Abruzzo, Forte e Gentile

Abruzzo: forte e gentile (“strong and gentle”) is the description of an old traveler’s guide. This region has captivated us and we’re spending a lot of time there now: Pino’s restoration team is working on earthquake restoration (due to the 2009 earthquake). “Strong” certainly are the fortified medieval borghi (tiny village cluster) clinging to the…

In Gualdo Tadino, San Donato Euphoria

We took the motorcycle to Gualdo Tadino at the end of September to a medieval festivals where donkeys star (a draw for Pino, who has a few asinelli). During our nearly forty years living in Umbria, we’ve been assiduous followers of all the many festivals, most of them celebrating a competition among districts of the…

Our Ties to Sirolo

We first headed to Sirolo, Marches region seaside gem, in the early 1980’s with our sons, toddlers then (Giulia not yet born). And we’ve been back uncountable times since then. For us, no Sirolo stay is complete with a seafood lunch at Ristorante Da Giustina. Just outside Sirolo, this pleasant family-run restaurant in the midst…

Sirolo Beckons

I asked Lorenzo, owner (with all his family) of Hotel Il Parco in Sirolo about how business was this past rainy summer (the coldest, wettest in 240 years, they say) and he smiled, “Bene, grazie a Dio.” He added, “We worked quite alot this summer as we have so many return clients who come back…

Petroio’s Political Culinary Festival

From early April to late October, sagras – outdoor village food festivals – animate the evenings all over central Italy. They all have common threads: ten-day festivals highlighted by outdoor dinners at long tables (under tents in inclement weather) of typical local cuisine cooked by volunteers (often local farm women) and served by other volunteers…