By Angela Denstad
Time and again we treasure summer as a season of ease and adventure: a relaxing of the routine, the runaround, the wardrobe — a time for embracing an easy, breezy bonhomie. I’ve been enjoying my summer vacation for weeks now … except for the fact that I haven’t had one.
Not in the usual sense, anyway.
I haven’t taken any time off from work, engaged in extensive travel, or done anything particularly noteworthy. But where I have found some success is in cultivating awareness of everyday miracles, indulging in simple pleasures, and embracing a powerful motivational force heightened by a seasonal sense of urgency to live in the moment, since (to employ a familiar trope), I shall not pass this way again.
“YOLO,” I might say: You only live once. And yet, as Oscar Wilde once wrote, “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”
So who are these rare, living people? In my experience, they’re Italian. Or they’re embodying the Italian philosophy of la bella vita, anyway. Whether you translate the phrase as the “good”or “beautiful” life, or prefer the more indulgent dolce vita, or “sweet life,” it’s the mindset that matters. It’s a way of slowing down, of being fully present in simple moments to appreciate the joy and beauty of being alive.
Last Saturday I had a lovely slice of la dolce vita, donning a new sundress, window shopping, and meeting a friend for a late lunch – all makings of a great vacation, just steps away from home. In fact, this small venture was uncannily like being transported out of my hometown into the specialty shops I used to guide tourists through in Boston’s North End, themselves reminiscent of the small coastal town in Italy where I lived for a short time.
Frank and Julia’s Grocer and Deli delighted all the senses, offering just the right selection, flavors, and ambience. Further, it hit all the right notes of warmth and hospitality to feel like a visit to my old Italian neighborhood. If you’re new to authentic Italian cuisine, here’s your entryway. I’m grateful to have them near so I can grab the specialty ingredients that will enhance summer produce, making everyday meals more special.
Summer’s an easy time to practice gratitude and slip into moments of mindful living. A humdrum workday might be bookended by a glistening early morning swim and a late afternoon snooze suspended in a sun-dappled hammock. A weekend of ordinary chores might reveal a single moment of profound appreciation for a cool glass of water and the hand that gave it to you, either your own or someone who thought of your needs. Every day holds unlimited sparks of wonder and whimsy when we open ourselves up to noticing something new.
Experts say you can cultivate a sense of wonder, which has been demonstrated to help people navigate through and heal from heartbreak, leading toward a more fulfilling life. Evidence also suggests you can increase happiness by grounding your life in the present, reminding yourself that “these are the good days” while you have agency to appreciate and orchestrate them, rather than romanticizing the past or counting on a future time when things will be better. Live now, rather than waste time regretting or idly dreaming.
In essence, lean into la bella vita, even in small ways, to feel a big impact. Sit with yourself in nature; eat a big slice of watermelon outside on a sunny day; pay for some small purchase with only coins, telling the cashier about a time you remember doing the same when you were a kid; watch fireflies float up to add a spark of joy to the inevitable sadness of another summer day now gone. And maybe try one of these bittersweet, boozy popsicles to refresh yourself from experiencing the whole panoply of life. Summer won’t last forever, after all.
About the author: Angela works as a copywriter in the education sector and has dabbled in various culinary pursuits. She was the author of The Caledonia Argus’ long-standing weekly food column Thyme Out with Angela and is happy to now join the rotation of food writers with the Fillmore County Journal.
Aperol Spritz Pops
¾ cup Prosecco
½ cup Aperol
¼ cup club soda
¼ cup orange juice
Pour the ingredients into a large glass measuring cup and gently stir to combined. Transfer the mixture into ice-pop molds, cover with lids, and freeze until solid, at least 12 hours. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays and serve frozen cubes in glasses with a small spoon. You could also freeze the mixture in one container and, once frozen, use a fork to scrape it into fine shavings like granita, i.e. Italian ice. Based on the classic light summer refresher from the Vento region of Italy – the essence of agrodolce (bittersweet).
Leave a Reply