We drive to the sleepy lakeside village of Cernobbio to hone our far niente skills.
Lake Como is a glorious shade of blue in the warm sun of la primavera. As always, I scan for our Laglio neighbor, George Clooney, although in all these years I have never caught a glimpse. Someday…
Good morning! Our day day starts on a cozy park bench and cappuccino on the waterfront promenade. The sprawling port fills with small children and families, walking, playing and making a joyful noise.
Breakfast of Champions
I queue at the lively fish truck, Pescheria Goldfish, for ultra-fresh calamari fritti. The proprietor gets kinda snippy when I ask for a bit of lemon. Ouch, lesson learned.
The golden rings are gorgeous, the size of bracelets, fresh and succulent. The ultimate breakfast — delizioso!
Civilized
Classy little towns like Cernobbio serve classy little aperativo – cheese, olives, charcuterie and beautiful bites. Café Vincenzo Dascanio is no exception. We lean in and linger on their lovely blossoming patio.
Our glasses of Falanghina are dry and crisp. As the sun sets over the charming garden setting, soft jazz and twinkly lights come up, and our far niente skills bloom like Vincenzo’s pink azaleas.
Lazy Sightseeing
We refresh. We recharge. We ramble a few mildly challenging wooded paths, explore winding downtown alleyways, snap photos like tourists and savor endless lake views.
Pop into a gilded cathedral or two. Tour magnificent Villa Bernasconi and/or Villa d’Este. Stroll sprawling public gardens and thoughtfully designed green spaces. And don’t miss the tranquil, overgrown “secret” that is Segreto Giardino della Valle!
Expect the Unexpected
We’re grateful for the occasional glimpse of graffiti, here, which reminds us that Cernobbio is a “real” place, not a theme park.
The Driver enjoys surprise, spectacular openings to the lake. He gazes seriously into the water, assessing its clarity and color. He spots the occasional lake fish – some as big as cats. Meow.
We indulge in a bit of informal lakeside bird watching — such healthy, happy pigeons!
Arrivederci!
We bid a fond farewell to our chubby feathered friends, to our convenient downtown digs, and prepare to return to work among the bright seasonal patterns and colors we have come to love!
Pistoia is an ancient and somewhat gritty walled city tucked between Florence and Lucca. It’s just far enough off the beaten track for locals to outnumber tourists, which is just about the right balance.
We arrange a week in an ancient yet contemporary, updated apartment — a favorite combination. We find ourselves the up-the-street neighbor to the glorious Madonna dell’Umiltà, below right.
Chiesa di Sant’AndreaMadonna dell’Umiltà
A week is the perfect amount of time to experience Pistoia’s open market, a few museums and galleries, her fabulously striped cathedrals, and several well-chosen restaurants.
Sip & Savor
La Fiaschetteria is known for fresh pasta and laid-back atmosphere. The staff is charming and the fare, delizioso. A delicate asparagus flan bathed in parmesan cream is unctuous, velvety and addictive.
Spending a lazy afternoon in the bohemian, jolly and relaxed ambience of La Fiaschetteria while eating our way through the stellar menu is a great choice — highly recommended!
“Mangia Poco, Mangia Bene, Mangia Toscano.”
We mangia Toscano at Bono di Nulla.The Driver savors a beautiful plate of pork Etrusca con Patate, tender and flavorful. I stay in my lane with a fragrant plate of Pici Tartufo. I eat truffle pasta at every opportunity while traveling in Tuscany — I can’t get enough!
To Market
Don’t miss Piazza della Sala, an ancient market square with a stone well topped by a lion. The piazza’s bars and restaurants open in late afternoon, and della Sala becomes a lively and engaging hub.
Dazzling fruit and vegetable markets rock the Piazza della Sala daily. Here you can buy everything from curlers to cannelloni. We pick up a juicy lemon for our evening meal at our hip home-away.
Art & Soul
Adjacent to Piazza della Sala is Piazza dell’Ortaggio, with arresting bronze, “Giro del Sole” by Roberto Barni, in which three blindfolded men walk in different directions, carrying an oil lamp. Hm.
Climb the stairs of Palazzo del Giano, a stone palace that was city hall for centuries, now il Museo Civico d’Arte Antica, a serene and sprawling collection of art and artifacts from centuries past.
In the entryway stands Il Miracolo, a bronze created by Marino Marini, Pistoia’s most famous native son, of a rider and fallen horse. The rider does not fall off, and hope prevails – an inspiring image for troubled times.
Don’t miss the grandissimo museum dedicated to Marini, il Museo Marino Marini, Pistoia’s own world-class modern artist — many of his finest works are here.
There are plenty of exhibitions and galleries for fans of contemporary art. A biglietto cumulativo will get you entrance to three museums, and is good for three days, available in Palazzo del Giano.
Blues Fest
Another great reason to return is the annual Pistoia Blues Festival, featuring international blues legends. Check out this 1986 poster we found at Fiaschetteria. What a lineup! Booking our return now…
Stripes & More Stripes
The Driver studies the facade of the Church of Sant’Andrea. The remarkable relief over the door depicts the Journey of the Magi from France to Rome – via the very street on which The Driver stands.
Each day we pass the striking black-and-white stripes of Chiesa di San Giovanni Fuorcivitas, stunning!
And Piazza de Duomo‘s gorgeous Gothic Baptistery of San Giovanni, built in the mid-14th century. We adore her stripes and sexy octagonal contours.
You can’t miss the mighty bell tower in the Piazza del Duomo – over 220 feet tall, with a few modest stripes. She can be seen from all over the city. Savvy travelers use the tower to orient themselves.
Grit and Glory
Pistoia occupies a fascinating intersection of gritty and pretty. The contrast occasionally stops me in my tracks, like this grimy pig’s head jutting from Sant’Andrea. How I would love to know her story!
And Ospedale del Ceppo, a distinctive historic hospital building adorned with colorful glazed terracotta saints and flowers, and storytelling relief by Piero Della Robbia.
Ospidale Ceppo also houses a creepy collection of surgical instruments from the 17th century, displayed within. Not for the faint of heart.
Serene Surprise
Try a Sunday afternoon in Pistoia’s sprawling, local parks full of families, kids and dogs. This is a livable city, family-friendly, eco-forward, and proud of its Tuscan history. We will return!
Traveling in troubled times can feel frivolous, but to us, it is essential. We break away to the south of France where we hope to to recharge our creative spirits for 2023.
We arrive in Nice. La Rachel is waiting, as promised. We pile into her espresso-colored Fiat and rumble into town into fetch Theater Boy and Wendy — there they are! Life is suddenly very, very good.
Overjoyed, we revive in Place Garibaldi with truffle scrambled eggs, boeuf tartare and greedy sips of Champagne. All five of us begin to decompress — we lean in, delighted.
Provence with a View
We arrive at our roomy digs in San Tropez. We toast ourselves and the stunning views over a cheese candelabra and the “intangible cultural heritage” that is baguette. We loll, laugh and linger.
Evening falls and the candles burn down, yet our feast continues with a deep, dark Boeuf Bourguignon a la Rachel, densely flavored and satisfying. We five agree that this is indeed the life.
Sip, Savor and Explore
And so this is Christmas! We begin our exploration of St. Tropez with a stroll through narrow streets of buildings in 50 shades of yellow. We lunch at Cafe de Paris overlooking the blue Mediterranean.
Our Champagne-fueled excess continues with a feast of marrow bones, delicate shrimp, and beautiful, deep yellow squash velouté. Ah.
Wine Country I – Les Arcs
We decide to explore the wine-soaked countryside, starting in Les Arcs, a quaint little town with clusters of ancient stone homes along steep, winding pathways to the historic clock tower.
It is easy to get lost among the charms of this tiny village. I wander away from our group, distracted by quirky medieval flourishes along the tangle of narrow streets.
Les Arcs is serene and quiet — a thoughtful place. A fleeting sense of being lost recalls the wisdom in the famous phrase, “Not all those who wander are lost.”
Wine Country II
The trusty espresso Fiat carries us through the mountains into the verdant hills of Font du Broc winery.
The enormous estate of organic grapevines and olive groves shares its magical terroir with wild horses, visitors and wine enthusiasts. The grounds are beautiful and the wines, delicieux!
Interior and exterior spaces are generous, full of light. We discuss whose next major event is most worthy of celebrating at Font du Broc. We leave with dazzled smiles, several bottles of rosé, and a vow to return.
St. Maxime
Ah Provence. It’s a quick drive to St. Maxime, an ancient town with more patisseries than supermarkets. This humble village is a great place to shop — more cheese, please! — and bathe in history.
We admire the tenacity and gravitas of the thousand-year-old olive tree rooted in the square. Amazing.
San Tropez Histoire
We devote a few days to the local wonders of San Tropez. We climb Citadel Hill, built in 1602 to defend the coastal harbor against Spain. Overlooking San Tropez to the east, water views are vast and mighty.
Citadel is home to the Musée de l’Histoire Maritime Tropézienne. Revel in sepia photos of weathered fishermen, and films of posh transatlantic transport in the 1920s — boozy, glittering and dancing wildly.
Don’t miss the wild peacocks in lustrous blue! The canny birds direct us down the hill to a jolly prix-fixe lunch of chicken tagine, squid and local wines — a banner day of touring in our seafaring home-away.
Shop Local
A morning walk leads to the open market in Place des Lices and a taste of “vieux” San Tropez. We sip robust and bitter coffee at Café des Arts, watch a game of pétanque, and let the world go by.
To Italophiles like us, pétanque most resembles bocce. It is played passionately, competitively and lazily — a beautiful and mysterious combination.
Cannes Cool
Hoping to catch some “Cannes Cool,” we motor along the winding waterfront to the the historic heart of Cannes. Despite a reputation for glitz and glamour, her ancient harbor shelters both fishing and luxury vessels — impressive egalité!
We make the vertiginous climb to a glorious 12th century cathedral, where, along with gorgeous paintings of saints and martyrs, there is a corny and creepy diorama of Santa’s workshop. Oh, well.
We lunch in a sunny waterfront bistro, and decide that despite the movie-star mojo and glam reputation, Cannes is a grande dame with a heart.
We’re charmed!
Antibes
En route, we detour to Antibes for an informative and delicious tasting of biodynamic wines at Entre 2 Vins. We savor local cheeses, paté and conviviality. Ten thumbs-up for Entre 2 Vins.
In Antibes, I stumble across some of the best advice I have ever received:
Another stupendous day for Epicurious Five!
Sea, Sand and Smoke
A short drive from San Tropez takes us to Ramatuelle, a serene cove with craggy Mediterranean views and soft sandy stretches — perfect for lazy, non-hiking enthusiasts like me. I bask — they hike.
As usual, the beachy beauty makes us hungry. We indulge in a ridiculously flavorful seaside lunch at Chez Camille, starting with chilled rosé, of course.
Sweet grilled peppers appear alongside salty anchovy spread. Dense and flavorful Bouillabaisse featuring an abundance of local seafood is wood-fired and gorgeous. Chorus: More rosé, yes!
We power through tangy tartes citron and bitter espresso. All this beachy indulgence is of course followed by a nap.
Art & Soul I
Back home in San Tropez, we devote a whole day to the arts with a heady visit to L’Annonciade museum in the heart of town.
Here we find wondrous works by Matisse, Derain, Gromaire, Vuillard and more. I fall in love with Van Dongen’s “Femmes a la Balustrade,” above. I could gaze at her for the rest of my life.
We recognize our local harbor, “San Tropez, Le Port,” by by Albert Marquet, 1905. Beautiful! And the waterfront still looks much the same.
Theater Boy and I are mutually stunned by the power of this hidden gem.
Senequier!
As always, all this art and soul makes us hungry. As the day wanes, we head to the twinkling red awning that is Senequier, one of San Tropez’s most crowded, popular and delicious destinations.
Here we enjoy enormous escargots, and briny salmon fumé. Plates of veal, shrimp, and chicken paillard. We eat and eat and eat, washing it down with white burgundy and a few Campari spritz. S’wonderful!
Senequier is also a cultural landmark: Sartre honed his writing chops right here in this venerable café.
Art & Soul II
We stumble onto an exhibition of contemporary works by Paul Richard Mason, whose quirky black and white sculptures and colorful paintings express a wise, joyous and playful spirit.
Born in Chicago and raised in London, Mason now lives and works in San Tropez. He speaks highly of his life here, “We have a great woman mayor!” he says. I am honored to meet this local, working artist.
Tarte Tropezienne
Don’t miss the city’s trademark treat, Tarte Tropezienne — soft brioche with vanilla cream, topped with chunky sugar crystals. Yum. Served with glass of local rosé, of course.
Brigitte Bardot tasted Tarte Tropezienne and declared she was in love. I get it.
Full Circle
And suddenly, it’s New Year’s Eve. A balmy night, people strolling the waterfront, sipping drinks and greeting friends. We circle back to Cafe de Paris, where we first began our holiday, for a dazzling celebration.
This must be France. There is a knockout prix-fixe menu featuring mushroom tart with truffles; foie gras with pear; lobster with coral butter; seared turbot with white caviar butter; roasted venison with parsnips; more truffles … and on and on and on. Delicious, decadent and abundantly appropriate!
Rachel says, “This is wild!” and it is. I am wide-eyed. Le Café is jam-packed. In the wee hours, we spot three beautiful women dancing on tables. The scene is epic, mind-blowing, magnifique!
Au Revoir
Theater Boy and Wendy depart early the next morning — surely, slightly hung-over. We bid them a bleary, “Au Revoir!” It has been a memorable and wondrous recharge, and we are deeply grateful. •
We descend from the Sagnino clouds to our home-away on Lake Como. Shimmering water, ever-changing light and soothing views — that’s our little Argegno home-away.
Our place is still a crazy 111 steps up from the centro. We count, ascending and descending, as if it has magically changed. It hasn’t. We pause to catch our breath and often, a great view.
Our work takes us to clanging, honking, shouting cities like Milan, Firenze and Roma. And we’re always happy to return to our luminous “home away” after each fashion-forward fix.
Abbondanza
Sant Abbondio (d. 469) is Como’s patron saint. Celebrating abbondanza! in his name, we sip, savor and explore the local bars and bistros. We’re louche, lazy and love it.
The Driver is relaxed. He is chill. Last time I saw him this happy was Ischia, seven weeks ago. Driving can sometimes be harrowing, but this savvy wheelman is a champ.
We sip and savor at La P’Osteria and Barchetta, enjoying springtime ambiance. Easter madness has begun, with kids running in dizzying circles. Parents nod and smile, wearily.
We sun ourselves over a pizza or two at Hotel Argegno — delicious! And watch the show.
A seriously buff film crew zigzags the lake on electric surfboards, standing and waving (!) while filming. The lakeside crowd murmurs, “meraviglioso!” in awe and approval.
Arrivederci
Our seven weeks is at an end, our 50 days almost through. We book our last night at Hotel Borgo Nuovo in Chiaravalle, in the rural willywags of Milan. This friendly boutique hotel features farm-to-table cuisine and comfy-chic ambiance. It’s always an upscale, down-home finale here on the banks of the Esino.
Every time you turn a corner, there is another sunrise, sunset or breathtaking view not to be missed. This beloved countryside provides both inspiration and feeling of accomplishment that is unique to travel — best described as utter and total satisfaction.
Hey, I said that. Pretty good.
We conclude our sixth week way up in Como’s Sagnino hills, on the Swiss-Italian border.
We wave buongiorno each morning to friends in Zurich from our barrel-vaulted hipster apartment. Yes, we know they can’t see us, but we greet them anyway. Ciao, amici!
Honing our far niente skills, we’re immersed in Sagnino’s gentle version of la dolce vita. We stroll the tranquil, verdant hills. The Driver hikes a friendly hunk of Monte Sasso.
La Serenità
Fabio the cat keeps us company. He guards the plucky yellow daisy that accompanies us since gritty Montesilvano, and keeps an eye on us from above. Grazie, dear Fabio.
We breathe in, breathe out. We lean in and love it.
La Diavola
Fine dining in an ancient horse barn, wow. We celebrate the simple life at upscale restaurant, Il Diavolo L’acqua Santa, with a deep, decadent dive into local cuisine.
Chef Nicola and Owner Stefano
Don’t miss “Seven Sins of the Chef,” a multi-course tasting menu designed to blow your mind. Chef Nicola puts sin into perspective with The Driver’s fave,pappardelle with wild boar ragú. I prefer delicatetagliolini pasta with shrimp and citrus, or the nightly risotto, this evening jazzed with local wine, bresaola and Casera cheese. Or my weakness, black (or white) truffle tortellaccio. Heck, anything “al Tartufo” works for me!
Beef carpaccio, raised in Parco del Curone, Lombardia
We share a bottle or two of Chianti. Linger over manzo carpaccio with shaved artichoke and pecorino. Extend our evening into café, dolci e grappa. Highly recommended!
Fashion Follies
Nestled in Sagnino’s luscious and tranquil hills, we’re having a little trouble gearing up for work. We strain to re-focus on color, style and trends — from sublime to ridiculous.
Motivi 2022
Max Mara 2022
Corriere della Sera 1962
Moschino Spring 2022
Leisure-wear is ubiquitous, unisex and tiresome. We observe sneakers, sneakers, sneakers, and an abundance of beige. Upscale sweatpants feature incongruous trouser creases. The venerable necktie has all but disappeared — and here we are in the epicenter of silk.
Keep Hope Alive
Devastated, we keep hope alive with a collection of colorful silk squares from Como’s finest in vivid shades of magenta, gold, acid green, indigo and violet. Pow!
Then, being of sound mind, we beat it it for the lake. We hope the shimmering water, ever-changing light and soothing views will provide a welcome antidote to fashion angst. •
Giuseppe Garibaldi, farmer turned soldier, surveying the central piazza named for him.
Parma is a champion of sustainable development. With a vibrant pedestrian center, the city is alive with chatty students, swanning hipsters, buskers and a billion bikes. Cars keep their distance and compete for parking outside the centro — life the way it should be. What took us so long to get here?
Art & Soul
Rafaelo Sauzio’s portrait of Cardinal Alessandro, future Pope Paul III, 1509.
We roam the16th century Palazzo Pilotta. Wander its light-filled spaces and savor the collection in its national gallery and works by local painterly legends like Correggio and Parmegianino.
Gorgeous! Head of a Young African in marble and volcanic basalt. Stunning.
Don’t miss the pompous, portly busts of Ranuccio II Farnese by Bernini. Glory in his royal puffiness! Rejoice in his royal paunch!
Leggendo
Palazzo Pilotta includes a magnificent library. The Driver is impressed. “These book are real,” he says. And they are, hundreds and hundreds. Religious paintings and Farnese family portraits glow and dazzle.
CLOSE-UP: The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine by Parma’s own Anniibale Carracci, c. 1585
On The Boards
Spectacular golden light — we’re wowed by the palazzo’s soaring Teatro Farnese. Yes, the theater is all wood, built in the 17th century. The space is magical.
Swoon at the sight of this elegant, exquisite DaVinci.
Fashion Forecast
In an attempt to remember why we’re here, we cruise the fashionable Borgo Tomassini, an eclectic alley with Parisian mojo. An installation of dozens of mirrors reflects the euros changing hands below.
“Babol” pink is everywhere, along with several shades of smeraldo green; tangerine, periwinkle and poppy.
Looks like 50 Shades of Happy for 2022 / 23. Can’t hurt.
Sustenance
Window shopping makes us hungry. We spot Cardinal Bar, lively and full of locals. The Tortelli Parmigiana is rich and unctuous, under a rough handful of famous formaggio. A loaded salumi plate is a savory knockout. With a lightly sparkling local red, life is delizioso here in Parma.
Hotel Villa Ducale, just outside the centro, is a great place to refresh, stock up on shampoo, and enjoy a dynamite breakfast. Bonus: Villa Ducale is surrounded by athletic fields. The Driver is ecstatic. He catches a spectacular roughneck rout — Italy vs. British women’s rugby. He is still glowing.
Sleep
We rest, recharge and hone our carpe diem skills in this lovely spot before heading to Como, the last stop on our 50-day odyssey.
One of Parma’s most famous residents is composer Giuseppe Verdi. There are Verdi festivals, Verdi roads and bridges, and dozens of grand sculptures. In Parma, I chat with the old boy daily via magic telephone. We canoodle in secluded piazzas. We tell each other everything. Love is definitely in the air.
Giuseppe is dashing, devilishly handsome and technologically savvy. Scan the code and listen to his beautiful, sonorous voice.
Montecatini Alto is a rewarding and vertiginous drive. It is petite and easy to explore. Our apartment is just a few steps from the main piazza. Landmarks include Torre dell’Orologio, Church of Carmine and Theatro di Risorti, now in delicate repair/reconstruction.
Relax in the centro. Explore the Torre, La Rocca, a cathedral or two. Wander narrow streets and rustic paths within the city walls, and, if you dare, on the steep hillsides that define Montecatini Alto.
The Driver loves exploring this tiny Tuscan treasure.
We experience full sun, a day of rain, and a small snow squall. Seriously. Just watching the weather is a total gas.
Sleep & Sustenance
Our apartment has great views and quirky fuses. You’d think I’d have learned by now not to run two “big” appliances at once. When the whole place goes dark, smiling neighbors finish cooking my chicken. Soon the system sorts itself, and so do we. We LOVE this place — truly madly deeply!
In a nearby café, surprise! A trio of bruschetta: white bean, velvety liver paté, and traditional fresh tomato. Followed by deeply earthly porcini pasta with wide yellow peppardelle — rustic and sexy. Then there is chinghiale, wild boar, ultimate Tuscan fare. Bitter green salads cleanse our ecstatic palates.
Art & Soul
Mimmo Rotella’s décollages at MoCA.
If you need a break from the altitude, descend the hill to charming MoCA Contemporary in Montecatini Terme. This first civic art gallery has works by distinguished Italian artists and many more, including a crazy-wonderful “Woman Entangled in a Flight of Birds” by Joan Mirò.
Art. Slow food. Walks. Views! Montecatini Alto has it all.
We are in Assisi, a lovely town. Saints, sun and solitude. Life is smooth.
I lock us out of our little apartment with the keys inside. So what. The landlord pops us back in with a credit card, that old trick. Unfussy and safe, Assisi is bathed in a golden glow.
“PACE” peace flags hang from town hall. Around every corner is a sign or symbol of support for Ukraine. An ancient drainpipe has been painted with small but vivid yellow and blue stripes.
Flowers bloom and babies howl. Life continues around us, incongruously beautiful.
Far Niente
Honing our far niente skills, as always, in Assisi’s central piazza. The Driver nurses his daily cappuccino. I have a Campari Spritz. The orange is the healthiest part of this Breakfast of Champions.
Art & Soul
Galleria d’Arte Perna, run by Alessandro Grimaldi, showcases the work of his brother, Paolo. His portraits of saints Francisco and Chiara radiate peace and simplicity — and are coming home with me.
From this spiritual high we head for Montecatini Alto, and an apartment that is literally in the clouds. •
With miles of beaches, Pescara has it all — fish, more fish, art and culture, and a lively coffee and bar scene. We know it is time to get back to work. We meet with a colleague who confirms this.
We find a favorite fish restaurant, Nausicaa, where we share a whole roasted orata with potatoes, and a decadent mound of linguine with clams. We trade plates back and forth as if we are invisible.
Art and Soul
IMAGO Museo is a must for contemporary art fans. The Art, Image And Truth exhibition features 73 artists whose most interesting works (to me) are images of women. An unforgettable Hall of Women II.
We’re fascinated by the painters of the Spanish Realidad, Hernandez, Mensa, Maya, Quetglas, and especially the work of José Ortega, to whom an entire hall of the exhibition is dedicated.
“Let’s Hurry Up!”
Joseph Bueys’ centenary is celebrated in the exhibition, “Defense of Nature. Let’s Hurry Up!” The photographs feel as contemporary as the environmental warnings he issued in the late 20th century.
Farsighted and prescient, this is time travel of the finest kind. Greta Thunberg would love this exhibition.
“To liberate people is the goal of art, therefore, for me art represents the Science of Freedom.” Joseph Beuys
Every important journey requires a few essentials. Simple wardrobe. Carefully chosen accessories. And a good driver. My driver is both skilled and reliable. He stops occasionally to smell the roses. And best of all, he is not too chatty.
The second part of our journey is to the southeast coast of this beloved country. We say goodbye to Naples, and all things Diego Maradona (Campione del mondo!), and head to sunny Bari.
We pop into Avellino en route for a birthday toast to our Neapolitan son-in-law. The friarielli salsicce pizza is earthy, bitter, and worthy of him. With a glass or two of Nero di Troia, it is an ancestral treat.
Check the little creatures — somebody had a sense of humor.
Troia is a hybrid where ancient cathedrals sit alongside solar-paneled benches with public USB ports. Hundreds of windmills twirl lazily in the distance beneath stunning blue sky and snow-capped peaks.
Casa Lilliput is aptly named and highly recommended. Our apartment has views, decks, great bedding, well-equipped kitchen, and a tiny but molto efficient washing machine. Bravo!
We sip and savor Pugliese wines while watching the new Ben Affleck thriller — in Italian. For us, it doesn’t get much better.
We spend a lazy Sunday in nearby Foggia, enjoying full-on spring, with families strolling quiet streets, heading for Nonna’s Sunday pranzo under glorious cherry blossoms.
Bari
On Bari’s working waterfront we find notorious El Chiringuito, where we hang with fishermen and sketchy dudes on the docks, drinking €1 Peroni each morning. The Driver is in ne’er do well heaven.
Bari’s working waterfront
We treat ourselves to Luxury Penthouse Seaview and its spectacular vistas. But we miss our bed in Troia and host, Tiziano. Lesson: Read the reviews. Do not be seduced by words like ‘luxury’ and ‘penthouse.’
Art & Soul
We daytrip to the National Gallery of Puglia in Bitonto, where I’m deeply moved by a painting of Mary Magdalene attributed to Artemisia Gentileschi. So moved, in fact, that I do not photograph her, preferring to keep this Mary for my mind’s eye alone.
The “Hall of Women,” seems to be a recurring theme in my travels, here. Stay tuned.
I pause at the sight of the “young cleric,” who bears an astonishing resemblance to The Driver, ages ago.
Grand Teatro Margherita presents a mind-blowing exhibition on plastics in the world’s oceans, amazing illustrations and graphics. Every citizen of the planet should see this exhibition — schoolkids first.
Oh my, I would love to hear Puccini at the grand Petruzzelli. Next time!
As always, all this art and soul makes us hungry. We binge on seafood through the alleys of Bari’s Murata district, and waterfront cafes. We continue our pesce marathon through Pescara, our last stop along the dazzling Adriatic.
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