How buying artisan-direct bucks economic trends
Amongst the suggestions made for sustainable travel, one I always repeat is to buy souvenirs from local artisans. But when
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Blogging – it’s about the people
When it comes to meeting people on the internet, it’s a “grab bag”*, that is, you never know what you’re
Photographing food – a few tips learned at Food Photo Lab
I recently participated in a one-day food photography workshop with FoodPhotoLab, a Florence-based organization in partnership with Belluno-based photographer Alberto
A glimpse of my B-side
I have infiltrated a part of Italian subculture that has nothing to do with art, history, or ‘high culture’. I
Ground Floor Florence: an apartment renovation in search of light
Right around this time last year, in the dark rainy days of February, I started to hate my home. We
New beginnings for old things
Ofelio is of a category of artisans that is not trendy right now. The kind artisans that nobody writes exalted
On not drinking in Italy
Once again it’s Italy Blogging Roundtable time, and this time my colleagues have come up with a helluva topic: Drinking
Getting a bra that fits… in Italy
There are some countries in which the bra fitting is a rite of passage and a moment to be repeated
Italy Roundtable – an invitation accepted
A year ago I received an email from Jessica Spiegel of Why Go Italy in which she invited me to
Italian wedding invitations and customs
I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for a good wedding. When we were in our late 20s/
How to put down roots in another country
Someone, perhaps it was I, had the bright idea of the theme of “roots” for this month’s Italy blogging roundtable.
Our friselle in cookbook “Piatto Unico” by Toni Lydecker!
About two years ago I had the pleasure of meeting distinguished cookbook author Toni Lydecker and her husband while visiting
Italian Christmas menus from North to South
These days talk revolves around food (even more than usual) as everyone is planning their menu for the vigiglia di
Top 5 Christmas gift ideas from Renaissance Florence
Sing it: On the eigth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: eight live trouts, seven hares a
An invite to bloggers: a “gift” from the Italy Blogging Roundtable
Many of you will know that, since May 2011, five of us have been writing a monthly post on a
We’re on House Hunters International
Living in Florence has its appeal, but Tommaso and I have always had a thing for Maremma, an area of
Minestrone: my winter comfort food (Italy blogging roundtable)
I can’t remember what my comfort food was before I moved to Italy, but I think the main characteristics of
Belated Fall photo post (due to global warming)
The October post for the Italy blogging Roundtable was “Fall in Tuscany.” And what I really wanted to do for
Dear Mom, you must worry about your daughter in Italy
Dear Mom,
You must worry about me living in Italy at times like these. It’s hard to have a daughter in the place that is the object of international ridicule, for it’s hard to justify being here at all. It looks really bad from the outside. I must say that right now, it looks pretty bad from the inside too. The only thing that holds it together is the whole insieme of what put this country together in the first place…
How to make vegetarian lasagna bianca
Italians place a higher value on “pasta al forno” than “pasta asciutta” for some reason. Perhaps because making it “al