ve had a very late dinner the night before, and don’t have the appetite for something more. What is somewhat overlooked but always available, however, is a variety of special pastries. 

Many of the sweeter treats available to accompany your morning cappuccino are variations of the Italian version of a croissant. As we all know, French croissants (meaning ‘crescent’ in French) are classically flaky with a texture thanks to lots of butter, no eggs and less sugar. The Italian version, also crescent-shaped, is called a cornetto (meaning ‘little horn’ in Italian) in most of the country, but also ‘brioche’ in Northern Italy. The brioche tag seems appropriate as the Italian version uses sweeter dough, with eggs, sugar and butter, similar to a true brioche. The brioche or cornetti in the Ligurian region mostly come filled with various jams, honey, cream or Nutella. Our favorite has always been them filled with apricot marmalade. It’s not too sweet but flavorful, and goes well with a morning cappuccino. A recent discovery is the Brioche Integrale, a ‘healthy’ whole wheat, seeded version with honey. Florence’s version is called a cremino and is filled with custard cream.

Another Ligurian favorite breakfast pastry is the girella, a spiral-shaped raisin roll, without cinnamon. A similar treat is a brioche sugar twist with raisins. We love the routine of having early coffee and tea in our apartment with yogurt and banana, but venturing to a few favorite bars for a girella or brioche marmalata and latte macchiato. Perfecto!

A favorite place for lunch pranzo in Sestri Levante was recommended years ago by some local friends, Carmine and Ornella, who unfortunately moved back to Naples. It’s a small, unobtrusive place called ‘Gold’s Cafe’ that is known for, and translated from Italian, it’s ‘business lunches.” There is lunch only and no menu, but a prefix (prefisso) selection of three pasta courses, three meat, ‘secondo’ courses & wine, printed on a black board. It’s always 15 euros for the entire meal. We have always enjoyed the pasta choices only for 10 euros and they are so phenomenally homemade Italian, it’s as if someone’s ‘Nonna’ was the cook. Well, they have a specialty dessert they make, called the Maritozzi con la panna. Hope you can pick out the photo of a large round brioche bun overfilled with fresh, slightly sweet whipped cream. The maritozzi is a Roman dessert that has found itself into one fantastic little cafe in Sestri Levante. My goodness, so GOOD!

When we take a break from a lot of walking to burn off the morning brioches, girelle, and, a lunchtime maritozzi, a favorite for us has always been stopping for a small (piccolo) cup of gelato. And, I promise we don’t do this every day…  But everyone knows that gelato is healthier than ice cream due to its  lower milk fat content.  So why not a little gelato break? You have to make good on some sense of healthy eating obligation when in Italy, right? Our favorite is always pistacchio gelato, but chocolate and crema are close seconds. One thing you want to look for in your gelato search is gelato fresh-made by the gelateria, using natural products, and  stored and served from deep, covered, stainless steel containers. The heavy tourist locations in Italy are notorious for having giant open tubs of piled-high gelato in store fronts. The gelato looks most enticing and impressive, but they are loaded with preservatives that keep them from melting, and don’t taste nearly as good as they should. 

Time is nearing to unfortunately have to end this latest Italian adventure. I certainly will need to quickly get back to my gym routine, while I dream and visualize all the sweet delights I’ve been partaking of, in a totally ‘flexible’ manner. But it’s been so much fun doing it!

Arrivederci e buon appetito!

ITALY – A PUBLIC HEALTH VIEW

During our Italian Riviera travels, I not only keep an eye on street style but I also put my (long time) public health lens to (a limited) use. Here are just a few observations.

Smoking

There have been a number of changes over time when it comes to smoking.   When we first came to Italy in the mid 90’s, the bars and restaurants were full of smoke.  Smoking indoors has been vietato (prohibited) since 2003. We still see plenty of people smoking on terraces and walking along the street. I am noticing a number of young women smoking these days. 😡

Physical activity

I rarely see someone out running, but people walk everywhere.  Most towns have pedestrian only zones.  Parking is a big problem everywhere, so walking is a necessity.  And I can’t forget to mention the passeggiata – the daily late afternoon/early evening walk common in most Italian towns. In Sestri, people of all ages usually walk along the beach promenade – ranging from babies in strollers, kids on scooters, to older people with canes. And bikes are everywhere without a helmet in sight.

Alcohol

A glass of wine or a beer is a common sight at meals, including lunch.  I have seen people have a shot of alcohol even in the mornings.  Public intoxication is frowned upon, so people tend to not overindulge.  Alcohol is a restricted item for those under age 18.  When we buy wine at a self check out the staff need to approve the purchase.  

Healthy eating

We’ve been having our main meal at noon and I definitely sleep better.  When we go into the supermercato, the first thing we see are lots of fruits and vegetables – very different from home where doughnuts are right inside the door!  It would be quite easy to be a vegetarian here and gluten free items are readily available. I think it would be hard to be vegan and eat in restaurants.  Speaking of restaurants, portion sizes aren’t huge.  

COVID

Since we both tested positive for COVID on our last trip, I’ve kept an eye on things in Italy.  The region we are in, Liguria, has relatively few reported cases compared to the more populated areas.  The vaccine is available here and the population seems to be fairly well vaccinated, particularly the older crowd.  I occasionally see someone wearing a mask, but they never have it over their nose🙊.  There are COVID antigen tests and supplies in the pharmacies and drugstores.  And, of course, we took advantage of the current booster before we left! 

Social engagement

I do love how Italians interact!  We have a couple of hangouts and when we walk in we are greeted  warmly and they always know our coffee (and pastry) order.  Multigenerational gatherings are common, particularly for Sunday lunch.  Over the years, we have seen the same group of older women playing cards together on a daily basis at a local restaurant.  It has been fun to spot the same participants each year.  

Environment

Recycling is common and generally required here.  We separate our trash and have bins on the property.  Unfortunately, the water does not taste good at all!  Everyone seems to drink bottled water and large plastic bottles are available everywhere.  The change this year is that the caps don’t come completely off, so they are recycled with the bottles.  While plastic bags aren’t forbidden, there is a charge for them.  But plastic is a big problem!

Trains are probably the main form of transportation, but most people also own cars.  The cars seem to be getting bigger!  We have seen some hybrids and the electric vehicle market is growing.  Italy has a relatively higher reliance on natural gas for electricity generation and that is a key driver for the higher power costs here. 

And……dogs are warmly welcomed indoors in bars and restaurants!

Mio marito and I will be back soon with more reports from the field 😏

Allene 

La Cucina e Molto Importante…(The kitchen is very important)

Mio marito continues his reporting……

My goodness! What an interesting experience last week, that reinforced our 30 year travel mantra of always being curious but independent adventurers. Travel always has so many exciting elements, no matter where you are venturing, despite an occasional bit of adversity. So it was a week ago when we decided to hop on the train from ‘home’ in Sestri Levante for a short day ride to a favorite of the five villages of Cinque Terre, Vernazza. We had not met a single American in two weeks in Italy, but boarded a crowded train with probably more Seattle people than Pike Place Market on a Saturday! It was train car after train car of mostly tour groups, that did include hiker groups from Germany, headed for the day to Cinque Terre. The tour leaders still carry a familiar flag on a stick, but we weren’t up to date on the tech advances of tour travel. Every tour ‘groupee’ now wears a remote audio device around their neck with an earbud connected to the tour leader. But that didn’t stop the border collie instinct of the tour guide constantly circulating between the train cars in managing the flock. Honestly, there was little conversation amongst the poor souls on the tours as they were mostly, heads down, listening intently to the tour boss. It was kind of humorous to witness. Well, by the time we reached Vernazza, with more groups jumping on at every train stop, our car had 30 people tightly standing in the aisles! Needless to say, the tiny village of Vernazza, and Cinque Terre were jammed with people. A new rule went into effect the next day that restricted the much desired hiking between villages to one way traffic only. I can imagine the further effect that is now having on the trains, with people moving between villages. I just kept saying to myself that Cinque Terre is a national park and UNESCO site, and such places are crowded all over the World…

There were almost no passengers, thankfully, on the early afternoon train ride back to our little Italian seaside oasis of Sestri Levante. Coming back to our comfortable apartment was like returning home after a bad day at work. Apartment living for us, when traveling to Italy now for 30 years, has become a highlight of our trips. Our apartment in Sestri Levante over the past 10 years or so, has many of the comforts of home back in Tacoma . It offers a quiet, beautiful, country setting, with parking, and easy walking access to the seashore, train station, restaurants and stores. It couldn’t be a better arrangement!

Travelers on the move do well with hotel accommodations and the short term comforts they provide. But once you have seen the sites and want something more than being ‘on the move,’ an apartment or property rental is the answer. It’s also understandable why Airbnbs and VRBOs have proliferated throughout the world. But what separates a hotel room, besides a higher price, from an apartment, condo or home rental? The answer is, without a doubt, the KITCHEN (cucina). The kitchen is always the most important room of the casa. Allene and I are always quick to say that even in Italy, with the best food ever, a break from a restaurant is always appreciated. We love stocking our apartment kitchen with lots of easy stuff to prepare, especially when returning after a busy day of travel adventures. And, who wants to wait until 8pm when restaurants open for dinner?!

Our Sestri Levante abode, ‘Appartamento Dalcisa,’ is small but very functional with one bedroom, a bathroom, living/dining room and kitchen. True, we miss having a microwave and clothes washer, but otherwise it has everything we need for comfortable Italian living. The most interesting aspect is that we are located on the 2nd floor of a building as old as our own country’s independence. It’s just mind-boggling!

Yes, the building was originally constructed in the late 1700’s as part of staff quarters for the 18th Century, Villa Durazzo, at the head of a narrow valley above Sestri. The ancient, noble Villa Durazzo estate comprises many hectares of vineyards and olive groves, and is an Italian historical site. The manor house, located up the hill above our apartment, is a magnificent 4-5 story building with many elaborate rooms that overlook the Mediterranean coast. Today, it is used for elaborate weddings and other events. We got a memorable tour a couple years ago from a friend, who manages the facility and grounds.

Besides our apartment, the Mediterranean/Spanish style building has two upstairs units for rent and one large ground floor apartment. A separate home close by also rents for large families or groups. We have enjoyed all three of the smaller apartments but really enjoy our current place, the smallest but most functional and least expensive of the three. It’s perfect for two people. We can park within 30 feet of our door and there are no stairs to climb. It couldn’t be more ‘homey’ and the views of the vineyards and olive groves are fantastic. Over the past weeks, we have had families from the Netherlands, Germany and Italy as neighbors. Our rental manager, Luigi, lives on site, and we have known and communicated with him for years. Every year, he loves seeing our U.S. passports. 

Without question, it’s the culture here in Italy that entices us most and keeps us coming back. It’s basically the Italian people and their customs, interactions and mannerisms that create the culture, and visa versa. Our goal in recent years has been the less touristy Italian destinations. We are so blessed to have found the perfect location of Sestri Levante, and living situation, to enjoy the culture and accomplish our travel goal(s).

What should we do tomorrow? How about a gelato tasting adventure? Si!

Arrivederci.

The Lowly Anchovy is King in Italy

Mio marito is back reporting on one of our Italian favorites..

Most of us can remember times when we had a small, flat tin of anchovies buried in our kitchen cupboard for some unknown reason, or at least a reason we can’t quite recall. One great pizza parlor we had growing up in Great Falls, Montana, Howard’s Pizza, was a favorite place for me and my high school friends to eat. I still don’t understand why, but Howard’s would sneak a small anchovy filet onto the large pizzas. We started looking for it and fought over who got the pizza slice with the anchovy. But, there was always the same reaction, “Eww, that tastes so salty and fishy…”

Our long ago acquired taste for those salty thin filets, has us now buying anchovies in jars and even in tubes of anchovy paste. They are not only traditional on caesar salads and pizza, but are great for adding flavor and zip to sauces and pasta. One of Allene’s Mediterranean cooking specialties is Pasta Puttanesca, with the spaghetti sauce including capers, olives, crushed tomatoes, and anchovies. The anchovies simply dissolve or melt into the sauce for a savory, flavorful punch, much like umami.  Absolutely delicious!

The poor anchovy has the reputation as the poor man’s fish of the world, due to its abundance and source of protein over thousands of years. It is closely related to herring and sardines, but is a different species and tastes less fishy. Anchovies are very healthy to eat, loaded with protein and high in Omega 3 fatty acids. The species in the Mediterranean is the ‘european anchovy’ and is plentiful off all coasts of Europe. It’s a small silvery green fish about 5 inches in length and its abundance may be due to it spawning continuously throughout the year. Italy’s peninsula shape and lengthy coastline contributes to its history with anchovies that precede the Roman Empire. As long as fishermen could net or catch anchovies, they’ve been a major source of food along the coasts.

The word for anchovy in Italian is acciughe, pronounced ‘Aw-choo-gu,” even though that may sound to you like an Italian sneeze😁. Many people say the best anchovies ever are fresh caught ones in Italy, as they are mild, and delicious to eat. And, they are prepared in hundreds of ways. 

So take your mind off the salty critters in cans and focus on fresh caught anchovies. You see tubs of them at the fish markets in Italy and people buy bags of them by the kilo. Typically, Italians bring them home and prepare them by removing the head, cleaning, easily removing the backbone, rinsing, and patting dry. They can be grilled, stuffed, batter fried or baked many different ways. We often see huge platters of fried anchovy, garnished with chopped parsley and lemon, and served as restaurant finger food. Another excellent cooked version is baked fresh anchovies with herbed breadcrumbs.

Common in Italy and very popular is marinated raw anchovies.  A mix of white wine vinegar, sea salt and lemon juice provides a curing process over 8 hrs or longer. I like to think of the curing as the raw fish being transformed to doneness by the acids of vinegar, lemon juice and salt marinade, similar to creating salmon lox.

Allene and I honestly crave fresh marinated anchovies when we visit Italy.  All of the coastal Italian restaurants and cafes serve an antipasto plate of Acciughe al Limone. You receive a dozen or more fileted and spread open anchovies, with marinade and a drizzle of olive oil. They are so mild and flavorful, even fish haters will enjoy them. 

I only wish that I could buy fresh anchovies at home. There is an abundance of similar ‘north pacific anchovies’ off the Washington coast that I’ve used as salmon bait in the past. But there just doesn’t seem to be a market for the fresh ones. It’s very difficult being left with only canned anchovies for cooking, but I will have to be satisfied and dream about the fresh marinated anchovies in Italy…

Buon Appetito!

ITALIAN STREET STYLE – PART 1

Those of you who know me well are familiar with my annual style updates from Italy.  It is interesting to see what has changed and what has stayed pretty much the same over the years.

I’m doing my ‘report’ in 2 parts this year to reflect the changes in seasons.  It has felt like early spring over the past couple of weeks – some sun, cool weather, and some rain.  Since Italians are ‘always cold’ (as I was informed by an Italian) many of them are still dressed for winter.

Before I launch, here is a bit of context.  I focus more on the style of older women. My observations are primarily from our time in a small town on the Italian Riviera.  It is more casual than Portofino (the more stereotypical Italian Riviera town).  We have also been to Genoa, an urban center. 

So, here’s what I’m seeing on the streets in April, 2024:

Color – I am not seeing black very often (this may be due to the change in season).  Monochromatic looks are still common (usually beige – see the top right photo in today’s collage), but I am seeing more color overall this year (see the lower right photo).

Starting at the top – no hats, gray hair is now more common, oversized sunglasses or glasses are the norm. Umbrellas for rainy days

Jewelry – always!  And it is more likely to be fine jewelry in silver or gold than costume jewelry; Pearl posts or hoops; bracelets and necklaces; everyone wears a watch, but I haven’t spotted a smart watch yet on an Italian

Jackets (since it has been chilly or wet) – fitted hip length quilted jackets (not necessarily puffy coats) or rain jackets; a few denim jackets

Note: Fitted hip length jackets have been part of the coat ‘uniform’ here as long as I can remember.

Scarves – another always!  I see women in simple tee shirts wearing scarves.  The scarves are usually lightweight this time of year and wrapped around the neck vs. tied.  When women are seated in a restaurant, the first thing they do is unwrap their scarf. 

Handbags – almost always oversized (think totes) and cross body bags are also common

Pants – jeans are now very common on women of all ages (skinny, slim, ankle length, raw hem) or ankle length slim pants.  I’ve spotted some long full leg pants/jeans and some cropped pants (I may see more when the weather warms up); no skirts or dresses yet

Athleisure – here is a big change!  I never used to see women in athleisure unless they were running or hiking.  I spotted 2 local women looking very chic in WHITE sweatpants; I have seen joggers on women in shops – check out the top left photo and the lower middle photo in today’s collage. Since I like athleisure to travel, this has been a welcome sight!

And ending with shoes – sneakers rule!  They are not necessarily white, but most I have spotted are light colored.  I have also noticed a patch work color scheme – check out the upper middle picture in today’s collage.

Overall – if I had to describe a ‘uniform’ for an Italian woman this time of year, she would be wearing oversized glasses, carrying a tote bag under one arm, and wearing jewelry.  Her coat would be hip length and fitted (usually quilted).  She would be wearing slim ankle pants or jeans (skinny or straight – often with a raw hem), and rocking a scarf and sneakers🤗. But every Italian woman is unique!

I’ll be back with Style Part 2 when it warms up🥵.

Ciao,

Allene

Spring Holiday Celebrations – Italian Style

Mio marito continuing his reporting from Italy…..

Easter (Pasqua) in Italy is a huge holiday that can extend through the entire week. Including Easter, Italy has a trio of national Spring holidays, starting on April 25th, Liberation Day.

We were here for Liberation Day last Thursday. It commemorates the victory by Italy’s resistance movement against the Nazis and Fascists in World War II. It ended 2 ½ years of Nazi occupation and 23 years of fascist dictatorship. 

We may have been too sick with Covid a year ago to venture out and enjoy Liberation Day, but we made up for it this year. We had excellent spring weather in Sestri Levante on Liberation Day and we were amazed how this seaside resort town came alive. More than anything, Liberation Day is an opportunity for communities in Italy to celebrate outdoors with relatives and friends. The restaurants, bars, beaches, gelaterias, and streets were full of people. We noticed a lot of craft vendors, music and children’s activities, but mostly people were leisurely walking about, visiting and laughing with friends and extended families. The seaside ‘promenade’ and main shopping streets were crowded with people. No parades or fireworks, just Sestri locals relaxing and enjoying themselves. You definitely needed a reservation for afternoon lunch (pranzo) at any of the restaurants, because they were all packed!

We are quickly blessed this week on Wednesday, May 1st, with another major national holiday, Workers Day  (Festa del Lavoro/Primo Maggio). Italy’s Workers Day is always celebrated on May Day and its tone is similar to our Labor Day – bringing communities together to recognize the contributions of workers and social justice. Parades and rallies are common but also celebrations with music and cultural performances in public squares and parks. The weather around Workers Day is usually terrific (although rain is in the forecast this year), with family picnics and gatherings in parks and beaches. Last year, Sestri Levante was packed with people. Visitors flocked to the beaches and the streets, pretty similar to the recent Liberation Day festivities. We had a reservation for lunch at a favorite seaside restaurant and continued our celebration with a long relaxing walk along the beach. We always love the people watching more than ever!

Similar to our Fourth of July, is Republic Day, June 2nd. It is Italy’s most important holiday as it commemorates the end of the monarchy (and king) and birth of the Italian Republic. This was accomplished by vote of the people in 1946. Republic Day has a military recognition element and features major parades, mostly in Rome, with the traditional ‘tri- color’ smoke by the Italian Air Force. We have not been in Italy in recent years on June 2nd but understand it is a major seaside holiday draw with crowds at the beaches.

Besides Ferragosto on August 15th , no other major additional holidays happen until November in Italy.

We loved celebrating Liberation Day last week in Sestri Levante and look forward to getting out-and-about with all the local people on Workers Day later this week. Si!

Arrivederci!