We left bright and early- 0630 to make the two hour drive in time to get plenty of shopping in before reposo (Italian siesta when everything is closed from about 12:30-3). The closer we got to Nove, the more beautiful the landscape became, lots of rolling hills with neat rows to trees and evergreens on the top of them and we even saw a few castles! I tried to take some pictures but they didn't turn out really great since I was in the backseat of a moving car.
Unfortunately we hit some morning rush hour traffic but if we hadn't, I would not have spotted this:
I don't know what it's supposed to be, but to me it looks a lot like the Statue of Liberty holding a neon cross instead of a torch. Yes, the cross was neon. This was on the top of a church which also had a life sized multi-structure nativity scene still set up on January 20th. By the time we saw the ostentatious nativity we were almost past it so I was unable to take a photo but those were some creepy looking mannequins! I can only guess that this was a catholic church but can't be sure and we took a different route home so it remains a mystery.
The first shop we went to just outside the city was a little cheesy but there were a few cute things. The cool thing was when we walked in we got to view the warehouse where people were carving and painting the pottery, some with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths. The most notable part of this stop was finally finding another one of these beauts! I wasn't shocked this time and again manged to avoid any messes.
Nove itself is very unassuming and a little dumpy looking in comparison to some of the other places we've been. I was definitely expecting splendor but this is clearly a blue collar town. People who work with their hands live here, not a bunch of wealthy landowners.
The second shop we went to was La Ceramica V.B.C., the big famous one all the Americans go to. It's a two story warehouse with the workers on the first floor and the shop on the second. Here we saw a lot of big names and the prices were unbelievable- half of what you would pay in the states. In some cases, 80% less! Here are some pics of the merchandise:
This was a recon trip for me so I only bought two small gifts but the other girls got a ton of beautiful items.
The other shops we went to were smaller, most were locked and you had to ring a bell to get in but all of them had their workrooms open to walk through. I noticed that most pottery wasn't priced which led me to believe you could barter if you wanted. Some of the prices at the other shops were even a bit better than V.B.C for like items. I wish I had written down the names of the places we went to but I wasn't planning on blogging about them. If you do come to Nove, I recommend viewing a few shops before you make a purchase. Each shop had unique items but there were identical items (especially chicken pitchers and painted fruit bowls) of varying quality and price in every store so look around before you buy!
The last shop we went to was hands down my favorite; it had the most unique and well crafted items. Shockingly it was also the most expensive. Gram always said I had champagne tastes on a beer budget. But wait, I drink wine now, so I've moved up in the world, right?
The outside of the building was covered with faded pink paint and mold and had a small green sign that said Dal Pra. This show wasn't on our list but I am so glad we happened upon it. I learned while writing this blog they have a website. The inside was what you'd expect a real antique store to look like, cluttered and dark. There were signs posted everywhere prohibiting the taking of photos and we were watched too closely for me to sneak any but wow, their stuff was absolutely exquisite! The front of the shop was filled with glass cases containing what I assume holds works since their opening in 1897. I did ask one of the clerks if any of it was for sale after spotting this gorgeous dish and she gave me a vehement NO, like I could have afforded it anyways.
I always told myself I would n-e-v-e-r be the kind of person who had a curio cabinet but I think I will have to buy one to protect everything I plan on buying from HB!! If you come and visit me we WILL shop here. Good thing it's two hours away or I could do some real damage on a regular basis.
The town is smallish but I would not recommend trying to walk exclusively, first because you'd have to carry everything you bought but second because they are literally everywhere. You could park in different areas then walk to the local shops. I imagine you might discover more on foot than from a car because sometimes its difficult to see the signs. All of the shops we went to were on the main thoroughfare but next time I'd like to explore a little off the beaten path. Learning how to barter in Italian is a MUST before we plan a trip back and if we must bring HB, we will have to baby ruck sack it for sure. If not, we would be putting a honey badger in a ceramics shop. Wait, did I just coin a new phrase? I think I did. Well, you heard it here first, folks!
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