Dive In! Start Learning the Italian Culture NOW!
If I had a do-over, I'd have started WAY earlier and studied WAY harder If there is any one overarching piece of advice that [...]
Practical Driving Instruction in Italy—Prepare Yourself!
If you're American, and you want to drive in Italy, you can't dodge this requirement. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings if [...]
Seeking Light in a Period of Darkness
The world seems like it has gone mad. For me, despair comes when I enter circular thinking in an attempt to figure out two [...]
Finally, A Nationwide Italian Mask Mandate
I guess, better late than never, right? I’m doing my best to reside in this mindset rather than saying, “Why the hell has it [...]
Find Yourself in the Heart of Abruzzo
And prepare to be romanced by Abruzzo's finest culinary treasures. So many people, longing to be in Italy but grounded by the pandemic, are [...]
We Just Keep Waiting…
The paint is still drying on my latest oil painting, “Ca’ Rezzonico.” When it does, I’ll add my signature. As I stand back, ready [...]
Children Will Listen…and Learn
These lyrics, part of "Children Will Listen," rendered by the extraordinary Stephen Sondheim, are more on my mind than ever. Why? Because, in the [...]
Italian Healthcare Vs American Healthcare
Italian healthcare wins, hands down, in my opinion. And, on multiple fronts. I've been in Italy for almost eight years now, and as I look [...]
COVID in Italy, When Defiance Turns Deadly
The privileged elite thumb their noses at the pandemic and party hard. And this kind of defiance reared its head at a posh club [...]
Italian Words That Don’t Mean What You Think
There are plenty of them. Many Italian language newbies make the mistake of thinking that because some Italian words sound so similar to English [...]
Get the Skinny on Down and Dirty Italian
What do I mean by "Down and Dirty Italian?" I mean oft-used Italian words, phrases, and expressions pertaining to expletives, bodily functions, partying, gossiping, [...]
A Nighttime Excursion in Surreal Venice
I've never seen my favorite Italian city like this. A surreal Venice is a lonely Venice. Even in the wee hours of normal Venice [...]
Has My Love Affair with Social Media Gone Too Far?
Time to reclaim my peace and sanity. The Covid-19 crisis has provided far too fertile ground for reigniting my love affair with social media. [...]
The Italian Driver’s License Exam – Get a Grip on Order of Precedence
The order of precedence at Italian intersections can be a bit confusing. At least that was my experience when I spent several months studying [...]
Here in Italy We Settle in for the New Face of Travel.
"Out and about" looks vastly different in the shadow of Covid-19. To me, this new face of travel was particularly evident in the experience [...]
Untangling Our Knotted Up Places
Crisis has a knack for dynamiting the status quo. And when two come along, double-barreled, with the pandemic and the massive protests and outcry [...]
Celebrating the Beauty of the Ordinary
Most of us are trained to pursue idyllic beauty. Myself included. From an early age, marketers have pummeled us with pictures and messages that [...]
Key Italian Words and Phrases for Navigating the Health Crisis
These aren't just "nice to know." No, a few Italian words and phrases are essential if you find yourself in Italy while Covid-19 still encroaches [...]