The Artisans and Shopkeepers of Chiasso Barletti

Little touches like a basket of flowers add to the charm of Chiasso Barletti

Tucked away just a bit off the main drag of Via Fillungo in Lucca lies the small vicolo (alley) of Chiasso Barletti. Home to a collection of small artisan workshops and wonderful negozi (shops), it is one of the few completely pedestrian lanes in town. That makes it the perfect place both to “vedere le vetrine” (window shop) and to “fare shopping” (go shopping - the Italians often use the English word shopping in this context). With the holidays approaching, shopping is certainly on my mind and Chiasso Barletti is sure to be one of my first stops.

The vicolo itself is interesting year round with its old doors, cobbled streets, outdoor displays of goods and art, plants, newsstand headlines, and even interesting bits of art dangling overhead. Most recently that has included a collection of colorful wooden cutouts of houses and suns; this week they’ve added Christmas decorations above the street and all along the lane. In addition to being one of my favorite shopping streets, its character also makes it my favorite detour when walking though town.

Copper pans on display in the shop Chocolat

It has been good to watch new shops put down roots here over the past few years. Each shop offers something unique and shows off the best of Lucca’s art and culture in its own way. Several of the workshops offer a chance to see an artist at work, something that makes owning one of their pieces even more special.

This collection of shops have inviting goods, enchanting and ever changing window displays, personal touches, and a warmth that draws you into to the shops and makes you want to stay awhile. The friendliness of the owners makes it even more wonderful. Stop by and chat for awhile!

Here is a sample of my favorite shops in Chiasso Barletti. First, the artisan workshops:

It’s always enjoyable to see an artist at work. Here, Stefano makes beautiful ceramic pieces.

Rossoramina offers beautiful hand painted ceramics and table linens. Step inside and watch Federica and Stefano as they create everything from tiny espresso cups and larger mugs to plates and platters as well as decorative pieces. Their designs use color and pattern in eye-catching ways. A set of their smaller size coffee cups (a perfect size for a macchiato) sits in my china cabinet and is a joy to use. This is a great go-to place for special home goods and for gifts at any time of year.

Next door, find hand-crafted jewelry at the studio of Elena Camilla Bertellotti.

This is another place where you can see artisans at work as they use their tools to create contemporary jewelry in silver and brass (or gold by special request).

The pieces are unique and the window display always makes me stop to admire the newest necklaces, rings, and earrings.

Just across the way, you can sometimes catch the artist painting at Maria Guida Studio d’Arte. Her work is both colorful and whimsical and always makes me smile. This is another great place for artwork and gifts that are unique to Lucca.

In addition to the artisan workshops, there are other special shops along this alleyway. Here are my favorites:

Chocolat, the tastiest shop in Chiasso Barletti

The tastiest shop in Chiasso Barletti is Chocolat. Not only can you find beautiful creations in chocolate here but also a variety of caramelle (candies) and loose teas. They also create whimsical window displays that change to reflect seasonal events and holidays. Their Christmas windows are especially delightful.

I love to buy table decorations in chocolate here (like their oh-so-Italian Easter Chickens) or small bags of chocolate truffles as hostess gifts. After all, one can never go wrong with chocolate, right?

Elisabetta Santi has worked in affari di cappelli (the hat business) for many years. But when the legendary Lucchese hat shop where she worked sadly closed she decided it was time to open her own shop and so created Santi punto. She opened in Chiasso Barletti during the pandemic. What a leap of faith that must have been!

Her shop sells gorgeous hats for women and men as well as scarfs, bags, coats, and umbrellas. They are artfully arranged inside the shop as well as in colorful window displays. This is the go to spot for summer sun hats, warm winter hats, rain hats, and year-round fashionable hats. Elisabetta makes her colorful hats and collections of umbrellas look like art.

Last, but definitely not least, is one of my favorite places in Lucca - Etta’s Bookshop. Run by the delightful Julia (and named after her cat Etta), the shop sells English language books and lots of fun things for book lovers. It is a cozy, friendly place - everything that a neighborhood bookshop should be.

There are many English speakers here in Lucca and Etta’s bookstore has quickly built a devoted fan base, myself included. A quick wave from Julia as I pass her shop brightens any day considerably. Even better is to stop in, chat a bit, browse, and head home with a new literary treasure (or a mind-candy guilty pleasure). Often I will do an informal “orientation walk” with newcomers to Lucca (if you’re a blog reader coming to Lucca for a long stay I am happy to do this!) and Etta’s Bookshop is always a stop on the tour.

I walk through Chiasso Barletti nearly everyday, often going out of my way just because I enjoy the atmosphere here (and the lack of automobiles). There is always something new to see in the changing window displays, the vignettes outside of storefronts, the flowers along the lane, the decorations overhead. It’s fun to see the shopkeepers, a small community of their own making, chatting outside their shops. It is especially wonderful at this time of year, with a red carpet rolled out down the center of the alley, little trees decorated with ribbons on the walls, and holiday colors in all the shop windows. It’s the perfect spot for some holiday shopping!

One of my all-time favorite window displays at Chocolat.

Note: No paid advertising here - these are just a few of my favorite places!

November

November is a gentle month here in Lucca. The tourists, who returned this summer and lingered into September and October, have mostly returned to their homes. Lucca Comics and Games, smaller than usual this year but still bringing lots of costumed visitors to town over the Halloween weekend, has come and gone. We may have given up our summer Aperol Spritzes in favor of deep red wines but we are still enjoying outdoor seating at cafes. I am thankful for the ones that have set up heaters so that we can continue to sip a morning cappuccino or an evening aperitivo outside in a pretty piazza.

Of course the very best part of November is the explosion of color throughout Lucca. A walk along Le Mura (the ancient wall surrounding the historic center of town) is a kaleidoscope of changing views. The wall makes a complete circuit, so that some parts face north, others south, still others east or west. Each section is planted with different types of trees and receives varied amounts of sun and shade, so the type of foliage varies as does the progress of color change and the dropping of leaves. In November, the reds, golds, yellows, and browns provide a complex palette of hues. They contrast with the evergreen pine trees, the green of grass and moss, and the ever changing skies.

Along the southern stretch of the wall.

November walks along the wall engage other senses as well - the sound of dried leaves crunching under foot (or the squish of wet ones on rainy days) and the gentle touch of leaves drifting overhead like a colorful snow storm. But beware the less gentle feel of a chestnut falling on your head! And as a bonus - the distant sound of church bells ringing gives many of my November walks a pleasing soundtrack.

A view towards the Church of St. Gemma, outside the walls of Lucca.

Not all the colorful action takes place on the walls. From the walls, the views out over the larger city of Lucca are also full of fall beauty. And those distant hills!

Distant hills make a dramatic backdrop to the walls northern section.

Throughout town the season is changing too. A walk through the botanic gardens is enchanting at this time of year. The trees ringing Piazza Napoleone are changing colors too. Not all the color is on the trees - colorful scarfs are wrapped around the necks of everyone to ward off the chilly weather.

Piazza Napoleone

Street vendors are beginning to roast chestnuts, a smell that hints of winter just around the corner. And while many of the Americans here are beginning to plan Thanksgiving dinners (we are oh so thankful that we can gather together this year), local shops are already beginning to display Christmas goods (I am not ready for that yet!)

Fall in the Orto Botanico (Botanic Garden)

November here is so lovely - the chilly mornings, the long hours of dusk, the mild temperatures, the colorful trees, even the scattered rain showers. Lucca continues to enchant.

Lucca Biennale Cartasia: Artistic Expression in Paper

Lucca has a long history of paper production, producing household paper goods and cardboard for much of Europe. That history makes Lucca the natural host city for Cartasia, a biennial celebration of art and design in paper. The event premiered in 2004 and has been held every two years since, with a one-year delay in 2020 due to the pandemic.  

 The art of Cartasia ranges from ethereal to whimsical, from statements of social commentary to massive creations with subtle meaning. The exhibit includes visual art, fashion, architecture – all created entirely from various forms of paper.  The last two programs have included a focus on an individual country, this year Japan was selected and an entire room of the indoor exhibit is devoted to Japanese paper art.

“First of All Movement”. Factoria Papel , Claudio Acuña. Displayed in Piazza San Francesco

 After a 2020 marked by so many cancelled events, it’s a joy to have Cartasia return for its 10th edition.  This year’s theme, Paura e Desiderio (Fear and Desire), explores the competing human experiences of fear and desire as interpreted by the various artists.  Also included this year is a retrospective of the first 10 editions of the festival.

“In Between” Paper Atelier (Turker Akman and Deniz Yilmaz Akman). Displayed in Piazza Cittadella

 Although the delicate nature of art made with paper requires a definite “hands-off” viewing experience, the art is not hidden away and hard to access.  In fact, the largest and sturdiest cardboard pieces are displayed outdoors throughout Lucca.  They are built during a month-long stay in Lucca by the artists and then moved to the beautiful piazzas and courtyards of the city to be enjoyed by all. 

“Crossing Borders” Sebastian Blomqvist. Displayed in Piazza Santa Maria

 It’s hard to choose a favorite among the large outdoor pieces, but there is something especially enticing about the work called Hybris, placed high above the street under the Porta dei Borghi at the north end of Via Fillungo.  I can’t pass by without stopping to marvel at its graceful sense of movement.

And who could pass by the expressive face of the dog in “Risky Rewards” by Emma Hardy (below) found under the loggia in Piazza San Michele. Delightful!

Next week I’ll write more about Cartasia, with a look at the indoor exhibits. These include the special section of Japanese paper art and some amazing and creative paper fashions.  

Hello Lucca

After several months away, it is a joy to be back in Lucca. I feel a bit like the little bunny in the children’s book Goodnight Moon - only instead of saying goodnight to every little thing, I wander around Lucca saying hello as I greet my favorite sights, sounds, and people.

Piazza San Frediano

Hello pretty square where I can sip a morning cappuccino or an evening cocktail. Hello Torre Guinigi with your tall trees on top. Hello church bells. Hello Saturday flower market in Piazza San Michele.

Hello to the music school with the sounds of practicing students spilling from the windows. Hello stunning architecture. Hello blue Tuscan skies. Hello to Le Mura, the tree-lined wall surrounding the historic center. Hello flower filled balconies. Hello to “La Pupporona”, the graceful nymph who sits atop my very favorite Lucchese fountain.

Hello to the musical Italian language. Hello Maestro Puccini. Hello aperol spritzes on warm summer evenings. Hello gelato! How I’ve missed you all.

Piazza Cittadella - always a favorite spot. That’s Puccini keeping watch over the piazza.

It’s wonderful to say hello to friends I’ve missed while I was away. We have so much catching up to do. And to all my favorite shopkeepers, teachers, and restaurant staff - hello and please excuse my rusty Italian

Some things have surprised me as I’ve slipped back into life in Lucca. I had almost forgotten how lively it is here in a “normal” summer. And while we are not really back to normal yet (masks are still required indoors, the green pass is the new essential, and COVID still poses a threat) there is a definite upbeat change in atmosphere. The streets are busy, tourists have returned, and social groups are meeting once again (outdoors mostly).

While most of the visitors right now are from EU countries, the Americans and Canadians are arriving too, despite frequently changing requirements. One example of those changes - when I arrived on August 28th I needed only to show proof of vaccination status and complete the EU PLF (the on-line passenger tracking form). As of September 1 however, visitors from the US and Canada also need a negative covid test 72 hours before arrival. No quarantine required if fully vaccinated and COVID negative but be prepared to show proof of vaccination and a photo ID to enter most venues.

The return of art exhibits is definitely something to savor. This one is a personal favorite of mine.

Another pleasant find is that while summer 2020 saw the cancellation of almost all events, this summer there are posters up throughout the city advertising concerts, garden shows, art exhibits, and other upcoming events. This past weekend the fall garden show (Murabilia), cancelled last September, took place along the city walls.

Perhaps best of all, the Cartasia (Biennale poster above) art show has returned (after a year’s delay) with installations all through town. I’m looking forward to exploring this always fascinating display of paper art.

One of the many paper art installations around Lucca, part of the Lucca Biennale Cartasia show.

I’m looking forward to visits from several American friends in the next few weeks and to doing some fall travel within Italy. And even though I already miss my family and friends in the US, it is good to be back. Hello Lucca!

La Polleria (The Poultry Shop)

Shopping for groceries (fare la spessa in Italian) is one of the great cultural experiences for stranieri (foreigners) living in Italy. Food, and the process of obtaining it, helps to define a culture. And the act of shopping itself provides a language lesson as it requires use of a specialized vocabulary - after all one wouldn’t want to request uva (grapes) when needing uova (eggs) or pesche (peaches) instead of pesce (fish). I look forward to grocery shopping in Lucca with an enthusiasm that I lack when in the United States.

While there are some big grocery stores here (true supermarkets), they are outside of the historic center of the town where I live. I do use one of the small grocery stores inside Lucca’s walls for essentials - pasta, rice, coffee, sugar, etc. But for other items it remains common in Lucca to visit a number of small specialty shops, something I love to do. Two years of living here has made me a bit fussy about foods. I prefer milk from the region of the Maremma, available at a nearby latteria (dairy store). It just tastes better than what I can buy at the grocery store, plus that same latteria sells the nicest cheeses and lovely little slices of frittata and vegetable tartlets. I buy only local olive oil, freshly pressed each fall. I have a couple of favorite meat markets, delis, and vegetable markets. As for bread - well it seems everyone has their favorite panificio (bread bakery). I will gladly walk across town for the best focaccia.

One of my favorite shopping experiences is to venture to the local polleria (poultry shop) where they specialize in the freshest, tastiest chicken. In Lucca that’s the Polleria Volpe on Via San Paolino. In addition to wonderful chicken they also have a variety of other meats and shelves full of pasta, beans, olive oils, and other staples.

Just some of the ready-to-cook meats available at Polleria Volpe

The yellowish color is typical of chicken found in Italy (apologies to my vegetarian friends, but these birds are tasty!)

As someone who was used to purchasing chicken on a white styrofoam tray wrapped in plastic, my first visit to Polleria Volpe was an eye-opener. I did not see what I wanted in the display case, so I asked if they had chicken thighs of the bone-in and skin-on variety. They did, but would need to cut them for me. The macellaio (butcher) then proceeded to remove a large chicken from a huge box full of chickens. Next, out came a big cleaver which she used to expertly removed the thigh / leg quarters from the chickens. Then she separated the thighs from the lower legs with a slightly smaller knife. They way she did it made it look more like an art form, or an ancient weaponry display, then butchering. Along the way she taught me the difference between cosce (which my dictionary said was a thigh but actually means the thigh / leg combination) and anca (hip - meaning just the upper thigh).

As if that weren’t enough, she then asked me “bruciate?”. HUH? Burned? Why would I want my chicken thighs burned? As it turned out, she was asking if I wanted her to singe the bits of remaining feathers, something no American butcher has ever asked me. That process leaves little brown singe marks on the skin and I swear it adds to the flavor once those thighs are roasted. That first visit to the polleria was a valuable cultural, language, and culinary, experience!

Who knew a butcher shop could be this colorful and interesting ?

Over time, I’ve come to know the butchers at Volpe and depend on their recommendations. They were most helpful in picking out a large roasting chicken to do stand-in for a Thanksgiving turkey last year. I was only a bit surprised when the chicken they pulled out for me had both its head and two very, very long legs. Thankfully the butcher removed both before wrapping it up in paper for me to take home. The bird also came with their best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving, which they called the “American holiday”.

A while back I saw small involtini (little rolled pieces of meat) in their display case. At first I thought they were chicken but they were actually strips of rabbit (coniglio) laid on top of thin strips of lardo (pork fat), rolled up and secured with a toothpick. I was intrigued, but since I had never cooked rabbit I asked the butcher how to prepare it - in the forno (oven) or in a padella (frying pan)? Her recommendation: frying pan with a bit of olive oil and some white wine. I followed those instructions, but first I rolled them in finely chopped herbs (sage and rosemary) along with salt & some garlic. Then I seared them, added the white wine, squeezed in a bit of lemon juice, and let them cook for about 30 minutes. I finished the sauce with a little knob of butter and served the finished involtini over rice. The flavor was heavenly!

Pre-packed chicken wrapped in plastic just can’t compete, either for flavor or for the sheer delight of shopping at the polleria. And trying new dishes, like the rabbit involtini, adds to the fun! I wonder what I’ll find on my next visit ?