When we used to travel back to India from Rome for holidays about 20 years ago, our suitcases would be filled with flour, pickles, spices, cooking ware, cultural dresses to last at least for two years. It would also include stuff other friends would have requested. Each item then would be treated with utmost care and love and items prepared would ( Read more... )

Recently someone asked me what to do with kids in Florence. Since we used to live there, and we are constantly sending friends down there, I decided to document the stuff that I remembered and the links that I found.

What to do with kids in Florence?

Guide Books

We had a good travel guide for families with kids, which we bought in English at the ( Read more... )

Hello ( Read more... )

It's fall again, my favorite season. I love it when the air turns crisp, the leaves start to change, and we get to put on our sweaters and fleeces. I also love fall's food. Mushrooms, squash, parnships, oh and mushrooms. Oh how I love the mushrooms ( Read more... )

Hi again! I'm just working on the memories for this community. I was wondering if anyone has any immigration links or country-specific advice links to add in. There are two posts in memories so far, one of which just lists one community ( Read more... )

Since we have extra-special guests at the moment, I wanted to make them an extra-special lunch. We all went down to the market, as I think markets are one of the keys to understanding a city and a culture. We picked up a number of things, but for the moment I'll just talk about the burrata ( Read more... )

Today is Zoe's last day of school. She's at the local Salesian nun's school, named for Madre Mazzarello. Also known as Mamma Mozzarella around our house. We aren't catholic (shhh!) and there were a number of things at the school that I wasn't crazy about, but I cried *again* when telling her teacher goodbye. Maestra Ilaria is probably about 26 ( Read more... )

Today we tried to go out to a Sagra -- they are festivals devoted to a single food, organized by little towns. However we have failed dismally every time we have ever tried, including today. That makes us about 0 for 10. Today was supposed to be a porcini mushroom festival, but it was only happening in the evening. We found a nice trattoria ( Read more... )

So I go to pick Zoe up from her (Catholic) Italian nursery school the other day and the Maestra (teacher) hands me a box with a madonna-n-child on the front of it, and the words "regina nostra" in some kind of glowing font. She tells me it's the madonnina and she's ours for the night, bring her back tomorrow. I say sheepishly, um, what do we do ( Read more... )

I've been searching through "interests" trying to find a community for people living in Italy-- since I can't find one, I'm starting one-- living_in_italy. If you're interested, come and check it out!! Thanks!