What's IN/OUT this week

I returned from two weeks in Italy on Tuesday night, and my body and spirit have not recovered. What does this mean? Beyond my Rubenesque gelato gut, it means I haven’t been able to wrap my mind around the idea of “accomplishing things.” Knocking out tasks feels weird when you’ve just spent half of September with zero goals outside of racking up foreign transaction fees (whoops!).

IN: Being unwaveringly dedicated to the culture. I knew that Italians have strong feelings about their coffee — example: dairy goes in coffee only at breakfast time — but I don’t think I understood just how essential it is to their entire way of life. They are like moths to the cafe counter flame; no sitting, just leaning and stirring. I was grabbing an espresso while we had some downtime waiting for a train when a harried man hustled into the little commuter cafe in the station, and ordered a cuppa for himself. I have no idea how late he was, but he still took the time to sip his drink and eat the little Quadratini that came with it. Another time, at a highway gas station (excuse me, an Autogrill) a few people were also just leaning on the counter enjoying their espressos. Imagine pulling off the freeway (excuse me, the Autostrade) to fill the tank and resting a beat for a nice sip and chat with a fellow traveler. // OUT: Cafe au lait. Remember when I said it was my new drink? Guess that was short-lived. Someone asked for my coffee order at our hotel in Bologna (highly recommend this place) and I said “americano” with such speed and confidence that I took my own breath away. New country, new me.

IN: Trains. Not to go all Uncle Joe Biden here, but I could really see myself becoming a Train Person if they were remotely reliable in the U.S. I once took the Amtrak from Chicago to Detroit and everyone I told was floored that I didn’t experience some catastrophic delay. On our vacation, Dave and I took the train (Trenitalia) on a few different occasions and it was fantastic. For our longest jaunt — Bari to Milan — we bought very reasonably priced first-class tickets. The seats were comfortable and we had a little table for two. We brought along a great bottle of wine to enjoy, had some snacks, and I watched the Adriatic Sea go by, read my book, and doodled a bit. I am suddenly a dedicated supporter to our next pro-train presidential candidate. // OUT: Flying economy. Not like I’ll ever have any other choice! But it is so rough. I am all of 5’1” and even I feel cramped. What maybe cracks me up most is that you even get crappier headphones to watch the in-flight entertainment. Those earbuds had my little lugs smarting by the second feature film. Meanwhile, business and first class passengers were offered lovely over-ear headphones. Just one more way they are keeping the little guy down. (I wish I was one of those people who is really good at finding amazing travel deals but this seems like a part-time job??)

IN: A simple travel wardrobe. It took me an astonishing amount of time to realize that I will not wear that special dress/shirt/heels on vacation. What I need to pack are low-wrinkle items in neutral tones, flats, and sneakers. I really think I nailed it this trip, mixing and matching like a pro. Alternatively, I may be past the age of the “special outfit” and now just wear my clothes — the idea being that you just wear what you own and don’t wait around for the right time. // OUT: A particularly “stylish” city. I saw something on The New York Times’ Style section Instagram about how Milan “might very well be the best-dressed place in the world.” For starters, it was Fashion Week! Of course everyone looks great. (Side note: As someone who just visited the city for a few days, there are 20 unremarkably dressed people for every fashionista in Milan.) But this crowning of best-dressed feels absurd for a number of reasons. For starters, it points out something obvious: Many in said city (whether Milan, Paris, or New York) are wealthy and can afford to be one of the beautiful people. I’ll note that none of the images in said IG post featured people wearing inexpensive but thoughtfully styled items — only folks in luxury clothes. And another obvious point: Of course you’ll be better dressed in a place like Milan: You’re surrounded by renowned fashion houses, boutiques, and everyone who works for or frequents them! Color me impressed when they declare that Peoria, Illinois, is the best-dressed place in the world.

IN: Concord grapes!!! I fought some bees (blew them off gently) at the farmer’s market for the grapes this week and I am THRILLED. The fridge smells glorious! I am spittin’ seeds all over the apartment! I just saw on Instagram that a Chicago bar, the Queen Mary, makes a house version of the Enzoni (new cocktail to me) using concord grapes. I will be picking up a bottle of Campari and making a variation of the drink myself. // OUT: Remembering how to cook. I haven’t so much as poured my own cup of coffee for two weeks, so coming up with meals is blowing my mind a little bit. You want me to fry an egg and roast zucchini a mere 10 days after I was handed the most beautiful prosciutto of my life?? (With my business class attitude, I really deserve an upgrade.)