Monthly Archives: August 2015

Shop Originals In Italy

It’s well known that Italy produces some of the most original and beautiful leather handmade goods in the world. If you visit Italy, be sure to spend some time seeking out shops that offer one-of-a-kind hand made leather goods. They will last for a lifetime. And they are exquisite.

“Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind.” Johannes Brahms

For leather sandals, I have an absolute favorite shop in Sorrento that produces what I consider to be the most beautiful sandals in the world. It’s named Corcione and when you visit this stunning shop, there is always someone there, working to make these beautiful shoes by hand. Tucked away down a side street in Sorrento, at Corso Italia 28, Corcione has been producing handmade sandals since 1925.

Gorgeous handmade sandals in Sorrento, Italy

Handmade sandals at Corcione, in Sorrento, Italy

One of the extraordinary things about this particular shop, is that they will allow you to participate in the creation of your own sandals. You can choose the height of the sole of the shoe, along with the particular style and design you prefer. The owners will fit the sandals to your own feet. Yes, you can always choose from their many ready-made versions, but the real fun, I think, is in making your own personal selections. You need to come at least a day ahead to chose your design elements and then plan to return the next day, for a final fitting.

A touch of dragon-fly jeweled accents

In addition, you can choose the exact color of leather straps you want, along with the jeweled accents and other personal touches you wish to add. Best of all, these handmade sandals are not totally beyond reach. Ranging anywhere from 40 to 185 Euros and up, they are an outstanding buy! And when purchased this way, they also become one-of-a-kind.

Hand-made and Hand-chosen details

I have found that looking for this kind of unique shopping experience is a great way to spend time when you’re traveling on your own. Making a connection with gifted craftsmen, like those at Corcione, elevates shopping solo to a whole new level. The creative process feels like a collaboration between customer and artisan. The results too are exciting! Since you’re making your own selections, there’s a special anticipation that comes with seeing the final product. You’re not buying something you’ve already seen! Back home, when you wear your beautiful new sandals, you’ll be transported back to the experience. And the compliments you get will be so much fun, because you had a hand in making them yourself!

Gorgeous handmade sandals in Sorrento

Set out to treat yourself whenever you shop, by taking in everything around you. At Corcione, you may need to wait, as the shop draws lots of locals as well as tourists. They may tell you to come back in a few hours, but if you do, they may not be ready yet. Of course, there’s no lack of things to do in Sorrento, so having to occupy your time while waiting is more than delightful. But I find that giving these craftsmen a day or two works better. The shop is small, it can sometimes get very crowded and In southern Italy, I don’t believe that there is a word for “rush”.

That’s also part of this wonderful shopping experience too! If you can, always seek out the one-of-a-kind and the unforgettable! That’s how to shop with “A Table For One”.

B&B’s…and Pensiones!

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B&B’s (Bed and Breakfasts) are a great option when you first begin to travel on your own. They tend to be the most intimate lodging experience, since they are typically small and personally run by the owners. B&Bs are everywhere. Here in the U.S. and overseas as well. On a recent trip to southern Italy, I stayed at a lovely little B&B, (called a pensione in Italy), in tranquil Piano di Sorrento.

A lovely private entrance to an Italian pensione in Piano de Sorrento, Italy

A lovely private entrance to an Italian pensione in Piano di Sorrento, Italy

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known”. Carl Sagan

Since traveling solo can sometimes feel daunting, choosing a small B&B or pensione, in this case, is a great way to get yourself into a good “comfort zone”. Owners are usually happy to see you and they will cater to you in a way that’s very friendly and helpful. They’re great at recommending places to see, eat and shop.

Delightful entrance to my own little Italian “apartment”

Every B&B is unique and different. There’s nothing “standard” about them, with the exception that they each provide a room and your morning “wake-up” breakfast meal. It can sometimes feel like you’re visiting friends, because B&B’s tend to have very homey bedrooms and they will generally all vary in size and style.

The charm is in all the quirky details!

I love the quirky details that come with B&B’s. Here’s a photo of the safe in my room at the pensione in Italy, complete with a cleverly devised piece of framed art to keep it hidden from sight! You will find unique touches in every B&B or pensione you visit. It’s worth every moment and you will find it’s a great way to travel with “A Table For One”!

Look Up

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Sometimes, being alone can leave you wondering how to change a melancholy mood on your own. It’s much easier when you’re with friends and loved ones, to lean on them for some help and encouragement to pull you up, into a more upbeat mood.

Sky over Manhattan

“I believe that if one always looked at the skies, one would end up with wings” Gustave Flaubert

I love horseback riding and pursued it as a favorite sport for a very long time. I loved jumping and practiced three times a week, hoping one day to vacation in Ireland on a horseback riding trek. One of the techniques that I found very difficult to master was to look up, rather than down, as I approached a fence or wall to jump over. Keeping my head up would help develop my skills enormously and improve my performance. It was challenging.

Sky’s no limit!

So I kept working hard, by going over and over the approach in my head. I visualized “looking up”, when I wasn’t actually riding. I think it was also a matter of trust. I knew that I was too much in charge and I wasn’t completely allowing my horse to play his own part in the jump. It’s a team effort. There’s an inexplicable moment when you have to transition and let go. That’s the looking up part.

When I finally mastered the art of “looking up” in the sport of jumping, it was a huge breakthrough! It made all the difference in the world. It was noticeable and I moved quickly, as a result, to a highly advanced level.

You see all sorts of new things when you look up

I often think of this exercise when I’m feeling a bit blue on my own. If you look up, it’s amazing what happens. We’re all so buried in devices, hunched over, walking intensely and not paying any attention to what’s around us. We all spend a lot of time looking down. Looking up is such a great discipline. We have to be reminded of it. And it’s amazing what happens!

Remind yourself to look up, find the sky if you’re feeling blue.

The sky is a natural draw at sunrise, sunset and on a dark night when filled with stars and moonlight. But the sky that graces the day can also be an uplifting and fascinating sight. It’s constantly changing. It’s a great reminder that things keep moving.

Try looking up at it, anytime and see what you find. I call it “skyscaping”. Look beyond the obstacles and find the highest point. And then go for it! Your mood will change almost immediately. And that’s “A Table For One” great moment.

Strand-ed? Shop!

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Books on a Certain Famous Corner in NYC!

Some of the most fun shops are located on iconic street corners. Weathering rain, snow and scorching summer sun, these book-boothes of the famous Strand bookstore stand more than time-tested in the heart of NYC.

“Who seeks shall find.” Sophocles

Although I walk by these stands with some degree of frequency, in a rush usually, I love to carve out time to visit this iconic location for books and novelties that make great and inexpensive gifts. The thing that’s really fun about shopping here, is that there’s so much going on around and it’s all outdoors. You can find a selection of art and “coffee table” books, children’s books, classics. Although the stands are just a sampling, they’re an excellent representation of Strand’s full offerings at their store.

Linger And Look!

These are really simple, rough-hewn stands and tables that always remind me of how much is out there and available when you want to stop your world and go shopping. Actually, this simple location is an inspiration to me when I travel too. I look for similar set-ups and have found them…from Paris’ Left Bank all the way to a famous park in San Diego, California, where artists gather in an almost in-promptu array of tents and outdoor displays to sell their works.

Once you’ve located something similar, be sure to seek it out and keep it in mind when and wherever you travel. At Strand’s street corner location, there are also lots of great souvenirs.

Tables of Great Souvenirs

Buy a super tote, a city branded notebook to keep your journal on where you are…shopping for these tokens is a great way to spend an afternoon. And if you pick something out for a friend, they’ll feel like they’re a part of the delightful time you had shopping for something different! It’s something you can do, wherever you go. “A Table For One.”

Search For Sweet Sounds

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I love music. All kinds of music. Listening to music is one of the best pastimes you can embrace when you’re on your own. Music elevates your mood, transforms your day, sets you on a path of wondrous self discovery.

“Without music, life would be a mistake” Friedrich Nietzsche

Throughout my travels, I’ve found that music is everywhere. On subway and transit platforms from New York to Paris. On street corners, in parks and even in the tunnels under bridges in places like New York’s Central Park.

Trio Uses Acoustical Advantage of a Tunnel

In open areas I’ve heard music played, across a full range from classical music to jazz and hip hop. Sometimes, I’ve even discovered a bag piper practicing his skills in an open field or by The East River in New York. Musicians will gather to play their tunes in the most unusual places. On occasion, I set aside an afternoon to go and look for music. It can be anywhere, but on a sultry summer afternoon on a weekend in New York, music fills every corner of the vast expanse and quiet niches of Central Park.

Jazz Quartet Cool Vibes on a Hot Day

Not only is it easy to find, it’s delightful to come upon these talented groups and so easy to linger with a gathering crowd, to enjoy their gifted offerings. With so much to enjoy, try treating yourself to an afternoon of fine music wherever you are. Set out to find it and you’ll have yet another great experience of “A Table For One”.

Music is Everywhere!

Mementos

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I always try to keep some of the things I need and collect when traveling. Like train tickets, a timetable, a matchbook, CD of the local music and so on. They are small, but evocative prompts that help me to recall where I’ve been.

“I have more memories than if I were a thousand years old.” Charles Baudelaire

Starkly different from the things I shop for, these are smaller mementos that remind me of very specific experiences I’ve enjoyed while on a trip…a hotel, a train ride, a restaurant, a place I enjoyed visiting, local music, a show, and so on.

Small mementos prompt sweet memories!

Even better, these mementos can be brought together in a collage. Or an online “scrap book” of photos. I sometimes assemble these little cards and tickets in a large decorative envelope with the name of the place they’re from and dates of the trip. It’s so much fun to “re-discover” these souvenirs when I want to recall the feelings of a trip I made on my own.

Small reminders can evoke Big Memories

These maps, cards, tickets and such are so helpful when you’ve been out and about on your own. Traveling with a spouse, friends or family provides an opportunity to create a collective memory. But when you’re traveling on your own, it’s important to collect these little reminders that will help jog your memory back to a place you enjoyed. Hotels, cafes and restaurants too frequently have a card or photo available to take along with you. Don’t hesitate to take one and add these to your collections.

Be sure to take these with you after a meal or a stay!

They will be your “companion pieces” when you want to recall a wonderful trip you made with “A Table For One”.

Break For Lunch

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When I think about how many lunches I’ve spent rushing through the meal or eating at my desk, it’s hard to believe. Frequently, I am thinking I’ll get more work done. Or that , if I don’t have a client lunch or one with a friend scheduled, that I should use the time to catch up on other things. I think a lot of people do this.

“Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking, if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.” Voltaire

Find a Quiet Hideaway

Instead of rushing though every lunchtime, try making a pledge to “take yourself out to lunch”, even if it’s just once a week. Brink a notebook along and see how refreshing it can be to write out a few notes. Not about work and not a “to do” list. Just write about your thoughts in the moment. It can change your mood from stressed to relaxed, almost immediately. If you need to take any devices with you, try to put them aside and avoid using them during your meal.

Bring a notebook!

Your meal can be a really simple one, but it should be special. I like to select a quiet cafe and one that might even have music. The ambiance and music can transport you, even before your food arrives. And it also helps re-set your mind and inspire your thoughts. Here’s a delicious meal at a little French Bistro, where the setting, along with Edith-Piaf style Parisienne music and a Croque Monsieur provide a perfect lunchtime escape.

Croque Monsieur and a salad! Delicieux!

By all means, take time to find a really unique lunchtime escape and treat yourself to a well deserved lunch on your own. You’ll go back to work completely refreshed and ready to plunge back into all those “to do’s”. What could be a better result for taking time to break for lunch with “A Table For One?”

Find A Bench

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I’ve always loved benches…looking at them that is. My life is always in such a rush. I’ve always wondered why people seem to love sitting on them so much. Recently, on my walks, in my travels, everywhere I go, I’ve started to notice them more, especially when I’m alone. And so I’ve come to experiment and have acquired a new appreciation in their potential to inspire.

“With an eye made quiet by the power of harmony, and the deep power of joy, we see into the life of things.” William Wordsworth

I think benches are a subtle invitation to join the party. Benches ask you to slow down and take the time to just “be” in a setting. Benches ask us to become a part of the picture. To think. To contemplate. To just exist freely in the moment. To observe. To see what’s around us and to take it all in. When you sit on a bench, you join the scenery.

Benches Are Everywhere!

I notice benches now, wherever I go. If I’m on my own, I’ll try to carve out some time to sit and enjoy myself. Sure, you can also bring along your coffee, take time to read the morning paper or and afternoon with a book. But for me, just taking the time to look around me is transporting. It’s not passive. It’s an active and purposeful engagement with everything I see.

Take a Front Row Seat!

I also love to take a step back and think about why someone actually took the time and effort to plan where a particular bench is placed and why. And I understand better now, why people put plaques to loved ones on benches. Benches are places where you can go and sit on your own yet feel a part of all that’s around you. You can completely connect with the environment.

Benches in Beautiful Settings

Benches are a wonderful discovery for “A Table For One” experience. They provide a unique opportunity to take a front row seat to your surroundings, to relax and and to join the setting. Treat yourself. Go out and find a bench for yourself…and enjoy the art of being alone!

Summer, Hot Dogs and History!

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“Life is like riding a bicycle: you don’t fall off unless you stop pedaling.” Claude Pepper

It’s summer. If you ask me, among the most “iconic” foods of summer, the simple and forever humble hot dog ranks among the best. Everyone loves them. And although humble, the hot dog holds an elevated place on Coney Island, street corners everywhere, barbecue grills and in out-of-the-way places. Hot dogs are fun. Who knew that they’re also historic?

History in a Hot Dog!

“A Table For One” is all about the art of being alone. Look for ordinary things, like hot dogs, and find a way to elevate them. It’s all about making the most simple outing different and memorable.

Simple Summer Food In An Historically Designated Place!

I’d venture to guess that everyone has a sweet memory of hot dogs, discovered and consumed somewhere on a summer day that evokes all the divine memories of family, love and summer.

Although you can eat a hot dog anytime of year, the art of enjoying a really good hot dog goes along with a steaming hot, beautiful mid-summer day. Wherever you chose to go for one, be sure to linger. Layer it with whatever are your favorite condiments. Mine include Walter’s special mustard. It’s dark mustard with just the right amount of chopped up pickles in it. And they even sell the mustard so you can re-create the experience at home, or use it on other things, like your sandwiches.

Eating a really great hot dog on a sultry, lazy summer afternoon can transport you back to childhood, happiness and the simple joys of summer. It’s a perfect outing for “A Table For One”. Go eat a hot dog! And by all means…take the time to enjoy it.

Department of the Interior Landmark!

Special Occasion Shopping…For You!

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I think most of us do far more “special occasion” shopping for others than for ourselves. I definitely know this to be very true of me. Every once in a while, it’s OK to shop for yourself. In fact, it’s another celebration of you… an important expression of the art of being alone.

“If you want to live a memorable life, you have to be the kind of person who remembers to remember” Joshua Foer

When I finished my career of 25 years at The New York Times, I wanted to mark the event, by making a purchase of something that would remind me of the special occasion. Most people chose personal patterns of china, silver and crystal for their engagements, weddings and anniversary registries. Not having ever had a registry, I had rarely received gifts in any of those categories, but I certainly had shopped for these gifts for countless friends and family.

Beautiful Tiffany Audubon Silver Server and Spoons

Over time, I developed a fondness for particular patterns, dreaming of a day that I might be able to create a list of my own for these gifts! I have a great love of the outdoors and so I’m frequently drawn to colors and patterns that are evocative of nature. There’s a particular pattern of silverware at Tiffany and Co. that I fell in love with years ago. It’s called Audubon and I’ve always imagined how stunning it would be to set a table, inside or out, with this gorgeous pattern.

Tiffany Audubon Treasure “Reminders”

One Christmas, my mother lovingly gave me a serving piece in the Tiffany Audubon pattern, because she knew how much I loved it. So, when I left The New York Times, I decided to shop for my special gift for this outstanding occasion. I bought 2 large Audubon spoons that I knew would be great for multiple uses. I keep them on a shelf with colorful bowls and such. No-one else would notice, but every time I walk by them, I smile. Their beauty reminds me of my mother’s special gift and my years of hard work and happy days at The Times! (Maybe someday, I’ll even have a full place-setting or two…something to look forward too!)

A TABLE FOR ONE

THE ART OF "BEING" ON YOUR OWN

Monthly Archives: August 2015

Shop Originals In Italy

B&B’s…and Pensiones!

Look Up

Strand-ed? Shop!

Search For Sweet Sounds

Mementos

Break For Lunch

Find A Bench

Summer, Hot Dogs and History!

Special Occasion Shopping…For You!