Wandering through. . .Friuli Venezia-Giulia
Why, when most Italian regions have lovely one-word names (Toscano, Piemonte, Puglia), is one of the smallest and most out-of-the-way regions burdened by a name …
Reality Check: Sotto’s Wine List
We generally haven’t written much about restaurants we enjoy, but Sotto, in Los Angeles, rates an exception to the rule. Not only is Sotto [web …
Snow Day Brunello
Holiday travel is worth even the trials and tribulations of delays and crowded conditions when it means time with family and friends. A great coping …
The Puglian Wine Predicament
Our trip to Puglia was an unqualified success, but writing about the wines we encountered, I face two predicaments. The first is that most the …
Masseria Brancati: the Real Thing
As we prepare to head back to LA, we think about olive oil, that quintessentially Italian product — we had never seen so many olive …
Alberobello: Hobbits eat your hearts out!
I’m not sure there is much to say about Alberobello, the intensely touristy Puglian town famous for the world’s largest concentration of Trulli — the …
Lunch pilgrimage to the top of the Gargano
Monte Sant’Angelo is perched high on a southern ridge of the Gargano peninsula, overlooking the plains of Puglia below. We made the trek to this …
Masseria Masterpiece
This elegant agriturismo — resort, really — is a magical oasis in an ideal location for touring the historic and fascinating Valle d’Itria in central …
Gargano Paradise: Torre dei Preti
We were sad to leave this amazing agriturismo, Torre dei Preti, on the Gargona peninsula in the Puglia region of Italy; it’s such an unspoiled, …
Who dropped the town from “Mamma Mia” into Puglia’s Gargano peninsula?
We begin our trip to Italy’s Puglia region here on the Gargano peninsula. Located in the northern part of Puglia, “the Gargano” as it’s called …
The accidental visit to Villa d’Este
When I was researching places to stay after we arrived at the Rome airport, I came across Tivoli purely because of the number of photos …
Party? Prosecco!
Serving Prosecco—the wonderful sparkling Italian white from the Veneto—is Joe’s and my favorite way to start a celebration, whether an evening with a few friends …