A Walk Through Conegliano, Italy
My husband and I often go exploring neighboring towns and villages. Any town, it doesn't matter, because it's all going to be new to us. A few weeks ago, days before Christmas, we took a drive with our boys and ended up in Conegliano.I love Italy at Christmas. There is no rush. There is no bustling from big box store to electronics store in search of that "perfect gift". Christmas in Italy is a time to rejoice, to spend time with family and friends. This time of "feste" is celebrated and exemplified in each city. Pretty much every commune has some sort of holiday decorations on display; usually in the form of lights. Depending on the size, some are more extravagant, and others quaint. Some cities will also host Christmas markets, where things like baked goods and sweets, mulled wine, artesian hand crafted products, and art are sold. The size of the market, is usually small unless you head closer to the mountain areas near Austria. Conegliano is such a town with a small area where local artisans and businesses gather under tents to sell their wares. Conegliano is a lovely place to go for a walk any time of year, but it is especially lovely at the holidays.
After our walk through Conegliano, we went for dinner.
It was a good day.
July in Italy
Summers in Italy are a thing to behold. I'm fairly certain the phrase, "La dolce vita" was first coined during an Italian summer...perhaps in July...I stumbled across this poem by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz, and thought it rather a fitting The figs we ate wrapped in bacon.The gelato we consumed lustily:coconut milk, clove, fresh pear.How we’d dump hot espresso on it,just watch it melt, licking our spoonsclean. The potatoes fried in duck fat,the salt we’d suck off our fingers,the eggs we’d watch get beaten’til they were a dizzying bright yellow,how their edges crisped in the pan.The pink salt blossom of prosciuttowe pulled apart with our hands, meltingon our eager tongues. The green herbswith goat cheese, the aged brie pairedwith a small pot of strawberry jam,the final sour cherry we kept politelypushing onto each other’s plate, saying,No, you. But it’s so good. No, it’s yours.How I finally put an end to it, plucked itfrom the plate, and stuck it in my mouth.How good it tasted: so sweet and so tart.How good it felt: to want something andpretend you don’t, and to get it anyway.
— Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz, “July”Here are a few pictures I've snapped this summer so far...
Living in Italy - One Year Later
It's hard to believe a year has passed since my family and I got off the plane that brought us to our new home. Living in Italy has been whirlwind of wonderful, crazy, confusing, frustrating, and at times very magical moments. It took us about six months to really feel settled and at home. Home...My home is in Italy... There are still moments when I pinch myself to make sure it's not a dream.There are many things I love about living here and a few I could do with out. So I of course, I made a list.Why I love Italy
- It's Italy. Need I say more? The blessing to have this experience is one I'm not taking for granted.
- I am surrounded by antiquity. When you stroll though towns on cobblestone roads you can't help but think about all the people that have gone before you. In short, the history.
- I've had to put myself out there and it's totally been worth it.
- The wine. Ohmygosh...the wine!
- "Domani". Italians are very laid back. I love how they enjoy and appreciate living and aren't afraid to put things off till "domani" (tomorrow). They don't rush to drink that cup of coffee on the run. In fact I think they only time they do rush is when they're on the road. It's made me appreciate the simple things even more than I already did.
- Market day. Antique Market Day. Artisan market day. Festivals. etc. etc.
- They take serious steps to conserve and preserve. From the recycling to the infrequent use of paper cups and utensils (I've yet to see them in a cafe).
- Scarves. One of my favorite accessories is also considered one necessary piece of clothing for Italian women. Yay!
- Pizza with mushrooms from my favorite Pizza place = heaven.
- I'm actually getting to use the Italian I studied: four years in high school & 3 semesters in college. Over the last year it's vastly improved.
- Gelato. Gelato. Gelato.
What I could live with out or miss the most about the States
- The toilets. I absolutely dislike the toilets here. They're designed in such a way that one constantly has to take a toilet brush to them if you know what I mean. Oh and then there's the squatty potty.
- Getting used to things closing in the middle of the day for "riposo" was really challenging at first and it still can be at times.
- The lack of big box stores like Target. Oh how I miss Target and their cute home decor items and way affordable t-shirts I also would be remiss if I didn't mention the CLEARANCE items. The Italian sense of decorating style tends to either lean toward the ultra modern or somewhere in the 70's or 80's and there is no "clearance" section. There are two major times of year when the stores have major sales. January and July.
- I know I'm surrounded by cafes that serve excellent coffee and I am a bit of a coffee snob...Yet as much as I'm embarrassed to say it, I miss Starbucks. Sometimes you just want a cafe latte to go. NO such thing here. [Except for the coffee vending machines which, by the way, make excellent coffee. (See number 5 above).]
- Converting the Dollar to Euro. I hate that right now we get only about $.71 to every €1,00. Needless to say, I shop online a lot.
- Closets. I miss closets.
- Cellular telephone service. It's "no buono".
Italian Open Air Markets - Sacile, Italy #igtravelthursday
It's nearly been a year since I arrived in Italy and shopping at the open air markets has become one of my favorite things to do. Each town or "commune" has their own market and they're usually held on a different day of a week. You can find everything from: fresh produce, cheese, fish, clothing, shoes, housewares, fabric, and flowers.The Sacile market is one of the bigger markets held in the Aviano area and it takes place on Thursday mornings from about 8 a.m. - 12:30. It is held near the city center and winds around various streets and is very picturesque as parts of it is on the Livensa River.The produce is all farm fresh and the fish, cheese and other food products generally come from the local region. The markets are also a great place to purchase Italian made products from handbags, shoes (leather), clothing (I love the scarves), and some of the household goods. You will find items made in other places like the PRC but you can generally tell the quality apart.Today I purchased some delicious blood oranges and a few novelty "carnevale" toy items I'll use as props for my son's upcoming birthday party. I had to fight the urge to purchase yet another scarf (even though I really liked it.)When you need a break from shopping I highly recommend stopping at one of the many local cafes and enjoying a latte or cappuccino or even a Spritz.[gallery type="rectangular" ids="9934,9933,9935,9937,9936"]Things to remember when shopping at the markets:
- Bring Euros (if possible in small denominations). Some vendors may accept credit cards, but I've never seen one.
- When purchasing produce: It is considered uncouth to handle the fruits and vegetables. Don't be surprised if you're chastised by an old lady if you touch it with your bare hands. Many of the vendors will offer samples of their products esp for in season fruit or cheese. If you're unsure you'll like an item, don't be shy to ask for a small taste.
- It generally is a good idea to ask for assistance when you wish to purchase an item.
- The number one on hand written signs to an American will sort of resemble an upside down V. Decimal points are not used in it's place you'll find a comma.
- ALWAYS get your receipt as you can be stopped by an Italian Guard of Finance and asked to furnish a receipt. I've never seen it happen at an open air market, but I've seen them at other commercial stores. So it's better to be safe than sorry.
From Wikipedia:Sacile is a town and comune in the province of Pordenone, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of north-east Italy. It is known as the "Garden of the Serenissima" after the many palaces that were constructed along the river Livenza for the nobility of the Most Serene Republic of Venice.
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Italian Open Air Market Clothing Haul
Open air markets are a part of Italian culture and where you can find a lot of great things at more affordable prices than you would at a mall. I really enjoy exploring the different markets locally, One can be found on any day of the week and even though they are all pretty similar, each one is a little bit different. Once you go to your local market a few times you also get to realize which vendors you prefer and they in turn get to "recognize" you, so it does help you feel more apart of the community too. Exploring open air markets when we travel is also one of the things I'm looking forward too, especially in cities like Milan, Rome, and Florence.Yesterday was Tuesday and that means that it was market day in Aviano. I met a good friend for a cappuccino and then we went to the market not really intending to buy anything, but more to look around and people watch. The last few times I was at the market, there were two items I kept eyeing but always passed up. One were these extremely soft sweat pants and a cashmere blend sweatshirt tunic. I love a tunics especially when they're paired with leggings. It's my go to outfit on those days where I want to look cute but still feel comfortable. I'm not one to wear yoga pants when not at the gym so leggings and a tunic are my version of comfy. My cold weather wardrobe is pretty sparse so I was glad to get these items to add to it. I also purchased a pair of the sweatpants in grey. This mountain is what I get to look at every morning when I open my bedroom shutters. I still pinch myself to make sure that my living in Italy isn't a dream I'll wake up from.The scarf is a cotton scarf I also found at an Open Air Market earlier in the season. Scarves are my absolute favorite non jewelry accessory and I'm so glad women here wear them practically year round.The sweater as I mentioned is a cashmere blend, made in Italy and the tag says Meily. I paid €21,00. The pants are a non-branded made in china, and cost €8,00. The scarf isn't branded but similar styles can be found all over in the open air markets. I paid €6,00 for it, if my memory is accurate.The boots are Steve Madden Women's Troopa Boot. My bracelet I scored at Burlington Coat Factory when I lived Stateside. My wayfarers I've been sporting since before they were trendy, and yes I need them to see. You can find similar styles at Coastal.Com.
Belluno, Italy
This weekend we visited Belluno, located in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. It is a charming, picturesque city nestled in the Dolomite mountain region about 100 kilometers north of Venice. As in most places in Italy, every where you turn you see history, but here it's palatable. From the frescoes that span the ceilings above the walkways where shops and restaurants now lay, to the ruins of a castle dated to the 1500's.On the day we went a little market was taking place and we've become quite fond of these visiting markets because you can sometimes discover things you wouldn't normally find in northern Italy, like Mexican food and really good cannolis. [gallery ids="10939,10940,10941,10942,10943,10944,10945,10946,10947,10948,10949,10950,10951,10952,10953,10954" orderby="rand"]
I captured all of these photos using my iPhone and the Hipstamatic app. (one of my favorites - f you'd like to know the lens, film, combo I used for any of these pictures feel free to inbox me a note or catch me on Twitter @nicky_olea) I shared them via Instagram.
