Even though we are occupying a fairly small physical area, I’m making an effort to keep my brain and eyes open. Funny things are not impossible to find.
A day or two before The Ordinance took over the entrance to the detergent/housewares/cosmetics shop, there was this urgent announcement: “There’s no alcohol. For anybody who asks, A FINE! 1 spritz.” What a refreshing breath of the air of the world that used to be. There’s no alcohol because evidently the desire to disinfect has caused a run on that too. So far, so serious. But imposing a fine in the form of a spritz? That belongs to the years of yore, when the spritz was the generally agreed-upon prize or penalty for anything. Does anybody even remember what a spritz is? I used to know… Now it sounds just about as foreign as “A FINE! 1 plate of flambe’d flamingo tongues.”We had only stepped outside our house for some sunshine when Lino noticed something droll. On the right is our Italian flag, hanging unceremoniously but not without respect on the kitchen shutter. And above, on Donatella’s clothesline, are two bathrobes and a towel……which if you don’t insist on perfection you can recognize as echoing the colors of the national flag just below. It’s a distant echo, true — the red and the green are startling Day-Glo relatives of the official hues (which as you know are Philippine Green, Fire-Engine Red, and Anti-Flash White). And Lino also pointed out that the towel should have been in the middle. But I’m ready to give her ten extra points — and a spritz — for hanging out these exact three pieces, even if she hadn’t given any thought at all to the national flag.What’s so funny about this scrap of the neighborhood? I have been bemused by this ever since we moved down here 15 years ago. It’s the progression of the structures. The bridge is the widest of the elements; at some point a house was built that occupied half of the bridge. That just baffles the hoo out of me, but in a tug of war between a house and a bridge, I suppose compromise becomes inevitable. Moving ahead, we see that the next building has staked its claim to half of the street. This little trick of cutting things in half had to stop there, or there wouldn’t have been any street left.I’m sitting on the fondamenta after lunch, and a banana peel is doing the dead man’s float. Quarantine really opens your eyes, and sometimes way more than necessary.
Could have been one of the various types of jellyfish we’ve seen in the canals in the past, but without motorboats around, the jellyfish must be out in the lagoon having one long rave party.
I’ve fined myself a spritz – just because I CAN ( and have the makings thereof to hand. To be drunk in our unnaturally weed-free, sunny but slightly cool garden, if it doesn’t cloud over before I can get out there
Now that’s what I call being a responsible adult! You know that probably at some point you did something deserving of a one-spritz fine, so don’t wait for the authorities to write the ticket. Just get pouring! I like it!
Hey… Now I’d like a Spritz too. Maybe not quite comme-il-faut at the office though?
Even if we have choosen a good part of self isolation and try to work from home as much as we can I really had to go to the office to handle some things today. Usually the platform for my commuter train is bustling at 7am but today I could count on my fingers the people I saw during the trip and none were closer to me than 2 meters. It felt quite odd. Odd but in a way reassuring since people seem to listen to the medical authorities and stay away from other people if they can help it.
Pouring everyone a spritz each, from my “endless” virtual supply of bottles – afraid you’ll all have to settle for “con Aperol”, but – let’s all raise a glass to your wonderful efforts at keeping us all informed and entertained, too, in a way. Thank you, Erla here’s yours and Lino’s, too!
Thank you for the much-needed smile! I’m interested to read that among you and your local friends, the spritz is apparently way, way out. I feel like everywhere I look in Venice between about 4-8 PM someone is sipping a spritz, but it must just be the hordes of tourists drinking them? Personally I can’t stand them (to my tastebuds they’re just bitter KoolAid), which was disappointing because they’re so pretty!
What hordes of tourists? The city is completely closed, every hotel, restaurant, bar and cafe is shut. There is nowhere to go to find a spritz except at home, if that’s your desire. But a spritz drunk alone must be one of the most profound examples of quarantine I’ve ever imagined!
Sorry, I misunderstood you. No, it’s not tourists (only) who drink the sacred spritzes, it’s millions of Venetians. It’s totally the favorite drink of the locals of all ages, pretty much. (You can alter the flavor somewhat, you know, according to what liquid you add to the basic recipe. Doesn’t have to be Aperol, though that’s pretty much the classic ingredient. You could try other things — Cynar, Select, Bitter, Campari….). That will be your project when you come next time, the Spritz Tasting Tour.
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The fellow who slipped on that peel lies at the bottom of the canal. When the water gets even clearer, you’ll be able to see the poor guy.
OMG so that’s what that is! I thought it was a sofa!
Lol…I thought it was a new aquatic species!!
Could have been one of the various types of jellyfish we’ve seen in the canals in the past, but without motorboats around, the jellyfish must be out in the lagoon having one long rave party.
… then it’s NOT, as first thought, a rare, narrow-billed platypus doing the breast stroke?
I know — I’m disappointed too. Lino and I had a lively discussion over whether it had fur or scales, but finally had to face the truth.
Two people smiled at me yesterday Erla! Do you think there’s a change in the air?
It would lead one to hope. Keep us apprised…..
Thank you sweet Erla for giving us words of fun and joyL❤️
Rita
Doing my best out here. Thanks!
Your new observations are wonderful – Stay safe & thanks, Erla.
I’ve fined myself a spritz – just because I CAN ( and have the makings thereof to hand. To be drunk in our unnaturally weed-free, sunny but slightly cool garden, if it doesn’t cloud over before I can get out there
Now that’s what I call being a responsible adult! You know that probably at some point you did something deserving of a one-spritz fine, so don’t wait for the authorities to write the ticket. Just get pouring! I like it!
Hey… Now I’d like a Spritz too. Maybe not quite comme-il-faut at the office though?
Even if we have choosen a good part of self isolation and try to work from home as much as we can I really had to go to the office to handle some things today. Usually the platform for my commuter train is bustling at 7am but today I could count on my fingers the people I saw during the trip and none were closer to me than 2 meters. It felt quite odd. Odd but in a way reassuring since people seem to listen to the medical authorities and stay away from other people if they can help it.
Pouring everyone a spritz each, from my “endless” virtual supply of bottles – afraid you’ll all have to settle for “con Aperol”, but – let’s all raise a glass to your wonderful efforts at keeping us all informed and entertained, too, in a way. Thank you, Erla here’s yours and Lino’s, too!
Thank you for the much-needed smile! I’m interested to read that among you and your local friends, the spritz is apparently way, way out. I feel like everywhere I look in Venice between about 4-8 PM someone is sipping a spritz, but it must just be the hordes of tourists drinking them? Personally I can’t stand them (to my tastebuds they’re just bitter KoolAid), which was disappointing because they’re so pretty!
What hordes of tourists? The city is completely closed, every hotel, restaurant, bar and cafe is shut. There is nowhere to go to find a spritz except at home, if that’s your desire. But a spritz drunk alone must be one of the most profound examples of quarantine I’ve ever imagined!
Sorry, I misunderstood you. No, it’s not tourists (only) who drink the sacred spritzes, it’s millions of Venetians. It’s totally the favorite drink of the locals of all ages, pretty much. (You can alter the flavor somewhat, you know, according to what liquid you add to the basic recipe. Doesn’t have to be Aperol, though that’s pretty much the classic ingredient. You could try other things — Cynar, Select, Bitter, Campari….). That will be your project when you come next time, the Spritz Tasting Tour.