Somewhere near the main piazza of any Italian town – no matter now small – il monumento ai caduti (literally, “the monument to the falllen”) – pays tribute to those townspeople who died in World War I and World War II. [lcaption]In tiny Collepino (pop. about 25) near Assisi, pink limestone memorial to the six…
A small frazione (a “fraction” or suburb) of Assisi, Rivotorto, has a big heart: for three mid-February nights, local volunteers cooked up Norcia specialties as a fund-raiser for this southeastern Umbrian mountain town, damaged in the October 2016 and January 2017 earthquakes. And this is their “second time around”: in September, the village put on…
Italy’s “good-eating” region is certamente Emilia Romagna where the region’s capital city, elegant, porticoed Bologna, lives up to its appellation, “la città del cibo” (“the city of food”). Bologna, Emilia Romagna porticoed gem On a sunny mid-February day, we took the train there so that Pino could view a restoration project his team will bid…
Nowadays, only one farmwoman, Novella, sells her vegetables at Piazzetta dell’Erba (“the little piazza of the grass/grasses”, i.e. vegetables) Only Novella today at Assisi’s Piazzetta dell’Erba But years ago, the entire small piazza was encircled with vegetable vendors. Piazzetta dell’Erba years ago(Photo thanks to Claudio Carli) During my first pregnancy in 1979, I quickly realized…
Week-end ballroom dancing, kaleidoscope parades of floats topped with costumed and masked ebullient children and adults – and myriads of enticing sweets – tell you Carnevale (Mardi Gras) has arrived in Italy, Week-end ballroom dancing Enjoy the photos of carri allegorici [slick-slider design=”design-2″ category=”46″ show_content=”true” dots=”false” arrows=”true” autoplay=”true” sliderheight=”580″ autoplay_interval=”5000″ speed=”1000″] ..and what sweets!…
The names of Assisi’s traditional Carnevale sweets are a whimsical, playful symphony to the ear: castagnole, brighelle, frappe’, zeppole, panzerotti. Savoring them is poetry to the palate. You’ll find them at the two locations of Assisi’s Pasticceria/Bar Sensi from January 17th to martedì grasso (or “Fat Tuesday,” i.e., the day before Ash Wednesday and the…
Cafeteria eating elsewhere might not be too tempting, but try a good one in Italy and you’ll be in for suprises. Including the price: our early February lunch for two at a L’Aquila “self-service” (Italians use the English term) was 19 Euro, wine included! In early February in L’Aquila, Pino had meetings about reconstruction work…
On an early February jaunt with Pino to L’Aquila to see a restoration job for his crew, we pulled off the road at a small hut, La Baita, near Rieti. La Baita is an obligatory stop for us as we head to L’Aquila and later in the day, as we return home to Assisi. Usually,…
Another “along-for-the-ride” trip with Pino, off to see possible restoration projects for his crew. And this time, not very close to home but in Ferrara in Emilia Romagna. (If Pino’s restoration company wins the bid, a group of workers will stay there, Monday-to-Friday…) We’d last been there years ago and were eager to wander again…