POST ON YOUR DREAMBOARD
A Ceramics workshop in Faenza, Ravenna. Famous for a style of tin-glazed pottery called maiolica, the town of Faenza is home to many incredible artisans. If you’ve a mind to indulge your creativity, the Faenza Art Ceramic Center offers many workshops based around centuries old and modern ceramic technique. Never thrown on a wheel before? That’s okay! They have workshops for all levels. Consider yourself more of a connoisseur than creator? Come wander around the various art exhibitions held throughout the year, visit the Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche, or attend the Pot Thrower’s World Championship “Mondial Tornianti”.
MANGIAMO
If you haven’t yet had the chance to get to Italy yet, but you know you’ll get there one day — here’s some Italian coffee culture 101 for you. You’ve heard all the fancy Italian coffee names before. You’ve ordered your morning cappuccino at Starbucks (whole milk please), and when you don’t feel like an Americano or Macchiato and simply opt for “Coffee, please!” you get that heavenly-scented cup of joe, usually from a drip/filter. But did you know that in Italy, if you ask for a latte, you’re just asking for milk? And that if you ask for a caffe, you’ll get the default espresso? If you want an Americano, you have to ask for a caffe americano, and if you want a latte, be sure to ask for a caffe latte. Also, you should know that generally, bars and cafes are the same thing – a place where you can grab your morning coffee or before dinner apertivo. You can find them on any street corner in Italy.
WHAT WE’RE LOVING RIGHT NOW
This past year has been a big one. For everyone. Many things have changed. Some changes have been really hard and difficult, and tested us like nothing before. But other changes have been welcome, and innovative, and allow us to have more freedom and access to information. Like working and studying from home. As long as you’ve got a good internet connection and a laptop, you can work from literally anywhere. So why not work from Italy? That’s where Smartway can help you big time. They cater to a set of travelers who don’t identify as tourists. You choose the place — they make sure you’re set up with all the essentials for a work-from-(my-dream)-home in Italy.
WISH WE WERE HERE
Lucca, Tuscany. This week we’re going to trade in the beach towels and boats for elegant shops along cobblestoned avenues, inviting piazzas, and breezy bicycle rides. Lucca is a city renowned for art and culture coming from the Italian Middle Ages. Rich in monuments such as medieval churches, towers and historic buildings, Lucca’s unique draw is a 16th-century wall enclosure that attracts tourists from all over the world. After a luxuriously lazy stroll atop the wall, be sure to climb the Guinigi Tower for a breathtaking view of the city. Easily accessible from Pisa, you won’t need more than a day or two to enjoy the charm that Lucca has to offer.
SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER
This is a brand new feature we launched last month! It’s a way for you to share Italian Fix, and be rewarded with groovy things.
Wanna play? Click to share our newsletter, and we’ll send you gifties in the mail. Not lame cheap crap, but handmade, thoughtful and useful things to make your life more beautiful.
Share with 7 people, get an art print. Share with 17 people, a beautiful candle made in Florence. Share with 37 people, we’ll send you a skincare kit from the fanciest apothecary in Italy. Cause we’re crazy like that.
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With love + espresso,
Bianca
PS: There are rumblings that the European borders will be open this summer. If you want to be on our special list to hear about what trips we have planned — send us an email and write “trips” and we’ll send you more deets. We’ll be filling all trips from just this email list. Very limited spaces already.
