Author Archives: Robert

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, region, or institution. They do a deep dive into history, dates, personalities, and minute details into towns and locales such as Florence, Italy. The detailed comprehension required to become certifiedContinue reading “It Takes A Village (or at least a couple of Dutch People and several Italians)”

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, have Louis Prima music playing in the background, as pasta was served, while I was packing a suitcase. It’s certainly been an Italio-centric year for me. I spent six weeksContinue reading “All Roads Lead to Rome, They Really Do”

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 this point in my life. I imagine— 40 years ago— when I looked at the prospect of hanging around for six decades, I probably thought I would feel like anContinue reading “The 32nd Anniversary of My 29th Birthday”

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 airline pilot, third. Police officer landed in fourth place. I wouldn’t argue with any of those rankings. Broadcaster came in fifth. I’m not sure I agree with that. Before IContinue reading “Another Blessing”

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 drove my brother and me up to stay with her parents for a few weeks. They lived in an apartment building somewhere around 72nd and 2nd. All I remember aboutContinue reading “A Different Kind of Welcome”

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 dozen years into my writing career, I spent six months overseas with my wife and two kids and the column morphed into a semi-travel column, at least during the timesContinue reading “In Search of Voice”

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. I typically let the column sit for a day and then revisit it on Tuesday morning, catching things that need to be edited, sentences that need to be swapped aroundContinue reading “Random Thoughts on a Tuesday Morning”

“To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.” – William Faulkner “Work hard and be kind and amazing things will happen.” – Conan O’Brien As a child, I can remember my mother criticizing older men who kept hopping from profession to profession. In those days I probably thought, “Whatever I endContinue reading “In Honor of Mississippians”

If I carried a business card, there would be a lot of job titles listed on it— restaurateur, author, producer, columnist, writer, cook, designer, documentarian, show host, travel host, board member, manager, president, CEO, founder, and chairman of the board. But the most important job title I have— or ever will have, and it’s notContinue reading “The Best Job, Ever”