The Perfect E-book For People Who Love ltalian Coffee

My friend Sara Rosso has just published an e-book on Amazon.com.

It's a great guide for anyone who loves Italian coffee and/or plans to travel to Italy.

Sara is an American who has lived in Italy for over eight years. She's also a very talented photographer and cook/baker. Sara was one of the first expats I met in Italy. It's partly her fault I moved to Bella Italia in the first place.

Here's a link to her BLOG that has all the information you need to purchase her book. It's only .99 cents. A bargain!

Jumping The Broom Mondays - JTB is in Italia

My friend Annie just sent me an email saying JTB is in Italy on PPV (2.50 or 5 euros) for those who have SKY Cinema.

It's on Channels 362/363 and HERE is the schedule for the next days.

The logline called it an explosive comedy. So dramatic.

Italian Driving School Diaries - A Cinquecento, La Spezia, tears, and the Autostrada

View of Lerici from La Spezia. It's a very beautiful place. However, the drive to get there was not!

Seriously, what was I smoking when I decided to drive to Piemonte?

I stopped in La Spezia to meet my friend Megan for lunch. When I stepped out of the car, my hands were literally shaking.

One friend back in America had suggested I rent an automatic. She said driving on the Autostrada was super stressful and she has been driving stick/manual all her life.

As I struggled to get from Termini Station to the Autostrada, I was close to hyperventilating. If leaving the Center was such a nightmare, what the heck was going to happen to me on the Autostrada?

I kept stalling out. I got lost. It was a big mess. I finally made to the Autostrada and it was fine. In Italy people use the left lane correctly... to pass. I stayed on the right and nobody tailgated me.

Once I got off the Autostrada to get to Megan's, all hell broke loose. Roundabouts, hairpin turns, steep hills, I was in tears.

After a relaxing lunch and gelato (thanks Megan!), I told myself to get it together. I put on Amy Winehouse's FRANK and continued on my journey.

Got lost again. I was driving toward Milano. Once I turned around and got back on the Autostrada, I thought everything would be okay.

Nope. I was wrong. I finally arrived in Acqui Terme with its zillion roundabouts in the Historic Center and ended up in a parking lot. My friend's B&B was nowhere in sight.

I called. They were probably wondering how the heck I missed their road. Hello, I've been there before. I turned around and later saw my friend's husband on the road leading to the B&B.

I know people have had trouble getting up their driveway. It's very steep. I was told to put the car in 1st gear and don't stop. If I was too nervous to try, they would do it.

After driving for hours, I decided to go for it and made it up the bloody hill. When I pulled up, everyone started clapping. I basically rolled out of the car. I was so happy to get out of it.

After a long shower and a couple glasses of chilled wine, I was fine.

The next day I did tell my friends I didn't think I could deal with driving back.

However my return trip was a breeze, until I got to Rome. Sigh.

I missed the turn for Vatican City and ended up God knows where.

When I finally arrived in my neighborhood, I double parked and gave the man who "helps" people park a few euros. I ran to my place to dropped off my things.

I returned to my car and then zipped around the Center and even Piazza Venezia like butter. Dropping the car off was a lot easier than picking it up. Could be because I had just driven more hours in one weekend trip than in the previous two years.

A few days later I bumped into my driving instructor, Bruno. He asked me how it went. He said he was proud of me. That warmed my heart.

I'm glad I did it. I do feel more comfortable now with a stick.

I get the Autogrill hype. It's not the Italian 7/11. It's on a whole different level.

Next time I rent a car to go out of town, I might get the car from the airport or Villa Borghese to avoid the Center and EUR. Even for experienced drivers getting in and out of Rome is confusing.

The drive, except when I was freaking out, was beautiful. I loved seeing how the terrain changed from Lazio, to Tuscany, to Liguria, and then Piemonte.

The Fiat 500 is a great little car. Excellent mileage. I don't know what type of engine I had. Mine did not have a lot pick up. Merging onto the Autostrada from a gas station was a little stressful.

Nice ride.


I would like to test the Mini Cooper at some point.

Piemonte 2: Electric Boogaloo - wine, ravioli, stars

The first time I went to Piemonte was two years ago on my birthday.

This year I stayed in the Terrace Room. The room is amazing. They just finished it earlier this year. I could live in the shower. For real.

My birthday started out with:
A lovely way to start the day.

Then, like my last trip, I went to a wine tasting.

My friend's husband is an excellent guide. He really knows a lot about Piemontese wines, but speaks about them in a way that is accessible.

Another guest joined us and off we went. We drove to the area of Piemonte called Langhe. This is some serious wine country. Home of the Nebbiolo grape.



We stopped by Ca' del Baio. Micha went to pick up a some cases, but it turned into a impromptu wine tasting. Valentina was wonderful. She is the great granddaughter of the founder. 1000 CORKS has a listing of where you can buy their wines in America. Their wines are very, very, good. Loved their Barbaresco and their Moscato.

The next was vineyard CANTINA DEL GLICINE located in the tiny charming town of Neive. There is a nice video on their website. It takes a bit to load.

The cantina has been in existence since the 1600s. I had a great time and tasted some excellent Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Barbaresco and Moscato wine. There was one white wine Roero Arneis, that I wasn't familiar with. I'm kicking myself for not buying a bottle.



For my birthday dinner I had these:

Mere words cannot describe how delicious these ravioli were. The sauce was made from the pan drippings of the roasted meat used for the fillings. Super light, and full of flavor.

That night, after dinner, I sat on "my" terrace with a glass of wine. I looked up. The sky was packed with stars. I even saw a shooting star. It was so relaxing and peaceful.

Thanks to my friends, I had so much fun on my birthday I forgot to be in a bad mood.

I adore the area. It's interesting to me that one of the best (if not the best according my wine expert friends) wine regions in Italy is so undiscovered by the busloads of American tourists who go to wine tastings in Tuscany. We saw one American couple. That's it. We did see quite a few cars with French, German and Swiss plates.

Maybe it's because most of the Piemontese producers are small?

Sitting on the terrace hearing nothing but the wind through the trees, I wish I had a house in the country. A place to sit and write. I would love to own a place in Piemonte. After the drive, I realized it's too far from Rome. Way too far.

Yes, it's true I have no money now, but things are going to get better. And I will buy a house one day. It might not be until I'm sixty and it might be super tiny, but it will happen.

In the meantime, it's nice to know there are places where you do feel at home.

Sigh.



At Cantina del Glicine.


One of the best known producers in Italy.


I have to ask Diana for the name of this restaurant. UPDATE: See Diana's response below.


More Piemonte photos are on my FLICKRpage.

My Own Top Chef Challenge: Farro Salad with Roasted Mushrooms and Parmesan

Add farro to the list of foods I have never cooked before moving to Italy.

To be honest, I don't think I ever ate farro until I moved here.

I love barley. I know mushrooms and barley are a good flavor combination.

I checked my cookbooks and the internet for a farro/mushroom recipe. I found one on a favorite cooking blog, Food52

The recipe and a very nice photo are HERE.

The only modification I made was to add less than 6 tablespoons of olive oil at the end.

This salad was DELICIOUS. The next day I ate it cold and it was yummy that way as well.

I'm definitely added farro to my must-have-it-in-my-pantry-at-all-times list.

A bellissimo buttery yellow from Piemonte (via America and Germany)

I returned to Piemonte for my birthday. As a gift to myself, I bought this lovely bud vase and a bowl made by the very talented Diana Strinati Baur. Diana is an American who moved to Germany, then to Italy.



In this POST Diana talks about her long creative journey.

It's quite inspiring.

The photo below includes some of Diana's other pieces. I DIE for the yellow dessert plates with the pretty edges.

Someday I will place an order for those plates because I believe one day I will live in apartment and/or have a house big enough to entertain in.

For further information about her work/purchasing check out her BLOG.



I wanted to buy white Gerbera daises, but the flower stand only had yellow.

True, it is more expensive to buy something handmade. To me it's worth it.

There is no other vase on the planet that looks like this one. Diana could make fifty more vases using the same colors and the same method, yet each one would be unique.

I appreciate the time, creativity and love that went into every single piece.

This color cheers me up.

"Are you married?"

The following conversation took place this morning at my local supermeracto. Translated as best I can from Italian:

Cold cuts counter man after he gave me my salami di Napoli order: "Are you married?"

Me: "No."

CCM: "No?! How is that possible?"

Me: "We talked about this last year."

CCM: "Well, I thought maybe things had changed. We should go out."

Me: "I have a boyfriend." (I don't)

CCM: Looks confused as if my reply is completely irrelevant to our conversation. After a beat he says, "Oh, okay, well then you let me know when you want to go out. Understand?"

Me: "Uhmmm" (He spoke so quickly. I wasn't sure what he said.)

CCM: "Yes, you say, 'Francesco (not his name) let's go out.' Okay? Understand?"

Me: "Oooh Okay, have a nice day."

CCM: "You too, beautiful."


Trust me, this NEVER happened to me at Gelsons, or Bristol Farms supermarkets in L.A. Last year Francesco gave his number, after I told him I had a boyfriend. He said we could still practice Italian. Bwahahah

I thought it would be awkward to go back to my favorite supermarket when I didn't call him. But, he was perfectly professional.

I was caught off guard this morning. A year later and Francesco is still trying to get his mack on? Living here cracks me up.

Day Trip: Amazing Spaghetti con Vongole in Santa Marinella

A few weeks ago I took a much needed break and went to Santa Marinella. I work up at 5:00 a.m. to make sure I wrote 2000 words before getting on the train.

The beach is north of Rome. The water is not as nice as Sperlonga's (which is a Blue Flag Beach), but it's much nicer than Ostia's.

It's closer than Sperlonga, just 40 minutes or so on the train. A round trip ticket from Trastevere station is only 7 euros.

My friend Erica had recommended eating lunch at La Piazzette, Piazza Trieste, 13a, (39) 392-891-5356.

Mamma Mia! Their Spaghetti con Vongole was some of the best I've had in my life. The pasta was perfectly al dente.

The town itself is pretty small. There is a cute boardwalk with shops and a few cafes. I went during a weekday. It was very quiet. I'm sure during a summer weekend, the place is packed.

It was good to get out and the smell fresh sea air. I hope someday I will be able to have a house not too far from the sea/ocean. In the meantime, I will try to go to the beach at least once a month. It's so close.


I was sitting under a red umbrella. That's why the pasta looks pinkish. The restaurant has outdoor seating on small piazza. They gave me too much wine.


Fried calamari. Mi piacciono!


Perhaps the owner of this boat is a STAR WARS fan.


There was a friendly older local gentleman standing next to me as I took pictures of this fruit stand. He was probably wonder why the heck I was taking photos of something so ordinary. I thought the fruit was beautiful.


The sea.


Maybe later next month I will return and rent a chair and an umbrella for the day.

Summer is here!

Ciao bloggisti,

Well, summer is upon us and the living is not quite easy. I will be close to home this year. I have to finish my novel. I wish I had a Medici as a patron so I could finish said novel in an environment with a cool breeze, like the Amalfi coast or perhaps Forte dei Marmi.

Instead I will take a few day trips out the beach.

What are your plans for the summer?

Here's a little old school freestyle music to get the summer started.

The Jersey Shore Cast Has Landed In Italy

Florentines must be so excited.

Jezebel.com has a nice write up HERE with a clip from the Today Show.

I still don't understand why the show is shooting in Florence and not a beach town like Rimini.

Buon Compleanno (Happy Birthday) Italia!

The sun broke through for a few minutes this morning. I used to opportunity to get in a work out and took my camera. I ran up to Gianicolo Hill, one of the highest hills in the city.

Nile Guide's Erica Firpo has written a great POST about the activities taking place in Rome to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Italy's unification.

Men in uniform getting ready.


Giuseppe Garibaldi keeping watch.


The cannons are ready.


Earlier this year, restorers were cleaning and repairing these statues.


Before the unveiling.


In Europe people don't really fly their flags all the time like we do in the States. It is unusual to see so many Tri-colore flags in the city.

Design Inspiration: Annette Joseph's Cinque Terre Apartment

I first became aware of interior designer/photo stylist Annette Joseph when I saw the film location apartment she created for Gwenyth Paltow on GOOP.

Then one of my favorite design blogs, Design Sponge, profiled her APARTMENT in the Cinque Terre area. STUNNING!!

Later, I saw her work in RUE and realized I had seen her work before in my beloved DOMINO magazine (RIP).

Annette has been coming to Italy since she was a child. Six years ago she and her husband decided to buy a place on the coast.

I love Annette's use of color in her apartment. Grey is having a moment but I don't think it will ever go out of style. It's a classic neutral.

The bathroom is amazing (that sink!!). I like that she used a lot of local materials.

Annette's apartment is light and airy. Perfect for a place near the sea.

I highly recommend Annette's BLOG. She has great posts on not only design/decorating but entertaining, cooking, etc. Very inspiring.

Flashback Friday - Chet Baker - "My Funny Valentine"

It's Valentine's Day Weekend. As usual, I don't have a Valentine.

In Italy it's kind of celebrated but not to the steriods level it is in the States. As a single person this is fine with me!

I picked up some amazing porcini mushrooms at the market and will make myself a very romantic dish of risotto. Along with a nice bottle of Sicilian wine, I'm good to go.

Back in L.A. the build up to Valentine's Day sent me into a funk. You couldn't even go out to dinner as every restaurant had a special V-Day menu. I felt bad for men who were under a lot of pressure to spend x-amount of money on flowers (the prices are always hiked up) and other gifts.

I ADORE flowers but I think there's something weird about the mass marketing/commercializing of romance and love.

When it comes to matter of the heart, I say keep it simple. Actions and words speak louder than a dollar sign.

This short instrumental version of "My Funny Valentine" floors me. The emotion, the longing, expressed without a word. Beautiful.

Have a great weekend.

Style Inspiration - Italian Rustic by Elizabeth Helman Minchili

I bumped into Elizabeth last week in Monti which reminded me to buy her book.

This book is gorgeous. Packed with photographs of farm houses (interiors and exteriors) in Tuscany and Umbria, the book also gives clear details on how to bring this type of decor into your own home.

Elizabeth's husband, an Italian architect, contributed to the book and I found the how-to sections very accessible. They also highlighted several artisans in the region. This is so important. I get why fast fashion, fast food, cheap furniture, etc. is successful but there's a value and quality to craftsmanship that cheap and fast could never replace. Never.

Italian Rustic 's chapters cover flooring, kitchens, outdoor spaces, bedrooms, roofs, etc.

Even if you're not going to buy a place in Tuscany or Umbria soon or redecorate your home, this book is a great read. I have an issue with home decor books that skimp on the photography. That makes no sense to me.

I'm obsessed with outdoor showers and on page 174 there is one on a terrace. I DIE! Really, to have an outdoor shower off your bedroom or bathroom? Sigh. Someday.

Christmas Eve, St. Peter's Square, Rome Italy

Last night Erica, The Professor, Baby X and I went to St. Peter's Square after enjoying a tradition Christmas Eve dinner. It was the first time I've been to St. Peter's on Christmas Eve.

The Vatican unveils their life-size manger on Christmas Eve.

It was raining and I'm not Catholic but I was moved by the entire experience.

Merry Christmas/Buon Natale a tutti!

Rome...should I stay or should I go?

When I went to L.A. I was told by a producer I need to move back if I want to be taken seriously as a screenwriter in Hollywood.

My head was spinning. Of course my career is important to me. I had sacrificed a personal life since college for it.

Well, the joke's on me. If I were paid in full, perhaps the years of working for unstable people 24/7, the migraines and the panic attacks from stress would have been worth it.

I am fine with being single and child free. I'm not happy about being so broke when I first started in Hollywood, I missed weddings and other big occasions in my friends' lives back East. I'm not happy I let my former boss with his passive aggressive bullshit get to me. I'm not happy that at my age I don't own a home and still have no idea how my bills will get paid next year.

I'm older now and once again I made another big change in my life.

It's different this time. The move was to Rome was for my life. I was drowning in L.A. I kept a lot of things to myself but during my return trip every single friend commented on the physical and emotional differences.

Two of my closest friends from L.A. visited Rome during Thanksgiving. We all grew up in the "biz" together. They said it was interesting to see me in this environment and the kind of life I had here.

I thought long and hard about my trip to L.A. Could I move back? Would things be better as a writer vs. an exec? Am I doing great harm to my career by not living in Hollywood?

I did a pros and cons list (hello, I'm a Virgo). At the end, it was no contest. Not even close, I'm not going back.

The simple fact is, there is no guarantee returning to L.A. will make this what I do for a living any easier. One of the top screenwriters said to make it in Hollywood it's in your best interest to be a rich white Jewish male under 30 from the Westside of L.A....extra points if your father was in the business.

I'm none of those things. It's going to be a struggle regardless. I'd rather be in a place I love and where I have a better quality of life.

My lawyer and my manager reminded me that things really started to click for me once I moved. They stressed how difficult the business is and things are only going to get worse. Why fix what's not broken?

One of my friends who visited Rome over Thanksgiving is a producer. She said that the goal is to get movies made, all the rest is BS. We know so many writers who have sold scripts but none of their projects have been made in over twelve years. You can't build a career that way and eventually those writers leave the business.

If I wanted to work in TV I would have to move. Film is different. When I mentioned all the successful screenwriters in the UK, I was told, "you're not a white male and I'm a little worried that you're comparing yourself to Peter Morgan."

I wasn't but I realized at that moment I really can't deal with American ethnocentrism anymore. Film is a global medium. I resent that as a black woman I'm constantly being put in a very narrow box in my home country.

I find it fascinating that an Italian company had no problem buying an idea of mine set in an Italian high school.

I wonder sometimes if my parents were not from another country, would I have the same rah, rah, rah, America is the ONLY country that matters attitude? Of course as a super power we're important but we are part of the global community. Without international box office profits, the studios would go bankrupt.

I don't know what will happen with my career. I do know living in Italy at this point in my life is better for my mental health.

Amazon.com arrives in Italy, curious to see if our books show up

I have ordered from Amazon.fr (France), Amazon.uk and the Book Depository.com.uk and received my books no problem.

When the news first hit about Amazon starting an Italian website, Linda, a Canadian exapt in Milan said, "It's exciting news, isn't it! Your books may not show up but it's the thought that counts." ha.

Poste Italiane has a terrible reputation. The funny thing is, it used to be worse. I have a hard time wrapping my head around that.

We'll see. I use the other sites only for English language books I can't find here. Living in Rome, I have access to great independent bookstores and several chains, like la Feltrinelli.

I love bookstores and will always support them, even if I have to pay a little more. I can't see buying Italian books from Amazon.it but if I lived in a small town, this would be a fantastic resource.

I assume they will start to sell more international books and other products. Amazon in the States sells much more than books.

Will Poste Italiane be up to the challenge of delivering books in a timely fashion? If it goes well, maybe Netflix would be next. Now, that's a service I can be very exicted about as most of the mainstream/commercial film DVD rentals places are automated anyway.

The picture above is from a billboard near the Ponte Sisto bridge. It's massive.

Some great advice for wanna be expats from Ieishah in Barcelona

One of my favorite bloggers was responding to an American who wants to move to Spain.

While her advice was to a black woman moving to Barcelona, this advice (except the specific catcalling) is universal.

Regarding the catcalls, maybe it's because I'm old or the neighborhood I live in (I notice when I'm by Termini I hear more comments, especially from the African and South Asian men) but all I get is a "Ciao Bella", "bellissima" etc. Not once in all the times I've lived or traveled here has someone made a catcall mentioning my race. Unlike in D.C. where I would get the lovely back handed "for a chocolate girl you're cute" compliments.

I cracked up reading her advice about American privilege. I was at a dinner party during my first trip to Italy and one of the guests told me he had a hard time reconciling his love for Malcolm X and jazz with his strong dislike for America. This was five years ago at the height of the Iraq war .

I wondered why/how this young Italian man connected with Malcolm X in the first place. He's barely mentioned in American schools. Is Malcolm's popularity (like jazz) greater overseas?

Speaking of Malcolm X, the movie was on SKY Cinema yesterday. I hadn't seen it in a while. Denzel knocked it out of the park. He looks nothing like Malcolm but within five minutes you forget and believe it's him.

I digress (which I do whenever I think about Denzel). Here is the LINK to Ieishah's post "Mastering Your Expat Life: Barcelona, The Starter's Kit.

Rientro "aka Back to School"

Slowly, Rome is coming back to life. Thank God.

This summer even fewer of my friends were around. There was a mini-baby boom amongst my friends so many of them were at their parents/in-laws' places in the country/hills/beach for the entire month of August and some for most of the summer.

Some days it felt like I was the only non-tourist in Rome. Everyone in my building was gone.

The upside is, I got A LOT of work done. August was a productive month, despite the outrageous heat. A few days I didn't leave the apartment all day, it was too hot.

The next place I move to must have AC. I'm American, I can't take the heat. Back in early July, I went to a dinner party with my friend G. His friend has a lovely terrace but no AC and not even a fan. I'm perplexed how she lives in Rome without a fan. While I was sweating like crazy, she looked cool as a cucumber. I don't get it.

This morning there was a crispness to the air as I jogged through Villa Pamphili Park. I'm so glad the hot weather of July and August is over.

I'm looking forward to Fall. I have no idea why but I'm feeling very positive about the rest of the year.

Are you excited for Fall?

Day Trip to Gaeta

Last week in an attempt to escape the heat, I hopped on a train and went to Gaeta.

I had a refund from Trenitalia and I really needed a break from my non-AC apartment. It was a perfect little trip.

I walked around the Historic Center and took a lot of pictures. For lunch I sat on La Cantinella Gaetana's outdoor patio and enjoyed the cool breeze. The restaurant a friend had suggested, Masaniello, was closed for lunch.

I had a conference call, so I headed back to Rome after lunch. I would love to return to Gaeta and explore the area a little more. There are national parks near by, beautiful beaches, historic churches, etc.

The locals were very nice and also very tan. A group of outrageously gorgeous people got on the bus on their way to the beach. It was too much. To paraphrase Zoolander, they were really, really, ridiculously good looking.

There is also a NATO base in the area, where many Americans are stationed.

It's about an hour train ride from Termini to Formia station...30 euros round trip. You catch the local Cotral bus to Gaeta. Buy your ticket (one euro) at the newsstand in the station before getting on the bus. It's approximately 15 minutes to the Historic Center.

Walking around the hills reminded me of St. Martin. I was happy to see the ocean.

It was so quiet. There were hardly any tourists. I saw a few Italian families taking photos.

Gaeta is closer to Naples than it is to Rome. The history (see link above) of this small ancient city is incredible. During WWII the German troops who occupied the city made the locals leave. Those who couldn't, were sent to concentration camps.