Twist on a Venetian Spritz and Embracing Italian Culture

 

 

I spent the majority of 2009 in Italy.  Fabulous food, luscious landscapes, the magnificent Mediterrenean, and passionate people, who you want to befriend or strangle depending on the moment. 

 

During my time in Italy, I realized there are a few things about Italians and their culture that are important to understand and embrace to travel sanely in Italy.  Here are my top 6 tips for embracing Italians and their culture:

 

 

  

1.  You’re not invisible, you’re in Italy

Cutting in front of line is a national sport in this country. Don’t take it personally when the line-cutting athlete races past you. It’s best to join in.  It’s actually quite a good use of time management.  Why wait for a group of children or tourists to sample each gelato flavor when you know exactly what you what. 

 

 

2.  When you see the streets deserted and stores closed, don’t worry the rapture hasn’t come. 

You haven’t been left behind. It’s 1pm and feeding, er I mean, lunch time, that’s all. It’s best to get yourself to a trattoria, too.  Because if you think you’re eating when it’s convenient for you (say like 3pm), think again.  Stores close, even grocery stores, from 1:00-3:00pm (some until 4:00pm) for lunch. 

  

 

3.  The most dangerous person in Italy is an Italian grandma (la nonna) with her rolling shopping cart. 

Yes, Italy has the mafia and Berlusconi, both quite scary, but NOTHING is scarier than when you get in the way of la nonna and her daily shopping.  She’s had that rolling cart (her weapon of choice along with her elbow) a long time, and knows how to wield it wisely.

  

 

4.  Crosswalks, stop signs, and red lights mean nothing to the Italian driver. 

And, the pedestrian that thinks they have the right away (which they legally do) is crazier than the guy who bludgeoned Berlusconi with a metal souvenir.  However, the Italian driver will stop for someone, la nonna with her rolling shopping cart!  If you fear for your life while trying to cross the street (and you should), follow la nonna. 

  

 

5.  Timeliness is NOT close to godliness.  Complaining about the late is an even greater sin.

Being on time is looked at as a character flaw.  Actually, I’m not an on-time person (this might be the understatement of the decade).  However, I am always on time for planes, trains, buses and boats.  Even in these cases, in Italy it’s never correct to badmouth the late.  Twice I complained about a friend being late (once we almost missed a train, the other a boat).  Each time the Italian, to whom I complained, frowned and defended the tardy “Brava la tua amica.”  (Well done, your friend) one said. 

  

 

6.  Gli anziani (the elderly) are always right, and you are maleducato (badly raised by your parents) to question them.

The elderly man (or woman) has every right to yell at whomever he wants, even your young niece.  If you step in to calm him, you become his new target.  Suddenly I was maleducata and told Vai alla tua casa! (Go home!).  Visitors aren’t the only ones susceptible to the wrath of the anziani.  I’ve seen plenty of young Italians who got the same, or worse, treatment.  It’s better to agree and smile.  Best places for watching gli anziani at their best are buses, the metro, supermarkets and street markets.  You'll have some laughs and great stories to tell.

  

  

 

Make no mistake.  I ADORE Italians and all their quirks.  One thing I realized during my stay in Italy is that they lead with their hearts and not their heads.  Sometimes this creates altercations, but most of the time they are endearing, especially gli anziani!  Any other tips you can think of to add to the list?

If all else fails, sit at an outdoor cafe and have a drink.  I've come up with a twist on the Spritz from Venice that you can easily make anywhere.  Spritz is the happy hour drink of Venetians.  They drink it before lunch, after work and before dinner, to start a party, to end a party, as they munch down cicheti, or sit along a canal and watch gondola after gondola glide by.  It's one part bitter (Compari or Aperol), one part Prosecco (Italy's sparkling wine), and one part sparkling water.  I've added my own twist to this and used Pomegranate juice instead of Campari or Aperol.

Pomegranate Spritz

 

(serves 6)

 

2 cups Pomegranate juice

2 cups Prosecco

2 cups Sprakling water

6 orange slices

  

 

 

Mix the pomegranate juice, Prosecco and water together.  Pour into 6 glasses filled with a few cubes of ice.  Add and orange slice into each drink.  Enjoy!

  

 

 

 

Happy New Year's all and best wishes for 2010!

Comments

[Paula Aiello]

OOO - pomegranate juice in lieu of Campari just might make the difference! Buon anno!!!

[Viviane]

Thanks for the laugh. I think you are now ready to visit Lebanon.
Weird how when I visited Italy I thought this is way more organized than Lebanon! I spent 10 days there only :( and I left with the feeling of leaving home. I think Italy has its way to seduce you with the people who say they speak English yet they say one English word and continue in Italian, the fact that all closes for lunch time etc... Endearing is the term I think, or maybe La Dolce Vita.

[dokuzuncubulut]

Great recipe. I wish you have an excellent year...

[Lindsay]

Love these photos! Thanks for the tips! Happy 2010!

[Daydreamer Desserts]

Hmmm... I think I'm going to have to try this twist out, refreshing and good for you! :) Happy New Year!

[Jeanne]

Thanks for a laugh! Now I want to visit Italy even more! Your drink recipe sounds divine with the pomegranate juice.

[My Carolina Kitchen]

Beautiful spritz. I love hearing about Italy. Wishing you a healthy and happy new year.
Sam

[Marika Josephson]

Buon consiglio! This twist on spritz looks great, I'm going to give it a try. You're making me nostalgic for Italy in spite of (because of?) all its quirks...

[Miriam/The Winter Guest]

Haha, I loved this post... Spaniards share a lot of those "flaws"... but also some of the Italian virtues, maybe Mediterranean. I wish you the best 2010!

[Paula Aiello]

Additional point re Kathy's statement: Italians "lead with their hearts and not their heads." This is true for Italian-Americans, too, as I proudly demonstrate on a daily basis. Sometimes the heart is confused with the "gut", but the point is not to try to "reason" with an Italian using logic (the Greeks did that and they lost out to the Romans). So when in Italy - or when dealing with someone like me - talk and listen with with your heart. You'll get much further!

[Jozee Pizzurro]

Love the 6 comments on how to get along in Italy. In Agrigento, a few years ago, I tried to cross a very busy street. Tourists everywhere who were also hesitant to cross. Along came a horde of Italian construction workers so we decided to follow their lead. We all laughed when we made it safely to the other side.
Spritz looks great. Must try it someday.

[Tami]

I fell in love with the Spritz this fall during my first time in Venice. We enjoyed it throughout our time in Italy and craved it when we came home. Unfortunately I wasn't smart enough to bring a bottle home and its no where to be found in Canada. Thanks for bringing back such fond memories of a magical place and offering a nice alternative to that perfect Apero. You photos of Italy make me weep.