Over two months of blistering heat here in Italy (summer, 2026) inspired all to seek the cool whenever possible. That mountainside area, Costa di Trex – just about 6 km from Assisi…
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What luck recently when connecting with truffle-hunter Loris: That day, he’d had a good morning truffling as I could tell peeping into his car’s front window (his two prized truffle dogs in…
Hottest summer in recorded history here in Italy…and not only. The heat dulls appetites and so most of our summetime dinners these days are centered on simple vegetable dishes. Eggplants in our…
Blistering weather this summer and TV news the other night announced the hottest in recorded history here in Umbria. Mamma mia! We’re eating many vegetable dishes, abundant amounts of fruit (watermelon especially!)…
What tasty gelato just a few kilometers from medieval gem, Assisi. Ice-cream appassionati will not want to miss this short detour. Head to an Assisi frazione (“a fraction,” i.e., a tiny suburb),…
I NEVER miss May 15th in Gubbio for the Corsa dei Ceri. There are endless memorable moments. Even viewing the stately 14th-c.medieval seat of government, Palazzo dei Consoli, on arrival brings moments…
Every year on April 30th, animated assisani gather in front of the Chiesa Nuova (“the New Church” – architecture of the early 17th-century!), just off Assisi’s main square, Piazza del Comune. To…
At a recent Assisi textile exhibit, a poster declares, embroidery can link peoples, “sharing a common thread.” The fascinating textile exhibit in the 14th- century medieval palazzo of Assisì, “citta’ della pace,”…
Naturalmente, black truffle (tartufo nero – and thus that “nero norcia“) stars every year (62nd edition this year!) at the Nero Norcia festival: Pino and I took in the festival on a…
A young pair from Bologna in vintage dress, with vintage instruments livened up this year’s Umbria Jazz Winter Festival in Orvieto with 1940’s and 1950’s rock n’ roll and country music. Their…