Take high protein bars and dried fruit. They always have lots of liquids to dispense. You can never count on not being delayed. Take more than you think you might need.

If you normally use a sleep aid, plan to possibly use one on the flight. Most flights to Europe are overnight. Get rest while you can , they give you an eye mask and turn cabin lights down. You will be ready for the fun to begin when you land.

Ear plugs are always nice option, can really cut a lot of sound. Protein bars are a great suggestion, they keep well and pack easily. ;-) Chocolates are nice too. There will be plenty of food/snacks for sale in the airport post-security if you want to pick up anything then. Have a great trip!

Giada shot her series last season in Italy. As much as I hate travel, she almost makes me wish I didn't.

I fly with food, but with my allergies, it's always dicey. That said, we just returned from Europe and on overseas travel the airlines feed you 2-3 times during the flight. You should receive dinner, a couple of snacks and breakfast before landing. I would also bring protein bars, jerky, fruit and nuts to snack on. I discovered that the TSA will let you fly with a frozen ice brick, but once it has thawed, it's a liquid and no longer allowed.

Premium economy is a great way to fly. Here's a tip: Do yourself a favor and head to the drug store and pick up a couple of packages of Earplanes-- earplugs that equalize the pressure in your ears in case of ear pain upon descent. In case of congestion, you'll be happy to have them!

I hadn't thought of protein bars - I don't really like them, but they might come in handy. Dried fruit is a good idea, and I do have that on hand - dates at the moment, but I do not like to eat too many of those at a time. I also had never heard of earplanes - I ordered some of those from Amazon - I don't have that much time left for shopping and don't need anything else from the drug store before we leave.

You can also take apples or oranges and some cheese. It isn't great cheese, but travels well, those little baby bon belle things in the red wax.

"Premium Economy" sounds funny to me. May be they should call it "Not Yet First Class" ? Oxymoron!

1. For long flights, get noise cancelling earphones. It will cut out engine noise, but not conversation. You will enjoy movies better.

2. Check out embargo rules for taking fresh fruits.

3. What foods to take going to and coming back from Rome? Do what the Romans do. Cheeses, bread and wine.

dcarch

I can't speak towards the airline food, as I usually sleep the entire way from Miami to Rome, but while you are there I will give you two restaurants to try.

The first is Porto di Ripetta, Via di Ripetta, 250, Rome - one of the best restaurants in the world. I've eaten there four times now and have never had anything less than amazing food.

The second is Tre Scalini in the Piazza Navona. I have told friends traveling to
Rome for years that if you don't eat dinner here at least once, don't
bother going to Rome. The Tartufo was invented here and the Steak Diane is world
class. I ate here more than 50 years ago for the first time and have been back at least a dozen times since.

Dinner at Porto di Ripetta.

The specials board.

Tartufo at Tre Scalini.

I always have "plane candy" (usually butterscotch or some good mints) in my handbag as it helps to have something to suck on when descending. DH and I have a travel "ritual" of sharing a small can of Pringles :-)

Airline food runs the gamut from quite tasty (rare) to OK (commonest) to downright nasty (thankfully also rare). If you have food intolerances it always helps to bring something substantial you can eat in case the offerings are not edible for you (our last flight, the choices were pasta -DH has to limit gluten- and chicken smothered in onions -DH _really_ has to avoid onions if he doesn't want to be uncomfortable for the next couple of days). Even sandwiches are OK as long as the fillings aren't strongly odored so as not to bother other passengers who may not appreciate the smell of tuna, for instance.

You could freeze food so that it defrosts slowly on the plane and is fresh when you are ready to eat it.

on overseas travel the airlines feed you 2-3 times during the flight. You should receive dinner, a couple of snacks and breakfast before landing.

That depends on the airline. On Norwegian, for example, even Economy Plus passengers just get the one meal shortly after takeoff and more beverage service. No breakfast. (I get very sick on planes and have to fast for 24 hours before a flight longer than about three hours, so I seek out airlines that have limited food service so I don't have to smell food a lot. These days it's easy to accommodate that.)

I have had cheese questioned more times than not....never confiscated but been pulled out of line and questioned, and had apples and tangerines taken.
It's really only 12 hours....buy some bottled water and hard candy once you pass security and eat what they serve you....or go without. If you have water you really won't starve in 12 hours.
When you get on the plane, your"clock" knows it's nearly dinner time....and I have no doubt that once you reach altitude you will be offered drinks, wine juices, soft drinks as well as wine beer and liquor, and then dinner.....and the lights will dim so you can doze or read.
Then as the sun comes up....which will not be too long as you are travelling east, they will raise the cabin lights and start breakfast service. Your brain says it's 1 AM but when you smell the coffee, you will be ready for breakfast.....and in 2 hours of so after breakfast you will land.....with your brain saying it's 4AM.....and after you get to your hotel you will crash for a short nap....and be ready for dinner!

From what I understand, Alitalia will feed us three times, but it may only be antipasto, and so I do not expect much - maybe a salad and bread, but they do promise to provide Italian wine at some point - hopefully early in the flight. It is very difficult to get reviews on Alitalia for Premium Economy, and most people who fly economy on Alitalia hate it, but it was our only option for a non-stop flight. Other options I found included Air France (which has great food), but on the flight back, there was only a one hour layover in Paris, and I did not want to get stuck in Paris. The other viable option was British Air going through Heathrow in London, and I absolutely wanted to avoid that airport. Those were the only other two flights I found with premium economy options, although I did also consider Lufthansa with a layover in Frankfurt. I believe that Lufthansa has taken over Alitalia, to rescue it from bankruptcy, and so perhaps it is better now. I've read that Alitalia flight attendants have no worries about losing their jobs (due to employment regulations) and there can be rude to passengers. However, the rudest flight attendants I have had were on American Airlines, and I definitely now avoid AA. I've only used it for going to New York anyway.

Thanks for the restaurant suggestions - I have added them to my calendar. I don't know where to eat in Florence, but I imagine that most restaurants will be nice. I've heard that it's difficult to get bad food in Tuscany, which is how I also feel about southern Louisiana.

I do not drink coffee, and so that will now wake me up - perhaps I should take some tea bags of my own. I have also had oranges confiscated, and so I won't take those. I'm hoping for some good Italian wine, however.

Two superb restaurants in Florence for you:

When it takes three tries to get a dinner reservation, you expect the
meal to be world class. Osteria di Giovanni did not disappoint. In
fact, it is the one restaurant we'd go out of the way to eat at the next
time we're in Florence. The t-bone steak we consumed could not have
been more perfect. I'd go so far as to compare it to places like
Morton's in Chicago or Peter Luger's.

Great dinner tonight! Trattoria Parione, not more than 10 minutes
walk from the hotel. This was the fifth restaurant called by the
concierge to get us a 7:30pm reservation on a Saturday night. The place
has two seatings - 7:30 and 9:30 - that's it and apparently it's the
same for most medium to high-end restaurants. We sat downstairs in the
wine cellar.

Lucky you - hope you have a wonderful time!

Word of warning: protein bars & dried fruit can be rather gaseous - esp. in a pressurized airplane cabin. I usually rely on cheese sticks & fresh fruit. I like to carry fruits that don't need peeling, like berries, in a plastic container w/ a fork or toothpicks. Nuts & jerky are good too; high protein plus fat will keep you feeling full longer than carbs.

HTH

The restaurants in Florence look nice, but we will skip Osteria di Giovanni, since it appears to be mainly a steak house, and that is definitely not what we are looking for. The second restaurant Trattoria Marione, seems to focus on beef as well, but it does appear to have good poultry options, and so I would consider that one and put it on my calendar. It looks like we will have plenty of options for breakfast and lunch if we walk around, although one interesting place is across the river,Amici di Ponte Vecchio Da Stefano, but we might walk across the bridge to try it. We'll be in Florence three nights: Thurs, Friday, and Saturday, and I understand that restaurants can get crowded on week-ends. I might consider making a Saturday evening reservation before we leave L.A., but I do want to avoid steak houses. Kevin will not eat beef, pork, rabbit, veal, venison, etc. but poultry and fish are okay. It's okay if beef and pork are on the menu, but not if they dominate it.

I think this is the best I can expect on the plane. That is for the Trans-Europe business class, but I think it will be similar to what I will get on a Trans-Atlantic flight.

When I flew Air France from Mexico City to Houston in 1979, I had Crab Louis and champagne, and when I flew Canadian Pacific from San Francisco to Vancouver in 1981, I had Filet Mignon.

What I read on the Air Italia site you linked is that you will get 2 meals on the flight....the evening meal will have a choice of 2 hot dishes, antipasto, fruit and dessert.
Surely you can find enough to keep from starving from that! And remember after that your body will think it's the middle of the night, so unless you are accustomed to eating at midnight and 2 AM you won't feel hungry.

Linda, we might get more than 2 meals, since that description was for a much shorter flight. Anyway, we just got back from the grocery store and bought a bunch of protein bars, just in case. They might be nice to have when we are on the road in Tuscany, but I'm hoping to get as much local food as possible. I'll make a point to photograph my airline food, since that might help other people. The only way I would feel like I was starving would be if the food served were inedible, and that is still a possibility! If they serve enough wine, I might not care. When I flew AeroMexico from Houston to Cozumel (or was it Mérida?), they served non-stop Margaritas, and when the plane landed, everyone yelled "Olé!" That was a happy flight.

Lars, I hope you and Kevin enjoy your trip. I am amazed by what gets through security and what does not. My friend just went through security on his way to Hawaii with a container of stir fried chinese broccoli and tofu. Go figure. I always take bars and hard candy on the plane. I am flying to Greece and have two layovers, so can get something in the airports if needed. I also got a Premium Economy seat. I can't face nine hours squished in the back where I can't even bend over to pick up my purse. I think I get the same food as those in the back, but served on regular dishes. Also a comped water bottle and glass of wine. I don't drink alcohol when flying. For what I am paying, they should give me gallons of water and wine! Lufthansa Premium Economy

They should serve tea on the plane. If you take tea bags it may be a PITA to get a cup and hot water for them as they don't generally have hot water on the trolley. In any case, as the water is rather lower in temperature than boiling the tea tastes like carp anyway.

IME most airplane meals are chicken , fish or vegetarian :-)

I envy you! Have a wonderful time!

Lufthansa is a pretty good option for LAX to FCO, but it does require changing planes in Frankfurt or Munich, and for me, that is just another opportunity to loose luggage. Also, it takes 2-5 hours longer, depending on the layover time. We do want to go to Greece in the future, and so maybe Lufthansa would be good for that, although Air France is another option, with changing planes in Paris. Two layovers seems like a lot - does that mean one layover each way? I'll be interested in hearing about your trip to Greece.

I may not need the tea bags, but they are so small that I might as well take them, and I can possibly use them in my hotel later. I have a special type of green tea that I like, although I normally drink black Indian tea in the morning.

Alitalia advertises having beef lasagna, but they also provide a menu so that Kevin will be able to choose something without beef. It seems that Italians like beef a lot, and I am more looking forward to seafood. We had a lot of seafood options in Costa Rica, but all of that country is even closer to the sea than some places in Italy. Shrimp is something of a national dish in CR.

As for what gets through security - I had a pocket knife go through undetected that I had forgotten was in my bag, but my sunscreen was confiscated in Costa Rica.

When I fly domestic, I always bring food since pittance is available on the plane and connections are tight and airport food is expensive and often crappy. My go to is a Vermont sharp cheddar sandwich on whole grain bread with grainy Dijon mustard. The warmer the cheddar, the better it tastes. I also bring seedless grapes, and whole roasted salted almonds. If I eat on the plane, I ask for tomato juice from the beverage service.

International flights, we don't bring much except hard peppermints. I don't mind airplane food, and usually ask for the vegetarian option which is usually a cheesy pasta. Breakfast isn't always great, but I don't eat breakfast anyway. We do drink on international flights. Usually gin and tonics, and wine with dinner. Helps us sleep.

Last year we went to Barcelona on frequent flyer miles through Delta. Had to fly their partner airline, Alitalia, from Boston Logan, and connect through Rome. Booking and check-in were incredibly convoluted (my husband's passport had extra pages and the desk agent thought he had sewn them in himself - had to call her supervisor, and then her supervisor). It was the crappiest airplane I've ever flown. My seat broke on takeoff and I wasn't able to get it to lock upright again. I had incredible back pain for several days once we got to Spain. There was no inflight entertainment. I always enjoy watching movies on the seat back screens. The flight attendants had major attitudes, and they had no alcohol - not even wine, on either of the trans-Atlantic flights.

I don't remember the food. All I know is that I will never fly Alitalia again. I hope you have a better experience and enjoy your trip.

seagrass

I've read some similar stories about Alitalia, and if I had another non-stop choice, I would have taken it. If Alitalia did not have premium economy seats available, I would have flown Air France premium economy and changed planes in Paris, even though the layover in Paris is only 35 minutes - scarcely time for me to find my way in a strange airport from one gate to the next, especially if the gates are in different terminals.

I'll take Librium with me to calm my nerves if the flight turns out to be horrible, but I am already expecting the worst. I'm not concerned about in-flight entertainment, as I have books to read, and I'll probably practice some of my Italian travel phrases in flight. The cheapest flight was Aeroflot (changing planes in Moscow), but that is considered worse than Alitalia and takes a lot longer. I'm not crazy about Russian food, but I'll bet they have plenty of Vodka.

Speaking of vodka, on the flight back from Rome we bought a package of nips from Duty Free and surreptiously added them to the O.J. we were "graciously" offered.

We never go to the movies on land, so it's always a treat to watch flicks on international flights. We both have noise cancelling headphones. My husband has concert DVDs he also enjoys on his laptop. Me, after the vodkas, movies are easier to process than reading lol.

You'll be fine. 35 minutes to connect through CDG - completely unrealistic.

Lars, my flight goes from the US to Frankfurt to Vienna to Thessaloniki in Greece, The reverse going back. Hope my bag majes it. I cram as much as possible in my carryon. I ironically the Premium Economy fare allows you to check two bags free, but I'd rather not. The other option was Turkish airlines non-stop to Istanbul, then back to Thessaloniki. That is a 12 hour flight and TA does not offer Premium Economy. Twelve hours crammed with my knees under my chin is not something I care to experience.

One time I flew to Paris and the food on the airplane was so salty it actually made my mouth hurt. Horrible. I think it was US Air, which no longer exists.

Lars,. Wishing you a fabulous trip. Florence is amazing. Bring a huge package of flexibility. In our family, we joke or not to the effect that one third of the world's great art is in Italy. So you may spend some time standing in line at the Uffizi or to see David. And for us, just walking around is reason enough to be in Europe, which is the favorite place of dh and me. Art is everywhere. Constant eye candy.

for us, food is way secondary to the art, architecture and street view/being. Restaurants post their menus outside so during the day we note which restaurants might be good for dinner. And another of our dirty little secrets is that since time is so precious, we would rather not devote huge amounts of time to food. Still, we have enjoyed almost all of our meals abroad. Food is everywhere. Be prepared for small but satisfying portions. And then you will have a little room left for something chocolate.

Many restaurants have prix fix offerings and once we got the hang of European travel, was our option of choice. It was a much better deal. Mostly we found something on the prix fix menu. Perhaps for us, cost was a bigger deal. If you pass an outdoor market, grab some fresh fruit. Take photos there, too.

Pack light, really light. Two pairs of shoes and the most comfy ones. When we went to Italy, we each had only a carry on for 17 days in Europe. I had a skirt, 2 pairs of jeans, a blazer and black tops and a trench coat. I am just saying that there are many wonderful ways to travel and they are all good. Flexibility. You will love it.

Oh, I have never taken food on a plane other than instant decaf. Afraid it will be confiscated.

We will be in Florence three days and already have our tickets for the Uffizi (10AM Friday) and Accademia Galleria (9:30 AM Saturday), and supposedly that will eliminate standing in line to get tickets at least, and we do have confirmed entrance times. We have time limits of course for how long we can stay. We've also already booked the Borghese Gallery in Rome, and that was almost sold out already, and we have tickets for the Coliseum/Palatine Museum. I also want to go to the Palazzo Altemps, but they do not take reservation, but then it also should not be crowded. We're spending one night in Tivoli so that I can have plenty of time to explore Hadrian's Villa, and we will do a self tour of that, as I do not want to be rushed through with a tour group.

You can be sure that we will take thousands of photos plus some videos. I do plan to pack very light, even though I am allowed two checked pieces of luggage. I'll try to keep it to two pairs of shoes, but I will also include some slippers - not for street wear.

I'm not going to try to overthink the food, as I expect will be everywhere, perhaps somewhat like Mexico City, but I did order a restaurant guide for Rome. I plan to avoid any restaurants that have been recommended by Rachel Ray, as they have gotten mediocre reviews by the general public. My one concern is breakfast - it does not appear to be that common in Italy, although it is very popular in Mexico. In the smaller towns like Pitigliano and Tivoli, it might be difficult to find, as most restaurants do not open before 11:30 AM. I have a pill I have to take every morning with food for my arthritis, and so perhaps I can use my protein bars for that.

I won't be taking a trench coat in June, but I will take a hat to protect me from the sun, particularly when visiting the Coliseum.

I do like to devote a certain amount of time when traveling to having a leisurely lunch or dinner, as I need the rest! I'll also look for fruit in the open air markets, but I'm not sure I will find anything very interesting - perhaps some grapes. I would probably prefer a juice stand, like the ones they have in Mexico and Costa Rica, but I might have to settle for gelato.

I've done it plenty on domestic flights - never on international, tho...

Lars - thought you might enjoy reading this food blog

http://www.elizabethminchilliinrome.com

She writes about many places in Italy.

Cant wait to hear about your trip.

seagrass

Jealous of your trip, but not your flight, : )

I travel too much and have a cary-on always packed with essentials and an over-night bag behind my passenger seat, 24/7, just in case. Check and re-stock often. Always tea bags, a green one i like, a good instant expresso in tiny packs, a packaged snack i like...usually a dense small chia bar or any brand i like at the moment...small first-aid. Basic change of clothes. If always packed i'm reminded when i pull it out what i need to re-fresh. Then add weather appropriate additions.

I always take a small snack mix. Nuts, dried fruit mix i make. A homemade granola mix and a dried kale, beet, sweet potato chip blend.

I just need to know it is there and handy. I travel fine and well prepped but in all the pain and anxiety of getting there, the lines, the lines, and get to the proper terminal entrance to that horrid sky travel tube....usually early....i get peckish and annoyed. If a long delay i have a back-up.

I take direct flights over any other choices having been stuck so many times.

Good choice going direct. Who cares the in-flight food when it is cutting out some possible headaches. Though i'm sure it is fine. (i usually claim vegetarian)

Any time in Rome? I lived just off Campo de Fiori market. Right out my front door. Gorgeous produce. Certainly had an influence on my culinary palate with such delights as zucchini flowers. Check out 'Forno', (NWest corner? for a quick pizza flatbread snack carry-out)...you will have plenty of personal discoveries.

Nice time of year to visit!

Lars, it's a very long time since I've been in Italy, but what I found when I was there was that many hotels served continental breakfast--cappuccino and a roll--which should be adequate for taking a pill. If you want something more substantial, try the bakeries. Again, it's been awhile, but there were so many charming bakeries which had a few tables and chairs, and savory pastries filled with things like mushrooms or ham or cheese, as well as fruit and hot beverages.

Remember the food might be saltier than you're used to, so it's worth seeking out some low sodium or distilled water (stock up for your room at a grocery), and drink plenty of it.

Have a wonderful time!

having made numerous trips to Europe, I can second what LindaC wrote. Once the flight heads into darkness, try will dim the lights to help adjust your body to the new nighttime.

The best advise when flying international is to eat very light and drink extra water, no alcohol, to help with any jet lag. Try to walk a bit in the aisles to help with circulation too. And bring a good book to help pass the time. I have had plenty of flights with movies that did not interest me!

Personally, unless I am very exhausted, I do not sleep. I read, try a movie and sometimes I have just hung with the flight crew. And if you really need a snack, pack something light and tasty. The crew may also have extras they can give you.

And Plllog is right, most European hotels and pensiones have breakfast included, usually a continental style, sometimes with hard and soft eggs, muesli and yogurt and what we call "deli meat" for rolls. Your room may also have a hot pot and a selection of coffee and teas too. Check with them also for restaurant recommendations, where the locals hang and not the tourist traps.

Have a great time and don't sweat the small stuff!

Perhaps you forget....you will be in high tourist season....there will be Americans and Europeans and Asians swarming everywhere..and..everyone speaks English....and there will be at least one McDonald's in every city.....and you will find breakfast.
During a week I spent at a hotel in Venice, breakfast was almost my favorite meal! As you sat down a waiter appeared with a pitcher of juice and another right behind with one of wonderful coffee and another of hot milk!. Don't remember what else was served...but I do remember it was hard not to linger.
You are going to Florence....but not to Venice??...speaking of art!!

I've never been inside a McDonald's and I do not plan to start now - I avoid all American style restaurants when traveling outside the U.S. A friend of mine went to Venice back in the 1970s, and he said breakfast cost $40, and so it must have been good. One place we are going, Pitigliano, is not a city, and nothing there seems to open before noon, although perhaps we can find a salumiere. We're going there for the Etruscan ruins/artifacts, but there are hot springs nearby in Saturnia, although we may skip those, as they will probably smell like sulphur, much like the ones we can visit in Paso Robles.

We plan to go to Venice on our next trip - we can't do everything in two weeks - in fact there is a lot in Rome that we will not get around to doing. Better if we could stay for a month and then go to Pompeii and the Amalfi coast as well. However, my sister said that she liked Catalina better than Capri, probably due to the crowds, and there are even blue grottos in some of the Channel Islands in California.

I've been warned about the hoards of tourists, including a warning to get out of the way of tour groups as they are herded though like cattle. Supposedly, one of the worst things about Rome is the tourists, but I had to put with with hoards of Italian, French, and German tourists (not to mention Japanese) when I lived at Venice Beach for 15 years.

We also want to visit Germany at some point. In July, I am going into semi-retirement and will work only on alternate weeks, doing product development exclusively. I will also have a flexible schedule so that if I wanted to take off for a month, I could do that. I have to work the last two weeks of June, and then I start July with the first week off, which will give me time to do so many things that I have been putting off.

Sleevendog - I am glad you agree with me about direct flights being preferable despite some discomforts, but I am envious of you proximity to Europe! It takes us twice as long to get there as it does you. The longest flight I've taken so far was to Costa Rica, which was 6 hours going and 7 hours returning. Maui was only 5 hours, about the same as New York from here. The CR flight was bad enough because the seat space had shrunk, and I do not see how tall people could fit into those seats at all.

The charter I took to Nairobi was 24 hours from Newark....in 3 eight hour segments with an hour layover while the changed crews and reprovisioned. And to get to Newark, we drove 4 1/2 hours to Chicago to leave my dog with my son, and flew 2 1/2 hours to Newark before we boarded the flight to Manchester.
12 hours to Rome? Piece of cake!

I've taken 24 hour+ train rides, but of course train seats are more comfortable, and when possible I got sleeping compartments. If you are much smaller than I am, you will fit in the airplane seats better than I do. Anyway, it beats taking a steamship to Europe, especially from California! I do like boats, however, even if I do occasionally get seasick.

Right now we are making furniture for a client who is refurbishing a huge yacht (the largest she's done so far) that will dock in Monaco (where she has one of her residences), and we are shipping the furniture to Genoa.

You're going to have a wonderful time! Congratulations on the semi-retirement too! I want to echo Peppi-- "Don't sweat the small stuff"! You'll be fine on the flights and for breakfasts too. Just remember that gelato counts for breakfast when you're on vacation! Besides there are marvelous little cafes everywhere. Don't stress!

I really do not sweat the small stuff - I've done enough of backpacking plus camping not to take small inconveniences too seriously, but if I am in pain, that is a different story. I do like the idea of gelato for breakfast, and that will make up for a lot!

I've also heard that restrooms are difficult to find in Rome or Italy, but then there aren't that many McDonald's either - none in Florence or Milan, but oddly enough one in Sienna, and I definitely will not go to that one.

I've traveled extensively in Latin America, and I doubt Italy could throw me a curve that I've not already dealt with. I will stock up on goodies when I find a bakery that I like.

It's only 12 hours. I'm sure you've got enough reserves in your body to be just fine LOL You will find it hard to eat badly in Italy. Just go to a deli and sniff. Wonderful.

I've noticed that there are a lot of delis in Italy, almost as common as corner market/delis in San Francisco, but I think the ones in Italy will be stocked better. In Mexico City, the bakeries opened very early, and I hope they do that in Italy.

I did find Narcisi e Bussi (gourmet grocery store) in Pitigliano, which opens at 8:30AM, and so I can go there for a morning snack, plus it is walking distance from my hotel, I think.

It is not the reserves in my body I am worried about - it is having to take pills twice a day with food. If I do not take them with food, they upset my stomach quite severely, and if I do not take them at all, I get severe pain from arthritis. Also, sitting for a long time makes my arthritis worse, but I believe I will be able to get up and walk often enough during my flights. I'm okay once I get up, but getting up from a cramped position is very painful.

Many Italians have breakfast out so there will be lots of places for you to go, have something to eat and a great coffee and take your pills. People rush their brekkie. These places are aften a bit crazy but it's fun. We have nothing like that in England or France.

One thing I like to do when I travel is bring something as a nice "thank you" for the flight crew. Usually, it's a $5-$10 Starbucks gift card inside an envelope with a thank you note for each of the attendants on board, which is can be anywhere from 4-8 people (depending on the amount of passengers on board). I give these to the flight crew as I'm boarding. Now that Starbucks gives rewards for money spent in store, it's a win-win.

Flight attendants really have a tough, thankless job - often we only see just a portion of their "work day" on a flight. Believe me, they do remember this gesture during a flight and will often go out of their way to bring you something or to help accommodate.

Pitigliano is a wonderful town. Lucky you. I am trying to remember where we ate there. If I can pull the name from my brain, I will let you know.

That yacht is outrageous.

I think we'll just have to roam Pitigliano to find places to eat - the difficulty there is that not much seems to open early, but I think it will be an interesting experience whatever happens. Here's the web site for Narcisi & Bussi - doesn't look breakfast to me, and I was trying to find a bakery. Since they open at 8:30 AM, we'll probably go there anyway. There is Forno Del Ghetto Di Francesca in the Jewish neighborhood, but I do not know what hours it is open. It may be the only bakery in town, since it is a small town.

That yacht is grossly huge - fortunately, I do not generally have to deal with that client - I only get called in when the production department cannot handle the designs sufficiently. I am lucky that I am insulated from clients - my only client is my boss. The furniture that is going into that yacht is huge and overscaled, but I suppose it will look okay once it is in place. In the warehouse, it just looks out of proportion. I'm mainly working on new designs for our New York and London showrooms, and we are putting in a lot of new furniture there, fortunately in stages so that I do not get swamped. Most of my work is somewhat on hold for now, while we finish the furniture for that yacht!