An Extraordinary Lunch in St. Emilion, France
Le Bis is forever etched in my culinary memory banks.Finding the right words to do justice to this recent dining experience (this past Saturday), is [...]
Back to Valloria, the Village of Painted Doors
One Excursion to Valloria Wasn't Nearly Enough. I thought I'd done a fairly thorough job of seeing Valloria when I took a long leisurely stroll [...]
La Mole in Torino Surprises and Delights
The National Museum of Cinema is housed in this architectural beauty. La Mole Antonelliana, called “La Mole” for short, constructed from 1863 to 1889, was [...]
Valloria, The Stunning Village of Painted Doors
Prepare to be blown away by this "open-air museum." That's how many people refer to the tiny village of Valloria, Liguria. And what's crazy [...]
My Up-Close Experience with Making Farinata di Ceci
Farinata di Ceci is a revered culinary treasure in Liguria. This savory dish is made from a batter of chickpea flour, water, and olive [...]
EVERYTHING Grows in Italy’s Riviera dei Fiori
It's a well-earned named.Flowers, fruits, and vegetables grow like gangbusters in this westernmost stretch of the Ligurian coast called the Riviera dei Fiori. Now, I [...]
Italian Warmth Abounds at MP2 in Imperia
Relationships in Italy can flower beautifully.When they do, you’ll be thanking yourself for having Italy your new home and for doing the work (which includes [...]
Italians Wear It with Reverence and Dignity
Italians demonstrate their passion in a multitude of ways. Many non-Italians might think this would manifest mainly as energetic hand gestures, unrestrained facial expressions, [...]
Seeking Light in a Period of Darkness
The world seems like it has gone mad. For me, despair comes when I enter circular thinking in an attempt to figure out two [...]
Find Yourself in the Heart of Abruzzo
And prepare to be romanced by Abruzzo's finest culinary treasures. So many people, longing to be in Italy but grounded by the pandemic, are [...]
A Nighttime Excursion in Surreal Venice
I've never seen my favorite Italian city like this. A surreal Venice is a lonely Venice. Even in the wee hours of normal Venice [...]
The Allure of Venice at Night
Those of you who've been following my blog understand I have a love affair with Venice. And, it continues to deepen, particularly in regards to [...]
The Italian Origins of the Word Quarantine
It all began in the 17th century in Venice with the term quaranta giorni (forty days). Currently, we're inundated with the coronavirus news and the [...]
Locals Exercise Their Creativity with Radicchio Trevigiano
January is the last harvest month of radicchio from Treviso And, many locals say the best comes last. From my vantage point here in Treviso, [...]
The Mountain is My Teacher
It happens every time, this invitation to wake up. So, why do I jump back into the swirling river of busyness and the world of [...]
Italian Faces Define A Medieval Celebration
Sulmona, Medieval, jousting, la giostra cavalleresca, abruzzo
La Festa del Redentore in Venice Delivers
A front-row seat and an iPhone yield surprising results. Normally, for a spectacle of the magnitude of La Festa del Redentore, I'd be packing my [...]
Food at Roma Termini Has Gone from Dismal to Gourmet
Used to be that I wanted to avoid Rome's central train station like the plague. Well, the massive throngs of people and having to constantly [...]