"Made in Italy"

If you haven't already, take a look at this article from the New York Times: "Is Italy Too Italian?" It discusses the economic situation in the textile industry, but it's pretty much the same for the footwear industry, except that, in my opinion, quality has been compromised and the integrity of the "Made In Italy" label is fading.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/business/global/01italy.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Introduction to Italy

I have been posting a lot about shoes recently (obviously), but I realize that Italy and my life here is such an important part of my shoemaking experience that I think it's relevant to share it with you all. So over the next weeks I'll be introducing you a bit to Italy, my town, and my stories of living here.

I thought I'd get started with some of the things that I love about living in Italy (the abbreviated list):

1. Eating an entire pizza on my own (this took some getting used to, but now when I go back home and have to share a pizza it always leaves me feeling a bit robbed)

2. Little old ladies who sit at their windows all day and watch the town pass by

3. Taking a passeggiata on Sundays

4. How almost everyone stops to give my dog some of their gelato when we walk through the piazza (sometimes they even stop to give my dog my gelato, though maybe that belongs on my list of things I do not like about living in Italy)

5. My coworkers who, after returning to work in the afternoon, are genuinely interested in hearing about every single thing I ate for lunch (oh, and did I mention hour-and-a-half lunch breaks?)

6. Waiters who act insulted if I don't clean my plate and dinner dates who never let me choose what I want to eat or how much (annoying, but also endearing in a strange Italian kind of way)

7. Being called "Little one," "Joy," "Star," "Treasure," and all manner of over-the-top names by people I barely know

8. And lastly, for now at least, driving with a stick-shift and speeding around roundabouts