Sunday,
January 13, 2008
For Italians: Skiing is Romantic Opera, a
Drama of Victory and Seduction, and Il Dolce Far Niente
The
ANNOTICO Report
Italians
never forget: Skiing is romantic opera, a drama of victory and seduction.
The
allure of skiing the Italian way is not only about doing, but about doing
nothing, what the Italians call Il Dolce Far Niente,
"The Beautiful Doing Nothing." Think sensuality with a
side of skiing.
Falling in Love with the Lifestyle of
By
Jonathan D. Auerbach
January
12, 2008
Diana,
my longtime Italian lady friend, made her last morning run on the grand ski
slopes of
Textbook,
yes, but Diana's true tutorial in Italian ski technique came later. I'd
rapturously watched her descend, and then skied solo until last bell.
The
last cable car down whisked me from the steeps to Cortina's chalet-chic village
and onto its main pedestrian runway, the voguish Corso
Italia, or "Corso." There the glitterati
draped in plush fur coats and designer duds promenaded and prowled the
boutiques, galleries and the Cooperative di Consumo, Cortina's
Harrods.
I
stopped for a glass of red at Enoteca Cortina, the
intimate "in" wine-tasting cellar, and later caught up with Diana
ensconced at the bar of the "Posta," the Hotel de la Poste, Cortina's famed inn and boite.
The
Posta, a landmark on a prize corner of the Corso,
dates back two centuries. Its bar is as storied a watering hole as Harry's Bar
in
She
gleefully recounted with tuneful Italianate flare her lunch on the sundeck of
Son Forca, Cortina's choice mountainside rifugio, or open-air cafe. A sensory feast of antipasti and
pasta putanesca with a carafe of vino
rosso ended with gelato con cioccolato
caldo. She'd shared the dessert with the guy sitting
next to her now, a rakish Italian ski instructor demigod with a bravura tan.
My
snow diva had staged a stylish reminder of what Italians never forget: Skiing
is romantic opera, a drama of victory and seduction.
Skiing
had been all downhill since the Norse Frost Giant invented winter and the ski
goddess Skadi shacked up with the ski god Ull and gave birth to snow and mountains. Then the Italians
invented amore (and Jacuzzis).
The
allure of skiing the Italian way is not only about doing, but about doing
nothing, what the Italians call La Dolce Far Niente,
"The Beautiful Doing Nothing."
Think
sensuality with a side of skiing. Though the euro has
hit a high versus the dollar, consider the epic highs it buys.
Cortina,
a mere hundred miles north of
One ski
pass, the Dolomite Super Ski, links Cortina's three distinct ski complexes of Tofane, Faloria and Cristallo to the Dolomite circuit: 464 lifts, 700 miles of
ski runs in 11 valleys at 38 different ski centers. It comprises the most
inter-country ski runs in
Most
American skiers know little of these stupendous snows, despite the 2006 Winter
Olympics celebrated in
Between
the tease and the terrain, an Italian ski fling can indeed become a loving
lifelong affair. Mine began a few years back in Courmayeur.
This coveted hideaway ski village perches at more than 9,000 feet in
Churches,
monuments and castles dating from the Roman era dot the valley, crowned by the
awesome, famed peaks of Mont Blanc (15,771 feet), Monte Rosa (15,200 feet) and
the
For
the discerning, great digs come in small packages. None in Courmayeur
is better for furthering intrigues at a fair price than the family-run chalet Auberge de la Maison. The
European cognoscenti lodge there for the 33 elegant Alpine bedrooms, each with
balcony and panoramic views of
By
twist of fate on my second night at dinner in the hotel, there was Diana on ski
holiday. She was dining alone, all soignee, fixing me
a thrilling look leading to a week
together of pure simpatico. Charmed ski days gave way to languorous apres-ski strolls among the cozy bars and shops of the
cobbled, traffic-free Via Roma, the central street of Courmayeur
village.
We'd
taste classic pastries at Caffe della
Posta and at Mario, such as tegole (a local dry,
chocolate-glazed almond pastry), the Baci of Courmayeur (a chocolate-filled biscuit) and the
After
dinner we'd forgo the discotheques and dancing 'til 4 a.m. at hotspots Bar
Roma, Poppy's and Le Clochard in favor of quiet time together.
Unbeatable
was the ultimate Italian Jacuzzi: the Terme
Pre-Saint-Didier thermal
The
Romans revered the Terme. The current spa building
and connecting indoor-outdoor complex of pools, built in 1834, were a favorite
retreat of the Italian royal family during the 19th century and the first half
of the 20th century and are today a top draw in the
valley. Diana adored "taking the waters" of those 99-degree
Fahrenheit mineral springs. I discovered the higher heights of relaxation in
those mountain-spawned pools, thanks to the spectacular view of
Cherished
are the euphoric Italian ski escapes we've since logged. Memories conjure the
rush of Alpine air on cheeks still glowing red, warmed by grappa at the hearth,
toasting a matchless ski day, to be repeated tomorrow.
And the
friends made and revisited each winter are spiritedly, theatrically Italian.
Marco Xausa, national-level racer and ski instructor
of the
Throughout,
Diana herself has stayed true to her Italian nature, impressively on the make
and a master of mischief. On skis she taunts and tantalizes, giving me the slip
to schuss off-piste or to spring into a snow-bowl, hollering
"Hop-la!" -- the oft-spoken Italian skier's
devilish dare to follow.
Invariably,
the scenario involves a stunt of drama and derring-do, an Italian movie moment.
One unforgettable go was on a frightfully steep
Cortina slope named Staunies. A cornice-thin ribbon
of snow, Staunies plunges down an abyss-like 1,000
vertical feet. From the top, the abyss stares back; it's enough to spook a
yeti. I'd looked dizzily down this white elevator shaft, when suddenly Diana
bounded in, initialing perfect figure eight turns, trailing
on the wind refrains of that damnable "Hop-la."
I
hated this lady.
Snarling,
I leapt after her; in an instant I got my groove, watching myself as in slow
motion zoom past Diana waving me on.
I
loved this lady.
And as
that day waned, and the alpen glow of Dolomite rocks
ranged from orange to rose to violet, we walked on air. First a Puccini
aperitif, then arm in arm down the Corso Italia for a
dinner of grilled venison and a bottle of Barolo at our favorite rustic bistro,
El Zoco, and afterward a nightcap and dance at the
trendy VIP at the Hotel Europa.
Ah,
the heady eternal do-nothing beauty of the La Dolce Far Niente.
If
you go
Courmayeur and
Go:
To
relish, at a relaxed pace, a perfect pairing of
No: If you're wired to sprint
out the door, trail mix in pocket, for the day's first lift up and tuck it to
last run
Need
to know: Courmayeur Tourist Office, www.regione.vda.it/turismo;
Cortina Tourist Office, www.dolomiti.org; Italian Government Tourist Board,
(312) 644-0996, www.italiantourism.com
Getting there: Italian ski resorts are easily reached by car,
train or bus from the major gateway cities of
When
to go:
November to April. Prices vary substantially at Italian ski resorts according
to the season. High season this year is Feb. 6 through March 20 and April 3-17.
Low season is now through Feb. 5, March 21 through April 2 and April 17 until
the runs close.
The
ANNOTICO Reports Can be Viewed (and are Archived) on:
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