around 60 fellows, staff, and visitors gather around the lunch table for a midday communal moment

…is the biggest pleasure of the day (next to dinner), where everyone lines up at a serving table laden with the local, seasonal, organic, gorgeous creations by the Rome Sustainable Food Project kitchen at the Academy, and then sit down at one endless table in the cortile for conversation over some of the best meals I have ever had – featuring lots of Roman beans, vegetables, and fruits that are even satisfying this vegan – and I still can’t believe this is the new ‘normal,’ where every meal, every day feels like a special event.