The Tuscan Connection to Groundhog Day & Punxsutawney Phil
Groundhog Day in Italy? Well, not really, but let’s say Punxsutawney Phil may just have a long lost ancestor in Tuscany. Every year, Phil gets taken out in a bug celebration for what we, in America...
Italy: Where Even The Graffiti Is Romantic
If you’ve been to Italy, you may or may not have realized the very real graffiti problem. Such a beautiful country, with historic and significant buildings, covered in graffiti. It drives me insane, you can find some form...
Olive Garden cooking school in Tuscany?
Updated 02/2014 Olive Garden is one of those places that really sets my blood to boil. Every time I hear the word ‘Hospitaliano’ I begin to cringe and twitch. When I hear them say ‘When you’re here,...
Food Marketing Terms That Really Chap My Hide…
Many of my posts here are about the oddities I find living in Italy as an American, but the reverse holds true as well. Having spent so much time in Italy, when I come back to the states, there are things that are normal to...
It’s A Small World After All
In our business, we meet people from all over the world. Small World stories can be expected from time to time. You know, “Hey! That person is my neighbor”, or “We went to the same school”, or “we...
How (NOT) To Implement a Recycling Policy in Your Town
I’m a big fan of recycling, and I was really happy to hear that our town, Soriano nel Cimino, was planning on implementing a recycling program. Better yet, it would include garbage pick-up. Cool! The fact is,...
“Boh!?”… And Other Perfect Italian Words & Phrases That Don’t Translate Well
When you split your life between two cultures with two languages, it is quite easy to get trapped in the wrong language from time to time. I sometimes find myself speaking one language, then suddenly a word or phrase pops out...
Welcome To Italy… There’s a Tax For That
I haven’t gone on an Italy rant for a while, but with healthcare and taxes filling the US airwaves, it has really made me think about taxes in Italy. I’ll not get into my opinion of these subjects in the US, since...
Anglitaliano: English Words in Everyday Italian
We use a ton of Italian words in English. More than many might think. Just walk into a Starbucks, and you will probably walk out with something called a ‘LATTE‘ (Be careful asking for it in Italy, since...
Man Dies: Caught Cold in Stomach
Traveling to Italy, some visitors notice various oddities about Italian culture that seem to defy explanation. Some are rooted in the socio-political history of the country, some are rooted in religious tradition, and...