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I grew up in a typical
Italian American family, with noisy multi coursed Sunday dinners surrounded
by relatives and family friends. My Nonna lived down the street and my
sisters and I usually stopped by her house on the way home from school for a
visit and a snack. I loved to accompany my father on his shopping jaunts to
Italian delis and pastry shops in North Beach in preparation for those
Sunday dinners. It was many years before I realized that everyone's father
did not listen to opera on the radio on Saturday afternoons and everyone's
grandmother didn't make fritta for those Sunday dinners.
My introduction to the
real Italy came somewhat later. As a partner in a CPA firm in Fairfax,
Virginia I had become a time freak, accounting for each 15 minutes of my day
on a time sheet. This helped to underline the importance of "get away"
time. Both Larry and I love to travel and Italy was high on our list of
escape destinations. We thought we’d do some sightseeing, perhaps catch a
performance at La Scala. Little did I know how captivating Italy could be.
There were, of course,
the reminders of personal times past. Spirited conversations in diminutive
restaurants reminded me of those noisy Sunday dinners so long ago. Matronly
women in slippers, housedresses and cardigans stood in village doors
exchanging the day’s gossip, just as Nonni had done when I was a child. But
the magic of the scenery, the loving attention to preservation of Italy’s
rich art and history, and the genuine hospitality of village folk makes me
want to return here again and again.
Domani-USA has enabled us
to return again and again. We look forward to sharing our experiences and
our favorite places with you.
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