The Bird’s the Thing Every continent has a form of “thanksgiving:” Africa has Kwanzaa, India has Pongal and China has the August Moon Festival. Even in Italy, when the country still was a predominantly agricultural society, the time of harvest was associated, from north to south, with celebrations and fairs, some of which are still alive today. This […]
The process of oil-making in Italy, from the tree to the olive press, and how to choose the best olive oil (extra virgin of course).
While Rome entices with its extraordinary monuments, Trastevere, one of its many distinct neighborhoods, captures the traveler’s heart. Trastevere, which translates literally to “across the Tiber,” was once considered the outskirts of Rome. Allowed to develop its own flavor and now part of il centro storico, it’s the perfect place to glimpse a bit […]
A cat hospital in the heart of Rome.
Do you like to touch and feel when shopping? Are you tempted to pick up items you have no intention of buying just to take a closer look? Have you been chastised for reaching into a window display as if you’ve defiled sacred ground? If you answered “yes” to any […]
Dreams come true. Without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them. John Updike I was on vacation with my mother in Florence, Italy in 1997 when she suggested we hop on a city bus, “…just to see where it takes us.” That fortuitous moment […]
Ride as the Romans Do – With Caution Imagine a whirlwind tour of the Eternal City – the Forum, Coliseum, Castel Sant’Angelo, Vatican, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps as today’s Romans do; from atop a bicicletta. The best time to peddle through this gorgeous city is from May […]
Finding just the right gift to take home for someone can be as much fun for the giver as for the recipient. These Trastevere shops, located across the Tiber from the city center, all provide unique (but not weird) and useful (but not boring) gift ideas. You won’t find […]
I Ran the Race for the Cure® in Rome Race for the Cure I was living in Rome in 2002, the first year for the Komen Race for the Cure® in Italy. Having run the Race in Houston a few times, I was excited about participating abroad. I signed up […]