Smart before Smart

In cities and towns built before the invention of the automobile (i.e., most of those in Sicily), if you must use a car, a small one is recommended, so you don’t get stuck in an alley meant for a donkey to pass through! Here’s an example of a “smart” choice–before Smart Cars existed: a Fiat…

The Pits Make It Sweeter

My cousins and I enjoyed fresh watermelon, or “anguria” in Italian, at a local restaurant on Panarea Island (Aeolian Islands). Another thing I remember about this lunch, was the arugula salad, which the owner, who served us, said had just been prepared from “la rugula” that he picked from the restaurant’s back garden.

White and Light

Lipari Island, the main island of the eight volcanic Aeolian islands, was the site of a major pumice stone industry for centuries. This hillside that cascades into the sea was a major quarry for the porous, white stone that is so light-weight, small pieces of it can float in the water. The quarry is now…