Back to the beach, searching for 2007 Carnevale site, dinner and Art Cafe Sciacca photo op: 26 Febbraio 2012

We needed to walk off that breakfast of the richest pastry I've ever had so we headed back out to the Stazzone beaches (Joey wants more red coral!).
We searched for more red coral on the way and then found a sunny warm spot bout of the wind to sketch.
After that we headed up through a break in the houses to the road and found our way up to nuovo Sciacca trying to locate the site of the 2007 Carnevale that we attended. So much has changed in this part of the city, a new carabinaiere (police) station, apartment buildings and other things.  After a lot searching and backtracking we finally thought we had the place. In "Extra Bar" I confirmed it with the barista! I hope that we can someday enjoy Carnevale Sciacca again. Or maybe it was truly a once in a lifetime experience!
Back at our Porto home it was time to make dinner.
Carciofi (artichokes) con fungi (mushrooms) for Primo and Pesce Azura (what they call Bluefish here but which appears to be our Mackerel) for Secondo.
Some evening photos on our way back up out of the Porto to the Piazza.
Later at Art Cafe Sciacca we had a photo op with Germano! This is a great cafe just what we needed!

Finishing "Fa brutto tempo" on a beautiful day: 25 Febbraio 2012

Finally, on this beautiful day with the doors open to the Porto I finished this piece.

But that was after we returned from the Saturday market up in the Rhabbat where we bought fresh artichokes, parmesan, fungi, (pui) toasted almonds. Of course we stopped by Di Leo Angela Panefico on the way up.

We found a new way out to that little park above the wall. Looks like some "paesano" way back was finally fed up with walking all the way to a Porta too!

And picnicked and sketched in that little park atop the castle wall before we came down.

Then I finished the "Fa brutto tempo" drawing!

The drawing is from a photo I took of a storm coming in over Capo San Marcos a few weeks ago during the first time we walked out on the Stazzone beaches.

Joey returned from her walk with "Pasticceria Mignon" from Dantes (but I'll save that story for another post).

Then later we enjoyed a dinner with a Soccer match on the big screen (Milano and Torrino 1 to 1 tie, no overtime, go figure) at L' Arco Antico, and had fun watching the children at the next table. One was having a grand old time, for a 18 month old, mastering three stairs. We talked with one of the men later and exchanged the basics about family and where we were from. People are friendly here! We did polish of a liter of locale vino too!

At about midnight on our walk back to the Porto through the Piazza there were scores of young people enjoying the evening and each others company.         

Title: Fa brutto tempo

A very nice day in Sciacca: 24 Febbraio 2012

Ice cream for breakfast!

Picnic on the banchina with leftover pizza from Cianciana and vino* from San Palo!

Photo of that haircut.

Sketching up at Scandaliato Piazza and drinking beers until sunset.

Meeting Michele Bono in his ceramic and painting shop and studio. http://www.michelebono.com

Joey made linguini with anchovies, garlic and parmigiano for dinner! Those are Sciacca acciuge! What a fantastic meal that was!

Need two months in Sicilia next year!

*The money we saved coming to Italy and being able to buy very good local wine for $2 per bottle compared to what we normally would have spent at home for wine for a month, helped finance this trip. Joey says that is an exaggeration!