Category Archives: Uncategorized

LENNO, ITALY— It’s a grey day, inside and out. Outside the front door of our villa, Lake Como is still. The early morning fog has lifted and I can barely see the snow-capped mountains in the distance. I was told that this is the best weather they’ve had in decades, so I guess we shouldContinue reading “Leaving Italy”

LENNO, ITALY— This column is supposed to be about a restaurant I visited last week on the island of Burano, just across the lagoon from Venice. Osteria da Romano reminds me of an Italian version of Galatoire’s. The waiters wear starched white jackets and bow ties, several generations of family members operate the restaurant afterContinue reading “Friends from Mississippi to Milan”

VENICE, ITALY— When one tells another that he is going to Europe for a year and bringing his wife, 14 year-old daughter, and 10 year-old son, there are two typical responses that are tendered: “That will be such a wonderful learning experience for the children.” Or, “Are you out of your mind?” The former responseContinue reading “How to Travel with Children In Europe”

Eating Europe Week 12 PALERMO, SICILY— The longer I stay in Italy, the more I want to pitch a tent, skip the rest of the countries on my yearlong list, and dive into the Italian food and culture as deeply as I can. France, Spain, and a dozen other countries with storied cuisine and customsContinue reading “It’s Not North or South, It’s Just Local”

Amalfi, Italy— “God called the dry ground ‘land’ and the gathered waters he called ‘seas.’ And God saw that it was good.”— Genesis I:10. In case you were wondering, God was looking at the Amalfi Coast when he said that. For 50 years I have been drawn to photographs of Italy’s Amalfi Coast. It hasContinue reading “Ciao Rome, Eating Europe Week 11”

Eating Europe Week 10 ROME— Yesterday we regretfully left Villa Il Santo in the Tuscan countryside and made our way down the A-1 toll road to the capital city. As we were packing and shutting down the villa, I worried that we might have reached this expedition’s pinnacle just 10 weeks into the yearlong journey.Continue reading “The Tuscany Top Six”

Week Nine Eating Europe Lesson #267— The tourist places are crowded for a reason: There is usually something worthwhile, awe-inspiring, memorable, and/or inspirational to see or experience in those locations. Leaving home, I had the attitude that I was going to steer clear of the tourist spots and keep it local. The problem with thatContinue reading “Things I Have Learned While Eating Europe”

FLORENCE, ITALY— I eat for a living. Over the course of the last 30 years I’ve eaten all manner of meals in all types of locations. Last week I enjoyed one of the most unique meals I have ever eaten. I enjoyed it in one of the most unusual settings I have ever seen, inContinue reading “Teatro del Sale”