Author Insight: Susan Van Allen

Tell our readers about your background: where are you from, and what led you to write for a living?

I was born in Newark, New Jersey and grew up on the Jersey Shore, the middle child of four—which meant I always begged for attention. My mother was Italian-American and my father’s background was Irish(mother) and Old New York Dutch. This mix was a typical Jersey shore combination—Bruce Springsteen is the same pedigree!

My father was director of the local college library, so there were always great books around. Reading thrilled me and then I gravitated toward theatre. I performed in high school musicals and comedies, majored in drama in college and moved to San Francisco where I joined a traveling Shakespeare company and acted in avant garde ensembles. I was fortunate to be in San Francisco in the 1980s—a very exciting time for theatre there. There were a lot of solo performers writing their own material who I admired: I saw the first shows of Whoopi Goldberg and Spalding Gray. They inspired me to change course and I began writing and performing monologues of my own which turned into solo shows. That’s when I discovered I loved writing even more than performing.

You begin 100 Places In Italy Every Woman Should Go with “I fell in love with Italy at a dining room table in Newark, New Jersey.” Explain to readers.

My earliest memories are of my maternal grandparents’ Newark dining room table—they were immigrants from southern Italy. The entire scene—from the lace tablecloth and candles to the steaming bowls of pasta and opera blaring in the background filled me with the joy of “My First Italy”: one abundant, delicious, loving heart.

I finally traveled there right after high school in 1976. It was a whirlwind time in Rome, full of other “firsts”: gazing up at the Sistine Chapel, tasting gelato, getting my bottom pinched, having a love affair, and meeting my Italian cousins who sat me down at their dining room table. The meal with my cousins circled me back to those lovely memories of my grandparents’ dining room. Italy took hold of my heart forever.

Why was it so important for you to write this book and share your passion for Italy with other women?

A friend of mine, the award-winning cookbook writer Arthur Schwartz (www.kuker.com), once told me that one of the most uncomfortable feelings for him arises when he watches people eat bad food. I have the same uncomfortable reaction watching travelers not having a great time in Italy—perhaps it’s in my DNA. If someone comes back from a trip complaining about Italy, I feel as if they didn’t like my family! So ever since my first trip, I’ve become “the girlfriend with the lists,” jotting down notes for friends and friends of friends, steering them to the best the country has to offer. It’s so gratifying that now those lists I once gave to girlfriends have expanded into a book, and I’m getting “grazies” from travelers from all over the world. They’re happy to have some guidance amidst the overwhelming amount of information that’s out there when it comes to Italian travel, and they enjoy the book’s selections which guide them to experience authentic Italy—beyond what’s found in traditional guidebooks.

Italy is filled with historical cities, great art, and amazing food. How did you decide which landmarks, restaurants, etc. made the cut?

At first I fell into a panic, trying to figure out how to include all the beautiful pleasures I’ve enjoyed in Italy. Then I humbled myself and had to face the fact that there are more pleasures in bell’Italia than any one book can hold. So I used some of my favorite experiences and mixed them with some trusted recommendations from Italian and American girlfriend travelers. I focused on sites that pay homage to female deities (from goddesses to female saints to the Madonna). I wrote about places where women took power or grew creatively—such as Isabella D’Este’s studiolo in Mantua and Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s apartment in Florence. I included pleasurable places (beaches, gardens, spas, shops, learning vacations, active adventures) and organized the book so that it would be useful to both first time travelers and twenty-first time travelers—meaning I always included places in the Big Three (Rome, Florence, and Venice) along with places in lesser known towns or villages.

Why should the places you’ve selected be of particular interest to women?

Actually, the book appeals to both men and women—all are attracted to Italy’s sensual feast. And then there’s that extra appeal that Italy holds for women. So many come back from a trip telling me: “It felt like home.” I believe this is because Italy understands what women want: it’s a culture that’s been worshipping the female since ancient times–an enchanting place where Venus (Vixen Goddess of Love and Beauty) and The Madonna (Nurturing Mother of Compassion) reign side-by-side. It’s treasures have been nurturing and refreshing female travelers for centuries!

What’s especially attractive to females about the places in the book is the way they’re organized. Taking the lead from the first book in this Travelers’ Tales series, One Hundred Places Every Woman Should Go, I’ve arranged the selections so women can choose experiences according to their changing moods. In a sense, they can behave like Italy’s beloved Goddess Venus, indulging themselves in their deepest desires, whatever they may be. For example, if they’re feeling an urge to see a masterpiece, they can choose from many that glorify womanly curves. If they’d like to learn a craft, I’ve profiled workshops where they can learn such traditional arts as mosaics, ceramics, or landscape painting. There are sections that guide them towards adventures that range from shopping to kayaking. Or maybe they’re in the mood to bliss out at a beach, garden, spa, or indulge their taste buds at a chocolate shop or wine bar—it’s all there for them to enjoy.

I’ve also included entertaining stories that go along with the places—such as the dish behind Greta Garbo’s famous visit to Ravello’s Villa Cimbrone, the enticing life story of designer Miuccia Prada, and the kinky bio of Saint Margaret of Cortona. Women are enjoying the personal take on these places, that’s more fun to read than the dry facts and figures usually found in guidebooks.

Share with us five of the places you feel every woman should visit in Italy?

Thank you so much for not asking for five favorites—that would have been impossible to choose! Among the many options in 100 Places In Italy Every Woman Should Go, I’ll focus on five fab artsy places:

1. In Rome: The Palazzo Barberini. You may recognize this elegant residence from “Roman Holiday”—it’s where the princess played by Audrey Hepburn slept. Now it’s the National Gallery of Art, a sublime spot filled with Renaissance masterpieces.
2. In Florence: The Botticelli Room in the Uffizi Gallery. Here you’ll see “The Birth of Venus”, that quintessential Renaissance painting which shows the Goddess of Love and Beauty rising from the sea.
3. In Venice: The Frari. Titian’s Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary is the star artwork here. This breathtaking altarpiece painting honors the triumph of the female spirit—complete with dancing red-robed Madonna, golden light, and awestruck spectators watching her being swept up to paradise.
4. In Sicily: The Temple of Segesta. This unique spot is one of the most romantic settings of the ancient world. The unfinished, perfectly preserved temple was dedicated to Diana, The Virgin Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon. It’s set on a grassy hill with sweeping views of the valley, facing the Gulf of Castellammare.
5. In Naples: The Venus of The Beautiful Buttocks in the Archaeological Museum. You’ll get a kick out of this curvy sculpture, which glorifies the back side of the Goddess of Love and Beauty, particularly if you read the hilarious legend behind this behind. The rest of the museum is fantastic, with treasures excavated from Pompeii villas, including the infamous racy collection of frescoes and sculptures that’s kept in the museum’s “Secret Cabinet.”

When is the best time to travel to Italy?

Anytime is wonderful, but I especially love the autumn—from late September through November, when grapes and olives are being harvested. The weather is warm, by mid-October the tourist crowds have thinned, and prices are lowered.

What advice would you give to anyone who feels international travel is too expensive?

There are many ways to cut costs. These days travel packagers (such as Club ABC www.clubabc.com) are offering great value deals to consider, including cruises. If you’re putting a trip together on your own, one of the first things you can do to save money is to travel off season—(January to Easter, or Mid-October to early December). Next, there are many bargain accommodation options—from convent and monastery stays to B&Bs. Apartments are also a bargain way to go these days—there are many choices in all the major cities that cost a fraction of what you’d pay at a hotel and are available for short term stays, even a single night. Check out Craig’s list and www.worldby.com for offers, and know that you can bargain to get a lower price than the listing. As far as eating, you can arrange your days so that you have one sit down meal (averaging between 20 and 40 euro) and for the non-restaurant meal enjoy delicious inexpensive street food: pizza, panini, or cheese, fruits, and vegetables from the local market are fantastic options. With the dollar growing stronger against the euro, it’s possible to have a lovely Italian vacation on $100 a day, and if you’re going the Hostel route, it can be even cheaper.

What is your favorite memory of traveling in Italy?

There are so many! One in particular that comes to mind was when my husband and I visited my cousins in the village of Vinchiaturo, in the region of Molise, where my grandmother grew up. It was right after Christmas and there were about 20 of us at a big long table in their villa dining room, sitting for hours as the wine flowed and the delicious dishes kept coming—from pasta Bolognese to flavorful pork roast to the traditional panettone dessert. I encourage all Italian Americans to track down their relatives and eat with them in the Motherland: It is heavenly!

Pick up a copy of Susan Van Allen’s book 100 Places In Italy Every Woman Should Go on Amazon. Visit Susan online at SusanVanAllen.com or visit the Facebook Page here.