Robert | Robert St. John

Home Is Where the Realized Nouns Are

L. Frank Baum nailed it when he penned the line, “There’s no place like home,” in his novel about the man behind the green curtain […]

Restaurantsick

BARBERINO-TAVARNELLE, TUSCANY— Yesterday I was having a conversation with one of my travel guests who was talking about being homesick when she was sent to […]

RSJ’s Tuscan Top Ten

Barberino-Tavarnelle, Tuscany— For the past 11 years I have spent considerable time in this region. Specifically in the two towns of Barberino and Tavarnelle in […]

Home Away From Home

BARBERINO-TAVARNELLE, ITALY— Is it possible that one can fall in love with a town? I love my hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi— deeply— and can’t see […]

It Takes A Village (or at least a couple of Dutch People and several Italians)

BARBERINO-TAVERNELLE, TUSCANY— There’s a big difference between a tour host and a tour guide. A tour guide goes through rigorous training for a particular city, […]

All Roads Lead to Rome, They Really Do

ROME— If 2022 had a personal theme created specifically for me, it would be decorated in the green, white, and red of the Italian flag, […]

The 32nd Anniversary of My 29th Birthday

Yesterday I entered my 62nd year on the planet. The thing about turning 61 years old is that I thought I would feel differently at […]

Another Blessing

This morning I read a Business News Daily article that listed the most stressful jobs in America. Enlisted military personnel came first, firefighter, second, and […]

A Different Kind of Welcome

NEW YORK— I first came to the city sometime in the mid-1960s. My grandparents lived here. My father had recently passed away, and my mother […]

In Search of Voice

For the majority of the 23 years, I have written this weekly column, the primary focus has been on food and restaurants. In 2011, a […]

Random Thoughts on a Tuesday Morning

For the past 23 years, I have written a 1,000-word column every Monday morning. Always early in the morning. I haven’t missed a week. Ever. […]

In Honor of Mississippians

“To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.” – William Faulkner “Work hard and be kind and amazing things will happen.” […]

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