So let’s say, hypothetically, that you’re a Texpat living in the province of Reggio Emilia (totally hypothetical), and you want to treat your Italian girlfriends to a Margarita Night. You can’t make them from scratch because the things they call “limes” here cost €3 each and have been drained of all juice before arriving at the supermarket. So you use imported margarita mix that you smuggled into the country in Costco quantities in your luggage, prompting customs to ask why you have several bags of white powder in your possession. Then you purchase the wildly overpriced and...…So let’s say, hypothetically, that you’re a Texpat living in the province of Reggio Emilia (totally hypothetical), and you want to treat your Italian girlfriends to a Margarita Night. You can’t make them from scratch because the things they call “limes” here cost €3 each and have been drained of all juice before arriving at the supermarket. So you use imported margarita mix that you smuggled into the country in Costco quantities in your luggage, prompting customs to ask why you have several bags of white powder in your possession. Then you purchase the wildly overpriced and...WW…

Officially, I’m still wallowing in expat woes and unable to bring myself to write anything cute and witty about Italy without spewing forth venom and bitterness. I feel like a lot of that could be fixed if I could start my day in a shower that were just appena bigger than a coffin. Unofficially, I’m just dropping in today for a minute to BLOW YOUR MINDS. Ready? So I was watching an old episode of Community with my marito today, and Abed (the character who is obsessed with movies and TV) is checking off his Quintessential College Experience List. One of the items from his...…Officially, I’m still wallowing in expat woes and unable to bring myself to write anything cute and witty about Italy without spewing forth venom and bitterness. I feel like a lot of that could be fixed if I could start my day in a shower that were just appena bigger than a coffin. Unofficially, I’m just dropping in today for a minute to BLOW YOUR MINDS. Ready? So I was watching an old episode of Community with my marito today, and Abed (the character who is obsessed with movies and TV) is checking off his Quintessential College Experience List. One of the items from his...WW…

I know. You’re thinking, “What the heck is she talking about?” Well, I think it’s important in the development of my Italian to have enough weapons in my arsenal to be able to show up my four-year-old nephew (WAY harder than you would think). This little gem surfaced the other day, when I made the mistake of getting up from my oh-so-comfortable spot on one of those bouncy IKEA rocking chairs: chi va a l’osto perde il posto, chi va a Roma perde la poltrona Heehee. It’s a bit tricky to translate because “losto”, according to my marito is a made up word, whose sole purpose is to rhyme with...…I know. You’re thinking, “What the heck is she talking about?” Well, I think it’s important in the development of my Italian to have enough weapons in my arsenal to be able to show up my four-year-old nephew (WAY harder than you would think). This little gem surfaced the other day, when I made the mistake of getting up from my oh-so-comfortable spot on one of those bouncy IKEA rocking chairs: chi va a l’osto perde il posto, chi va a Roma perde la poltrona Heehee. It’s a bit tricky to translate because “losto”, according to my marito is a made up word, whose sole purpose is to rhyme with...WW…

Fossacaprara, in the province of Cremona, is a little town that leaves a big impression. Sagra di Fossa 2013 signage Well, “town” is a generous designation. Technically it’s a “frazione”, which is a fraction or neighborhood of a town. However, as far as I know, the community there would prefer not to identify themselves primarily as natives of the encompassing comune of Casalmaggiore, but to instead specify proudly that they are from Fossacaprara (which literally and fantastically translates to “Goat Ditch”). The difference is vast between Casalmaggiore and Fossacaprara:...…Fossacaprara, in the province of Cremona, is a little town that leaves a big impression. Sagra di Fossa 2013 signage Well, “town” is a generous designation. Technically it’s a “frazione”, which is a fraction or neighborhood of a town. However, as far as I know, the community there would prefer not to identify themselves primarily as natives of the encompassing comune of Casalmaggiore, but to instead specify proudly that they are from Fossacaprara (which literally and fantastically translates to “Goat Ditch”). The difference is vast between Casalmaggiore and Fossacaprara:...WW…

Ferragosto: the blessing and the bane of the Italian summer, and the subject of this week’s COSI post. Some people adore this Italian summer holiday, while others find it to be incredibly annoying. My sentiments lie somewhere in the middle… here’s why: This concept gets thrown around a lot in the weeks leading up to the ENTIRE month of August. How a country that is supposedly in an economic depression can afford to just take off for the whole month of August, is beyond me. I’d also like to know when in Italian history it became customary to take 2-3 weeks off in the days...…Ferragosto: the blessing and the bane of the Italian summer, and the subject of this week’s COSI post. Some people adore this Italian summer holiday, while others find it to be incredibly annoying. My sentiments lie somewhere in the middle… here’s why: This concept gets thrown around a lot in the weeks leading up to the ENTIRE month of August. How a country that is supposedly in an economic depression can afford to just take off for the whole month of August, is beyond me. I’d also like to know when in Italian history it became customary to take 2-3 weeks off in the days...WW…