Monthly Archives: December 2015

An Evening in Siena – Book Excerpt (Audio)

Posted on December 27, 2015 by Margie Miklas

In 2011 I went to Italy for three months as a solo traveler. That adventure is detailed in my first book, Memoirs of a Solo Traveler – My Love Affair with Italy. During that trip I stayed in Siena for … Continue reading →

Christmas Baking – Making Italian Torrone

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Margie Miklas

I am not a food blogger but I do like to bake. My mother baked almost every day for our family, and she taught me how to bake when I was 10. She was a good teacher and I have … Continue reading →

Posted in Italian Cooking, Italian Food, Italian-American | Tagged baking, Christmas baking, CHristmas traditions, dolci, holiday baking, Italian Torron, margieinitaly, Torrone | 32 Comments

Some Things Are Different in Italy

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Margie Miklas

Things are definitely different in Italy, and I’m not talking only about the driving! Some of these are good, and some not so good, but a lot of them are funny, and maybe even a little bit weird. Here is … Continue reading →

Posted in Italian lifestyle and culture, Italy Travel, TRAVEL | Tagged Italian culture, Italian laws, Italian lifestyle and culture, Italy, margieinitaly, travel writing | 18 Comments

The Italian Lifestyle – Photo of the Day

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Margie Miklas

An elderly Italian woman enjoying some sunshine in Colle d’Anchise, a small village in the Molise region of Italy. This is the village of my grandparents. I had a nice conversation in Italian with her. She could be a distant … Continue reading →

Posted in Italian lifestyle and culture, Italy Photo, Italy Travel, TRAVEL | Tagged family, Italian culture, Italian culture and lifestyle, Italian Experience, italian family, Italian lifestyle, Italian woman, Italians, Italy, Italy Photos, Italy travel, margieinitaly, Molise, photo of the day, photography, Photos, travel, trip to italy, visit italy | 13 Comments

A Fountain of Joy in Siena

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Margie Miklas

If you have been to Siena you couldn’t miss seeing the famous Fonte Gaia or Fountain of Joy on the high side of Piazza del Campo. This fifteeenth-century white marble sculpted fountain and pool is one of a few medieval … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Italian History, Italian lifestyle and culture, Italy Photo, Italy Travel, TRAVEL | Tagged art, art in Piazza del Campo, Fonte Gaia, fountain of joy, Italian culture, Italian culture and lifestyle, Italian Experience, Italian lifestyle, Italy, Italy Photos, Italy travel, margieinitaly, photography, Photos, Piazza del Campo, scupture, Siena, travel, travel planning, travel writing, trip to italy, visit italy, writing | 8 Comments

Daydreaming about Positano

Posted on December 11, 2015 by Margie Miklas

I find myself daydreaming about Positano sometimes. I’ve been there many times, but this past summer was the first time that I stayed there. And now I yearn to return. Positano seems to cast that magical spell on those who … Continue reading →

Posted in Italian History, Italian lifestyle and culture, Italy Travel, Italy Travel Planning, TRAVEL, Writing | Tagged Amalfi Coast, daydream, daydreaming, Italian culture, Italian culture and lifestyle, Italian Experience, Italian food, Italian lifestyle, Italians, Italy, Italy Photos, Italy tourist, Italy travel, margieinitaly, photography, Photos, places to visit in italy, Positano, solo travel, The amalfi coast, travel, Travel books, travel planning, travel writing, trip to italy, visit italy, writing | 10 Comments

Caffè Sospeso – A Naples Tradition

Posted on December 6, 2015 by Margie Miklas

Naples is a city where coffee is woven into the fabric of everyday life, and the tradition of caffè sospeso is part of it. The custom of “suspended coffee,” may relate to the history behind today’s pay it forward practice; … Continue reading →