Welcome to my little corner of Italy.
La Politica. Politics in Italy loom large. As guests we prefer to focus on the spectacular scenery, inspirational art and mouthwatering food. We laugh at the political machinations and exaggerated personalities that make a splash in the headlines, as we do in our own country; however, la politica is serious business and I’d like to reflect for a moment on Italy’s referendum this past weekend. Read More
My friend Tricia LOVES Naples. She stumbled upon her adopted hometown traveling through Europe after college. No doubt, she had visited many other beautiful places, but upon arrival in this vibrant southern Italian city, she knew she was home. Read More
Before my daytrip to Palizzi, I associated the town with two things: Edward Lear’s wonderful lithograph drawings and red wine – not necessarily in that order. Read More
“Buona festa!” (Happy Holiday!) My boss Mario greeted me with a big smile and was handing me a small bunch of yellow flowers and some foliage tied together with a ribbon. The secretary came up behind me and he picked up another little bouquet from his desk and said, “Auguri!” (Good wishes!) Read More
I was looking at the rusty sign banning motorbikes from entering the narrow street that led up through the old quarter of Amantea and wondering whether or not anyone actually heeded its message. The little stylized rider sat comfortably on his motorcycle inside the faded red circle that blended with the equally washed out, dilapidated wall on which it hung. As I snapped a photo, a car pulled up, dropping off an older gentleman, who greeted me with a slight turn of the head and a warm smile. Read More
My feet were killing me. It was a brisk Tuesday evening in late November. After a harrowing experience on Rome’s overcrowded public transportation system during the morning rush hour, I had decided to walk back to my apartment that overlooked the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano. Read More
The first time I laid eyes on Persephone, I had no idea as to her history or the significance she would hold for me in time to come. I was in Berlin and the antiquities collection of the famous Pergamon Museum was on my list of cultural must-sees. Seven years later I would arrive in Locri, Persephone’s hometown in present-day Calabria, with just a suitcase in hand to teach English to the descendants of her disciples. Read More
“You haven’t ever eaten at “La Collinetta”? You have to go there!”
Mercedes was very enthusiastic, to say the least, about this trattoria where she and her friend dined every Saturday afternoon. “They treat us like princesses.” Read More
I grew up with a beautiful hand-carved Italian manger scene that was as prominent in our living room as the live fir tree standing across from it. The wooden pieces were quite large and I particularly liked the animals, but I understood they weren’t toys. My sisters and I had a smaller nativity we could set up on our own in the basement. Read More
Calabrians have shown a lot of interest in my book, Calabria: The Other Italy. Even those who don’t speak a word of English want to know what it’s about and how they’re portrayed. The members of the Anglo-Italian Club of Reggio Calabria have taken a particular interest. Heck, the group is in the book. Read More