When in Rome

I would have gone if they would have let me have a longer vacation, but alas, they would not. So to slake my thirst for something Italian, I hopped in the auto and drove a ways to the Italian neighborhood of BigTown nearby.

I love this Italian neighborhood because everything is close. You park on one street and you can literally walk along the business district from one end to another in a pleasant walk, passing schools, the local church and lots of neighborhood homes, most small but neat and tidy, with little Madonnas and tri-colors in the front yards and the occasional "Beware of dog" signs in Italian.

First, I stopped for lunch at one of the sandwich places. It wasn't crowded, but the gaggle of screaming kids with two harried ladies nearly gave me indigestion. I like the guys who own the place, so I was happy with my lunch.

Next, I strolled down to the stores. I passed a couple of bakeries and grocery stores getting their deliveries. Good thing I wasn't here yesterday, or I'd have been run over by the mass of humanity that seems to show up on Wednesdays.

After that I headed over to the salumeria, which is world-famous because several Brat Packers had standing orders from this place because Frank Sinatra discovered it on a concert trip. It's a real hole in the wall, but an actual meat factory that sells all over the world. I had an interesting conversation with the lady at the counter over Abruzzese and Calabrese sausage. Yes, everything south of Milano is southern to the Lombards, and one day, I'll get to a restaurant that appreciates the difference.

I headed out with my sausages and took a break at the corner coffee store, which also happens to roast and sell coffee commercially. One of the employees was roasting a batch, so I sat in the front window seat and watched, as the drone of the roaster provided some nice, soothing white noise. The smell was delightful. I got a cup and a spicy chocolate biscotti and soaked up some sunshine in the front window (which wasn't as horribly hot as outside).

It was a relaxing way to end my trip to the Italian neighborhood. One of these days, hopefully, I'll be on my way to the old country...