In 1987, Ben and I decided to honeymoon in Italy. And what a wonderful trip that was, three weeks driving aimlessly, stopping in any town that caught our fancy. Of course, many of our highlights were food-related: not surprisingly, a wonderful dinner In Parma, known worldwide for its prosciutto, but also a great restaurant in … Continue reading 43. Looking Back
One stereotype of Southern Italy is that it is a dangerous place. Whether from the higher rates of poverty and unemployment than the North's, or because of its famous crime syndicates -- the Mafia in Sicily, the Camorra in Napoli, the 'Ndrangheta in Calabria -- one feels maybe one is taking a bit of a … Continue reading 42. Criminals
My mother's family story is the classic story of Italian immigration. According to my cousin Joan O'Reilly, our grandparents both came as children from the mountain village of Trivigno, Basilicata, searching for economic opportunity and a better life. My grandfather Anthony Casella, an orphan, came with his older sister when he was ten, and was … Continue reading 41. My mother’s side
What does it mean to be related? Why do we feel a bond to family with whom we share little but DNA? I wonder, and yet I feel very emotional when I have the chance to spend time with my Italian cousins. My cousin Angela and I share the name of our paternal grandmother - … Continue reading 40. Cousins
My sentimental choice for Best Beach in the World is Spiaggia di Serapo in Gaeta, Italy, my father's hometown. Characteristically, it is divided up into private beach clubs with perfectly even rows and rows of matching umbrellas and chairs. Uncharacteristically, the sand is white and fine, not rocky, and the swimming is just perfect.My father … Continue reading 39. Swimming Along
"In 1948 after a long war and almost 10 years of absence, I went back to Gaeta, arrived at my home at 10 in the morning, changed into my shorts and just like the good old days, I went to the beach. I continued doing that until 1951 when I got married. It was only … Continue reading 38. Roots
My guilty pleasure is reading memoirs by people, usually American but also British and Australian, who have moved to Italy, often simply because they have fallen in love with the place. You'd actually be surprised to know how many of these exist; I own at least 20, and have read many more from the library. … Continue reading 37. Bella Figura
I tried it. Those who have done Italian road trips are well familiar with Autogrill, the series of highway rest stops. Known for their fantastic food, they are also known for the shopping area one must pass on the way to the exit. You can buy toys to keep the kiddies from fighting in the … Continue reading 36. Hot Tuna
I was surprised to see the article on Grottaglie in today's New York Times. Grottaglie is a town in very southern Puglia that is known for its ceramics. The town is cram-packed with ceramics shops, which are themselves cram-packed with their wares. The whole thing can make you dizzy. I am reminded of our day … Continue reading 35. Crockery
Going back to Pompeii, Italians are as dog crazy as Americans are. 22% of Italians are dog-owners, which translates into nearly 7 million dogs, both working and pets. The sheep farm we visited had at least ten shepherding dogs that I counted, although some seemed to be working harder than others. This included a month-old … Continue reading 34. Dog Days
