These social clubs are usually built around recreational activities, and though they’re open year-round, they take on a new meaning in summer, when working hours are at a minimum and days are whiled away playing sports or cards, chatting with neighbors, and sipping on sgroppini.
I’m sitting at a humble metal table in one, Florence’s oldest circolo di tennis, next to a 60s-vibe pool, adorned with an audaciously high diving board and a funny-looking, bald bagnino straight out of a Wes Anderson film. My 92-year-old father is playing referee for my husband and brother as they analyze the intricacies of their recent tennis match, and, bored by yet another debate over flat serves and advantages, I turn my attention to the beautiful, simple scene unfolding before me.
