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The survival of the fittest (aka living in Italy)
When we decided on this month’s post’s topic, I thought “what the heck am I going to write about?!” Alexandra suggested it tongue in cheek mentioning her bra fitting adventure, and my first thought was...
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Is Tuscany child-friendly?
The answer to that question is “it depends on what you mean“. And I guess this is true for Tuscany and Italy in general. If the question is whether children are welcome everywhere, the answer is yes:...
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Why children should be allowed to work at Sagre
This year the local police have decided to start enforcing a law which has allegedly always been there, but which was unknown to most, including myself. Apparently, the prohibition for minors to work...
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Alchermes, the taste of the holidays
Alchermes (or alkermes) is the taste of the holidays. Not many people know about this liqueur outside Italy, and, in fact, these days you don’t come across it very often. But to me, and to many people...
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The image of Tuscany begins like this…
I have a thing for books. Bookstores with their windows full of colourful covers charm me every single time. I have to make a serious effort not to buy a book a day when I am in Pisa and walk to work,...
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Nonna Ivetta’s traditional cantuccini
I would recognize that smell anywhere. The other day, I arrived home to find a nice tray of freshly baked “cantuccini” on my kitchen table, courtesy of my grandmother Ivetta. I guess in the...
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This is Tuscany too: Monte Amiata
To most people, Tuscany means gentle rolling hills dotted by stone farmhouses, cypress trees lining winding roads cutting through vineyards and olive groves. Not many people associate Tuscany with...
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Hot Springs in Southern Tuscany
This month the Italy Blogging Roundtable welcomes a new member, Kate! And, given that this is a new beginning for us, it is dedicated to “spring”! Since I have already written about this season a lot...
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(Wonder)women of Tuscany
This month, when we decided to write about women, I first thought that I would write something about famous Tuscan women. I had read this very interesting article “The skin they’re in: the uneasy...
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My memory grab bag
When the ladies proposed “grab bag” as a theme for this month’s Italy Blogging Roundtable post, I was not sure what it meant. I went to check online first, but the definitions I found on the Urban...
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On the beach in Tuscany with your dog
Oddly enough, we picked “August” as the Italy Roundtable topic for the month of July… We are funny that way. I have already written several posts about the topic: Tuscany in August Ferragosto: a very...
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Changing climate, changing tourism
The Italy Blogging Roundtable is back! That’s right. After (way too long) a break, we have decided that it was time we should start blogging again about Italy-related shared topics every month! I am...
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Senza parole…
This month, the ladies of the Italy Blogging Roundtable have decided to talk about “translation” or being lost in it. As an Italian and having taught English for tourism for a long time I haven’t seen...
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The odd woman out’s view on “authentic Italy”
This month’s Italy Blogging Roundtable is going to be really interesting, for two reasons. First, we are sharing our topic with the COSI group folks (Crazy Observations by Stranieri in Italy). Second,...
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Nel verde degli anni
This month, the Italy Roundtable’s topic is “green“. Green is my favourite colour, and the dominant colour in the countryside at this gorgeous time of the year. I had to think long before I sat down...
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Secrets, stories and hot summer days
[Banner photo by Martin] I have been very busy with work over the past few weeks, so my poor blog has been neglected again… Gone are the days when I had much time to myself and my passions, I am...
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Chestnuts of Tuscany
This month the Italian Blogging Roundtable is dedicated to “harvests”. October is not really a month of well-known “harvests”. The grape harvest has just happened and the olive harvest has not yet...
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The new and the old and the olive oil festival
In small communities like ours, tradition is a difficult concept to tackle. On the one hand, there is what people expect “traditional Tuscany” to be. That is often “staged” authenticity more for the...
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Family businesses in Tuscany
Globalization is changing Italy, like any other country. Large chains are opening up stores in the cities which are open 12 hours a day or more. But in smaller centres like my home village, there are...
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Touch it for good luck!
Italians are superstitious. Many people will tell you “I don’t believe that nonsense!“. But then they will carefully avoid walking under a ladder, or putting a hat or a bag on the bed, will throw salt...
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