A Brief Pause
April 7th, 2010
Home. Kiss the ground. Durham, Atlanta, New York, New Canaan, Portland, Oregon, Bay Area events, La Jolla, Newport Beach, back to Napa, Athens, GA, Gainesville, Florida and Coral Gables–done. And each event was marvelous and special. I’m lucky to get to meet so many terrific people who love to read and travel and experience la vita to the fullest. Luck was with me, too, with the weather along the way. Smooth flights and blooming trees and flowers made getting from A to B easy. That carry-on bag got hard to hoist as I accumulated books along the way. Culinary low point: facing a limp salad in a plastic box while seated in the middle of row 30. Second culinary low point: minibar lunch of one giant Snicker. Otherwise, I enjoyed eating alone and with friends in wonderful restaurants along the way. I reconnected with three childhood friends, a college boyfriend, several long-lost friends from early California days, even my daughter’s college boyfriend’s sister. The book tour is full of surprises. I’m buoyed by the enthusiasm for books I saw everywhere. Here are a few event photos from the Library of Newport Beach CA:
Here are a couple from Warwick’s Bookstore in La Jolla, CA, In the first, I’m sitting with Susan McBeth, inspired events manager and in the other two with talented staff, who arranged a tasting of Italian cheeses:
More to come!
Friday I go to Boston, then Monday to Toronto, then 4-5 May to Minneapolis. (Click on “Tour” for info.)
LOL about your Snicker lunch – reminds me of when you wrote, in UTTS, of your return to SF after summers in Italy to the reality of “dinner” standing at your SF kitchen sink, at 11PM, eating ice cream straight from the container, with a fork (I imagined strawberry). Yikes.
I live in Los Angeles and I wanted very much to be at the Newport Beach event, but Saturday had just sold out and Friday wasn’t feasable.
Hope you’ll be out here again!
Amused over your Snicker lunch – reminds me of when you wrote, in UTTS, of your return to SF after summers in Italy to find yourself eating “dinner” of ice cream, straight from the container, at 11PM, at the kitchen counter, with a fork (I imagined strawberry). Yikes.
I live in Los Angeles and wanted very much to attend your recent Saturday event in Newport, but it had just sold out and Friday wasn’t feasible.
Hope you’ll return soon.
There are many people in the Asheville, NC area who would love to have a book signing with you. We even have a new huge Barnes & Noble that would be a great venue.
Ashley, thanks. I was hoping to go to Malaprop Bookstore but they couldn’t fit my schedule. Maybe in the fall. Frances
Dear Frances,
I traveled to Italy for the first time last summer, and returned to California missing a piece of my heart. Arriving there felt like a homecoming for me, and the experience was even better than I had imagined. All I long for is to return and stay – if I don’t, I will always feel as though I missed out on something truly spectacular.
I have devoured your books in the months since, desperate to take as many mental visits back to Italy as possible. I had hoped to meet you at one of your book signings, but a scheduling conflict prevented that. My question is this: would you do it all over again, given the chance? Would you make the necessary sacrifices and adjustments to build a life in Italy? And do you have any advice to offer a nearly 24-year-old who would give anything for la dolce vita? I’d love your feedback.
Grazie mille,
Laura
Ciao Laura–You’re so young–why not study here? It’s hard to get work permits but somehow people who come for extended times seem to manage to find something. Absolutely, I’d do it again, and sooner, if possible. I’d also learn the language first rather than stumbling through for years! Hard to advise, since I don’t know your interests. Would just say follow all leads, stay focused, and keep a steely will. Have fun, too–Frances
Your March/April book tour must have left you bushed! I don’t know how you do it? All that flying around and Snicker bar meals would certainly do me in! You must be longing to return to the solitude of Bramasole (providing, of course, your electricity is on, there’s no water damage and your printer hasn’t been zapped by lightning!)
We live down the road (E 45) from you on a hilltop overlooking Todi (PG) in Umbria (which we’d always been told was the ‘Green Heart of Italy’?) While we never had a printer zapped, we have lost a refrigerator and two sets of phones to lightning!
I am just finishing up “A Year in the World,” a most enjoyable read with many poignant observations. We are also ‘passionate travelers’ (I was 3 mo. old on my first equator crossing) and have visited many of the locations you describe. Someday it would be interesting to share notes and observations on travel/living abroad with you.
Stay tuned.
Ciao John, arrived to find the dishwasher broken–not sure if it was zapped. Otherwise all is green and sweet. Hope it is down your way as well. Todi is gorgeous! Frances
When are you coming to Tampa? You inspire me to be creative.
Ciao Linda–I am in Tampa a couple of times a year, visiting friends. But not going there on the tour. Thanks, Frances
Dear Frances, I just read “Everyday in Tuscany” and loved every second of it. I am interested in any info on Monte Lauro, N.C. that you can share. Will there be a website of the progress anytime soon? I am going to N.C. soon to visit a friend. Thank you, I love you and Happy Mother’s Day. Michelle colonna
Michelle–The project is on hold until the economy rebounds–really rebounds. We don’t have a website right now and not sure when / if we will. Thanks for writing–Frances
My cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!
Buena Sera Frances,
I just found your website. I believe i own and have read every book you have written and tried many of your recipes. My husband and I hoped to run into at the Piazza during our many trips to Cortona. We both share a long love affair with each other and all of Italy. Seeing Italy through your eyes has enriched our experiences and furthering our decision to move to Italy as soon as we sell our home here. Thank you for wonderful descriptions.
Sincerely,
Nancy
Terrific work! This is the type of information that should be shared around the web. Shame on the search engines for not positioning this post higher!
is there a town or community in north carolina called “montelauro”?
Fran–not yet! Right now, it’s a dream place. We’d hoped for a real place but the crisis hit and our funding evaporated. Still hoping! Frances
In regards to Montelauro’s development being put on hold….if, when it is created, the realestate prices were kept at an affordable price ( i.e. for teachers, writers, artists, law enforcement, etc, who are not pulling in 6 or more figures a year) then I could see it being a huge financial success for you and your partners….but, so many of these developers over price their “projects” to lure in only the mighty rich…and so many have failed because of it…..pricing these properties at a realistically affordable price for working Americans will not only be successful but also the RIGHT thing to do…..most can’t afford to live your lifestyle in Italy…so, why not make it so that it is within closer financial means for people to be able to be able to have a taste of that beautiful life here?….Makes perfect sense to me…but that’s just my opinion
In regards to Montelauro’s development being put on hold….if, when it is created, the realestate prices were kept at an affordable price ( i.e. for teachers, writers, artists, law enforcement, etc, who are not pulling in 6 or more figures a year) then I could see it being a huge financial success for you and your partners….but, so many of these developers over price their “projects” to lure in only the mighty rich…and so many have failed because of it…..pricing these properties at a realistically affordable price for working Americans will not only be successful but also the RIGHT thing to do…..most can’t afford to live your lifestyle in Italy…so, why not make it so that it is within closer financial means for people to be able to have a taste of that beautiful life here?….Makes perfect sense to me…but that’s just my opinion