The Italian Staff
Even before Edmund Zimmerman greets you at La Romita, the first smiling face many La Romita School participants will see is that of Antonio Meloni, La Romita School’s courteous and unflappable driver. Your painting holiday in Italy begins as Antonio takes you by private bus to the many beautiful hill-towns that decorate the gentle slopes of Umbria’s green mountains — internationally-known destinations such as Perugia and Assisi, as well as lesser-known jewels such as Todi, Narni, and Spoleto, to the truly obscure: Stroncone, Labro, Ferentillo, Cesi…..
Franca Vincenzoni is Egizia’s “sous chef” in the kitchen and is responsible for many of the delicious home-made coffee-cakes (biscotto) and fruit pastries (crostata) served at breakfast.Egizia Cruciani is La Romita School’s head cook, preparing delicious regional specialities such as ciriole ai funghi (a fresh pasta made with only water and flour, no egg), frittata con gli asparagi (open-face egg omlette with asparagus), and aristo di maiale (oven-roast pork). Her husband Osvaldo, a retired train conductor with the Ferrovie Statale of Italy, helps with the many assorted maintenance tasks involved with keeping the complex running smoothly.
Ivo and Sylvana are another crucial husband-and-wife team. Ivo is the main grounds-keeper, and Sylvana is responsible for breakfast set-up, helps Egizia out in the kitchen, and is also a member of the housekeeping staff, also comprised of Letizia Bordoni and Tina DeSantis. Tina has been with La Romita School since its inception!