I can't say I'm a big fan of opera, but I was eager to see Ron Howard's new documentary about Luciano Pavarotti. I remember the tenor for his spirit, his charisma, his charm. And sure enough, it was on full display in this film, which played to a packed house of mostly ladies who sat … Continue reading 83. Opera Buff
Last night, I went to see the documentary Walking on Water, about the artist Christo's 2016 installation The Floating Piers at Lago di Oseo in northern Italy. The Floating Piers was a nearly two-mile-long, saffron-colored, fabric-on-polyethylene- cube walkway on the lake, extending out to and around an island. Christo, now 83 years old, is probably … Continue reading 82. Walk on Water
On an eight-day trip to Barcelona, hopping on a cheap, ninety-minute flight to Sardinia for two days proved irresistible. Here are some of the memorable things we saw in Cagliari, the provincial capital of the island: So now I get why they're called sun-dried tomatoes. Duh.Every town in Italy seems to have its own pasta … Continue reading 81. Scenes of Cagliari
My normal experience of Italian beaches, judging from Serapo beach in Gaeta, is that they are organized by beach clubs, each with its distinctive color. Each club's section contains rows and rows of precisely arranged chairs and umbrellas, anchored by a stablimento providing changing rooms and showers, refreshments, and sometimes even full restaurants. Families, with … Continue reading 80. Teen Beach
We spent the morning at Mercato di San Benedetto in Cagliari, Sardinia. I had previously learned that even though Sardinia is an island, the cuisine is not seafood-based because up until the 1950s, malaria was a problem in the low-lying, swampy areas near the sea. Therefore, people lived up in the hills, eating meat and … Continue reading 79. You Are Who You Eat
I attended Philadelphia's Italian Market Festival curious to know what, if anything, would feel genuinely Italian. A centerpiece of the event is the greased pole climb. It's the kind of thing I would have associated with events like the Iowa State Fair, but it turns out that its roots are in Europe in the Middle … Continue reading 78. The Italian Market Festival
I don't know anything about sports. Or probability. But waiting at gate B5 at Boston's Logan Airport yesterday, staring at the wall honoring New England sports legends, there seemed to be an over-supply of Italian names. I counted six among the twenty or so names, more than I imagine the representation of Italians in the … Continue reading 77. Physical Culture
As I've found throughout Italy, the streets are filled with well-behaved, clearly pampered dogs, many of whom make their way around the city, unleashed but smart enough not to get into fights or run into traffic. Here's a little guy who works in his father's bar, greeting guests and being generally adorable. This photo was … Continue reading 75. Scenes of Rome
You cannot walk into an old church anywhere in Italy, and fail to see something beautiful, whether it's a priceless Caravaggio or a "simple" ceiling mosaic. Non-Catholics are often scornful of the expense and effort that went into religious artistic expression, high and low, when that wealth could have gone towards more worthy, concrete needs … Continue reading 76. Church Matters
It is often said, at least by me, that you can't get a bad meal in Italy. The shared standards are too high, and food is just too culturally important there, to scrimp on ingredients or take shortcuts on methods. One would do well, however, to avoid places overlooking major tourist attractions or with posted … Continue reading 74. Roman Meal
Gigi's Italia 