Join Me for a Tour of an Inspiring Organic Farm in Abruzzo
Go deep. This is becoming my mantra here in Italy. The potential for rich experiences is plentiful. But it’s easy to zoom by, to just take [...]
Castrovalva – A Fairytale Town Clings to a Precipice
Impossibly situated… That’s what I thought when I first saw the tiny village of Castrovalva, perched high on a sliver of rock in The Apennines [...]
Italian Faces Etched with Emotion
I love faces. And Italian faces are endlessly fascinating to me. Being married to an Italian has taught me firsthand that the passion that is [...]
La Giostra di Cavalleresca di Sulmona – Don’t Miss It!
Guess who scored a press pass to La Giostra di Cavalleresca di Sulmona? That would be lucky, lucky yours truly, thanks to Saint Novelia, my [...]
Nuns Out and About
Just call me a paparazzo of the nuns. If you’ve followed previous photo posts, here and on my Instagram feed, you’ll know that I’m a [...]
Dealing with the Angst of Elusive Answers
When did we become convinced that answers should be ready on command? In my case, I suspect it happened when I began to think abstractly [...]
Back in the Kitchen with Novelia for Spaghetti alla Chitarra!
A chitarra that makes pasta, not music? I argue that it makes both, especially after another guided journey in “la cucina” with my dear friend [...]
Pope Celestine V and the Courage to Resign
The verb “resign” can be a loaded word. The word can connote giving up or giving in. When a person is said to have resigned [...]
Taking a Break from Multitasking
Actually, I’m recovering from an investment in the illusion that multitasking is even possible. You may have noticed that ItalyWise has been quiet for the [...]
Letting Your Story Unfold
I’ve recently returned from a major writers’ conference in NYC and my brain is still on fire with all that I learned from a vast [...]
Pietrantonj is Abruzzo’s Oldest Winery
One thing leads to another. This is becoming my motto in life, with one additional clarifier. One thing leads to another when you give yourself [...]
ItalyWise Coming Attractions!
ItalyWise is hard at work. Just wanted you all to know that ItalyWise is anything but asleep or on vacation this week. Since I’ve thrown [...]
Fall in Love with Novelia and Fettuccine “a mano”
Am I a lucky man or not? After you view the video contained in this post, I believe you’ll quickly respond in the affirmative. Just [...]
Pull the plug on the narrator in your head.
The narrator in your head doesn’t like to shut up. It thrives on constantly voicing its opinions and judgments about whatever is happening. For me, [...]
Learning Italian? Lighten Up with Music.
I’ve taken to utilizing Italian music to round out my knowledge of Italian. If you’re on the journey to achieve some kind of competency when [...]
Yes, She Exists! A Woman Gondolier.
Finally, real proof that Venice has a woman gondolier! Talk about stumbling across a good story. Just two days ago, Simone and I had opted [...]
The Rich Fishing History of Abruzzo’s Trabocchi
Image by Lorenabacchilega of Creative Commons Trabocchi are “fishing machines” dating back to the 18th century. At least that’s the earliest documentation attesting to their existence. Some [...]
A Symphony of Italian Hand Gestures
A beauty to behold. Yes, Italian hand gestures contain a fluidity and artistry that continues to amaze me. Italians must have something built into their [...]