Noble Peasant Travels

27/10/2024

To friends and family, I’m taking a much needed and deserved break from social media to re-center and re-focus. I’m shooting for November 27. You can reach me via text and phone. Much love,
Julie

20/10/2024

EMILIA-ROMAGNA

Santarcangelo di Romagna : PASTA E PIADINA

It would be a crime to mention Santarcangelo and not talk about the food. Truth be told, I'm always in search of great food when I am in Italy , with a little culture thrown in (just so that I don't feel like a loser).

Santarcangelo is such a great mix of ancient and modern, including its food. Santarcangelo di Romagna is part of the "slow food movement" , which promotes local food, traditional cooking and quality over quantity. It is also considered a "slow city" (or "citta' slow"), where emphasis is on preserving culture and traditions. I think that my most memorable eating experiences of this trip (and there were many) were in Santarcangelo.

I want to highlight my favorites. I don't make a commission from mentioning them. I'm just sharing because I'm passionate about the restaurants and want to see them do well.

My favorite was Ristorante Lazaroun in the city square . Its history dates back to Midieval times,it became an inn in the 1800's and a restaurant in 1984. The ambiance was romantic and elegant without being intimidating. Wine was San Giovese (red) - of course. It's local and goes down like butta'. We started with a "tagliere" (a platter of fresh , local cured meets and cheese), and I ordered the best pasta ever. Pappardelle with hand cut meat, tomatoes and peas. Mark ordered the cappelletti in brodo (a local dish), which was perfect on a cool, drizzly evening. After dinner , we were guided to the ancient cave underneath the restaurant, where they cure their own sausages and make their own cheeses. The experience was a a 10 out of 10.

A few evenings later, we had dinner at the Osteria La Sangiovesa, a Michelin star restaurant, and the most famous in town. They use only locally made ingredients from their farms, and focus on heritage and quality in all that they create. Walking into La Sangiovesa is like entering a fine art gallery. The establishment itself is carved into a midieval cave. Its paintings on the wall are dramatic and set the stage for the dining experience. My choice was Tagliatelle with fresh vegetables and San Marzano tomatoes with locally produced San Giovese wine and Ciambella for dessert. Ciambella is a hybrid of a bread and a cake, and is made throughout Italy, although personally I believe the version from Santarcangelo is the best.

A few nights later we decided to check out Casa Nobili, a fairly new restaurant recommended by our hotel concierge. It is in a restored home, so I felt like I was eating in someone's dining room - in the best way. The ambiance was modern and clean, and they were playing Johnny Cash Live at San Quentin when we arrived. Total mood setter. A delicately grilled swordfish with peppers for appetizer, and mixed seafood entree' and lovely local Trebbiano. It wasn't Mark's favorite, but I thought it was totally on point.

On our penultimate evening , we went with my cousin Davide and his lovely wife Graziella to a piadina restaurant , Piada e Puccia, on the outskirts of town . We went there at about 7 pm - which is the equivalent of dining out at 4:30 in the States - early and usually reserved for the elderly. We were the first to be seated , and I thought that it was not a good sign (along with the paper place mats). But I was down for whatever. By 8:00 , the restaurant was packed with locals, and it was one of the best piadinas I'd ever had. For the uninitiated, piadina is a Romagnolo flat bread, cooked very hot and quick. It is eaten alone, as an accompaniment , or stuffed - which is how we ate it. To go to Santarcangelo and NOT have piadina is a miss. Just sayin'. We had a great conversation with Davide's friend at the restaurant who is a huge cyclist, as is Mark. And we talked about Marco Pantani , one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) Italian cyclist, who was from nearby Cesenatico, and who used to train with this acquaintance. I'm not a cyclist, but love Pantani. So it was like hearing what it was like to play with Mick Jagger. For real.

Our last day in Santarcangelo was spent with my cousins and their family in their home. There were the cousins, spouses, children, and the matriarch, Luisa who, by the way, is almost 90 years old and made the ravioli for the lunch . To be clear, ravioli was just one thing we had. It was a process. Ravioli as well as a type of lasagne for first course, mixed meats of veal, rabbit and chicken with salad and vegetables and various desserts and gelato because, of course, one needs options. Wine flowed and grappa, amaro, and other booze came out of the cabinet. To be in my ancestral town with my relatives, and sharing an afternoon reminiscing and catching up is something I wish for everyone who has family abroad - wherever that may be.

So when are you booking your trip to Italy?!

08/10/2024

EMILIA-ROMAGNA

Santarcangelo di Romagna

I have ALOT to say about this city. I’m going to split my impressions into 3 posts. Otherwise , this will get too long:

PLACE
PASTA AND PIADINA
PEOPLE

Today’s journal is about Santarcangelo , the PLACE I chose for a reason (actually many).
I had been to Santarcangelo several times ,both when I lived in Italy and after, since it is my ancestral home. I visited for the first time decades ago with my grandfather who returned to his “home” after 6 decades in the U.S. To see where he and his family lived and played was so humbling. This trip I had a drink in front of my great-grandmother’s home in the square and I thought a lot about her.
I’ve been blessed to form close ties with family who still lives in Santarcangelo and I am always treated like a principessa when I come.
Santarcangelo is also Portsmouth’s sister city since so many immigrants here came from this town. It usually went like this: in the first few decades of the 20th century the US welcomed immigrants as badly-needed laborers. The immigrants had to be sponsored (and have a certain amount of money to guarantee their ability to sustain themselves). So, when one came, he would then sponsor family members and others from his village to join.
Portsmouth and Santarcangelo share some similarities - their size more or less - a vibrant city center with many stores, cafe’s and restaurants, feasts and festivals, thriving and thoughtful tourism. Throughout Santarcangelo’s main squares are businesses with names that are familiar to many in Portsmouth, such as Semprini, Zammarchi and Ferrini.
But even if you’re not a descendent of Santarcangelo, and even if you’re not Italian-American you can’t help but fall in love with it here.
It is a medieval town with ancient origins. I did a little bit of a deep dive with a local tour guide this trip and I found out some gems of information. Within the city walls is a very long playing field , where they used to play a game called “pallone a bracciale” . It was a game invented in the 16th century, and they used a wooden cuff with spikes to toss and catch a ball across the 90 meter-long court. “Bracciale” was more popular than soccer into the 20th century, where players were well respected and compensated. The game is still played in Santarcangelo more as a tribute to its history than a national pastime.
I also toured the many grottoes in the historic center. There is a labyrinth of these ancient caves that used to connect the entire village underground. They were used to avoid capture and attack during midievel times and served as food and wine storage . The caves were also a means to hide from the N***s in WWII , where families would live for months at a time without leaving.
I love history - and more important, stories about how people lived and still live. So Santarcangelo totally delivers on that. But even if you aren’t into history, or if art and architecture aren’t your thing , Santarcangelo is still magical.
There is a vibrancy that exists here that I haven’t found in the many small towns I’ve lived in and travelled to. I think it’s because it has a soul, cultivated and maintained by the people here. And there is a beautiful mix of ancient and modern. Even the shops are a mix of ancient and new. There are also enough restaurants to choke a horse. And they are all excellent (at least the ones I’ve tried). Santarcangelo hosts a lot of festivals that combine tradition, art and music. And their markets are excellent. I went to the antique and vintage market they that hold one Sunday a month. Truth be told I planned this trip so that I would be here for the market . So glad I did.
I took a quick visit to “Mutonia” outside of the city center in Santarcangelo my last day there.Mutonia is an enclave of artists who create art from waste. It was started in 1990 by a group of British sculptors and performers who settled in an abandoned quarry on the outskirts of Santarcangelo. Think Mad Max meets Burning Man meets Slab City. The sculptures are inventive , creative and…odd . But in a good way. I loved it.

My accommodations on this trip were just outside of the city center , in a converted vineyard. It allowed me to be surrounded by rolling hills and a river, but within walking distance of the town.
Santarcangelo is a place that keeps calling me back. Its people are it’s real treasure. More on them in a later post.

06/10/2024

EMILIA-ROMAGNA

Bologna

If you don’t like food, don’t go to Bologna. If eating is not your thing I don’t think we can be friends. But if you appreciate great, authentic, mouth-watering culinary delicacies, get to Bologna ASAP.

Bologna is known as the epicenter of food in Italy. Tortellini is one of their staples (in fact they have an annual Festa del Tortellino) as are Bolognese sauce, Parmigiana cheese, mortadella, balsamic vinegar and prosciutto which come from neighboring cities.

Bologna is also home to the world’s oldest university (founded in 1088). Its 25 miles of porticoes in the city center qualify it as a UNESCO site. It is a cultural and historical hub, rivaling Florence or Rome. And the shopping is on point.

But to be honest I went for the food scene.

I spent most of my time in the Quadrilatero market area near Piazza Maggiore. It’s one of the oldest markets in Italy, dating back to the Middle Ages. I found a plaque on the wall indicating that they had been curating the production of mortadella since 1242 in one of the many food establishments. Good enough for me. I had a tagliere (a meat and cheese board) of local production. I may never eat prosciutto stateside again.

After lunch I headed to an area called Montagnola because there was a vintage market I had heard about. Supposedly one of the best in Italy. Not so much…. The market is still there and they have a lot of vendors but it’s cheap-and-not-so-cheerful clothing . They can’t all be winners…. But Montignola is a really cool, bohemian neighborhood. I’d go back again. And I stumbled upon an amazing vintage store that wasn’t on my radar, so not all was lost.

I would definitely go back and explore Bologna. It’s worth another look under the covers. Next time I’m not leaving without ordering tortellini alla Bolognese.

05/10/2024

EMILIA-ROMAGNA
Rimini is a small town on the Adriatic near my home base of Santarcangelo.
Is it worth a visit? In my opinion, yes!

Rimini gets a bad rap , I think, because the beaches are a little schmaltzy. A bit built up. I didn’t go to see the beach but to wander around the historic center. Rimini has an interesting history. It dates back to 268 BC. My starting point was at The Arco di Augusto . This archway was built in 27 BC as a tribute to Augustus Caesar, the first Roman Emperor, and is the oldest triumphal arch in Italy.
The Corso di Augusto is a beautiful street lined with stores, restaurants and cafe’s that rival those in Florence and Rome. I had no agenda or itinerary in Rimini (like most of this trip I let my curiosity lead me), and as I wandered down the Corso di Augusto I walked across the Ponte di Tiberio (Tiberius Bridge) , another powerful and historic landmark. Built between 14 and 21 AD, this bridge is one of the best preserved bridges from the Roman Empire. My mind was blown.
I chose not to visit the many interesting museums and monuments . Next time.
Instead I meandered through the beautiful area called Borgo di San Giuliano. Colorfully painted homes with murals dedicated to the films of Federico Fellini tell a beautiful story of ‘“il Maestro”.
My lunch choice was L’Angolo Divino , a bohemian vegetarian restaurant. Hummus with sundried tomatoes and fresh focaccia with a Minestrone soup. What’s better than that? Nothing.

03/10/2024

EMILIA-ROMAGNA:
San Marino and San Leo

I have lived in Italy and have travelled to many places in this beautiful country. Everywhere I go becomes my new favorite place ever. Emilia-Romagna is really my favorite place. I mean it this time.
I drove from Milan to my home base of Santarcangelo di Romagna (more about that later) in the southeastern part of the region. You can tell why Emilia-Romagna is Italy’s bread basket from all of the farms and major agribusinesses that dot the highway. Emilia-Romagna is one of the most prosperous regions in Italy and is the epicenter of food - from its Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano cheese, and balsamic vinegar to name a few. The food in this region is second to none. And the landscape, especially in the smaller towns is breathtaking.

SAN MARINO is about a half hour drive from Santarcangelo , and sits atop a mountain overlooking the Adriatic Sea. It is actually a tiny country geographically in Italy but with its own government and currency. It’s the third smallest republic in Europe and the oldest. There are many cafe’s, restaurants, shops dotting the pristine midievel streets. The day I was there happened to be when they were electing their new Parliament , and so witnessing the celebratory parade going down the streets of San Marino was ….magic.

SAN LEO is a small town in the nearby Valmarecchia valley. It’s one of those places that few non-Italians know about , but which is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. Its roots go back to the Roman times and the setting of this charming town surrounded by lush green hills is breathtaking.
Upon entering the square you think you’ve landed in a movie set . I took a walk through this tiny village and wandered up to the Fortress overlooking the town and the entire valley. It goes back to the Middle Ages, was rebuilt in the Renaissance, at one point it was a military prison and is now a museum. It is legend that the 13th century poet Dante also spent time here. There is a super interesting exhibit in the fortress showing the torture chambers of the Middle Ages including the instruments of torture.
My passion has become visiting towns and villages that are off the beaten path. They have an incredible and rich history and are not yet spoiled by the throngs of selfie-loving drive-by masses.

01/10/2024

GENOVA

How far would you travel for a killer focaccia?
I had heard about this place called Focaccia e Dintorni in Genova and in my quest to try all of the Ligurian specialties, I boarded the train from Rapallo to Genova , exhausted and slightly hungover from the day and evening spent with my daughter and her friends, to find the best focaccia in Liguria.

It is tucked away in a small alleyway in the city center. And is very non-descript except for the line out the door, down the street and around the corner.

I’m typically suspicious of “must visit” restaurants posted all over social media. They take on a life of their own and the hype is usually better than the reality. However, the line was made up of mostly Italians and I took that as a good sign. And I was starving.

So after a half hour in line I ordered a mind blowing focaccia with tomatoes and cheese. There’s no seating inside so I took my focaccia al pomodoro and found a spot on a nearby bench . Totally worth the hype and the wait. With oil dripping down my arm , I consumed this little slice of heaven . And tempted to go back for seconds.

30/09/2024

SCIOPERO - word of the day

If you want to learn a little Italian while travelling in Italy , you may want to memorize this word. It means “strike” and it happens without advance notice. Travelling today from Rapallo to Milan’s Malpensa airport via Milano Centrale train station I knew something was amiss when I looked at the schedule for my connection at Milan’s main station and there was no track information minutes before departure. I was told that there was a strike today on this particular line. Malpensa is about 45 minutes outside of the city. Could I have taken a bus instead? Yes but not worth the hassle. 125 euros later (vs 9 euros for the train) I arrived safely at the airport.
Strikes are common in Italy. At the airports, train stations and other locations. And usually when you need to be someplace specific. Sh*t happens. I have learned to relax, have a cappuccino and move on to the next adventure.

30/09/2024

LIGURIAN COAST

This coastline is such a jewel, especially at the end of September. The weather is beautiful and the crowds are fewer.

I decided to explore Santa Margherita Ligure , just 2 miles or so north of Rapallo. There’s a lovely walkway connecting the two towns and it passes along the coast so the views of the Ligurian Sea are spectacular.

Lunch was on the waterfront. I’m all about eating local so I tried the Pansoti , a type of spinach and cheese filled ravioli , with a creamy sauce and a touch of nutmeg. Delish.

After lunch and a caffe’, I had some time to kill before meeting up with my daughter and her friends who are in Cinque Terre, so I took a short trip to Portofino. Lovely. Bougie . Elegant. Again, super crowded. There are beautiful towns up and down the Ligurian coastline, and Portofino has the legacy and reputation as being an elegant seaside village . I was told that Portofino was a short walk from Santa Margherita Ligure and decided to walk there. Next time I’d take a taxi but it was a meandering path along the coastline and the weather was gorgeous, so….

My stay in Portofino was short and sweet. I was overwhelmed by the tour buses arriving and departing . It felt a little like Epcot. An overpriced Epcot.

I took the train to Monterosso in Cinque Terre to meet up with my daughter and her friends to kick off her birthday celebration. A few Aperol Spritz, a dip in the sea , and some vintage shopping outlined the afternoon.
The early evening was spent in Riomaggiore, one of the 5 villages of Cinque Terre and, for me, the most magical. Aperitivi on the terrace as the sun was setting was gorgeous. Riomaggiore , for me, is worth a longer stay. Next time.
My daughter , her friends and I took a short train ride to La Spezia for dinner . Traveling with Gen z’ers is a trip. Selfies, videos and multiple outfit changes are pretty much a given. If I hear one more time “oh my God. You look amazing. You slay.”…
But I loved seeing this slice of Italy through their eyes. Dinner was at Ristorante Roma and I ordered my favorite Spaghetti ai frutta di mare. A few bottles of Prosecco later, I left to return to Rapallo while the girls continued the birthday celebration as one does at 24.

28/09/2024

VERSILIA

Whenever I am in Italy and I get a chance, I go back to Versilia, an area in the northwestern part of Tuscany which borders Liguria. And it’s where I worked and lived a million years ago. My trip there isn’t complete without a visit with my oldest friend in the world, Aurora. We worked together in the 1980’s and remained dear friends for many decades and she always welcomes me with open arms.
The day started with lunch in Marina di Massa . We dined on tordelli, a riff on ravioli. Of course, they were “fatti a mano” (Made in house). We made our way to Forte dei Marmi, a charming seaside town of the rich and famous, for a caffe’ and a passeggiata. No H & M or Zara here (thank God). Instead , brands like Dior, Prada and Armani line the promenade. Speaking of which , Giorgio Armani supposedly had a villa here as did Gianni Agnelli, who had a beautiful villa with his own underground passageway to his beach. We also passed by the villa where Andrea Bocelli currently resides. He is a fixture in Forte dei Marmi.
We then revisited one of my favorite restaurants, Maito’, an elegant bistro on the water. Rumor has it the owner is a serious gambler and won the restaurant from its previous owner in a game of poker. So dope.
A took some time in the afternoon to visit with the family I lived with during my years in Italy. It was such an amazing and emotional experience for me. To see these people who treated me like family after almost forty years was a lesson in grace . In my experience , it is grace that defines the Italians. It’s in their DNA to be generous and welcoming . We caught up on our lives, adventures and losses. And no one asked me what I “did” for work. It has been my experience that what you do for a living isn’t what defines you in Italy. But speaking of losses, the mother of father who hosted me passed away several years ago, and as I left the family in the afternoon, they gifted me a beautiful sketch the father had made as a young art student in the 1930’s. And promises of another visit again in the future.
Aurora and I made our way to Carrara , famous for its Carrara white marble quarries. So of course the sculptures in the square are made from the beautiful stone. Aperitivi in piazza, a quick dinner and we said our good-byes. Alla prossima.

27/09/2024

27/09/2024

Rapallo, Italy

First of all, can I say how much I love this town? I chose Rapallo as a home base for the week for many reasons. I wanted to stay on the coast of Liguria (the coastal region above Tuscany that borders France, and is referred to as the Italian Riviera). I chose not to stay in the more well-known towns, such as Portofino or Cinque Terre. They are beautiful, and I'll visit them again this trip, but the crowds are overwhelming and I vibe much more with places off the beaten path.

Rapallo is the perfect place - for me, anyway. It is on the sea with a charming town square and little streets and alleyways to meander through. But it's not so big that you will get lost and have to use your google maps to find your way back.

I spent the morning exploring, and found these beautiful palazzi adorned in a trompe-l'oeil style. You have to look closely to see that many of the windows on the buildings are just painted. Turns out is because in the 18th century, this technique was used to avoid paying a building tax, since you paid based on the number of windows. Brilliant.

I then took the tram car (funicolare) about 600 meters up to the Santuario Basilico di Montallegro. The view of the coastline from the tram is spectacular and if you take the tram to just have a coffee at the bar at the top, it's worth it. I chose to check out the Sanctuary I had read about . The church was built to celebrate the apparition of the Virgin Mary to the peasant Giovanni Chichizola in 1557. Every year, on the anniversary of the apparition there is a celebration and pilgrimage to the site over several days in July with celebrations and fireworks over the sea.

Instead of the tram, I took the "mule path" back down to Rapallo. It was one of my favorite parts of the trip so far. The path dates back to prehistoric times, and connected the village of Rapallo to other locations for trade and commerce. I so geeked out on the path - since there were milestones and signs that dotted the trail, calling out various landmarks and historical facts. Apparently the path was used in the construction of the sanctuary after the apparition. The inhabitants (all volunteers) paved the "road" so that mules could carry up the building materials. It then became an important network between neighboring towns. There is something about walking on paths travelled for centuries before me that gives me pause. It took about 1-1/2 hours to walk down the path. The sign says that it is an easy trail. I beg to differ. I got to the bottom and my legs were on fire. Truth be told, however, that I was wearing the wrong shoes (cute fashion sneakers instead of hikers......they were as supportive as flip flops).

Lunch after the morning excursion was well-deserved and just what I needed. I chose the restaurant Sole 1936, which is directly on the water. Grilled octopus , tomatoes and olives on a sauce of pureed potatoes, saffron and butter. Oh my God. So good.

In the afternoon, a massage was in order, given the morning's hike with sh*tty footwear.

Dinner followed at O Bansin . Founded in 1907, it has a local and non-pretentious vibe. The fried anchovies and a glass or so of local wine (at 3 euros and delicious) , followed by a Ricotta cream dessert were perfection on a plate.

Rapallo might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is definitely mine.