paula reynolds

I Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” - Joseph Chilton Pearce  Humans have been playing games forever. Even without evidence of proof, I wouldn’t be surprised if Adam initiated the first game of Solitaire before Eve …

Temperatures are on the rise…and so is the urge to grab the flip-flops and head for the nearest beach. Summer practically insists we enjoy at least one romp in the salty sea, no matter which part of the globe we …

Elegant, complex, beloved…Italy’s Negroni cocktail is celebrating its one-hundredth birthday this year. Despite its centenarian status, the 1:1:1 ratio recipe of equal parts gin, vermouth, and Campari is a modern bartender and patron favorite and has inspired spin-offs of dizzying …

There are great love affairs that permeate the ages: Anthony and Cleopatra, Rhett and Scarlet, Samson and Delilah…Everyone and Pasta.  There’s something almost magical about digging into a heaping plate of piping hot noodles slathered in tangy red sauce…or pudgy …

You want clear lights on the tree, I think multi-colored are prettier; you prefer ham on the holiday table, I say turkey is tastier; you rock out to modern Christmas carols, I sway to the oldies; you insist on a …

A debate on whether a man in a suit generates appeal might last a minute or two. The same debate on a man in an Italian suit would be over before I finished typing this sentence. Given the fact that …

There seems to be a shared fascination with lighthouses the world over. These austere pillars of hope and guidance, most often planted on precarious ground, seem to speak to our need to be watched over, protected, guided through life’s storms. …

As big as a Robin’s egg, mildly tart with a hint of sweetness, and just-perfect chewy only begins to describe an Ascolana olive. Biting into one is a much finer manner of introduction to this enticing little fruit…and I was …

Renting a car is easy enough. It’s all that comes afterwards that can create enough material for a good sit com! I still chuckle at the expression of horror on friends’ faces as I enthusiastically answer “Yes!!” when asked if I drive in …

Jewish populations have called Italy home since Judas Maccabee sent a contingent to Rome in 161 B.C.  Although their history is wrought with strife, Jewish communities have established deeply planted roots throughout Italy. Their distinct culture has interwoven with the …