Bentornato Giugno (Welcome Back June)

Is there a better place to people watch on a June morning than a piazza in Tuscany?

The month of June has arrived, bringing ideal weather to Lucca. Blue skies are dotted with wispy clouds, the temperature is unusually mild, and there is just a hint of breeze.   An occasional rain helps keep things cool. Perfetto!

 Along with the lovely weather, the beginning of June also brings the start of the busy summer season.  The piazze (that’s plural for piazza, the squares that make Italian cities so enjoyable in summer) are filled with big umbrellas, outdoor tables, bustling waiters, lively visitors and locals, and street musicians.   This morning, as I sipped a cappuccino in Piazza San Michele,  the gentle, just-right-volume sound of Beatles music drifted in from under the nearby loggia.  Mornings like this feel cinematic, with me starring in my very own set-in-Italy film, complete with soundtrack.  

Piazza del Giglio, Lucca

 Another piazza, Piazza del Giglio, hosted a ceramic market last weekend.  The booths were filled with all types of ceramic goods.   Many featured items that were both beautiful and well suited to daily use – coffee and tea cups, bowls, pitchers, oil carafes, teapots.  The designs and colors were eye-catching.

The booth that I found most enchanting was full of ceramic buttons, earrings, and small ornaments.  The buttons were all sizes, from tiny to extra-large, and decorated with hand painted designs.  It was impossible to look at them and not smile.  There were flowers, hearts, birds, houses and fish made into bottoni (buttons) and orecchini (earrings). 

Ceramic art pieces and jewelry were also a feature of the market.  From whimsical dogs and cats to pretty pins and earrings to stunning sculptural pieces there was something to please everyone.

The first weekend end of June also saw the start of the Lucca Summer Festival (LSF 24). 

The season-long music festival is the big event of summer, drawing large crowds and big acts to town.  A huge stage is constructed on the green space just outside the walls. This is there where the largest concerts will take place. 

Booths with box seats are placed along the walls high above the stage.   Eric Clapton, on June 2nd, was the first concert on the big stage.  Fortunately an afternoon thunderstorm ended in time so that it did not impact the concert.

Ed Sheeran will follow with two concerts next week.   

People without tickets often catch the music from the street just inside the walls, nearest to the stage. Years ago I heard the Rolling Stones from that spot, along with about 1,000 other ticket-less persons.

 Smaller concerts will take place in Piazza Napoleone.  A few lucky persons will be able to catch those concerts from their terraces a short distance from the piazza. 

The list of performers is varied with something to appeal to everyone.   All this and it is just the first weekend of June!  It is going to be a busy summer in Lucca.

Ceramic flowers - no watering required!

Fa Caldo !

Even the statues need shades with all this sunshine!

Whether you are in Europe or the United States, right now chances are you are feeling the heat.  In Italian we say fa caldo - it’s hot. 

Much of the world is experiencing a dramatic ondata di caldo (heat wave) which has many of us (me included) feeling more than a little bit grumpy. I am trying to run errands early in the day, the afternoon finds me staying indoors. I’m a bit envious of my Australian friends, for whom it is not summer but winter.  If only they could bottle that cool air and send it our way!

Italians have many expressions to describe the intense summer heat.  These range from the humorous, mi sudano le mutande (my undies are sweating) to the slightly profane (to be used only when it is really, really hot) un caldo della Madonna! Whenever the name of the Madonna (the religious figure, not the pop star) is used, well then, it’s a pretty serious complaint.  Perhaps it is more politically correct to say that there is un caldo bestiale, a brutal or beastly heat.

On a hot summer day in Lucca a Caffè Shakerato is essential. Either straight espresso or with a little milk, this iced coffee drink is just the thing on a hot afternoon.

This summer you could say si può friggere un uovo sulla marciapiede (you could fry an egg on the sidewalk) or sul cofano della macchina (on the hood of the car). In Texas last week, someone was baking bread in their mailbox.  That’s hot!

These very warm days have me thinking about all the ways to keep cool in the heat of summer, from cool summer drinks to no-cook meals to dips in the pool. 

It’s much too hot to cook during the day, so creative entertaining and dining are called for. Fancy entertaining is just not happening in this heat. An aperitivo happily replaces meal preparation. Better yet when accompanied by a crisp white wine or a tart summer cocktail! It’s hard to beat a spritz or a cosmopolitan sipped with a pretty Italian view.

A cold, creamy gelato is practically medicinal in the summer heat. And if a gelato is good, an affogato (ice cream “drowned” in espresso) might just be even better! It’s a real pick-me-up.

Sailing School, Rapallo

I’ve also been thinking of the different places I’ve gone over the years to escape the heat. 

The Ligurian coast, still hot but cooled just a bit by a sea breeze, is a wonderful summer escape.

With August just around the corner it’s a sure thing that the Italians will be headed for the coast.

In the US, coastal Oregon, with its rocky beaches and old lighthouses, provides a wonderful summer escape.  Even the fog was delightful.

The mountains of New Mexico and Colorado are a favorite summer vacation spot for my family. Cool mountain air, river paths to walk, lakes, and lots of fun activities keep my grandkids happy despite the heat. Truth be told, I am happy to be in the low humidity heat of the western US in the summertime and usually head to New Mexico to avoid the hot, humid Italian summers.

England and Scotland provide a nice break from the heat of summer. Even in August a light jacket or sweater might be needed. Better still if you can get to Edinburgh to celebrate the Fringe Festival in August. Fun performances and cool weather make Edinburgh a great summer choice. And the interior of those castles stay cool too.

Wherever you are this summer, I hope your strategies for staying cool are working!   As for me, I will return to hot and humid Italy in mid-August. You will find me cooling off on the shores of an Italian lake.

An August escape to the Italian lakes holds at least a promise of cooler temperatures.

Do you have a favorite place to cool off, or a favorite summer time food / drink? If so, post some photos on the Two Parts Italy Facebook page.  We could all use the inspiration!