Lessons from The Continent

Lest anyone doubt:

This trip has been THE research experience for all things Syndicate. The folks on this side of the pond know how to do things RIGHT, Syndicate-style.

Meals are done course by course - with plenty of matching of wines, after dinner drinks followed by coffee, followed by dessert wines.
At one place in Florence, they were SO shocked that we WEREN'T ordering after-dinner drinks (after two people finishing a bottle of wine on our own) that they THREW IN DESSERT.

Yes, the Continent has been refining many of the things that we hope to put into practice when back on our side of the Atlantic. (And, AGAIN, let me say - Thank heavens there's no Embargo here!)

Strange - in some ways, the Syndicate ethic of 50's style life and excess are perfectly captured here in Italy, as there are portions of the Italian towns we've visited that seem almost untouched by time, and still have that 50's style feel. (Of course, we also heard a guy at the Rialto Bridge in Venice playing "My Way" on an accordian).

So, let the research continue!

Cheers