August is Holiday Time
Last week I discovered another reason I love Italy. It started when I walked my family over to Bar La Curva off the Panzano Piazza on Sunday. It was Market Day and the Piazza was buzzing. I was excited to introduce Cory and Jane to Billy my favorite barrista and show them where Taylor Swift had recently enjoyed a caffe. Instead of an open door and smiling barristas, we were confronted with a closed door and a neatly typed sign. The bar was closed for ferie (holidays) until 5 September.
I was disappointed. But after a minute of reflection, I thought, “Good for them!” How nice for a whole staff to have the same few weeks off to relax, visit family or just catch up on life.
Then on Monday I called to schedule a desperately needed haircut with Juri up in Strada in Chianti. I was surprised there was no answer during their posted business hours.
“Hmm, is it possible they are also closed for ferie?” I asked a friend who lives in Strada to swing by to see if there was a notice on their door. Sure enough, they are closed until 3 September!
Monday night, after a few days without a cappuchino or shakerato from my favorite bar, frustrated with hair in desperate need of a cut, I just wanted a quick and easy supper. I popped downstairs to Pasta and Pizza, my favorite “go-to” for a margharita pizza. You guessed it..
“Chiuso per ferie …”
You have to love a culture that values relaxation and time with family like the Italians do. Certainly, Italians run sound and successful businesses here. Yet they also seem to achieve a life balance that eludes many of us in America. I just need to remember the next time I want to plan something for the last two weeks in August to check if it’s “ferie”!
On a related note, the same Italian sensibility that will close down a business for two weeks for holiday, expresses itself in other business practices, too. My friend Pam has commented more than once how she is struck by multiple stores and vendors who routinely sell out of a product yet do not feel compelled to increase production or availability of whatever gets sold out. It happens in the bakery with a favorite bread or at the market with a special treat. When its done, its done. if they make 40 and sell 40 but 60 people want whatever it is, next week they will still only have 40. The lack of urgency to increase production and increase profits is foreign and unique to the American psyche. And yet another reason to savor “la dolce vita!”
