“Quanto le devo?” Is an Essential Italian Phrase!
I advise you to commit this important way of asking, "How much do I owe?" in Italian to memory. By using "Quanto le devo?" you [...]
Italy’s 2023 Sanremo Music Festival Crowns a New Winner
If you're coming to live in Italy, you'd best acquaint yourself with this legendary event. It's sacrilege if you don't. The annual Sanremo Music [...]
Ten Years in Italy, Ten Takeaways
Yes, I’ve reached a milestone. And looking back, I’ve learned tons. Much of it, I anticipated. But there’s a fair amount that I didn’t. [...]
The Allure of Vespa Living
What took me so long?Why did it take eight years of living in Italy before I saw the light? Crazy. Vespa living is full of [...]
Italian Hand Gestures – Artistry in Action
When Italian speak with the hands, it’s potent emotional punctuation. And, Italian hand gestures are hard-wired into Italians’ DNA. [...]
The Italian Origins of the Word Quarantine
It all began in the 17th century in Venice with the term quaranta giorni (forty days). Currently, we're inundated with the coronavirus news and the [...]
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. [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Italian Bike Life – Dress As You Please
I’ve been meaning to tackle this subject for quite a while, and even today’s post is only a beginning to a fuller visual essay on [...]
Speaking of Tongues…
Fair warning: if you’re a fan and believer in religious relics, you might want to skip this week’s blog post. I’m dedicated to sharing the [...]
Italian Holiday Greetings – Prep Yourself and Know the Protocol
The holiday trim and lights already are being prepped and strung across the ancient city streets of Italy. Mountains of panettone (Italian holiday sweet [...]
Arm-in-Arm is part of the Italian Culture
Italians are passionate and affectionate I think I can safely draw this conclusion after living in Italy for several years and observing the interactions amongst [...]
Meet Le Vecchie Guardie – The Old Guard
A Sacred Meeting Spot. © 2017 Jed Smith I love these faces. I love surreptitiously watching their interactions, and their steadfast camaraderie. The Old Guard, [...]
The Visual Poetry of Italian Body Language
As an artist and photographer, I find people watching here in Italy to be a source of great inspiration and education. This recent photo, [...]
Don’t Wish Me Luck – Talk about Wolves, Whales and Poop!
Photo by NatureGuy, Adobe Stock Images You’re probably asking (if you’re not offended) “What do wolves, whales, and poop have in common?” They [...]
Perils and Pitfalls of Speaking Italian
Know the challenges of speaking Italian, apply yourself, and you’ll be speaking proficiently in no time. I’ve been living in Italy for over [...]