Archive | Italian Hospitality RSS feed for this section

My Ancestors’ Home

5 Dec

Built on the main street of Pietrabbondante, about 150 years ago, (now with the recognition plaque), is the house where Grandpa Alex was born is 1895. 

©blogginginitaly.com

As with many Italian families, there were likely a few generations living together in the house for a time. What we do know for certain is that Alex was born in this house and emigrated to the US in 1899. 

Looking at the house, the main entry is to the left and cellar entrance, where animals were usually kept, to the right. But my great-grandmother was a seamstress and fitted her customers in this area instead.  Today, piles of wood are neatly stacked awaiting to create warm winter fires.

©blogginginitaly.com

Rinella proudly showed me a piece of the rock used to build the house. 

©blogginginitaly.com

The front door opens to a staircase leading to the first floor or the living space. One can’t help but be struck by the creative use of glass bricks built into the staircase above to allow light to penetrate through.

©blogginginitaly.com

At the landing, a door opens to the multi purpose kitchen/living/breakfast room, with plenty of light from two large windows,

©blogginginitaly.com

and warmth from the fireplace.

©blogginginitaly.com

Beyond this is a dining room, bathroom and secondary kitchen.

©blogginginitaly.com

Another door leads to the upper part of the staircase with the glass bricks.

©blogginginitaly.com

On the second floor, a long hallway leads to two bedrooms… the primary, which we quickly passed on our right, (much more to come on this!), 

©blogginginitaly.com

a smaller bedroom and a bathroom.

©blogginginitaly.com

There is even a secondary entrance which faces a higher level street behind the house.

©blogginginitaly.com

This long hallway houses the Singer sewing machine, still functioning, originally used by my great-grandmother!

©blogginginitaly.com

Incredibly, I learned on this trip that the house remains nearly unchanged, including almost all furnishings, books, etc., from the time my ancestors sold the house to the grandparents of the current family. 

At the top of the next staircase leading to the third floor sits this wonderful trunk, which, I am told,  belonged to my relatives and survived at least six voyages between Italy and America.

©blogginginitaly.com

This hallway leads to another bedroom,

©blogginginitaly.com

and a step up entrance to the attic.

©blogginginitaly.com

There were so many interesting stories and things to see and learn about here, but among my favorites were hiding spaces used during the war and various sized vessels used for crushing grapes. I asked Rinella to sit next to the large one to show its size.

©blogginginitaly.com

After exploring the cellar, it was time to return to the primary bedroom one floor below. And this time, all I could say was WOW!

©blogginginitaly.com

The huge room has two large doors which open to a balcony on the main street, proving fresh air and great lighting.

©blogginginitaly.com

The balcony has initials in the iron railing, one being  an I, (Iacapraro) and the other unclear as it has been damaged. This, coupled with handed down stories and the age of the house, suggests that the house may have been built by my 2nd great grandfather. 

©blogginginitaly.com

In front of the door on the right is an alcove where the old bread cabinet now sits. Prior to relocating it here, the space was where my grandfather Alex probably slept as a child!

On August 20, 1938, Alex wrote this to his wife:  
“Honey, I got the real kick of the whole trip today when I reached my hometown and saw the house and the actual room of my birth.”

©blogginginitaly.com

The furniture, radio, books…all belonged to the Iapcapraros!

©blogginginitaly.com

And so, incredibly, here is where Len and I slept…not only in my ancestors’ bedroom, but surrounded by their belongings!

©blogginginitaly.com

And then I found out something wonderful. Alex left here at age four and returned to this home at age 43, by then a successful American architect. When seeing this, the room of his birth, he asked the owners if he could leave his mark on this room. They were delighted. And his mark? He designed the ceiling. Before departing, I am told he took necessary measurements and then worked with architects in Rome to have it installed. 

The night before the ceremony, I don’t think I slept a moment. All I could do was study this massive ceiling and reflect on so many things…

the long journey that brought me here…

©blogginginitaly.com

Alex, my paternal grandfather, and how humbled, proud and grateful he would be…

©blogginginitaly.com

and the next family who was raised here, who passed on the stories, and took loving care of this house.

©blogginginitaly.com

In completing the final chapter of this amazing story, I am  grateful to all those who helped make this happen, and also to those of you who read along and took this journey with me over these many years. Your comments and messages have been so appreciated and I always try to respond to each one. 

How to end this final Pietrabbondante chapter? It came to me in a message from Rinella on the day we were returning to Chicago. This is the incredible lady who opened her home and gave her bedroom to two complete strangers for three days and nights.

©blogginginitaly.com

Dear Judy, here you are about to start the return journey home and when everything is ok, we will all be satisfied. We have enjoyed together to the fullest this incredible experience of our ancestors. I am sure that your journey never ends, but it repeats itself in the quietest corners of your mind. Be careful with your suitcases! because this time you are bringing home an extra and much bigger suitcase: it is your heart full of emotions, memories and new dreams and projects. We will remember, Judy, your smile and your kindness; we will remember the style and elegance of Leonard’s soul.

HAVE A GOOD TRIP JUDY AND LEONARDO. We wish you all the BEST!

Thank you, Rinella, no longer strangers, and now,
forever family…

Ciao (through my grateful tears…),
Judy 

 

 

 

 

 

Pietrabbondante: My Extended Family

3 Oct

In 2014,  Len and I visited Pietrabbondante, the birthplace of my paternal ancestors. Although we didn’t meet any relatives or locals, we thought we had found my grandfather’s birth home and were satisfied to add another check to our “Visit Ancestral Hometowns” list. 

In late 2017, however, I received a very unexpected message (in Italian but translated here):

I am Francesco, an Architect from Pietrabbondante, and it is an honor for me to have been born in the same town as the illustrious Alessandro Capraro. I am researching all his works and it is my intention to have a street named after him in the town that gave him his birthplace. If you have any news, please respond to me. 

And so I did, and that response led to the beginning of a new and wonderful friendship. For much of the next year, Francesco and I talked, exchanged information, and finally met in Cortona in the fall of 2018.

Meet Francesco, the dedicated architect who never gave up on his goal to recognize the works of a fellow native architect, and the reason we were in Pietrabbondante last month to recognize Alessandro Capraro, my grandfather.

Bravo, ben fatto, Francesco, e grazie mille!

©blogginginitaly.com

While the next post will be filled with pictures and stories from the ceremony, I first wanted to introduce you to some wonderful people, my new extended family of Pietrabbondante.

Because of Francesco’s research, we were able to meet the people who were raised in and still own/occupy my ancestors’ home. Not only did their grandfather purchase the home from my great-grandfather, they have kept the home virtually intact, furniture and all. 

©blogginginitaly.com (From left, Roberto, Rinella, Judy, Len, Rosaria and Francesco)

Rinella is now the lady of the house and her sister and brother came from northern Italy to be with us. And here’s a truly incredible gift – Rinella insisted that Len and I stay in the primary bedroom, the bedroom that had been occupied by my great grandparents and the birth bedroom of my grandfather in 1895! 

The house is so interesting it warrants a post of its own, which will be the fifth in this series. For now, a bit more on the people.

As part of Francesco’s effort to bring more attention to the works of Alexander Capraro in the U.S., Francesco and Dr. Lucia Krasovec-Lucas, architect, sponsored a conference about him in Pietrabondante last year. I was zoomed into the conference and “met” Lucia for the first time. What I only recently learned was that she had done post doctoral work in Chicago 20 years ago. At that time, she discovered Alexander Capraro, architect from Pietrabbondante, and his architectural contributions to sites including the The Main Navy Building and the Munitions Building in Washington D.C.; Casa Bonita, still included as a historical site in the annual Open House Chicago; and The Italian Pavilion for the Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago in 1933-34.

©blogginginitaly.com (Dr. Lucia, 4th from right, next to Francesco)

Some years later, she published a book about her research, including drawings for the Italian Pavilion by Rome architects as well as my grandfather. She and Francesco are continuing their research even today, and of course, I will support them anyway I can. 

In 1938, Alexander Capraro visited Pietrabbondante, the only time he would since he left at age four. In a letter home to his wife Maude, he wrote:

“Today I met several aunts, cousins and relatives. They cried with joy and they never stopped feasting their eyes on the boy from America… In a few minutes, word spread that I was there and the whole town seemed to come around to see the native son from America.”

86 years later, returning to Pietrabbondante as the granddaughter of Alexander Capraro, I had some of the very same feelings as they warmly embraced me as part of the Pietrabbondante family.  

The first night in town, Francesco and his sister, Maria Concetta, plus cousins, of course, welcomed us for dinner at their family home. But before dinner, we were introduced to Caciocavallo, a wonderful local cheese.

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

The last night, even after a huge buffet at the ceremony, Rinella and Rosaria insisted we needed just a simple dinner… 

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

As for my extended Pietrabbondante family, we’re not actually sure how we might be related, but if we go back far enough, there’s most likely a connection, either via bloodline or marriage. Vitullo and Di Salvo are common Pietrabbondante names that are in my family tree dating back to 1772, (thanks to Janet, Lyniece, and many others) and these names are in Francesco and Rinella’s ancestry as well. 

So many people spend endless hours tracing their ancestry. How very fortunate I have been to actually walk in the shoes of mine.

My heartfelt thanks for the tireless efforts and friendship of Francesco and Lucia, and the warmth, generosity and hospitality of Rinella, Rosaria and Roberto. I remain forever grateful to each of you. 

Next up, the reason for our return…the recognition and celebration of Alexander Capraro, American architect, born in Pietrabbondante in 1895.

Ciao,
Judy

Tags:

My Tribute to Tuscher Caffe

31 Dec

As 2023 comes to an end, so we must say arrivederci to Tuscher Caffe, Cortona. For so many of us, it leaves a vacancy, not only in the middle of Via Nazionale, but also as our “go-to” gathering place. Like the song from Cheers, “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came…” And that’s how it always was at Tuscher, plus of course, a hug or kiss and a warm smile.

For Len and me, Tuscher was many things besides a great bar and caffe. Tuscher was the place we’d have breakfast or lunch, drinks before dinner, meet friends or make new ones, and bring any visiting guests, except on Monday.

Tuscher was a family business, (with roots in Foiano) and its heart and soul were Daniela and Massimo. Although they will be sorely missed, we know they will be successful in whatever they choose to pursue. So rather that focus on “how sad”, I hope you find this tribute to be a walk down memory lane of some of the best times and heartiest laughs so many of us shared together. 

It was actually our daughter Benita who introduced us to Tuscher after checking it out with a friend.

And to paraphrase Bogie (Casablanca), I must say it was truly the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 

Lots of relatives came to visit… 

and so many friends too.

And then, there are all those we met, because at Tuscher, no one was ever a stranger.

Sometimes the festivities were off campus, come rain or shine!

Dinners,

olive picking,

and  big celebrations too.

There were so many parties…

birthdays,

anniversaries,

and more birthdays.

But we really never needed a reason to go to Tuscher… good times were always on the menu!

And so to the Olivieri family, Niccolo, Edoardo, and especially Dani and Massimo, thank you for your love and friendship and for giving us this very special and unique gathering place. While Tuscher may be gone, the memories we and so many have made with you will last a lifetime.

We wish each of you great success, wherever the road may take you.  

Happy New Year to all!

May your 2024 be filled with peace,

good health

and unexpected  adventures. 

Ciao and abbracci!
Judy

 

Please feel free to share a memory in the comment section. (Apologies if I didn’t have your picture!)

 

 

 

Tags:

HAPPY 50th CAMPERS!

28 Aug

50 years ago yesterday, over 200 very curious and most adventurous students from across the U.S. landed in Rome for the beginning of a year like no other – destination:

Loyola’s Rome Center was started in 1962. At that time, it was the largest American study program offered by a U.S. university in Europe enrolling Loyola students as well as students from 75 other U.S. colleges and universities, of which I was one.

While it is hard to imagine we arrived 50 years ago, it is so easy to remember the most incredible year of our lives. Quickly becoming a family of “campers”,  we learned, laughed, loved and lived together. Oh how we lived!

Most of us arrived at age 20, having never been to a foreign country, nor away from home for more than a semester. There was no internet, no wifi, no cell phones, no pc’s, etc. But we adapted quickly. What we did have was one public payphone in the hall, mail slots, a beautiful campus, an attentive staff, engaged professors, and most of all, each other.

Yes, we actually did attend class with some very excellent professors, but so very much of what we remember from that year comes from outside the classroom, as they said it would.

We quickly learned how to get around in Italy…

and explore some of her greatest treasures.

We learned to navigate by train, and expect nothing to happen as scheduled.

On holidays, we even had extra time to explore far away destinations.


We learned of the unspeakable horrors of war…

and saw monuments dedicated to victory.

We rushed to the Vatican on 5/22/72 in the hope that the Pieta had not suffered grave damage at the hand of a madman. 

When not studying or traveling, we also trained well and competed!

We learned that every kid in Italy plays soccer,


and that some of then best “food” can be bought at the market.

At Christmastime, we sponsored a party for children from a local orphanage, doing much more for us than they could imagine.

At the end of our year together, we published a wonderful yearbook and I was delighted to be one of the photographers. All of the above photos are from that book, so kudos to the following people:

 

Finally, 10 years ago, Loyola Rome celebrated its 50th anniversary in Chicago and all classes were invited to attend. It was our group’s 40th anniversary, and as you can see, friendships are still going strong.

To the family of “71-72 campers”,  indeed we did learn, laugh, love and live together. Oh how we lived! 

Judy

Happy Birthday Len!

11 Aug

Len’s Birthday Journal:

We started the day with a cappuccino in Cortona, then headed to the small town of Magione in the Perugia region for a most enjoyable lunch. Being that it is nearly 100° and crowded in Cortona, we decided to take the lovely drive to Ristorante Da Massimo, situated above Lake Trasimeno. The roads weren’t crowded, the views along the winding roads were lovely, and the food – well, Massimo certainly has made an art of preparing fresh seafood.

Great Food!
We shared two antipasti di mare, some hot and some cold, and seemingly never ending. Unfortunately, I’m a bit out of practice at remembering to photograph the gastronomical delights, but among them were salmon, octopus, seafood salad, shrimp salad, mussels, clams, scallops, and these mini sea snails. 

©blogginginitaly.com

We were first introduced to this wonderful restaurant by dear friends Susan and Ray, and they were definitely on our minds. In fact, that first time, Susan and I ordered the same orata (white fish), but I ordered mine grilled and she ordered with potatoes. I never forgot!

©blogginginitaly.com

Given that we still had a dinner ahead, we opted to share one piece of cheesecake with fresh berries and freshly whipped cream. 

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

Great Friends!
After an afternoon nap, (it’s what one does, of course!), we met friends at Tuscher for some masked hugs and a Prosecco toast to Len.

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

Great Views! We departed around 8 for dinner at Ristorante Tonino and were welcomed by a gentle breeze and incredible views.

©blogginginitaly.com

Food was good too…

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

As we ate, the sky changed colors and the sun and slender crescent moon put on a splendid show.

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

On the way home, we bumped into Ivan and Massimo, a fun ending for a pretty perfect birthday!

©blogginginitaly.com

Tanti Auguri, Leonardo, per un buon compleanno! Ti amo!

Judy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday to Me!

22 May

Once upon a time, 69 years ago to be exact, this little girl came into the world. With that smile on her face, and a twinkle in her eyes, she was ready for adventure.

©blogginginitaly.com

20 years later, her parents gave her the opportunity of a lifetime – to spend her junior year abroad at Loyola Chicago John Felice Rome Center. As a Christmas gift, her Mother mailed her a scrapbook of her life, including the photo and words above.

That little girl became this young woman who experienced a year of unforgettable memories, experiences, and friendships.

Roma 1971-72 ©blogginginitaly.com

And during that year, her love for Italy was planted deep within her heart (though obviously not the fear of driving a motorized bike through Roma)!

Roma 1971-72  ©blogginginitaly.com

Before the school year ended, she even celebrated her 21st birthday in Rome, something that in the early 70’s would seem more like a dream than reality. How lucky I am that she is me.

5/22/1972 21st Birthday ©blogginginitaly.com

I never could have imagined then that celebrating my birthday in Italy would become a wonderful tradition. I have Len to thank for that. And although today we are dearly missing our Cortona life, our incredible friendships keep us strongly connected.

So my birthday gift to me is seeing the many familiar faces here. Till we return, thanks for the love, thanks for the friendship, and thanks for these memories.

Birthday 2011 ©blogginginitaly.com

2012 ©blogginginitaly.com

2012 ©blogginginitaly.com

2012©blogginginitaly.com

2012 ©blogginginitaly.com

2012 ©blogginginitaly.com

2012 ©blogginginitaly.com

2013 ©blogginginitaly.com

2014 ©blogginginitaly.com

2014 ©blogginginitaly.com

2014 ©blogginginitaly.com

2014 ©blogginginitaly.com

2014 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

2015 ©blogginginitaly.com

Ciambra Monreale 2016 ©blogginginitaly.com

2016 ©blogginginitaly.com

2016 ©blogginginitaly.com

What were we laughing about???
(Clearly something off-color!)

2016 ©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

While all of these photos are not birthday or anniversary celebrations, on one birthday eve, these musicians delighted me with a spontaneous performance in Piazza Repubblica.

2017©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

Our 30th Anniversary 2017 ©blogginginitaly.com

2018 ©blogginginitaly.com

2018 ©blogginginitaly.com

2018 ©blogginginitaly.com

Taormina 2018 ©blogginginitaly.com

2018 ©blogginginitaly.com

2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

Packing up for the season. 2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

Anniversary#32  2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

Anniversary#32 2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

Our last night Cortona, 2019. Who knew???  2019 ©blogginginitaly.com

We are living in the most unusual of circumstances, yet we are very fortunate. We are all well, and those in our extended family who have jobs are working harder than ever.

Personally, we have connected with many people we have not seen in years. Strange circumstances do offer some unique opportunities.

And that takes me back to my year in Roma. Just this week, many of us gathered for a zoom call. Familiar names and faces of Campers, as we had named ourselves, from our magical year in Rome. There were people on the call I hadn’t seen in 47 years, but the time we spent together in Italy binds us forever.

2020©blogginginitaly.com

I’m forever grateful for all that Italy has given to Len and me. We’ve had incredible opportunities to discover our ancestral roots, explore Italy and Italian life with family and friends, and make new and lasting friendships. That little girl has had many reasons to keep smiling throughout her life.

©blogginginitlay.com

There’s so many ways to celebrate, and as you can see, this year I spent many happy hours going through years of photos.  Each one represents a special memory – hence my birthday gift to me. (Apologies for the quantity and for anyone I am missing.)

So,
Happy Birthday to me,
Tanti Auguri a me, 

2020©blogginginitaly.com

and a grateful toast to each of you
for making me smile.

2020 ©blogginginitaly.com

Ciao,
Judy

 

 

Happy Mother’s Day 2020! Buona Festa della Mamma!

10 May

This post is a repeat of my annual sentiments with a few added photos. In this time of Covid-19,  since most new photos consist of Zoom Squares, and hugs are virtual, it’s especially fun seeing these former gatherings! 

Mother’s Day is a special time to remember
how fortunate I am to be part of a long line of strong,
intelligent and loving Italian women, who are missed everyday.

Maude©Blogginginitaly.com

Paternal Grandmother Maude ©blogginginitaly.com

Serafina©Blogginginitaly.com

Maternal Grandmother Serafina ©blogginginitaly.com

 

Benita©Blogginginitaly.com

My Mother Benita (at my wedding) ©blogginginitaly.com

My parents wedding 1947 ©blogginginitaly.com

©Blogginginitaly.com

(L-R visiting Paris) Aunt Marilyn, Mom, Aunt Florence ©blogginginitaly.com

Aunt Marion ©blogginginitlay.com

It is also a day to celebrate
my incredible sisters, nieces and cousins, (pictured and not),
who are not only amazing Mothers,
but also determined women who incorporate
the traditions learned from our ancestors as they create new ones.

Sisters ©blogginginitlay.com

Celebrating our parents 50th at Trevi Fountain, 1997 ©blogginginitlay.com

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

To all of them, 
and to the dear friends/wonderful Mothers
I have met throughout my life’s journey,
I wish you all a beautiful day filled with love,
virtual family hugs
and relaxation.

And to my daughter, Benita, 

©blogginginitaly.com

and my mother, Benita, 

©blogginginitlay.com

my forever gratitude for making Mother’s Day so special for me. 

Happy Mother’s Day!
Buona Festa della Mamma!

Ciao,
Judy

Tags: ,

Cortona: Familiar Faces and Places

6 Apr

Clearly, we love our time in Cortona. The ancient town is beautiful and historic, however, it is the wonderful local people and the incredible friendships we have made that keep us, and so many others, returning year after year.

Here are several photos, in no particular order, and taken over the years, of some of the locals or their establishments. My  apologies to those for whom I don’t have photos.


©blogginginitaly.com

As mentioned, these are just a few of the hard working people and places that keep Cortona functioning. There are countless others, so many more I now realize I need to photograph.

Like millions of people around the world today, their hopes, dreams and livelihoods are on hold. Hopefully in the not SO distant future, their doors, and ours, will be open once again.

Ciao,
Judy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Farm to Table and Friends

27 Sep

Restaurants these days tout farm to table, and diners love participating in this fresh approach to cooking and eating. But when the farm and table are your own, it’s extra special.

Italy is well known for many wonderful things, with food always ranking high on the list. Great food comes from quality ingredients, and in Italy, that’s a way of life. When we first started traveling through the Italian countryside, Len remarked that Italy is one big farm. How true that is. Not just grapes and olives, although they are in abundance, but hectares and hectares of fruits, vegetables, and grains as well. In addition, the fertile soil, topography and weather contribute to regional differences in product variety.

I have written a lot about the fun we have with “our” small orto, as well as the abundant fruits of our “collective” labor. And since the orto is surrounded on three sides by Fernanda’s relatives’ farms, we are rewarded in quadruple.

From picked:

©blogginginitaly.com

to this:

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

Or these:

©blogginginitaly.com

to these:

©blogginginitaly.com

This crate:

©blogginginitaly.com

becomes Fernanda’s vegetable soup:

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

During the fall, when the weather is perfect, Carlo “hunts” for mushrooms, 

©blogginginitaly.com PORCINI

©blogginginitaly.com OVULI

so we enjoy these:

©blogginginitaly.com

Then there was this just picked bundle,

©blogginginitaly.com

which produced these:

©blogginginitaly.com

Grapes, you ask, but of course:

©blogginginitaly.com

and figs? In abundance!

©blogginginitaly.com

All of which makes for a beautiful and bountiful apericena (appetizer/dinner)!

©blogginginitaly.com

And then there’s the fun, lots and lots of fun. Regarding the next photo, don’t ask as I won’t tell 😎.

©blogginginitaly.com

Sunshine, fresh food, a good red and loads of laughter – perfect ingredients for good health and good times.

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

Ciao,
Judy

 

 

 

 

 

Tags:

Re-entry…

18 Aug

And it feels so good!

In Italy, August 15 is both a national holiday, Ferragosto, as well as a religious one, Feast of the Assumption. For many Italians, it is also the unofficial beginning of the summer holiday season. Parts of Italy effectively shut down until September, as people head to the lakes, countryside or a coast, or to towns like Cortona which are filled with events.

Since I can’t say this very often, I need to share that our trip over was incredibly smooth.  Flying time was only 8.11 hours and touch down to gate took less than five minutes.

©blogginginitaly.com

We arrived to the welcome arms of Carlo and Fernanda and to a delicious homemade lunch.

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

Afterward, Carlo accompanied us to check the orto (garden) progress, but lunch and the basket on the counter were a positive telltale sign.

©blogginginitaly.com

Although May was cold and rainy, warm sun and sufficient rain since then have made for vibrant green colors, strong vegetables and very huge and happy sunflowers.

©blogginginitaly.com

And then on to our house and the familiarity of the view.

©blogginginitaly.com

The next night, we were ready to roll and attended the Ferragosto Sagra Della Bistecca, or steak festival, in the parterre with some friends.

©blogginginitaly.com

Before:

©blogginginitaly.com

During:

©blogginginitaly.com

Our table:

©blogginginitaly.com

The food… and yes, we did split them!

©blogginginitaly.com

©blogginginitaly.com

The fountain was flowing and the Ol’ Boogies Rockabilly Band was playing,

©blogginginitaly.com

so we decided to start dancing,

©blogginginitaly.com

while everyone else was in the food queue. Good we came early!

After a lot of dancing and good laughs, and nearing 11 PM, the two guys on the left headed to town to get some Tuscanos, or small Italian cigars,

©blogginginitaly.com

while the rest of us stopped by the DJ station. The dance area was empty, so we moved right in.

©blogginginitaly.com

Before long, we attracted a large crowd and were soon doing the Macarena!

©blogginginitaly.com

I even bought one of the flashing balloons.

©blogginginitaly.com

Once the dance area got too crowded, we headed back into town to find the guys. Naturally, we found them at Tuscher with Massimo!

©blogginginitaly.com

We joined right in.

©blogginginitaly.com

It was 2 AM before our heads hit the pillows.

The next night, Fernanda had us over for dinner. We tried hard to convince her we should go out, but she insisted and treated us to a delicious aperitivo spread including her homemade liver pate. This was followed by roasted pepper risotto, and then stuffed zucchini from the garden and meatballs. Dessert was gelato topped with her homemade cherry sauce. We ate al fresco and my phone was inside, so no photos except one group selfie.

©blogginginitaly.com

When we got back to town, a big band was still playing in the piazza.

The next day, Len and I had a Tuscher Sunday, although it was only Saturday. After a long walk, we stopped by for a mid day vino. A bit later, a first old friend stopped by, then another, and so on, until eventually a few of us went to dinner.

And that’s how it goes in Cortona… Food, Friends and Fun. Repeat.

Should you miss one sagra, there’s another right behind. Out with the bistecca on Friday and in with the Porcini on Saturday, although we opted out. Enough sagras for one weekend.

©blogginginitaly.com

But as for friends and fun, there’s never too much. In the words of Cyndi Lauper:

Oh girls, they wanna have fun…

©blogginginitaly.com

Ciao,
Judy

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: ,

← Older Entries