I bought this pitcher years ago in northern Italy. It is damaged and repaired and unusable, but I hold onto it. It is primitive and basic and carved from 1 piece of wood. Here, it sits atop a small collection of vintage tiles purchased in Palermo.

The small painted vintage tiles are from the Mercato delle Pulci. There, a vendor sells an extraordinary collection, piled up high in a beautiful assortment of patterns and colors. We were blown away by the simplicity of the stacks and the accessibility of the tiles.

The vendors are there everyday, 7 days a week, and Meridiana Airlines flies directly to Palermo nonstop from JFK. 2 days a week.