Saturday 29 October 2011
"Want to tool around with me? I want to go hiking and try to get to this convent on a hill I've never been to." said Lisa, and we never hesitated. Turns out we never got to the convent -- it was off limits to the public, we confirmed, because of structural damage -- and we never really hiked.
But we had a great day, driving the back roads of the Umbrian hill country, through villages frozen in medieval time. We stopped at one early on and it was absolutely charming, with old wagon wheels lined up against a wall, ancient passageways still being used, cobblestone streets of course, bright fall-colored vines adorning stone walls, and hardly a native in sight, certainly no tourists. As as bonus, we found an abandoned stuffed armchair in the parking lot, and after the crew of garage sale vets determined it was salvageable, we stuffed it into the car and drove on.
We wound up at a large monastery (The Seven Brothers) now serving as a B&B and agriculturismo, (the designation of a place that is still a working farm where people can stay and participate in the lifestyle, usually unchanged for centuries). It turned out they were preparing for a big chocolate festival the next day, but didn't mind at all our poking around the displays-in-progress. Fascinating old tins, posters, equipment etc. from the century-old, world famous Perugina Chocolate company.
We settled in the "back yard," with fruit and olive (technically a fruit) trees, strawberry plants and grape vines stretching out before us, to enjoy our picnic lunch. One of the people who worked there, a charming young man named Francesco, came over and started chatting with us, and when he asked if we would like some bruschetta (toast spread with olive oil or other good stuff), our enthusiasm was obvious, and it was delicious, spicy because it was made from the first olive pressing. He joined us at our table and we talked some more then offered him some pieces of a See's candy bar Dian's mom had sent from San Pedro. We were happy that this man hosting a Perugina Chocolate Festival smiled with approval when he tasted it. Score one for the New World. We did make a final stop at a park area near Piegaro and just walked, sat and took photos, a perfect ending to our day of "tooling around the hill country."
Back home, Lisa invited Nicole over to her place to look over tights, and gifted her with two pairs of them. Dian also reaped some Piegaro generosity when Christiana, at Maria Pia's fascinating, jam-packed general store, let her have some wrapping paper with old maps of Italy on them. When it came time to decide whether or not to drive to nearby Citta della Pieve for the last of the fall music series, held each Saturday night in a different town in the area, soldiers fell rapidly. First Colleen declined (having a tough time with pain from her injury), then Lisa, then finally Nicole opted for a quiet evening alone, tired after a long day. Dian and Charles decided to go it alone.
One of the reasons for reluctance was that Mr. and Mrs. Andrews didn't have reservations. Through a mix-up, they didn't call for them until mid-week and then it was too late, the free show was "sold out" (maybe because it also included free dinner and unlimited wine bar). When they got there they recognized the two ladies in charge whom they'd met at the concert at the ancient glass factory in Piegaro the week before. Charles got in line and Dian went up and whispered to one woman (pulling the LA journalist card), and she leaned over and whispered to the other woman, the keeper of "the list." When Charles got to the table she looked up and admonished, "I told you last week to call me!" Then she immediately said, I think I have two cancellations, and they were in!
The featured act was a stylish young jazz singer, Simona Bencini, performing with her skilled "4tet" in the sumptuous old theatre. They had seats in an upper box, and were looking over their shoulders for John Wilkes Booth to come bursting through the red velvet curtain. He didn't, but Bencini wasn't on an original level that held their interest after a long day, so they snuck out.
She had a tough act to follow, because the "warm-up" act blew them away. Paul Venturi is a young Italian blues aficionado so deep into it that he went to the deep south to study, and came away with a deep understanding that translated to the real deal. His playing was ferocious, especially on slide, his body movements indicated total immersion, and his vocals, at first a tad odd for a very slight Italian accent, soon revealed that he not only had da blues pronunciation but felt it to his toes. He was a true talent, who had performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival, and deserves a wider audience in the US and anywhere real blues is appreciated. His accompaniment by bass player Max Sbaragli was a wonder, and he added licks many times that drew everyone's attention. Charles and Dian chatted with them after the show and both of them were warm and enthusiastic to talk about music. Paul gave them a copy of his excellent new album Cold and Far Blues.
As if that wasn't enough, the meal featured saffron and truffle risotto and morsels of chicken in saffron sauce, plus local red and white wines, coffee and dessert of sweet mimosa with almond dots. That night, "the other royal couple" felt no place on earth had a better offering.
"Want to tool around with me? I want to go hiking and try to get to this convent on a hill I've never been to." said Lisa, and we never hesitated. Turns out we never got to the convent -- it was off limits to the public, we confirmed, because of structural damage -- and we never really hiked.
But we had a great day, driving the back roads of the Umbrian hill country, through villages frozen in medieval time. We stopped at one early on and it was absolutely charming, with old wagon wheels lined up against a wall, ancient passageways still being used, cobblestone streets of course, bright fall-colored vines adorning stone walls, and hardly a native in sight, certainly no tourists. As as bonus, we found an abandoned stuffed armchair in the parking lot, and after the crew of garage sale vets determined it was salvageable, we stuffed it into the car and drove on.We wound up at a large monastery (The Seven Brothers) now serving as a B&B and agriculturismo, (the designation of a place that is still a working farm where people can stay and participate in the lifestyle, usually unchanged for centuries). It turned out they were preparing for a big chocolate festival the next day, but didn't mind at all our poking around the displays-in-progress. Fascinating old tins, posters, equipment etc. from the century-old, world famous Perugina Chocolate company.
We settled in the "back yard," with fruit and olive (technically a fruit) trees, strawberry plants and grape vines stretching out before us, to enjoy our picnic lunch. One of the people who worked there, a charming young man named Francesco, came over and started chatting with us, and when he asked if we would like some bruschetta (toast spread with olive oil or other good stuff), our enthusiasm was obvious, and it was delicious, spicy because it was made from the first olive pressing. He joined us at our table and we talked some more then offered him some pieces of a See's candy bar Dian's mom had sent from San Pedro. We were happy that this man hosting a Perugina Chocolate Festival smiled with approval when he tasted it. Score one for the New World. We did make a final stop at a park area near Piegaro and just walked, sat and took photos, a perfect ending to our day of "tooling around the hill country."
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| Garden where we had lunch |
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| Photos by Charles |
She had a tough act to follow, because the "warm-up" act blew them away. Paul Venturi is a young Italian blues aficionado so deep into it that he went to the deep south to study, and came away with a deep understanding that translated to the real deal. His playing was ferocious, especially on slide, his body movements indicated total immersion, and his vocals, at first a tad odd for a very slight Italian accent, soon revealed that he not only had da blues pronunciation but felt it to his toes. He was a true talent, who had performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival, and deserves a wider audience in the US and anywhere real blues is appreciated. His accompaniment by bass player Max Sbaragli was a wonder, and he added licks many times that drew everyone's attention. Charles and Dian chatted with them after the show and both of them were warm and enthusiastic to talk about music. Paul gave them a copy of his excellent new album Cold and Far Blues.
As if that wasn't enough, the meal featured saffron and truffle risotto and morsels of chicken in saffron sauce, plus local red and white wines, coffee and dessert of sweet mimosa with almond dots. That night, "the other royal couple" felt no place on earth had a better offering.
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