Estate: Buzzwords of Summer 2010

Can you believe how fast the summer has gone by?

After our Tunisia trip--which, weeks later, I still intend to wrap up in the blog--we didn't have any big plans for the summer. We thought we would just chill out here and avoid the tourists everywhere else. We dared to think fall was a long way off.

But somehow, even the lethargic days of summer must pass...and paradoxically, they seem to go faster than the rest of the year. I wonder how much longer we'll be hearing that sexy voice on the radio whisper "estate" (summer--doesn't it sound so much better in Italian?).

We've enjoyed our share of little sunny adventures, and for once in my life, I can honestly say I'm ready for autumn's cool breezes and busier schedules. But after a few months ending in -ber, when I find myself tugging at an itchy wool turtleneck, I may recant. This is what I will reminisce about as I await our second Italian estate.

• Heat: I can no longer enjoy one of my favorite summer pasttimes--"defrosting" in a steaming-hot car after turning almost blue in an arctic grocery store.
  
  I'm sorry if I sound like a broken record on this subject, but a Mediterranean summer without air conditioning is tough, even for the fleece-donning likes of me. (I am not complaining--we have too much to be thankful for--just describing). For a while in July, we'd step out of the shower almost as sweaty as when we had stepped in. Which leads me to...

• More heat: Unfortunately for us, our fridge chose exactly this time to go kaput on us. We ended up mourning the loss of many frozen vegetables, dairy products, and meats. Not to be outdone, we enjoyed a brief jaunt into vegetarianism as we awaited a replacement fridge. For a week or two our pantry was the go-to meal source, supplemented only by a few fresh fruits and vegetables. Every day looked like this: oatmeal for breakfast, warm pasta salad for lunch, and beans and rice for dinner. We felt lighter (if a bit anemic), and our wallets felt heavier. It wasn't exactly fun, but it taught us a lesson in reasonable grocery shopping.

• Fans: The next best thing to A/C!
  
  We have invested in a few of these for the apartment:

And I have joined the ranks of old ladies fanning themselves at the bus stop:

• Relief: The fans help a little, but I'm referring more to the afterglow of a summer thunderstorm. After a much-needed downpour, we finally feel a little of the breeze everyone assumes we have, in light of our proximity to the water. And then...

Un arcobaleno!

• Bug bites: Buzzword, indeed! Nature's A/C (ie, open doors and windows) - screens + lights on in the evening + sweet-smelling blood = dinnertime for mosquitoes.

Eau d'Insect Repellant: Sticky, not entirely subtle, with hints of orange blossom

• Grilling & Picnicking: Cooking in the kitchen gets hot. Why not pass off the duty to the burger chef...
  
  
  
  ...or avoid heat altogether?
  
  
  
  
  
  A few slices of the knife, a generous shake of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (it's delightfully sweet here), and you've got yourself a tasty Insalata Caprese. Toss in a little basil and not only is it aromatic, but it's also a nod to the tri-color Italian flag!

• Ferragosto: The Italians, like the French, are a very rested people. I found some statistics online via the World Tourism Organization: on average, Italians receive 42 paid vacation days per year. (This does not include frequent coffee breaks and daily riposo!) Compare this number to the 13 days the average American gets in a year.
  
  Anyway, Ferragosto technically refers to August 15th, the day Catholics celebrate the Assumption of Mary into heaven. (For the record, the church next door was nearly empty yesterday, save for a few little old ladies...fanning themselves, of course!) Everything shuts down on this day--and if the 15th falls on a weekend, things shut down the following Monday, too. I was at the store on Saturday to pick up a few things, and it felt like the evening before a "big" snowfall in the Southeast: everyone was getting their provisions before it was too late.
  
  Actually, things shut down for much of, or even the entire month of August. That's right: this is the favorite vacation time of Italians, so don't expect to get anything done right now. The other day, some friends were discussing public transportation closures and described a sign they had seen recently: "Closed for Renovation during the Month of August." Hah! You'd think they could have come up with a better lie... Speaking of public transportation, I can't believe I forgot to mention strikes (scioperi), which are very popular during non-holiday times...especially Fridays!
  
  While I'm on the theme of vacation, I should add that Italians like to fare il ponte, or "make the bridge"--ie, if a national holiday falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday, they go ahead and take the Monday/Friday as well. Coincidentally, there exist literal translations in Spanish (hacer puente) and French (faire le pont). Why does it sound so stilted in English? I'm thinking it's not purely a linguistic thing.
  
  For an American, seeing shop hours reduced even more can be a little annoying. But having the road to ourselves more than makes up for it!

• Grandi Successi: For many of us, music is an instant trigger of emotions, especially nostalgia. As part of their prize giveaways, one of the local radio stations has been playing summer hits of decades past. I love hearing an old favorite: the memories of summer camp, swim team, and beach trips come flooding in. Here are two Italian hits that I have come to identify with summer 2010:
  
  
  
  
  
  (I realize not everyone has the same passion for foreign music as I do, so I'm going to skip including the lyrics. For those that are interested, though, I recommend googling them; the lyrics from both songs are really lovely).

Finally, this song has nothing to do with Italy, but for me, its lazy pace conjures up images of a bronzed old man taking a siesta under the shade of his straw hat:



Here's to making the most of these last few weeks...bathing suit, I'm not quite done with you yet!