Monday, July 11, 2011

You know it's summertime in Italy when...

      ….you stroll into a sunbaked campo and spot a group of gray-haired women sitting in the shade snapping the tips off freshly picked string beans and listening to the sound of Enrico Caruso billow through the curtains of a nearby window.

….after dinner your neighborhood gelateria has a blockbuster-like line out the front door.

….colorful preprinted fill-in-the-date cards with the words Chiuso per Ferie da….a…. (Closed for Vacation from….to…..) pop-up in storefront windows all across town.

….big-rig trucks disappear from the autostrada and cruise ships appear at the port.

….clusters of green fruit drip from the vine patiently waiting to be sweetened into red or gold.

….the fresh basil in your garden begs to become pesto.  

….even those who have never heard of pilates, yoga or Technogym brave their bathing suits and enjoy the sun, sand ‘n sea.

….the real definition for hot fashion strays from Paris Hilton’s use of the word and goes back to the classic linen sundress, an elegant handheld fan and a broad-brimmed straw hat.

….the locals leave the cities to the tourists and head to their beach or mountain homes.

….you gladly share the name of your favorite restaurant in town and make a list of things-to-do for vacationing family and friends because you want them to love the magic of Italy as much as you do!

16 comments:

  1. I particularly like the parts about braving swimming suits without benefits of pilates and hot fashions! Funny and clever!

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  2. so true and nicely put!;) buon estate

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  3. Very entertaining post! If I close my eyes, I am there.

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  4. Love it!
    I can hear Caruso right now,
    wafting through the air with the recognizable tone that can only come from an old record player.

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  5. Beautifully written, Marie. Sounds lovely.

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  6. Thank you all for stopping by and leaving your lovely comments. And a special thanks to www.italytutto.com for mentioning this post as a favorite of the week. Stop by and pay them a visit, too!

    I hope you're all enjoying summertime wherever you might be around the globe!

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  7. Another warm thanks to Gondola Greg a passionate, hard working gondolier in Newport Beach, California; he mentioned this post, too! You can find Greg at www.gondolagreg.com

    Grazie Greg.
    Ciao!

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  8. Loved this! Thank you :D

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  9. Looking forward to those grapes becoming wine!

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  10. You finally find parking after driving in traffic that can be termed "scorrevole".

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  11. Thank you sunniinseattle! Yes indeed Rose, I think 2011 might be quite a good year for Italian wine! And Alexandra "scorrevole" pretty much sums up a Sunday drive to and from the beach! Thanks for the comments.

    Oh yeah, I got a comment on twitter from Barilla Pasta company, too. They added that the pesto I mentioned goes great with a big bowl of their pasta! :)))

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  12. I love it, this makes mw want to trade my what should be summer days for the once you speak about :)

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  13. Lovely writings...makes my heart ache to be back in Italy! ....and I will..in September!

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  14. Just discovered your blog - love it! We've spent a lot of time in Venice over the years and love it dearly. You might like our posts here: http://grantourismotravels.com/tag/venice/ We must have a spritz when we're next in Venice :)

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  15. Thank you Dwayne and Sherry for your warm thoughts; and welcome Lara. You've got a fabulous blog, and I'd love to meet for a spritz next time you're in town!

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