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SUMMER 21 #bucketlist
This summer is a glorious one. It is full of hope, full of promise, overcompensating, as big as our FOMOs, crazy and great, and feels like the first in years. Here’s what’s on the Summer 21 bucketlist for thehappyfew who are now in post-staycation mode: JUST FLY: Let’s not overthink it, just book and go. Nothings spells freedom more than a whim flight “cause I woke up with such an urge to switch to francais and lose myself in the lavender fields” ISLAND HOPPING: There is vacay, and then there’s island vacay. To quench that thirst for blue sky, infinite sea, whitewashed houses and dramatic coastline, I decided that adding…
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SNAPSHOTS FROM THE CARNIVAL
Nice Carnival is one of the greatest carnivals in the world: every year before Mardi Gras, there are two weeks of daily events and parades, including the famous Night Parade (on the Promenade du Paillon) and the Battle of Flowers (on the Promenade des Anglais).
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NICE CARNIVAL
Did you know that the Carnival in Nice is the original carnival-type celebration ? We all know about – and even travelled to – the famous Carnival in Rio or in Venice, but few of us are aware that the Nice Carnival is the oldest ever mentioned, namely by the Count of Provence Charles d’Anjou in 1294. The Nice Carnival is not only one of the major carnivals in the world, but it is maybe the greatest in terms of the complexity of the parade: each year has a special theme which sets the tone for the design of 18 spectacular floats and all the masquerades and connected activities. The 2020 theme…
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SNAPSOTS: Shabbat at the Western Wall
The Shabbat is the Jewish day of rest. It begins a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening and it ends when three stars are visible in the sky on Saturday evening. The Western Wall is the most sacred place to be and to pray on this day, and every day.
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Drive-by snapshots from the Amalfi Coast
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POSTCARDS: Acqua Alta in Venice
Like all great beauties, she is incredible, irresistible, fragile and dramatic, alltogether. Venezia’s destiny as a forever endangered realm of wonder has a tragic beauty to it, and nothing makes it more obvious than the acqua alta days. On October 29, 2018, an exceptional high tide flooded Venice. It was the fourth highest ever recorded, and the most dramatic in over a decade. The conscience of her ephemerity only added to the beauty, as La Serenissima was stripped of the hords of tourists and the waters held the mirror to her face for two days in a row.
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Vendemmia in Toscana
September is here, so we are slowly getting ready for one of our favorite escapes, the vendemmia/ grape harvest in Toscana. And while we’re at it, we save the dates in the calendar – well, the usual wonders: the winetastings, the community harvest and the exploration of the cantine, the local fairs honoring Baccus, the mystery tours and the pranzoni – all the incredible food of the season. This year, due to hot weather and climate particularities, the vendemmia takes place sooner than usual. Forecast says historical low harvest but some extraordinary grapes to be expected in very limited quantities. Heat waves and extreme weather grew smaller, atypical grapes, and…
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A story about hotdogs
As we are true fans of #streetfood, one of the pieces de resistance is the hot dog. Foodies may be snobs where hotdogs are concerned, since mass production often spoils the spirit of the perky dog. But there are still brave hot dogs’ creators in the world, proving that any popular food can become a masterpiece, with the right dedication and ingredients. Gourmet hotdogs are on the rise 🙂 A short history of the hot dog Call it Wiener or Frankfurter, the Germans invented this type of sausage, but then it was brought to the United States in the 1800s by immigrants, and quickly it became extremely popular, a working-class food sold at street…
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Eating my way through Bologna
When it comes to food, Bologna has looots of things to say to the foodie. But if so happens that you only have one day to spend on roaming the city streets, there are two food hubs that you need to pin on google map: Via delle Pescherie Vecchie – right in the city center near Piazza Maggiore, and Via Pratello, near San Francesco Church, known almost exclusively to locals.
