If you wander through an Italian city or village, you might spot the occasional bow tied outside an apartment door. This ‘Fiocco Nascita’ is a birth announcement – letting the world outside know that a new little person has arrived. A birth ribbon tends to be pink or blue to indicate the arrival of a […]
Category Archives: Life in Italy
19
May
May
Italy is probably more often associated with wine, but there is also a long history of liqueurs (often bitter to help with digestion). As a result, there are fantastic combinations of bitters, sparkling wines, seasonal fruits, fresh herbs, to create mixers and garnishes for classic cocktails. While young Italians certainly go out for a night […]
27
Sep
Sep
Wine is a part of the culture of the cuisine in Italy. A glass of wine is a common feature at both lunch and dinner, and let’s not forget the evening tradition of aperitivo. It is rare to drink to get drunk – that would be considered poor form or “una brutta figura.” But of […]
01
Oct
Oct
The history behind the saying “ottobrata romana” and the reason Rome is so beautiful in October.
29
Jun
Jun
I receive a lot of worried messages asking me if it is true that Italians NEVER drink cappuccino after 11 am, and what visitors can do if they really want that coffee fix later in the day. While there is no law in Italy that bans a cappuccino after 11 am, you really won’t find […]
21
May
May
Learning a new language is usually a lifelong process but that does not make it an impossible one. (Or at least that is what I am discovering having already lived in Rome for 10 years). There are always new ways to build understanding, learn new vocabulary, and stretch towards fluency. Depending on your goals, timeline, […]
14
May
May
I was instantly charmed the first time I was handed the keys to my very first Italian apartment. The long skeleton key seemed implausible. It was about four inches high with two prongs and looked nothing like the serrated house keys of my childhood. These long skeleton keys remain the norm in Italy, where reinforced […]
17
Apr
Apr
One of the things that I really cherish about my life in Italy are the small social interactions that revolve around food. This can mean shopping at a local market to interact with the vendors, making small talk with the barista over a morning caffè, and of course, sitting down for an aperitivo. Aperitivo in […]