Italian-style way of walking around a city: "Passegiata"
In Italy, there's a culture of putting on your favorite clothes and perfume in the evening before dinner, or even in the middle of the night in some regions, strolling through the streets, going into bars and cafes, and enjoying conversations with acquaintances.
It's called "passeggiata," which means "stroll" or "walk" in Italian.
Without any particular reason, I take a walk at a set time, not to a distant place, but along a busy local street.
If I know anyone, I'll just chat with them over beer or wine. That's all.I vividly remember being simply amazed when I first heard about this culture, thinking, "So, such a custom that enriches everyday life really exists?"
I used to think that meeting someone, setting a time, going out to buy clothes specifically for that day, taking the subway, and heading out into the city was the norm all over the world.
The Italian custom of taking a stroll, "Passegiata," seems to have extracted only the most stylish elements.
In Japan, there are people who have a favorite local shop they frequent; it's something like that, perhaps?I feel like people like that tend to be very perceptive and often surprisingly good at conversation.
We've largely returned to our pre-COVID-19 daily lives, but back when I was working remotely around the clock, ordering meals via UberEats, and sometimes not leaving the house for days at a time, simply dressing at home in the same clothes I would wear when going out, and putting on my favorite Chanel perfume before work—a habit I've had since my student days—made a huge difference in my mood.
How about incorporating "Passegiata" into your life?
