by Dianne Hales | Feb 16, 2021 | amore, Books, books on Italy, cookbooks, culture, food, Food and Drink, Italian folklore, Italian language, Italy, Language, learning Italian, love in Italy, Roman history, Romance, Rome, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
I went to Rome this week. I savored local specialties like spaghetti alla carbonara and saltimbocca alla romana. I strolled through the lively markets of Testaccio and Campo de’ Fiori. I garnered tips on cooking pasta al dente (it should resist the tooth—but the tooth...
by Dianne Hales | Feb 8, 2021 | amore, Books, books on Italy, culture, history, Italian language, Italy, Language, literature, love in Italy, Sayings and expressions, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
On February 14, Italians celebrate La Festa degli Innamorati, often loosely translated as “the Feast of the Lovers.” But no English word quite captures the sensation of innamoramento, of falling head-over-heels in love, deeper than infatuation, way beyond bewitched,...
by Dianne Hales | Oct 6, 2020 | art, Books, books on Italy, culture, history, Italian language, Italy, Language, literature, love in Italy, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs
Every October the United States celebrates Italian heritage month—with good reason. More than a mere country, Italy embodies a culture that has transformed art and architecture, language and music, food and fashion. Imagine painting without Leonardo. Sculpture...
by Dianne Hales | Jul 28, 2020 | Books, books on Italy, history, love in Italy, Social behavior, Travel, Tuscany, Web/Tech, Weblogs
Monte Argentario “I want to come back here every year for the rest of our lives.” I made this declaration to my husband thirty years ago on our first trip to Monte Argentario on Tuscany’s western coast. We did indeed return annually—until this Covid-cursed year. When...
by Dianne Hales | May 26, 2020 | amore, art, art history, Books, books on Italy, coronavirus, history, Italian language, Italy, Language, Leonardo da Vinci, literature, love in Italy, Romance, Sayings and expressions, Social behavior, Travel, Web/Tech, Weblogs, wine
Cari amici, In a world turned upside down, we know that we can’t return to what was, yet we have no idea what will be. Although much has changed, one thing hasn’t: our love for Italy. Over the past few months, we’ve wept for the lives lost. We’ve worried about friends...
by Dianne Hales | May 19, 2020 | amore, art history, Books, books on Italy, culture, Current Affairs, Florence, food, Food and Drink, history, Italian language, Italy, Language, Leonardo da Vinci, literature, love in Italy, Music, Renaissance, Romance, Sayings and expressions, Travel, Tuscany, Web/Tech, Weblogs, wine
Not even a global pandemic can stop people from doing what they love. Over the last few months, we’ve seen dancers dance; singers sing; actors perform—wherever and whenever they could. The same is true of writers. While sheltering at home in California, I...
