I’ve had a couple of readers ask about the Mediterranean diet as touted by those in the nutritional field as compared to the Mediterranean diet as it is consumed by those who live in the Mediterranean. Our group attended a Tuscan feast held at Castello Verrazzano – a winery that has been in production for centuries and is one hill over from the family of Amerigo Vespucci, the person after whom America was named – a couple of nights ago, and I took some photos to document what we were served.

The picture above is of Luigi Cappellini, the owner and vintner of Castello Verranzzano, who is hugging MD. To MD and Luigi’s right are JoAnne Wasserman, conducter and artistic director of the Santa Barbara Choral Society, Luigi’s mother Donna Clara Cappellini, and Brooks Firestone. To Luigi’s left are Kate Firestone and Jim Robbins . Why are all these people huddled together for this photo? Because MD is the new president of the board of the Santa Barbara Choral Society. Jim Robbins is the outgoing president. Brooks and Kate Firestone are the owners of Firestone Vineyard in Santa Barbara and the parents of Andrew Firestone (one of the first – if not the first—bachelors on The Bachelor). Brooks arranged the whole Tuscan dinner event with the able assistance of Gino Rossi, the director of events such at this at Castello Verrazzano.

You may ask how MD is going to be able to be the president of the Santa Barbara Choral Society when we live in Santa Barbara less than half the time. It is the same question I asked her. She insists she can do it, and based on her performance in other similar situations, I’m sure she will do just fine, thanks chiefly to the wonders of email and telephone and airplanes.

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Due to the Italian genius for inefficiency I’ve been without internet access for the last couple of days since arriving in Florence. Finally the hotel has got its internet service back – sort of. As I sit here typing it goes in and out. While I’ve got the service I want to go ahead and put up a post. There are a bunch of comments stacked up that I haven’t been able to get to yet due to the lack of internet – but I will. I doubt I will today, though, because MD had a concert in a couple of hours, and I’ve got to get over to the church and do my spouse-ly duties.

Someone mentioned eating in Italy in one of the comments I posted the last time I posted them. I’m here to tell you that sticking to a low-carb diet is an absolute breeze in Italy. I’m going to post some pictures of meals that we commonly eat here so that you can see what I’m talking about.

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I’m on a bus right now with a hundred other people traveling from Rome to Florence – not my favorite way to travel. But, I love my wife, so here I am. The last time I made this drive it was in an Alfa Romeo 156 that MD and I had rented and were driving from Positano. The small Alfa was a lot more fun. But I wouldn’t have been able to post on my Blackberry while at the wheel of the Alfa.

I haven’t responded to comments in a while because MD’s hectic concert schedule has started AND because I got tired of paying $30 per day for internet access. I’ll get caught up when we get to the hotel in Florence.

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St. Peters from the deck of our hotel room at sunset last night.

MD in conversation with a satyr.

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