Carnia in Winter
Last night at dinner, my friend Liviana had mentioned it might be snowing in Carnia today, so I dressed in extra layers. Five layers on top and three on the…
Gorizia: A First Glimpse
After good night sleep, I woke to sound of rain pattering against the shutters. At breakfast, the server, Luciana, said there had even been a light dusting of snow at…
Cividale del Friuli: Dulcis in Fundo
When traveling, there is almost no feeling worse than that of waking up sick. This was my fate one chilly winter morning in Udine. Always being prepared for the worst,…
Dream of Italy: Dec 2011/Jan 2012 issue
This month I have an article featured in the Dream of Italy newsletter: "Muggia Carnevale Unmasked." If your idea of the Italian carnevale revolves around elegantly dressed courtesans waltzing to…
Aquileia and Grado
Once again, in my efforts to see as much as possible in two weeks, my plan was to visit two cities in one day. I left my hotel in Udine…
Gemona del Friuli and Venzone
The next day, I took another early train from Udine to Gemona del Friuli. After passing endless, barren fields in varying shades of brown, we reached the Alto Friuli—the gateway…
Tarvisio: Monte Santo di Lussari
Early one winter morning, I took the train from Udine to the town of Tarvisio in the mountains of northern Friuli. The sky was clear, and for most of the…
Udine: Hostaria Alla Tavernetta
On Valentine's Day, I bid farewell to Trieste and took the train to Udine, where I discovered that the sottopassaggio (underground walkway) held a passage leading from the train platforms…
Muggia: Lilibontempo (Trattoria “Ex-Hitler”)
On my last day in Trieste, I took bus #20 from the train station and, after a half hour of winding through the city’s southern suburbs, arrived in the town…
Pasticceria Penso: Torta Sacher
It was a blustery February morning, and I had returned to Pasticceria Penso, one of Trieste’s oldest bakeries, to inquire about some local dessert recipes. Several days prior, I had…