Interlude / Intermission: Italy

I’ve always had a love affair with Italy — the cuisine, mediterranean sea, VAT refunds for designer goods, and the many photo ops have always had a hold of me. And no, I’ll never get sick of taking photos of the rugged coastline dotted with locals tanning on rocks straight out of an Aaron Slims photo.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I have visited, but each region holds so much history and culture, not to mention the FOOD, that it’s impossible to not get sick of returning. I maybe craved Chinese food once? And no matter how much pasta I was eating, I never seemed to get bloated. Those Italians, they’re onto something.

Since my first visit back when I was 21 on a Contiki bus, I've made multiple trips — from a few days visiting the beautiful Cinque Terre solo, to two-weeks in Puglia, and most recently a month-long cross (or shall I say, vertical?) country drive from the top (Lake Maggiore) to the toe (and the rock, i.e. Sicily) for our honeymoon. But there’s no better way to explore Italy than with a chef. From visiting markets in Modena where we bought a mix of charcuterie and fruits, dining at Michelin starred restaurants, to random hole in the wall trattorias and bistros, getting focaccia’s from service stations during our road trip pit stops — it’s no wonder that this country has such a special place in my heart.