Issue #10 "Italy Fever E-Notes" by Darlene Marwitz 10.20.02

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ITALYFEVER.COM: The Italy Lover's Pre- and Post-Travel Online Companion.
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IN THIS ISSUE:

- - - LIVING LA DOLCE VITA
- - - FOOD AND DRINK
- - - HOME AND GARDEN
- - - BOOKS AND MOVIES
- - - TRAVEL AND TIDBITS

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Dear Italy Lovers,

At long last I'm headed to Tuscany, Umbria, and the Amalfi Coast this week. Ever since my trip was canceled last fall, I've been longing to pack my bags. With a cache of Fujichrome film and an empty sketchbook, I'm ready to "capture" new images, fresh subjects for canvas and watercolor paper back home. I'll also be on the lookout for exciting villas for future journeys, intriguing new restaurants, and off-the-beaten-path experiences to return to.

And, with a fractured foot bone finally free of a "ski boot," I've rented a car in lieu of a rail pass. I've also invited a cousin to join me and I can't wait for us to trace back roads -- from Montepulciano, Orvieto, and on down to Sorrento. A few reservations along the way (including a cooking class), but mostly hit or miss. Taking chances. Expecting great things to happen. Events that couldn't be scheduled -- even if we'd tried.

As soon as I get back I hope to have new stories to share, plus Web site updates for italyfever.com-including my first watercolor print for sale. I'll touch base later on to let you know how things go.

Buon viaggio!
Darlene

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LIVING LA DOLCE VITA: "You've Been Approved"

It arrived in the mail not a week ago. I opened it. Stared at it. Laid it down. Picked it up again. Is this what I think it is? Did I read the name right?

It seems that our four-legged daughter, only two years old this month, has joined the ranks of most Americans. A world of financial freedom has been presented at her feet (or is it paws?) in the form of a small piece of plastic -- a credit card from a major bank. Our little Hanna girl has a stunning credit offer of $25,000 and all I can think is this:

How much kibble and Milk-Bone can a Labrador eat in a lifetime? How many squeaky toys, bones, and shoes can our baby girl possibly dream of nosing, licking, and chewing within her lifetime?

No matter how I look at it, $25,000 seems over the top for any shopping spree, canine or not. No matter how nice the packages are wrapped, something is amiss.

To make things a tad more interesting, the bank has informed Hanna that she is "not in debt because she spends too much," (huh? is there another form of debt I don't know about?). Instead it seems that it's her "lack of a debt-free plan" that's the problem. The bank assures Hanna that having a "plan" is "peace of mind" (as if peace of mind is a really big problem for someone who snoozes two hours for every hour she plays).

Furthermore, to facilitate her new "debt-free" spending habits, our Hanna girl is being urged to instantly request a starter pack of "special checks" to get her up and running (running? the word GO would have been enough, but no one asked). All in all, I can hardly wait until the bank receives the first signed check, her muddy paw print stamped (and then licked for extra measure) on the dotted line.

I have no way of knowing this for sure, but something tells me that Italians don't have to deal with mailboxes full of junk mail the way Americans do. I still recall in Venice a few years ago how my husband, David, and I noticed and commented on a "mail boat" passing by as we sat at water's edge for lunch near the Rialto bridge. What we remember most is how there was this normal sized motor boat, five uniformed postal workers, and only a skinny box of mail. Since both David's father and grandfather were rural mail carriers in the tiny town where we grew up in Texas, the postal boat caught our attention. Am I wrong about the junk mail in Italy? If so, set me straight.

In the meantime, however, I'm sticking to the notion that, even with their mail, Italians savor grander moments of la dolce vita than Americans. I'm thinking that the infamously slow and non-dependable postal service in Italy is purposeful, not inefficient. What society in their right mind would tolerate tons of senseless mail except the United States?

The idea that our dog has her own line of credit makes me crazy. What's next? Low-interest financing on a shiny new car?

Am I looking at this wrong? Where's la bella vita thinking when I need it? Maybe I should be cozying up to the Hanna girl instead-asking her if she's interested in financing my next trip to Italy!

Ciao,
Darlene

P. S. Actually, the Hanna girl is supporting my upcoming adventure. She's keeping my husband company while I'm gone (probably claiming my pillow my first night away!)

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FOOD AND DRINK:

Cookbook: It's not really a cookbook, but it's close. It's a book about loving food and loving Venice. Cookbook author Marlena de Blasi shares her spirit (plus a few recipes) in a wonderful little volume about finding a new life (and new husband). I enjoyed every page, a true escape, easy to pick up and read. A Thousand Days in Venice: An Unexpected Romance (2002).

HOME AND GARDEN:

Do you drink your morning coffee from a Duruta-made mug? Or pour lemonade from a Duruta pitcher? Something small often offers grand pleasure. Not long ago I purchased a water pitcher from a Texas-based Web company offering Umbrian ceramics and was joyfully surprised at how well the service worked. Mostly, however, I was delighted with the pitcher. It makes me smile every time I see it because it reminds me of when my friend, Beth, and I scouted in Umbria for the perfect little rooster pitcher for her Connecticut cucina. Check it out -- Via Veneto: Fine Italian Ceramics (http://www.Vvimports.com).

BOOKS AND MOVIES:

Fiction: I love it when a book comes along that I can pick up and read, lay down and pick up again without starting all over -- a book for the pleasure of reading, nothing more. Merge the idea of a crumbling villa with the words "confrontation" and "summer love" and you have Summer in Tuscany by Elizabeth Adler (2002).

Fiction: Michael Dibdin is at it again, this time with And Then You Die (2002). Trouble, as usual, follows detective Aurelio Zen of Rome's elite Criminalpol. He's the target of the Mafia and his beach holiday offers little respite and even less anonymity. Dibdin is a fabulous storyteller and I've probably mentioned before that I'm hooked on this series.

Non-Fiction: I never fail to enjoy personal experiences in Italy even when they belong to someone else. My favorite books about Italy are memoirs and first-time author Maria Coletta McLean has an interesting story to share in My Father Came From Italy (2000). Maria, vice-president of her family's coffee business and who lives near Toronto, eventually buys a house in her father's former village, a place called Supino between Rome and Naples. Her story should especially endear anyone of Italian heritage.

Non-Fiction: For those of you who read Theresa Maggio's previous book, Mattanza: Love and Death in the Sea of Sicily, about the tuna industry in southern Italy, then you'll surely appreciate her more recent work, The Stone Boudoir: Travels Through the Hidden Villages of Sicily (2002). More than with Mattanza, this book feels like a journey, an adventure into the heart of small villages and a quest for familial roots. I also love a book that gives names to its chapters as Maggio does in The Stone Boudoir. In a chapter she calls "Home Sweet Stone," the discussion is not simply wood versus stone construction, but how the heart of a town is solid -- built of stone, unchanged.

Movie: Swept Away (2002) has arrived, starring Madonna and Adriano Giannini (son of the original male lead in the 1975 version). Many of you already know the story -- beautiful socialite gets stranded on Mediterranean island with handsome fisherman. Let me know what you think.

Movie: The real movie excitement is in Italy this month where everyone is talking puppets! Roberto Benigni is at it again, this time with Pinocchio (2002). Frank Bruni (also mentioned below, writing about Rome -- and one of my favorite writers) recently reported in The New York Times that Italians are infatuated with everything a la Pinocchio, from new toys and books to political conversation. While I'm certain to wait for the video release of Swept Away, I'll surely stand in line for a real movie ticket when the dubbed version of Pinocchio lands in the United States on Christmas Day.

TRAVEL AND TIDBITS:

Tip: Purchase and devour travel guidebooks prior to departure. It's money well spent. As a traveler who appreciates good bargains on hotels (translate: "return trip to Italy comes quicker"), I know a smart guidebook when I see it. I can't say enough good words about Hello Italy! Best Budget Hotels in Italy (2002) by Margo ClassÈ. I've used multiple editions and have never been disappointed (http://www.HelloEurope.com). I appreciate how Margo helps me figure out not only where to stay, but also how to get there!

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Rome: I'm looking forward to seeing the Trevi Fountain in a few days where I'll surely lean forward to count coins this time around. Did you see Frank Bruni's article in The New York Times a few months ago? It seems that one persistent Roman has been dipping into the water on a regular basis -- to the tune of up to $1,000 a day, six days a week for nearly 34 years (the man's own confession regarding the number of years). Apparently, there is a law in place now (since 1999) that prohibits wading into public fountains like the Trevi, but then again, I guess old habits are hard to break if you've been at it since since 1968.

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Parting Words: Following one's passion IS possible, even at home, one tiny "Italianized" step every day.

Arrivederci,
Darlene Marwitz

P. S. If you're experiencing difficulty with the links in this newsletter, please check to see if your browser is set to receive HTML. Some viewers are receiving activated links without a problem, but many of you are not -- sorry for any inconvenience. You may also view current and past newsletters online -- with activated links!

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Questions, comments, suggestions, or corrections?
Please send e-mail to darlene@italyfever.com. I welcome ideas for making this a better newsletter for Italy lovers seeking la dolce vita all year long!

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