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 [...]
How Italians Describe Someone Who is Crafty.
This one will come in handy. If you plan on living in Italy or spending a lot of time here you'll inevitably be transacting business. [...]
Italian Coffee Protocol – Know the Ropes!
It’s the little things that make the difference. Especially in regards to the coffee culture in Italy. Once you’ve spent ample time here you’ll understand [...]
Announcing Italian Snippets – Designed to Take You Deeper into the Italian Way
Leave it to the Italians to give colorful dimension to saying “What a mess!” This topic is featured in the first of what I hope [...]
An Unforgettable Tasting of Artisanal Organic Cheeses from Abruzzo.
This ranks as one of the best experiences of my life. I know, it’s a lofty claim. But, on a sunny October afternoon, I found [...]
EIGHT Tips for Dealing with a Car Accident in Italy
If only all my topics could be fun… And if only a car accident in Italy wouldn’t happen to you. It did to me. I’d [...]
Pardon My Mess…I’m Building Something New
Making Something New… © Jed Smith With change comes a few bumps and a bit of mess… Just a month ago I embarked on a [...]
The Enigmatic Faces of Carnevale
Carnevale, a centuries-old Venice festival invites “shadow play.” And, soon it will be upon us again for 2019. It begins just [...]
Feeling Overwhelmed? Finding a path to sanity…
Venice’s Acqua Alta is a great visual metaphor for me when I’m starting to drown in worry. Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore. I have [...]
Sweeping Out What Weighs You Down.
361 © Jed Smith, Watercolor The problem is, most of what weighs us down is hidden from our conscious minds. That’s what I’ve realized recently, with [...]
Our Olive Harvest in Umbria Yields Gold!
What a glorious experience from start to finish! When I’d taken a closer look at our trees back in late summer, I knew this year’s [...]
A Silver Teaspoon Says “Live Now!”
Funny how a simple thing can expose a lifetime of conditioning. And, in this case, it was a silver teaspoon that somehow had escaped from [...]
Italian Holiday Greetings are Easy but Come with a Few Warnings!
Have no fear! Italian holiday greetings aren’t difficult. In fact, you can probably nail them all within a mere thirty minute’s practice. Then you need [...]
Prosecco vs Champagne in International Competition
This is the story of a Prosecco that took on Champagne and other sparkling wines and prevailed! Don’t get me wrong, I love champagne. Veuve [...]
La Transumanza – Take the Shepherd’s Journey
It’s an Abruzzo practice that is thousands of years old. La Transumanza, which literally means “crossing the land” is a twice-yearly practice of Abruzzo shepherds [...]