Time to Make the Leap to Speaking with an Advanced Italian Tongue
Okay, no more putting this off. I've been living in Italy for six-and-a-half years now, and I get along pretty well with my mid-intermediate Italian [...]
The Mountain is My Teacher
It happens every time, this invitation to wake up. So, why do I jump back into the swirling river of busyness and the world of [...]
Washing Up at the Communal Fountain
It's often a family affair. I could park myself at these rustic communal fountains near the beaches of southern Italy (this one's in Puglia, the [...]
When a Cinghiale Comes to Call
Don't trifle with these creatures. Cinghiale, which is a wild boar, can be found all over Italy. I've heard that, years ago, after their population [...]
Italian Faces Define A Medieval Celebration
Sulmona, Medieval, jousting, la giostra cavalleresca, abruzzo
La Festa del Redentore in Venice Delivers
A front-row seat and an iPhone yield surprising results. Normally, for a spectacle of the magnitude of La Festa del Redentore, I'd be packing my [...]
The Sure Fire Creativity Killer
Being motivated by what people might think can kill the creative muse. I've known I've been a people pleaser most of my life. I've often [...]
A Nap on the Steps of the Duomo di Siena
A trip down Memory Lane. I've been so immersed in digital wizardry for so many years that I often forget about my vault of 35mm [...]
Personal Epiphanies from an Overdue Hiatus
Sometimes we just need to step out of our grooves. Yes, step away from the well-worn rut of what we normally do. Step outside of [...]
Put It on Ice.
Time for a short break to refuel... I've been going, going, going and doing, doing, doing. While I pat myself on the back for being [...]
Living the Colorful Life on the Island of Burano
How does daily living amongst saturated color affect a person? I've been asking myself this question ever since I first visited the island of Burano [...]
Go Ahead, Steer into the Storm.
I’ve been resisting the foul weather. By doing so, I've put myself squarely in the middle of the wrestling match with “what is.” I dig [...]
I Hit the Wine Jackpot at Lidl
You can as well, with a good strategy. If you don't know Lidl, they're all over Europe and they're a cleverly run chain of German [...]
Learn How to Order Takeaway in Italian
Mastery of a few everyday Italian expressions goes a long way... in helping expats (and visitors) assimilate into the Italian culture. Italians notice and appreciate [...]
Venice Awakens
Early morning in The Floating City reveals much of the beauty normally obscured by hordes of tourists. This is why I packed up my camera [...]
Oddio! Invoking the Divine in Italian.
THIS is one of the most often used phrases when speaking Italian. You may adhere to the "Thou shalt not take the Lord's name in [...]
Moving to Italy? Not all regions are created equally.
Don't overlook this and don't neglect to do your homework. I've been fielding copious inquiries about the bureaucratic processes and hurdles in Italy. I wish [...]
Food at Roma Termini Has Gone from Dismal to Gourmet
Used to be that I wanted to avoid Rome's central train station like the plague. Well, the massive throngs of people and having to constantly [...]