Reply #3: If you knew Lucca,

[Tangerine LaBamba]

this ban might make some sense to you.

My best friend lives in a 16th century villa just outside Lucca, so I'm very familiar with the place. It's delicate, which might seem like a strange word to describe a city with such a tough history, but within the ancient walls that contain the city, there has been such a great influx of foreigners, I can understand the council's desire to preserve what they regard as their heritage, especially in terms of food.

We've eaten in all sorts of restaurants, but always return to the local establishments owned by natives. The fare of Tuscany is by far superior to anything else in Lucca.

It seems extreme, but my friend, who was born and raised in the Boston area, doesn't think so. He approves of the idea. And he's hardly anti-immigrant. He sees it as a matter of quality.