my city life

with Lynette Standley

I’m pleased to report: Italy is recovering well, they are happy to see Americans, and the hurdles were all worth it for me.I enjoyed visiting a “new Rome.” I went to sites that were new to me, like the Testaccio neighborhood with their street art and diverse foods, and the Borghese Gallery and Gardens. It was also new in the sense that it felt very open and uncrowded. There were few foreigners and only light crowds at the main attractions. Most of the tourists were Italian, visiting from...

Well, I did it. I finally booked a ticket to Italy. And I leave in two weeks!It will be 497 days since I last flew home from Europe. I counted.  I may be crazy, but there are three great reasons to do it now: Crowds are still light, so I can experience Rome without throngs of people. I’m fully vaccinated and ready to go back. And four airlines are offering “Covid-tested” flights to Rome, so – like traveling to Hawaii – you get your test before departure, everyone on the plane has a...

I finally made my first big trip post-Covid, to the Big Island of Hawaii. Like many people, I haven’t been on a plane since the world shut down over a year ago. My last trip in March 2020 was to visit my son in Kona, Hawaii. Appropriately, that was my first big trip as things begin to open. I say “post-Covid,” but you know what I mean. It will probably be with us for a long time. But I’m fully vaccinated and was anxious to see my son, so I decided to venture out.Traveling to the Hawaiian Islands...

Salty spring greetings! And I mean that in the most positive sense for good cooking. I love salt—on my salads, in my pasta water, in my banana bread.Have you seen the Netflix series Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat? (It’s also a book.) Whether you like to cook, eat or travel, this show has something for everyone. Four one-hour episodes are an easy, entertaining watch. Let's dive into salt. S.A.L.T.It’s such a valuable preservative and seasoning that it was used as currency eons ago.Today it’s key to...