Pause for Purpose

Mark K January 23rd, 2008

Our friend Angela invited us to her parents’ house for Sunday supper last Sunday. Her parents both come from the town of Molfetto, in the Puglia region of Italy (near the heel of the boot) and they have a tradition of having friends and family come over for dinner each Sunday. After Mass, the mother, with the help of her sister who is visiting from Molfetto, prepared a tremendous meal of Italian regional dishes. This is what we had last Sunday:

1. fish and green onion calzone
2. “fratelli” fried calzone filled with cheese, tomatoes and herbs or with vegetables
3. assorted cheese, wine-cured salami and olives, which were harvested and cured by varous family members
4. marinated eggplant
5. fresh mozzarella cheese, hand-stretched from cheese curd
6. mozzarella cheese rolled with prosciutto and then cut into thin slices
7. grilled octopus and calimari
8. eggplant with ground turkey and marinara
9. garden salad
10. dessert - fruit and Italian almond cookies, both homemade and imported from Italy
11. drinks, including Italian coffee, lemoncello and vin santo

And this is their weekly tradition!

They also told us about “Il Fornaio” back in Molfetto. Not the Il Fornaio restaurant chain popular in the U.S., but literally “il fornaio” - the baker. Back in old times not many people owned an oven, so they would prepare their bread dough, focaccia dough, or lasagne and then take it to one of the many businesses in the city where a professional baker would bake their goods for a small charge. Angela’s mom remembers when she was a girl and her family would take the lasagne to the fornaio on the way to the beach and then pick of the finished dish on their way home. A few of these establishment are still in business in Molfetto to this day.

There is something about this coming together around food, whether at Il Fornaio or at a friend or family member’s house for a Sunday Supper that really appeals to my wife and me. We invite people over from time-to-time for Sunday Supper, but have decided to make more of an effort to keep this tradition alive - but probably not with quite this impressive of a list of handcrafted, homemade labor-and-time-intensive treats!

Tags: about this blog, Community

• cultural diversity , slowing down
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Mark K December 27th, 2007

What do I look for in an ideal coffee house?

1. Good coffee and food - the barristas are consistent (especially with the foam) and there is at least coffee-breakfast snack-type food. Regular cups (not disposable) if you’re planning to stay while you drink!
2. A variety of seating options - tables, a counter, quiet and noisy, outdoors, a few overstuffed chairs and a fireplace would be really nice
3. A certain amount of ambient white noise and background music is good
4. One person with a Loud voice at a nearby table - especially someone going on and on about law, politics or selling something - is bad.
5. Lots of people involved in interesting work or conversations - writers, artists, students, discussion groups, people speaking in other languages, eccentric types speaking in their own languages… An atmosphere that sweeps you up in a wave of creativity and good conversation.
6. Interesting stuff on the walls - artwork, photos, a bulletin board with ads and posters that make for good reading while waiting your turn for the bathroom key
7. A friendly staff - bonus points if they recognize you and know ahead of time what you are likely to order
8. A nice ratio of regulars with visitors
9. Live music from time-to-time - poetry readings are good too.
10. Interesting architecture - a little old and funky is good, with some brick, wood and chipped paint in evidence, a good ratio of hard and soft surfaces - also electric outlets conveniently located (see Extension cord entry)

Can you add to this list?

Tags: Community

• mindfulness
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Mark K October 20th, 2007

I was fascinated by the stands that could be found throughout Paris, with a row of “Velib” rental bicycles parked side-by side.

“Velib” is short for “velo libre” or “velo liberte”, meaning “free bicycle” or “bicycle freedom”. While the bikes are not free, they are modeled after similar free bicycle programs which have been initiated in Holland and other countries.

In Amsterdam, in the 1960’s, the city government tried to institute a “white bicycle” plan, in which hundreds of bicycles were painted white and parked around the city center where residents were welcome borrow one, ride it to a destination, and leave it for the next person to use. Similar “yellow” or “orange” bike programs were instituted in other countries, including cities in the United States. They were always vulnerable to the same problem – theft. The bikes would soon disappear, becoming the property of some enterprising bike thief.

In July of 2007, Paris began the Velib program. This is how it works: There are 10,000 bikes available at 750 hire points throughout Paris, each containing at least 15 bikes. To use the program, you need to subscribe at a rate of 1 Euro for a day, 5 Euros for a week, or 20 Euros for a year. When you want to rent a bike, you identify yourself on the machine at the hire point, unlocking the bike from the rack where it is attached. The first half-hour of riding is free, and then your credit card is charged for each subsequent half-hour. The rate starts at 1 Euro for each half hour and increases to 4 Euros per half hour – this is because the system is intended to keep the bikes in circulation. If you decide to keep the bike indefinitely, it’s going to cost you a fortune!

The bikes have a very distinctive look, with heavy-duty fenders and splash guards and built in head and tail lights. During the transit strike, while we were visiting, you would see hire stations with no bikes, as Parisians were scrambling to find a way to get to work. Almost none of the riders were wearing helmets, but they all seemed to be very proficient riders as they threaded in and out of traffic. It was clear that this was a means of transportation and not merely exercise or recreation.

I didn’t have the courage to rent one of these bikes and join the fray, but now that I know how the system works, I’ll think I’ll give it a try on my next visit to Paris. I’ll be curious to see if this system catches on in the U.S. It’s very similar to the Zipcar program which is available in San Francisco and other cities, but it remains to be seen if a community bicycle program will take hold in our automobile-dominated society.

Tags: Community, travel

• cultural diversity
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