Late November in Lucca

It’s hard to believe that November is nearly over, but a blast of very cold air this past week served as a reminder that winter is on its way.  After such a mild October and early November, many of us were scrambling to dig out our sweaters, hats, warm scarves, and gloves.  No complaints though – the colder temps are appropriate for late November and help to set the mood for the upcoming holidays.

Soon these fall gourds will be replaced with Christmas decor

 Here in Italy the 4th Thursday of November is just another workday.  But most of the Americans, residents and visitors alike, plan some type of celebration to mark Thanksgiving. Though the celebrations will have an Italian twist.  After all, how many of us here have ovens big enough to roast a turkey?  Or dining rooms that will hold a large group for a formal dinner?   Certainly not me with my miniscule kitchen, small fridge, and my tiny oven that is just barely more than the Easy Bake I had as a kid.  Still, we will gather with friends in small groups in homes or larger groups in restaurants to give thanks.  And we will catch up with other friends throughout the week.  In a new twist for me, this year I will share a fully catered meal with a few friends. It will seem strange to not be making my mother’s turkey dressing or preparing dishes to take to a big potluck dinner.  But my “usual” Lucca Thanksgiving group has scattered, some to new cities, some back to the US, some to travel adventures. And so it is time for something new.   My one nod to my usual American tradition will be baking my sister Patty’s Apple-Cranberry pie.  Luckily the local fruit and vegetable market managed to get some fresh cranberries just in time this year!

And of course there are lots of reasons to be thankful. My family, friends who come to visit (some of whom are wise enough to visit in November and December), some friends living here who’ve faced health issues this year but are now on the mend, the everyday joys of being in Italy, the gift of travel this past year, Lucca’s always vibrant culture, and the many blog readers who have reached out this year, come to visit, or written the emails that make my day. I appreciate you all!

One great thing about late November in Lucca is the special events that take place. The most unusual was a flash mob organized for the filming of a TV ad for next year’s Sanremo Music Festival.  The musicians were from the Boccherini Institute, a local music academy.  The singers were lovely as they added their voices to the orchestra playing a well-known song, Piazza Grande, made famous by Lucio Dalla and a past winner of the Sanremo competition.  (video on Instagram at two_parts_italy).  

Another event, Il Desco, took place this past weekend.  An annual celebration of foods from the Garfagnana, it is always a fun event.  The stalls are great places to buy the season’s new extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground chestnut flour, dried beans, and grains.  Bring a big shopping bag, because there are also artisanal breads, local honey, many different cheeses, and lots of meat products (think salami, guanciale, sausages, lardo).  Packaged gift trays too!

 The longest line at Il Desco was the one I look forward to the most – the line to order necci  – those warm and fragrant chestnut crepes filled with a variety of fillings (make mine fresh ricotta and honey please). 

Definitely worth the wait!

 Late November also brings the start of the Christmas season in Italy. With no Thanksgiving to delay its start, Christmas begins to sneak in just after Halloween. Over the past week we’ve watched as lights and decorations were hung high above the streets in the historic center of town and as big, bright, and colorful installations were placed in the piazzas. There were some fabulous holiday shop windows unveiled too and the start of the Christmas Market.  (More photos of Christmas in Lucca next week)

The weekend’s big event was the lighting of the huge Christmas tree in Piazza San Michele.  Quite a big crowd turned out, despite the chilly weather, for a glimpse of the tree lighting. There is a short video clip posted on Instagram (two_parts_italy).  A nice glass of red wine in a cozy bar did just the trick to warm us up afterwards.

A crowd gathered to watch the ceremonial lighting of the Christmas tree

I wish you all I wonderful Thanksgiving no matter where you may find yourself this week. 

Buona Festa di Ringraziamento!

Lucca in Black and White

When I think of Lucca, I see color. Blue skies, sunsets that glow in orange and red, green trees lining the historic city walls, balconies full of colorful flowers.

There are wisteria blooms in spring, bright orange drinks in a piazza during summer, and gourds in all shades in fall. In the market, the color comes from red peppers, purple artichokes, bright green spring agretti, and orange clementines. There are red brick medieval buildings, ochre colored homes, and painted doors. Now, in October, the leaves will soon be changing and we will crunch through drying leaves of yellow and gold as we walk.

As much as I love all of Lucca’s colors, the city has a moody side as well. When the skies darken, the winds blow, and a chill seeps through the thick walls of the buildings it is a different city altogether.

I’ve been trying to capture this other side of Lucca in photographs. To do so, I have been experimenting lately with black and white photos.

A black and white picture highlights shadows and brings a focus on details that can be missed when there is the “distraction” of color.

They can be one way to show the side of Lucca that is a bit more dramatic, unpredictable, petulant even.

This week, I bring you Lucca in black and white.

Museo Nazionale del Bargello

One of many statues in the courtyard of the Bargello, this one, from 1579 by Domenico Poggini, is particularly lovely

I could spend the next 20 years in Florence and still not have studied all the art that can be found there.  There is so much to experience - in public buildings, palaces, churches, and museums - that it can be overwhelming, especially if trying to see as much as possible on a short visit. How fortunate it is to spend most of the year just an hour or so away in Lucca, making it easy to return over time, taking in a new museum, seeing just a few artistic highlights, or returning to a favorite place.

One place that I have returned to over the years is the Museo Nazionale del Bargello.  There are many things to love about the Bargello; it is one of my favorite museums anywhere in the world.

First, the history.  Constructed in the 13th century as Florence’s first public building, it began its existence as a place to protect the rights of the people.  Over its long history it has served many purposes and experienced many periods of destruction and rebuilding. After its noble beginning, the palazzo was later used as a justice hall and later a prison.  Political prisoners were tried, jailed, and executed here up until the late 1700’s when the death penalty was banned. Perhaps the most famous political convict was Dante. He received a death sentence here in the year 1302; luckily he had fled Florence and the sentence was never carried out. Instead, he was exiled from Florence.   

The courtyard, looking up to the loggia

Since 1865 the palazzo has served as a museum, housing treasures created by some of Italy’s most famous artists.  Even before viewing the art, the palazzo is magnificent for its architecture.  Standing in the courtyard, with it’s central well, coats of arms, and grand staircase, and looking up toward the first-floor loggia, is a wonder.  Many of the pieces here are recreations of works that had been destroyed during the years when the Bargello served as a prison. 

Ammannati’s Juno Fountain, 1555. (Juno and the peacocks are copies)

Detail, courtyard ceiling

Other pieces were relocated here from various buildings in Florence, including the Juno fountain which was originally meant for the Palazzo Vecchio. Over time it was deconstructed and the 8 statues scattered to different locations. Now, with all the figures reunited, it is a perfect fit in the Bargello’s grand courtyard. 

The courtyard is a peaceful spot to sit and enjoy the start of a visit to this wonderful and generally uncrowded museum. Informational signs, in English, provide an overview of the buildings history, a good beginning to any visit.

The floors above the courtyard hold an abundance of treasures.  I think of the Bargello as primarily a sculpture museum, for it is the sculpture that pulls me back time and again.  The sculptures include a who’s who list of Italy’s most famous artists – Bernini, Donatello, Cellini, Michaelangelo, Verrocchio, Giambologna. 

Bronze Birds by Giambologna, c. 1570

Many of the most famous works can be found in the Donatello Room, originally the palazzo’s grand hall, including both a bronze and a marble David by Donatello. While this room showcases several works by Donatello, others are also represented including the competition pieces by Brunelleschi and Ghiberti for the Baptistery doors. The Donatello room is newly refurnished, with this David right in the center.

A bronze David by Donatello, c.1440 (the marble St. George in the background is also by Donatello)

There is much more to see at the Bargello in addition to sculpture.  There are Della Robbia glazed ceramics, paintings, decorative arts, ivories and paintings. 

A small chapel, with frescoes by Giotto, was where prisoners would be given last rites prior to their execution. Today, it houses religious artifacts including an intricate carved choir lectern.

Il Pescatore (The Fisher Boy), Vincenzo Gemito 1877

The photos here are just a hint of what can be found in the Bargello.  So many visitors to Florence head to the Accademia to see the David and the Uffizi for the famous paintings, and both are wonderful.  But to miss the Bargello is a shame. 

The art there can be viewed close up – but don’t be like the tourists I saw reach beyond the rope to touch a marble statue!  The guard was right on that and after she scolded them she looked at me, shook her head, and said “every day there is at least one like that”.  I would hate to see all these wonderful works of art get hidden behind glass enclosures because of visitors who don’t keep their hands to themselves. 

As they are displayed today, it is a joy to be able to walk around each piece, admiring the different angles and perspectives. I am headed back to Florence for a week’s stay at the end of October with a friend who is a first time visitor.  You can bet the Bargello is one of the places we will go.

The Dancing Cherub, a more playful Donatello

Three Flights, 20 Hours, One Ocean and Two Continents Later

There are still plenty of tourists in town, enjoying the late summer weather.

 Whew!  I am finally back in Lucca after being away for most of the summer.  Getting here required 3 flight segments and 20+ hours of travel across the Atlantic from North America to Italy, with a layover in Germany along the way.  I don’t really enjoy the travel, or the jet lag, but the result - arrival back home to Lucca - is always worth it. 

The first glimpse of the city walls brings instant relaxation after a long journey. Stepping into my little Italian apartment is a delight.  The city of Lucca offers a warm welcome and this year it greeted me with wonderfully mild temperatures and blue skies streaked with white clouds.

One of the first things I do when I return after a period away is to walk through town to see what has changed.  And there is always change, even in an old Medieval town like Lucca.  But many things stay the same and it is good to revisit some of my favorite places.  I am glad to see that my favorite shop for old prints and framing, Cornice e Quadri on Via Sant’Andrea, remains open.  It’s a Lucca classic and the place to search for historic city maps and drawings, one of which hangs on my wall in New Mexico to remind me of Lucca when I am away.

It’s always a relief to visit one of Lucca’s historic shops. This is the best place to find antique maps and prints!

The Torre Guinigi and the Old Mercato building stood ready to welcome me back.  I know that some day when I return I will find the scaffolding down and the restoration of the Mercato complete, but this was not the year for that. When I first moved to Lucca, in 2018, I remember thinking that by the next year the Mercato work would be finished. Silly me! That was before I learned about the realities of restoration work in Italy.

There is one spot on the wall that always calls my name on my first day back.  It is “my” bench just above the Palazzo Pfanner with a good view into the gardens.  My friends know that I claim this bench, so much so that they’ve even sent me photos of other people sitting there when I am away.  Such a tease! 

When even the nuns “steal” your bench ! (Thanks to the Palmieris for this photo)

On my way to the wall I passed by the steps in front of the Church of San Frediano – just in time to see a bride and groom having their photos taken.  Later I passed by the decorated car that will whisk them away from the city after their photos.  It’s always fun to catch these happy moments.

But the very best welcome came in the form of Murabilia – Lucca’s fall garden show.  It is one of my favorite annual events and marks the end of the summer season and the beginning of autumn. 

A host of fall products are offered – braids of garlic, bright pepperoncini plants, bags of pecans, dried porcini mushrooms, vines full of grapes or figs, baskets of crisp apples, and colorful gourds and pumpkins.  There are also trees for fall plantings and educational displays about agricultural products. 

Vendors sell artisanal products – art, crafts, brooms, linens, soaps, etc.  The booths selling spices from around the world scent the air.  Wonderful cheeses, salumi, and breads are available too. 

This year I was able to do a tasting of Balsamic Vinegars from Modena at one of the booths.  The 5 that I tasted ranged from a simple young vinegar (one you might use in a salad dressing) to an exquisite one aged 20+ years – sweet and thick, it would make a fine digestive after a meal.  A drop on a piece of Parmigiano Reggiano would be heavenly. That one was beyond my budget at €100 per bottle, but the one aged 12+ years was just right in both flavor and price and that’s the bottle that went home with me. The small bottle will last me for a year, doled out just a few drops at a time.

No late summer week in Lucca would be complete without a gelato, right? In September the Uva Fragola grapes are ripe and they make the best gelato! Over the next week I will be busy catching up with friends and settling back into my Italian life. It’s good to be back in Lucca.

The Windows of Umbria

It’s August, it is hot, and I am feeling pigra (that’s Italian for lazy). To escape the heat I am inside, daydreaming about the cool April week I spent in Umbria this past spring.

Panicale

I must have taken 1,000 photos on that trip, mostly of the beautiful architecture, stunning views over the Umbrian hillsides, and spring flowers

Assisi

Looking back at my photos, many feature beautiful doors and windows. I posted some door photos last week, so today it is windows.

Panicale

Many of the windows were filled with flowers, others were shuttered and bare. Most were set into Medieval stone or brick walls. All made me wonder about all the stories they might tell.

A few of the windows were more modern, set in a vineyard in Bevagna. They provided me with a view of vines, sunsets, cats, and an occasional rabbit.

Old or new, all invited me to take their photo.

Orvieto

This week is also my birthday week and I am thinking that a perfect gift to give myself would be a return to Umbria for the Infiorata (Spello’s famous event where the streets are paved with flowers) as part of a cooking class week next June. Anyone want to join me?

Assisi