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Monday, August 23, 2010

la dolce vita

I love finding a tiny oasis of authenticity gleaming through a sea of same-ness. I wandered the shore of Leith last night looking for a place to feed myself that wouldn't take £20 from me. I've walked past Giuliano's so many times, and frankly have always been put off by the pack of smokers puffing away outside their door. But only two were outside last night, so I went in and was immediately transported to bella Italia.

Italian pop on the radio. Waiters yelling Andiamo! Andiamo! at the chefs, the owner yelling Basta! at the bartender. Proper Italian trattoria recipes. The best bicchiere of house wine I've had since a year ago in Tuscany.

Edinburgh during festival time is chaotic, in the best way. Walking yesterday I saw a woman dressed as a bee, three people on stilts (not together), and a small man doing cartwheels down the street. The latter is not the wisest way to travel through a crowd, but whatever. A cynic would call this pandering. The festival is still new to me, so I love it.

But I also love retreating back to a neighborhood and finding a gem of a place like Guiliano's. It took £20 from me, but it was a delightful place to spend that £20.

3 comments:

(Ralph) Ashby Barnes said...

I'd surely spend £20 on pizza and wine that would transport me back to Bellavista

Jackie Walker said...

Giuliano's is the best isn't it - it's not changed a bit in all the years it's been running and the waiters have aged at the same pace as me :) Says something doesn't it when the staff have been there for as long as 25 years.

Kristin Pedroja said...

Good to know it hasn't changed, Jackie! I went there two other times during my week in Leith. What a great part of Edinburgh.