Sogni di gelato (ice cream dreams) Vista magazine I scoured the racks in Fiesole and found a beautiful local magazine, Vista, with a subtitle, Being Cool and Keeping Cool in Tuscany. Since we’re in the midst of sweltering August heat, my interest was piqued. I thumbed through the issue and found many user-friendly ideas, but the […]
Em’s mom said, “I have something I want to say to you.” She began, “I want to tell you about my dream about the future.” She said that she wants us to live in her house when she is gone. Em thought about it for a moment and thanked her for sharing it with him. […]
Ferdinand Cheval Mailman by day and architect by night. Poet and visionary. In his own words chiseled into the walls of his beloved Palais Idéal, Ideal Palace, he said the following: “In creating this rock, I wanted to prove what the will can do,” and “work of only one man.” His life is truly an […]
Ferruccio Lamborghini decided to create super sports cars to compete with Ferrari, which already had a 16 year head-start—an almost impossible challenge. He was 47 years old at the time, and already a famous Italian entrepreneur. People thought he was crazy to risk his fortune to build specialty cars that were clearly an unjustifiable […]
The Ancient Wall Lucca is an unforgettable Tuscan town. As if time has stood still, the ancient brick walls enclose the city, keeping their promise to protect it. Now rather than being closed off with enormous wood and iron doors, the wall is punctuated with open arches through which people flow freely to enjoy the […]
We first went to Barcelona in our early 20s. Traveling Europe together on Eurail passes, Hostels and very little money, we intended to experience the cultures from an ordinary perspective and to see every architectural treasure we could get our eyes on. The ultimate jewels in that treasure chest lay in Catalonia where the famous […]
An invitation arrived 6 months ago by email. Simple. Straightforward. The message read, “At their place in Tuscany, some friends are hosting an event to launch my latest book, Etruscan Evenings. We hope you’ll be able to join us! Kind regards, Linda Lambert.” Ancient Arezzo Linda included the names of her “Tuscan” hosts, Baron William, […]
In the Ligurian town of Rapallo, along the northern coast of Italy, three brothers are making a name for themselves and their restaurant.. They attract a diverse crowd at their popular place called K2—but that’s only the beginning. More than a mere meal, what really happens behind the driving beat, the flashing big screens, the […]
The window was open and he went for it. You can’t blame him. Any one of us would have done the same thing, given the circumstances. Meet Grigio This story could be a take-off on the ever popular Beatles song, or, about a devious thief in the night, or . . . just a simple […]
“Check that latest draft message and send it on if you’re ready!” Communication Link Morning voices bounce through the hard-surface stairwell with collaborative news. We each sit in front of our own computers on different floors typing away. We are once again reminded how connected this life has become. Most of our e-mails are signed […]
