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I admired Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker as actors on LA Law–then I read Tucker’s memoir about their adventures buying a cottage in Umbria, and I became absolutely enchanted by this couple. In Living In A Foreign Language: A Memoir of Food, Wine and Love in Italy, Tucker sweeps you into the moment-by-moment drama, hilarity, and deliciousness of  their life in Italy. Especially wonderful sections are where his culinary passions are indulged, and we revel along with him as he savors such regional specialties as truffles, pecorino, lentils, and porchetta. At its core, Tucker’s book is a heartwarming love story–interlacing their marriage,  friendships, and ever-evolving passion for all thingsRead More →

Seeing Gubbio for the first time will take your breath away. It appears like an Italian City Of Oz–a cluster of ivory medieval buildings, surrounded by a shimmering green forest. Here is a perfect place for a peaceful retreat–your visit can seamlessly blend together history and nature AND you’ll eat very well here–enjoying the local wine, truffles, and cured meats. It’s a lovely spot to wander around and shop for ceramics and antiques–there are awesome medieval churches to slip into and an impressive palace/museum at the top of the whole village. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can take a gondola ride from the village to Mount Ingino and hike down.  Or why not just sit inRead More →

Moving on from the Big Three (Rome, Florence, Venice), we’ll spend some summer Golden Days, dreaming in the Italian countryside… Years ago I met editor and publisher Kathy McCabe, through her wonderful Dream of Italy newsletter. Kathy is Italian-American (on her maternal side–like me), and she also has a great passion for Italian travel. The award-winning newsletter she created brings readers excellent information about Italian travel AND colorful entertainment to guide them to an authentic Italian experience, much deeper than what you’ll find in guidebooks. Check out the Dream of Italy website and blog for a tasty taste of it. I’ve had great fun traveling around Italy with Kathy, and am excitedRead More →

When we think of Venice and going to the beach, the first place that comes to mind is The Lido.  My friend Pamela still talks about one August when she had what she describes as “The Great Gatsby” beach experience there–all so very luxurious, with an amazing seafood lunch, a huge pool, surrounded by loads of fashionable Italians–ladies in big hats and flowing caftans, etc. Then there’s my friend Angela, a Lido native born and bred, who says, “To get away from the crowds of the Lido in the summer, we go to Sant’Erasmo.” This is the island that lies between Murano and Burano. It’s calledRead More →

It took me several trips to Venice before I could tear myself away for the half hour train ride to Padua–NOW Padua and the Scrovegni Chapel have become a MUST on the Veneto itinerary. Padua is a jewel of a town, with a splendido open market and restaurants to match, AND The Scrovegni Chapel is at the top of my list as far as Italian masterpieces. In fact, if you showed me two doors and one was labeled SISTINE, the other SCROVEGNI…I would head for Scrovegni. Michelangelo surely got his inspiration from this chapel that was created centuries before his, by the blessed Giotto. YES the Sistine ChapelRead More →

I can always count on the wonderful people at Context Travel to take me deeper into an Italian destination. This company leads small group walking tours, led by excellent docents who are scholars, art historians, and/or authors.  One of their newest walks is called Venice and the East, where you’ll be guided through La Serenissima focusing on its  Byzantine and Islamic influences. Here’s what Context’s Jessica Stewart has to say about it: One of the things that’s always fascinated me about Venice is its longstanding connection to eastern culture.  You can see this clearly in the architecture of prominent sites like the Doge’s Palace and Basilica San Marco, but also through keepingRead More →

Way back in the 1980’s I lived in San Francisco and was involved in the town’s exciting experimental theatre scene. It was around then that I met Anne Block at a wild workshop in a warehouse south of Market. Twenty years later, we’ve reconnected and discovered that we’ve both been pursuing our passion for Italian travel. Anne has created a fantastic Los Angeles based tour company called Take My Mother Please*—that provides customized itineraries to  individuals or group travelers who want to explore  Los Angeles, Egypt, Paris, Italy, or other places in Europe.  She brings an infectious enthusiasm to whatever she does, constantly snooping out unusual spots, to give travelers an authenticRead More →

You’ll love hearing  this ensemble, Interpreti Veneziani,  when you come to Venice. You’ll find them at the Chiesa San Vidal, a beautiful Baroque place. Most nights they are playing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Le Quattro Stagioni). Vivaldi probably came to this church, back in those late 17th-early 18th century times. He was a revolutionary composer, bringing sweeping emotions to the violin and all those sister string instruments. Interpreti Veneziani has played here since 1987  and they are the best I’ve heard in Venice. They are praised world wide for their youthful exuberance and the clear passion they bring to this music. It’s a thrill to be inRead More →

A wonderful way to start a Venetian day is to visit the Rialto Market, following in the traditional footsteps of this magical city. The pescheria (fish market, closed Sun & Mon), tucked behind the bridge, has been a happening spot here for over 1000 years. Surrounding it are vegetable and fruit stalls. Some of the produce is local, from the nearby island of Sant’Erasmo, and some has been brought in on ships from afar. The whole scene under that stunning Venetian light: glistening fresh fish, and (depending on the season)  cabbage from Treviso, persimmons, or white asparagus–blends to make this one of Italy’s most tantalizing markets. Get there early, betweenRead More →

  Here is what led me to Nan McElroy: Italy: Instructions for Use, which she so cleverly created. I tell everyone I know who’s going to Italy that this is a Must Buy–a wonderfully designed pocket-sized quide and phrasebook that contains all the nitty-gritty details you’ll need–about making phone calls, taking trains, driving, etc.  And for anyone headed to Venice, as JoAnn Locktov wrote in Golden Day 22, you Must download Nan’s Vaporetto Map. Nan was an absolute joy and inspiration to meet the last time I was in Venice. She’s lived there since 2004 and has immersed herself into Venetian life bigtime–it’s fab to follow along with herRead More →