I need to add an update to this post, re: day drinking. This morning (Sunday), I went to our local cafe/bar at approx. 9am for a cappuccino. And there, in all her rich Italian lady glory, was an immaculately dressed woman in her late sixties, sipping a big glass of Prosecco. Glorious! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
We have been noticing the same in North Idaho. Masculinity is celebrated here and that induces virile conservative men to live and move here. The women appear to like those men and they act like women around them which creates the appealing scent of human sexuality that is missing elsewhere I have lived. I agree with you about Italy, and I agree that ethnicities offer different evolutionary variations. Those exceptionalities should be celebrated, not scorned.
Your travel adventures are always interesting. I have only been to Italy once and that was over a half century ago. A lot about the country was beautiful and interesting (although one of the nuns supervising the teenagers in our big tour group did get pinched in the rear end while visiting Vatican City).
Oh my goodness! I have to apologise, as I find that quite funny. When I was a kid living here, if you saw a nun on the street you were supposed to "fare la corna" which was make a hand sign of horns, to ward off the evil eye, or you were supposed to grab your crotch! I was always far, far too polite to do either. It's weird how such a Catholic country thought nuns were bad luck!
Indeed! Also, French and Italians are quite at ease with that and not embarrassed or awkward about someone else's beauty. On the flip, they are more than willing to point out another's physical defects, weight gain, etc, with zero compunction. 🤣
My French Canadian grandma was the same way. "You're getting a big heavy in the hips..." I think it could be liberating to stay emotionally regulated whilst in the midst of such commentary.
Brilliant post! Your comments about the Brits made me laugh! I can always spot them a mile away when in Budapest, just by the style of drinking and behaviour (e.g. running around the streets in their underpants!) Usually good fun, though. Re: Italian style. I totally agree! We lived in Italy for a year and a half. Our elderly neighbour dressed modestly, but totally rocked a long denim skirt and tops. She just looked effortlessly stylish and elegant. And one of my lasting impressions, in terms of style, was seeing a young woman sitting in the park, one day, reading or something. She wore this red scarf. There was something about how it was shaped and draped around her. I'd never worn scarves before, but started experimenting with them after that. I just couldn't get that look, though! However, when I look back at our photo albums, during the period we lived in Italy, my husband and I dressed much more stylish than what we do now. It must have rubbed off on us. I think the weather, food and lifestyle makes such a big difference. By the way, are you half Italian, Jenny? You mentioned your mum living in Italy. It must have been an amazing experience, living there as a child.
I'm not of any Italian ancestry, but I did grow up there and it feels like home. Isn't it funny how they have that effortless elegance? It did not rub off on me, alas -- it must be nature not nurture. Also, no other male can rock a man bag. Only an Italian man can carry a purse and not look silly.
Your trigger warning gave me a good laugh to start off a dreary Monday (I'm a few days late reading). As for your observations regarding Italian hotness, it explains my lifelong attraction to women of Italian ancestry, culminating with my wife. Have a great rest-of-your-trip!
Yes. Maybe it has to do with generations of dense cloud cover? Mind you, I do find some people from our neck of the woods attractive, but it’s mostly from their sense of humor. Oh and Irish women have amazing hair. I went to an Irish feminist conference once to promote some event or other, and I had this surreal moment when I noticed what everyone had this extraordinary thick shiny hair. It maybe it’s that they were all middle class. 🤨
Yes!! Irish women do have spectacular hair -- though my own hair thinned after having a kid I was very proud of my thick wavy hair in my youth. And a lot of women I know here have those enviable curls. Irish men, I have to say, are actually the most handsome of all the men. I know I'm partial but they are gorgeous and a little more rugged than the Italians, which is more to my taste. Maybe I should just make my Substack all about the relative hotness of various nationalities. 🤣
I agree about Irish men, though many look a little too much like my family members, and there's this moment when I think, "Oh hell, It's cousin Bernard " 🤦♀️
You sound very enthusiastic about Italians, but what about the man who has recently murdered (probably strangled to death) a Nigerian street vendor in broad daylight in Civitanova Marche? No one intervened. The inner ugliness of some Italians is much more important than their looks.
Homicide with onlookers exists all over the world. What has that got to do with the beauties of Italy & Italians? Celebrating the good & beautiful in life is a healthier activity than harping on the evil.
I need to add an update to this post, re: day drinking. This morning (Sunday), I went to our local cafe/bar at approx. 9am for a cappuccino. And there, in all her rich Italian lady glory, was an immaculately dressed woman in her late sixties, sipping a big glass of Prosecco. Glorious! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
We have been noticing the same in North Idaho. Masculinity is celebrated here and that induces virile conservative men to live and move here. The women appear to like those men and they act like women around them which creates the appealing scent of human sexuality that is missing elsewhere I have lived. I agree with you about Italy, and I agree that ethnicities offer different evolutionary variations. Those exceptionalities should be celebrated, not scorned.
Unfortunately the stereotype of the soy milk urbanite male vs the hunky natural man is quite accurate! 😆
Yes it is. In Portsmouth New Hampshire we call them Lumbersexuals.
Your travel adventures are always interesting. I have only been to Italy once and that was over a half century ago. A lot about the country was beautiful and interesting (although one of the nuns supervising the teenagers in our big tour group did get pinched in the rear end while visiting Vatican City).
Oh my goodness! I have to apologise, as I find that quite funny. When I was a kid living here, if you saw a nun on the street you were supposed to "fare la corna" which was make a hand sign of horns, to ward off the evil eye, or you were supposed to grab your crotch! I was always far, far too polite to do either. It's weird how such a Catholic country thought nuns were bad luck!
Lovely! Yay, gorgeous men! Eye candy is one of life's pleasures. :-)
Indeed! Also, French and Italians are quite at ease with that and not embarrassed or awkward about someone else's beauty. On the flip, they are more than willing to point out another's physical defects, weight gain, etc, with zero compunction. 🤣
T R U E !!! Hahaha. (And funny, since the "First Lady" of France is a straight-up ghoul.)
My French Canadian grandma was the same way. "You're getting a big heavy in the hips..." I think it could be liberating to stay emotionally regulated whilst in the midst of such commentary.
Brilliant post! Your comments about the Brits made me laugh! I can always spot them a mile away when in Budapest, just by the style of drinking and behaviour (e.g. running around the streets in their underpants!) Usually good fun, though. Re: Italian style. I totally agree! We lived in Italy for a year and a half. Our elderly neighbour dressed modestly, but totally rocked a long denim skirt and tops. She just looked effortlessly stylish and elegant. And one of my lasting impressions, in terms of style, was seeing a young woman sitting in the park, one day, reading or something. She wore this red scarf. There was something about how it was shaped and draped around her. I'd never worn scarves before, but started experimenting with them after that. I just couldn't get that look, though! However, when I look back at our photo albums, during the period we lived in Italy, my husband and I dressed much more stylish than what we do now. It must have rubbed off on us. I think the weather, food and lifestyle makes such a big difference. By the way, are you half Italian, Jenny? You mentioned your mum living in Italy. It must have been an amazing experience, living there as a child.
I'm not of any Italian ancestry, but I did grow up there and it feels like home. Isn't it funny how they have that effortless elegance? It did not rub off on me, alas -- it must be nature not nurture. Also, no other male can rock a man bag. Only an Italian man can carry a purse and not look silly.
Loved this! So refreshingly honest. Some people are gorgeous, and it's always wondrous to behold.
Your trigger warning gave me a good laugh to start off a dreary Monday (I'm a few days late reading). As for your observations regarding Italian hotness, it explains my lifelong attraction to women of Italian ancestry, culminating with my wife. Have a great rest-of-your-trip!
You made a wise choice! I'm home now, happily. 🥰
Yes. Maybe it has to do with generations of dense cloud cover? Mind you, I do find some people from our neck of the woods attractive, but it’s mostly from their sense of humor. Oh and Irish women have amazing hair. I went to an Irish feminist conference once to promote some event or other, and I had this surreal moment when I noticed what everyone had this extraordinary thick shiny hair. It maybe it’s that they were all middle class. 🤨
Yes!! Irish women do have spectacular hair -- though my own hair thinned after having a kid I was very proud of my thick wavy hair in my youth. And a lot of women I know here have those enviable curls. Irish men, I have to say, are actually the most handsome of all the men. I know I'm partial but they are gorgeous and a little more rugged than the Italians, which is more to my taste. Maybe I should just make my Substack all about the relative hotness of various nationalities. 🤣
I agree about Irish men, though many look a little too much like my family members, and there's this moment when I think, "Oh hell, It's cousin Bernard " 🤦♀️
Maybe we are cursed…
In our sad, Anglo lack of hotness, you mean? 🤣
🤣🤣
You sound very enthusiastic about Italians, but what about the man who has recently murdered (probably strangled to death) a Nigerian street vendor in broad daylight in Civitanova Marche? No one intervened. The inner ugliness of some Italians is much more important than their looks.
Well someone did NOT read the trigger warning.
Homicide with onlookers exists all over the world. What has that got to do with the beauties of Italy & Italians? Celebrating the good & beautiful in life is a healthier activity than harping on the evil.
I strongly agree!
Every country in the world has murderers.
Every country in the world contains some people with 'inner ugliness'
Whataboutery is a pointless bitter exercise madam.
Thank you.
There is no man on earth who can wear a suit -- even in the blazing summer heat -- like an Italian man can wear a suit. It's a marvel.