I love places that have an incredible history. I love the Italian way of life. I love the food. I love the people. I love the attitudes of Italians. – Elton John 

A good friend of mine has traveled to Italy with me a lot. A few years ago, when she announced to her co-workers that she was going to be on holiday soon, they asked where she was going. She replied excitedly, “Italy.” The group was silent for a few uncomfortable moments, and then one of them asked, “But didn’t you go there last year?” Yes, she had. Last year, and the year before that, and probably the year before that. They were a little dumbfounded.

Like me, my friend gets it. She understands that a 6-night three-city whirlwind tour of Italy is not really Italy. You have to leave the big cities eventually and drive off into the mountains, up to the hill towns, down onto the plains — and unpack and stay there for a while.

You have to find ways to interact with the locals: eat where they eat; be curious about them and engage in a little conversation, no matter how bad your Italian is; buy them a drink or a caffe; shop at the mercato with them. You have to try to not be so obviously American: easy on the short shorts, tank tops, flip flops and OUTDOOR VOICES ALL THE TIME.

You have to not be upset when you can’t get a PB&J for lunch or a Denny’s-style pig-out for breakfast. You have to patient and not complain that you can’t eat dinner at 6:00 in most restaurants. You can’t get upset when the restaurant won’t write individual checks (the phrase doesn’t even exist in Italian) or when too many people want to share plates and rush out in 30 minutes. Dining is an art form, to be savored and enjoyed slowly.

You shouldn’t be surprised to still find the odd “squatter” bathroom in public places . . . and you should learn to always carry tissues for just such an event. You mustn’t be afraid of the drivers in Italy: sure they go fast, but are generally pretty good drivers. On the other hand, if you drive, you shouldn’t be surprised to receive a ticket for some kind of allegedly egregious automotive violation six months after you’ve come home. Consider it a luxury tax on your trip.

I advise travelers to learn a few words before they go: ciao, grazie, prego, arrivederci, piacere . . . dove? Che? Quando? Quanto costa? Dove il bagno? A little attempt is much appreciated, especially once you’re out of the major cities. Heck, you might even enjoy it. I love the sound of Italian and hope to be stranded there long enough one year to really know what I’m doing. But I consider it something of a victory that I have convinced my friend that my favorite Italian word is also hers: cucchiaio (spoon). Don’t ask me why, the word just cracks me up.

So where is all this going? I don’t know. To bella italia, I suppose. Back again, with an open heart and a suitcase full of piccoli regali for old friends and new. And a just-in-time sense of needing an infusion of good Abruzzese food and wine, with a few days in Rome first to get acclimated (and to appreciate the slower pace of Sulmona when we arrive).

It’s always a stunner to drive from Fiumicino to Sulmona — at one point (even if you haven’t been paying attention), you cross into Abruzzo and know that you’ve arrived. You’re somewhere different. Greener, more mountainous, rustic, and that the eyes of 1,000 nonne are probably on you already. And sheep. Lots of sheep.

This New York City girl never thought she’d be this close to where her grandparents hailed from (Siena and Salerno), living a schizophrenic life between two cultures. But here I am. And here I go again.

I would be delighted to escort you some time to meet my friends and see how they make their way in this gorgeous part of the world where food has always been slow and the land is entirely important and la famiglia rules. Think about it.

Buon viaggio!

Linda Dini Jenkins

Linda Dini Jenkins is a card-carrying Italophile, travel planner, freelance writer, and amateur photographer. Travel is her passion, so writing about her travels just comes naturally. She hopes all her travelers find a way to express their joys, surprises, and fears as they travel and gives every traveler a nifty journal to help smooth the way. Learn more…

The trouble with eating Italian food is that five or six days later you’re hungry again — George Miller

It all started with a crazy idea back in Sulmona in the fall: What if we brought over our two chef friends and did a few cooking classes? Would Americans go for it? Would Novelia really board a plane for the first time in 40 years? Could Amalia pull herself away from her busy life in Santo Stefano di Sessanio and leave everything to Nonna Aida? What if we asked Marco at ONDA-TV to come, too, and film it all? Was there a germ of an idea here?

Amalia leading, Tim and Betsy following

A few weeks later, back stateside, Vicky and I sent out a “Save the Date” e-mail for a couple of classes that would be scheduled over a two-week period in March. Novelia and Amalia had said yes, and so the gears were set in motion. Within 48 hours, we were more than fully booked. Oversubscribed. People on waiting lists for the one Sunday class. And three classes soon became four. And then the gang down in the North End got involved, and we were happily ensconced in the whirlwind of activities of the Frattaroli family which has deep roots in Sulmona and owns several Boston area restaurants, among them Filippo on Causeway Street.

Marco was there to film it all. And SATV was there for the first installment, so watch for a show some time in April. Even the Boston Globe got into the act with a lovely article about the series.

Word of mouth grew and we were turning people down every day, right up until the last class. Amazing!

Jim rolls while Novelia explains

John, with Barbara in the background, really getting into it!

The first obstacle was that our friends don’t consider themselves chefs. They say they’re only “casalinge” (housewives) who learned how to cook from their mothers and grandmothers. Horsefeathers. In addition to working for the Italian government, Novelia runs a B&B and frequently cooks for her guests. And Amalia runs an inn where the kitchen is the centerpiece of the experience. Besides, who needs grumpy Gordon Ramsey when you can have two attractive, enthusiastic Italians who are devoted to preserving the traditions of their native region?

And what traditions they are! In Abruzzo, they include lenticche

Novelia with her chitarra

(lentils), miele (honey) and zafferano (saffron) from Santo Stefano, red garlic from Sulmona, pecorino cheese from L’Aquila, wines from nearby Vittorito and the machine that pulls it all together: la chitarra, the traditional guitar-stringed pasta maker of Abruzzo.

The belle donne created a menu that included a soup of lentichhe and volarelle (a small square-shaped cut fetuccini); pasta alla chitarra with white truffle sauce and also classic tomato sauce; grilled sausage with either cabbage or peas; shepherd’s cheese balls; and a torta della spossa (bride’s cake) with marvelous cream in and on it and sprinkled to look like the Italian flag.

Bello Montepulciano!

Wines included (thanks to our favorite winery, Pietrantonj), Trebbiano and Cerasuolo with our appetizers and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo with dinner. The appetizers were flown in from Abruzzo: a hearty salumi selection from Pingue and rich pecorino cheese from Castel del Monte And of course, no Abruzzese event is complete without confetti — the candy coated Sicilian almonds (and many newer variations) — graciously donated by Pelino, Sulmona’s star producer.

I will tell you that this was a lot of work on everybody’s part. Possibly the Invasion of Normandy took less planning. In the end, though, our 40+ participants went home happy and sated and delighted that they had made pasta this new (old) way. And our chefs, who were admittedly a little nervous about doing this, saw that they had used their magic to charm even more people on yet another continent.

We were blessed by the welcome given by the four couples who opened

State Senator Joan Lovely sampling Novelia and Amalia’s aperitivi

their homes and kitchens and pots and pans to us and we will never be able to repay them. We were gobsmacked by the generosity of Pingue, Pelino, Pietrantonj and Sr. Petronio who donated much of the food and wine. We were thrilled by our two videographers, one from Sulmona and one from Salem, who have recorded this for posterity. And we were honored to be recognized by State Senator Joan Lovely and State Representative Paul Tucker, who have declared their intention to work towards making Sulmona and Salem sister cities, thereby beginning an annual exchange based on food and friendship.

Things don’t get any better than that.

Me and my co-conspirator, Vicky Sirianni, with State Representative Paul Tucker

Vicky and I are on a mission to introduce Americans to Abruzzo — to its food, to its warm and wonderful people and to its beauty (stunningly showcased by videos created by Marco and shown at every event). We achieved that here for sure, and it’s only the beginning. We both hope that you will want to come to Abruzzo with us and share in the magic of this region.

So come on a tour with us or stay in Casa Linda, Casa del Cuore or Le Case della Posta. Just come.

You won’t regret it and you’ll eat better than you ever have!

Buon appetito e Buon viaggio!

Linda Dini Jenkins

Linda Dini Jenkins is a card-carrying Italophile, travel planner, freelance writer, and amateur photographer. Travel is her passion, so writing about her travels just comes naturally. She hopes all her travelers find a way to express their joys, surprises, and fears as they travel and gives every traveler a nifty journal to help smooth the way. Learn more…

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went — Will Rogers

The rain on my window was hard one day last week. It pounded in a rhythm of threes — tap, tap, tap — that gave me pause. I stopped what I was doing and listened. Tap, tap, tap. It sounded exactly like our dog drinking water. Maxine always drank in threes. We thought it was a bit odd, but figured, as with all references to three, that there must be some Biblical significance to it. Not.

On her favorite chair, thanks to Auntie Sharon

But of course, it couldn’t be Maxine. Maxine left us on February 4^th at 11:30 p.m. at Angell Memorial in Jamaica Plain. She straddled both our laps and crossed over. Lots of sobbing. Massive headaches. General shitiness all around.

That’s why you haven’t heard from me in a few weeks. We are still grieving the loss of our little girl and plan to be doing so for a number of months or more. We had her for 15 years and she was our only child. A very special furry child who was alternately loving and maddening, amusing and aloof, needy and independent. It was our job to figure out her mood each day and act accordingly. We were very well trained.

The lobsters never had a chance . . .

Our friends have been wonderful, sending cards and making calls, and installing many hugs on our sad frames. This too shall pass, I know, and a new puppy will help at some point. Our friend Jim says it’s really hard to grieve for your old dog when you’re watching a new puppy doing stupid stuff. I know we’ll experience that, but not right now.

Maxine had aliases. Her formal name was Lady Maxine of the Ozarks, but she was also known as Beanie, Varmsky, Lady Maxine, Lady Meatloaf, Varmit, Waldo Puppercorn, The Bean, Maxeenie Dini Beanie, and to her grandmother — Her Ladyship. She seldom answered to any of them. She was her own dog, for sure.

The Best Good Girl and her staff

I know a lot of you have experienced the same thing and I’m sorry for your loss, no matter how long ago it was, because I know nobody ever gets over this. Not really.

At least I’ve got Italy to look forward to. Maybe there’ll be a new addition when we get back. You’ll be the first to know.

Buon viaggio!

Linda Dini Jenkins

Linda Dini Jenkins is a card-carrying Italophile, travel planner, freelance writer, and amateur photographer. Travel is her passion, so writing about her travels just comes naturally. She hopes all her travelers find a way to express their joys, surprises, and fears as they travel and gives every traveler a nifty journal to help smooth the way. Learn more…

The snow doesn’t give a soft white damn whom it touches —  e.e.cummings

I came to New York for a writing and theater weekend and got a blizzard named Jonas instead.

The writing went pretty well, actually, but Broadway was shut down Saturday night, along with the tunnels, the subways and buses, the airports and then George Washington Bridge. If you wanted to get here you couldn’t and if you were here and wanted to get out, you’d better find a friend or a hotel room.

Do I like it because it means “apple” in Italian?

I’d gotten a great deal on my favorite little hotel in New York, so I was well taken care of. And right across the street is one of my favorite places to eat. I am sitting at a table there as I begin to write this.

I have been coming here to the Café Un Deux Trois since the 1970s when I lived another life in the advertising business. Few things have changed except that there is a still little shot glass holding crayons on each table, but no paper tablecloths anymore — at least not at breakfast. But the B&W French vintage photos are still here (even in the ladies’ room), as are the graceful  Corinthian columns and large pitted mismatched mirrors. The crystal chandeliers and polished wooden bar are as wonderfully tawdry as they ever were, and the place is still largely frequented — and staffed — by foreigners.

As a traveler, I love that. I’m listening to Castilian Spanish on my left and plummy

Audrey, in the ladies’ room!

British on my right. Yesterday my neighbors were Polish and French. And we’re all here in the blizzard together, a little anxious, but still laughing and sipping Cafe Au Lait. Magic.

I never did get to see Allegiance or George Takei (apologies, Mr. Sulu). But I did get to go out on Saturday afternoon and revel in Times Square with dozens of other exuberant folks. There’s nothing quite like New York City in the snow . . . even if I didn’t get up to Central Park to see the 30 inches coming down, the action on Broadway and 44^th was invigorating. Flash snowball fights, lots of picture taking, window shopping and an overwhelming sense of being in this thing together. The last time I experienced this was in the ‘80s and I remember people cross country skiing up Madison Avenue (never mind the park) and just how wonderfully calm the city was with no beeping horns or air brakes scaring the hell out of you.

On Sunday the city came back to life, the way it always does. Museums re-opened, the TKTS booth was mobbed with eager theater-goers and the sun came out to make it all kind of sparkle. I did manage to get to my second show, the wildly creative Fun Home, the brainchild of Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori that is based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel. The show was staged at the Circle in the Square, which is such an intimate theatre that you feel a mad part of everything. Add to that the fact that I was sitting on the aisle in the very first row next to the orchestra and you can imagine . . . I had a nice chat with Sunita, one of the ushers, who is as avid a travel fan as I am.

After the show, I walked back toward the hotel and stopped at a small restaurant just down the street. As I was reading the menu outside, a man came over and said, “It’s terrific. My wife and I ate here last night. Don’t miss it.” So I went in, and was ushered to a seat along the banquette in the back, next to two women a little younger than I am. Soon, a couple about the same age sat down on the other side.

Gentle reader, the thing about New York City is that when disaster or discomfort strikes, its people get real. They talk, they joke, they watch out for each other. And so it was at Osteria al Doge, a long-time fixture in the pre-theatre restaurant business in Times Square, although this was my first time there. The very experienced waitress, Ella, has apparently been there for a while and served us all with insight and humor.

I started, as I usually do, with a glass of crisp Prosecco. Then I ordered the Insalata Tricolore, a wonderful plate of fresh arugula, radicchio and endive with a very nice dressing and delicate sheets of shaved parmesan on top. On the recommendation of the ladies at the next table. I ordered the Mezzelune alle Melanzane, a gorgeous homemade ravioli filled with roasted baby eggplant, goat cheese and fresh tomatoes. They thought that a nice glass of Valpolicella should accompany my portion, as it had theirs, and so they quickly asked for another glass and shared their bottle of wine with me.

When it came time for dessert (Ella is evil; she brought each of us the dessert cart, holding all kinds of unspeakable choices), the folks on the other side opted for special Chocolate Mousse, and so did I. Not my usual choice for an Italian restaurant dolce, but I am very glad that I tried it. With a coating of dark semi-sweet chocolate, and topped with blackberries and fresh whipped cream, it was one of the highlights of this crazy weekend. As such, I returned the favor of the Valpolicella ladies and offered them some of the mousse, which they happily accepted. I left the restaurant well fed and feeling good about life, even though trains were bring cancelled for the next day.

The next day I made it out of the city, just about two hours late, which wasn’t so bad. Another New York City adventure behind me, another new folio of poems, another Playbill for my collection and more good feelings about my home town. If you’ve never been, go. If you have been, go back. The Bronx is still up and the Battery’s still down. But there’s no place like Manhattan.

Buon viaggio!

Linda Dini Jenkins

Linda Dini Jenkins is a card-carrying Italophile, travel planner, freelance writer, and amateur photographer. Travel is her passion, so writing about her travels just comes naturally. She hopes all her travelers find a way to express their joys, surprises, and fears as they travel and gives every traveler a nifty journal to help smooth the way. Learn more…

The holidays stress people out so much. I suggest you keep it simple and try to have as much fun as you can. —Giada De Laurentis 

Hah! — LD Jenkins

‘Tis the season of distress. Too much to do, too many people wanting a piece of your time, and this damned upcoming holiday week, which has become so far removed from what it should be that it makes me weep.

I’ve advised friends to never make important decisions between Thanksgiving and the day after Valentine’s Day because we’re all so unstable during these days. This year is no different. I, who am usually pretty darn centered and easy going, find myself bursting into tears at odd moments, experiencing more pain than I have in years, sleeping almost not at all and just generally being a cranky and miserable person to be around. Ho. Ho. Ho. Poor Tim. Poor Maxine.

That said, I always have Italy. Just thinking about it makes me smile and, thanks to the Internet, I have so many Italian friends on Facebook and Twitter that I can pretty much always know what’s going on in the places that I love, as long as the language isn’t too much in the vernacular.

So how will I get through this season? By making an Italy bucket list for 2016.

Here goes:

One of the things I’m most interested in doing is to go to Italy during the holidays to see the Christmas markets. I’m not sure what goes on in Piazza Garibaldi in Sulmona, but I guess I can stand a side trip. Besides, Sulmona does the best Easter celebration by far, so it can’t be expected to do both!

I want to make a trip to the region of Basiicata in May after my tour is over to visit the city of caves, Matera. See? Didn’t that video make you smile? (Yle, are you ready for us?)  Puglia is also on my list, but that may have to wait until 2017.*

More cooking classes are a must, and I’d love to start with the wonderful Simone Proietti and see his brand new ristorante, Le Delize del Borgo, in Bevagna in nearby Umbria. And of course there’s Carmine in nearby Pacentro (the Abruzzese home town of Madonna’s relatives). Carmine’s spectacular taverna, Caldora, is not to be missed.

And I’m always up to meeting new vineyards and new wines, so bring them on! In 2015, we discovered the Pietronatonj and Masciarelli wineries. Bene! What’s not to like with a tasting in a castle, which is just what you get with Masciarelli!?

I want to learn to better appreciate Rome when I go in May. I’m a New York City girl, so am a bit partial to the big city of my youth, but I’m willing to go with an open heart this time.

I would love to get to see Castelli in 2016, which is the Deruta (ceramic center) of Abruzzo.

And I want to finally get to the Adriatic’s Costa dei Trabocchi to see the trabucco fishing piers and try some local fresh fish.

My adopted region of Abruzzo has such an amazing food history and such culinary opportunities that I want to learn more about their sources and uses: the red garlic, saffron, truffles, lentils, grapes, olives and cheeses. This item will probably cost me 10 pounds, but it will be worth it!

Mostly, I want to keep meeting the wonderful Abruzzese people — the natives as well as the stranieri who have come to settle there and now call it home. We are a colorful bunch, I tell you, and I hope that you’ll join me on one of our twice-yearly tours or will venture here on a self-catering holiday. Casa Linda awaits!

I feel better already . . .

Buon Natale e Buon Capodanno!

N.B. Some of you have asked for a trip to Venice in 2017. Sounds good to me. But you’ll also have to see Verona and Vicenza, because I can’t be that far north and not see two of my other favorite cities and introduce you to some new friends there. Let me know if you’re interested . . .

Linda Dini Jenkins

Linda Dini Jenkins is a card-carrying Italophile, travel planner, freelance writer, and amateur photographer. Travel is her passion, so writing about her travels just comes naturally. She hopes all her travelers find a way to express their joys, surprises, and fears as they travel and gives every traveler a nifty journal to help smooth the way. Learn more…

Methinks I will not die quite happy without having seen something of that Rome of which I have read so much. —Sir Walter Scott

Ciao a tutti!

Some of you have indicated an interest in joining me and Tim for our next tour of Italy. I’m still working out some of the details, but I can tell you this much right now:

• We will leave Boston on Friday, May 6 and return on Tuesday, May 17.
• We will spend 4 nights together in a boutique hotel in Rome and 6 nights together in one of the fine Santacroce hotels in Sulmona, in the Abruzzo region of Italy where Tim and I share an apartment with Lou and Vicky Sirianni.
• All breakfasts and many other meals will be included.
• We will visit a winery in Abruzzo . . . tour a Celestine Abbey . . . tour at least two medieval cities . . . share meals at some incredible restaurants . . . participate in the aperitivi and passeggiata activities . . . enjoy confetti and gelato ’til we burst . . . and have a special “wild west barbecue” day in the mountains.
• In Rome, we will have an opportunity to cook and eat a  meal with a local in her  apartment . . . have a wine-curated brunch in a fine hotel near the Vatican . . . tour the Jewish Ghetto . . . and have plenty of time to explore Rome on our own.

 

Linda Dini Jenkins

Linda Dini Jenkins is a card-carrying Italophile, travel planner, freelance writer, and amateur photographer. Travel is her passion, so writing about her travels just comes naturally. She hopes all her travelers find a way to express their joys, surprises, and fears as they travel and gives every traveler a nifty journal to help smooth the way. Learn more…

Life is a combination of magic and pasta. – Federico Fellini

There will surely be pasta. And lenticche soup. And a little meat, I suppose. Sausage, salumi, maybe a little lamb. I’ve heard rumors of a truffle sauce. I can’t wait to see what comes of it.

The “it” is so exciting: our friends Novelia and Peppe from Sulmona are coming to the States in March 2016, and our (mutual) friend Amalia, from Santo Stefano di Sessanio, is coming with them. They’re going to try to teach us how to cook a few Abruzzese masterpieces. They’ve got their chitarre already packed, I’m sure!

Amalia has never been to the States. Novelia was born in Pratola Peligna, next door to Sulmona, but spent much of her childhood in Ottawa and has not been back to North America for many, many years — and never to the U.S. This will be a wild experience for all of us, since they only know us as Americans in Abruzzo and now the tables will be turned. They’ll stay here in Salem and we’ll take them to Boston and then on to New York City.

By way of credentials . . . Novelia runs the palazzo-based La Casa del Cuore in the historical center of Sulmona. Just read through her website and you’ll get a real sense of her personality and her willingness to make your stay unforgettable. Amalia, on the other hand, runs Le Case della Posta in Santo Stefano di Sessanio, about an hour’s drive from Sulmona. She has rooms all over this medieval city and her energy and enthusiasm are boundless. I’ve almost never seen her with both feet on the ground at the same time! Both Novelia and Amalia are great cooks and work hard to uphold the traditions of the cucina Abruzzese. Which is why we’re so excited to have them here.

Magic and pasta . . . and you can be part of it!

Please save some time in early March 2016. We will soon announce the dates of our three upcoming cooking classes, and hope you’ll be able to come. Trust me, your lives will never be the same – and neither will your dinners!

If you’re already interested, please send me a note in the “Contact Me” section here and I’ll be sure you’re on our mailing list.

Buon viaggio – e buon appetito!

Linda Dini Jenkins

Linda Dini Jenkins is a card-carrying Italophile, travel planner, freelance writer, and amateur photographer. Travel is her passion, so writing about her travels just comes naturally. She hopes all her travelers find a way to express their joys, surprises, and fears as they travel and gives every traveler a nifty journal to help smooth the way. Learn more…

At the famous Pelino Confetti store and museum

Italy is a dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life – Anna Akhmatova

Well, you missed a great trip!

Thanks to everybody who helped make this one a smash: Novelia, Vittoria, Amalia and Nonna Aida, Katy and Susanna, Antonella and all the Santacroce family, our guides Danilo and Francesco, restaurant pros Luca, Massimo and the team at Da Gino, wine experts Roberta and Alicia . . . I could go on and on. And I will.

But for now, here are a few photos to whet your appetite.

Mussolini — in Pacentro!

At Villalago

Mucca!

Don’t you want one?!?!?

Linda Dini Jenkins

Linda Dini Jenkins is a card-carrying Italophile, travel planner, freelance writer, and amateur photographer. Travel is her passion, so writing about her travels just comes naturally. She hopes all her travelers find a way to express their joys, surprises, and fears as they travel and gives every traveler a nifty journal to help smooth the way. Learn more…

 And when my spirit wants no stimulus or nourishment save music, I know it is to be sought in cemeteries: the musicians hide in the tombs; from grave to grave flute trills, harp chords answer one another.  ― Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities 

My birthday happened to fall on the weekend that just past and we wanted to do something special, so we decided to take up a friend’s standing offer to visit him and his wife on the South Fork of Long Island. We have been out several times over the last 20+ years, but never to celebrate a birthday. The weather promised to be perfect and we knew that, for a variety of reasons, it would be our last chance to have a little vacation in the next few months because Tim is running for local office here in Salem, Massachusetts. But that is surely the subject for another post.

Birthday girl, happy at the beach!

We bundled up the doggie and the bathing suits, a few bottles of fabulous Italian wine, and booked reservations on the Cross Island Ferry. We were going. And it was everything we hoped it would be: Beautful home. Gorgeous location in Springs, New York — just north of the Town of East Hampton. Fabulous dinner at The 1770 House. Magical beach day. Great home-cooked meal with friends. Figs, home-grown tomatoes and a panoply of herbs. And we finally got to spend some time with our friend’s new wife. Kind, gracious, caring . . . I couldn’t ask for anything more for my dear friend of 30 years, who has been through the mill health-wise lately.

But that brings me to one of my weekend highlights. Those of you who are regular readers know that I am kind of a nut for cemeteries. Springs has one that is certainly worth visiting, and if you know someone who is buried there (my friend’s late wife) it is even more fascinating.

Gate to the Green River Cemetery, Springs NY

There is no river in sight near the Green River Cemetery, so who knows where the name came from? Established in 1902, it was originally meant for the bonakers — local working class families who supported the mansions in the main village. In fact, many of the original bonaker families in Springs were among the earliest settlers of the town, having come from England in the 17th and 18th centuries.Today they survive as Millers, Bennets, Conklins, Strongs and Kings and the families have been interred in Green River for generations. But since 1956, the bonaker families have been somewhat pre-empted in their traditional final resting place.

That was the year that Jackson Pollack, local artist and Springs resident, died and was buried under

Jackson Pollack plaque

a 50-ton rock and put Green River on the map as an artists’ and writers’ cemetery, where even the headstones are works of art. The cemetery is small, somewhat unkempt and the farthest thing possible from grand. Still, it has become the Père Lachaise of the Hamptons, being elevated to a pilgrimage site.

Jackson, rear, and wife Lee Krasner, foreground

Apparently, Green River is sold out, and having a plot there might just be the ultimate Hamptons status symbol. Also, apparently, there are finer resting places in the area, featuring the graves of Childe Hassam and Jospeh Heller, among others. But I hear that spots are filling up fast everywhere. Location, location, location!

Never mind. I wanted to see my friend’s grave again and get some photos of the arty and famous to show you. So here are some of my favorites.

Elaine de Kooming, wife of artist Willem

Stan Vanderbeek, underground film maker

A very subdued Charles Gwathmey, architect

New Yorker cartoonist J.B. Handelsman

Barbara Barnes Hale — you know her better as the original Della Street

And finally, our friend, dear Micki:

“Loving companion, gifted therapist, loyal friend, ultimate hostess, ardent Democrat . . . Sally’s daughter”

If you’re not a walker of cemeteries, I urge you to try it, especially when you travel. Italian cemeteries, for example, are stunning tributes to the interred. There are worse ways to spend an afternoon, and we can all use a little serenity now and then. Grab it while you can.

Buon viaggio!

Linda Dini Jenkins

Linda Dini Jenkins is a card-carrying Italophile, travel planner, freelance writer, and amateur photographer. Travel is her passion, so writing about her travels just comes naturally. She hopes all her travelers find a way to express their joys, surprises, and fears as they travel and gives every traveler a nifty journal to help smooth the way. Learn more…

History, food, architecture, more food and cooking in the green heart of Europe

September 25 – October 4, 2015

Piazza Garibaldi: Sulmona among the mountains

It’s too late to join me on this small group adventure under the glorious skies of one of Italy’s most beautiful regions. But we’ll be going again in 2016. Hope you can come! Meanwhile, here’s what this trip will entail . . .

We will travel to several of Abruzzo’s medieval cities, among the most beautiful ancient villages in all of Italy; will eat and drink very well; will experience two cooking classes and a winery tour; and will still have plenty of time for exploring and relaxation.

This package includes eight nights away:

• 6 nights in Sulmona’s Hotel Ovidius, a short walk from the historic center
• 2 nights at Le Case Della Posta in stunning Santo Stefano di Sessanio

Fee includes accommodations, all breakfasts, six lunches and four dinners, two cooking classes, a winery tour and transportation to Scanno, Santo Stefano, and Rocca Calascio. Travel to and from Fiumicino airport included.

Get your hat, your sunscreen and some walking shoes — andiamo!

Just the Facts . . .

Price per person: $2,495

Package includes:

• six nights in the Hotel Ovidius in the heart of Sulmona
• two nights at Le Case Della Posta in the medieval town of Santo Stefano
• all breakfasts
• 6 lunches
• 5 “aperitivi” happy hours
• 4 dinners (including two cooking classes)
  • o cooking class at Hotel Ovidius, beginning with the weekly mercato
  • o cooking class led by Mamma Aida in Santo Stefano, for a look at regional home cooking at its best
• vineyard tour and wine tasting at the oldest winery in Abruzzo
• private guided walking tours of Sulmona, Scanno and Santo Stefano
• guided walking tour of the Hermitage of San Onofrio
• optional trips and restaurant guidance for times “off”
• visit to the Pelino Confetti store and museum
• ground transportation throughout your stay

Pricing:

Price quoted is per person, double-occupancy sharing a double bedroom. Packages are land packages only. Air travel is not included. Transfers to and from Fiumicino airport will be arranged once we know your flight times.

Accommodations:

Accommodations are included in the package price. Guests will spend the first six nights at the Hotel Ovidius (right across the street from our apartment) in Sulmona. The modern hotel has a spa, lounges and outdoor garden areas for relaxing and taking in the stunning mountain views. For the last two nights, guests will stay at the incredible Le Case Della Posta, in Santo Stefano. Here, each two bedroom suite will share a bathroom — but by then you’ll all be such good friends, it won’t matter.

Transportation:

All ground transportation to and from events and excursions is included. Airport transfers will be determined once we know flights arrival and departure times.

Deposit:

A non-refundable deposit of $ 500.⁰⁰ per person is required at the time of booking. The remaining balance is due by August 15, 2015.

There is only room for 8 people on this tour, so please book early so as not to be disappointed!

 Itinerary

(subject to slight changes, as weather & availabilities dictate)

Friday, September 25

• Fly from your home cities to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport. Dinner onboard flight.

Saturday, September 26

• Arrive in Rome’s Fiumicino Airport (FCO) around 10:00 a.m.
• Watch for details about where to meet the bus/car as we get closer to the date
• We will make arrangements for your arrival at the hotel; unpack, relax or walk into town
• Enjoy your first aperitivo with introductions at 6:00 at Casa Linda, our apartment across the street
• Walk to Osteria del Tempo Perso for dinner to experience your first Sulmona pizza around 7:15 (early because we’re all jet-lagged!)

Sunday, September 27

• Breakfast served at the hotel from 8:00 – 9:00
• Walking tour of Sulmona begins at 10:00
• Stop for lunch in Sulmona (Il Vecchio Muro)
• Tour of Pellino confetti factory after lunch
• Optional activity: farm visit in Anversa
• Aperitivi around 7:00 at Hotel Ovidius
• Dinner on your own (we’ll make recommendations)
• Optional walk into Sulmona for gelato and the passeggiata

Monday, September 28

• Breakfast served at the hotel from 8:00 – 9:00
• Pick up at 10:00 for tour of the Hermitage San Onofrio
• Back to Sulmona for lunch at Da Gino, one of the finest anywhere
• Free time after lunch
• Pick up at 4:00 for visit to Abruzzo’s oldest winery for tour and tasting
• Back to Sulmona; dinner optional

Tuesday, September 29

• Breakfast served at the hotel from 8:00 – 9:00
• Pick up at 9:30 for a tour of beautiful Scanno, including a visit to Armando DiRienzo for beautiful traditional filigree jewelry; hopefully we’ll see one of the 25 ladies who still wear the traditional Scanesse costume
• Lunch together in Scanno
• Perhaps an optional trip to one of the area’s finest pasta makers
• Back to Sulmona for Aperitivi around 7:00 at Hotel Ovidius
• Dinner on your own

Wednesday, September 30

• Breakfast served at the hotel from 8:00 – 9:00
• Meet at 10:00 at mercato to buy ingredients for your cooking class
• Cooking class
• Lunch will be what we cook
• Free afternoon and evening

Thursday, October 1

• Breakfast served at the hotel from 8:00 – 9:00
• Pick up at 11:00 for trip to Palumbo cheese factory
• Lunch on your own: go to Posta Pacentrano together or come back into town
• Time for packing or exploring in the afternoon
• Pick up at 6:30 for Aperitivi in nearby Marane with Carlo and Vittoria
• Farewell dinner in the Marane

Friday, October 2

• Breakfast served at the hotel from 8:00 – 9:00.
• We bid arrividerci to Sulmona and drive to beautiful Santo Stefano di Sessanio
• Settle into our rooms and then come down for lunch at your inn, Le Case Della Posta
• After lunch, we will take a walking tour of Santo Stefano
• Aperitivi in the garden outside Le Case Della Posta at 6:00
• Dinner at a fabulous albergo and ristorante in Santo Stefano

View of Rocca Calascio

Saturday, October 3

• Breakfast served at the inn from 8:00 – 9:00
• We will be picked up in an agribus for our ride out to the country
• Our first stop is the incredible Rocca Calascio: a ruined fortress, and the highest one in Italy. We’ll walk up the last little bit to the top — a gentle hike of about 15 minutes — and take in the scenery and the octagonal church on the way
• The agribus will then take us to our spot for a lunch of arrosticini, traditional small lamb skewers that melt in your mouth
• We will return to Santo Stefano for our cooking class with our hosts Amalia and Mamma Aida, who will create a masterpiece with you including antipasto, lentils, pasta alla chitarra, lamb, special cakes, wines and digestivi — you’ll sleep well!
• All you’ll we able to do after dinner is go up to your room and pack for your flights tomorrow.

Sunday, October 4

• You’ll depart the inn in the morning as your flights require — we’ll get everybody out to meet the earliest flight
• Memories begin . . .

Ci vediamo in Abruzzo!

This trip may be filled, but there will be TWO trips in 2016. Watch this space for announcements about dates and itineraries. Add your name to my mailing list!

Linda Dini Jenkins

Linda Dini Jenkins is a card-carrying Italophile, travel planner, freelance writer, and amateur photographer. Travel is her passion, so writing about her travels just comes naturally. She hopes all her travelers find a way to express their joys, surprises, and fears as they travel and gives every traveler a nifty journal to help smooth the way. Learn more…