Issue #9 "Italy Fever E-Notes" by Darlene Marwitz 4.25.02

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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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LIVING LA DOLCE VITA: "A Dog's Life"

I am jealous. Nothing better fits la bella vita than the life of our 18-month-old puppy. Her priorities are simple, simply Italian: food, siesta, and family.

Except for adhering to the "slow food" concept that Italians are famous for, our Hanna girl considers food to be paramount, one of the pure pleasures of life. Sometimes I think it's even more for her, something worthy of contemplation 24 hours a day. Our four-legged child thinks her morning bowl of kibble is nothing more than antipasto. "What's next?" she demands, tilting her head like a question mark. "Where's the next course?"

Every evening the scenario repeats like a broken record. On the nanosecond of 6:00 PM, Hanna starts pacing in the back yard like she's crisscrossing a piazza in Rome. She starts wagging her tail in anticipation of a multi-course meal (her expectations are always grand). Then, like clockwork, upon gulping her grub with gusto, the quizzical look returns, "Okay Mom. Where's the rest of my food?" Or sometimes she gets specific, straight to the point, "How come you get double dips of gelato and I get a Milk Bone?"

Siesta likewise ranks high with Hanna. A few weeks ago she made it clear to company at our house that her sleep pattern was being interrupted. She kept marching back and forth in front of the sofa to let us know that is was overcrowded, an unacceptable situation for her. Somebody was sitting on her end of the sofa, the spot where she stretches out every evening for a snooze -- one of only two places where she's allowed on furniture (the other being the foot of our bed). It reminded me of the time when David's parents, Kitty and Delvin, walked into church one Sunday morning and found visitors sitting in their pew. With a sheepish grin and his usual diplomacy, my father-in-law gently asked if they would please move, explaining, "If you sit here, then Kitty and I will have to move farther down and then everybody else will also get bumped. It sure would be much easier if you could just sit over there." He pointed the way.

Hanna also loves bedtime. For years before getting a puppy for David, I had bragged that I'd never have a dog in the house. So it was doubly amazing to David (and me) when Hanna first jumped on our bed and I allowed her to stay. Instead of shooing her away, I asked her a question, "Can you can keep my feet warm tonight?"

For twenty-four years, I'd also crowed "I'll never sleep on anything other than the small double bed that David and I are used to. I love our old bed!" But guess what? As of the stroke of midnight on December 31, 2001 (another story of its own), "Queen Hanna" has the three of us sleeping on a queen-size mattress. "Never say never!" is my latest creed.

And then there is "family" for Hanna. Being able to see, smell, or preferably touch either David or me -- at will -- is pretty much it for her, her conduct of choice. If I'm sitting and reading a book in the evening, Hanna lunges for my feet like a heat-seeking missile, laying her head on my clunky shoes like they were laced feather pillows. If I rise to get a drink of water, Hanna follows me to the kitchen, content to go along for no better reason than to go with me. When I return to my chair, she promptly follows, resuming her pillowed position on my feet, issuing a big sigh as if she'd been to the moon.

Why is it that simple pleasures come easily for Hanna, but that I must work to find them? How is it that her sense of well being, her gioia di vivere, is innate, but not for me? During the past year and a half, however, I'm discovering that our puppy's lifestyle is highly contagious. How wonderful! On a daily basis, Hanna shares her love of life, helps me to discover and enjoy true moments of la bella vita in new and joyful ways-right here at home -- in Texas.

Ciao,
Darlene Marwitz

Hanna Vicenza Marwitz in a field of Texas Bluebonnets -- Ciao wow!

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FOOD AND DRINK:

Cookbook: It was the title that caught my eye, but when I started reading the chapter essays I was hooked. La Bella Cucina: How to Cook, Eat, and Live Like an Italian (2001) was written by San Francisco-based author, Viana La Place, who also spends her summers in Italy. I like how La Place talks about the "do's and don'ts" of daily eating habits in Italy, from how Italians partake of prima colazione (breakfast) and caffé to how they emphasize a civilized midday meal, or pranzo. She also discusses fun things, like how Italians and Americans have different attitudes about snacking and eating gelati. Italians snack less and multiple gelato combinations are ubiquitous in Italy-one flavor is never enough for Italian taste buds!

I'm also anxious to try La Place's "Farro Soup with Basil and Ricotta Salata" (located on page 79). A current favorite food for me is farro (pronounced FAHR-oh). Recipes with the farro grain are popping up in magazines and on menus to my delight. Although I'm still confused about the controversy (is farro the same as spelt?), I've convinced myself that it's not. Right or wrong, I believe that farro is an old variety of wheat that cooks differently than spelt. I hope you are able to find the real thing so that your fist experience cooking farro is terrific. A couple of online sources include: http://deandeluca.com and http://www.ethnicgrocer.com. The farro grain is a prized crop in the Garfagnana area of northern Tuscany, hence my first taste of it in Lucca was outstanding, memorable to this day.

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It's called Flying Noodle -- how fun! Here's a new-to-me Web site for pasta lovers (http://www.flyingnoodle.com), a place for joining a pasta of the month club or for sending unique gift baskets to friends. The Flying Noodle offers a bountiful selection of pastas, sauces, oils and other products. They even showcase the Noodle's poodle, Sydney. What's not to love about a company that brags about their dog!

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Interested in the gastronomical culture of Italy? Food lovers will find pleasure in this new-to-me Web site by way of Rome, lovely Roma. Giuseppina Marcolini and Philip Curnow offer everything from recipes and travel assistance to the latest news on regional events -- ncluding every food-connected festival you'd ever want to know about. The site is Delicious Italy (http://www.deliciousitaly.com). You'll love it.

HOME AND GARDEN:

Tip: Lemons prompt springtime in Italy for me. In lieu of a floral arrangement on a table or kitchen island, try a citrus "bouquet" instead. Buy a big bag of the fattest lemons you can find, remove any sticky labels, and place the fruit in a glass bowl or other container. Then every morning be sure to pick up a few of the sunny globes and rub them together with gusto; friction releases the lemon oil, the fragrance. It's the same idea as brushing past rosemary along a sidewalk. Finally, when your lemons start to wither it's time for limonata!

P. S. A lemon-filled container, such as a basket or terracotta flowerpot, is also perfect for the terrace or patio.

Tip: Consider Italianizing your bedroom for springtime by getting rid of your "dusty" dust ruffle, that frilly flounce around the base of your bed. While you're at it, get rid of a few pillows. In Italy, most bed treatments are simple and unadorned. The look is spare and refreshing, less "decorated" than most American bedrooms.

For spring bed ensembles, I favor simple white sheets and top coverings. I like natural textiles with plain weaves and I avoid patterned prints. Off comes the quilt and feather duvet on our bed. Out of the closet comes a cotton blanket and pearly white sheets!

BOOKS AND MOVIES:

Fiction: The Passion of Artemisia (2002) by Susan Vreeland is outstanding. When I travel on business, it's typical for me to rent audio books for the road and every now and then a title comes along that is delightful, with a voice that truly expresses the passion and spirit of a story. I confess, however, that after listening to the book, I also bought the real thing. What can I say? I'm a sucker for hardcover editions. I couldn't stand not being able to touch and browse the pages that tell the story of post-Renaissance female artist, Artemisia Gentileschi. Vreeland's writing is punched with dramatic dialogue amidst backdrops of Rome, Florence, Genoa, and Naples.

Of related interest, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is currently featuring a special exhibit called "Orazio and Artemisia Gentileschi: Father and Daughter Painter in Baroque Italy," (ending May 12). The exhibit features about 50 works by Orazio and 35 pieces by Artemisia and is the first in-depth exhibition that combines these two artists. Artemisia's story first captured me a couple of years ago when I realized she was the first female artist to fully support herself with her art. For an online preview visit http://www.metmuseum.org.

Authors, Mary D. Garrard and Alexandria Lapierre (among others), have also written books about Artemisia Gentileschi if you're looking for additional material. There's also an R-rated movie available on video called Artemisia (1998) that somewhat depicts a small portion of the young artist's life.

Fiction: I love the Aurelio Zen Mystery series and Michael Dibdin has lured me again, this time with Blood Rain (1999); I listed several of his previous works in Italy Fever's "Books That Depict Italy." The crime narrative of Blood Rain is perfectly situated in Sicily, a Mafia-ridden destination considered by detective Zen to be his worst assignment ever -- far removed from his native home in the Veneto -- Venice. Complex and gripping to the surprising end!

Non-Fiction: Every time I think I've read my fill of Venice then something else good comes along. Venice Revealed: An Intimate Portrait (English edition, 2001) was written by Paolo Barbaro, a prolific Italian writer of fiction and non-fiction. His perspective on the city is intuitive, showing us both the positive and negative realities of Venice. This is a book that no outsider could write. On several occasions, I felt like I was going places where I shouldn't be going. And, I was seeing things on an intimate level that I'd rather not see: Venice as a victim of global warming, a place where ordinary Venetians must struggle to survive.

Non-Fiction: Villa Fortuna: An Italian Interlude (2000) by Geoffrey Luck is another of those wonderful stories where someone buys an old farmstead in Italy and fixes it up. This time the location is Umbria and the couple is from Australia. They also transform their overgrown land into a productive olive grove. I loved reading every word.

Movie: Two weeks ago, I finally located Bread and Tulips, or Pane e Tulipani (2000), on video (http://www.breadandtulipsthemovie.com); I had promised an update! Don't rent this movie expecting a glamorous production. Instead, expect a simple story and simple presentation. It starts slow, but hang in there. Try to enjoy this movie for what it is. I like it best for what it says about following one's passion. The contemporary Venice setting is also worthwhile for what it reveals about the poor conditions of the working class. No beautiful apartments with stunning views in this movie, but that's okay.

TRAVEL AND TIDBITS:

Tip: Avoid looking like an American when you travel. According to BusinessWeek Magazine more than 80% of Italians own at least one cell phone, preferring telephone calls over e-mail. Is this yet another way for Americans to "blend in" so to speak? I think I'll try this on my next trip. I'll rent a cell phone in my ongoing desire to never stand out in a crowd in Italy. But please, don't call me. My ruse will be lost if you force me to speak. My Tex-Italian phrases are hard to miss.

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I've probably mentioned this site before, but here it is again. Journeywoman Online (http://www.journeywoman.com), is a terrific free resource for women intimidated by travel, especially solo journeys; I love the shared stories. Editor Evelyn Hannon does an excellent job of bringing everything together, presenting the best of everything for "connecting women travellers around the world."

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In my never-ending search for ways to enjoy Italy at home, I'm always looking for new resources. Here's a Web site by Canadian photographer, Lionel F. Stevenson, that is a pleasure to browse. It's filled with romantic and significant cultural sites in Italy. For Stevenson's "Images of Italy" visit http://www.cameraart.ca/GALLERY/it.htm.

A friend from California also recently informed me of yet another wonderful Web site filled with photographic wonders from "around" the world, including hundreds from Italy. This site is called PlanetWare Travel Guide & Encyclopedia and many of their images can be downloaded for free (http://www.planetware.com).

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FREE GIFT OFFER: Due to several Italy-related newsletters recently promoting my Web site and book, sales for Italy Fever at Amazon.com are again on the rise-- mille grazie to everyone! Amazon.com has been especially supportive of me as a first-time author and I wish to say "thanks" to their loyal customers by offering a FREE set of "Italy Fever Note Cards" to anyone who buys a copy of Italy Fever between now and the end of the May at Amazon.com. Send an e-mail to darlene@italyfever.com by May 31, 2002 to tell me that you've ordered my book at Amazon during the allotted time period and I'll send you a free set of note cards ($12.00 retail value). Be sure to include your name and mailing address!!!

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

Ciao,
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 about that. 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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