10 Steps Left
There is something wonderful that happens when you take a few steps out of your comfort zone, or stray from the path that is expected of you. It opens doors to experiences you would never have known were there.
The 10 Steps Left story…so far!
10 Steps Left is a small mindset shift. It's not a long-term commitment; it's simply the decision to NOT do the same thing or take the usual path.
It can be the simplest of shifts, like stepping through a different restaurant door when you know you love the one across the street. It can be taking a different path home on your walk. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, booking a holiday somewhere you never thought you would go. I take this same thinking into my art, so I seek out small details instead of the big picture, or turn a familiar scene into something a little bit different with an interesting treatment or effect. I so love injecting a little moody atmosphere into an otherwise idyllic but common photo. It’s not always the case, of course, sometimes things are just beautiful the way they are and then I feel it’s my job to simply make it shine a little brighter.
“10 Steps Left is not about stupid challenges. It’s simply deciding to try something different when you find yourself stuck on repeat or taking a far-too-common path.”
Where it all began…
I love people, but I don't love lots of people. I want to see all the wonderful places in the world, but I don't want to do that in a tourist bucket. So, when it came to our honeymoon in Italy, quite some years ago now, I did a lot of research and booked us into small B&Bs and boutique apartments. What transpired was wonderful because although we were in the 'thick of it' destination-wise, we were helped to make decisions that literally took us 10 steps left of the beaten paths.
It was our first time in Venice. I booked us into a boutique B&B, set in a 15th-century palazzo, called Cima Rosa, on the Grand Canal. It is beautifully renovated and a pure delight to stay in. The owners had noted it was our honeymoon, so a bottle of Champagne awaited us in our room. However, the true gem was the folder of recommendations beside it. This simple, ring-bound, plastic-sleeved folder turned out to be the greatest treasure to us. It contained the owner's personal favourite restaurants and cafes, as well as other things to see and do. So, instead of following the Google recommendations I'd gathered, we flipped the pages and picked at random for all 3 nights we were there.
I pause here for a happy sigh as I remember the fabulous meal we had on our first night in Venice. A small restaurant perched beside a tiny canal, tucked away 'somewhere' in the middle of Venice. We sat under the stars in a small piazza at a candlelit table. The people were friendly and the food was incredible. This was where I discovered that pasta can be light and the filling should taste incredible too.
I remember that night as vividly as if it were yesterday. It wasn't the night we had planned, but it could not possibly have been better. I don't think I could ever find that restaurant again, as it was quite an adventure just getting there through the maze of dark alleyways, but that's probably a good thing.
It was late summer, so around midday the following day, a throng of people funnelled through the usual line-up of pizza and pasta cafes, with pushy staff and picture menus. We'd been exploring all morning and, finding ourselves now weaving our way through a river of tourists, we understood why people don't return to Venice. The heat, the crowds, the overpriced tat, and the lack of anything truly authentic in the smiles. So we stopped and looked around, and there it was. Nestled at the end of an alleyway, empty except for a solitary Venetian diner, a quiet little restaurant. Perfect!
We turned in, instantly cooled by the aging rendered walls that flanked the alleyway. The noise of the 'main drag' swiftly dulled behind us. Inside the restaurant, 'Grandad' sat at the bar, watching everything with wise eyes that had clearly monitored every movement in that restaurant for decades. They welcomed us with genuine smiles and served us simple Italian food and a rather nice glass of wine.
From our seats outside, we spent a quiet hour living the Venetian life that surrounded that little restaurant. The passing greetings as locals came and went, the empty pram and dozing cat waiting for their owners to return. And all the while, just a few steps away at the opening of that alleyway, the tourists flowed incessantly along the same well-trodden path that so many millions before them have. Not once looking left, not once turning in to experience an authentic little corner of Venice. Just trudging on, phone in hand, itinerary in pocket.
And so it began for us. Instead of the ubiquitous 20-minute gondola ride, we asked our local hosts for their advice and discovered a tiny private boat, driven by a lovely man called Tomaso. He explained the history of the city in great detail and with great passion as he weaved us out through Venice and into the lagoon. He patiently chugged us around the islands, chatting all the while as if we were old friends. I doubt Tomaso ever made a decent living, but he definitely educated us a whole lot more than a cheesy gondolier as we skimmed the edges of that beautiful city.
A great many more discoveries followed as we dared to simply get lost and try new things. Empty bars nestled at the end of quiet courtyards, with fantastic cocktails, friendly birds, and canal-lapped balconies. Beautiful archways sharing glimpses into the lives that go on beyond those washed-out, crumbling façades. That whole other side of Venice, where the hearts of Venetians keep the real city breathing, just 10 steps left of the tourists.
I highly recommend it.
#10stepsleft