Murano’s artisan glass has become cheapened by the scourge of tatty tourism, but like Venice itself, Murano glass is a gem worth exploring in greater depth by the diligent courtesan. All visitors admire at least some Murano glass, in some of its forms. So too does the beer lover swoon over proper glassware. Glass is beer’s favorite…
Category: Italy
How to Enjoy A Rainy Day in Lucca (iPhoneEssay)
Lucca was a highlight of our trip through this part of the region, but our day there was a wash. You can see how empty the streets and main square were. There was a wine tent in the main square that allowed us to sit out one of the downpours, but we got wet as we wandered. I had…
How to Enjoy Florence if You Don’t Like Art
She Said: The Tuscan hills are shrouded in clouds this morning, and the forecasters say the rain will last. I will take it as a sign to cool off. I bought the Firenze Card, a perhaps overpriced (€72) but fun pass that offers the visitor a sort of VIP status when visiting such Florentine marvels…
Cinque Terre Ruined by Rick Steves
In response to my request for a 3-day apartment rental in Vernazza, I received the following email: “Mrs. Villa is an 80 year-old woman. She uses no technology. You may have trouble finding the house because there are no street signs. To meet Mrs. Villa, get out of the train station and walk until you…
A Grandame of Globalization: Genoa
As the train pulled away from Milan’s graffiti-encrusted suburbs, the concrete retreated with each clickety-clack and we were treated increasingly to majestic palazzi perched on hills. Destination Genoa. Once an independent republic and major Mediterranean mercantile power, Genoa is Italy’s largest commercial port and one of its liveliest cities. When you arrive in Genoa for…
You Say Fashion, We Say Beer.
We saw no billboards, signs or sexy shop windows announcing the upcoming fashion week in Milan. Brera and Via Montenapoleone specialize in upscale window dressing, but on the streets there were no Vogue Moda reporters, no svelte models emerging leg by leg from Ferraris, no poodles pimped in Prada. So we decided to drink beer….
Love and Barley 