La Porta dei Parchi – An Organic Farm Ahead of Its Time
Organic farming was a unique concept forty years ago. Looking back to the late seventies and early eighties, I remember how organic products were a [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 Frico Feast with New Friends
I’m still salivating. That’s what frico can do to you. Unfortunately, many people who come to Italy, to live or to visit, don’t set foot in [...]
I Found Mental Repose in These Italian Abstracts
When the mind gets overly fixated on being literal, it can use a break. Mine does, for sure. And, thanks to the vibrantly rendered island [...]
Color Thrives in the Venice Snow
Welcome to Episode 2 of Venice Snow! And a healthy splash of color. I so appreciate the enthusiastic responses to last week’s post, which featured [...]
Venice Snow Makes a Rare Appearance
I hit the jackpot. Yes, I’d been waiting for this rare occurrence, Venice Snow. Last winter I waited and hoped. But no luck. Ever since [...]
The Shadowy Faces of Venice
Venice remains my favorite city in Italy. I never tire of her beauty and charms. I’m also fascinated by her dark side and her complicated [...]
The Extraordinary Street Perfomers of Venice
Street performers in Venice have a never-ending audience of tourists flooding the city. If you’re an artist and you’re good at your craft––or if you’re [...]