The Neapolitan season has come to a close; I’ve sheared off all my hair, and now am in the midst of tromping about the Eastern Seaboard. Sure signs that a pilgrimage is on the horizon.
Over the past several months of blogging silence I prepared and organized a Seder dinner for 90 people, served as “security” for the inaugural Apes & Grapes fundraiser, and worked to conceptualize a restaurant training program for the only organization – public or private – serving the homeless population of Collier County.
I can’t say there were more experiences like the above than sunset visits and Starbucks hours, but one has to have reasons to go to Naples .
I’ve found myself having to explain myself a lot recently. Last night in Tampa with a Charleston friend. Today, in New York with Kansas City friends. Tomorrow, it will surely come up again, in Brooklyn with Brooklyn friends. The pilgrimage is not about finding myself after having lost myself. Clearly, plenty gets caught in my nets of experience. It’s about moving forward and fending off stagnation.
In order to earn my compostela – the certificate of completion of the Santiago pilgrimage – I’m going to have to give the pilgrim office a better answer than that and probably one with much more Christian-ese. Of course I also have 800km (app. 500 mi) to contemplate, which I think is the point.
Today, though, I’ve been enjoying being a foodie pilgrim traversing the little island of Manhattan: Arepas and Porchetta and food trucks – Kelvin’s Natural Slush and the Milk grilled cheese. It’s been a long time since I’ve had access to food like this and I’m afraid chances are good the days are numbered.
A few days in New York, a few in Boston, and then on May 4 it starts.
Goat anyone? 