Gigi's Italia

In my mind, it's the most iconic image of Italy. No, not the Coliseum, or a Venice gondolier, or the statue of David. To me, the most iconic image is people sitting around the table, often in a beautiful setting with rolling hills, blue sea, or vineyards in the background, eating simple, but great food … Continue reading 128. Around the Table

I get a little zing whenever Anthony Fauci comes on the TV. I stop everything to listen. Sure, he's one of the true greats of our time, a savior helping us emerge from not one, but two epidemics -- AIDS and COVID -- a genius both scientifically and in his ability to communicate calmly, clearly … Continue reading 127. My Tribe

Fully vaccinated, I had the nearly forgotten pleasure of packing my bags and heading to the airport for a weekend trip to visit my daughter Lizy in Chicago. In addition to being where my daughter and her husband now live, Chicago is a place with great personal significance for me, as my mother grew up … Continue reading 126. Roots Tour

Having reached an age where I am among the first to receive a coronavirus vaccine, and often find myself getting a senior discount without even asking, I am sensitive to how older people are treated and portrayed. (Hearing older people being called "cute," although meant as a compliment, is like fingernails on a blackboard to … Continue reading 125. Elders

Every few years, my parents would bundle into the car and drive all the way to the Avon Theater in Providence, Rhode Island, the nearest art cinema. Why? Sophia and Marcello, naturally. No need for last names. The charm of these actors, Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, both individually and in tandem, makes every one … Continue reading 124. Sophia

In my household, the word tucci means male genitalia. It's not a cute word that one of our kids used as babies or anything like that. It's actually named for the actor Stanley Tucci, who made a big impression on us when we saw him in 2003 in Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de … Continue reading 123. Tucci

I just finished Jane Christmas' book Incontinent on the Continent: My Mother, Her Walker, and Our Grand Tour of Italy. Ms. Christmas, a Canadian writer of physical and spiritual "journey memoirs," decided to take a six-week jaunt through Italy with her elderly mother, with the not-so-hidden agenda of settling long-held scores and growing closer. Both … Continue reading 122. Travels with Mama

I always have angels from Naples at the top of the tree On December 14, 1984, my father, a nearly daily correspondent, tells me that he had spent the morning writing a letter to his nephew Giacomo in Rome. Even though he spent his first nineteen years in Italy, he writes, "It is so hard … Continue reading 121. Christmas in the pandemia

It appears to be unknowable. If you Google "How many types of pasta are there in Italy?" you will get answers ranging from 67 to thousands. I would be inclined to put my money on the thousands, as every town seems to have its own specialties -- by size, shape, ingredients, and preparation -- not … Continue reading 119. Pasta Gigi