Day 4

Day 5: Trippa Day!

Day 6

Day 7

7 a.m. — Yogurt, espresso. Then run, and a banana before going to work.12:30 p.m. — I can't wait until 1 p.m. so I have lunch at my desk. I brought in a virgin Bloody Mary to work, and eat steamed broccoletti with almonds, and a soup made from the bone broth and carrots.9 p.m. — Something about the longer days has brought on a craving for a negroni (tricky bastards). Two is the limit, as the third means trouble. I walk to the local bar (think Cheers, but with a bunch of men in suspenders playing the card game from Naples called "Scoppa." They all turn to look at my 5-inch heels). Two negroni, and a little red pizzette.10 p.m. — I am a little too tipsy to play anything important, but a few scales happen.7 a.m. — Daily routine of yogurt, then a run, followed by a banana. Then, head to work.1:15 p.m. — We reserve plates with a food truck of a friend, who pulls right up to our gate, delivering portions of tripe, pan-fried spinach, and a small bottle of red wine, each.9 p.m. — Dinner is light; a friend drops by with a bottle of good prosecco, and I make bruschetta with fava beans and tomatoes, followed by the spare ribs, steamed and then flash-grilled with spicy peppers from the garden. We certainly spend a lot of time eating and drinking here, and while we are doing it, we are also discussing the acts of eating, drinking, and creating. So, yes, my social life is more than dominated by gastronomy.7 a.m. — Yogurt, espresso, run, banana, then work.1 p.m. — My coworkers and I go out as a group to an osteria. We are a happy family, you could say. The osteria makes killer amatriciana (red sauce, bacon, a bit of spice), great veggie plates, and a sad version of cheesecake that I tend to refuse. The menu is a fixed price and you must make reservations.8:15 p.m. — My colleague has been left by her boyfriend via text message, so after work we have a special aperitivo thanks to a chef who is also a good friend, and split a bottle of white. The aperitivo is a big affair here, especially considering that our “cocktail hour” comes with a buffet of pasta, rice, and little pizzettes with veg or cured meats. You can almost have dinner with your two glasses of prosecco.11 p.m. — The conversation carries over to my home, where we continue with my house wine. We knock out at 3 a.m. You know, boyfriend problems and all…9 a.m. — I take a rest today and don't go for a run. Instead, I wake up, drink coffee, and read the newspaper, a few blogs, and one long read.12 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Finish the lamb shank, the focaccia, the steamed broccoletti, and the house wine for lunch while gradually cleaning the house.4 p.m. — I start braising beef heart for dinner with a friend. When I braise something, I try to do it in a natural way, browning the meat but avoiding too many extra ingredients. The formula tends to never waver from a braise, which can go with toasts, as a sauce on pasta, with steamed veg, or with eggs (already five meals). (It should also be noted here, people have no problems using the whole animal. I have been to numerous cooking classes to better understand the culture, and knowing how to handle typically un-American cuts.)6 p.m. — I played the guitar and the bass today, to the neighbor’s dismay — standards, some of my own work, and, as every day (in a perfect world), scales.8 p.m. — We eat the beef heart and also finish off the salad, braise the leeks in beer, and open a decent red from the south (thanks to the friend). Smoke another cigar, again, gifted from my father.