Early Easter helps Panzano

Chinese New Year was late in 2015 but Easter was early.  Does it mean anything?  Probably not.  Personally I like an early Easter.  As someone who has a birthday in April, there have been several occasions growing up when Easter coincided with the day when I was supposed to be special.  Being offered a chocolate egg instead of a toy was a real let-down.

That aside Easter brings back happy memories.  Whatever the Archbishop of York says on the subject, our Easter egg hunt in the garden was always a joyous occasion even if we did unearth the odd soggy relic from the year before.  Watching my mother boil eggs in coloured water to turn the shells blue or pink is one of my earliest memories.  So in spite of getting short changed in the gift department, Easter has always been one of my favourite times of the year.

God must agree.  He blessed us this year with the most wonderful weather.  The first proper sun of the year brought out the crowds.  All the local restaurants in our village were full.  That happy state carried on for most of the week and into the following weekend.  Takings and tips were up on last year; and spending spilled over into the shops.  We were looking at a few hand stitched dresses for baby girls to buy as gifts for my wife’s niece.  There is a small shop on the main square of Greve that has the most lovely clothes, table settings and lace.  By the time we had taken photos, sent them over to New York, and debated over which we liked most, two days had elapsed.  When we went back three out of the four dresses we had our eyes on had gone.  Thus the choice was down to one making the final decision a lot easier.  And this at a shop that did not even bother to keep regular hours for much of last year (and where the price points are not low even if the value for its hand stitched creations is compelling, especially when compared to department or specialty stores in cities).

Greve in Chianti - Main Square

In our little corner of Italy, the economy appears to be picking up.  You see a lot more smiles this year than last : plus a sense that things really will be better over the balance of the year.  The atmosphere too feels changed.  It needs to.  Last year was terrible : no olive oil at all and the wine not so great, and then ending with those earthquakes.  Perhaps they really did clear the bad energy as some locals were suggesting.

I suspect a lot of the improvement comes down to the Euro.  At $ = €1.07 the cost of everything – except the airfare – is a lot less than when the rate was Euro 1.35.  Brits are better placed too, as are almost all Asians; and it is starting to show.  There were many more visitors in evidence.  More broadly both official statistics, the numbers one needs to take with a hefty dose of scepticism, and anecdotal evidence from local tradespeople align to paint a picture of a country crawling back and finally achieving real growth : albeit not much, but a whole lot better than the negative number of 2014.  Renzi helps.  His positive approach and can do attitude is infusing a belief in people that even in Italy things could get better.  

Regardless of other demands it is essential to find time for relaxation and reflection.  Making investment decisions – as opposed to trading – requires a clear mind.  In my case nothing clears the mind more effectively than listening to classical music – live.

Back in London once again the voyageur is spoilt for choice.  One of my favourite venues is St Martin in the Fields.  For starters this church provides precisely the right atmosphere; most especially when the concert is for example English choral classics as it was when I was there recently.  In this case the Barts Chamber Choir were conducted by Ivor Satterfield; and very good they were too.  Nicely paced, balanced and pitched at just the right level, with the parts definitely adding up.  Byrd's Civitas Sancti Tui was particularly beautiful from circa 1580 but the surprise package was a much more contemporary entrant : Taverner’s Hymn to the Mother of God : surprising because while I recognise Taverner’s exceptional talent I am not normally a fan.  This piece though was suitably ethereal.

St Martin-in-the-Fields

Then it was back the following week for Handel and Bach, perhaps a more populist offering.  The focus was on the flute and Martin Feinstein is a master of this instrument.  Vivaldi snuck in at the start but my favourite of the evening was the Brandenburg Concerto No.5.  You just have to let the music carry you away.  Here hats off to Robin Bigwood for a truly marvellous performance on the harpsichord.  You do not often find music where the harpsichord takes centre stage, but there is one passage here that is breathless stuff, and worth a detour.  The Handel was not half bad either.  All of this lifts the spirits when one is on the road, and hopefully puts one in the right frame of mind to make better investment decisions.