tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56016173539964992592026-06-08T23:43:38.265-07:00Experience true Italy with me as I give you a real life glimpse of what it is like living in Italy. This is about living a slower, simpler, more fulfilling life as the Italian lifestyle. This is about all things Italian: renting or purchasing property, off the beaten path tours, raising a family in Italy,regional unbelievable food, recipes,bargain shopping in Italy,and much much more.Enjoy!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-58711170270083468662015-02-20T23:52:00.001-08:002015-02-20T23:52:29.424-08:00

The Slow Food Movement originated in Italy.  It is no surprise then that Italians rank one of the highest countries in terms of longevity. Italians live to be a whopping 83 years old!This longevity can be attributed to many factors but one of these factors certainly is Italian food and meals.  You can acquire more information by visiting my website at www.livingtheitalianlifestyle.com.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com0Europa41.2447723430821 14.062517.860660843082098 -27.246094 64.6288838430821 55.371094tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-69547096973648265122015-02-16T03:45:00.001-08:002015-02-20T23:55:54.943-08:00

I did not realize I was living a fast paced life until I received certain signals from others around me in Italy. When I began to look around me, I realized I was multi tasking, stressed and definitely not living the Tuscan lifestyle I had envisioned. In fact I was even more restless in Italy then I had been in Los Angeles. After many years of observing and researching the Italian lifestyle, I

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-80492425980077319422015-02-14T00:32:00.003-08:002015-02-20T23:59:24.357-08:00

What  is minimalist dressing? Why do I need to master it? How will this tiny change in my life grant me loads of free time? Minimalist dressing is dressing by removing the superfluous or constitutes a style that uses pared down essentials. The Italians have always used this concept and they not only look impeccabile but probably don't spend hours trying to figure out what to wear. 

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-22492669122173989162015-02-02T00:00:00.001-08:002015-02-02T00:00:47.321-08:00

It is finally done. After years of wanting to write about how you don't have to live in any particular place to reap the benefits of living an Italian lifestyle, I did it! I just published my first digital product (ebook with resources and audio).  I have been wanting to share this information for years with my friends, family, colleagues so here it is. It is "Living the Italian Lifestyle:

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-5441890681406437012014-11-23T10:21:00.001-08:002014-11-23T23:25:27.441-08:00

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-81667737718224303822014-11-20T07:39:00.001-08:002014-11-20T07:39:23.152-08:00

Italians just know how to relax and rest. On my long train ride home in Tuscany  it was evident who the Italians were. They were the ones either chatting away, reading a novel, listening to music or sleeping. It was late afternoon and I looked around me to find everyone sleeping except little ol me. There was no multitasking going on, no work getting done, no appointments being made, no

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-74144047393684538672013-09-14T00:12:00.002-07:002013-09-14T00:12:50.036-07:00

I thought it would be useful to my readers to write about the quality of life and standard of living in Tuscany right now. Much has changed in the last few years and there is a lot of confusion out there about what is really going on in Italy. Since I do live here in Tuscany full time and I am an American expat, here goes: The economic situation is as bad as you probably have read about. The

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-29877690224709112013-08-05T16:58:00.003-07:002013-08-05T16:58:43.946-07:00

Hello! I am back in Los Angeles just for vacation and as in previous times when I come back "home" from Italy I  notice so many things that I used to take for granted. I do view things differently, with a positive attitude for sure and appreciate some things that just don't happen in Italy. Let's take a look at a few: 1. I love that stores are open all day in the United States. In Italy

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-60314776503801569942012-07-30T09:20:00.003-07:002012-07-30T09:53:43.469-07:00

Every time I come back to visit Los Angeles I realize that service is just as bad in the USA as it is in Italy. It really has taken a nose dive.  I mean what has happened to mutual respect, greeting customers, getting an order correctly, giving change correctly, apologizing for making a mistake, etc etc.? The same goes for the customers. Many are impatient, rude, or just downright

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-22120076350232209582012-07-20T09:51:00.000-07:002012-07-20T09:51:04.651-07:00

Visiting Los Angeles after a year in Italy is always an eye-opener for me. I realize how many things are in the USA that just are not readily available in Italy. Sometimes you don't realize how good you have it until you don't have it anymore. Target, Staples, Costco & convenience stores- Oh how I do miss these stores when I am in Italy. How awesome is it that you can find just about

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-33611518655223532112012-03-12T03:26:00.001-07:002012-03-12T03:33:31.967-07:00

I had the pleasure to visit this weekend a darling little town with an amazing surrounding landscape: San Giovanni D'Asso. This town is within the Crete Senese area and very close to Trequanda, which is much more publicized for tourists. Both towns merit a visit. This past weekend (March 10 & 11) was the annual Festa del Tartufo (truffles). Apparently this town is famous for its surrounding

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-55934575639429349232012-02-07T04:03:00.000-08:002012-02-07T04:03:34.310-08:00

I have been in Italy for over thirteen years now and this is the worst snow storm I have ever encountered.  We had snow for five straight days and now even though it is no longer snowing, we are dealing with the aftermath and the roads. Temperatures are below zero and roads are icy and dangerous. Trees have fallen everywhere and our little town of Chiusi seems like a war zone. We are lucky,

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-84906793592442363372012-01-11T04:22:00.000-08:002012-01-11T04:22:21.636-08:00

Tuscany can be overwhelming. If you plan on staying in Tuscany and have only a few days of time to see as much as you can, I suggest you visit only a few places and really absorb yourself in those few places. Do not make the mistake of trying to see it all in one trip. If you plan to visit the area of Siena, try to visit the following places:  Abbazia of San Galgano & La Spada Nella

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-28758561004944267712011-11-19T01:15:00.000-08:002011-11-19T01:15:21.131-08:00

Although life in Italy may be difficult these days because of the economic situation, there are still some very basic factors that keep this sunny country sweet. In Italy..... 1. You can still get the best espresso coffee and croissant for total Euro 1.80 or $ 2.45. No Starbucks or Peets or Coffee Bean can compare to those offered by my neighborhood caffè bar and at that price!! 2. In my

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-46511514125991507432011-11-14T03:28:00.000-08:002011-11-14T03:28:20.338-08:00

I am often amazed on how resilient Italians are. While I am glued to the Internet, TV and to every new story on the current economic and political crises in Italy, the average Italian person relates to everything as business as usual. I have asked many people how they feel about what is going on, and their answer is always the same. They say that they are accustomed to changing leadership, to

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-91866631435853293862011-10-21T05:39:00.000-07:002011-10-21T05:39:45.033-07:00

This is one of the perks of living in Tuscany. You not only get to try new olive oil almost immediately after olives are picked but you get a chance to see olive oil made...from Harvest to Hand. This morning I was extremely fortunate enough to visit my friend's olive mill in Cetona Siena. The Frantoio Fattoria del Biancheto is one of the only olive mills that uses the latest technology to

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-9439633018140302962011-10-02T23:49:00.000-07:002011-10-02T23:49:16.444-07:00

If you have limited time and can only go to Valdorcia, please take the time for a full day trip to see Bagno San Filippo, Bagno Vignoni, and Monte Amiata. Sorry, this time no pictures. I will make sure to get some next time. However you can (we did) go to Monte Amiata in the morning, climb by foot all the way to the top called "La Vetta" to the gigantic black iron cross and then make your way

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-54733242075799372862011-07-09T20:05:00.000-07:002011-07-09T20:05:06.331-07:00

Living Italy: Some of Many Differences Between Los Angeles & Tus...: "I try to go 'home' to the USA every Summer and every time I do I notice things that I never noticed while actually living in Los Angeles. Th..."

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-10707261008538018612011-07-09T20:02:00.000-07:002011-07-09T20:02:51.275-07:00

I try to go "home" to the USA every Summer and every time I do I notice things that I never noticed while actually living in Los Angeles. There really are so many differences in cultures (Italian & American). Here are some things that are so different and that I now notice: -people in LA are very private and it is really rare to see people at all in the neighborhood. Sometimes I think

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-37854086834441019672011-06-05T08:59:00.000-07:002011-06-05T08:59:57.569-07:00

With so much talk about olive oil these days and the discovery that what is being sold in the stores as quality olive oil, is not really at all. In the past, I used olive oil as just another ingredient, a way of adding flavor to my meals. I had no idea the beneficial properties extra virgin olive oil can have.  Since the majority of us use olive oil daily, why then should we miss the

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-9234755162583610772011-05-25T00:38:00.000-07:002011-05-25T00:38:21.011-07:00

I would definitely recommend Cesenatico Beach to anyone who wants to enjoy a very quaint little Italian town on the seaside. Cesenatico is in the region of Emilia Romagna and province of Forli' Cesena. Why Cesenatico? Because it has two very different parts to it. One is the beachside which is modern and very accomodating to visitors. They have gone to great lengths to make sure

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-56038644697961900782011-05-23T03:18:00.000-07:002011-05-23T03:57:37.098-07:00

Even after all these years of living in Italy, I still am awestruck when I think of the relationship Italians have with food. We spent the weekend at the beach in Cesenatico, a lovely place that I highly recommend to anyone who wants to spend some time at the beach in the Romagna area. Italians love to eat. It is their birthright to not only eat, but to eat well. I am always amazed how

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-62974971964651995932011-05-10T03:06:00.000-07:002011-05-10T03:06:03.256-07:00

My neighbors make have their own olive groves and make their own olive oil. I realized quickly why some olive oils are so expensive. It takes days and days to hand pick each olive, making sure it never touches the ground. There are large nets used to catch the olives. The weather has to be just right and the olive has to be ready for picking. Not too early and not too late. Here are some

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-9905609742652815842011-05-06T03:33:00.000-07:002011-05-20T03:24:26.761-07:00

With a plethora of extra virgin olive oils available nowadays both at your local grocery store and online, there is no wonder that there is a lot of confusion when choosing the best olive oil to purchase. Surely price is one factor in deciding which olive oil to purchase. But  there are many many more factors that should lead you to making the right purchase. Let me take a step back to

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09705091211577660103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5601617353996499259.post-24190617365158601472011-05-02T03:29:00.000-07:002011-05-02T03:29:32.503-07:00

Local food artisans provide simple meals to attendees of "Coloriamo i Cieli" Kite Festival in Castiglione del Lago, Umbria. Here "Fagiolini di Trasimeno," Pecorino Toscano, Bruschetta, Fava beans and local homemade wine.  Porchetta anyone?  Local cheeses, jams, oil and wine. Selling locally made chocolate in Umbria.

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