I first heard Luciano play at Stefano's Antica Hostaria Pacetti. He was performing with his wife, Donatella. Together they are Susto e Soranzio.
They have become friends. Friends who were kind enough to invite Helen and I into their beautiful home on the hill one evening, friends who generously share their world with us.
I took the following photograph during an aperitivo performance at Stefano's restaurant one evening ...
Coffee at Douce in Piazza Matteotti, Genova.
Or perhaps I am generally missing good coffee. Even the highway autogrills do good coffee in Italy.
I am missing green beans, lightly cooked. Tomatoes from Il Bio di Soziglia. And adding the best riccotta from Le Gramole Olioteca to that mix. Missing Francesca and Norma too.
Then I miss the possibility of eating Ravioli fatti in casa al “tuccu” di carne at Roberto's place, Il Genovese because Tuccu is the most divine sauce ever invented ... any place here on this earth.
I miss Stefano's restaurant because there are always stunning surprises in store when you eat and drink there.
I miss the possibility of hearing Donatella singing and Luciano play there. I am learning to miss Donatella's fried squash flowers too. They were divine that night she took Helen and I home and cooked for us.
I miss Barbara and Alessandra. I most definitely miss Stefano. I miss Lorenzo.
I miss the 'ciao's' that I hear in the street. I miss Pino & Silvana, and their divine pizzas.
I miss Boccadasse and my seat up on the hill, I miss Outi, Paula and Paola. There is Davide, Federico, and Leah, and so many others.
I'm thinking now ... perhaps it all adds up to the fact that I'm simply missing Genova. And forgive me if your name isn't here because I'm sure to be missing you too :-)
Yes.
Below, a photograph of Luciano playing bass guitar (really, he is), taken at a performance he and Donatella gave recently.
A photograph taken on our last evening in Genova
'Last evening' this time. And we wanted to say goodbye to some of the women we so enjoy knowing there in the city.
There was Donatella and Barbara, Alessandra, and Georgia too. We met at Douce and we talked. So much. Enjoying the company of each other on a warm summer's evening in Liguria.
I could write much about what each woman means to us. Of their generosity and their kindness, of their various talents but that would be too long a post and it might sound like someone exaggerating. Perhaps it's enough to write that they are special.
Anyway ...I suspect that this photograph, taken on Alessandra's phone, captures something of the spirit between us all. Needless to say, I suspect it's clear in the photograph, I'm exhausted ... but oh so very happy with the days spent over in Genova.
In Genova, there is always something happening ... something extraordinary.
This time there was the International Music Festival, and there is a Robert Capa exhibition on too. One I wish I'd had time to visit. But it's on until October, 2014.
Then last night, out at Boccadasse, I photographed this ...
That is how I experience Genova. It's a city that is rarely 'ordinary'.
One day we were invited to lunch out at the beautiful B&B Terre Rosse, Portofino. As they write, it's not your average B&B. The setting is astounding.
But more than that, we were able to spend time with the truly lovely Leah.
There was Prossecco and the most delicious food, a view out over Portofino, in Italy. What more could anyone want?
We are on Day 2 of this first A New Way of Seeing photography workshop and all I can say is that feels like both an extraordinary privilege to meet and work with these women but it is a huge amount fun too.
I almost fell over due to laughing so hard last night. Lisa, the Australian, was responsible. Trans-Tasman relations are at all time high. Meanwhile I have a few million photographs to download and so many stories to tell but really lacking the time to do. We're off to Lake Como tomorrow ... stories should follow.
Day One of the weekend workshop ended on a restaurant balcony located at the edge of the Ligurian Sea, out at Boccadasse, eating exquisite food and well, yes ... laughing often.
We are a small united nations, with the UK, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and America involved.
Now ... for Day Two.