“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.”
Matsuo Basho
Born a Lover
My new friend (born of another love) shows me:
I would not eat rotten meat!
Nor would I waste the purity of sustenance
Where integrity is pillaged in the name of taste
I was born a lover, my purpose is bliss
Antica Cucina Cooking Tour, 2018
You 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.
Dog In a Box
Born in Ponsacco, Marty came to live with me in Lucca at the age of two months. Our home is a dreamy and wonderful town…a jewelry-box-of-a-city surrounded by a Renaissance wall which is actually a tree-lined boulevard filled with bicycles and joggers, walkers and lovers and, every morning, the two of us on our daily outing. Since Lucca is doggie-friendly (he has dinner at Burralli and cappuccino at Tessieri as well as a treat awaiting at the local butcher shop) I have tried my best to take him with me anywhere I go.
Questions about Traveling Native: Organic, Local Enjoyment
This 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.
The Long Haul
We had a rough start and after the first year it could have dissolved into history. But I chose Italy again and again. Not because she was beautiful or romantic but because she asked a lot of me. It took a long time, many years, before I trusted that she wanted me. It took time to see that her demands were forcing me to build a framework for a new home.
I Want You to Know: Barga
On 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.
Enjoyment is Tasting Marin
Enjoyment is the heart of every Traveling Native experience. In Marin County, it will look, feel, and taste like this...
The Best of Siena is Pretto: Food for a Better World
Inside 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.
Traveling Inward
There are physical places that extract my inner juice with little effort. Call them sacred places. And then, there are spaces that challenge me to be present. The challenge to be present is the opportunity we are faced with when we pull away from the world and look inward, leaving only our breath as a guide. I learn as write this how perfect it is that for me, that challenging place is the place where I come from…
Keane and The Fire in Barga
Keane’s work is different. His is the work of an artist who has a vision and then manifests it out of pure passion.
Traveling Native Italy in 2015
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.