Legend says the residents of this fine Magna Graecia city amused themselves by teaching their horses to dance. Their hated arch-rivals in Kroton (modern-day Crotone), used this to their favor and sent a pipe band into town as they attacked. Rather than riding the Sybarites off to war, the horses began dancing and thus, the victory went to Kroton.

To finish them off, the warriors from Kroton diverted the river and drowned the city.

Many residents fled and created a new village called Thurium, which later became an important colony under Roman rule.

Although they were envied for their indulgent lifestyle, they Sybarites were a smart bunch. They were accredited with creating the world’s first traffic-lighting system, minting their own coins and recognizing intellectual property.

Today the ruins at ancient Sybaris and Roman Thurium comprise the world’s largest excavation site, measuring almost 2,500 acres. To put it in perspective for Italophiles who have visited Sibari’s much more famous archaeological cousin, Pompeii , the site there is 124 acres. However, to date, little has been uncovered from Sybaris other than Greek streets, Roman baths and a mosaic-clad villa. Nearby, the National Museum of Sybaritic Archeology houses finds from the excavation site and many people consider that a more useful glimpse into the indulgent and oh so bella vita of ancient Sibari.

***

This article was recently published in Calabria Close-Up, a snippet highlighting Calabria destinations that is part of the My Bella Vita Newsletter bundle. If you would like to read more about the cities, towns and villages of Calabria or want to read about new recipes, tidbits and interesting facts on southern Italy, then subscribe to the newsletters today.

Are you heading to Calabria? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip.

Photo: Ruins at ancient Sybaris by marinajonica

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How much Calabrian history has been lost to the hands of time and how much is left to be discovered? This was the question that popped into my head after attending a lovely lecture by Dr. Francesco Vizza held on the terrace of the local museum in Ciro’ Superiore, Calabria this August. He talked about Luigi Lilio, possibly the most famous citizen ever to live in Calabria (except maybe Pythagoras), who was forgotten somehow over time. Who knows how this was possible since he made such a major contribution to society! This illustrious astronomer and mathematician created what is known as the Gregorian Calendar in the 1500′s, though it should be known as the Lilian Calendar. We are still using this calendar today.

In the mid 1500′s, Pope Gregory the XIII had a problem – the calendar wasn’t behaving as he wanted it to. Everyone was using the Julian calendar at the time. That was fine except that, due to some miscalculations for how long it took the Earth to revolve around the sun, the calendar dates were changing every year. Among other problems, this meant it was hard to follow the Bible’s rules about when Easter should be. The Bible states that Easter would be on the Sunday following the full moon following the Vernal Equinox (learn more here). Considering that the Julian Calendar wasn’t calculating the moon’s movements correctly, this wasn’t working out.

The Pope sent out word that all of the best astronomers and mathematicians had to solve this problem, not necessarily for the sake of a correct calendar that respects the moon’s movement, but more for this annoying little Easter date issue. He created a committee to solve it. Luigi Lilio’s grand discovery was that there were a few numbers missing in the number of days it took for the Earth to revolve around the sun, and solved the problem. He advocated for three common years followed by one leap year to make up for the difference, plus a complicated discovery about the epacts (age of the moon) that helped solve the Easter date mix-up.

Here is Luigi presenting his work to the committee. Note the man on his right who is counting on his fingers!

One of the most fascinating component’s of Lilio’s work was what he didn’t have at his disposal at the time. No telescopes, as those were brought from Northern Europe later on in the 1500′s and famously used by Galileo. He was also theoretically calculating these extremely complicated movements of the moon before the decimal point was discovered! Many say the decimal point was “discovered” by Scottish mathematician John Napier in the late 1500′s, but there is some doubt that maybe Luigi Lilio was already using it when he was making his calculations for the new calendar. If he did already know about it, the proof would be in his manuscripts, but only some have been recovered. Some think the rest of his manuscripts are located in the Vatican library which is not open to all scholars.

Let’s hope that someday one of the historians trying to remind Calabrians about their famous ancestor gets to enter the library and find out what else Luigi Lilio discovered.

This post was written by Michele Connors, my Calabria-spouse counterpart who blogs at Mignon Potenza. Visit her site there for more great stories about expat life, Italian food, wine and more.

Would you like to find out more about your relatives in Calabria? Click here to see how we can help.

Those of you who remember when the girls started the show, might recall that little ‘ole me was their first guest and guess what … ?

I’m baaaaaack!
(listen in here)

This week I’m sharing some summer travel tips with the girls, talking about our B&B’s new ancestry tours and getting Jessica hungry with details on the Calabrian Table Tour.

Now that summer is here, you can download the podcasts and take them with you on your afternoon strolls … that’s what we do. You can either subscribe to the podcasts (for free!) through iTunes or listen to the current episode and browse previous shows from their site.

Happy Listening!

Are you heading to Calabria or southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip.

Oh yes, discerning readers, you’ve heard of Mamma Agata before. Last year my good friend Laura of Ciao Amalfi! reviewed Mamma Agata: Simple and Genuine here on My Bella Vita and she, too, loved the book.

Rather than rehash everything Laura said about how much fun the cookbook is to read, how simple and genuine the recipes are, how much you’ll truly like the author, Chiara and her family, I’m gonna tell you how this cookbook got me over a culinary hump.

You see, one of the first southern Italian dishes I fell in love with was Parmigiana di Melanzane, or eggplant parmesan. My father-in-law makes a great version and I often ask him to make it when friends or family come to visit. But I just couldn’t do it myself.

Oh, I tried.

And I tried.

And I tried some more.

But my parmigiana was always too soggy or too oily or too tasteless.

Until now.

I knew it was fate when I received my review copy of Mamma Agata’s cookbook and flipped it open to the parmigiana recipe. It spans three pages in the cookbook, making it one of the most time-consuming, if not most difficult, recipes in the book. But I was up for the challenge.

I read the recipe from top to bottom … a couple of times … and prepped for the big occasion. About half-way through my husband came in to offer a hand.

“Oh no, you don’t!” I told him.

“This is my dish … all mine. And I want all of the credit for it.”

And Mamma Agata did I deserve some credit!

For the first time in almost a decade of trying to perfect a parmigiana, my dish held tightly together. The layers were distinct and precise. The flavors harmonized and the colors sang.

Ok-maybe that’s a bit dramatic. But suffice it to say, that parmigiana was g-o-o-d.

So good, in fact, that we had it again the next day. I heated mine first … my husband ate it straight from the fridge.

So what are you waiting for? Stop droolin’ over my parmigiana and go make your own. You can get your copy of Mamma Agata: Simple and Genuine here. If you make some of the dishes, please come back and tell me. I’d love to celebrate your culinary successes with you, as well.

Want a private lesson on southern Italian cooking from Mamma Agata? Click here to see how I can incorporate that into your southern Italy itinerary.

Rather, I need to hear something oh, a gazillion times and see it written to really learn it, but the bigger problem isn’t my need to study. It’s my refusal to do so.

Luckily, there are ways around studying Italian that don’t include pens, notebooks or grammar books. In fact, all you need is a computer … and well, look at you-you are already off to a great start, aren’t you?

I’ve mentioned before that I like to improve my Italian vocabulary by listening to music. But now that I have a son, I am being introduced to new and wonderfully easy-to-follow songs that are ridiculously cute and insanely addictive.

Here are three Italian children’s songs I like to sing along to, with a link to the lyrics to help you learn the words.

Enjoy!

Il Pulcino Ballerino
Lyrics

I love this song and I just want to put that little boy in my pocket and take him to Texas with me. Actually … I kinda did. This is also Max’s favorite Italian kid’s song so I plopped it on my iPod, took it home with me and showed my family how my little pulcino could also be a world-class ballerino. I have it on video … maybe I’ll share it one day.

Il Coccodrillo Come Fa?
Lyrics

This is one of the cutest songs I’ve ever heard – in any language, especially when (in the version I have at home), the little boy asks what sound a crocodile makes and all the little kids behind him say … BOH!?! I could listen to this one over and over and over. Yes, I’m worse than a kid.

44 Gatti
Lyrics

Ok, this one is still too fast for me, but I love the big ball of pride that rises in my chest if, and when, I’m able to keep up. Plus a little math homework never hurt anyone, right?

Do you know any Italian children’s songs? If so, please list them in the comments!

Are you heading to Calabria? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip.

Photo: Splash Scuola

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Intimidating, huh?

As soon as our bambino was home and the doctor approved him for travel, I began planning our first international trip. There were passports to be ordered, flights to book, baby bassinets to be reserved … I wasn’t sure where to start.

I’ve been a frequent international traveler for the last 11 years and am comfortable in most air travel situations. But I gotta tell you, I was scared to death to travel solo with a two month old.

When you are single, you don’t pay much attention to changing tables, strollers or lap seat children (unless they are bawlin’ in your ear on an 8-hour flight) and for the first time in more than a decade, I was worried about flying. So, I did what any good expat mom would do … I emailed my expat mom friends for help.

And mamma mia did they come through!

I’d like to take a moment to give a big shout out to Vanessa and Hilary in Messina and Michelle (Viva la Pappa) and Joanne (Frutto della Passione) in Milan for all of their emails, tips and tricks for traveling with babies.

Here’s a bit of what they told me and a few tips I picked up along the way.

1. Be Prepared!
One thing that all of the expert mom travelers told me was that being prepared would make a world of difference. And it did. Hilary told me to pack easy snacks for myself (since my hands would be full during the trip), Vanessa told me to pack a few extra pairs of baby pants in case he got dirty, Joanne advised me to carry one diaper per hour of the trip (excessive, yes, she said, but better safe than sorry!) and Michelle taught me a neat trick involving a kitchen sponge, dish washing liquid and a Ziploc bag (for on-the-spot cleaning of bottles, pacifiers or other toys.)

They also advised me to give him a pacifier (or something else to suck on) for take-offs and landings. I did-and he traveled like a champ, only crying briefly on the first of six landings.

2. Don’t Expect Help
All of the girls, along with Jen, my Irish expat friend in Catanzaro, warned me not to expect help.

“Allow yourself plenty of time and carry him in whatever is most convenient for you,” they told me.

So I did.

I debated whether I should take his stroller or carry him in a Baby Bjorn and in the end opted to have two free arms. Perhaps it was because my son was *so* young (he was two months old, but because he’d been premature, he only weighed eight pounds), but I was offered help every. step. of the. way. Which brings me to Tip #3 … .

3. Accept Help!
As an independent traveler, your instinct might be to play tough or refuse assistance during your travels, but as a solo-travelin’ mom with baby in tow, I’ll tell you … accept that help.

From before I stepped through security in Lamezia (when a Roman family toted my carry-on and pushed me to the front of the line) to our second flight (from Rome to Frankfurt) when a young American man stopped the flow of passengers and put up my bag to our third flight (Frankfurt to Houston), where the flight attendant carried my bags to the front of the plane … I had help all of the way.

I know I was lucky with the good-natured travelers I met, so I’m sending positive travel karma vibes to them with this post (and urging you all to pay-it-forward, should you see a single traveling parent with a child who might need an extra hand.)

I’m interested to see how traveling with a child will evolve, how things will be different when he is six months, 12 months, 36 months … for I know each age will bring a new set of travel-related issues. But I feel good about it. I trust myself and my new traveling mom instincts and will hope for the best. And let’s face it. Hilary, Vanessa, Michelle, Joanne and Jen all have kids older than mine anyway. So, if I get stuck, I’ll just call for reinforcement and know that no matter how long a flight may seem, that plane will land and we’ll get there … eventually.

What other tips do you have for new moms (and dads) traveling with their babies?

Until next time … Buon Viaggio!

Traveling south? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip to Calabria or southern Italy.

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Last night I attended my first ever international “Bye Bye Boobie” party.

One of my expat friends here in Catanzaro was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. It was diagnosed on a whim and before she knew it, they had her scheduled for a mastectomy-a surgery that will take place in less than an hour of when I’m writing this post.

In typical “this girl” style, she’s taken this thing by collar and vowed to kick “his” ass. We planned a “Bye Bye Boobie” party and met at the hospital last night for the festa. There were cookies, pink lemonade, balloons and pink, pink, pink, pink, pink. The girls wore ribbons that said, “Fight Like a Girl-Kick Cancer’s Ass,” while the guys’ ribbons said, “Do you like boobies? So do I!”

Our friend, who no doubt heard our English cries of, “Is she in this room? “No!” “Is she in that one?” “No!” bounced out to greet us with a big smile and a tray of cookies and much to the disapproval of her 60+ year old roommates, was having too much fun to be sick.

Employees passed us in the hallway wearing her ribbons as Italian and English-speaking friends poured into the room.

My friend is facing this challenger with the heart of Holyfield and the fierceness of Foreman and we are pulling for her.

So, here’s hoping she floats like a butterfly through her surgery today and beats the mess out of this faceless opponent.

Are you heading to southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip.

With more than 500 miles of coastline, Calabria-bound travelers have plenty of options. Most of Calabria’s beaches are set with a mountainous backdrop of rugged cliffs or tree-lined slopes, but for the purpose of today’s feature, I’m going to stick to the west coast. Here are three of my favorite coastal towns on the Tyrrhenian Coast, so chosen not only for their sandy beaches, but for the energy, excitement and all-around zesty Calabrian spirit they offer visitors.

Scalea

It’s been a long time since I’ve waxed poetic about Scalea, a fun little seaside town that is located in the province of Cosenza near the Calabria/Basilicata border. This town has everything you could want in a beach town … historic castles … intriguing views … hidden mosaics. They even have award-winning Sicilian granita and one of the best homemade liquor stores in the region.

Falerna

Falerna is located in the province of Catanzaro between Lamezia Terme and Cosenza and was one of the first seaside towns I fell in love with. It lacks the glamor of Scalea and the popularity of Pizzo (see below) but the lungomare is one of the nicest on the coast, the people are some of the friendliest and most generous in the region and the sunsets rival anything you’ll see in the country.

Pizzo

Oh yes, loyal readers, you’ve heard of Pizzo and some of you might remember that I’m not the only one in love with this coastal town. While it’s true that boys can become men in a place like Pizzo, I love it because it has a nice tourist infrastructure in place, without trying too hard. Its Murat Castle, Chiesetta di Piedigrotta and world-famous gelato don’t hurt, either.

Are you heading to southern Italy or Calabria? If so, click here to see how I can help you plan your trip to any of these villages or you can see Pizzo with us in October during the Calabrian Table Tour.

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Think a southern Italian summer is all about bathing suits and beach towels? Well … in a way, it is. Beaches are the number one attraction for many southern Italy-bound travelers and even if beach-bumming is not your thing, you will likely want to pack a swim suit … should you change your mind. Additionally, here are five other things to wear so you can fit in with the locals and be comfortable throughout your trip.

1. Sleeveless Tops with Layers
Sleeveless tops and tank tops are perfectly acceptable for southern Italian summers, but you will often see Italians layer a short-sleeved sweater or jacket over their top … just to be cute. Men can wear short-sleeved t-shirts (solid colors work best) or polo-style shirts.

2. Sandals or lightweight Tennis Shoes
Finally … a season where southern Italians will wear open-toed shoes, so feel free to pack your sandals or even a lightweight pair of tennis shoes for your trip.

3. Lightweight Pants and Skirts
Although there is still a breeze in many areas of southern Italy, packing lightweight cotton pants and skirts will help you keep cool. As with other seasons, Italians are very well put together and over-sized pants or bulky skirts aren’t really the norm.

4. Shorts (with care)
A couple of years ago I’d have said to leave your shorts at home, however they are gaining in popularity here in southern Italy and you regularly see locals out and about in shorts. However … and there is a big however, they wear dressy shorts and/or typically tuck their shirts in and use a belt. Even in shorts, southern Italians are stylish.

5. Sunglasses
Yes, southern Italians wear sunglasses year-round, but if you are visiting in the summer months, you’ll definitely want to pack a pair of your favorite sunglasses-or pick up a pair at a local market-to help you fit in. Not only will they help protect your eyes from the gllaring Mezzogiorno sun, but you will also look stylish when you are at the beach, touring villages or engaging in my favorite summer pastime … eating gelato!

What else would you suggest travelers wear if they visit southern Italy in the summertime?

Be sure to check out Robin’s travel tips this week at My Melangè.

Until next time … Buon Viaggio!

Traveling to southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip to Calabria or southern Italy.

Photos: Two Wheels Blog

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This post originally appeared in 2008 but it sums up exactly what I love so much about the Easter celebrations in Calabria.

***

How many of you have ever been to church on Good Friday…you know, the Stations of the Cross service? How many of you have ever seen the Stations of the Cross – live?

Well, now I have.

Last Friday, yes…Good Friday to be exact was A’ Naca in downtown Catanzaro. Held every year, this processional reenacts the Stations of the Cross, stopping momentarily in front of several important churches throughout the city, while circling the downtown area.

We arrived just in time for the beginning – at exactly 4:26 PM. The church was already crowded, and there were several miniature Mary’s dressed for the occasion. There were four 10-foot crosses propped on their sides, and a confessional-full of other props and decorations just waiting to be needed

We waited.

We waited.

We waited.

Finally, we overheard…

“6:00? 6:00? It is going to start at 6:00? How will we keep the children occupied for that long?”

“Children?” I thought.

“How will I keep my husband occupied that long?”

And, so, in typical southern Italian style, we watched with interest the disorganization and scurrying around us. At 6:00, they opened the church doors and I saw this.

Hundreds, if not more, Calabrese anxiously awaiting – despite the cold wind and sub-Easter temps for the processional to begin.

My shock was momentarily distracted by the arrival of the star, who appropriately bent his head in solemn preparation for his big role as he pushed past the spectators to the front of the church.

After another half hour, they were ready to begin.

Musicians, clad in matching black and gold robes, heralded the commencement of A’Naca, as droves of clergymen and members from the various churches throughout Catanzaro began the processional. They strode out in groups, dressed in pastel colors of blue, pink or beige, representing their different churches.

Just before the final Stations, the Bishop appeared and along with other church officials, read a declaration.

Jesus is raised from the dead, and in undoubtedly the most dramatic point of the event, Catanzaro’s firemen heave the alter above their heads, as the crowd of onlookers gasp in amazement. Everyone cheers and a few women, standing bundled on the blistery street, dab at their eyes.

The processional ends with Mary, who while rejoicing in the salvation of her son, is carried throughout the streets of Catanzaro …

as dozens of young girls, dressed in like-clothing accompany her for the journey.

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It is a common myth that southern Italy boasts year-round warmness and even in the springtime, temps drop and it gets downright chilly. If you are planning to visit southern Italy this spring, here are four things you can wear so that you will fit in with the locals, look stylish and still be comfortable.

1. Layers
Spring is one of the most unpredictable seasons in southern Italy, so plan on layering your tops with cotton shirts, long-sleeve t-shirts and sweaters and you’ll be ready for any occasion. You might also want to throw in a spring scarf to add to the mix.

2. Comfy, Closed-toed Shoes
Although in Texas, we wear flip flops or open-toed sandals most of the year, southern Italians wear closed-toed shoes until they are ready to go to the beach. I’ve actually lost count of how many of my Italians friends have commented on my open-toed shoes, even on warm spring days in April or May.

3. Sweaters
Depending on where you are going in southern Italy, the nights will likely get pretty cool, so pack a sweater or light jacket you can use for your nightly passeggiata with the locals.

4. Pants
Even if you are lucky enough to have some mild-weather days during your trip, you won’t see many-if any-Italians in shorts. Although they are gaining in popularity here in southern Italy, most Italians only wear them in the summer. Skirts are also acceptable, as are dark-colored jeans.

What else would you suggest travelers wear if they visit southern Italy in the spring?

Be sure to check out Robin’s travel tips this week at My Melangè.

Until next time … Buon Viaggio!

Traveling to southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip to Calabria or southern Italy.

Photos: The Epoch Times

A couple of months ago I admitted to my Facebook friends and fans that Ricci e Poveri’s “Sarà Perchè Ti Amo” had me bouncing around faster than a Globetrotter’s basketball on Kid’s Night.

Yea … I like that song. It was one of the first Italian songs I learned and I quickly noticed how memorizing the words increased my vocabulary and improved my grammar.

Over the years, there have been a few other songs that stood out and helped me get past certain grammatical humps, if you will. And I’m gonna share them here.

Enjoy!

Sarà Perchè Ti Amo: Ricci e Poveri
… because like I said. It makes me wanna bounce.

50 Special: Cesare Cremonini
My newest obsession. I have actually listened to this song so many times that I’ve made my husband hate it. How is that even possible?

Pensa: Fabrizio Moro
It’s slow, thoughtful tune and anti-mafia stance are enough to make anyone want to learn the words.

Si Può Dare di Più: Enrico Ruggeri
It reminds me of that Christmas commercial where the little boy’s eating the Bauli… you know what I’m talking about, expats!

Estranei A Partire Da Ieri: Alessandra Amoroso
The slow music makes it easy to follow along and really, who doesn’t love a good Italian love song every now and then?

Are you an Italian music fan? If so, what are some of your favorite songs? Have you used music to help you learn a new language?

Traveling to southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip to Calabria or southern Italy.

Photos: The Epoch Times

Tuesday was eight weeks since our little Max-just Max, no longer name, no middle name … just Max-was born in the Ospedale Pugliese in downtown Catanzaro. He was five-or six, my doctor now thinks-weeks early and noooo, we weren’t ready for his big debut.

However, the adventure really began two days earlier, on Saturday, December 18 when “I broke my waters,” as my husband told my mom and I was admitted into the hospital. Although we were taking a childbirth class, we had only completed about half of them and I had yet to tour the pale green corridor of rooms and baths that would be my home for the next five days.

Saturday night was a whirlwind of sights, sounds and emotions as I checked into the hospital and was pulled like a spoiled child in a candy store from my husband. “No boys allowed,” they told me at the entrance. “Say your goodbyes here.”

Gulp.

So, I crept through the darkened hallway-it was near midnight by this time-and was given a bed near the wall. The next two days I pulled around an IV that slowed my labor and spent most of my time chatting with the five other girls in my room. My husband was allowed in a couple of times a day during visiting hours and if I’d had a mother, sister or female friend around, she’d have been allowed to stay the night.

After lunch on Monday, the 20th, they removed my IV and told me they’d induce the next morning. I told my husband to go home and promised to call as things progressed. Around 1:00 AM that night I started having contractions and even though I’d have preferred to be in a private room surrounded by my family-or at least in this case, my husband-I walked the halls of Catanzaro’s maternity ward.

For the next hour and a half I rotated between the hallway and my room and bounced between a jolly, dark-haired nurse and my cell mates. Some of the girls and their mammas woke up and took turns rubbing my back. (We also played a game of robe-on/robe-off … meaning, I’d throw it off, they’d put it back on me … a dance that continued until I left the room.)

The hospital in Catanzaro doesn’t offer epidurals, so I’d planned to hire a private doctor to be there … just in case and I’d planned to take some of my doctor’s magical homeopathic medicine to prepare for labor and delivery. Both of these were planned for the following week, an irony that did not escape me, even in the throes of labor and the uncertainty of what was to come.

At 2:30 AM, the nurse told me to call my husband and led me across the hall to the labor/delivery room. Ten minutes and two mamma-mia-of-all-contractions later I was introduced to the bubbly, curly-haired OB nurse who would deliver Max.

She did a quick exam, told me Max was ready to be born and grabbed a clipboard and pen.

“Can you spell your name for me?” She asked ….

“What are you doing in Catanzaro?” Her assistant wanted to know …

“What is the highest level of education you received?” … again from the nurse …

“What about your husband?”

“I studied English in school,” the assistant said. I’d love to visit America …

“What is his job?” The inquisition continued …

“What do you do?”

“I’m a writer,” I told her between breaths, wondering how much more she could possibly need to know to deliver my child.

“A writer!” They both said, surprised.

The nurse put the clipboard on the table … “What do you write?”

Seriously?

“I feel like I should push now,” I told her, bringing the attention back to, uhm … me.

“It’s ok,” she said, as she stayed happily planted up near my nose. “Go ahead and push.”

“But my husband isn’t here.” I told her, wondering what was taking so long.

“He’ll be here,” she said. “Don’t worry.”

A few minutes later he did, indeed, show up, wearing a cute little green paper gown, shoe covers and matching hat. (You should realize that I was instructed to pack a white gown I could deliver in, but my husband’s “daddy attire” was provided by the hospital.)

I remember him being introduced to the nurse and her assistant, who realized they all grew up in the same neighborhood. He took over answering the remaining questions … someone else walked in and asked me to sign something … and about 30 minutes later-at 3:23 AM-Max was born.

About 10 seconds after that, my doctor walked in.

My husband and I got to hold Max and spend what seemed like a few minutes with him before they took him to NICU. My husband got to stay another hour with me, then I was rolled back across the hall into my room.

The next day it was business as usual and my husband was, once again, only allowed in during visiting hours. Our experience with NICU is a post in itself but suffice it to say that we all eventually made it home and we are settling into some semblance of a routine.

If you’ve had a hospital experience in Italy, I’d love to hear about it. Write about your experience in the comments!

Speaking of new moms, dads and getting settled, I’d like to wish a very special Buon Viaggio to my friend, Stephanie and her husband who, after waiting for this day for over a decade, are leaving today for China, where they will meet their new daughter, Andi, and bring her back to Texas. I’m over-the-moon-excited for you both and I hope you enjoy parenthood as much as we do.

Traveling to southern Italy with your kiddos? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip.

You’ve probably heard Ti Amo and Amore but those are far from being the only Italian love words you’ll hear in the bel paese. Italian is one of the most romantic languages in the world, so leave it up to the Italians to create hundreds of ways to romance their Valentines.

Here are five of my favorite Italian love words and phrases. Feel free to steal them and use them on your own sweetie this Valentine’s Day or anytime you want to say something sweet and sexy to your sweetheart.

1. Ti adoro (tee ah-DOH-roh): I adore you
I *adore* ti adoro and find the soft rolling “r” sound even sweeter than “ti amo” or “ti voglio bene.” For extra sweetness, say “ti adoro, caro,” or “ti adoro, tesoro,” just a couple of ways you can say, “I adore you, sweetie.”

2. Sei la mia vita (say lah Mee-ah vee-tah): You are my life
This sexy-sounding phrase has all of the drama you’d expect in an Italian saying, so either write it in a card, email or text or whisper it in your lover’s ear during your Valentine’s date.

3. Voglio baciarti (vol-yo batch-ar-Tee): I want to kiss you
Does this one really need an explanation?

4. Stammi più vicino (sta-ME pyoo vee-CHEE-noh): Come closer (or stay closer) to me
Ok, so I really learned this line in one of my favorite sing-along Italian songs, but I love it and from time to time I’ve used it on my husband without him cringing at the Ricchi e Poveri reference.

5. Che begli occhi che hai (k-BEH-lyee OHK-kee k-eye): What beautiful eyes you have
I asked my husband for a couple of recs to add to this list and ooh la la … he came up with this one. He also threw in a bonus from his teenage flirting years.

P’s Bonus:
Hai un sorriso stupendo (Eye oon so-REE-so STOO-pen-doe): You have an amazing smile
It might sound a little over-the-top in English but trust me, in Italiano this one works.

What are some of your favorite Italian love words and phrases?

Are you heading to Calabria or southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you with your itinerary.

Photo: Becoming Italian Word by Word

However, between cluster feedings, Calabria tours and our bed and breakfast, I wasn’t sure *how* I’d celebrate World Nutella Day 2011 or how I’d fit in finding, creating and perfecting a new recipe.

So, I thought about waxing poetic about all the things I love about this chocolaty-hazelnutty spread.

I considered doing a mini-roundup of my previous Nutella Day recipes.

I almost started a post that included my family’s favorite ways to enjoy Nutella … (think spoon and American white bread).

But then I saw a cooking show with my favorite Tata that inspired a new recipe and voila … Nutella and Mandarin S’mores were born.

I substituted whipped cream for charcoaled marshmallows, pulled a couple of mandarins off of our trees and pulled together this delicious dessert in less than 10 minutes.

Here’s the scoop:

Ingredients:
(Makes six s’mores)

>> Any kind of flat cookie (12)
>> 1/2 cup whipping cream
>> Nutella
>> 2 mandarins

Directions:

1. Whip your cream for a few minutes until it is fluffy.

2. Add the juice from one small mandarin. (This will change the texture of your cream, making it firmer and easier to spread on your s’more)

3. Continue to mix for a minute or two.

4. Spread the top of one cookie with a thin layer of Nutella. This will be your top. (Note: It is easier to “decorate” the top of your s’more before it is filled with Nutella and cream.)

5. Spread another cookie with a generous layer of Nutella, then cover with a layer of cream.

6. Top it with your Nutella-decorated cookie, add a mandarin slice and serve!

Delizioso!

As always, grazie mille to Michelle of Bleeding Espresso and Sara of Ms. Adventures in Italy for founding (and hosting) World Nutella Day. Check out their sites on Monday for a full roundup of today’s recipes.

Are you heading to Calabria or southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan your itinerary.

If you need a little help narrowing it down, you might want a custom itinerary or some in-depth travel consulting, but if finances don’t allow or you’re one of those travelers who wants to research her own trip, then keep on reading.

As you can imagine, narrowing down my favorite mountain villages to just three was not an easy task. Still, these three made the cut for their authentic feel, cleanliness and friendly locals, so without delay, here are three of my all-time favorite mountain villages in bella Calabria.

Civita (CS)

Civita (pronounced cee-VEE-ta) houses the largest Albanian community in the region. Travelers flock to this pint-sized town for a glimpse of Albanian culture, where locals still speak-and teach to their children through the local school system-their native language and where indigenous costumes and traditions are carried on through festivals and celebrations. In addition to the unique heritage of Civita, the town is also home to the Ragnanello Gorge, the deepest gorge in Europe and the Devil’s Bridge, which is easily seen from the Belvedere lookout point on the edge of town.

Cortale (CS)

Cortale (pronounced CORE tall ee) is a little closer to my adopted hometown of Catanzaro and was one of the first mountain villages I fell in love with when I started visiting the area in the early 2000s.

Home to about 2,000 people, Cortale is large enough to have an active main street and busy piazza, but still offers that small, tight-knit community you’d expect in a Calabrese village.

Several of our B&B guests have had origins in Cortale and like me, they enjoy strolling through the town, breathing the clean, fresh mountain air and visiting the Calabria water source just north of town in nearby Monte Covello.

The village also has some amazing views of the mountains and valleys below …

… and who doesn’t love a good view now and then?
 
San Fili (CS)

I’ve written before about San Fili, (pronounced Sayn FEE Lee) my mother-in-law’s pint-sized village that is located near Cosenza in northern Calabria. In fact, we have a small house there (see “For Sale: San Fili” below), one that sadly is badly in need of repair and thus, limits the time we can spend there.

Still, this village, like Civita and Cortale features that fresh, clean mountain air and offers travelers a glimpse into the traditional Calabrese lifestyle. In addition to the Chiesa Madre church, visitors should plan time to stroll through the main street, have coffee in the main piazza and relax on any of the broad, open terraces that surround the village.

Are you heading to Calabria or southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan your itinerary.

Photo: My Bella Vita, My Bella Vita, Panoramio, My Bella Vita

Loyal readers might remember my What to Pack for a Calabrian Winter post from last year or maybe a guest post from Laura at Ciao Amalfi! that featured five words to keep you warm this winter. I’m going to merge those posts today and include five tips on what to wear in Italy during the winter.

1. Scarves, Hats and Gloves
Italians love accessories, so add some chic to your wardrobe by purchasing a selection of scarves, hats and gloves once you are in Italy. Not only will they help you stay warm, they’ll also help you blend in with the locals, will be easy to pack and will make a great souvenir from your trip.

2. Dark Pants / Jeans
Although black pants and dark jeans are good staples for any trip, they are essential for a winter trip to Italy. In general, you will see Italians wearing dark jeans or darkly-colored pants. They are slimming, after all, and can usually be worn a few days before needing to be washed.

3. Dark Shoes
Keeping with the dark theme, you’d never see Italians wearing dark pants and white tennis shoes, so invest in a good pair of darkly-colored walking shoes and you’ll be in step with what the Italians are wearing this winter.

4. Boots
There is nothing like a good high-heeled stiletto boot to help you fit in with the Italians, but if you are on vacation and plan to do any amount of walking, go with a low heel. I see a lot of tall boots, usually worn over pants or jeans. I’m a shorty, so that look doesn’t do well on me, but if you’ve got the legs to pull it off, by all means, pull those boots on.

5. Fitted Coats / Jackets
Italians are very “put together,” which means you won’t find them in over-sized coats or jackets. Everything is tailored, so wear a coat or jacket that fits well and you won’t feel like the frumpy foreigner amidst a sea of leggy locals.

What else would you suggest travelers wear if they visit southern Italy in the winter?

Be sure to check out Robin’s travel tips this week at My Melangè.

Until next time … Buon Viaggio!

Traveling to southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip to Calabria or southern Italy.

Photos: Moda Webwoman

Let’s kick our Southern Italy Snapshots series off today with my home region … bella Calabria, with one beautiful photo representing each of Calabria’s five provinces, Catanzaro, Cosenza, Reggio Calabria, Crotone and Vibo Valentia.

Are you heading to Calabria? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip with visits to some-or all-of these picturesque places.

Photos: Thumbnail, Borgia Web; other photos Massimo Bottelli, loloieg, Al Lanni, mikuzz and Zurgo all via Flickr

I can’t remember the first time I had fagioli e rape, or beans and garden greens, but I was apparently underwhelmed. Maybe it was in a restaurant that offered it as part of an already overflowing antipasto or maybe the rape, (pronounced raa-Pay in Italian) wasn’t in season, but it just didn’t do it for me.

A year or so later, I tried it again. This time in a local trattoria when my husband spotted it on the menu and gobbled it as a side dish with his secondo. A couple of months ago, I spotted these bitter greens in the market and ever-so-kindly asked my father-in-law if he had a recipe.

He made them the next day.

And again the next week.

And no … I’m not spoiled.

If you want to take the easy way out you could technically use frozen greens and canned beans. We only half-cheat, using canned beans and fresh greens.

Here’s our recipe.

Fagioli e Rape

Ingredients:

>> 10.5 ounces borlotti beans (Gourmet Sleuth says you can substitute kidney or pinto beans)
>> 2 pounds greens
>> 1/2 onion, finely chopped
>> Olive oil
>> Salt
>> Crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. Wash the greens and cook in salted, boiling water for a few minutes (until soft.)

2. In a separate pan, sauté onion using good olive oil and add the beans.

3. Heat thoroughly.

4. Combine the greens and beans and top with crushed red pepper.

This dish is great alone or as a side item and goes well with homemade Italian bread.

Buon appetito!

Are you heading to southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip.

Here are five more Italian Christmas words you will see during the holiday season.

1. Albero di Natale (Al-bear-o dee nah-TAH-leh): Christmas Tree

Even though I sometimes misspeak and say “Albergo di Natale” instead of “Albero di Natale” when referring to our new Christmas tree, this is one holiday word you’ll want to know in Italy. Interested in taking your use of this new word one step further? Then learn this Italian proverb …

“La vita è come un albero di natale, c’è sempre qualcuno che rompe le palle.”

Or rather, “Life is like a Christmas Tree. There is always someone who will bust your balls.”

Ahem. Moving on … .

2. Il Presepe (Eel prey-SE-pey): Nativity Scene

There is no way you can visit Italy in December and not come across a presepe. These Italian nativity scenes are everywhere from private homes, to public buildings to churches, shops, restaurants and bars. You can read more about the history and traditions of the presepe here.

3. Pupazzo di Neve (poo-PATS-so dee Ne-vay): Snowman

The first time I heard this word I thought they said, “più pazzo di neve,” and actually gave my crowd quite a laugh by repeating it as such. “No,” they told me. “The snowman isn’t crazy, he’s just a puppet.” Well, they can laugh if they want, but that lingual blunder left its mark and now I can never see a happy little snowman without thinking him a bit mad. You can remember the word however you want, but my way is kinda fun … brings a smile to me, at least.

4. Babbo Natale (BAHB-boh nah-TAH-leh): Santa Claus

To remember this one, just think of “Father Christmas” … “Babbo,” also the word sometimes used for “dad” or “daddy,” or rather “Father,” and “Natale,” for “Christmas.” And really, who wants to risk not knowing Babbo Natale’s name this Christmas Eve?

5. La Vigilia (Laa vee-GHEE-lee-uh): Christmas Eve

Speaking of Christmas Eve, La Vigilia is one of the most important nights of the holiday season. Families gather for their seafood cenone and oftentimes go out for Midnight Mass together.

I’ll be taking off the next week to enjoy my first Calabrian Christmas … so from my Calabrian-Texan family to yours … Buone Feste, Ya’ll!

Are you heading to Calabria or southern Italy? Click here to see how I can help you with your itinerary.

Photo: Scuola Leonardo