First Person Singular by Wendy Braitman

Arrivederci Roma

On my last day in Italy, I’m soaking in the romantic ambience and fantastic food. Our spacious apartment near the Piazza Navona, is a few blocks away from an outdoor food market, and the carts are loaded with spring vegetables, olives and cheese. There’s no more room in my luggage, otherwise, I’d take this hunk of Reggiano along for the ride home. Continue reading »

Celebrating our Similarities

5 Food Highlights from Rome (so far)

On this trip to Italy, I haven’t had to research where to eat, thanks to Mol, a friend and most able food guide. She’s a world traveler, currently based in Rome with her husband, and has exquisite and inquisitive taste. Mol knows all the best local eateries for pasta, pizza, gelato, cappuccino. What a vacation!   Continue reading »

Room with a View

In our locanda in Venice, the preferred rooms are the ones with the canal view. Mine faced the street. Yet how lucky, first thing this morning, to catch a glimpse into the building across the way, as this couple made pasta together. (FYI, the man was in his underwear.)

Will Venice Live Up to the Hype?

Walking out of the train station was a surprisingly dispiriting experience. Despite the iconic scenery, the streets are so clogged with tourists, that for a moment, it felt like arriving in Disneyland. We dragged the luggage up steps and over bridges for a twenty minute walk to our hotel, Locando Sant’ Agostin, which is in a quiet district, away from the crowds. Federico, our lively concierge, had a great restaurant suggestion, tucked away in a cozy neighborhood where Venetians actually live. And that’s when you realize, Venice is not to be missed.

Why My Hissy Fit Paid Off

In Perugia for a few days, a beautiful hill town of Umbria, we checked into a small B & B. My heart sank when we walked up the creaky stairs, and I felt like I was stranded in the kids room of a stranger’s house. When I tried to flush the toilet, the handle broke. In a flash, I realized I’ve moved beyond the B & B phase of my life and had to get out of there. Yes, it was a “princess” move. But luckily there was a picturesque hotel right next door, and since it was 11:00 pm, the sweet man at Reception gave me a great rate for the best room in the place. This photo is the view from my private terrace.

Splendors, Day 2

This shot of the Jewish Ghetto was taken by my traveling buddy and photographer extraordinaire Miguel Torres

View from the Street, Rome Day 1

Roman Holiday

In a few hours, I’ll be getting on a Lufthansa flight from Los Angeles on my way to real Bolognese sauce and mouth-watering gelato. Check back here, as I’ll be posting photos and brief updates once I arrive. As an update to How to Pack for 10 Days in Europe, I managed to squeeze everything into a 22″. Rolling, not folding, really works!

Image by John Houck

Is It Okay to Choose to be Alone?

Can it be that I started First Person Singular over a year ago, and this is my first mention of Emily Dickinson? (This image, above, is the only confirmed photograph, taken when she was 16 or 17.) DON’T MISS reading Holland Cotter’s very personal and moving piece in the Times exploring the Dickinson mythos, My Hero, the Outlaw of Amherst. Here’s an excerpt:

But why do we so badly need to have this poet paired off with someone? Why do we need to make a failure in love — and because Dickinson was single, failure is always assumed — the explanation for her art? We don’t consider “Walden” or “Moby Dick” or “Leaves of Grass” the products of amorous psychopathology. Yet the notion lingers that Dickinson’s poetry was a disturbed response to some unfulfilled need, her retirement a symptom of sickness.