Simple Italy

Celebrating Your Inner Italian

Bosa in Sardinia

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The banks of the Temo River in Bosa, Sardinia. The Malaspina Castle is on the hill (above left).

Driving south from Alghero on the northwest coast of Sardinia, it’s a scenic hour-long drive south to the ancient town of Bosa. On a fine sunny April morning, with tapestries of wildflowers cascading down the mountains to the Mediterranean Sea, you might think you were in Paradise.

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Two Waterways

The old town of Bosa has two water outlets: the sea port and the Temo River which is said to be the only navigable river on the island.

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Best Bakery in Lucca

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By Sharon Sanders

Panificio Giusti.

Just typing those words and I salivate. Giusti is a fine bakery in the center of Lucca on Via S. Lucia.

Forno a Vapore Amedeo Giusti (steam oven bakery Amedeo Giusti) creates a variety of breads and pastries using stone-ground organic DOP (protected place of origin) flour, heirloom grains, extra-virgin olive oil and other premium ingredients.

The budino di riso (lemon-kissed rice pudding in a cookie crust; above left) was paradise.

A mini crostata filled with stracchino cheese was a savory sensation.

A glazed walnut-fig brioche pastry (right) tasted like Christmas. Walter and I slivered it into disappearing.

The most impressive baked good was the focaccia, both for the quality of the product and the volume of it that left the shop on our two visits.

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Dream Weaver in Lucca

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By Sharon Sanders

Weaver Genni Tommasi was profiled in a recent Dream of Italy newsletter article about artisans in Lucca. I bookmarked the piece and this morning made the pilgrimage to Tommasi Loomworks at Via Sant’Andrea 28 to meet the tanto talented Signora Tommasi and her gentle assistant, the collie Lady Hawke.

As promised in the DOI article by Mary Ann Hemphill, the space was graced by Tommasi loom- woven creations in natural fabrics: tops, scarves, neck ornaments, chandelier coverings, tote bags, even aprons. Tommasi, a former harpist, has two looms set up in the back of the showroom. She says her son is now weaving with her.

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Tommasi was chatting with friends — an American family who live in Belgium –who had stopped by to visit. Also in the showroom was an associate from Norway who represents Tommasi’s creations in Scandinavia.

Lady Hawke brings a gentle vibe to the Tommasi showroom.

It was a thrill to meet the artist and acquire (grazie, Walter) a silk shawl of exceptional beauty.

The Walls of Lucca

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“Nel caso di Lucca ci si fierisce quasi sempre, anzi sempre, alla citta definita dall’ambito delle Mura. Perche di essa apprezziao non solo la forma, gli aspetti storici e urbanistici, l’esistenza di monumenti, di beni ed eventi culturali, ma anche la presenza di negozi, di attivita varie, commerciali, degli uffic pubblici e privati; della gente che va e che viene.”

“In the case of Lucca we almost always, indeed always, get to the city defined by the area of the Walls. Because of this it appreciates not only the shape, the historical and urbanistic aspects, the existence of monuments, cultural assets and events, but also the presence of shops, various commercial activities, public and private offices; of the people who come and go.

–Gilberto Bedini, renowned Lucchese architect and urban planner

By Sharon Sanders

Today I am one of the people who come to Lucca and after some days, I’ll depart from Lucca. But the walls encircling the ancient city will remain.

The first defensive walls were built by the Romans. Then came a medieval rendition. The current iteration to protect the city from invaders began construction in the early 1500s and took about a century and a half to complete.

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Genoa Eats

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By Sharon Sanders

Walter recounted our Day in Genoa from a cultural perspective. Now for the essential part — the food.

As we strolled and soaked up information with our superb guide Filippo Zamparelli [fzampare@fastwebnet.it], we also stopped here and there for sustenance. Walking through the caruggi, narrow medieval streets and alleys, temptations assaulted us.

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We stopped for a torta stuffed with artichokes, warm from the oven. Heaven. Tortas are flat two-crusted pies stuffed with varied vegetables and cheeses.

At another shop, we gawked at the array of baccalá (salted cod) and stoccafisso. It may seem curious that preserved cod from north Atlantic waters are still so popular in Liguria and other parts of Italy but that is the legacy of a seafaring country.

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One Day in Genoa

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By Walter Sanders

They Say Genova. We Say Genoa.

Piazza Caricamento fronts the Porto Antico.

My previous experience in Genoa was in the airport in 1999 to attend a Financial Services Congresso (Conference) in nearby Portofino.

I recall the view from the car window upon leaving the airport as uninspiring: a mixed bag of grungy industrial sites, grim housing, busy highways.

So, upon an 8:15 a.m. arrival at Genoa’s Porto Principe railroad station to meet our guide Filippo Zamparelli [fzampare@fastwebnet.it] for a walking tour of the city, I am a blank canvas. 

Filippo (right) captained our little group through the old port of Genoa.

Filippo is a delight. Bookish, fine command of English, a sharp sense of humor, a deep and abiding interest in history (his major field of study at the University of Genova) and a lifelong resident of the city.

We get to know each other informally over a caffé. He loves history of all types … including US history. Turns out that he follows the Chicago Cubs who until 2016, share a lovable losing history akin to the Genoa soccer club, which Filippo also closely follows.

From the get-go of the tour, Filippo emphasizes how the city is changing itself. Long a port of global importance, and a major industrial city of Italy, Genoa found itself falling behind other port and industrial cities. The competition was killing the city and it was unable or unwilling to react.

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