Very happy to be going back to Rome. We’re staying at a hotel called Tree Charme, on the edge of Trastevere. These two walks will take us to some of the standard highlights in Rome. Walking times are estimates. For example, from Bagni di Caracalla to the Coliseum is a 21 minute walk. In addition…More
Author Archives: Rick Bailey
Rick Bailey grew up in Freeland, Michigan, on the banks of the Tittabawassee River. He taught writing for 38 years at Henry Ford College.
A Midwesterner long married to an Italian immigrant, he has learned the language and food of Italy, traveled around the country, and, in the process, he has been (partly) made over–italianizato. In retirement Rick and his wife divide their time between Michigan and the Republic of San Marino.
Ciao Many Times
This ad pops up on my cell phone–for a moisturizer called Bava di Lumaca Miracolosa. Miraculous snail drool. Really? I have a hard time picturing a fashionable Italian lady striding up to the cosmetic counter and stocking up on drool. But who knows? Maybe drool is a thing over here. Your skin looks divine. Thanks!…More
This Time
Your better judgment can be over-rated. Last night I thought: There’s going to be traffic. I thought: We’ve had no sleep. And of course: We’re likely to over-eat. I didn’t think that. I knew that. But we went anyway. To Rimini, in search of food. Tizi said we can go to Biberius, what used to…More
Take Two
I’m blessed with the ability to eat bad food. I would never have said it to her face (because I was a good boy and because, in truth, I did not know) my mother was not a great cook. I remember salmon patties for dinner, and still to this day, when I think of them,…More
Tupperware and the Vitruvian Man–from And Now This
Aside from the parties, which usually featured lots of appetizers and white wine, I’ve always hated Tupperware. I think of this because my wife and I are preparing to go on a little vacation. In a few days we will go to the airport, and, for reasons of economy and bonhomie, we will invite friends…More
Oven-Roasted Fennel
There are four steps in this recipe: DIY breadcrumb mix, slice and season fennel bulb, roast, and eat. I can’t say enough about homemade breadcrumbs, though there is partial fraud in this statement. I buy plain breadcrumbs and then season them myself (1 – 1.5 cups) with parsley (a handful), garlic (1-2 cloves), and olive…More
The Honey Room–from American English, Italian Chocolate
“I’m taking a yogurt break,” I tell my daughter. She’s come downstairs dressed for a friend’s wedding. Six months pregnant, she’s becoming abundant. Her husband is at his parents’ house a few miles away. When they fly into town, out of old habit, they still go to their rooms. The yellow dress she’s wearing is…More
The Quality of Your Sleep–from American English, Italian Chocolate
I’m lying in bed reading a short novel by Gianrico Carofiglio on my Kindle. Guido Guerrieri, Carofiglio’s funny, sad, world-weary lawyer from Bari, is standing in the doorway of a woman’s apartment. He holds two bottles of wine and smells dinner within. Since his wife left him, he’s been in a deep funk. His sleep…More
The Dope with the Camera–from The Enjoy Agenda
This morning I took a picture of my breakfast. I didn’t do it to remember it. I took the picture with sharing in mind. We’ve come to Bread, Etc., five consecutive mornings. It’s a French place–baguettes, pastries, Edith Piaf singing “Chanson d’Amour” on the sound system the last three mornings–in the French Concession area of…More
No Secrets, Victoria–from American English, Italian Chocolate
I was surprised recently to see this image appear every time I went to the Wix website: Heidi Klum, holding underpants. It’s a delicate subject, underwear. Personally, I’d rather talk about something else. Wix is a let-us-host-your-website site. You would think images would scroll, to advertise a technical feature of their web-composition kit. They don’t.…More