POSITANO ? “We’re HERE!”
Daniel Bellino Zwicke
The Blue Sita Bus pulled into Positano sometime in mid-afternoon and stopped in front of the Bar International. Boy was I excited, “Positano at long last.” It was the end of the line for me. I hopped off the bus and got my bags and headed into the bar. I needed to use the bathroom and throw some water on my face, and then get a small bite to eat. I got a Prosciutto & Provala Panino and a glass of fresh squeezed OJ. I sat down to relax before heading down to the Villa Maria Antonietta. It was a good long walk down many stairs and through alleyways as I navigated further down to the lower part of town, always moving toward the Sea. I was carrying two pieces of luggage, and the going wasn’t that easy, except that I was a strong young man of just 23, and so it really wasn’t a problem. Nowadays at nearly 60, the same trip would be significantly harder, but I could still do it. I’d have to go slower though. Anyway, I finally made it to the spot somewhere near the area called Mulini and asked someone for directions. A man told me exactly where the little pensione was, and so I headed over. It wasn’t far at all, and in no time flat, there I was at Villa Maria Antonietta. I asked the lady if she had any rooms available. She did, so I checked in, but not before showing her the Letter of Introduction from Rene Ricard. She took a quick glance and then brought me to my room. Once inside, I took a hot shower and unpacked some of my clothes before heading out to explore this new town. Positano.
I left my little hotel and made my way down towards the sea. As I walked, I looked around in astonishment, spellbound with every step. Everything I had heard about Positano seemed to be true. Yes it was beautiful, magical, and invigorating. Nothing was exaggerated. I felt like a kid on Christmas Day. I was filled with that childlike euphoria. “Do you know what I mean?” Nothing like it.
Yes, no one had overstated their thoughts of this enchanting little town. Everyone’s descriptions were true, and if anything, they had been understated. Positano was totally amazing, and for me, “It was Love at first sight.”
Le SIRENUSE
The houses and hotels in Positano were stacked one atop the other as they straddled and rose up the hills that make up the special characteristics that the town is known for. Down where I was, there were all sorts of cute shops and charming little boutiques, including; ceramic-shops, Custom Sandal-Maker Shops, caffes(bars), pasticcerias, and restaurants. Of course there were hotels, locals homes, and private villas as well. There were outdoor markets, salumerias, and all sorts of fun things to see and do. The Blue Tyrrhenian Sea was just a few hundred feet away, and so off I went.
I walked down to the sea to look around. The water was quite lovely and there was all sorts of activity going on with people swimming, and lounging on the beach. Boats were arriving and departing from town. From down here as you look to the sea, there is a little beach at the center, with the town’s main boat-dock on the right, which is right next to the Cove dei Saraceni Hotel. Here you can catch ferry boats going to; Amalfi, Capri, Ischia, Naples, Sorrento, Salerno, and all points along the Amalfi Coast. From this spot the best beaches are off to the left or right of this center area from the little free beach which is not as nice as the two other beaches off to the far-left and far-right. There are a number of restaurants and bars down by the beach, including the famous Chez Black (a favorite of Denzel Washington), where they make Heart Shaped Pizza. There’s also Buca di Bacco (my favorite) with their beautiful terraced restaurant and bar, and the always welcoming Trattoria La Cambusa. If you turn your back to the Sea, you will see that the town of Positano just springs up out of the Sea, with the famous hill of a million pictures on your left, with houses stacked one-on top-of-the-other, they creep up toward the small hamlets of Montepertuso and Nocelle high above the sea. The same can be said for the hill to your right and the one directly in front of you, Positano rises from the sea and there it is smack dab in front of you, it seems as though Positano sours straight up to the Heavens. In fact, there is a famous path that is a popular place to hike, and the trail is known as “The Path of The Gods.”
Standing with you back to the water, you will see the dome of the Church Santa Maria Assunta. Looking a little to the right, you will see one of the World’s best hotels, Le Sirenuse, a favorite in Positano. If you can afford it, it’s wonderful. It’s the building painted in a Rust Colored Red with White trimming. It is well situated, with wonderful views of lower Positano and the Sea.
Most of the town is sort of a large natural amphitheater. It’s quite an amazing sight to see, and it is just one reason that people have been flocking to this little town for years. They come from every corner of the world.
After walking around the lowest part of town by the sea, I made my way back towards the center and found myself at the Caffe Zagara for some Gelato in their lovely little garden. La Zagara is in the Mulino area of town, and it is smack-dab in the middle of Positano. Again, I was in 7th Heaven. I sat back with my gelato, and just aimlessly did nothing. I took it all in. The setting here is as magical as any place in all of Positano, no matter which part of town you are in, Positano is always enchanting. Positano, there’s no escaping its beauty.
After my gelato at La Zagaro, I headed down to the La Scogliera Beach Club to swim, relax, and just do nothing. “Now this is pure Bliss.” They have a snackbar / restaurant at this beach club, and I’d have a little something to eat for lunch or just a small snack. The rest of my time at La Scogliera Beach Club, is spent swimming, reclining on my chaise lounge, and sipping my Campari. I’d close my eyes and listen to those special beach sounds. You know those wonderful beach sounds don’t you? It’s the sound of Seagulls, waves crashing on rocks, music coming from the radios of those lying on the beach, the chatter of people talking, and it all blends together to make that very special kind of sound. Beach Sounds, I guess you could say. “You know what I mean, don’t you?” It’s especially nice when I just lie there with my eyes closed as if I were sleeping, but I’m not. I’m just relaxing and listening to the sounds of the sea, and all that goes with it.
After the beach, it would be up to Bar DeMartino for my late afternoon aperitivo, before heading back to my room for a nice two-hour nap.
It’s late afternoon, and it’s “Aperitivo Time.” Bar DeMartino was one of my all-time favorite spots in town, and for that matter the World. It was absolutely wonderful. Sadly the place closed a number of years ago. Way back in the mid 1980s when I first started going to Positano and The Amalfi Coast, Bar DeMartino was so very wonderful, and the place to hang in the evening after you had dinner, and still want to stay out on the town. It was also the most wonderful place for an afternoon cocktail. Bar DeMartino was the perfect little bar (cafe). It was owned by the DeMartino family, and was a family business. Mother and father, and the two daughters Betty and her sister Rosaria all worked there. I got to know the family well. Naturally you could get a great cup of Espresso, which in Italy is not called espresso, but un cafe. Yes, you could get espresso, cappuccino, fresh OJ, sandwiches, Italian Cocktails, or Amaro, and Gelato too. They have a few tables inside, and outside, across the street, they had a terrace with a few tables, under umbrellas. It was quite possibly the best spot in all of Positano, for the most wonderful view. It was amazing. And all for the price of just one drink. An incredible bargain. A bargain at the time, in the past nothing is a bargain in Positano, which has become one of the most expensive vacation destinations in the entire World, but definitely worth a treat. Anyway enough of that. Let’s talk about Bar DeMartino and aperitivo time.
I grabbed a table on the terrace. “Lucky me.” Rosaria came over and asked what she could get me. What to get. A Negroni, a glass of Falanghina, a Campari, an OJ? What? I settled on a Campari & OJ. A great choice. How about an Aperol Spritz you ask? Well they existed at the time, but I wasn’t aware of their existence. I did however know about the Negroni, and Campari, which I had discovered on the beginning of my trip in Rome (Campari) and Florence. I had my 1st Negroni.
A few minutes later, Rosaria brought me my Campari, with a little bowl of Potato Chips to munch on with my Italian Cocktail. I sat back and enjoyed it. Savoring, my Campari, taking in what is without question one of the World’s most gorgeous views of all, looking down on Positano. I silently took note of myself, how lucky I was, savor the beautiful moment, never forget. It’s not everyone that gets to do what I was doing then, in the Summer of 1985. I was a young man in my twenties, who worked hard all year long. I worked extra hours just to be able to afford this. I was just a young working guy, who did not have much money by any means. I worked very hard all year long, year after year, and I picked up a lot of extra work just to be able to do this. Go to Italy. To Rome, Venice, Capri, Naples, and Positano, and live and feel like a “King,” if only for a couple of weeks. I’d do it. And I have all of these many wonderful years of memories. Beautiful memories of Capri, Rome, Positano, Paris, Asia, and South American. Memories I treasure. I worked for them, I did them, savored them, and keep them in my heart and mind. I am relieving them right now, as I write them down. Relieving them all. Now and always.
I would do this for the rest of trip and anytime I was in Positano, over the years. My days were pretty much the same. I’d get up, have a lovely breakfast on the terrazzo. I’d walk down to the beach, and get a spot. I’d just hang. Swimming quite a bit, lying around, reading or not. Lying with my eyes shut, just listening to beach sounds, and loving it all. “I was on the beach in Positano.” The best beach town in all the World. Sometime in the early afternoon, I’d have lunch. Sometimes at the Beach Club, or I’d go over to Buco di Bacco, or La Cambusa and have a more substantial meal. Maybe some antipasto, and usually a plate of Spaghetti Vongole (Clam Sauce). Spaghetti Vongole being the best and most wonderful thing to eat, when on The Amalfi Coast. There is nothing better. And I just love it. Always.
I’d go back to the beach, swim a bit more. Lay around on my chaise lounge, read, and relax. Doing nothing. Which is what you do in Positano. Eat breakfast, go to the beach, have lunch, go back to the beach, leave the beach, and go someplace for an Aperitivo (Italian Cocktail).
Back then, I always went to Bar DeMartino, right next to my hotel, Cas Albertina. In later years, I discover how wonderful the huge Terrazzo at The Poseidon Hotel is. There’s a pool there, the large terrace, a restaurant and bar, and quite possibly, the best view in all of Positano. It’s absolutely magnificent, and open to the public. Now, in the past few years, since my favorite place Bar DeMartino has closed (so sad), the Terrace at The Hotel Poseidon, with the Tridente Restaurant & Bar is my preferred spot in Positano for an Aperitivo. There’s no place better, not even the newly opened “Franco’s Bar” at Le Sirenuse. Yes, Franco’s Bar is wonderful, and it’s at Le Sirenuse, which is always wonderful, but my first choice is the Poseidon.
Other spots for a cocktail are Cove dei Saraceni, Buco di Bacco, Paradise Bar, or at an outside table at Chez Black.
After your (my) Apertivo, you go back to your hotel. Take a nice nap, awaken and take a shower. Get dressed and it’s off to dinner. You might have a cocktail before, or go directly to your restaurant of choice. My favorites are Buca di Bacco, La Tagliata, and Da Vincenzo. There are a number of more, but these are my favorite three.
My first dinner, my first time in Positano, it just had to be Da Vincenzo. It’s the only restaurant that I knew the name of that time (June 1985). I knew the name, because when I had met Rene Ricard, and he told me about Villa Maria ANtoinette, he told me that I just had to go to Da Vincenzo and eat Spaghetti Vongole, for as Rene said, “Spaghetti Vongole at Da Vincenzo, is the World’s Best,” so I went. I was thinking about it ever since that night on 2nd Avenue, and I couldn’t wait. So I went. Jesse greeted me at the door. I sat in the dining room that is built right into the mountain. There’s a mountain wall in the dining room. “I kid you not.” Same thing with Bar DeMartino. I looked the menu over. I knew what I was having for my main course. Yes, Spaghetti Vongole. And what to get for a starter? I decided on Grilled Octopus. I also ordered a small carafe of the local white wine (Falanghina). Well the Octopus was quite tasty, the wine was refreshing, and tasty as well. I finished the Octopus, and a few minutes later, came the dish I had been waiting to eat, my Spaghetti Vongole. All I can say is, “Oh My God? Incredible.” Yes Rene was right. In all likelihood, it was probably the best Spaghetti Vongole in all the World. How I enjoyed it. It was without question one of the best meals in my entire life, up to that point, and to this day, 4o years later, and many great meals, this still stands as one of the greatest, if not the best of all? Well yes, I can say it was, “The best meal in my entire life. It was so tasty. I didn’t have any dessert. The Polpo, Spaghetti, and wine were quite enough. I did have an espresso before leaving.
I paid the bill and it was off to Bar DeMartino for a nightcap or two.
I got a seat outside at Bar DeMartino. I ordered a Negroni. It’s quite lovely, sitting in that spot and looking out over Positano in the evening. You are not at the bottom, but up a couple levels, and you see this lovely town before you. Homes built one atop the other, and flowing down from greater heights, down and down, one layer at a time, until you are at the bottom, and onto the beach and Mediterranean Sea (Tyrrhenian). The Moon shine down upon the Sea, and makes it sparkle with Moon Glow. And the lights of the town sparkle as well. Sorry if I can’t put it into words, but I think you get the picture. And the smells? There’s Jasmine and all sorts of flower smells as well. It’s quite intoxicating.
I sat there at Bar DeMartino, Negroni in hand. I thought back on the day. And what a day it was. I boarded a train in Rome. ROme to Naples. It took 3 hours back then. Today (2025) it’s just an hour and 15 minutes. What a difference. Once I got off the train in Naples, I had to walk to the platform for the train to Sorrento, the Circumvesuviana is the name of the the train and train line. It travels from Naples to Sorrento and makes more than 20 stops at each town along the way, as it travels the circular rail around the great Mount Vesuvius Volcano.
At the end of the line, you need to take a Blue Sita Bus (or private one) to get from Sorrento to Positano. As I’ve already stated, a beautiful spectacular ride. Then arriving in Positano.
I had a little something to eat after getting off the bus at Bar International. I walked down to my hotel, checked in and took a shower. Went out to explore Positano. I did a bit of swimming and had a little lunch before going to Bar DeMartino for a Campari OJ and the gorgeous view from there. Back to the hotel for a nap, then that amazing dinner of Octopus, and Spaghetti Vongole at Da Vincenzo. “Amazing!” Then back to Bar DeMartino, a nightcap and my reflections of that first day in Positano. A day I shall never forget, as I recount it here and now, and always. Positano Bites Deep.
The next day, I’d do it all over again, and so I did for 3 glorious days on my first trip to Positano, in the Summer of 85. The next Summer, I’d spend four days in Positano, after 3 splendid days on the Isle of Capri. I took a boat from Capri to Positano. I was looking for a new hotel this time. I liked Villa Maria Antoniette that first time but wanted something a little bit nicer this time around. So, when I poked my head into the reception area at Casa Albertina, Lorenzo was there to greet me. He was very nice, and he said he’d make me a special “young person’s price,” and so he did. I paid $79 a night that first time at Casa Albertina in 1986. Casa Albertina is a beautiful little family run hotel, where you get luxury at a lower price. The guest rooms are very nice, and the public areas, including the sitting room, dining room, and bar area are all beautifully appointed. I stayed at Casa Albertina for four days, then I also took two days exploring la Bella Napoli. I’d do the same in the Summer of 1988, with two days in Rome, before heading down to Capri and the Amalfi Coast, Positano, and one more night in Rome before flying home the next day to JFK.
I bought my first pair of Espadrilles on that first trip, as well as a great hand-made pair of “Positano Style” men’s casual pants that I wore every Summer for several years, and always bringing those pants back to Positano each year. Positano is famous for its
Positano Style Clothing, especially women’s dresses and blouses, but they make shirts and a few things for the men as well, thus my Positano Pants.
I started my collection of local Amalfi Coast ceramics on that first trip. In the town of Vietri Sul Mare where they make beautiful ceramic plates, and all sorts of ceramic objects that are typical of the area. I bought two beautiful plates in one of the ceramic shops in Positano on that first trip in 1985. I really loved those plates, and made some spaghetti that I ate on them as soon as I got back home. I ate on those plates all year long, and I’d buy a couple more the following year. But it wasn’t until 1988, when on my third trip to Positano, I discovered that the plates were made in the coastal town of Vietri Sul Mare, at the most southern point of the Amalfi Coast.
On that third trip (1988) to the Amalfi Coast, I rented a car one day to go to Pompeii for the first time, and also took a drive over to Vietri Sul Mare to buy some of the local ceramics. I bought; plates, a water picture, and decorative ceramic pieces that included a Virgin Mary for my mother Lucia, one for my sister Barbara, and one for myself. I still have mine, and all of my plates. I also got some creature’s of the sea wall decoration as well. I went to Vietri with a couple of ladies that I had met in Capri. We had a wonderful day visiting the ancient Roman Ruins of Pompeii, going to Vietri to buy ceramics, and having dinner in Minori. After dinner, we hopped in the car and back onto Amalfi Drive. We didn’t get very far, as when we drove into the town of Amalfi, we decided to stop and see what was going on. I parked the car and we went to an outdoor caffe for some evening cocktails. After Limoncello Cocktails we strolled around Amalfi. It was The Feast of Santa Anna and the Piazza del Duomo was abuzz with music and activity of tourists and local revelers. It was happy and festive, and the girls and I had a nice little time there.
This was the first time I ever drove the famed Amalfi Drive, known as one of the World’s great driving-roads. And it certainly is, with its unmatched beauty, and its famed hairpin and horseshoe turns. The Amalfi Drive is quite the road to drive. I surely savored the chance to drive it, taking all those crazy turns, and marveling at the beauty of it all. It was a wonderful experience, and being such a young man, I enjoyed it all the more. It’s a day I shall never forget.
On my second visit to Positano (1986), I was lucky in that I was staying at Casa Albertino during the time when the hotel held its annual cocktail / dinner party for their guests, and that’s when I met my sweet friend Nicoletta. The party was wonderful. There was a big buffet table with wonderful treats from the Hotel’s Chef. The buffet table included : Prosciutto, Provola, Croquettes, delicious Arancini, Gnocchi, Ravioli, and other culinary delights. I drank Campari and Biancolella local wine, it was all quite wonderful. At the party, I met and chatted with several other hotel guests, and we all had a delightful evening. All courtesy of the Cinque family of Hotel Casa Albertina.
Yes, I was quite lucky to walk into Casa Albertina and meet Lorenzo that day. He gave me a special room rate far lower than the regular price, and I got to stay at the Cinque Family’s beautiful hotel. In the dining room where the party was, the next day I had lunch with Nicoletta and her friends.
My days spent at Casa Albertina, I’d awaken from a lovely night’s sleep, take a shower, get dressed, and go downstairs for breakfast on the terrace. My morning breakfast consisted of; Cappuccino, fresh squeezed Orange Juice, yoghurt, fresh Peaches, and a fresh baked Cornetto with apricot jam. And with one of the World’s most spectacular views, I’d soak-up the warm Amalfi Coast Sun, before heading down to the beach for a day’s swimming, and lazily lounging under the warm Positano Sun. “Heaven.”
After breakfast, it was down the pathways to make my way towards the beach. I’d go to my favorite beach in town, the Lido La Scogliera next to Music on The Rocks. Yes, I paid more to be there, but it was worth every penny, for those times are precious memories I have to this very day and beyond. It’s not material things but wonderful times and memories of them that count in one’s life. I have a good number of those. “Yes I am quite Blessed.”
Lunch at either La Cambusa or Buca di Bacco, both right down at the main beach and near Lo Scogliera. At either place, I might start with a fresh Insalata Caprese, which is often followed by a plate of Spaghetti Vongole or I can choose to opt for a tasty plate of Linguine con Cozze (Mussels). And to go with lunch, I’ll have a glass of local Biancolella or Falanghina wine.
Another lunch option would be to go for a Pizza, (Chez Black) while other times I’d pick up a Panino and some fruit at one of the great little salumerias (Italian Deli) and bring it to eat right at the beach. Sometimes I’d get an Arancino (Rice-Ball) and Frittata from one of my favorite Salumerias along the way, and I’d be all set for a tasty little inexpensive lunch at the outdoor dining room that is at one of the beaches in Positano itself.
In the Summer of 86, I needed something to read at the beach, a good beach read, so to speak. Well there’s no book store in Positano, but they did have some best selling paperback novels at one of the shops, where I spotted Jackie Collins “Hollywood Wives.” So I got a copy, I took it to Lo Scogliera, and enjoyed reading it in the Summer of 1986. OK, I admit it, I read Hollywood Wives, “Sue me.”
So as I’ve already briefly stated, after the beach I’d head to Bar DeMartino for an aperitivo of Campari and Soda. I didn’t know about Aperol back then, nobody did. I did however discover Aperol and the Aperol Spritz way back in 1995 at a Bacaro (Wine Bar) in Venice one night when I was looking for a little night-cap before heading back to my room at the Hotel Gueratto. I saw people drinking them and asked the bartender what they were? He replied, “Aperol Spritz,” and I told him I’d take one. That was about 18 years before the Aperol Spritz Craze that hit the shores of New York and America around about 2015 or so. I was already drinking them in Venice way back in 1995. And as for the Negroni, I discovered that sublime cocktail at the grand Caffe Giacosa in Florence ten years before, in that splendid Summer of 1985. Now guess what folks. Here’s another thing that has become a “Thing.” This thing is the Aperol Spritz, it’s all over, thousands of them. You can’t pass a caffe, bar, or restaurant that has tables outside anywhere in Sorrento, Positano, Capri, and anywhere along the Amalfi Coast or any coastal town in Italy that there aren’t people drinking Aperol Spritzs, it’s the new thing. When did it become a “Thing,” I don’t know. All I know is, I’ve been drinking them since 95, years before drinking an Aperol Spritz actually became a “thing.” And yes, I still drink them, and Campari & Soda or OJ, and a Negroni or two, but now, more often than not, I’ll be sipping on an Amaro. My favorite Amaro is Lucano, but I like Nonnino, Averna, or Rucolino from nearby Ischia, And speaking of Amaro Lucano and the Amalfi Coast, I shall never forget the Spring of 2018 when I took a trip with cousin Tony and introduced him to Amaro Lucano and Ferrari Perle, and we drank those two things all the trip long. It was Tony’s first intro to Amaro and he fell in love with the stuff. And Ferrari Perle as well. Both such lovely things to drink on the Amalfi Coast, wouldn’t you think? “Yes they are.”
Now, for my time spent at Bar DeMartino and my ritual late afternoon aperitivo on the Amalfi Coast. Yes, most often I’d get a Campari & Soda or Campari OJ, a glass of local white wine, or a nice refreshing Lemonade, made with the great Amalfi Coast Lemons that we all love. Bar DeMartino was a great little family owned bar (caffe) that was the first tier up as you walked the main road, the Via Pasitea, to the middle parts of Positano. As you are walking up the Via Pasitea you will reach the Hotel Poseidon at one point, and Da Vincenzo is just about 300 feet more up the road. By the way, the Hotel Poseidon is a really wonderful hotel with a beautiful pool on a huge terrace where the Ristorante & Bar Tridente is located, and this is a great place for lunch, or dinner, and best of all it’s one of the best places in Positano to go for an afternoon or early evening aperitivo. The view from the terrazzo is one of the most beautiful in town. You will then come upon the part of town by Da Vincenzo, Casa Albertina, and where De Martino used to be. In this part of Positano, you have enough height to look down to the main part of town and the center with the beach, as well as the church of Santa Maria Assunta and its glorious ceramic dome that dominates the lower part of town. You will see this view in a million pictures of Positano all over the place. So, you start walking up the path past the Zagara and the area of Mulini. You then hop on the road, the Via Pasitea. You walk up the road, past the parking lot, and up by the Hotel Poseidon and Hotel Reginella. It’s an easy walk with a gradual incline. You will come to Bar DeMartino (now Bar Positano) on your right, and their terrazzo is across the street from the bar. There, you can sit at an outdoor table as I’ve always loved to do. There are also outdoor tables up against the bar, across the street. Da Vincenzo Ristorante is right next to Bar DeMartino (Bar Positano) and the stairs and pathway that lead to my favorite hotel in town, Casa Albertina is in-between Da Vincenzo and The Bar Positano.
So I’d sit there with my Campari and take in the spectacular view there as you look down to lower Positano, the Sea, the church, and all the homes and buildings as they climb the mountain town, one-atop-the-other, and up to The Path of The Gods. If you are in there, you might ask yourself, “could anything or any place be more beautiful than this spot right here?” I think not. To this day, I’d have to say that those times I spent sitting there on the Terrazzo of Bar DeMartino, sipping my Campari as I gazed across the way and down to the deep blue Tyrrhenian Sea and the whole of Positano, those were some of the most wonderful feelings I’ve ever had in my entire life. They were absolutely perfect little moments in times, Times that I shall never forget, sitting there, savoring the World’s most beautiful view. Yes, I sat there looking and pondering Positano, perched in that little bar, a Campari in hand. It’s times like those, that are the simple little pleasures in life. Just a brief moment in time, and oh so wonderful. Yes, now and then, you have to live the charmed-life, and those moments at Bar DeMartino, many years ago, were the charmed life for me. “How bout you? Will you do the same?”
There’s nothing quite like a late afternoon nap after a day at the beach. Being in Positano with its sweet fresh flowers, the air fresh from the sea. It’s all quite wonderful.
My nap finished, I’d jump in the shower, get dressed, and head out for a drink or two at the terrace of the Poseidon Hotel.
Evenings in Positano have their own special magic. Some nights I’d be sitting outside on the terrace of the Poseidon Hotel for cocktails, and I’d be gazing out upon the sea below, my eyes set upon the town and the sea below. Positano is lit up with the twinkle of many lights and MoonBeams spread out across the sea. This is a whole other feeling, so if you ever get to this enchanting little spot, I can guarantee you that the magic of Positano is real. Chatting with friends, sipping my Negroni and breathing in that special Positano air. The air is filled with the scent of blooming Jasmine that mingles with Calamari cooking on the grill and Pizza baking in wood-burning ovens. All these scents blended with the heady aromas that lingered in the night air. “This is my Positano.”
A little bit more on Ristorante Da Vincenzo. It’s always worth hearing about Da Vincenzo, for many who go to Positano, Da Vincenzo is their favorite restaurant in town. When I had my dinner that first time at Da Vincenzo, I met Victor and Jessie and I had a most wonderful time, and as I’ve always said, “I felt like a King.” That’s how I feel when in Positano or on my beloved Isle of Capri, I feel like an absolute King. Well at least once a year anyway. Believe me, it’s a good way to feel. And so you shall. Just make your way to Positano, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast of Italy.
After dinner in Positano, I usually go to La Zagara. Besides the gelato and tasty Italian Pastries that they are well known for, a little known secret is that they make some of the tastiest Arancini to be had on all the Amalfi Coast. These Arancini (Rice Balls) are wonderful to bring to the beach or as a snack anytime of the day and whenever you might be just a little hungry in-between your meals. The Arancini at La Zagara are along with the ones made by the people at the Salumeria Capri on Capri, are the best you will find in the entire region. Yes, they are that good.
Anyway, go to Positano. Go to Capri and the Amalfi Coast. Take my advice, I’ve been going a long time. Make some of your own little discoveries on your own. That’s what I do. I’ve been doing it since 1985. I do what I did on these first few trips, but I find new things too. New discoveries. You’d be surprised how much you can do. Most of all, eat, drink, explore, and just relax. You will have the time of your life. It’s Positano.
Daniel Bellino Zwicke
Excerpted from POSITANO The AMALFI COAST Travel Guide – Cookbook
Available on AMAZON
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New York and the $3.00 PBR, Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer has been a God-Send to many New Yorkers. As you all know, the US Economy has been in the Shitter for the past 5 years or so.
It’s not OK, what’s a person to do? So yes, we live in New York, and having a couple cocktails here can be a costly undertaking.. What is a Poor Working Guy or Working Girl to do??? Well Boys and Girls, let’s Thank God for that great thing of wonder and the Bars and establishments who so graciously and kindly serve it, The $3.00 PBR, That’s right, a $3.oo Beer in The Land of The Over-Priced $16.00 Cocktail, Manhattan, New York, NY….. It’s quite Sad, Greedy too, not to mention “Ridiculous Ludicrous and Insane.”
The HORSESHOE BAR
And SECRET RECIPES
Lucy’s Bar is the most aptly named bar in New York. For Lucy—the quiet and small and sweetly proper Polish owner with the well-coifed gray hair and floral blouses—is who you’ll see when you go there, and Lucy is the one who will serve you. If there are other employees, they’ve hidden themselves somewhere in the back.
Though Lucy’s is undeniably a dive (and one of the last in the neighborhood), it feels more like your aunt’s aging rec room, a place where you’d never think of disrespecting the house’s hospitality. It’s also one of the last vestiges of the Polish community that was once made up a significant part of the East Village’s character.
Ludwika “Lucy” Mickevicius moved from Poland to New York in the late 1970s and soon got a job at Blanche’s, a bar on St. Mark’s Place run by another Polish woman. She became such a fixture that people began to think of the bar as Lucy’s, and, when Blanche retired, she sold the place—by then located on Avenue A—to her bartender.
Lucy’s life doesn’t range much further than the twin poles of her joint and Poland, which she visits regularly, shutting up the tavern at a moment’s notice and disappearing for weeks at a time. Most nights, she stations herself at the far end of the bar near the ancient cash register. (It’s cash only here.) One recent evening, the Halloween balloons hadn’t yet been taken down. Then again, assorted Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations were already out. Maybe none of the decorations are ever packed up?
Lucy doesn’t budge much behind the bar, but she keeps herself busy for a woman in her mid-70s. She will draw you a pint or a glass of tequila. And, if she likes you, she might pour you a shot of żubrówka, a Polish bison grass vodka, on the house. When the place gets stuffy, she’ll swing open the door to let some fresh Avenue A air in; just as quickly, she’ll close it if it gets chilly.
The clientele ranges from a less-intense sort of downtown hipster, who exchange a few friendly words with Lucy—who, even all these years later, still speaks in broken, accented English—and then retire to their personal conversations, to old Polish regulars. In fact, on another recent night, a young couple came in to show Lucy their young child. All four spoke entirely in Polish and a delighted Lucy let the little scamp climb atop the pool table. As they left, she handed the kid one of the old Halloween balloons. For those few minutes, Lucy’s was a family bar.
GOT ANY KAHLUA ?
The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK
Daniel Zwicke
Lower East Side
If Clockwork’s happy hour special seems too good to be true, you’ve got a little good old fashioned neighborhood competition to thank. Located right around the corner, 169 has been in operation since 1916. And its 11:30am-7:30pm HH is among the best in the city. $3 will get you an “Old Man Can/Bottle” of beer (PBR, Carling Black Label, Schaefer, Genesee Cream, High Life/Miller Lite) and any well shot. Subtly New Orleanian environs (window shutters look like they’re fresh off a Creole cottage; beads are strung here and there; there’s crawfish on the menu) evoke genuine good times.
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“Stairway to Heaven” is often rated among the greatest rock songs of all time. Music journalist Stephen Davis wrote that the 1971 song ascended to “Anthemic” status within two years. Page recalled, “I knew it was good. I didn’t know it was going to become like an anthem, but I did know it was the gem of the album, sure.”
“Stairway to Heaven” continues to top radio lists of the greatest rock songs, including a 2006 Guitar World readers poll of greatest guitar solos. On the 20th anniversary of the original release of the song, it was announced via US radio sources that the song had logged an estimated 2,874,000 radio plays. As of 2000, the song had been broadcast on radio over three million times. In 1990, a Tampa Bay, Florida, area station (then WKRL) kicked off its all-Led Zeppelin format by playing “Stairway to Heaven” for 24 hours straight. It is also the biggest-selling single piece of sheet music in rock history, clocking up an average of 15,000 copies yearly.
In total, over one million copies have been sold.
The band never authorised the song to be edited for single release, despite pressure from Atlantic Records. Page told Rolling Stone in 1975, “We were careful to never release it as a single”, which forced buyers to buy the entire album.
In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine put it at number 31 on their list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”, then number 61 in 2021. On 29 January 2009, Guitar World magazine rated Jimmy Page’s guitar solo the best of the publication’s 100 Greatest Guitar Solos in Rock and Roll History.
In 2001, the New York City-based classic rock radio station WAXQ conducted a listener survey to create a countdown of 1,043 rock songs (the number corresponding with the station’s position on the dial at 104.3 FM). “Stairway to Heaven” garnered the most votes from listeners. WAXQ has conducted the survey annually since then; in each subsequent countdown that has followed, including the most recent in November 2024, “Stairway to Heaven” has been the top-ranked song.
BACARETO LELE
VENICE
POSITANO’S MOST GORGEOUS VIEWS
At The HOTEL POSEIDON
Formerly a private seaside villa built for summer holidays at the coast, the sought-after property was converted into a hotel by the Aonzo family in the 1950s, and still remains under their watchful guidance. During its 65-plus years of operation, the hotel has welcomed tourists from all over the world, giving them a little slice of Positano paradise.
One of the initial fully-serviced hotels in the area, the hotel also boasts an extraordinary wooden elevator that was the first one built in Positano back in 1965. Home to a total of 50 rooms and suites, this charming retreat presents elegant hospitality in harmony with Amalfi tradition, and ticks all the boxes from sumptuous accommodation to spellbinding views and morish cuisine.
The property has a variety of quaint rooms & suites to select from, all of which vary in size and boast a unique character. Along with the usual luxe amenities like air-conditioning, minibars, personised bathrobes and slippers, flatscreen televisions, free and unlimited internet as well as daily housekeeping and turndown services, each room (except the Standard Double Rooms) features a private terrace or balcony with panoramic views of the sea, Positano town and the Amalfi Coastline. Meanwhile, the Standard Double Rooms have lovely private terraces that look out onto the hotel’s lush gardens. The hotel is family-friendly, and there are various accommodation options for those travelling with children, with either large suites or interconnecting rooms available to make guests and their little ones feel right at home.
The interiors of the rooms reflect the Villa’s history and locale: each is individually furnished and boasts a distinctive Mediterranean flair. The floors are tiled in hand-painted maiolica and the sentimental décor includes furniture that belongs to the founding family, making the spaces feel warm and inviting. Elegant accents complete the spaces, such as wrought iron headboards and antique frames. Each room also has a beautiful bathroom with a bathtub and/or a shower – many of which have large windows overlooking Positano’s colourful houses perched on the cliffs.
The hotel has various offers allowing guests to take full advantage of its comfortable accommodations, including their latest ‘Work From Hotel’ package. This offer allows guests to tailor their stay at the hotel, ensuring they have all the necessary facilities to work effectively, while still enjoying everything Hotel Poseidon has to offer.
The hotel’s signature Il Tridente Restaurant has become one of Positano’s must-visit destinations, especially for those looking to dine al fresco. Whether it’s a laid-back lunch or a romantic dinner, every meal is a memorable occasion under the flora-enveloped pergolas on Hotel Poseidon’s restaurant terrace.
Serving the freshest and most delicious Neapolitan cuisine to an enchanting backdrop, Mediterreanean living doesn’t get better than this. The dishes which have traditional roots have been thoughtfully reinterpreted in a modern way, with the chef paying special attention to using only local and seasonal ingredients. The vegan and gluten-free options are equally as tasty and are prepared with the utmost care.
Il Tridente’s Bar is just as delightful as the restaurant. Caressed by a fresh breeze that cools off a summer day, and gently illuminated by candlelight, the bar’s terrace is a truly special spot to sip on a cocktail or two at sunset. The terrace enjoys a 180-degree view over Positano, the sea and the rest of the Amalfi Coast, and on colder nights, two fireplaces create a romantic atmosphere indoors.
The hotel also boasts an impressive wine cellar with national and international wine labels and a wide liquor selection. This ensures that guests have access to their preferred beverages, with the drinks menu catering to a variety of tastes. A good array of local Amalfi wines are also available, and the hotel can arrange wine tastings for groups.
Nestled amongst fragrant orange and lemon trees, summer lingers a little longer here – and what better place to soak up the sun than lounging at the pool? Hotel Poseidon boasts one of the nicest pools in Positano, complete with enough space on the terrace for every guest to enjoy the afternoon on a sunlounger – a somewhat rare occurrence in this neck of the woods.
Enjoy the striking view while taking a dip in the pool, and when you get peckish, order from the all-day bar which serves drinks and snacks directly to the sunbeds. For the quintessential Amalfi Coast experience, don’t miss tasting the iconic Limoncello Spritz!
After a day exploring the city, the hotel’s L’Onda Beauty Centre is the idyllic spot for a bit of downtime. The first beauty centre to be built on the Amalfi Coast, L’Onda is a living legacy. Greatly valued and visited by both locals and returning visitors of Positano, guests can relish massages, body treatments and aesthetic treatments in a tranquil setting. For the ultimate pampering, enjoy some time in the Turkish bath that’s built directly into the cliff rock.
Other than its exquisite views, magical setting and close proximity to the town, Hotel Poseidon offers its own unique experiences for guests to enjoy. Marco Aonzo, one of the owners of the Hotel Poseidon, is a classic car collector and one of the hotel’s experiences pays tribute to this passion, allowing guests to take a Volkswagen Convertible Beetle on a spin around the region’s scenic winding roads (free of charge).
Hotel Poseidon’s location also makes it the perfect wedding and event venue. For over four decades, it has been a sought-after event destination, hosting everything from intimate weddings to chic birthday parties. The traditional style of the architecture, the beauty of the gardens and green areas that surround the hotel and, of course, its view, create a timeless atmosphere that is ideal for celebrations. With a knowledgeable hotel team that’s keen to assist, each event can be effortlessly tailored to the guest’s wishes and expertly executed with the help of local suppliers.
A town filled with rich history and culture, there are a variety of exciting activities to enjoy in and around Positano that the hotel can assist with booking. Some of these include a boat excursion to Capri (and its Blue Grotto) or to Amalfi, stopping for a dive at the incredible Furore Fjord; exploring the Amalfi Coast by air by flying in a CESSNA plane; visiting wine farms and Limoncello factories or taking cooking classes in first-rate restaurants or authentic Italian homes. For those wanting to keep fit, Positano makes this easy with its varied outdoor activities: take a scenic hike on the Path of the Gods or partake in a kayak tour towards Praiano.
The hotel’s location is one of its biggest drawcards and explains why it’s been a much-desired filming destination for TV Shows and movies since its opening. In a strategic position that enables it to be near to the town’s main attractions, but high enough to enjoy the most breathtaking view, there are few properties in Positano that can rival Hotel Poseidon’s locale. It is also one of the few hotels in the famously stair-filled cliffside village that can be accessed directly from the street.
The property is only 800 meters from Positano Main Beach and Positano Ferry Dock (an 8-minute walk) and the Napoli Capodichino Airport and Salerno Ferry Dock are 62km and 54km away respectively. Pompeii, Herculaneum and Paestum are also less than 2 hours away (by car or by ferry), which make for an easy and insightful day trip out of Positano. There are also a host of delightful restaurants nearby, and a grocery store on the hotel’s doorstep.
POSITANO’S MOST STUNNING VIEWS
POOL & TERRAZZO
RISTORANTE TRIDENT
HOTEL POSEIDON
FOUND a COUPLE PICTURES
Me in ITALY & JERSEY & NEW ORLEANS
The DOGES PALACE / SAINT MARKS BASILICA
In WINTER
VENICE , ITALY
HARRY’S BAR
VENICE
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The HOTEL TIVOLIVENICE
HOTEL IRIS
VENICE
In the fish market area, in Campo delle Beccarie, there is instead Poste Vecie restaurant open since 1500, where Casanova used to hide away with friends and especially girl friends to enjoy luxurious banquets. The whole area of St. Mark’s Square and especially the old premises, starting from Caffè Florian, have been hunting grounds of the great seducer.
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DO MORI
The erotic tour of Venice cannot exclude the Rialto area and in particular the Sotoportego dei Do Mori where in the tavern of the same name Casanova liked giving the first appointment to his ladies. Who showed up strictly masked.
VENETIAN RECIPES
“GOING to POSITANO” ?
The AMALFI COAST ?
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VEDOVA
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INSIDE The BAR at VEDOVA
BACARO
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GONDOLA’S with Della SALUTE in Background
The MOLO
VENICE
On The Grand Canal
VENICE , ITALY
Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke
1997
Me & Cousin Joe
Prosseco in a Venetian Wine Bar
Venice, Italy 2003
Me & Arturo
aka “IL LUPO”
IL LUPO The Famus Venetian Gondoliere
Arturo and I are Drinking some Local Italian Wine
At Osteria Vivaldi
VENICE , ITALY
1995
I had read a little article in The New York Times about Venice, that mention the Bacari (Wine Bars) of Venice, and that’s all it took. Just a little mention (one Paragraph) of these particular type of wine bars of Venice sparked my interest, and I just had to go to Venice and find out as much as I could about them, for I instantly felt that I wanted to open one in New York (which I did).
MANGIA ITALIANO
MEMORIES of ITALIAN FOOD
READ ABOUT BAR CICHETTI
VENETIAN WINE BARS
ITALIAN FOOD in VENICE ITALY
and NEW YORK
Books by #DanielBellinoZwicke
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DO MORI
CICHETTI MISTI
VENENZIA
BACARO
VENICEITALY
At The BAR
MISTI MARE
REMEMBERING JOSH
Joshua Ozersky (August 22, 1967 – May 4, 2015) was an American food writer and historian. He first came to prominence as a founding editor of New York Magazine’s food blog, Grub Street, for which he received a James Beard Foundation Award (with co-editor Daniel Maurer) in 2008. He was the author of several books, including The Hamburger: A History – Colonel Sanders and the American Dream, and Archie Bunker’s America: TV in an Era of Change, 1968–1978 . He was Editor-at-Large for Esquire, writing about food and restaurants. He also wrote frequently for The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, and The New York Observer, among other places. Although read primarily as a food writer, he has said in numerous public appearances that he disliked “food writing” as such, and that his strongest influences were G. K. Chesterton, Thomas Babington Macaulay and A. J. Liebling.
Ozersky was born in Miami in 1967. He moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1979 when his father, the painter David Ozersky, got a job as a stage technician in the first of the area’s casino-hotels, Resorts International. He attended Atlantic City High School and Rutgers University. His mother, Anita Ozersky, died suddenly when he was 14 years of age. Of his interest in food, he has said in interviews, “I was a friendless child, and a solitary and celibate teenager … my father and I only spoke about movies and food, and food far more than movies. He was a great gastronome and taught me to self-medicate my loneliness with steaks and sausages.”[4] He later attended New York University‘s School of Journalism and started work towards a doctoral degree at the University of Notre Dame, where he eventually received a master’s degree in American history.
After graduating from Rutgers University in 1989, Ozersky wrote for several publications on media and cultural history topics, most frequently in Tikkun. The first articles he was paid to write appeared in a short-lived satirical weekly called “The Hoboken Review,” based in Hoboken, NJ, where Ozersky lived at the time.[7] Among his earliest works for The Hoboken Review was an article titled, “I like it greasy,” in which he celebrates his disdain for overly-health-conscious eating—a recurring theme in his future food writing. From 1990 to 1993 he wrote two weekly columns for the West Side Spirit, a free weekly newspaper in New York City: a semi-humorous “TV Picks” column and a cheap-eats column called “The Impoverished Gourmand” under the name “Casper Gutman.” Many consider this guise, which was loosely based on the character from The Maltese Falcon, as a forerunner of “Mr. Cutlets,” his later fictive persona. In the mid-1990s, he wrote for Suck.com under the name “The Boob”, as well as for Newsday, where he frequently contributed essays on culture and media. His book “Archie Bunker’s America: TV in an Era of Change” a cultural history of television programming, received a disappointing critical reception. Although his ambition at this time was to establish himself as a public intellectual after the example of his mentors, Neil Postman and Mark Crispin Miller, he eventually turned to food writing full-time with the publication of his 2003 book “Meat Me in Manhattan” 2008’s “The Hamburger: A History” was a critical success, receiving positive reviews in publications on both sides of the Atlantic, including The Economist, The Times, The Observer and Forbes.
Subsequent to “Meat Me in Manhattan”‘s publication, Ozersky was a contributing restaurant critic for Newsday (2004–2006), and wrote regularly for the website Slashfood and the New York Law Journal. He became the founding editor of New York Magazine food blog Grub Street,[13] a position he held until 2008, when he moved over to Citysearch as National Restaurant Editor. There he ran a daily food blog based on the model of Grub Street called The Feedbag, along with his regular Citysearch duties.[14] He left in 2009 to start Ozersky.TV, a venture with Eater founder Ben Leventhal, featuring short films about restaurants and cooking, which debuted in July 2010. He wrote the “Taste of America” column for Time from 2010 to 2012. Both Ozersky TV, “Taste of America,” and his work in The Wall Street Journal was nominated for James Beard Awards. Essays by Ozersky were also included in “The Best Food Writing” anthologies of 2009, 2012 and 2014.
In 2010, Ozersky was criticized by Robert Sietsema Writing about his wedding in Time without disclosing that the chefs who participated donated the food as wedding gifts. Ozersky defended himself, saying that the chefs involved were among his closest friends, and that the most prominent of them, Michael White, had his daughter in the wedding party as a flower girl.
Ozersky was found and pronounced dead in his Conrad Chicago hotel room on May 4, 2015, while in the city for the James Beard Foundation Awards. Officials said the autopsy reveals he died after suffering a seizure in the hotel shower and drowned.
Ozersky was the founder of Meatopia, a large meat-centric outdoor culinary event, which has been held in New York City for the past ten years. In 2013 Meatopia events were held in London, England and San Antonio, Texas, with more cities planned for 2014. Meatopia held a very small event in 2013 in New York City while focusing the majority of its efforts on the London and Texas events. Each year has had a different theme such as “Slaughter of the Innocent” (baby animals); “Lamb Bam Thank You M’aam” (whole lambs); “City Meat,” (NYC 2012) in which the festival was divided up into multiple “neighborhoods” such as Offalwood, Carcass Hill, and Beaktown; and most recently (NYC 2014) The Carnivore’s Ball, a celebration of the 10th annual Meatopia which was hosted by Michael Symon. Meatopia has been called “a glorious city of meat” by The Huffington Post[ and “a bacchanal of pork, beef, lamb, chicken, duck, turkey and quail” by The New York Times.
JOSH
Josh Ozersky was one of the Great Food Writers of All-Time. He had a style of writing and chatting on food, that was all his own. There was no-one quite like Josh. The closest to this Giant of Food Writing and pontificating would be the late great Anthony Bourdain. Another Giant. These two men were a great gift to The Food World and its millions of fans. And they both left us far too soon, and millions mourn them.
Josh was not nearly as well know and popular as Anthony, but he was certainly his equal. They both had their own styles, which were both absolutely wonderful, yet different. Hey, they were wo different human beings.
When Josh passed away, he was only 47 years old. Anthony Bourdain was 61 when he passed. It was a tremendous loss and the World Mourned. Tony had millions of fans. The world still mourns Bourdain’s passing, and pine for him. Sadly these two giants of human beings (food writers / hosts) are sorely missed, and will always be remembered.
RIP
HAMBURGER TRIBUTE to JOSH
theDannyReport 