An Expat’s Guide to Making a Home Away From Home | Houzz
A link to an article I wrote for Houzz on the subject of dealing with culture shock through home design and decor.
La Signora Maria: a Case Study
Please allow me to introduce you to someone very special. She is but a concept, yet at the same time very very real. She is the true heart of Italy. And she is the thorn in my side.
Seeking advice: relocation services needed for Guido the Gufo
Much in the same way that Cristoforo Colombo and Amerigo Vespucci declared The Americas in the name of their royal benefactors by sidestepping the small issue of native inhabitants, we too shall be inheriting this earth from a prior owner whose voice is too foreign and whose weapons are too small to protest…
The NeverEnding Stufa Story
A somewhat stretched, but ultimately fun, analogy between The NeverEnding Story and the saga that is the installation of our new stufa.
How to purchase a little piece of Italy (and look like an idiot in the process).
A cryptic, yet literal, ‘How To’ guide for the logistics of buying land in Italy. (By the way, we now own 0.000023% of Italy!!!)
The historic demolition of the Ecomostro (Eco-Monster) of Canossa!
The whole region of Emilia is a buzz today with the impending demolition of this hideous, abandoned vertical pig farm that has been blighting the countryside next to Canossa Castle for decades. Come watch it go down!
“The Crunchy Towel Blues” (from album: “Ain’t Got No Appliances”)
You ain’t got the blues ’til you lose what you got. I may have met the love of my life, but at what cost? Fluffy towels, baby, fluffy towels.
A call to arms: my war with the local militia of Tiger Mosquitos (Zanzare Tigre)
Tips for how to combat these potentially dangerous (and certainly annoying) pests.
La Casa di Sand and Fog, Emilia edition… (less sand and more fog).
This is the Hollywood-like (only not really) dramatic retelling of our persistent loathing of the vista from our balcony: ‘La Casa di Sand and Fog’.
The orto sul my balcone: an agressive seed sowing strategy
My crazy cartoon depicting my lack of willpower when it comes to seed planting.
è così: Potty humor and pace of life in a small Italian town.
The second week after arriving in Italy, as I was knee deep in my attempt to nest in my boyfriend’s bachelor pad, our toilet broke… it was a Friday morning. This is the story of my naive attempt to have it fixed.
A handy guide to gender roles in European architectural standards.
The architectural standards guide that answers all questions, both about architecture… and life… let’s take a look, shall we?
Listen up, Italians. Air conditioning will NOT make you sick.
disclaimer: This is me just venting (ha!). I actually am not a big fan of air conditioning (ha again! I kill me.). Here’s what I really think helps indoor air quality: http://emuarchitects.com/2013/08/20/mold-and-condensation-problems/ ______________________ I am originally from a hot climate. My home state in the US regularly sees summer temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I remember…
A note about the recent earthquakes in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.
I just started this blog last weekend, but I’ve already had a couple of people note that I’m located in the area where we’ve had multiple earthquakes recently… they’ve asked what it’s like, so I thought I would just write a quick note about our experience here.
Married to Italy 