venice – Don't Fleece the Bees

You don’t have to spend much time on my blog to figure out that I really like books. I’ve had a love of reading since before I can remember, and it remains my favorite pastime to this day. That’s a good thing for sure, because in the midst of the present Coronavirus outbreak, books are one of the few escapes left to us.

Someday, hopefully soon, when the crisis has passed and we’ve closed our social distances, you’ll be more than ready to get out of the house and explore. As enjoyable as it is to curl up at home with a good book, it will feel great to venture out to observe them in the wild—at bookstores of course! Every bookstore has something to recommend it, but I’ve been to a few—both near and far—that warrant a special shout-out and would be worth a visit if you ever find yourself in their vicinity.

Book Loft

The Book Loft is a gem in the heart of German Village, a historic little enclave on the southern end of downtown Columbus. The cobblestone streets of German Village frame the 32 cobbled-together rooms that house this independent bookstore’s bargain books. At different times over its 150-plus-year history, the building has been used as a general store, a saloon, and even a nickelodeon theater.

Outside the store, the ivy-covered brick courtyard sets a cozy and welcoming atmosphere with benches, fountains, and twinkle lights. If you don’t linger here on your way in, then on your way out you might just want to find a little seat and begin reading your new books.

Inside, get ready to get lost! There are maps available, but it’s much more fun to just wander and see where you end up. You may find yourself thinking that Daedelus had a hand in designing the store. It’s truly maze-like, room after room, full of twists and turns, dead-ends and switchbacks. Wasn’t I just in this room!?… At times I’ve doubted that I’d ever be able to find my way back out. (Somehow, I always do.)

Once inside, you can go upstairs or down (eventually you’ll do both), browsing books that line long corridors and tiny nooks. No space is left unused.

In addition to books from every possible genre, the Book Loft also features its share of gear and swag, from postcards and posters to t-shirts and cuckoo clocks. I mean, we ARE in German Village, after all.

The Book Loft is a store you could visit 100 times and never follow the same path twice. But the truth is, even if you did hit upon the same path, I doubt you’d ever know it. Whenever I need a place to lose myself for a couple of hours, it’s the perfect spot.

Parnassus Books

Ann Patchett is one of my favorite authors. The first book of hers I read (though it was her sixth novel) was State of Wonder, and it floored me. It is a brilliant, complex, and moving novel. A little mystery, a little anthropology, and plenty of real life human drama. I immediately set to reading everything else Ann had published to that point, and then each of her new books as she completes them. In my early days as a fan-girl I discovered that Ann is co-owner of an independent bookstore in Nashville, the city where she was raised. And then a few years back, my husband and I were vacationing in Tennessee, a loop that included Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Nashville. So of course, a pilgrimage to Parnassus Books was in order.

First, the name. Here’s the Parnassus backstory in their own words:

“In Greek mythology, Mount Parnassus was the home of literature, learning, and music. We are Nashville’s Parnassus, providing a refuge for Nashvillians of all ages who share in our love of the written word.”

A worthy goal indeed! From the exterior, you might not guess that it is such a special place. It’s a rather unassuming storefront alongside other shops in typical suburban-stripmall fashion.

Inside, though, Parnassus is cozy, inviting, and whimsical. I didn’t see Ann at the store that day; she was probably busy working on her next novel. But all of the store-keepers are friendly and extremely well-read. On the bookstore’s blog, the employees recommend titles from all genres, for all age groups. A good majority of my personal reading comes from the staff picks, because they are always so spot on!

If I lived in Nashville, I’d try to attend every author event hosted at the store. It would be tough, though, because they have events almost every day. They attract talented authors both novice and seasoned, with a special eye toward promoting local writers. (In fact, If I lived in Nashville, I would love to work at Parnassus. Ann?…) And then there are the shop dogs! These furry little ambassadors are welcoming, well-behaved, and surprisingly well-read. They chime in regularly on the blog with recommendations of their own.

Acqua Alta

Libreria Acqua Alta is in Venice, Italy. In some ways, Venice might seem like a bit of a cliche—the canals, the gondolas. But this is exactly what makes it such a fairytale place. A city built on water? What an unlikely and daunting endeavor. But holding back the relentless sea is an ongoing battle for the Venetians. Flooding is a constant concern, and in recent years Venice has suffered several particularly brutal episodes. The floods in November 2019 were the worst the city had seen in 53 years.

If you live in a city built on water, though, you find ways to adapt, as my husband and I discovered when we happened across Acqua Alta. We were exploring Venice—or rather, we were hopelessly lost, wandering the impossibly labyrinthine streets and bridges—and found ourselves standing before a most unusual bookstore. We’ve all heard the saying “If you can’t beat them, join them”—well, Acqua Alta (whose name translates to “high water”) takes that philosophy to a new level.

Peering through the front entry, we could see that the store was crammed floor to ceiling with books. Not unusual, especially for a bargain bookseller. But what was out of the ordinary was the bathtubs, gondolas, and canoes being used to store and display the majority of the books. High water? Bring it on!

6A75D902-035C-4395-BAAF-561A297AB491 — Not all of the books fit on the boats though. Some must make do by clinging to a door as they dangle in the icy water.

Book-lover though I am, I couldn’t tell you what kind of titles, genres, or languages Acqua Alta had to offer. I was completely distracted and enthralled by the whimsy and ambiance of the space. Costumed mannequins riding in a gondola. Shop cats perched gnomishly on shelves or swirling around my ankles. Everywhere I turned held something surprising or funny that had nothing to do with books. Except for in the little courtyard at the rear of the store….

Because despite Acqua Alta’s clever problem-solving, some of its books do occasionally become waterlogged. But even those volumes are put to good use, given new life as the building blocks of a staircase in the courtyard. Climb to the top for a “wonderful” view! (Of the adjacent canal. What else?)

I know that some people today question the longevity of books. Won’t they become obsolete faced with the magic of digitization and e-readers? That would be a very sad state of affairs, but it’s one I don’t worry too much about. Nothing can replace the allure of a physical book. Every time I open the cover of a new book it’s like unwrapping a present. And reading a used or borrowed book adds a layer of anthropological adventure to the printed story. Hmm, what led her to dog-ear THIS page? Why is that passage underlined? Is that a coffee stain, or tea? E-readers can’t quite compare.

So in addition to all the books you’ve been wanting to read, now you have a few special bookstores to add to your bucket list. They’re definitely worth a visit.

Do you have a favorite bookstore to contribute to the bucket list? If so, please feel free to tell us about it in the comments below!

In June of 2016, my husband and I traveled to Italy. It was the biggest adventure of our lives to date. We planned a grand tour of some of Italy’s greatest hits, spending time in Rome, Florence, Venice, and the Cinque Terre. We were excited, of course, to experience masterpieces like the Colosseum, the David, the gondolas and canals. But what we were maybe looking forward to above all else was the food.

This we knew: The Italians take their cuisine seriously.

This we learned: The Italians take their cuisine VERY seriously, and the water they drink is no exception.

Water is water, right? Bottled mineral water or fizzy water (what the Italians refer to as “still” or “sparkling,” respectively) … what’s the big deal? The main thing most tourists to a foreign country are concerned about is if the water will be safe to drink. Throughout Europe in general, the tap water is fine. But with Italy, in handling the water situation, I feel that we were a little misguided by our trusty Rick Steves guidebook. While he does explain in passing that the Italians can be “water snobs,” he goes to some trouble as well to make sure we American tourists know exactly how to order the perfectly fine tap water at a restaurant. He provides the exact terminology (“Acqua del rubinetto, per favore”) and describes how, if all else fails, one can mime the charming little hand motion of turning a tap and drinking its output.

Rick’s advice is always spot-on. We felt well prepared to order our tap water and avoid the tourist trap of paying for water—and save our euros for the important stuff. Like gelato.

The only problem with that plan is that the Italians are water snobs. Yes, their tap water is perfectly fine, but they prefer special, bottled water. Our first clue should have been the fact that the waiters actually ask what kind of water you want with your meal. (“Still, or sparkling?”) Italians must discern some taste enhancement that makes it worth the extra euros when ordering out at dinner. To them, it defies logic that someone would order tap water when they could have the superior still or sparkling water instead. We didn’t think twice about ordering our “tap water,” but more often than not, it earned us furrowed brows, disdain, even outright refusal. On a couple of occasions the service and possibly the quality of our meal suffered after we were so gauche as to request tap water. On one outing, we were told flat out that they didn’t have any tap water. At least once, we were served plain old water in a glass carafe … and charged for having special water. It must be charming to mime turning on a tap only if you’re Rick Steves.

We were a little frustrated. What was the big deal? To us, water in a restaurant is a given, and rather an afterthought. It’s always free, it’s always from a tap, and it’s always perfectly fine. But dining is a much more serious activity in Italy, to the extent that not even a detail like the water is overlooked. Every meal is a mini-occasion. Waiters never ask if you are ready for the bill, because it is expected that you will linger for perhaps the entire evening. A traditional Italian dinner, a formal dinner, can have as many as ten courses! Granted, we did not go in for a ten course dinner, but even a much shorter Italian dinner is more involved and leisurely than we are used to here in the States.

IMG_20160607_104757335_HDR — Yet another difference between the Italian and American approaches to food and dining

These cultural differences gave us much food for thought as we explored and ate our way through some of Italy’s iconic cities.

These cities are known for their ancient ruins, Vespa scooters, and native women strolling in stiletto heels. But they are also known for their public fountains that serve up cold, fresh (and free) water. We frequently partook of these, filling up our reusable bottles whenever we had the opportunity.

We really hit the jackpot, though, with a fountain we discovered in Florence, tucked along the back of the piazza outside the Palazzo Vecchio. There were two spigots, one which provided still water, and the other spigot?—sparkling water. Fizzy water from a public fountain! Who ever heard of such a thing?! It was easily the best water we tasted on our trip.

That experience at the fountain was the turning point for us. A baptismal cleansing of our palates and preconceptions. Clearly, if these people have a public fountain serving “acqua gassata,” they take their water seriously. We had no choice but to embrace the Italian appreciation for excellent water. For the remainder of our dining experiences in Italy, in addition to the house wine, we wholeheartedly requested and drank every drop of the delicious sparkling water.

Tag: venice

Bucket List Bookstores

When in Rome, Drink the Water