The Reason She Dressed
This past weekend my man, toddler and I ventured into the centre of town. We didn’t really need to get anything, but we just wanted to be out, amongst all the last minute shoppers, lights, music and festivities, feeling that Christmas vibe.
We got hungry so we stopped for an aperitivo at my favorite place, Caffè Concerto, a beautiful bar ,caffè. restaurant and live music venue right in the square. I’ve written a bit about aperitivos here, and I’ve been to Caffè Concerto before for an aperitivo here.
As I was filling my plate gluttonously, I noticed this pretty woman pushing a young girl with an injured foot in a wheelchair.
Honestly I almost didn’t think about asking if she was a mom because she looked so stylish and young. Luckily, I did ask, and she is this young girl’s mom!
What She Wore
Don’t they look so great in their matching buffalo plaid shirts? And I love her daughter’s faux fur white vest. But the BEST part of her ensemble are her glasses, they are EastWear and compliment her face beautifully.
The Caffè Concerto
This versatile restaurant and live music space is housed on the ground floor of the 17th century municipal building of Modena in the town Piazza. With large windows and brick arches the atmosphere is so elegant and yet inviting.
We go here all the time with our toddler. Actually, we’ve been coming here before he was born, when he was a newborn and I can’t see why we wouldn’t continue to come here for many years to come.
They offer clip-on children’s chairs, a change table in the washroom (very rare in Italy), lots of space for strollers and buffets where young kids can eat a for free.
It is no surprise that I saw this stylish mom here, as on any given night Caffè Concerto is filled with families and couples alike.
On this particular evening, there was a live jazz band singing jazzy English Christmas songs and setting the perfect backdrop for some great cocktails, good food and nice conversation.
The Christmas Spirit
It’s Christmas Eve but I wrote this on Sunday night. In fact, I won’t be posting anything from December 28th to January 6th so that I can concentrate on giving my full attention and love to the people that matter the most to me; my husband and my little boy.
The other day, there was a man outside of my apartment rummaging through the garbage bins on the road. He’s not the first I’ve seen doing this. In the last few years, I’m sad to say, I see it all the time. I can’t bring myself to ask what they are looking for…. things to sell? Food to eat?
I walked up to the garbage bin because I had smelly garbage to throw out, and we made eye contact. He was an older black man, there are a LOT of Africans in Italy, there is also a lot of racism here.
Sometimes, all Africans are seen as drug dealers in the park, as robbers that will open your garage (we’ve been robbed twice in the last year), or as abusers of Italian goodwill. They are seen as lazy, unable or unwilling to learn the language, dirty and different.
But this man was no drug dealer. This was a man who was trying in someway to survive by doing something honest, using other people’s trash.
I threw away my stinky garbage and then reached into my leather purse, took out my designer wallet that my husband gave to me last year, with my diamond clad wedding ring in full site and I pulled out five euro and gave it to him. And he cried and I cried and we wished each other a Merry Christmas and I still remember his face.
Humanity.
That’s what this is all about.
So I hope you get everything your heart desires this year, but more than anything I hope you gave from your heart this holiday season.
That we may all look each other in the eyes more often and that love may turn into gesture.
Fashion link-ups!
Every week I try to link-up my style posts with these fashionable ladies. Visit their sites for some inspiration & to discover new bloggers!