Last might in Vico, so it's a good thing there's live music.
Back up the hill to Tito's we go for (as the poster with the very '60s folk-looking drawing enticed), "Mistural Live! Duo Acoustico Marcello Gione & Maurizio Pisa 9:30."
Prime table near the stone wall and tonight's wine was yet another version of the local grape, this time an Aglianica del Vulhere Torre Quarto.
Although billed as "acoustico," one of the guys often played an electric guitar rather than an acoustic, unlike his partner with the lovely voice (and ability to reach Stings' upper range when necessary).
We got there early enough to beat the crowd and eat a light supper, Sorrento's fab lunch having satisfied on so many levels that not a lot was required.
By the time the duo finished their meal and several glasses of red wine, the place was a whole lot more crowded and our stellar view of an hour ago was now lost to an 8-top of pretty (Italian) people.
So many scarves! So much Italian leather!
There was a table up front with a great view, but it turned out to be reserved for a party coming from Naples.
No problem; we got another 2-top with a straight shot view of the two musicians.
The set was all over the place - Chris Isaac's "Wicked Game" with some great electric guitar, Keane's "Everything's Changing," Alan Parsons Project "Eye in the Sky" and all executed well.
Stings' "Englishman in New York" benefited from the unexpected sounds that accompanied it - an ambulance roaring up the street with its distinctive European wail or a wine glass breaking on a tile floor.
It was spontaneous percussion at its best.
While most of the people in the room talked and laughed over the music (definitely not a listening room environment), chances are they couldn't help noticing the variety of it all, from "Light My Fire" to "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" with Duran Duran in between.
It seemed to be fun for the band, too, or maybe that was just all the red wine.
After a while, the two began showing off, seamlessly dropping bits of one song into another and back again.
After almost two weeks with my live music needs being met by gypsies on the subway and accordionists in the streets, I was seriously into some guitars and voices.
That said, that absolutely perfect intersection of music, memory and coincidence presented itself before the duo played, when MTV was on the big screen and a relatively obscure 1987 song came on.
It happens to be the lead-off song to my favorite mixtape of all time, a gift of 20 years ago that I still listen to on occasion.
Hearing it in a random pub in Vico Equense after never having heard it anywhere but on that tape seemed to make time stand still for a few moments.
The video was beautiful, shot in black and white and lyrically visual in the way suggested by the song's title, "Wonderful Life."
Look at me standing
Here on my own again
Up straight in the sunshine
No need to run and hide,
It's a wonderful, wonderful life
No need to hide and cry
It's a wonderful, wonderful life
Indeed it is.
Showing posts with label tito's pub. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tito's pub. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Give My Regards to Broad Street
I'm on my own for dinner, something I have a lot of practice at, albeit not in Italy.
Confident I can find a satisfying place to spend an evening, I set out up the hill.
I am less than two minutes in when a smiling man walks toward me, saying, "May I have the pleasure to kiss you?"
Whoa.
I give him credit, though. Most men just undress you with their eyes, and at least he stated it up front.
Taking that as a good reason to find a place off the street, I duck into Tito's Pub for a bite.
My androgynous-looking server (I still have no idea whether to say her or him) welcomed me with limited English and a glass of Prosecco before I could even open my mouth.
Well, if you're going to ply me with bubbles, sure, I'll stay.
It was then that I noticed the enormous screen on a nearby wall, long one of my pet peeves.
But, what's this? On the screen is MTV.
Maybe it's my television illiteracy, but I had no idea MTV even showed on TV anymore.
And, even better, it was a show called "Star Wars," essentially battling videos by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
Lennon's "Stand By Me" video was a charming home movie of John and Yoko looking very in love followed by Paul's "Goodnight Tonight" with the band in tuxes and slicked back hair.
Paul looked very young and adorable, Linda looked like an '80s version of the '40s. This was fun.
Since I didn't have anyone to talk to, this seemed like fine entertainment for someone who couldn't chat up the staff, as is her usual way.
The wine menu was all bottles, but I managed to convey my wishes and received a glass of Agliancio in return.
With no one with whom to share my meal, I kept it simple with fried prawns in salt and pepper sauce, only a little surprised when I saw that the prawns were fried in their shells.
Crunchy, nicely seasoned and no doubt full of fiber, the eight large prawns were more than filling.
I had a side of fresh sweet corn in butter and it was easily two ears' worth of corn covering the plate.
Meanwhile, John did a live in NYC version of "Instant Karma" and Paul did a war-torn video for "My Brave Face," playing multiple solider parts.
My attentive server hovered about, eager to ensure I had everything I needed.
Are you kidding? Lennon doing "Jealous Guy" with old Beatles footage interspersed?
I was doing great.
It was some time after Lennon's "Woman" and McCartney's "No More Lonely Nights" that my server cleared my table.
Before I could decide what I wanted next, there was Lennon's "Working Class Hero" and Paul's "Pipes of Peace."
Next thing I knew, my server was putting Limoncello in front of me, so I wasn't going anywhere.
There was John doing "Imagine" and Paul doing "Press" and I was sipping the nectar of Sorrento.
I could have left after "Star Wars," but I lingered for George Michael, the Clash, the Eurythmics, Lenny Kravitz and an Italian called Zucchero doing a soulful horn-filled take in Italian on "Take Me to the River."
Actually, I lingered for a lot more, but I wouldn't want it to get around that I took pleasure in a screen for an evening, even if it was a big screen.
Taking a cue from the last video I saw, Queen's "The Show Must Go On," I headed back out into the streets of Vico Equense.
"You are so beautiful. Would you like to walk?" a stranger almost immediately asks me upon stepping outside.
Such shameless flattery. Such nerve.
Just another night in Vico Equense.
Confident I can find a satisfying place to spend an evening, I set out up the hill.
I am less than two minutes in when a smiling man walks toward me, saying, "May I have the pleasure to kiss you?"
Whoa.
I give him credit, though. Most men just undress you with their eyes, and at least he stated it up front.
Taking that as a good reason to find a place off the street, I duck into Tito's Pub for a bite.
My androgynous-looking server (I still have no idea whether to say her or him) welcomed me with limited English and a glass of Prosecco before I could even open my mouth.
Well, if you're going to ply me with bubbles, sure, I'll stay.
It was then that I noticed the enormous screen on a nearby wall, long one of my pet peeves.
But, what's this? On the screen is MTV.
Maybe it's my television illiteracy, but I had no idea MTV even showed on TV anymore.
And, even better, it was a show called "Star Wars," essentially battling videos by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
Lennon's "Stand By Me" video was a charming home movie of John and Yoko looking very in love followed by Paul's "Goodnight Tonight" with the band in tuxes and slicked back hair.
Paul looked very young and adorable, Linda looked like an '80s version of the '40s. This was fun.
Since I didn't have anyone to talk to, this seemed like fine entertainment for someone who couldn't chat up the staff, as is her usual way.
The wine menu was all bottles, but I managed to convey my wishes and received a glass of Agliancio in return.
With no one with whom to share my meal, I kept it simple with fried prawns in salt and pepper sauce, only a little surprised when I saw that the prawns were fried in their shells.
Crunchy, nicely seasoned and no doubt full of fiber, the eight large prawns were more than filling.
I had a side of fresh sweet corn in butter and it was easily two ears' worth of corn covering the plate.
Meanwhile, John did a live in NYC version of "Instant Karma" and Paul did a war-torn video for "My Brave Face," playing multiple solider parts.
My attentive server hovered about, eager to ensure I had everything I needed.
Are you kidding? Lennon doing "Jealous Guy" with old Beatles footage interspersed?
I was doing great.
It was some time after Lennon's "Woman" and McCartney's "No More Lonely Nights" that my server cleared my table.
Before I could decide what I wanted next, there was Lennon's "Working Class Hero" and Paul's "Pipes of Peace."
Next thing I knew, my server was putting Limoncello in front of me, so I wasn't going anywhere.
There was John doing "Imagine" and Paul doing "Press" and I was sipping the nectar of Sorrento.
I could have left after "Star Wars," but I lingered for George Michael, the Clash, the Eurythmics, Lenny Kravitz and an Italian called Zucchero doing a soulful horn-filled take in Italian on "Take Me to the River."
Actually, I lingered for a lot more, but I wouldn't want it to get around that I took pleasure in a screen for an evening, even if it was a big screen.
Taking a cue from the last video I saw, Queen's "The Show Must Go On," I headed back out into the streets of Vico Equense.
"You are so beautiful. Would you like to walk?" a stranger almost immediately asks me upon stepping outside.
Such shameless flattery. Such nerve.
Just another night in Vico Equense.
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