I started this post last week as part of the “My Favorite Things” series on traditions I love in Southern Italy, but old memories kicked in and well, that post got long. So, last week I told you about my first aperitivo in Calabria and today I’m going to elaborate on the “Aperitivo Experience,” something...Read More
I’ve been running down the list of some of my favorite southern Italian traditions and have covered the long, leisurely lunch and the nightly passeggiata. Today, we’re returning to the table, but before I tell you about this pre-meal, appetite-inducing tradition, I need to go back-five or six years, actually, and tell you about my...Read More
A couple of weeks ago I started really thinking about the things I love in Calabria. I wrote about my favorite meal-time experience … the long, leisurely lunch and today, I’d like to talk about what we do after that. And no, I don’t mean sleeping (although that is a pretty handy southern Italian tradition,...Read More
I’ve been in Italy more than four years and lately I’ve noticed I’ve started to take some of my favorite things for granted. Oh, I still appreciate mountain views and still get tingly when I see Stromboli from our friends’ house across the province. But some of my favorite traditions, especially the southern Italian food...Read More
We kicked off this month’s Real Recipe Wednesday series with a classic Pasta Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino dish that had many people, including yours truly, heading into the kitchen. This week, guest blogger, Lisa Fantino of Wanderlust Women’s Travel is taking us to Sicily for an authentic tale and recipe for Italian breadcrumbs. It’s often...Read More
I get a lot of hits and a good deal of personal emails from people who are either involved in a long-distance relationship with an Italian or are planning to tie the knot with a foreigner and want to talk to someone “who’s been there.” Interestingly enough, I’m actually the “foreigner,” in this relationship, but...Read More
For many Christians around the world, the Lenten season has passed, Easter has come and gone and chocolate bunnies and brightly dyed eggs have been hunted and destroyed. However, here in Italy … the fun continues.Read More
I’ve written a bit about the essential experiences travelers should encounter in the bel paese … but five things do not a full Italian experience make. As I mentioned last week, I’m launching a new series where guest travel bloggers each share their idea of the perfect Italy experience.Read More
A few days ago I received an email from a guy who is planning his first trip to southern Italy. He’ll be visiting his grandfather’s homeland in Calabria-just about 50 minutes north of me in Catanzaro-and like any would-be international traveler worth his passport, he’s researching the area. He bought my Calabria travel tips ebook-thanks,...Read More
(This post was originally published on this site in May, 2007) Old Wives’ Tales. We’ve all heard them. We’ve all repeated them. We might even believe a few of them. Like, “Don’t play with fire or you’ll wet the bed,” which always scared me a little bit. Or, “Don’t cross your eyes or they’ll stay...Read More
