A couple years ago I shared a flight from Venice to JFK and then a cab ride into Manhattan with Massimo, one of the proprietors of Enoteca San Marco. He was saying he’d like to live in New York someday. I told him I was dreaming of a life as a Venetian – cooking fresh fish from Rialto, buying my wine from the vendors’ demijohns, taking part in all the wonderful festivals, learning to row a sandolo, finding shortcuts to avoid the annoying tourist routes… My eyes were becoming misty as I rambled on. (Cue the Vivaldi tape…)
“Maybe,” Massimo said, “you just want to try hanging your laundry out over the street.”
He was right.
But my apartment is in a chic shopping district where that sort of thing simply isn’t done. It’s also a bit stark – not much in the way of color or decoration. So I came up with this solution for both problems: I stretched a faux laundry line in my bedroom. Now I (and the occasional guest) can enjoy seeing my lingerie flutter in the breeze without the risk of shocking my neighbors on Calle de Fuseri. I change the “wash” whenever I want a new theme or color scheme. It’s not exactly an art installation, but it’s very pretty. (Sorry, no picture this time, kids. Decency clause and all that.)
So, what’s hanging on the line today? You’ll have to come over and see!
