Summer nights...and days

Not much to report on the past couple of days, just some shopping, window more than actual, and discovering a new place to eat – sort of Spitalfields meets Route 66 on a strada provinciale in deepest Le Marche.

Saturday morning we took a trip to… Civitanova. This time we headed for a new place, one that Stephen had spotted when we were searching for a washing machine the other day. In what looks like an unprepossessing office cum shopping development is Simonetti, which is obviously the place to shop if you have an unlimited budget and have read Wallpaper since its inception. We saw lots of desirable things but don’t ask what anything cost as there was nothing as tasteless as a price tag anywhere to be seen. What the place did have, though, was the sort of hushed silence and air of self-assured calm associated with similar places of consumer worship where doors whisper open, people appear out of thin air and all the ladies look they spend their evenings spinning (and I don’t mean like Rapunzel.)

We had a quick jolt back to reality though when we left the building, as on returning to the car Stephen couldn’t find the keys. He searched his bag and I searched mine but they were not to be found…until I tried the door: it opened. I think I have mentioned about Stephen and keys before; this time he had left them in the ignition. I said nothing.

In the evening we had arranged to eat with Luca, the Computer expert, and he suggested a relatively new place called Statale78, which a small local brewery had opened up to sell their own and special guest beers amidst lots of wood, square tables, towering shelving and chunky men in checked shirts… so that’s why he chose it.

We were a little late getting there as Luca was delayed docking with us in Mogliano – which, from our gentle stroll round looks well worth a return visit, probably on market day and most definitely to check out the hip bar in the town square. Seemingly his mother’s aging dog had fallen off the settee and appeared to have done the soft shoe shuffle to doggie paradise, but following a stiff brandy (for his mother, not the dog) it revived.

Crisis over they headed out, with Luca taking his mother and her friend (who seemingly has a stalker – or is she stalking someone? I got confused when he was telling us but I think really it’s a fractious third age romance) to Loro Picena for the Vino Cotto festa on his way to Mogliano. He had to double back to Loro, though, when he discovered his mother had exited the car with the wrong handbag. Fortunately, a kindly steward allowed him to park his car somewhat randomly so he could scour the streets. Even more fortunately, he quickly bumped into his mother and recalcitrant handbag and resumed his journey. Unlike a certain 80’s insurance company, Mr Tesei will make a drama out of a mild dilemma.

As for Statale78, the service was good, the beers actually tasted of something other than gas (my smoky German offering was obviously a forty a day man) and the beef burgers are to be highly recommended (“The best I’ve ever eaten in Italy”: Mr S Firth). We will add it to our virtual list of places to take/suggest to any future visitors.

Today has been a quiet Sunday, as we managed to avoid yet another lunch at the Fisherman’s chalet. Are there any prawns left in the Adriatic? Instead we had a quick visit to the Girasole mall (well, it must be at least two days since we were in a shop) for bits and pieces then enjoyed a leisurely lunch of pasta and sundry items lurking in the fridge.

And thereby endeth if not the summer then the holidays; it’s back to work tomorrow for all those that have managed to battle their way through the return match on the autostradas. Some of us lucky ones holidayed at home – or what will soon be home now that Italy is getting back into gear and we can slide comfortably into autumn.