I’ve always loved Thanksgiving. Not because of its history, which is absolutely terrible, but because of what it’s become today. A long weekend to recoup and recover. A time for family. An entire holiday with the simple idea of giving thanks for the wonderful things in our lives. And one of the few holidays with… Read more »
Ah the infamous tartufo. Truffles in Italy are ubiquitous with autumn in Italy. It’s shaved over just about anything this time of year, listed on menus throughout Italy and even celebrated in the White Truffle Festival of Alba in October and November. I happen to love truffles, and I’m not the only one. Throughout the world these… Read more »
Last week we read about the high-quality, elegant, incredible wines of Piedmont. Now, now it’s time to talk about the food. Because how could we not? Because you can’t truly enjoy the wine without the local food. Because though the region is known for its industrious nature and efficient economy, in Piedmont, food and wine… Read more »
These days Italy might have fiber optic internet, sushi and matcha, but it is still a very traditional country. Family still reigns supreme and dinner time is still sacred. In fact, I find that the vast majority of Italian’s traditions and have to do with food and their values can be found in the daily rituals… Read more »
For the last five and a half years I’ve written a blog post every Monday with very very few exceptions. Sometimes I’m really proud of a post, others I know its not my best. Sometimes I’m on top of things and have everything done ahead of time, others I don’t even get it published until… Read more »
Sicily is a big island with a big history and a big personality. It deserves some planning and it deserves some time, but it won’t be offended if you don’t have either. Here time runs slower and the days longer. And though the stereotypes of carefree islanders doesn’t always work here – unemployment and corruption… Read more »
Nearly every holiday in Italy has its traditional dessert, but none is better than Carnival’s. Called Carnevale in Italian, Carnival or Mardi Gras is a big deal in Italy. It’s celebrated for several weeks before Lent begins with the biggest and final bash on Fat Tuesday, the final day before Lent. Though everyone knows about… Read more »
If Umbria is the green-heart of Italy, Perugia is the bullseye at the heart of Umbria. An ancient Etruscan settlement, the fortified city center sits atop a hill with a spiderweb of streets, an inviting central piazza and sweeping views across the valley. The city’s university – one of the oldest in the region –… Read more »
There are hundreds of coffee guides, pages of general rules and traveler manifestos, lists of places to see and cultural guides for Italy. Even at this blog! But there’s one piece of advice that I never see, though I’ve experienced it time and time again: Make restaurant reservations ahead of time In big cities like… Read more »
As of this writing, I still have yet to visit Sicily. I’ve always want to, but I’ve also always wanted to see everything. After seeing the major cities in Italy, I had no priority of what to see next because I wanted to see it all. From the time I moved to Italy we’ve celebrated Carnevale in Venice,… Read more »
