EL SEGUNDO HERALD November 11, 2021 Page 15
Featured Pets of the Week
about Sapphire! https://spcala.com/adoptable/
pet/?ss=LACA-A-1261
Baby is an observant, independent 6 year
old domestic short hair lady who likes to chat.
She’s also a good listener, though she may
prefer a bit of distance as she’s been through
tough times. She would love an experienced,
tranquil home where she can become your one
and only at her own pace. Her beautiful coat
Provided by Hannah Collett, spcaLA
Sapphire is a wiggly 1 year old female Pit
Bull Mix dog, full of energy. She is working
on basic obedience and commands like find
it, recall, sit, and down while she is waiting
for her forever family. She enjoys games of
fetch and back scratching sessions. If you
are a moderately experienced dog owner
who is looking for your one and only, see
and eyes make her a stunner. https://spcala.
com/adoptable/pet/?ss=LACA-A-273
Let’s talk about Kevin! This cute little 3
month old domestic short hair male kitty came
in with his three siblings. At three months old,
he’s a young cat looking for a home to grow
up in. He’s fun and has great facial expressions!
Apply to adopt Kevin. https://spcala.
com/adoptable/pet/?ss=LACA-A-1170
Amy is a smart 6 year old, 76 lb., female,
Akita mix who enjoys learning new things. She
is so eager to please. She can be a little timid
meeting new people but soon gets comfortable
especially with treats. She’s been working on her
obedience skills while she waits for “the one.”
She yearns for an engaged and adventurous home
where she can be spoiled as the only dog. https://
spcala.com/adoptable/pet/?ss=LACA-A-264 •
Sapphire Baby Kevin Amy
Travel from page 2
next morning, a bitterly cold Piazza San Marco
boasted a population of just two humans (that
was us) amid the horde of pigeons. Never
before or since.
Venice: Christmas lunch and our first Bellinis
at Ernest Hemingway’s favorite, Harry’s Bar.
In the cloakroom afterward, the honeymooning
Mantua: A bed is a bed is a bed. Or is it a pizza? Firenze: Henry Moore meets Michelangelo in the legendary view from the Belvedere.
Elton John and I mixed up our overcoats, then
eventually traded back. A seriously nice man,
as long as we’re name-dropping.
San Gimignano: Arrived late at the height
of the storm to find all but two hotels closed
and exactly one room left in the entire town.
The room turned out to be a gorgeous, ultrabaroque
suite overlooking the main square,
rented for a pittance because it was supposed
to be closed for renovation. The definition of
serendipity—and all we had to do was beg.
San Gimignano: The next morning, I played
catch with an insistent dog and her favorite
chunk of concrete while her owner fixed our
second flat tire in 24 hours. The first had occurred
on a much-too-remote mountainside
outside an olive oil pressing station. The
paisani were racing out to a New Year’s Eve
party, but insisted on changing it for us first.
The second occurred on New Year’s Day and
brought out an entire football café to commiserate
and wake up the only sober repairman
(and concrete-chewing dog) within 100km.
Mantua: On another late night, the sign in
the main square flickered “Pizzeria/Hotel”,
but the door was locked, and five grizzled
old pensioners were playing cards inside.
When we finally got their attention, one of
them cheerfully pulled a sheet of plywood
away from a staircase and took us up to an
unheated room that had never been slept in.
The next morning, his daughter berated him
for renting when they didn’t even have their
license. But she still made us cappuccinos and
sent him around to the bakery for cornetti.
The Meal Of The Century: In a snowbound
mountain village (to this day, we have no idea
where), the owner of a small, supposedly closed
Trattoria started a roaring fire in the hearth and
cooked lunch for us and another lost couple.
Our introduction to pappardelle with wild boar
and bucatini with pigeon sauce. Not a lot of
options available—none, actually—but some
of the most delicious food we’ve ever tasted.
Firenze: The storm abruptly vanished.
Glinda got herself hooked on the unique, local
version of Lasagna Fiorentina. On the lawn
of the venerable Forte Belvedere, a massive
Henry Moore sculpture positively glowed in
the tranquil bosom of the snow-free, ultrablue
heavens.
The best part of the trip was that we never
had to wonder again if either of us could roll
with the punches. It didn’t hurt that we were
crazy about each other—that never hurts, of
course—but every looming catastrophe somehow
dissolved into an exercise in serendipity.
So much adventure. So much fun.
Next up: The Thing About Boston.
Ben & Glinda Shipley, published writers
and photographers, share their expertise and
experience of their many world travels. If
you have any questions or interest in a particular
subject, please email them at web@
heraldpublications.com. •
Storm of the century—piling on the snow New Year ‘s morning in San Gimignano. Storm of the century—travelers last sighted near the farmlands of Castelfiorentino.