On Sunday I had the bright idea to make Tacos for the family. It's not something they have here, of course, but I thought I had seen some at Esselunga earlier in the week. What a surprise to find that the two large grocery stores in the area are closed on Sundays. Sunday stopped being a day of rest long ago in the US, but here in Italy they take rest very seriously. Have I mentioned they have 4-6 weeks of paid vacation every year? But I digress. Instead of tacos we went to the only store that was open, the peschereia (fish store) and I made New England clam chowder for everyone.
In addition to the fish store, in the town of Vado there is the small grocery store called Coop, two fruit and vegetable stores, two butchers, a bakery and a pasticheria (the pastry store, yum!). It has been an adjustment to me to go to three or four stores when I shop instead of one, but I am growing to like it. I’ve realized that shopping at the local town stores is more of a social event than anything else.
All of the stores and businesses in downtown Vado have apartments above them, usually owned by the person who owns the shop. It truly is a small town atmosphere. The downtown area is about 2 square miles in diameter and contains no less than two soccer fields. Of course every town with a population of app. 2500 people needs two soccer fields, right? An example of where their priorities lie.
My habit from the US was always to go to one large store and get all my shopping done at once. When I first arrived I went to the two large stores, Carrefore and Esselunga, which are both about 20 minutes away. You can buy a bit of everything at these stores, but shopping at the big chain stores is (I found out) a bit of a cultural no-no. There is an attitude of “these are our neighbors who own these small stores, and why do you want to put them out of business?"
There is a law in Italy that deals specifically with retail stores and placement. If a florist exists in a small town, another florist is not allowed to open in the same town. Licenses are given out for businesses based on need with the market kept in mind.
Consider this quote I recently read online: “Our country (USA) has six times more retail space per capita than any other county," said Ellen Dunham-Jones, director of the architecture program at Georgia Institute of Technology. "We're just cannibalizing our existing stores by building more stores even when sales aren't increasing," she said. "We were long due for a retail correction and we're going through it now."
I could argue the philosophical merits of free-reign capitalism, but look at the current financial situation in the USA and I wonder if retail saturation is really necessary. Do we really need to have 100 different choices of toothpaste when we go to the store? In Clifton Park, NY, there were 4 Dunkin Donuts within a space of 1 square mile. Are there enough consumers to warrant this kind of excess?
Like most people here, I've been following CNN International lately, and every day it seems that another country is giving their opinion on the bailout bill and the troubles on Wall Street. Its a big topic of conversation here, and I am often asked to explain how the credit system works in the USA. Here is what I've found out about how the credit system runs in Italy. There are no private credit card companies. Each person who has a bank account is offered a credit card by their bank with a limit based on how much they earn. If you do not have a job, or a bank account, you have no credit card. The banks are private, but every bank in the country is backed by the larger BancItalia.
I will blog again soon, I look forward to reading your comments!
mercoledì 17 dicembre 2008
venerdì 31 ottobre 2008
Archery
My husband is an archer. Behind the house we live in there are mountains to climb, where he used to shoot wild boar, deer and capriola. We walked up yesterday to check out the Archery club who's lands are at the top of the mountain, and to our surprise Flavio found some old friends he used to shoot with. We spent the afternoon teaching Nicholas and me to shoot a bow and arrow. It was great! He actually managed to hit the target a few times (me too!), but more important, he loved it.
Part of me is thinking, "put a bow and arrow in the hands of a four year old? Are we nuts?" but another part loves the idea of him getting involved in a precision sport where he can spend time outdoors. For me there is a romantic aspect of it. It makes me think of the scene in Lord of the Rings when the elves dressed all in white came in to the battle at the critical moment to save the day with their arrows..........in fact, my husband kind of looks like Orlando Bloom. Well, maybe a bald Orlando Bloom, and maybe if the sun is behind him, and maybe if I squint.................
On our walk back, we saw a young lynx chasing a neighbors house cat. The house cat got away, but it made us think about our own lazy American cats that were kept inside for most of their lives and have only just recently started to experience quasi-freedom, so we hurried home to check on ours, but they were fine. Our property is fenced and there are two dogs and five cats that live here. I think if a lynx or other predator got in we'd here about it from the dogs. At least I hope so.
A little bit about Cortina. About a month ago I posted pictures from the Alps but I didn't write anything. The Alps of course are stunning and I'm not going to embarass myself by trying to describe them, but I can tell you about the towns. Cortina is a resort town, with designer stores, celebrities, etc. It is called the "Aspen of the alps". The architecture is georgous! They paint directly on to the buildings and use wood facades with intricate carvings.Dobbiaco is another town in this section of the Alps, which is called the Dolomite Mountains. It is close to the Austrian border, so it has both a German name (Toblach) and an Italian name (Dobbiaco). The people who live here consider themselves Tyroli. They have a certain amount of legal and economic independence, and they don't really think they are Italian. They also speak a different language, Ladina. This lanquage has evolved over the years from a combination of vulgar latin and german influence.
Part of me is thinking, "put a bow and arrow in the hands of a four year old? Are we nuts?" but another part loves the idea of him getting involved in a precision sport where he can spend time outdoors. For me there is a romantic aspect of it. It makes me think of the scene in Lord of the Rings when the elves dressed all in white came in to the battle at the critical moment to save the day with their arrows..........in fact, my husband kind of looks like Orlando Bloom. Well, maybe a bald Orlando Bloom, and maybe if the sun is behind him, and maybe if I squint.................
On our walk back, we saw a young lynx chasing a neighbors house cat. The house cat got away, but it made us think about our own lazy American cats that were kept inside for most of their lives and have only just recently started to experience quasi-freedom, so we hurried home to check on ours, but they were fine. Our property is fenced and there are two dogs and five cats that live here. I think if a lynx or other predator got in we'd here about it from the dogs. At least I hope so.
A little bit about Cortina. About a month ago I posted pictures from the Alps but I didn't write anything. The Alps of course are stunning and I'm not going to embarass myself by trying to describe them, but I can tell you about the towns. Cortina is a resort town, with designer stores, celebrities, etc. It is called the "Aspen of the alps". The architecture is georgous! They paint directly on to the buildings and use wood facades with intricate carvings.Dobbiaco is another town in this section of the Alps, which is called the Dolomite Mountains. It is close to the Austrian border, so it has both a German name (Toblach) and an Italian name (Dobbiaco). The people who live here consider themselves Tyroli. They have a certain amount of legal and economic independence, and they don't really think they are Italian. They also speak a different language, Ladina. This lanquage has evolved over the years from a combination of vulgar latin and german influence.
mercoledì 8 ottobre 2008
Emilia Romagna
There are 20 regions in Italy. A region is like a province or a state. The city of Bologna is in Emilia Romagna, which occupies the north-central portion of Italy. It is south of the Po River, and north of Tuscany. The eastern border is the Adriatic Sea and in the west it borders the region of Liguria (where Genoa is). There is also a small country located within the borders of Emilia Romagna, the independent republic of San Marino. I haven't been yet, but for some reason I am fascinated with the idea of a small country located nearby. Picture Kentucky deciding to become its own autonomous country, how weird would that be? Ok, maybe not the best example.....
But, I divert. On the culinary front, Emilia Romagna is most famous for inventing Lasagna, stuffed pastas including Tortellini and a smaller kind of tortellini called Cappelletti (yes, we are named after a pasta!) all served with broth, cream, or the famous Bolognese Ragu. Parma is another city in Emilia Romagna which produces the famous Parmigiano-Reggiano. They also use a lot of pork products like Prosciutto and Mortadella (sort of like the bologna you find at the deli). The city of Modena is also the home of Balsamic vinegar.
Amongst the pasta dishes, which include lesser-known favorites like passatelli and garganelli all’uovo, there is a pasta called strozzapretti. Literally translated, this means "Priest Strangler". According to local lore, the origin of the name goes back to the tradition of the wives preparing this type of pasta for the local priest, while their husbands hoped the priest would choke while he was eating it.
I'm finding that most of Italy has a love-hate relationship with the Church. For many years the Vatican has fought with local governments and rulers for control, and even now there are some areas that harbor resentment towards the Papacy. For example, take Rimini. Rimini is a beach town on the Adriatic ocean about 2 hours from Bologna. It is the place to "see and be seen" in summer. The entire city of Rimini was collectively excommunicated by the Pope around twenty years ago, because of the immorality of the so called Divertimentificio (fun-factory). How do you think they view the Vatican now? While a few are attending mass, others are enjoying a healthy plate of strozzapreti!
But, I divert. On the culinary front, Emilia Romagna is most famous for inventing Lasagna, stuffed pastas including Tortellini and a smaller kind of tortellini called Cappelletti (yes, we are named after a pasta!) all served with broth, cream, or the famous Bolognese Ragu. Parma is another city in Emilia Romagna which produces the famous Parmigiano-Reggiano. They also use a lot of pork products like Prosciutto and Mortadella (sort of like the bologna you find at the deli). The city of Modena is also the home of Balsamic vinegar.
Amongst the pasta dishes, which include lesser-known favorites like passatelli and garganelli all’uovo, there is a pasta called strozzapretti. Literally translated, this means "Priest Strangler". According to local lore, the origin of the name goes back to the tradition of the wives preparing this type of pasta for the local priest, while their husbands hoped the priest would choke while he was eating it.
I'm finding that most of Italy has a love-hate relationship with the Church. For many years the Vatican has fought with local governments and rulers for control, and even now there are some areas that harbor resentment towards the Papacy. For example, take Rimini. Rimini is a beach town on the Adriatic ocean about 2 hours from Bologna. It is the place to "see and be seen" in summer. The entire city of Rimini was collectively excommunicated by the Pope around twenty years ago, because of the immorality of the so called Divertimentificio (fun-factory). How do you think they view the Vatican now? While a few are attending mass, others are enjoying a healthy plate of strozzapreti!
martedì 23 settembre 2008
Bologna
Bologna is a strange mixture of antique and modern. It's not uncommon to see an internet cafe in a building that is 1200 years old. Like most Italian cities, it was originally set out in a circular plan, with a wall (la mura) surrounding it to keep out invaders with only a few entrance ways. Using my imagination I can picture guards at each gate dressed in suits of armour. Today however, you are as likely to find kids with fringed jackets and slouchy boots (hello, are the 80s coming back?) at the entrance. In fact, today driving through Bologna, we saw an ancient section that looks like a castle. I was properly awed at the history in front of me when my husband casually mentions "oh yeah, that's where one of the biggest gay clubs in Bologna is now. " Like I said, a strange mixture.
In a way the city wall still keeps out invaders, at least by car. You need to have a permit to drive into the centro storico. Unless of course you are on a scooter. I have seen some adrenalin junkies in my life, but never like these Italians and there vespas! We almost killed one today who decided to cut us off at a light. You haven't seen anything until you see a man on a scooter with a cigarette in one hand and a cell phone in another, navigating a roundabout.
One of the most charming aspects of Bologna is the color. Everywhere you turn the buildings are colored either yellow, orange or red or some range between. There are delightful palazzos, towers, statues, artwork, and the famous porticos. The porticos are arches covering the sidewalks. Often you will find frescoes painted on the portico ceilings unexpectedly by simply looking up while walking. My new job is located on Via Santa Stefano, one of the main roads in the city, with one of the most beautiful porticos. I am going to be teaching conversational english at the aeronautic college my husband went to. I was suppose to start already, but due to some bureaucratic confusion (oh, Italian bureaucracy, that's a whole other blog! sigh....) I wont start until October 6th. It's also the road Flavio grew up on, so every time we go there it is like a walk down memory lane for him.
The strange dichotomy of new and old is everywhere. Many people here live in houses or buildings that are several hundred years old. The engineers and contractors here have some unique challenges to modernize them while preserving the historic aspects. At our house for example, there are some pretty amazing attributes: a stone terrace, marble flooring, a vineyard. However, there certainly aren't fiber optic cables, or without the recent major overhaul my in-laws did, even adequate electrical voltage to run a dryer. The clothes had to be hung out on a line to dry every day. It's a chore to update the houses, but I am grateful they did.
I, for one, like modern conveniences!
In a way the city wall still keeps out invaders, at least by car. You need to have a permit to drive into the centro storico. Unless of course you are on a scooter. I have seen some adrenalin junkies in my life, but never like these Italians and there vespas! We almost killed one today who decided to cut us off at a light. You haven't seen anything until you see a man on a scooter with a cigarette in one hand and a cell phone in another, navigating a roundabout.
One of the most charming aspects of Bologna is the color. Everywhere you turn the buildings are colored either yellow, orange or red or some range between. There are delightful palazzos, towers, statues, artwork, and the famous porticos. The porticos are arches covering the sidewalks. Often you will find frescoes painted on the portico ceilings unexpectedly by simply looking up while walking. My new job is located on Via Santa Stefano, one of the main roads in the city, with one of the most beautiful porticos. I am going to be teaching conversational english at the aeronautic college my husband went to. I was suppose to start already, but due to some bureaucratic confusion (oh, Italian bureaucracy, that's a whole other blog! sigh....) I wont start until October 6th. It's also the road Flavio grew up on, so every time we go there it is like a walk down memory lane for him.
The strange dichotomy of new and old is everywhere. Many people here live in houses or buildings that are several hundred years old. The engineers and contractors here have some unique challenges to modernize them while preserving the historic aspects. At our house for example, there are some pretty amazing attributes: a stone terrace, marble flooring, a vineyard. However, there certainly aren't fiber optic cables, or without the recent major overhaul my in-laws did, even adequate electrical voltage to run a dryer. The clothes had to be hung out on a line to dry every day. It's a chore to update the houses, but I am grateful they did.
I, for one, like modern conveniences!
martedì 9 settembre 2008
Life in Italy2
In the house in Vado, there is a cuckoo clock upstairs which Flavio turns off frequently because it annoys him. My father-in-law comes in and turns it on again but doesn't set it so it never keeps proper time. There is a grandfather clock downstairs that rings on the hour and on the half-hour, and the town clock bells and the church bells carry up the hill from the village. Flavio says the town priest has always been overzealous with the bells and rings them all the time, for any excuse. Consequently, I hear bells and chimes all day long, but I never know what time it is.
I don't start working until the 15th, so until then I don't really need to keep track except to remember that around one o'clock every day, four important events occur. First, the shops close for about three hours every day at this time for lunch. Second, the first bottle of vino for the day gets opened, third, for those who have gotten an early start on vino, naptime commences. The fourth thing to remember about one o'clock is that the tiger mosquitos start gearing up for the day and so we have to bring out all the defenses. Citronella spray, candles, insense, etc.
Tiger mosquitos started to arrive from Africa this year due to the Italian climate changing and becoming warmer. Nasty little buggers! I hate them and am looking forward to fall which should arrive any day now!
Another reason I am looking forward to fall is that this October, I get to participate in the wine making. I am so excited! When the time comes I will write all about it.
Oh yes, my job. I am starting at the aeronautic high school Flavio went to as an english teacher. It's only three hours a day for now, but I think it's a good start. The school is located smack downtown Bologna, on Via Santa Stefano, which is the road Flavio grew up on. Flavio's friend Patrick works there and pulled some strings for me to get an interview. Apparently there are three other english teachers there but they are all italian and the principal has been looking for a native english teacher who can teach the students proper accents and the nuances of the language. It sounds like it will be right up my alley. Also, Nicholas will be in school everyday until at least 4, so after my work in the morning I can spend my afternoons exploring Bologna.
I have a theory about italian coffee that it doesn't actually have any caffeine in it. How else could a culture drink an espresso after every meal and snack, and still take a nap in the afternoon? Yesterday we took a drive up to a ski resort about an hour away from the house. We took a hike in the mountain in the morning, then stopped at an 'osteria' (rustic restaurant) for a lunch of wild boar, cheese and red wine. Follow up with an espresso and we were ready for a nap after! I had plans to stop in the resort town for some shopping after lunch, but of course, everything was closed for the afterlunch 'sonolino' (nap). What a culture! Americans work way too much!
I don't start working until the 15th, so until then I don't really need to keep track except to remember that around one o'clock every day, four important events occur. First, the shops close for about three hours every day at this time for lunch. Second, the first bottle of vino for the day gets opened, third, for those who have gotten an early start on vino, naptime commences. The fourth thing to remember about one o'clock is that the tiger mosquitos start gearing up for the day and so we have to bring out all the defenses. Citronella spray, candles, insense, etc.
Tiger mosquitos started to arrive from Africa this year due to the Italian climate changing and becoming warmer. Nasty little buggers! I hate them and am looking forward to fall which should arrive any day now!
Another reason I am looking forward to fall is that this October, I get to participate in the wine making. I am so excited! When the time comes I will write all about it.
Oh yes, my job. I am starting at the aeronautic high school Flavio went to as an english teacher. It's only three hours a day for now, but I think it's a good start. The school is located smack downtown Bologna, on Via Santa Stefano, which is the road Flavio grew up on. Flavio's friend Patrick works there and pulled some strings for me to get an interview. Apparently there are three other english teachers there but they are all italian and the principal has been looking for a native english teacher who can teach the students proper accents and the nuances of the language. It sounds like it will be right up my alley. Also, Nicholas will be in school everyday until at least 4, so after my work in the morning I can spend my afternoons exploring Bologna.
I have a theory about italian coffee that it doesn't actually have any caffeine in it. How else could a culture drink an espresso after every meal and snack, and still take a nap in the afternoon? Yesterday we took a drive up to a ski resort about an hour away from the house. We took a hike in the mountain in the morning, then stopped at an 'osteria' (rustic restaurant) for a lunch of wild boar, cheese and red wine. Follow up with an espresso and we were ready for a nap after! I had plans to stop in the resort town for some shopping after lunch, but of course, everything was closed for the afterlunch 'sonolino' (nap). What a culture! Americans work way too much!
martedì 2 settembre 2008
Life in Italy
So to start the journey, Our friends, Jen and Derek drove us to the airport in Miami on Sunday. Jen just purchased my car from me and I actually had a few sad moments over it. I really loved that Jaguar like probably no other car I've had. She told me about her plans to get a personalized plate reading JENSJAG, so I guess that means she loves it too. Sigh, at least it's in good hands.
At the airport, everything was very smooth. No one blinked an eye at our 6 large checked bags (a few of which almost definitely weighed over the limit) and 3 carry-ons. Nine bags total, am I crazy? (Maybe that's a discussion for another day). Nicholas had his very own Thomas the Train carry-on. He was happily walking through the airport singing "chug a chugga choo choo". We were all very upbeat and sailed through security with virtually no hassles. Boarded the plane, sat down and we breathed a sigh of relief. After all the packing, selling our cars, shipping our stuff, etc., the worst was over, right? Well, not so fast. Anyone travelling on an overnight flight with a 4 year old boy should know this word: Benadryl! We were not so bright, and so didn't have any on hand, big mistake. My upbeat, cheerful son remained so for a long, long, long time. Finally he slept about an hour and a half, I slept for one hour, and Flavio didn't sleep at all. Makes for a lovely morning in Rome, right? A 5 hour layover on no sleep accompanied by the energizer kid makes for very grumpy parents!
Arriving in bologna approximately 15 hours after leaving Miami, we got our second wind and started relaxing. There is just something about the mountain air in the hills south of Bologna that can smooth over the wrinkles in a day. Let me describe our home.
Vado is a small town south of Bologna nestled in a valley in the Epinnine mountains. There is only one road in and one road out of the town. Flavio estimates the population as less than 5,000 people. Most of the residents live in the valley, while some live in the surrounding mountains. We live in the mountains about 1\2 mile out of town. Short enough to walk or bike in, but the road up the mountain is a b°°ch! The house is a large stone house, painted "Bologna Red" (a very typical orange\reddish color for the area). It is on the western side of the town, and its possible in fall and winter to look down onto the village. You can glimpse a small portion now, but really the foliage is too thick for a good view. There is a levelled, terrace area in front of the house, with a wall seperating it from the steep decline of the mountain. If you walk down the stairs past the terrace it's possible to walk to the bottom of the property where there is a small river.
Throughout the property there are walnut and chesnut trees, pomegranite, apricot and fig trees, and all sorts of herbs to pick, like rosemary, sage and basil. There are grapes, two sections of the vineyard. At its most productive, the vineyard only produces wine for the family and to give to friends. It's not large, but its beautiful!
There are four apartments in the house. Each one has two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen and a large living area. We are occupying one of the top apartments, Flavio's cousin is in another. My inlaws and Flavio's two grandmothers are downstairs, and in the fourth apartment is Flavio's great- aunt. Everyone is very gracious and welcoming. In fact, everyone in the town seems to be that way. I will tell more about the town next time.
Hope you are all well!
At the airport, everything was very smooth. No one blinked an eye at our 6 large checked bags (a few of which almost definitely weighed over the limit) and 3 carry-ons. Nine bags total, am I crazy? (Maybe that's a discussion for another day). Nicholas had his very own Thomas the Train carry-on. He was happily walking through the airport singing "chug a chugga choo choo". We were all very upbeat and sailed through security with virtually no hassles. Boarded the plane, sat down and we breathed a sigh of relief. After all the packing, selling our cars, shipping our stuff, etc., the worst was over, right? Well, not so fast. Anyone travelling on an overnight flight with a 4 year old boy should know this word: Benadryl! We were not so bright, and so didn't have any on hand, big mistake. My upbeat, cheerful son remained so for a long, long, long time. Finally he slept about an hour and a half, I slept for one hour, and Flavio didn't sleep at all. Makes for a lovely morning in Rome, right? A 5 hour layover on no sleep accompanied by the energizer kid makes for very grumpy parents!
Arriving in bologna approximately 15 hours after leaving Miami, we got our second wind and started relaxing. There is just something about the mountain air in the hills south of Bologna that can smooth over the wrinkles in a day. Let me describe our home.
Vado is a small town south of Bologna nestled in a valley in the Epinnine mountains. There is only one road in and one road out of the town. Flavio estimates the population as less than 5,000 people. Most of the residents live in the valley, while some live in the surrounding mountains. We live in the mountains about 1\2 mile out of town. Short enough to walk or bike in, but the road up the mountain is a b°°ch! The house is a large stone house, painted "Bologna Red" (a very typical orange\reddish color for the area). It is on the western side of the town, and its possible in fall and winter to look down onto the village. You can glimpse a small portion now, but really the foliage is too thick for a good view. There is a levelled, terrace area in front of the house, with a wall seperating it from the steep decline of the mountain. If you walk down the stairs past the terrace it's possible to walk to the bottom of the property where there is a small river.
Throughout the property there are walnut and chesnut trees, pomegranite, apricot and fig trees, and all sorts of herbs to pick, like rosemary, sage and basil. There are grapes, two sections of the vineyard. At its most productive, the vineyard only produces wine for the family and to give to friends. It's not large, but its beautiful!
There are four apartments in the house. Each one has two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen and a large living area. We are occupying one of the top apartments, Flavio's cousin is in another. My inlaws and Flavio's two grandmothers are downstairs, and in the fourth apartment is Flavio's great- aunt. Everyone is very gracious and welcoming. In fact, everyone in the town seems to be that way. I will tell more about the town next time.
Hope you are all well!
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