An Afternoon Risposo
Similar Swimsuit || Hat || Sunglasses || Earrings
I bet you’ve heard of the siesta. You know, that glorious time in the afternoon when you get to go home from work for a quick break? Well, not really in the US, but doesn’t it sound like a dream? I, for one, know I would be way more productive. On my honeymoon to Italy, I learned that the Italian have a very similar custom. From 2 to 4 pm, all of the businesses in Menaggio were closed. They call it, a risposo.
Much like it’s Spanish counterpart, these two extra hours in the day are meant for relaxing at home. Some just consider it to be a way extended lunch break. I’m sold! Here are some little tips for the risposo perfetto I learned along the way.
Go With It.
You can’t fight it. Businesses will be closed and there’s not much you can do about it. You may be a little frustrated (especially if you are hungry), but appreciate the Italian culture. As the saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them!
Plan Ahead.
That being said, there’s so much you can do to be prepared. We were early risers on this trip and used the morning to take care of any errands we thought we needed. This mostly meant walking down to the grocery store for enough snacks and wine to last us all day. That way, we could go back to our apartment and already have our lunch waiting for us and relax, Italian style. Not to mention, this probably helped us save money in the end.
Get Familiar.
If there are stores and restaurants you want to visit, double check their hours. Most you can find with just a quick Google search, but some may be off the grid and require more legwork. A lot of times, risposo is at the owner’s discretion. One store may have different hours than even what’s right next door.
Relax.
If you could have two hours of free time, what would you do? That’s how you should fill your risposo. I found myself sipping wine, reading in the sun, and taking a dip in the pool when I needed a refresher. It was pure bliss!
Coming back to the States was a reality check. Our culture is so on-the-go! It may be hard, but try and give yourself a little chunk of time each afternoon to just unwind. It doesn’t have to be more than 15 minutes. You can have your own little mini slice of risposo.
Love from NYC,
Katie
As always, thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about the Sunshine State, be sure to visit my exclusive Florida page, here.