Ann!!!!As another girl from a small town (mine was in NH) who grew up longing to live in the Big City (and I didn’t mean Manchester NH!) I share your love of small towns now. Especially small European towns. I’m filing away the name of your white asparagus Mecca .
As for those dishrags: I use them daily . (One lives over my cuisinart, one over my toaster.) more significant: a hand knitted dishrag like the ones you gave me , but made of mohair (yup) plays a pivotal role in the the novel I just finished.
There will be a copy for you when it comes out. Tied in yarn.
Lovely posting, thank you. Looks like your cat is happy you're home. Small towns and cities are precious, vulnerable things. Floods, like your small town in RI, can destroy them. So can developers, especially those with top-down ideologies. When I lived in the Village it seemed like a wonderful small town, too, thanks to Jane Jacobs defending it against Robert Moses. In the beautiful small coastal California city where I now live, the government wants to turn it into a high density fifteen-minute city - Robert Moses all over again. And Altadena, the magical small town in the Los Angeles foothills where I spent my first fifteen years, was devastated by the fire. The street I grew up on looks like a bomb dropped on it, only the swimming pool of the house that was next to ours survived. My friend James Kunstler (who studied with Jane Jacobs) wrote about how Americans will spend thousands of dollars for a week in a small European town, then come home and allow their own small town to be wrecked by thoughtless development. So postings like yours are a reminder that small towns and small apartments allow our spirits to live large.
One thing about returning to the small town or city you grew up in. My parents moved our family from Altadena to Santa Barbara when I was fifteen. I know, I know, rough luck for a teen, like winning the lottery. I returned here with my husband in 2015. As a New Yorker, he made fun of Santa Barbarans the whole week of his first trip here with me in 1986 … and then as we were flying back to NYC he turned to me and said, “We're moving there as soon as we can.” My only problem with returning here is we'll be walking downtown and I'll see this broken down old stoner and think, “Did I make out with him back when we were both teen hippies?”
Love hearing your thoughts on travel! Just got home from Copenhagen, a wonderful place to visit! Had an amazing time and always love coming home to NYC…
I grew up in cities, Beirut, Alexandria, Rabat, DC, but with the small communities of English and French speakers. As a 35+ year resident of a Boston suburb, I have participated in several Jane's Walks held around the world on the first Saturday in May in the honor of Jane Jacobs. I find centers of community everywhere. One of mine is a knitting group that meets in a local brew pub, another focused on cookbooks also meets there. So many small towns within the larger cities.
Hi Ann, I remember you from RI. My mom was Jeanne Allin, a friend of yours and a student in one of your classes at CCRI. So happy to see you so happy! I love this post, and the photos are awe-inspiring! Keep it all up!!! Jeanne Verity
Thank you for your beautiful writing and thoughts. I love it all! Yes, I always tell my husband maybe we should live here?? I, too, am a knitter and have let it sit for too long. You have reminded me of my dish cloth pattern book that I used years ago to expand into baby blanket gifts. I’m dragging it out today. Your reflections have jump-started my day!
May I ask where you found the 2 dresses towards the end? They are perfect for traveling.
Welcome home, enriched with new memories of place and food. Yes, love how food transports us, and I’m with Annabelle on risotto with peas. Thank you for sharing this beautiful essay and photographs.
I enjoy reading about your travels…we often imagine ourselves moving to the places we are visiting! So glad to have gotten to know you in Dingle and looking forward to your future travels!
Thanks for making time to come to Collioure, Ann. I was looking over your ten things about writing (no, eleven? maybe twelve?) and felt so grateful to be on the receiving end of them. Students were so inspired by you. Plus, so many excellent laughs. Merci encore, ma belle!
Small town girl here, those pictures you posted are beautiful. B.T.W., I want that lemon dress. I used to buy those dishrags from the local farmer's market. They are fun, and practical. The food... made my mouth water. I had to open a can of Progresso split pea with ham soup which I am now enjoying for lunch. We leave for a trip on Friday, I'm excited to go, but also feel happy to be back in my home afterward. Thanks for the inspiration, as always, and looking forward to that new book of yours. On to my pea soup lunch., I'm a foodie. Kitchen Yarns was my introduction to all the rest of your books. Bon Appetit!
Ann!!!!As another girl from a small town (mine was in NH) who grew up longing to live in the Big City (and I didn’t mean Manchester NH!) I share your love of small towns now. Especially small European towns. I’m filing away the name of your white asparagus Mecca .
As for those dishrags: I use them daily . (One lives over my cuisinart, one over my toaster.) more significant: a hand knitted dishrag like the ones you gave me , but made of mohair (yup) plays a pivotal role in the the novel I just finished.
There will be a copy for you when it comes out. Tied in yarn.
I remember consulting about that! So excited for the new book from my fellow small town friend.
Lovely posting, thank you. Looks like your cat is happy you're home. Small towns and cities are precious, vulnerable things. Floods, like your small town in RI, can destroy them. So can developers, especially those with top-down ideologies. When I lived in the Village it seemed like a wonderful small town, too, thanks to Jane Jacobs defending it against Robert Moses. In the beautiful small coastal California city where I now live, the government wants to turn it into a high density fifteen-minute city - Robert Moses all over again. And Altadena, the magical small town in the Los Angeles foothills where I spent my first fifteen years, was devastated by the fire. The street I grew up on looks like a bomb dropped on it, only the swimming pool of the house that was next to ours survived. My friend James Kunstler (who studied with Jane Jacobs) wrote about how Americans will spend thousands of dollars for a week in a small European town, then come home and allow their own small town to be wrecked by thoughtless development. So postings like yours are a reminder that small towns and small apartments allow our spirits to live large.
Thank you, Polly. And thank you for sharing your small towns.
One thing about returning to the small town or city you grew up in. My parents moved our family from Altadena to Santa Barbara when I was fifteen. I know, I know, rough luck for a teen, like winning the lottery. I returned here with my husband in 2015. As a New Yorker, he made fun of Santa Barbarans the whole week of his first trip here with me in 1986 … and then as we were flying back to NYC he turned to me and said, “We're moving there as soon as we can.” My only problem with returning here is we'll be walking downtown and I'll see this broken down old stoner and think, “Did I make out with him back when we were both teen hippies?”
A CRUISE DOWN THE NILE!!!!!!!!
I’ve done it on a 16 passenger ship and it was magnificent!
I did a Nile cruise in 1992 and loved every minute. This one is bit more upscale and on a small boat. Maybe the same one you took.
Really wonderful essay. Thank you Ann!
Love hearing your thoughts on travel! Just got home from Copenhagen, a wonderful place to visit! Had an amazing time and always love coming home to NYC…
I grew up in cities, Beirut, Alexandria, Rabat, DC, but with the small communities of English and French speakers. As a 35+ year resident of a Boston suburb, I have participated in several Jane's Walks held around the world on the first Saturday in May in the honor of Jane Jacobs. I find centers of community everywhere. One of mine is a knitting group that meets in a local brew pub, another focused on cookbooks also meets there. So many small towns within the larger cities.
Wonderful as always - thanks!
Hi Ann, I remember you from RI. My mom was Jeanne Allin, a friend of yours and a student in one of your classes at CCRI. So happy to see you so happy! I love this post, and the photos are awe-inspiring! Keep it all up!!! Jeanne Verity
Hi Jeanne! I never taught at CCRI but maybe our paths crossed some other way. Thank you for reading!
I’ve never had a connection to
CCRI. BUT IT’S POSSIBLE SHE TOOK A CLASS WITH ME SOMEWHERE.
oh, thought you had a private writing class at one time where you invited the students you wanted to participate,
Thank you for your beautiful writing and thoughts. I love it all! Yes, I always tell my husband maybe we should live here?? I, too, am a knitter and have let it sit for too long. You have reminded me of my dish cloth pattern book that I used years ago to expand into baby blanket gifts. I’m dragging it out today. Your reflections have jump-started my day!
May I ask where you found the 2 dresses towards the end? They are perfect for traveling.
Happy to jump start your day, especially with knitting!
Both dresses are from Zara.
Perfetto. I always cruise through Zara and find something when in FLR.
Welcome home, enriched with new memories of place and food. Yes, love how food transports us, and I’m with Annabelle on risotto with peas. Thank you for sharing this beautiful essay and photographs.
I enjoy reading about your travels…we often imagine ourselves moving to the places we are visiting! So glad to have gotten to know you in Dingle and looking forward to your future travels!
Thanks for making time to come to Collioure, Ann. I was looking over your ten things about writing (no, eleven? maybe twelve?) and felt so grateful to be on the receiving end of them. Students were so inspired by you. Plus, so many excellent laughs. Merci encore, ma belle!
Any time! Thank you for having me. Enjoyed every minute.
Small town girl here, those pictures you posted are beautiful. B.T.W., I want that lemon dress. I used to buy those dishrags from the local farmer's market. They are fun, and practical. The food... made my mouth water. I had to open a can of Progresso split pea with ham soup which I am now enjoying for lunch. We leave for a trip on Friday, I'm excited to go, but also feel happy to be back in my home afterward. Thanks for the inspiration, as always, and looking forward to that new book of yours. On to my pea soup lunch., I'm a foodie. Kitchen Yarns was my introduction to all the rest of your books. Bon Appetit!
Love these come-along journeys you offer. Tell me about those peas!
For me travel serves as an important wake-up call to be present, don't get too comfortable. Unsettle myself.