Gigi's Italia

Every so often when I was a kid, the neighbor across the street would pull me aside and ask, "Did you know that your father swam in the Olympics for Italy?" It was always a source of great hilarity to my father and me, the idea that in our close-knit family in our tiny house, … Continue reading 187. The Swimmers

Ping! It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's always right. It's almost a physical thing: every once in a blue moon, something arises that seems just perfect for me, both in terms of my desire and my ability to do it. And when it occurs, I get an almost physical Ping! reaction that … Continue reading 186. Thank you, Wellesley

I am just back from a week in Paris and Belgium, and while I feel that any trip across the Atlantic that doesn't end up in Italy is a waste of my time, I've put that aside and I've done an objective (?) comparison. To be frank, I found Belgium to be drab and dull, … Continue reading 185. Italy vs. France

Maybe it's because my real name, Angela, means "female angel" in Italian, but I am seriously into angels. No, not the woo-woo kind of angels that some people feel send us messages and predict the future. Or the guardians that sit on our shoulders and save us from danger. The angels I'm talking about are … Continue reading 184. The Angel

I have never been in Italy for Christmas, but I've been there Christmas-adjacent, as they say these days. In 2008, I was in Rome for the long MLK weekend, when the nativity scene was still up at the Vatican, and I spent New Year's in Sicily in 2010, where more humble yet much more beautiful … Continue reading 183. Christmas Here and There

Note to readers: Because of a technical glitch, I have to republish several old posts, of which this is the first. Sorry for any bother. What would bring several thousands out to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on a rainy Sunday morning? What would make them wait there for an hour and … Continue reading 181. Rocky Day

Have an extra $1,000 burning a hole in your pocket? I have just the answer for you. I received an email from the New York restaurant Babbo that they had white truffle dinners on offer, at $1,000 a pop. Or if you prefer DIY, you can pick up an eight-ounce truffle at Eataly for $2,528.49, … Continue reading 180. Truffle Time

I will remember this trip for many things. I saw world-class tennis in Torino, and arguably, the greatest player of all time. I visited two towns, Bergamo and Brescia, I've always been curious about. I ate raw veal, not once, not twice, but three times. Novak Djokovic honored as the top-ranked player of 2023 But … Continue reading 179. Hot Stuff

… dogs are welcome everywhere. … you are so passionate about your idol that you build your whole business around his image. … there is a parking section dedicated to Vespas. … there are two Catholic churches across the street from each other. … there are loads of bookstores, at least a dozen within a … Continue reading 178. You Know You’re in Italy When…