“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.”
Then, as life will often have it, love entered, and the most crucial pivot of all landed her due north of her dreamed-of destination, in the heart of the heel. And just like that - the house expands. The work of being at home is now a lifelong project that involves the ongoing practice of take-off, landing, longing, and embracing the air space in between that allows for, and demands, a durable infrastructure of love.
Read MoreWhile probing the Pugliese playground with her two young, sunlit daughters in tow, Hilaree evokes the magic, the color, and very often, the humor of her adoptive habitat on the Italian Adriatic through her photography and storytelling, and the through the turning of local fruits and fixings into art: @tartoftheheel.
Read MoreThe luminous atmosphere of that first evening of arrival would foreshadow our time together in coming 10 days. Good friends and family were about to embark on adventure and discovery in new territory.
Read MoreStories that remember your body
are new to me
but memory gravitates and I flirt
with the idea of dipping into you
one toe at a time until
at long last,
I am submerged in the dense salt of you.
Read MoreAll at once, I was bathing in a thermal breeze,
Warming numbness with newness,
Drunk on the swirling color
That still rises from somewhere deep
Flurries of carnal exhaust took the shape of nothing
And the color of everything
Read MoreYou are a traveler of the road or of the imagination. If you cook and explore food culture, one of two explains You. The idea that a recipe can open up generations of memory and and knowledge excites you - and makes you a good listener. It makes you a traveler.
Read MoreThis week, a discerning traveler and food critic inquired about joining our upcoming cooking tour in Tuscany this July. Here are a couple of her questions and our responses.
Read MoreOn one of our days together, we'll make our way up the same road on our way to Barga Vecchia. We'll explore the inner castle and the dining scene, get to know some of the folks who live there. We'll and take time to explore the Duomo di Barga and gaze over the Serchio valley from the top of the world.
Read MoreInside Pretto, pages of poetic discourse warm the atmosphere of this very unlikely positioned refuge of hospitality. But the power of this ethical and mouthwatering eatery is greater than how well it stands out against its harsh backdrop. Pretto is, in itself, a hub of wellbeing. It was born of a desire to sustain the pure and honest work of local farmers and artisans who, in turn, sustain the integrity of the land out of gratitude for what the land gives.
Read MoreKeane’s work is different. His is the work of an artist who has a vision and then manifests it out of pure passion.
Read More
As I introduce six special events, I honor the friendships and experiences that allow me and inspire me to share the Italy I adore with you. These adventures on the horizon are truly a tribute to the unique, talented, and passionate individuals that have welcomed me into their lives, kitchens, and hearts over the years... I invite you to join us in celebrating what I understand to be The Italian Art of Enjoyment.
Read More
