February 1, 2023

Back in November of 2008, I stumbled into a great little cicchetteria in Treviso. I was only passing through town for one day/night to catch a cheap flight (19 Euros!) for Prague the next morning. I ordered some type of fishy Venetian bruschette and asked the gruff bar owner for a local vino to accompany

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January 7, 2023

When you talk about gay travel in Italy, you must begin the conversation with the Puglia region. It’s the top gay summer destination for Italy’s gay community, and furthermore, it’s recognized as one of Europe’s top 5 gay destinations. So what draws LGBTQ visitors to Puglia, and for that matter, why would anyone want to

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June 16, 2022

Back in mid-March of 2020, when the pandemic hadn’t quite reached the U.S. yet but was devastating Italy, I interviewed five friends who were suffering through those early days of fear and panic. One of those friends was Judy Witts Francini, who lives in Tuscany, midway between Florence and Siena. I guess I might describe

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June 8, 2022

What comes to mind when you think of iconic Italian style? What is it about Italian fashion and design (and life in general!) that sets it apart from the rest? Is it the luxurious materials? The sophisticated designs? Or is it the glamorous way in which Italians wear their clothes? Everyone has a desired image

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April 20, 2022

According to those who track book club statistics, The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio garnered renewed interest in mid-2020. And if you’re familiar with the book, you know exactly why; its topical relevance would be impossible to miss. For those who aren’t familiar with the book, it’s a collection of 100 short tales as told by a

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February 22, 2022

Visiting Venice is a dream for many. And then there are those who are fortunate enough to live inside that dream every day. More appealing still when part of your job description is leading hungry tourists around that dreamy landscape in search of the best cicchetti and Spritz. I talk about all this on the

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