May 2012
3 posts
February 2012
1 post
January 2012
1 post
November 2011
8 posts
Off with his head!
Wired
I’m such a nerd.
On the Go
Fall is Here
Amazing Branzino
Whereupon I taste perfection in a grilled sea bass.
Lovely Lucca
An hour outside of Florence, there is a lovely little town called Lucca. Fortified by gigantic walls, it emanates a tranquility that can only come from a place where no invader in history dared attack. Easily the most peaceful place I have ever visited. I look forward to coming back, perhaps staying a night or two. A refreshing pit stop on an otherwise chaotic leg of our trip.
October 2011
19 posts
Coffee In Italy
Coffee in Italy isn’t better than America. Just different.
Where we prefer our full-cup drip coffee, the Italians prefer a more condensed espresso. Typically, the morning is started by heading to a nearby caffé and ordering an espresso (80 cents) or cappuccino (1.20 euro) while standing at the bar.
In Italy, because the coffee is measured in shots, there is no concept of tall, grande, or...
The No Service Industry
From lost bags to jammed doors, stopped trains, never ending restaurant seatings, bad directions, and lazy taxis, the service industry in Italy can be summed up in one word: indifference.
Workers are never quick to help, and advice is always reluctant, frequently wrong, and sometimes unavailable.
The Italians have a saying: dolce far niente. The sweetness of doing nothing. Apparently that...
There Goes The Vacation: Flash Flood Ravages...
On Tuesday we were scheduled for a nice relaxing vacation in the gorgeous beach towns of Cinque Terre. We took a train, which was 30 minutes behind schedule, from Florence to Pisa. Then another train to La Spezia, just a short 20 minute hop from our final destination. In La Spezia it was pouring down rain and the station was total chaos. We waited for our final train, but it never seemed to...
How I Will Remember Tuscany
When Americans think of Italian food, we usually think of spaghetti and pizza. But that’s Southern Italy.
While Tuscany may be more famous for its Chianti, I’ll always think of the amazing skill of its butchers and chefs. Grilled and cured meats in Tuscany are simply divine.
Behold the Bistecca Fiorentina, a rare-medium rare porterhouse grilled to perfection in a wood oven. The...
How To Survive Restaurants In Italy
It is true that Italians eat a shitload of pasta. It is common, but not law, to eat a pasta course (primi) and then a main meat course (secondi). Sides (contorni) are never included with the meat course. You have to specifically order them.
While tap water here tastes good, I’ve never seen a restaurant serve the stuff. Be prepared to pay a couple bucks for bottled water. Make sure to ask...
The Vatican
No tour of Rome is complete without a visit to the Vatican. That being said, it almost wasn’t worth the journey. Even on a Wednesday afternoon, the Vatican was easily the most touristy thing I have ever done. Throngs of worshippers, onlookers, salesmen, guides, and tourists flock to this smallest of countries.
I was most excited about the Sistine Chapel, but it was hard to enjoy while...
September 2011
6 posts
Retreating to the Tivoli Gardens
Rome can be excruciatingly hot in summer. Traditionally, locals escape to beach towns to get away from the heat. One smart 19th century Pope, however, decided to build a lush mountainside garden called Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli, about 20 miles north of Rome. He was going for a perfect synergy between man and nature, and boy was he right on target.
Winding through elegantly groomed...
Officially in Tuscany
Our first Tuscan mid-afternoon snack. Prosciutto, mortadella, salsicia typico Sienna, provolone, pane (bread), and a bottle of Chianti. Ahhh. Breathe and relax.
Conducting Business from Tahiti
Science fiction novelists make a living from predicting the future. Arthur C. Clarke, the sci-fi writer of 2001: A Space Odyssey, made a prediction in 1964 that by the year 2000:
We could be in instant contact with each other, wherever we may be, where we can contact our friends anywhere on earth, even if we don’t know their actual physical location. It will be possible in that age, perhaps only...
August 2011
11 posts
The Most Magnificant Sight in Rome
Ancient Romans, with their aqueducts, were masters in the art of plumbing. It was perhaps one of the main reasons why the Roman civilization was able to grow so large and advanced.
Yesterday evening we followed the excellent “night walk through Rome” by our European guide, Rick Steves. Beginning at Campo de Fiori, we dined at a restaurant behind the Pantheon (temple to the gods,...
How I Work (Remotely)
Our three month tour of Italy is not a vacation. We have arranged one month rentals through Airbnb, which allows us to settle down instead of traveling constantly. During the day we explore our surroundings, and in the evenings I crack open my laptop and work as I normally do. Because Italy is six hours ahead of Eastern US, I even keep the same hours as my co-workers. On Tuesday we took the metro...
How to Beat the Heat in Roma
Rome is punishingly hot in August. Walking around the Ancient City today, we probably drank four or five bottles of water (refilled in the famous Roman fountains, of course). Just in case water isn’t quite enough, there are street vendors selling sliced coconut. Thank you, may I have another?
First Day in Rome
New Orleans to New York to Dublin to Rome. Nearly 24 hours of traveling and very little sleep. Breezed through Customs. Our driver picked us up in a Benz—good start. Upon arriving at our B&B, our host Giorgio stopped what he was doing to offer us some wine while showing us a map and recommending places to visit.
We were utterly famished and in dire need of a shower. After cleaning up,...
Last Supper
One last meal in New Orleans before traveling to Europe. Where else but our favorite restaurant, Coop’s Place.
Coops is the true definition of a hole in the wall, yet the food is consistent, fast, and most importantly, delicious. I ordered what I always ordered, the red beans and rice with smoked sausage. Cristal got the red beans with a side of fried chicken. Washed it down with a purple...
1 tag
Humid Beginnings
U-Haul tracks still fresh on the pavement, on the 8th of August, 2011, we dutifully completed our apartment move-out inspection and began a journey that would not have been possible just 5 years ago.
With the whole world now studded with wifi, and my good fortune at having both the requisite skills and opportunity to work from anywhere, we reasoned it was too great an adventure to pass up. And...