15 with Fosca (Fosca D'Acierno)

“I think what’s most important is how you hold yourself. People make immediate assumptions based on it and keep them for a long time. That’s why I decided to do my TED Talk on some small tweaks that can radically change the way people view you and treat you.” Elia Nichols In this week’s episode with Elia Nichols, we speak at greater length about her recent TED Talk and what she was feeling as she prepared for this milestone event – after having professionally coached TEDx speakers for over two years – and once she was finally on that stage. Elia graciously shares some sneak peeks of her talk which centers on an actor’s secret, learned in an improvisation workshop, about the value of stillness and how to open your body and take up space with it. Elia also gifts us some fundamental changes we can all adopt to use our bodies to communicate with poise in all settings. Finally, we continue ruminating on the necessity of seeking out ways to live life harmoniously, on parenthood, and on whether it’s possible to have everything and what that really means. Reflecting upon how our values change over time, we speak of timing and opportunities, our shared love of Italy and similar “aha moments”, and about chasing your dreams with no regrets. Elia Nichols Biography & Links Elia Nichols is an American-born, Italian-based Public Speaking and Communication coach, TEDx Speaker, a 2x TEDx Speaking coach, and a film and TV actress. Her mindful, yet fun teaching techniques have helped thousands of people master the skill of charisma and break communication barriers. Elia teaches speakers and professionals in strategic business and leadership roles effective ways to perfect their presence and speaking skills onstage, in the courtroom, classroom, boardroom and onscreen. Her techniques incorporate elements of theatre, improvisation and comedy into teachings as she has found that this type of mindful and fun experiential learning leads to the most effective, transformational changes in her clients. Elia believes that charisma is a skill that can be learned and which, once mastered, has the potential to motivate, persuade, inspire, and advance business and personal interests. She has held high-level jobs in Public and External Relations as well as Learning and Development, which has given her insight into both the academic and business environments. In addition, she has been a professor of Public Speaking and Communication at renowned academic institutions such as the European University Institute, Syracuse University, the European School of Economics, Istituto Lorenzo de’Medici and the University of Texas at Austin. She has been a professional actress for 15 years and is best known for her starring role as Professor Tucker in the comedic TV series Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends that airs nightly on the RAI Gulp channel in Italy and in 180 countries across the globe on Netflix. She also co-founded F.E.S.T.A. Theatre Company and produced and acted in many of its productions. Elia received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Tulane University and her Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Texas at Austin. https://elianichols.com/about/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/elianichols/ https://www.facebook.com/elianicholspublicspeaking https://www.facebook.com/elia.nichols https://www.facebook.com/EliaNicholsActress https://www.instagram.com/elianichols/ https://www.instagram.com/nicholselia/ https://www.maggieandbianca.com/en Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze Podcast Editor: Andrew Niklas Curtis Production Intern: Ava Lees

Finding Authenticity and Making Connections in Florence

Join me and Leigh Biddlecome for the second part of our conversation where we cover everything from human connections and daily interactions to food, the Italian Language, over tourism, and sustainability.  

askfosca.com

Welcome to 15 with Fosca!

Are you passionate about Italy, getting ready to spend time in the country, or perhaps even dreaming of moving here someday?

If you’re curious about what’s happening in Italy and with Italian culture right now, this is the podcast for you.

This debut episode chronicles my journey to Italy and my current life in Florence and offers a preview of the topics that my guests and I will be discussing in the coming weeks as they share their stories and their voices from Italy directly with you.

Fosca S. D'Acierno

Ask Fosca

Your US Insider in Italy

askfosca.com @askfosca

“My plan was to stay in Italy until I was due to go back to work on the 1st of November, because that was when the furlough scheme was due to end. So, I thought, ok, fine, I'm going to stay. I don't need to be back in London, I'm going to stay here. I'll take some Italian classes, visit some museums, live a life of leisure in Italy because why not?” Eleanor Walker 

In the summer of 2020, in the midst of the global pandemic, Eleanor Walker, an art historian originally from the UK, took a leap into the unknown and came to Italy hoping to find herself and joy again. 

Through a series of fortuitous events and encounters, and a lot of personal initiative, resourcefulness, and ingenuity, Eleanor transformed what should have been a brief sojourn in Italy into the life she has made for herself in Florence.  

In this first part of my chat with Eleanor, we speak about her journey, her work in the arts and as a performer, anhow she managed to find and forge community during an incredibly dark and isolating time for so many of us. 

We also touch upon Brexit, the effect it had on Eleanor and her choices, as well as the trials and rewards of working in the arts today and living a life divided between two places that you love deeply.  

Eleanor Walker Biography 

As a History of Art graduate from the University of Warwick and with a Masters from London’s prestigious Courtauld Institute of Art, Eleanor is a specialist in the art of the Italian Renaissance, in particular the influence of Netherlandish paintings in 15th century Florence. She has recently been most interested in the role of female artists, both in the Renaissance and in the 20th century - her other area of interest. 

She has worked at Sotheby’s and the Portland Gallery in London, and teaches for Art History Abroad and she has leads cultural travel programmes for US museums and galleries. 

In 2021 she started working with Stanford in Florence Study Abroad Programme on the Art History and Italian Contemporary Culture classes, where during her first year she was assistant to Monsignor Timothy Verdon (Director of Florence's Museum dell’ Opera del Duomo). Alongside Stanford, she has been working with art collector and philanthropist Christian Levett towards the opening of the first major museum for female artists in Europe, the Female Artists of the Mougins Museum (FAMM) which opened in June 2024. She works as Collection Manager for the Levett Collection in Florence, whilst continuing to lead exclusive cultural tours and teach Art History.

Eleanor is also a passionate musician. As a flautist, saxophonist and singer, she regularly performs with ensembles in Florence and Tuscany.

Links 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-walker-2a1233a8/

@viewfromthegallery

The Power of Leaving & Returning, Part 1

featuring Lucia Ducci

“So, all these practical or academic challenges that we might encounter or have encountered are really important steps that helped me, that help anybody, who's on this path to grow and to progress, personally and academically; and this is the most important thing, progress, to progress, that you are progressing.” Lucia Ducci

This first part of my chat with Lucia Ducci, Director of the Holy Cross College Program in Florence, centers on her journey to the United States, why she went and stayed, and ultimately chose to return to Italy, providing us with a thought-provoking example of reverse brain drain. We also discuss the importance of deliberately living abroad for personal and professional growth, which Lucia sees as a bold and empowering opportunity for women who want to live their lives fully.

In addition to her personal narrative, Lucia and I also begin to discuss the riveting story of pioneer US expat Sarah Parker Remond.

Sensitive language warning

Lucia quotes, directly from historical sources, an Italian appellation given to Sarah Parker Remond during her time in Italy. Remond was an American activist and abolitionist who moved to Italy from England in 1867 to study medicine in Florence. She resided in Italy until her death in 1894. See links below for further information and be sure to tune in to part two of the podcast next week.

Biography

Lucia Ducci is Director of the Florence Program for the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Massachusetts, professor of Italian, and a translator.

She holds a Ph.D from the University of Florence with a dissertation on the US perception of Italy during the first two decades of the 20th century. She is the author of a book, with Stefano Luconi and Matteo Pretelli, on the relations between Italy and the United States from the Risorgimento to the consequences of 9/11, and of a collection of letters of George Perkins Marsh, first US ambassador to Italy and father of ecology.

Over the last few years, she has focused her research on emancipation and women’s movements.

Lucia is also a certified yogi and nlp (neurolinguistic programming) practitioner. She says that the best day of her life was meeting Gloria Steinem and conversing with her.

linkedin.com/in/lucia-ducci-b4089b100

https://www.instagram.com/sunflowerfiel29/

Links

College of the Holy Cross

https://www.holycross.edu/

Holy Cross Program Florence

https://www.holycross.edu/engaged-learning/study-abroad/italy/universit%C3%A0-di-firenze

University of Florence

https://www.unifi.it/vp-11335-welcome-to-unifi.html

Sarah Parker Remond Biography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Parker_Remond

Santa Maria Nuova Hospital https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital_of_Santa_Maria_Nuova

Santa Maria Nuova Foundation

https://www.fondazionesantamarianuova.it/

Santa Maria Nuova Museum

https://www.fondazionesantamarianuova.it/scopri-il-museo-di-santa-maria-nuova/

“Francesca studied in Rome through RISD, where she went to college, so at RISD’s European Honors Program in Rome from 1978-79. And I would say that year in Rome, in addition to her childhood there, but that year in Rome, was extremely formative, maybe the most formative time of Francesca's life artistically; that's because she did immerse herself with artists and intellectuals and radicals.” Amy Love Tomasso

Join me and Amy as she continues to ask questions in an effort to put together the many missing and mysterious pieces that will ultimately bring her project on Francesca’s life to fruition to give people the chance to hear Francesca’s voice and her truth. 

In this episode we take a deeper dive into Francesca’s relationship with Italy, how the Italian spaces she photographed and inhabited really informed her work as did the political and social climate of Italy where she lived and studied during the turbulent Anni di pPombo (the Years of Lead). We also look more closely at her Italian work, which features allegories and classical themes that are in stark contrast with the more experimental work she did in New York shortly before her untimely death in 1981. We also touch on our own journeys as artists, whatever our medium is, and the challenges and joys that accompany our stories and how we interpret and represent/recount those of others. Finally we speak about an urgent need we have, especially at this point in our collective history, to return to beauty and humanism, to something fundamental.

Warning: This episode contains mention of suicide

Further Reading and Links 

Amy Love Tommaso’s Biography 

Amy Tomasso grew up in a large Italian-American family in central Connecticut. When Latin was cut from her high school’s budget, she taught herself Italian at age 15 using her father’s college textbook and honed her speaking skills that year with the first of many visits to her relatives in Italy’s Abruzzo region. On this formative trip to Italy, Amy fell in love with the piazza, the quintessential Italian public space, which led her to major in Urban Studies and minor in Italian at Stanford University. While studying urbanism and photography abroad in Rome her junior year, Amy was introduced to the work of the photographer Francesca Woodman, who would become a central research and writing subject. Amy went on to receive her MFA in Creative Writing from Hollins University in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, where she continued researching and chronicling Woodman’s life, artistic contributions, and time in Italy. A lover of storytelling and community, Amy currently works for the Vermont Department of Housing & Community Development and works on her creative writing by night. In her free time, Amy is an avid triathlete, traveler, and Italophile. She plans to return to Italy to complete her book project about Francesca Woodman next year. 

Francesca Woodman’s Official Biography

https://woodmanfoundation.org/francesca/biography

The Woodman Foundation 

https://woodmanfoundation.org/

The Tate’s Finding Francesca

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/francesca-woodman-10512/finding-francesca

Francesca Woodman’s Biography (Gagosian) 

https://gagosian.com/artists/francesca-woodman/

Francesca Stern Woodman Roma 1977-1981: Exhibit at Il Museo del Louvre

https://www.ilmuseodellouvre.com/2011/05/23/francesca-woodman-photographs-1977-1981

Il Museo del Louvre - https://www.ilmuseodellouvre.com/

Public Collections

https://woodmanfoundation.org/francesca/public

Exhibitions

https://woodmanfoundation.org/francesca/exhibitions

https://gagosian.com/news/artist/francesca-woodman/museum-exhibitions/

RISD

https://www.risd.edu/

Isabella Pedicini. Francesca Woodman. Gli anni romani tra pelle e pellicola. Contrasto, 2012.

https://www.amazon.it/Francesca-Woodman-romani-pelle-pellicola/dp/8869653315

Il Mentoring: Ascolto, Riflessione & Fiducia, Part 1

Featuring Matteo Perchiazzi    

Registrato il 12 Marzo 2024 a Musikalmente Firenze  

“La metodologia del mentoring da costrutto, proprio come base iniziale, fa sì che il Mentor metta a disposizione la propria esperienza non solo professionale, ma anche di vita.” Matteo Perchiazzi 

Oggi giorno sentiamo tanto parlare di mentoring ma che cos’è realmente e che importanza ha il mentoring nelle nostre vite professionali, scolastiche e personali? 

In questa prima parte della mia conversazione con Matteo Perchiazzi, Fondatore della Società Italiana di Mentoring, parliamo del suo percorso e su com’è arrivato ad essere uno dei massimi esperti del settore, per poi discutere quello che sta facendo attualmente per formare e guidare una nuova generazione di mentor. 

Quest’episodio si focalizza sul potere del mentoring in generale e in modo particolare sul ruolo cruciale che ha nelle scuole per combattere la dispersione scolastica. 

Affrontiamo insieme diversi temi: la fragilità dei giovani, l’emarginazione sociale, la delinquenza e la violenza, e come il mentoring offre soluzioni concrete per aiutare i ragazzi a rischio a trovare una via di uscita e raggiungere il successo.  

Biografia 

Matteo Perchiazzi è consulente senior di sviluppo risorse umane e formazione per enti e aziende. È l'ideatore e il fondatore della SIM. E nel 2021 riceve l’Awards di EMCC Global IPMA Master Practitioner, ricevuto fino a quel tempo da solo 3 persone in Europa. Si occupa di ricerca sociale e del lavoro, di ricerca e sviluppo di metodologie di valutazione, formazione e orientamento. In Italia è pioniere nella ricerca, formazione e consulenza del Mentoring, di cui si occupa dal 2002, in particolare del Mentoring per l’orientamento e il ri-orientamento al lavoro. È alla costante ricerca di settore nuovi in cui applicare il Mentoring e ha di recente codificato il filone del Mentoring nello sport con l’Academy Sport, risultato di ricerca e progetti nel settore da 10 anni.

È stato consulente e referente scientifico per il Ministero della Difesa – Aeronautica Militare Italiana ISMA – CEFODIMA per la NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan del contingente dei Mentor – Advisor dell’aeronautica Militare Italiana, ed in Iraq.

Prima della fondazione della SIM, ha collaborato con numerosi enti, aziende ed enti per la messa a punto, gestione, valutazione monitoraggio di progetti di Mentoring come il Rotary Internazionale Sud – America ‘Rotary eMentoring’, Mentoring ex – allievi Scuole militari, Fil Spa e varie agenzie formative in progetti di Mentoring nell’ambito del career management e del career counseling.

Ha pubblicato “Apprendere il Mentoring” (2008) con Transeuropa e “Raccontare le competenze” (con F. Batini e G. Del Sarto,) 2007. Ha collaborato ed è stato curatore alla traduzione italiana di “A ciascuno il suo mentore” di David Clutterbuck edito da Franco Angeli 2019, insieme a Marco Laganà. Il suo ultimo libro, “Imparo dunque sono” (2023) è un volume ricco di esercitazioni e applicazione pratiche, che rispondono alle domande su cosa sia il mentoring e su come possa essere realizzato nella scuola italiana.

Links

linkedin.com/in/matteo-perchiazzi

scuolaitalianadimentoring.com 

Season 2, Episode 9

Accessible Study Abroad: Verto Education’s Winning Model, Part 2

Cristiana Gallai, Florence Center Director, Verto Education

In the second part of our two-part conversation, Cristiana Gallai and I dig deeper into the experience of Verto Education’s first year students in Florence, discuss the ins and outs of study abroad, and ask what Florence and Italy still have to offer to our future leaders.

We also reflect upon our role as educators, the importance of building community and bridges, and how to ensure that Generation Z students coming to Florence from the world over can be agents of change in the city and in the world.

Cristiana Gallai’s Biography

Born in the picturesque town of Bergamo in the north of Italy, I was raised in my paternal city of Florence, the place that I call home, the place where I would grow, learn, and discover my passion for international education. From an early age, I was fascinated with foreign languages and cultures that ignited my wanderlust. I embarked on numerous journeys, exploring the diverse tapestry of our global community.

During my master’s degree in foreign languages and literature at the University of Florence I joined the Erasmus program for a semester in Paris, France, for a study abroad experience that tested my resilience and resourcefulness. This experience, though far from what I had expected, instilled in me a profound understanding of my own strengths and the importance of support systems in education. I decided to dedicate myself to improving the lives of international students.

After a successful tenure at the Florence University of the Arts, where I fulfilled various roles in student affairs and institutional relations, I embarked on a new journey in the fall of 2021. I assumed the role of Florence Center Director for Verto Education, a transformative first-year academic program.

I am driven by a deep conviction that education is not only a means of personal and professional growth but also a powerful tool for fostering social inclusion and equity. I envision education as a path to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in a fair and inclusive society. I feel privileged to be able to participate and contribute to this field with my daily work and to mentor future generations of professionals with enthusiasm and commitment.

Links

Cristiana Gallai, Linkedin Profile

linkedin.com/in/cristiana-gallai-4b8139205

Verto Education https://vertoeducation.org/

Verto Florence https://vertoeducation.org/abroad-locations/study-abroad-florence/

You have Time: Slow Life Lessons, Part 1

featuring Sandrine Kom 

“We need slowness. We need it to enjoy our life, to enjoy the people who are around us, to avoid misunderstanding, to find harmony with ourselves, to take care of our values. And we also need slowness to take care of our deepest needs.” Sandrine Kom

This week’s guest, Sandrine Kom, believes that slow life is quiet luxury. So much so that it's the motto of her company, SlowLife Coaching and SlowLife Yoga, which embodies an art of living and a philosophy of life. Join me and Sandrine as she shares with us the personal and professional journey that led her to Italy and to her métier.

During our conversation, Sandrine illustrates her principles of slowness, gives us some strategies we can all develop to clarify and meet our deepest needs, and underlines the importance of slowing down and pausing in order to create a more intentional life that brings joy and fulfillment.   

It should come as no surprise, therefore, that when asked by Banijay Italia and Nove/Warner Bros. Discovery to propose an experience in the Chianti for me and my travel companions, I knew it had to be something that would enable us to spend time together in nature and give us the chance to connect more deeply with each other, ourselves, and the surrounding beauty; a SlowLife Yoga lesson with Sandrine, in the middle of the vineyards of the Fattoria and Villa di Rignana.

We talk more about the goals of that experience as well as what it was really like filming a reality TV show and how that unique, shared experience brought us closer to each other. Sandrine Kom Biography 

Sandrine Kom was born and grew up in Paris before moving to live and study in Berlin for over 12 years. In 2000 she moved to Florence, where she still resides, and currently divides her time between Florence and Paris.

Sandrine graduated from Berlin University in Communication Sciences and Economics and obtained her diploma as a Nutrition Coach at the Centre de Formation à Distance (CFD) in Brussels. She completed her Yoga Teacher Training at “Yoga Garden” in San Francisco.

In addition to English, she is fluent in French, German, Russian and of course Italian!

A Parisian in love with Tuscany, her adoptive home is where where her love of food, yoga and nature led her to create FiloCIBOsofia Slow Life which grew and became “Slowlife Coaching” and “Slowlife Yoga”. 

Sandrine has offered her experiences through Airbnb for many years, won several awards, and received over 700 positive testimonials. Furthermore, in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, she and five other Italian hosts were selected (out of 5,000 experiences) by Airbnb as they diversified their model from in-person to online experiences. She also offers experiences to companies where she focuses on increasing the wellbeing of their teams and people.

In addition to a range of SlowLife Retreats and Experiences, she also supports Stressed Super Women to become Zen Super Women, and accompanies CEO’s and Managers in need of rest, dreaming of slowness and time for themselves

With Slow Life Yoga, Sandrine has also participated in the television programs
“Casa Beau” for RTL 4 Netherlands and “Best Weekend/Chianti“ for Nove Warner Bros. Discovery Italia.

Links 

http://www.slowlifecoaching.com/

https://www.quietluxury.it/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrine-kom/

https://www.facebook.com/SlowLifeCoachingSlowLifeYoga

https://www.instagram.com/slowlifecoaching_slowlifeyoga/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe4xzHmfloofDwZCkm6Jrlg

2025 Retreats 

https://www.quietluxury.it/2025-events_en/

Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze

Podcast Editor: Andrew Niklas Curtis

Production Intern: Ava Lees

Beautiful Deep: A Journey of Faith, Part 1

Featuring Sherrita Duran

“I fell in love with opera, I fell in love with Puccini and Verdi, and I went to USC (University of Southern California), to the music school there, because that was my passion. I'm going to be an opera singer. That's all I want to do, be an opera singer. So, I just put all my energy into that and obviously life, you know, it surprises and changes.” Sherrita Duran

Join me this week for the first part of my conversation with the incredibly talented and charismatic Sherrita Duran, professional singer and songwriter, and fellow US expat in Italy.

In this first part of our chat, recorded during Easter week in Florence, we talk about Sherrita’s vocation, her path as an artist, and her journey to Italy. We also touch on her love of opera, what first drew her to the country, what kept her here, and what it was like to make the leap, professionally and personally, from the stages of Broadway to the piazzas, theaters, and concert halls of Italy.

We also talk about what it is like to be a performing artist in Italy today, what she is currently working on, and her exciting plans for the future.

Links

https://sherrita.com/

https://music.apple.com/it/artist/sherrita-duran/201995862

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4v3o91RHZwTd7Fd4Y94jsv

https://www.youtube.com/ciaotanto

https://www.instagram.com/sherritaduran

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZGeME6csW/

Official Biography

A SONG THAT COMES FROM THE HEART, A VOICE THAT TOUCHES THE SOUL”

A rich colourful voice, with a warmth like her home state of California, a velvety timbre with a notable extension, sensitivity and technique that grant her the ability to be versatile in many different styles. It all began with her childhood passion for Broadway musicals and opera ...

The voice of Sherrita amazes and delights the listener to the point that the music critic Mario Luzzatto Fegiz called it'' An acrobatic soprano, a force of nature capable of uniting Bel canto to black music.''

Born and raised in Fresno (California), Sherrita moved to Los Angeles where she earned a Bachelor of Music in Opera and Vocal Arts at the University of Southern California. While still attending the university she began appearing on prestigious stages in the United States (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with the Los Angeles Opera, Pasadena Performing Arts Center and the Mark Taper Forum) and Canada (Ford Theatre for the Performing Arts in Toronto); she also toured Europe (Germany, France and Austria) on tour with The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers.

Sherrita decided to move to New York to devote herself to opera and musical theater where she performed in the highly proclaimed Broadway productions of Showboat and Candide at the Gershwin Theater. Both shows were directed by the legendary Broadway director Hal Prince. She performed in other musical productions at New York City Center “Encores!” She also participated at the Dicapo Opera young artist program and the 'American Singers' Opera Project, a program for young opera singers. Television appearances include Good Morning America, The Tony Awards (Candide) and The Jay Leno Show.

“Another way, in addition to Speakeasy, which I really suggest that worked for me is doing an activity that people who are like minded might do. That's the best way to build community because everyone's looking for it. It's one of those ironies of modern life that people feel disconnected and lonely, but we all have the same needs.” Miriam Hurley, on finding community in Florence. 

In the second part of my conversation with cer Miriam Hurley we go beyond the intricacies of her métier and talk about making connections and finding community. 

Reflecting upon the initial difficulties that she encountered meeting people and forging friendships in a city like Florence that sees so much movement within the international community, Miriam took action and co-founded, with Lexie Cimko, Speakeasy Multilingual Florence, which organizes multilingual language exchange events in Florence and offers a wealth of resources and advice to locals and visitors alike. 

A true community builder and leader, Miriam is also deeply invested in facilitating the lives of temporary and permanent residents, locals and foreigners alike, whether it be through her translation work, Speakeasy Multilingual, or the multitude of information and connections that she offers in a sincere, welcoming, and very heartfelt way.  

To this end, she also shares with us her vision for a versatile physical space that would serve the community in a multitude of ways by bringing together professionals who can offer various types of services as well as providing a venue for social, creative, and networking events. 

Finally, as two long term US expats in Florence, we compare notes on the many ways the city has changed over the last couple of decades. 

Miriam Hurley Biography & Links 

I grew up in Astoria, Oregon, known to some as land of The Goonies. For college, I escaped to New York and graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1996 with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts with focuses on cultural anthropology and foreign languages.

Over two decades of full-time professional experience as a certified translator from Italian to English.

Certified since 2001 by the American Translators Association specifically to translate from Italian to English.

I also speak — but do not translate — Dutch (rusty but once fluentish), French (pretty decent), and Spanish (downright abominable). I organize language exchange events in Florence so I can brag about being multilingual (and work on improving my languages).

Studied in Florence in 1994 at the Sarah Lawrence program and the University of Florence.

Based in Florence, I keep one foot still in the U.S., spending long stretches there, keeping my native tongue fresh.

https://miriamhurley.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hurleycertifiedtranslator/

https://www.facebook.com/MiriamHurleyTranslations/

Speakeasy

www.speakeasymultilingual.com

https://www.facebook.com/speakeasymultilingual/ 

https://www.instagram.com/speakeasymultilingual/

Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze on April 16, 2024  

Production Intern: Mark Scott 

La Giustizia & Il Futuro, Part 2

featuring Sara Celati 

In questa seconda parte della mia chiacchierata con Sara Celati entriamo di più nella sua storia personale, parlando dei suoi prossimi obiettivi, le sue passioni e com’è stato partecipare come concorrente e vincere uno dei game show più amati dagli italiani, l’Eredità. 

Continuiamo a riflettere sul lavoro e lo studio, sulle ingiustizie e la giustizia e sul futuro del paese, non solo per i giovani, ma per tutti gli italiani.   

Questo episodio è in italiano e fa parte della serie Giovani voci dall’Italia. 

Biografia 

Sara Celati, 25 anni, studia giurisprudenza all'Università di Pisa. Fin da piccola, ha sviluppato un forte interesse per i temi legati alla giustizia sociale e alla lotta alle discriminazioni. Infatti, è sua intenzione incentrare la tesi di laurea sullo studio del fenomeno delle discriminazioni in ambito lavoristico.

Fuori dalle aule universitarie, è una grande appassionata di musica (anni '70-'80), sport (soprattutto il calcio) e gioca a scacchi a livello agonistico.

Nel 2022, ha partecipato per 13 puntate al quiz televisivo "L' Eredità", riuscendo a portare a casa un montepremi di €90.000 in gettoni d'oro.

Links 

Università di Pisa - https://www.unipi.it/index.php/english

L’Eredità 

Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27eredit%C3%A0

Watch: https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/leredita

This past April, I sat down with members of the Mama Florence family to chat with them about their relationship with Italian cuisine, their first and most significant food memories and moments, their favorite dishes, and why they love the work they do. What comes out in our conversations is just how inextricably linked food and the idea of home are, and what Mama Florence does every day to foster that important connection. For so many happy participants, Mama Florence becomes a home away from home. An intimate space, the minute you walk through the door you are greeted by enticing and familiar aromas and feel a sense of belonging as you step into their warm and welcoming kitchen. Located in the heart of the authentically Florentine Oltrarno neighborhood, Mama Florence offers something for everyone. Whether you want to take a private or a group class, organize an event for your family, friends, or business, go on a market tour, or participate in a singular Tuscan food experience, Mama Florence will bring you into their home, take you by the hand, and lead you on a journey of tastes, smells, discoveries, emotions, and memories. In this special video, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of Mama Florence, I hope you enjoy the heart, soul and true spirit of Mama, through the voices and stories of those who are spreading joy and knowledge, all the while creating a community and a home through cooking and eating. Recorded at Mama Florence, April 19, 2024 Production Intern, Mark Scott Links https://www.mamaflorence.com/enhttps://www.facebook.com/MaMa.Florenc...https://www.instagram.com/mama.florence/

“From my experience, there's a very different attitude towards careers here; generally speaking, your job doesn't define you. Whenever I speak to Italians, they never ask that as their first question, it’s never ‘what do you do,’ or ‘what's your job’? They're more interested in the life that you live around your job, which is a great thing, it's very commendable, so different from the way we are, so different.” Eleanor Walker

Join us this week for part two of my chat with Eleanor Walker, art historian and British expat living in Florence, Italy. 

During our conversation, Eleanor and I take a deep dive into the reality of living in Italy, and the surprising magnificence that often, and thankfully, accompanies it. 

We cover everything from how our cultures condition us, to how our adoptive culture changes us, and why we choose to go or stay. We also speak about the challenges of forging a career in Italy and transitory friendships, what defines us and brings us joy, Eleanor also tells us more about the current art and arts scene in Florence, and generously shares some of her favorite Florentine sites to visit and why she loves them so much. 

Finally, we reflect upon the crucial role of art and culture in today’s world, the real challenges posed by hyper tourism fueled by social media, and what it means to live a life that so many view and experience as a dream. 

Eleanor Walker Biography 

As a History of Art graduate from the University of Warwick and with a Masters from London’s prestigious Courtauld Institute of Art, Eleanor is a specialist in the art of the Italian Renaissance, in particular the influence of Netherlandish paintings in 15th century Florence. She has recently been most interested in the role of female artists, both in the Renaissance and in the 20th century - her other area of interest. 

She has worked at Sotheby’s and the Portland Gallery in London, and teaches for Art History Abroad and she has leads cultural travel programmes for US museums and galleries. 

In 2021 she started working with Stanford in Florence Study Abroad Programme on the Art History and Italian Contemporary Culture classes, where during her first year she was assistant to Monsignor Timothy Verdon (Director of Florence's Museum dell’ Opera del Duomo). Alongside Stanford, she has been working with art collector and philanthropist Christian Levett towards the opening of the first major museum for female artists in Europe, the Female Artists of the Mougins Museum (FAMM) which opened in June 2024. She works as Collection Manager for the Levett Collection in Florence, whilst continuing to lead exclusive cultural tours and teach Art History.

Eleanor is also a passionate musician. As a flautist, saxophonist and singer, she regularly performs with ensembles in Florence and Tuscany.

Links 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-walker-2a1233a8/

@viewfromthegallery

Recorded at Formaggioteca Terroir on April 2, 2024 

“I really wanted to get into the culture and learn the language, which I did. I wasn't just here to visit and superficially sit and watch what was going on around me. I wanted to immerse myself and become like the locals, live like the locals, to know in my own skin what that is like and that's the only way I could understand how to create a life for myself here.” Rebecca Christophersen Gouttenoire

This past April I sat down at Formaggioteca Terroir, one of my favorite spots in Florence, with Rebecca Christophersen Gouttenoire, a Danish-Canadian who chose to make Florence and Tuscany her home.  

In this first part of our chat, Rebecca shares with us her incredible journey to Italy and invites us into the enchanting world of the paradisiacal wine and cheese bar, Formaggioteca, and the bucolic holiday getaway Campo Sasso, the restoration of which was recently featured on HGTV's Fixer to Fabulous: Italiano. We also speak about her work as a wine educator and tour leader with Grape Tours and, perhaps unsurprisingly, dedicate quite a bit of time talking about wine and cheese, two passions we share. 

Rebecca defines herself as a cheesemonger, wine and food lover, and educator. What you’ll learn in this episode is that she approaches her craft, and everything she takes on, with science, passion, and love, and the end result is nothing less than magical.  

Biography 

In 1995 Rebecca left Denmark for Florence pulled by an interest in Italy and Italian culture and in search of work. Her path, and her passions for food and wine, led her to the hospitality sector.  During her career she has worn many different hats and has always been very intentional about the importance of learning, growing, and evolving in her field. 

There is little that Rebecca Christophersen Gouttenoire can’t and doesn’t do. With her husband Pierre, she is co-founder and co-owner of Grape Tours, Formaggioteca Terroir, and the newly refurbished Tuscan dream getaway, Campo Sasso, which she defines as the consolidation of their family and their various ventures. 

A renovated old farmhouse in the Chianti Classico area, Campo Sasso was recently featured on the HGTV home restoration 6-episode series Fixer to Fabulous Italiano. It is now open for what Rebecca defines as retreats with an array of food and wine experiences that enable you to get under the skin of Tuscany. They also just launched  What's Cookin' at Campo Sasso? An independent cooking show where various chefs and foodies share delicious recipes. 

Links 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-christophersen-gouttenoire-b86a1b168/

https://www.facebook.com/rebeccainflorence

https://www.instagram.com/rebeccagouttenoire/

Campo Sasso 

https://www.camposasso.com/

https://www.instagram.com/camposasso/

https://www.facebook.com/camposasso

https://www.camposasso.com/fixer-to-fabulous-italiano

Formaggioteca Terroir 

https://en.formaggiotecaterroir.it/

https://www.instagram.com/formaggioteca/

https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=formaggioteca%20terroir

Grape Tours 

https://www.tuscan-wine-tours.com/

https://linktr.ee/Grapetours

https://www.tuscan-wine-tours.com/grapetrotters

https://www.youtube.com/@lifeisgrapeintuscany

https://www.instagram.com/grapetours/

Registrato il 12 Marzo 2024 a Musikalmente Firenze

“Chi di noi non si è trovato in una situazione di incertezza, sfiducia, incapacità di decidere, non vedere la strada, non riuscire a capire? Quali sono le cose per cui vale la pena impegnarsi? Chi di noi non si è trovato mai in una situazione di questo genere?” Matteo Perchiazzi

In questa seconda parte della mia conversazione con Matteo Perchiazzi continuiamo ad affrontare temi legati al ruolo cruciale che il mentoring ha in tutti gli aspetti della nostra vita, dalla scuola ai nostri percorsi personali e professionali. Quindi dedichiamo ancora spazio e tempo alle problematiche legate ai giovani, dando esempi e strategie concreti che possono essere di grande aiuto per genitori, insegnanti, mentor e mentee.

Durante questo dialogo, Matteo ci illustra l’importanza di avere obiettivi precisi ma anche quant’è fondamentale avere sogni grandi e la libertà di esplorare unacostellazione degli insegnamenti che diventano poi delle risorse preziose.

Inoltre, parliamo del mentoring nello sport e lo sport nel mentoring, i modi in cui il mentoring ha il potere di cambiare le dinamiche professionali e gli ambienti di lavoro, e se, come chiedo a Matteo, abbiamo tutti bisogno di un mentor. 

Amanti del tennis, non vi preoccupate! Parliamo non solo di tennis ma anche un po’ del grande campione italiano, Jannick Sinner, e le lezioni che possiamo portare via dalla sua vita.  

Biografia 

Matteo Perchiazzi è consulente senior di sviluppo risorse umane e formazione per enti e aziende. È l'ideatore e il fondatore della SIM. E nel 2021 riceve l’Awards di EMCC Global IPMA Master Practitioner, ricevuto fino a quel tempo da solo 3 persone in Europa. Si occupa di ricerca sociale e del lavoro, di ricerca e sviluppo di metodologie di valutazione, formazione e orientamento. In Italia è pioniere nella ricerca, formazione e consulenza del Mentoring, di cui si occupa dal 2002, in particolare del Mentoring per l’orientamento e il ri-orientamento al lavoro. È alla costante ricerca di settore nuovi in cui applicare il Mentoring e ha di recente codificato il filone del Mentoring nello sport con l’Academy Sport, risultato di ricerca e progetti nel settore da 10 anni.

È stato consulente e referente scientifico per il Ministero della Difesa – Aeronautica Militare Italiana ISMA – CEFODIMA per la NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan del contingente dei Mentor – Advisor dell’aeronautica Militare Italiana, ed in Iraq.

Prima della fondazione della SIM, ha collaborato con numerosi enti, aziende ed enti per la messa a punto, gestione, valutazione monitoraggio di progetti di Mentoring come il Rotary Internazionale Sud – America ‘Rotary eMentoring’, Mentoring ex – allievi Scuole militari, Fil Spa e varie agenzie formative in progetti di Mentoring nell’ambito del career management e del career counseling.

Ha pubblicato “Apprendere il Mentoring” (2008) con Transeuropa e “Raccontare le competenze” (con F. Batini e G. Del Sarto,) 2007. Ha collaborato ed è stato curatore alla traduzione italiana di “A ciascuno il suo mentore” di David Clutterbuck edito da Franco Angeli 2019, insieme a Marco Laganà. Il suo ultimo libro, “Imparo dunque sono” (2023) è un volume ricco di esercitazioni e applicazione pratiche, che rispondono alle domande su cosa sia il mentoring e su come possa essere realizzato nella scuola italiana.

Links

linkedin.com/in/matteo-perchiazzi

scuolaitalianadimentoring.com 

Steven Kotler - https://www.theartofimpossible.com/

Production Intern: Mark Scott 

“Going back to Sarah Parker Remond, this city has a long history of what nowadays we call inclusion. At the time it was cosmopolitanism, right? This city is very, very open and welcoming and, you know, it has its challenges, but I would like to quote a student of mine who last week told me that, Florence is too big to be such a small city.” Lucia Ducci

In this second part of my conversation with Lucia Ducci, Director of the College of the Holy Cross’s Florence Program, we continue to speak about Lucia’s journey to where she is right now, the work she is doing with Holy Cross undergraduates in Florence, her research interests, her take on the world today, and hopes for the future.

We also take a deeper dive into the inspiring life and legacy of pioneer US expat in Italy Sarah Parker Remond and why her story is so important and relevant today.

Biography

Lucia Ducci is Director of the Florence Program for the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Massachusetts, professor of Italian, and a translator.

She holds a Ph.D from the University of Florence with a dissertation on the US perception of Italy during the first two decades of the 20th century. She is the author of a book, with Stefano Luconi and Matteo Pretelli, on the relations between Italy and the United States from the Risorgimento to the consequences of 9/11, and of a collection of letters of George Perkins Marsh, first US Ambassador to Italy and father of ecology.

Over the last few years, she has focused her research on emancipation and women’s movements.

Lucia is also a certified yogi and nlp (neurolinguistic programming) practitioner. She says that the best day of her life was meeting Gloria Steinem and conversing with her.

linkedin.com/in/lucia-ducci-b4089b100

https://www.instagram.com/sunflowerfiel29/

Links

College of the Holy Cross

https://www.holycross.edu/

Holy Cross Program Florence

https://www.holycross.edu/engaged-learning/study-abroad/italy/universit%C3%A0-di-firenze

University of Florence

https://www.unifi.it/vp-11335-welcome-to-unifi.html

Sarah Parker Remond Biography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Parker_Remond

Santa Maria Nuova Hospital https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital_of_Santa_Maria_Nuova

Santa Maria Nuova Foundation

https://www.fondazionesantamarianuova.it/

Santa Maria Nuova Museum

https://www.fondazionesantamarianuova.it/scopri-il-museo-di-santa-maria-nuova/

Season 2, Episode 18

From East to West: Art, Aesthetics & Sustainable Fashion, Part 2

featuring Vea Chen

In the second half of my chat with Vea Chen we expound further upon fashion and speak about Vea’s approach to her dream of founding a sustainable fashion brand and the concrete steps she has taken and is taking to make that dream a reality.

We also grapple with the meaning of fashion, today and throughout history, and the significance, on several levels, of what we choose to wear, what we wear, how we dress on a daily basis, and see and express ourselves

Vea and I also look at fashion through the lenses of contemporary art, social movements, pop culture, and subcultures. We also delve into the problematic ways in which influencers and social media dictate our fashion choices and what can be done to counter that.

Finally, we reflect upon what is important, not only to young people studying fashion today, but also to gen z more broadly, and Vea introduces a thought-provoking vision of the future of fashion.

Vea Chen Biography

Vea Chen was born in China and earned a degree in Mathematics and Economics from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Subsequently, she spent five years working with US Multinational corporations. Her exposure to luxury perfumeries during her professional journey sparked a keen interest in fashion.

While on vacation in Japan, the philosophy of respecting nature and craftsmanship deeply resonated with her, leading to the realization that her true passion lies in the creative industry and art. Motivated by this revelation, she made the decision to pursue studies in fashion at Polimoda in Italy with the goal of establishing a business centered around sustainable fashion with healing properties. She firmly believes that fashion plays a significant role in people's lives, influencing emotions and adding vibrancy. In an era dominated by the starkness of black in street fashion and people's attention are drawn to the online world, her aspiration is to add color, beauty, slow fashion, and human touch to people's lives.

https://www.instagram.com/vvronica_vea/

https://www.polimoda.com/

❤️Special Valentine’s Day Weekend Edition❤️

Jill Romanelli, Head Event Planner, Tuscan Wedding

Are you dreaming about getting married in Tuscany? Perhaps you’ve already decided that you want a Tuscan destination wedding, but just don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’re a hopeless romantic like me and want to celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend by listening to some fantastic stories about weddings.

Whatever the case may be, you won’t want to miss this very special edition of 15 with Fosca, featuring my amazing guest, Jill Romanelli, head event planner at Tuscan Wedding. 

Join Jill and me as we speak about her personal journey to Florence, the intricate and multi-faceted nature of her work, and what makes her so special to so many couples. We also chat about timelines and logistics and Jill recounts some curious and fun stories from some of the weddings she’s planned, gives great tips for couples thinking about getting married in Tuscany, and highlights some current and future wedding trends.  

Ultimately, we talk a lot about love, and I even call upon her expert skills and witness her process by asking her to plan my imaginary dream destination wedding. 

Jill Romanelli’s Biography

Greetings! 

Meet Jill Romanelli, head event planner at Tuscan Wedding. On any given day, she can be found in project boards and exploring picturesque venues in the Tuscan countryside. Known for her outgoing attitude, sense of humor, and unwavering determination, Jill is committed to transforming couples' dream weddings in Tuscany into a reality.

Jill finds joy in every aspect of weddings, meticulously planning each detail. Collaborating with skilled photographers, videographers, venues, florists, and other talented professionals, she ensures a seamless and unforgettable experience for the perfect destination wedding in Italy.

For those seeking a planner who not only understands their vision but is also dedicated to bringing it to life, Jill is the ideal choice. Contact her today to embark on the journey of creating the wedding of your dreams in the heart of Tuscany!

https://tuscanwedding.com/

https://www.instagram.com/tuscanwedding/

Season 2, Episode 16

Languages, Literature, and Living Abroad: Cultivating One’s Garden in our Global World

Featuring Chloe Summers Edmondson

Recorded via Zoom, January 2024

“The tools that you gain through studying the humanities are going to serve you in any career that you have…the ability to write and express clearly, to communicate clearly, to solve problems that have no clear answers, to collaborate with others and to think critically. And I think that studying abroad… the skills that it takes, and the tools that you gain that are required to have a positive study abroad experience, are tools that will serve you in any career.” Chloe Summers Edmondson

In this special video episode, recorded via Zoom this past January, Chloe reflects upon how her time abroad, both in Florence and Paris, impacted her professional and personal path and continues to do so to this day.

We muse on the power of learning a foreign language, the cruciality of spending time in another country, and why studying the humanities is more important than ever right now.

Chloe also speaks about her approach to teaching, and I ask her to tell us more about her incredible classes and how she is bringing a new generation of students closer to the humanities, guiding them on a journey of historical awareness that leads them to a profound understanding of the value of the humanities and their relatability to today’s world and its problems.

She also shares with us her current research interests, her take on what we can learn from the past, and how she frames contemporary media issues through an historical and interdisciplinary lens.

Chloe also ruminates on storytelling through time, what she’s doing to bring her research to a broader public and explains why it’s so necessary to cultivate one’s own garden in our global world.

Biography and Links

Dr. Chloe Summers Edmondson is an interdisciplinary and multilingual scholar who specializes in the literature and history of France. Her research is situated at the crossroads of literary criticism, cultural history, and media studies, with a focus on seventeenth- and eighteenth-century France. She currently holds the position of Acting Assistant Professor of French at Stanford University. She is also the France-Stanford Center Fellow for the Roxane Debuisson Collection on Paris History. Lastly, Chloe is the Director of the Undergraduate Research Program for CESTA, the Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis.

She is the author of articles that have been published in multiple academic venues. Chloe co-edited, with Dan Edelstein, the volume, Networks of Enlightenment: Digital Approaches to the Republic of Letters (Liverpool University Press/ Voltaire Foundation, 2019). Her current research has also been featured on the podcast Entitled Opinions about Life and Literature.

Chloe earned a Ph.D. in the Department of French & Italian at Stanford in 2020. She also holds a B.A. in French, with Honors and Distinction, and a M.A. in Communication, both from Stanford.

During her time as an undergraduate student, she studied abroad in Florence and in Paris through the Stanford Bing Overseas Studies Programs.

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-summers-edmondson-phd-4383a589/

Personal Website https://www.chloe-edmondson.com/

Stanford profile https://dlcl.stanford.edu/people/chloe-edmondson

@Chloe_mhse

https://twitter.com/Chloe_mhse

Entitled Opinions https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/entitled-opinions-about-life-and-literature/id81415836?i=1000605045889

We are celebrating one year of the podcast with an entire episode dedicated to you, our listeners, and to your questions about Italy, Italians, and Italian culture. 

Don’t miss this q&a with Mark Scott, a University of Missouri journalism major and Ask Fosca’s very first intern. Mark not only came up with the idea for the podcast, but he also selected your questions, and interviewed me for this very special episode which is really a tribute to my listeners and a sincere thank you for the support you have shown. 

Tune in to learn more about what life in Italy today is really like, why Italians are so particular about how they dress, and to gain some insight into how they feel about tourists, tourism, and overtourism. 

We also speak at length about national identity, family, what it’s like to be a young person in Italy today, Mark’s time in Florence, and much, much more.  

Mark Scott Biography 

Hailing from Saint Louis, Missouri, Mark Scott is a rising senior majoring in journalism at the University of Missouri, Columbia.

Mark spent spring semester 2024 studying in Florence through FUA (Florence University of the Arts) and interned at Ask Fosca from January to May.  

A podcast fan and sports devotee, Mark is especially interested in golf and follows a variety of podcasts covering a wide range of topics. He is currently spending the summer in St. Loius doing a marketing internship and caddying at a local club.   

Mark is an active member of his fraternity, has been on the University of Missouri Columbia Dean’s List several times, and is the recipient of the John Lawrence Broadcasting Award.  

Embracing Florence

Join me for part 2 of my chiacchierata with Elisabetta Verdone, founder and owner of Florence’s Monnalisa Italian Language and Culture School. In this episode, we’ll continue our conversations about the learning journey and talk about Italian study as a moveable feast happening in special places throughout the city. We’ll also touch on favorite Italian words and songs and what they say about the culture and speak about future plans for this jewel of a language school.

Join Francesca Lupia and me for part two of our conversation as we discuss the LGBTIQA+ community, as well as broader questions of gender and identity in Italy today. We also cover where Italy is in terms of these important questions, what’s going on with young Italians today, how to fight brain drain, and why this is a do or die moment for the country.

Further Information and Resources 

Arcigay - Arcigay is Italy’s main LGBTI not-for-profit. It is also the largest in terms of number of volunteers and activists throughout Italy.  

ILGA’s (The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) Report on Italy.

LGBT rights in Italy – Wikipedia’s overview on the status and history of LGBT rights in Italy.

Equaldex LGBT Rights in Italy – A quick look and statistics on the LGBT community in Italy. 

Expatica, LGBT+ rights in Italy – Expatica’s detailed summation of the current situation for Italy’s LGBT+ community.   

LGBTQ Florence - From Feel Florence, the Official Tourism website of the Metropolitan City and the Municipality of Florence. 

ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - THE STATE OF THE NATION - In its 30th Report, Istat (the Italian National Institute of Statistics) provides a snapshot of Italy today, in light of its recent history, highlighting the steps forward and the obstacles still to be tackled.  This is a great site for all of Italy’s “numbers”. 

Gay Friendly Italy – An LGBTQ+ travel guide to Italy  

Is Italy LGBTQIA+ Friendly? - Intrepid Travel’s guide for LGBTQIA+ travelers with guides to queer culture in Rome and Milan.  

Quiiky Magazine’s quick history of LGBT Culture in Italy 

Whether you are a first time voter, a seasoned one, or are voting from abroad for the first time, you will not want to miss this special episode of 15 with Fosca, featuring special guests, Leyani Redditi and Jane Zaloga, respectively Chair and Vice Chair of Central Italy for Democrats Abroad. 

If you are a US citizen living abroad you can vote and this podcast episode gives you a simple, step by step non-partisan guide to what you need to do to make your voice heard by casting your vote by Tuesday, November 5.

Be sure to tune in for important information, clear instructions, deadlines, and resources on how to vote in the upcoming election and why it's so crucial that those of us living abroad get our ballots in and in time.  Every vote really counts.

For local folks, or for those of you who have family or friends currently residing in the Florence area or in Italy, check out the links below for information on Non-Partisan Voter Assistance events, taking place throughout the fall, for all US Citizens in Florence and in Italy.

Leyani Redditi Biography 

Leyani is the Chair of Central Italy for Democrats Abroad. 

She lives just outside Florence with her family. She is originally from Northern California but also lived in Atlanta for many years. She is a teacher, author and farmer.

Jane Zaloga Biography 

Jane is the Vice Chair of Central Italy for Democrats Abroad. Originally from NJ, she has lived in Chicago and the Boston area, but has called Florence, where she teaches art and architectural history, her home for the past 25 years.

LINKS 

https://www.democratsabroad.org/it-central_leaders

https://www.democratsabroad.org/it

https://www.democratsabroad.org/it_central

https://www.democratsabroad.org/it_events

https://www.votefromabroad.org/

https://www.democratsabroad.org/kelly/how_to_vote_from_italy

https://www.democratsabroad.org/donate

https://www.democratsabroad.org/volunteer

https://www.theflorentine.net/2024/08/23/democrats-abroad-voter-assistance-events-florence-italy-us-election/

Season 2, Episode 15 Beautiful Deep: A Journey of Faith, Part 2 Featuring Sherrita Duran “I think the world right now is so dark, darker than ever, you know, and I think about what I can do and in whatever capacity I can, I want to be the opposite of that. I want to bring light. I want to bring faith.” Sherrita Duran In the second half of my conversation with Sherrita Duran, brilliant and delightful singer, songwriter, and fellow US expat in Italy, we take a deeper dive into her life, art, faith, and her magical creative process. Sheritta also unveils the ways that Italy and her spirituality inspire her and her music every day. As moms of teenage girls, the conversation inevitably turns to the challenges and joys of having made the choice to raise our daughters in Italy. We also speak some more about Sherrita’s current plans and she reveals some news on a few of her many notable upcoming projects. Links https://sherrita.com/ https://music.apple.com/it/artist/sherrita-duran/201995862 https://open.spotify.com/artist/4v3o91RHZwTd7Fd4Y94jsv https://www.youtube.com/ciaotanto https://www.instagram.com/sherritaduran https://vt.tiktok.com/ZGeME6csW/

Episodio Speciale in Italiano – Special Episodio in Italiano

La bottega del pittore

“Mi piace relazionarmi con le persone lasciando la mia bottega aperta alla

strada e a tutti coloro che desiderano e amano l’arte; un luogo dove ognuno è

libero di esprimere se stesso sotto la mia guida, accompagnato dai miei

consigli e dalla musica che rende l’atmosfera famigliare e accogliente.”

Tommaso Brogini, Non Finito Art Gallery Studio

Un pomeriggio di primavera arrivo in anticipo per un appuntamento nel

caratteristico quartiere fiorentino di San Niccolò. Assonnata, vado a

prendere un caffè e con la coda dell’occhio noto una cartella appesa

nella vetrina di una bottega dove c’è scritto che si possono fare lezioni di

pittura. Prendo il telefono per fare una foto e mentre cerco di guardare

meglio lo studio, mi sento chiamare e così ho conosciuto Tommaso, che

mi ha invitato a parlare e a entrare nella sua magica bottega dove vi

porto oggi con quest’episodio.

Links

Non Finito Art Gallery Studio – https://www.nonfinito.it/en/

Biografia – https://www.nonfinito.it/lartista/

Corsi – https://www.nonfinito.it/corsi-di-disegno-e-pittura/

La Bottega - https://www.nonfinito.it/la-bottega/

Disegni - https://www.nonfinito.it/disegni/

Michelangiolo – http://www.nonfinito.it/michelangiolo/

Social - https://www.instagram.com/nonfinitoartgallery/

https://www.facebook.com/nonfinitobrogini?locale=it_IT

On our last day in the US this summer, I sat down with my nephew, Samuel Pellegrino McNeill, and my daughter, Giada Veronica Ciampi, to talk about identity, the value of studying the Italian language in the US, and what it’s like growing up half-American in Italy and Italian American in the US today.

In this first part of our chat, we speak about their cultural and linguistic connections, respectively to Italy and to the US, and engage in a dialogue about the similarities and the differences between the two countries, with a specific emphasis on education.

This episode is particularly useful to young people who are curious about what high school and college look like in the United States and in Italy. We also delve into representations of Italy and Italianness in the US and how Americans are perceived by Italians.  

This episode is the first in a special series dedicated to young voices from Italy, giovani voci dall’Italia. The series strives to give space and a platform to a new generation and connects listeners to what they are feeling, thinking, and saying, and to what’s important to them at this moment in time.

Biographies

Samuel Pellegrino McNeill is a pre-law first year student at Fordham College at Lincoln Center planning to major in history. He began his study of Italian while in high school and his passion for the Italian culture and language have inspired him to continue his study of Italian at Fordham. A lover of music, especially jazz, he is a polystrumentalist and also an active member of Fordham’s Model United Nations. Samuel McNeill was inducted into the National Honors Society, the Tri-M Music Honors Society, and the Dante Alighieri Honors Society; he is also the recipient of Cresskill High School’s History Department award for academic excellence.

Giada Veronica Ciampi is in her third year of liceo classico in Florence. When she is not studying and translating Latin and ancient Greek, you’ll find her playing piano, listening to Taylor Swift, reading, volunteering, working as an English tutor, or binging her favorite TV shows. She is also a Red Cross certified lifeguard. Giada is applying to attend Brown University’s Pre-College Program in Summer 2024 and is planning to go to college in the U.S. after finishing liceo in Italy.

Approaching Dante Inferno to Paradise, part 1 Featuring Riccardo Bruscagli “Dante at a certain point wakes up, looks around, and doesn’t recognize the physical and the moral landscape around him. This is a moment of fracture in his existence, and it is a moment of fracture which implies naturally not only his private life, but the life around him, which makes no sense anymore.” Riccardo Bruscagli What a pleasure to sit down with Riccardo Bruscagli, Professor Emeritus of Italian Literature, University of Florence, to discuss the one and only, Dante Alighieri, and, more specifically the riveting two-part documentary film Dante: Inferno to Paradise directed by Ric Burns and written by Bruscagli, currently streaming on PBS.    In this first episode, Riccardo takes us expertly and captivatingly through the entire process from how the project was born to the enthusiastic response it's received.   Don't miss this important conversation about the film which is a stunning mix of evocative historical reconstructions, interspersed with expert readings of Dante's life and work, provided by Riccardo and other illustrious Italianists from the world over. All of this with luscious footage, the magic of Dante's poetry, and keys to understanding the relevance and importance of Dante's journey to us all.  Biography & Links Riccardo Bruscagli is Emeritus Professor of Italian Literature at the University of Florence.  He was a full Professor of Italian Literature at the University from 1987 until his retirement. In 2010 he was elected Dean of the Faculty. Riccardo has given lectures and been visiting professor at many renowned universities the world over including Stanford, Berkeley, Rutgers, CUNY, the Sorbonne and Bonn Universität, to name a few. He is a member of the board of directors of the Società Dantesca. Most recently, he has teamed up with documentary filmmaker Ric Burns to write and produce a PBS documentary on Dante Alighieri and The Divine Comedy.

Dante: Inferno to Paradise 

Ric Burns 

Stream on PBS 

Società Dantesca

Teatro della Pergola 

University of Florence 

Space and the City, Part 2 Featuring Devorah Block, Strategy & Engagement Educator & Advisor for the Third Sector, Salon of Urban Architecture & Circles Squared “What we are looking at as a global society, in different shades and in different ways and with different contexts and nuances, and what a lot of people are seeking out, is putting a real value on the human again. With the difference that it's the human contextualized within our larger living ecosystem, not person first, but that we need to somehow live in balance with all the forms of life that are around us.” Devorah Block What is the future of our cities? What’s changing and what needs to change and how can we as citizens be agents of urban transformation? Join me and special guest, Devorah Block, as we continue our conversation about the built environment and discuss her work with the Place Literacy Project regarding how we use space, how we get to and move within our spaces, and the significance of adaptation, inclusion, education, and sustainability in architecture today. We also touch upon how our cities are designed, how those decisions are made, and how we can empower people to ask questions about the built environment that will ultimately change the way our cities are designed. Furthermore, we speak at length about the Salon of Urban Architecture. Much more than a salon, S/UA is an intellectual space in Florence, a real gem in the city’s cultural landscape, created by Karin Templin, Ros Diamond, and Devorah, where dialogues around urbanism, that use Florence’s role as a natural classroom, are currently happening. Imagine an intimate gathering of people with diverse backgrounds, interests, and professions coming together as a community in an archetypal Florentine space to exchange ideas and ask questions about the way we live. Check out their next event here: https://www.salonofurbanarchitecture.com/salons Devorah Block Biography & Links https://www.devorahblock.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/devorah-block/ https://www.salonofurbanarchitecture.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/salon-of-urban-architecture/ https://www.instagram.com/salon.of.urban.architecture.it/ https://circlessquared.org/ https://www.builtenvironmentliteracy.org/ Other related links https://www.palazzostrozzi.org/en/ https://www.manifatturatabacchi.com/en/ https://curbatheri.niku.no/case-the-san-donato-neighbourhood/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosco_Verticale

“Francesca once wrote that she wanted to write her autobiography. I hope that by writing the definitive narrative of her life, Francesca will finally have this desire fulfilled, and the world can know her as she was: multifaceted, on fire about life and art, and solare.” Amy Love Tomasso 

Warning: This episode discusses suicide.

In this week’s episode my special guest, Amy Love Tomasso, and I delve into the life and work of the iconic photographer Francesca Woodman. More specifically, we talk about her relationship with Italy. Amy first discovered the artist as a young college student studying abroad at Cornell’s Art, Architecture & Urban Planning Program in Rome. Since then, she has been on a mission to locate Francesca Woodman’s voice and speak her truth. As Amy says, “I believe that her formative year in Rome has not been adequately explored in the literature (at least not in English). The correspondences contained in Giuseppe’s 2011 exhibit and accompanying catalog Francesca Stern Woodman Roma 1977-1981 are an important window into Francesca’s animus, and inspirations during her time in Italy, that have not been widely introduced to an audience beyond Italy. So much of Francesca’s truth, as well as her rigorous artistic foundation, is contained in her time in Rome.”

Further Reading and Links 

Amy Love Tommaso’s Biography 

Amy Tomasso grew up in a large Italian-American family in central Connecticut. When Latin was cut from her high school’s budget, she taught herself Italian at age 15 using her father’s college textbook and honed her speaking skills that year with the first of many visits to her relatives in Italy’s Abruzzo region. On this formative trip to Italy, Amy fell in love with the piazza, the quintessential Italian public space, which led her to major in Urban Studies and minor in Italian at Stanford University. While studying urbanism and photography abroad in Rome her junior year, Amy was introduced to the work of the photographer Francesca Woodman, who would become a central research and writing subject. Amy went on to receive her MFA in Creative Writing from Hollins University in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, where she continued researching and chronicling Woodman’s life, artistic contributions, and time in Italy. A lover of storytelling and community, Amy currently works for the Vermont Department of Housing & Community Development and works on her creative writing by night. In her free time, Amy is an avid triathlete, traveler, and Italophile. She plans to return to Italy to complete her book project about Francesca Woodman next year. 

Francesca Woodman’s Official Biography (The Woodman Foundation)

https://woodmanfoundation.org/francesca/biography

The Woodman Foundation 

https://woodmanfoundation.org/

The Tate’s Finding Francesca

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/francesca-woodman-10512/finding-francesca

Francesca Woodman’s Biography (Gagosian) 

https://gagosian.com/artists/francesca-woodman/

Francesca Stern Woodman Roma 1977-1981: Exhibit at Il Museo del Louvre

https://www.ilmuseodellouvre.com/2011/05/23/francesca-woodman-photographs-1977-1981/

Public Collections

https://woodmanfoundation.org/francesca/public

Exhibitions

https://woodmanfoundation.org/francesca/exhibitions

https://gagosian.com/news/artist/francesca-woodman/museum-exhibitions/

Global Suicide Hotline Resources

https://faq.whatsapp.com/1417269125743673/?helpref=uf_share

“In the museums, when you go there, you feel like you're taking a bath, it's like a bath in art. And then you just feel a whole refresh, your eyes are brighter, and you see things in different colors. I feel like art influences a person subconsciously a lot, much more than what you can think with your logic. After I go to the Uffizi, even after three days, the effects start to emerge in me.” Vea Chen

Imagine a dream, a recurring dream, that leads you to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

That’s part of today’s story, that of Vea Chen, and of her journey from Singapore to Italy, driven by a revelation she had while on vacation in Japan, and of what she is doing to make her real-life dream of establishing a business centered around sustainable fashion with healing properties a reality.

In this first part of our conversation, we hear more about her love of art, the importance of aesthetics, her vision of fashion today, her company’s mission, and her ultimate aspiration of adding color, beauty, slow fashion, and a human touch to people's lives.

Tune in to hear more about what drew Vea to Florence, why she chose to study and make her life here, and why she feels that it is the ideal place for her to be working as a sustainable fashion entrepreneur today.

Vea Chen Biography

Vea Chen was born in China and earned a degree in Mathematics and Economics from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Subsequently, she spent five years working with US Multinational corporations. Her exposure to luxury perfumeries during her professional journey sparked a keen interest in fashion.

While on vacation in Japan, the philosophy of respecting nature and craftsmanship deeply resonated with her, leading to the realization that her true passion lies in the creative industry and art. Motivated by this revelation, she made the decision to pursue studies in fashion at Polimoda in Italy with the goal of establishing a business centered around sustainable fashion with healing properties. She firmly believes that fashion plays a significant role in people's lives, influencing emotions and adding vibrancy. In an era dominated by the starkness of black in street fashion and people's attention are drawn to the online world, her aspiration is to add color, beauty, slow fashion, and human touch to people's lives.

https://www.instagram.com/vvronica_vea/

https://www.polimoda.com/

“I think for anyone who lives in Italy or is interested in Italy, it's really valuable and interesting to keep those other connections in mind. The Mediterranean touches us all in some way or other.” Ali Aydin Karamustafa

In part two of our conversation, Ali and I continue to discuss Italy’s relationship to its Mediterranean neighbors and to the Islamic world through the ages and take a deeper dive into a wide range of topics touching on Italy’s colonial past, postwar history, contemporary politics, and immigration. 

Once again through Ali’s commentary, informed by a keen historical lens, we also look at Italy’s ambiguous position, geographically and politically, delve into the complicated questions surrounding immigration in the country today, and explore broader topics related to economics and politics, in Italy, Europe, and on a global level. 

Finally, we talk about what’s in store for Ali and he shares with us some exciting projects he has in the works for the immediate future. 

Ali Aydin Karamustafa Biography

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Ali Aydin Karamustafa is a historian of the Ottoman and Safavid worlds, and his research focuses on oral and written traditions concerning origins, conquest, legitimacy, and rebellion which were produced and circulated by political communities from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries across Eurasia. 

Primarily based in Bologna, Italy, since 2018, he currently teaches at Stanford University's Breyer Center for Overseas Studies Program in Florence. In January 2020, he received his PhD in history from Stanford in Transnational, International, and Global History. His dissertation focused on the popular culture of the Middle East in the 16th-18th centuries, in particular, the epic of Köroğlu. 

He speaks and reads several regional languages, and works with manuscripts, journals, and print sources for his research. He has extensive travel and research experience in Iran, Turkey, Jordan, the Caucasus, and Russia.
He is interested in applying his expertise in historical analysis and language skills to carry out research on contemporary politics and economics in Europe and the Middle East. 

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-aydin-karamustafa-507442170/

Recorded March 5, 2024 @ Musikalmente Firenze

Production Intern: Mark Scott 

In part two of my conversation with Giada and Sam, we continue to discuss some of the most critical differences between the US and Italian education systems and how they are shaping a new generation of global citizens. As we dig deeper into these questions, and their inevitable cultural implications, we also touch upon activism, walk-outs, and the very Italian notions of occupazione and scioperi, happening all over Italian high schools right now, and which Giada helps us unpack. 

We also have fun talking about English and Italian vocabulary and pronunciation, reflect on the challenges of language learning, and begin to approach the trickier nuances of both languages and cultures. Finally, and perhaps not surprisingly, we also mention coffee and food culture.  

This episode is the second in a special series dedicated to young voices from Italy, giovani voci dall’Italia. The series strives to give space and a platform to a new generation and connects listeners to what they are feeling, thinking, and saying, and to what’s important to them at this moment in time.  

Biographies

Samuel Pellegrino McNeill is a pre-law first year student at Fordham College at Lincoln Center planning to major in history. He began his study of Italian while in high school and his passion for the Italian culture and language have inspired him to continue his study of Italian at Fordham. A lover of music, especially jazz, he is a polystrumentalist and also an active member of Fordham’s Model United Nations. Samuel McNeill was inducted into the National Honors Society, the Tri-M Music Honors Society, and the Dante Alighieri Honors Society; he is also the recipient of Cresskill High School’s History Department award for academic excellence.  

Giada Veronica Ciampi is in her third year of liceo classico in Florence. When she is not studying and translating Latin and ancient Greek, you’ll find her playing piano, listening to Taylor Swift, reading, volunteering, working as an English tutor, or binging her favorite TV shows. She is also a Red Cross certified lifeguard. Giada is applying to attend Brown University’s Pre-College Program in Summer 2024 and is planning to go to college in the U.S. after finishing liceo in Italy. 

Lexicon and Links 

DIGOS 

Divisione Investigazioni Generali e Operazioni Speciali 

Riot police, Special Ops. Police

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divisione_Investigazioni_Generali_e_Operazioni_Speciali

Occupazione  

Italian Definition- https://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/occupazione/ 

English Translation - https://www.wordreference.com/iten/occupazione

Sciopero 

Italian Definition - https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/sciopero/?search=Sciopero

English Translation - https://www.wordreference.com/iten/sciopero

Google news search results in Italian on current occupazioni at Italian high schools: 

https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=588686839&rlz=1C5CHFA_enIT1052IT1052&sxsrf=AM9HkKlAi1jXwAb6DVT8vcn5niUac2JG9w:1701943612682&q=occupazioni+licei&tbm=nws&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwji1teDiv2CAxUpy7sIHQ6sBOQQ0pQJegQIChAB&biw=1450&bih=834&dpr=2

The Italian Ministry of Education, Overview 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Education,_University_and_Research

Ministero dell’Istruzione e del Merito, Official Webiste (in Italian only) 

https://www.miur.gov.it/

European Commission, Overview of National Education Systems, Italy 

https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-education-systems/italy/overview

K-12 Study in the States

https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/students/get-started/kindergarten-to-grade-12-students

Higher Education in the US, Overview  

https://educationusa.state.gov/experience-studying-usa/us-educational-system

“Nowadays we have 7 seconds to get the audience’s attention. It used to be 5 minutes. With the advent of social media, with all the swiping, our attention span has gone down to 7 seconds. If you don't get your audience’s attention in 7 seconds, that's it, they're gone.” Elia Nichols 

Join me for the first part of my informative and lively chat with my charming guest, Elia Nichols, actress, public speaking and communication coach, TEDx speaker, and fellow US expat in Florence. 

We begin with Elia’s story about what led her to Florence in the first place, talk about her successful acting career in Italy in theater and film, her leading role in an incredibly popular Italian TV teen sitcom, how she ultimately pivoted, and where she is right now. 

Throughout our conversation Elia draws on professional and personal experiences and her savoir-faire to explain the cultural nuances of communication and shares with us her keen insights on the power of our bodies and voices and provides us with practical tools we can all use in our daily lives to be more dynamic, charismatic, and effective communicators.

Finally, we speak honestly and openly, mom to mom, about the challenges of finding balance while juggling family and business, and the importance of always feeding your soul. 

Elia Nichols Biography & Links 

Elia Nichols is an American-born, Italian-based Public Speaking and Communication coach, TEDx Speaker, a 2x TEDx Speaking coach, and a film and TV actress. Her mindful, yet fun teaching techniques have helped thousands of people master the skill of charisma and break communication barriers.

Elia teaches speakers and professionals in strategic business and leadership roles effective ways to perfect their presence and speaking skills onstage, in the courtroom, classroom, boardroom and onscreen.

Her techniques incorporate elements of theatre, improvisation and comedy into teachings as she has found that this type of mindful and fun experiential learning leads to the most effective, transformational changes in her clients.

Elia believes that charisma is a skill that can be learned and which, once mastered, has the potential to motivate, persuade, inspire, and advance business and personal interests.

She has held high-level jobs in Public and External Relations as well as Learning and Development, which has given her insight into both the academic and business environments. In addition, she has been a professor of Public Speaking and Communication at renowned academic institutions such as the European University Institute, Syracuse University, the European School of Economics, Istituto Lorenzo de’Medici and the University of Texas at Austin.

She has been a professional actress for 15 years and is best known for her starring role as Professor Tucker in the comedic TV series Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends that airs nightly on the RAI Gulp channel in Italy and in 180 countries across the globe on Netflix. She also co-founded F.E.S.T.A. Theatre Company and produced and acted in many of its productions.
Elia received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Tulane University and her Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Texas at Austin.

https://elianichols.com/about/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elianichols/

https://www.facebook.com/elianicholspublicspeaking

https://www.facebook.com/elia.nichols

https://www.facebook.com/EliaNicholsActress

https://www.instagram.com/elianichols/

https://www.instagram.com/nicholselia/

https://www.maggieandbianca.com/en

Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze

Podcast Editor: Andrew Niklas Curtis

Production Intern: Ava Lees

“A lawyer is not just the one who is going to defend you in court but is also a kind of guide that pushes you in the correct way, to enhance and to explore your ideas. That is exactly my role in the context of beauty.” Claudia Del Re 

In this first part of my conversation with Claudia Del Re, she shares with us why she thinks she’s one of the luckiest lawyers ever, defining herself as the “attorney of beauty”.

Claudia brings us into her world and illustrates the work that she does by offering clear, expert guidance and advice buttressed by concrete examples, strategies and tips on how to preserve and protect one’s creations and intellectual property.  

She also speaks to the specific challenges regarding Florence’s artisans and centuries-old traditions of craftsmanship and the difficulties in protecting this important cultural heritage and ensuring that these techniques are not lost. 

We also touch upon AI and technology, the nuances of the law when it comes to wine, fashion, intellectual property and a host of other areas, and the importance of keeping trade secrets secret.

Finally, we talk about her teaching, what the university students who take her classes are interested in and what they worry about, and she gives us her keen insights on the future of fashion.  

Claudia Del Re Biography & Links 

Claudia Del Re

Lawyer and founding partner of the Del Re Law Firm | Florence – Milan, Privacy Officer, Contract Professor and research collaborator at the University of Florence, Lecturer at Polimoda-International Institute of Fashion, Design and Marketing, start-up and research spin-off trainer, University consultant and Research Institutions regarding university technology transfer. 

Specialized in corporate matters, Claudia Del Re is particularly focused on Intellectual and Industrial Property issues, such as contracts concerning industrial inventions and industrial design patents, trademarks, license or transfer of industrial property rights, protection of industrial secrets, protection, license and transfer of know-how, confidential information, etc. Additionally, she is interested in the juridical area of Information and Communication Technology combined with Privacy Law, in the areas relating to e-commerce and telecommunications rights. Specialties: Intellectual and Industrial Property matters, Civil Law, Competition Law, Contract and Business Law, Copyright Law, Corporate Law, Data Protection, Fashion Law, Information Technology Law, International Privacy Law, Third Sector Law,  Wine Law.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiadelre/

https://claudiadelre.it/

https://www.instagram.com/clodelre/?hl=en

Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze, May 14, 2024 

Learning Italian with compassion, flexibility and in expert hands at Florence’s Scuola Monna Lisa

Studying a foreign language can be a frustrating process for so many of us, regardless of our age, but it doesn’t have to and it shouldn’t be.

Imagine studying the Italian language in its birthplace, in the heart of beautiful downtown Florence, in a fun and relaxing environment and with a personal touch.

Tune in for my conversation with Elisabetta Verdone, Head of Florence’s MonnaLisa Italian Language and Culture School, to learn more about the fantastic school that she runs and her customized and empathetic approach to the learning journey.

Episodio speciale in italiano – Special episode in Italian

Join me for the first part of an informative and lively conversation with musicians Eric Buffat and Maurizio Tomberli, founders of Florence Academy, a modern music school, housed in a Renaissance palazzo in the heart of downtown Florence.

In this episode, we talk about how Florence Academy shapes young musicians and transforms them into savvy artists able to navigate skillfully all aspects of today’s music industry. We also converse about the many ways that Florence inspires musical creativity and why the city is an ideal place to study, write, and make music.

We also provide details on how to enroll in their BA Program, as well as how to do what they call their “DIY Program” for those coming to Florence for a short period of time and would like to continue learning and playing music in this harmonious and uplifting community of artists.

Links

Florence Academy

https://www.florenceacademy.it/

Eric Buffat

https://www.ericbuffat.com/

Maurizio Tomberli

http://www.mauriziotomberli.it/index.php

University of the West of Scotland

https://www.uws.ac.uk/

Palazzo Taddei

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Taddei

Laboratorio Musical Walter Savelli

https://www.laboratoriomusicalewaltersavelli.it/

“Il Moro aims to be an ode to self-love for Black-Italians, Afropeans and the African diaspora, a reminder that we are an integral part of European history beyond the way it has portrayed us up until now.” Daphne Di Cinto, Il Moro – The Moor: a Real Black Duke, Beyond Fiction. The Los Angeles Tribune, April 19, 2022.

In this very special episode, recorded via Zoom, I speak with Daphne Di Cinto, director, screenwriter, and producer of the ground-breaking short film Il Moro - The Moor, winner of the Oscar Qualifying Reel Sisters Film Festival.

Il Moro - The Moor, Di Cinto’s directorial debut, is an enthralling film that explores the extraordinary life of the first Duke of Florence in 1530, Alessandro de' Medici, the first black man to ascend to the position of head of state in early modern Western Europe. The film presents a compelling narrative and sheds light on an often-overlooked historical figure and his significant role in European history. 

Join Daphne di Cinto and me for a truly interesting conversation about Il Moro -The Moor, and its significance and relevance to the present, and to the lives of generations of Afro-Europeans. The film speaks to critical issues that still plague our society today and we touch on crucial questions related to identity and belonging, to what diversity in Italy looks like right now, and to the importance of ensuring that these missing historical key players, their stories, and their truth, are finally told and brought to light.

Useful Links and Background Information 

Support the film

www.ilmorofilm.com

Il Moro has partnered with Creative Visions in its race to the Awards! 

Read more about the project and how you can support Il Moro with a tax-deductible donation here: https://creative-visions.networkforgood.com/projects/204674-il-moro-the-moor-s-fundraiser

Daphne Di Cinto Biography

Daphne Di Cinto is a Black-Italian screenwriter, director, actor, and producer born and raised in the North of Italy. She begins her film and theatre studies in Rome, where she focuses on acting at the Scuola di Cinema, while getting her degree in Communication Science at Roma Tre University. She attends the faculty of cinema at the Sorbonne in Paris before moving to New York for her master’s in fine arts at the Actors Studio Drama School. She is currently based in London. 

Il Moro-The Moor, her directorial debut, has won several accolades at international film festivals, including Best Short Film at the Italian Black Movie Awards and at the Fabrique du Cinema Awards, Best Acting Ensemble at Venezia Shorts and Best Director of a Foreign Language Short at Madrid International Film Festival, in addition to winning the Academy Awards Qualifier Reel Sisters Film Festival. 

Daphne received the Cultured Focus Visionary in Film Award during the 79th Venice Film Festival and the Leader of Change in Creativity Award at the 2023 Black Carpet Awards. 

As a screenwriter, she is interested in themes of identity, belonging, migrations and the female gaze. 

Daphne played Sarah Bassett, the Duchess of Hastings in the Netflix series Bridgerton. 

Daphne di Cinto on Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/daphnedicinto/

Daphne di Cinto’s Linkedin Profile

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphne-di-cinto/

Il Moro on Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/ilmorofilm/

Il Moro Official Trailer

https://vimeo.com/573594129

Il Moro Linktree

https://linktr.ee/Ilmorofilm

Approaching Dante 

Inferno to Paradise, part 2 

Featuring Riccardo Bruscagli

“Dante addresses the core of our humanity and his message is your life matters. Take care of it. Your life matters.” Riccardo Bruscagli

Last week Professor Riccardo Bruscagli delighted us with his reading of and reflections on The Divine Comedy, led us on a discovery of the poet’s masterpiece,and invited us into the world of the PBS two-part documentary film Dante: Inferno to Paradise directed by Ric Burns and co-written by Bruscagli and Burns.

In today’s episode, we dig deeper into the film, explore the complexities of the poet’s characters and, with Riccardo’s expert guidance, come to understand and appreciate how much we, as contemporary readers, can learn from Dante. 

Biography & Links 

Riccardo Bruscagli is Emeritus Professor of Italian Literature at the University of Florence.  He was a full Professor of Italian Literature at the University from 1987 until his retirement. In 2010 he was elected Dean of the Faculty.

Riccardo has given lectures and been visiting professor at many renowned universities the world over including Stanford, Berkeley, Rutgers, CUNY, the Sorbonne and Bonn Universität, to name a few. He is a member of the board of directors of the Società Dantesca. 

Most recently, he has teamed up with documentary filmmaker Ric Burns to write and produce a PBS documentary on Dante Alighieri and The Divine Comedy.

Dante: Inferno to Paradise

Ric Burns

Stream on PBS

Società Dantesca

Teatro della Pergola

University of Florence

“It's such an interesting, eye-opening experience of people and their relationship with their culinary foundation; just the way that they eat and survive in their world. I think where that bar is is extremely telling about the priorities of a culture and the priorities of the people within it.” Mike Reisman, on eating in Italy 

Shortly after he returned from a trip to Rome, Florence, and Milan, I sat down for a Zoom chat with Mike Reisman, mixologist, foodie, cook, musician, and first time Italy visitor. This episode covers Mike’s approach to Italy, his professional and personal expectations for the visit, and what ended up impacting him the most.  Once back in Philadelphia, Mike reflects upon solo and off-season travel, making deep connections and forging friendships through cultural curiosity and humility, respect, and openness. We also talk quite a bit about food, wine, and cocktails as well as the importance of honoring and appreciating one’s craft and that of others. 

Don’t miss some great stories about Mike’s adventures in Italy, his advice for meeting people and gaining precious cultural insights even if visiting for Italy for the first time, and for a short time.  

Mike Reisman Bio. 

Mike Reisman runs the bar program at Vernick Food & Drink, one of Philadelphia’s top restaurants, located in the Center City neighborhood. He has years of experience in the food and beverage industry, both in back and front of house, including being a cook in French and New American restaurants, working for a wine producer, and “speakeasy” craft cocktail bartending. This cumulative experience created a well-rounded base of knowledge in food, wine, and spirits. Mike’s travel experience stems largely from being a professional touring and recording musician for primarily Rock and Pop artists including writing and recording for several albums, singles, and sharing bills with famous acts such as Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Steven Van Zandt & The Disciples of Soul, and The Hooters, as well as appearing in publications such as Rolling Stone Magazine.

https://www.instagram.com/mikereisman/

https://www.facebook.com/mike.reisman.39

Links 

Vernick Philly 

https://vernickphilly.com/

“I really felt like I came alive here. Life felt simultaneously easier and harder, but underneath all of that, more inspiring and enlivening. And it's something that I just couldn't leave.” Alexandria Brown-Hejazi

In this special, long episode featuring art historian Alexandria Brown-Hejazi, we begin by speaking about her journey from California to Italy, in the midst of the pandemic, and the challenges she encountered when she first arrived, alone with a small child, trying to move her research forward and advance her academic career while raising a child in a foreign country.

We also cover a wide range of topics from finding and building community, to the differences between raising kids in Italy and in the US, to “checking out of the matrix,” and to planning -- or not -- for the future.

We also discuss where she is right now and dig deeper into her research and her teaching. We chat about aesthetics and meraviglie and what she is doing to bring students closer to art history through new, inclusive, and diverse perspectives that inspire young scholars to look at, feel, and experience what they are seeing in Italy every day in a profoundly personal way that transforms their study abroad journeys into passages of true self-discovery and awareness.

Alexandria Brown-Hejazi Biography

Alexandria specializes in early modern art and architecture of the Mediterranean basin and eastern Islamicate world, with a particular focus on the arts of Italy and Iran. She teaches art history in Florence, where she is also an Associate Scholar at the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz. Alexandria is also the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship, as well as the Henry A. Millon Award in Art and Architectural History from the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. Her research has been supported by the Hoover Institution, the American Association of Iranian Studies, and the Mellon Foundation. She has curated two exhibitions on the theme of cross-cultural early modern exchange. At the Cantor Arts Center, Alexandria directed the first exhibition on Persian art in Crossing the Caspian: Persia and Europe, 1500-1700. She also curated an online exhibition on Islamic mapping practices at the David Rumsey Map Center in her show Mapping the Islamic World: the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires. She received her PhD in Art History from Stanford University, her MA from Harvard University with Distinction, and her BA from the University of California Berkeley.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandria-brown-hejazi-33a50049/

Recorded November 28, 2023 @ Musikalmente Firenze

Season 2, Episode 10

featuring Sara Celati

Ovviamente, avendo vissuto sempre in Italia per 25 anni ormai noto più forse gli aspetti negativi di questo paese, li noto molto di più. Magari andando all'estero riesco a rinnamorare del mio paese. Sara Celati

In questa prima parte della mia conversazione con Sara Celati, studentessa di giurisprudenza all’Università di Pisa, iniziamo ad affrontare dei temi fondamentali per i giovani in Italia oggi: com’è studiare a un’università pubblica italiana? Quali sono le sfide che i ragazzi devono fronteggiare e come vedono il loro futuro? Dialoghiamo anche sul motivo per cui tanti giovani promesse stanno ancora lasciando il paese per non tornare più.

Con Sara discutiamo anche l’importanza di avere accesso e come dobbiamo fare per arrivare finalmente alla parità di genere. Inoltre, esaminiamo delle questioni difficili legate alla giustizia, le ingiustizie e le discriminazioni, e ci chiediamo che cosa deve avvenire per far sì che ci siano dei cambiamenti reali nel paese.

Questo episodio è in italiano e fa parte della serie giovani voci dall’Italia

Biografia

Sara Celati, 25 anni, studia giurisprudenza all'Università di Pisa. Fin da piccola, ha sviluppato un forte interesse per i temi legati alla giustizia sociale e alla lotta alle discriminazioni. Infatti, è sua intenzione incentrare la tesi di laurea sullo studio del fenomeno delle discriminazioni in ambito lavoristico.

Fuori dalle aule universitarie, è una grande appassionata di musica (anni '70-'80), sport (soprattutto il calcio) e gioca a scacchi a livello agonistico.

Nel 2022, ha partecipato per 13 puntate al quiz televisivo "L' Eredità", riuscendo a portare a casa un montepremi di €90.000 in gettoni d'oro.

Season 3, Episode 15

Fashioner of the Law: Craftsmanship, Luxury & Made in Italy, Part 2

featuring Claudia Del Re 

Last week Attorney Claudia Del Re and I touched on how to protect one’s creations, intellectual property, and the world of luxury. In this episode we dig deeper into the above and reflect further upon the future of fashion and fashion beyond Italy. 

We also discuss cultural property law and the implications that reproductions of great Italian masterpieces, like Botticelli’s Venus and Michelangelo’s David, have in light of cultural heritage and values. 

I also ask Claudia what she sees as the greatest challenge to her field in the coming years, we converse about the importance of human relationships, connections and trust, and Claudia share with us what’s in store for her in the near future. 

Claudia Del Re Biography & Links 

Claudia Del Re

Lawyer and founding partner of the Del Re Law Firm | Florence – Milan, Privacy Officer, Contract Professor and research collaborator at the University of Florence, Lecturer at Polimoda-International Institute of Fashion, Design and Marketing, start-up and research spin-off trainer, University consultant and Research Institutions regarding university technology transfer. 

Specialized in corporate matters, Claudia Del Re is particularly focused on Intellectual and Industrial Property issues, such as contracts concerning industrial inventions and industrial design patents, trademarks, license or transfer of industrial property rights, protection of industrial secrets, protection, license and transfer of know-how, confidential information, etc.

Additionally, she is interested in the juridical area of Information and Communication Technology combined with Privacy Law, in the areas relating to e-commerce and telecommunications rights.
Specialties: Intellectual and Industrial Property matters, Civil Law, Competition Law, Contract and Business Law, Copyright Law, Corporate Law, Data Protection, Fashion Law, Information Technology Law, International Privacy Law, Third Sector Law,  Wine Law.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiadelre/

https://claudiadelre.it/

https://www.instagram.com/clodelre/?hl=en

Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze, May 14, 2024 

EPISODIO SPECIALE IN ITALIANO – SPECIAL EPISODIO IN ITALIANO

“La musica deve essere qualcosa in grande evoluzione, oggi lo è più di prima perché

il mondo è più velocemente in evoluzione.” Maurizio Tomberli

Oggi a 15 with Fosca ho il piacere di avere di nuovo con me due ospiti fantastici, Maestri Eric Buffat e Maurizio Tomberli, fondatori di Florence Academy, un’accademia di musica pop nel centro storico di Firenze. In questa seconda parte della nostra conversazione parliamo di quello che succede alla loro scuola, della comunità che si è creata e che si crea, e delle lezioni “custom” che loro offrono alle persone che hanno bisogno di flessibilità perché si fermano in città per un periodo limitato ma non vogliono smettere di fare musica e vorrebbero poter suonare in un ambiente autentico italiano. State con noi mentre parliamo del paesaggio musicale italiano attuale, quali artisti italiani amano, seguono e consigliano a chi sta venendo in Italia per capire meglio la musica e la cultura italiana. Commentiamo anche i Maneskin, e perché e come sono riusciti a raggiungere un livello di successo planetario e l’effetto che hanno avuto e che hanno tutt’ora sui giovani musicisti in Italia.

Links Florence Academy https://www.florenceacademy.it/

Eric Buffat https://www.ericbuffat.com/

Maurizio Tomberli http://www.mauriziotomberli.it/index.php

University of the West of Scotland https://www.uws.ac.uk/

Palazzo Taddei https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo...

Laboratorio Musical Walter Savelli https://www.laboratoriomusicalewalter...

“Italy changed my DNA in a sense. After a career spanning several different things, a year ago, I launched my executive coaching business. I'm working with execs, founders, and rising leaders. Through a coaching perspective I wanted some of the same things that I love about Italy, like slowing down and really connecting and getting to the heart of it with people, and I’m finding that to be a really meaningful way to tap into business and leadership.” Emma Wood This past January, Emma Wood and I connected via Zoom to record this very special, long, video episode in which we speak about everything from gap years, solo travel, food, and wine, to first drew Emma to Italy and how her relationship with the country has grown and evolved over time. She also shares with us how Italy has impacted her, professionally and personally, and still does to this day. Join us for a chat about Emma’s journey, fortuitous encounters, her pivot into the world of coaching with the founding last year of her company, Caterpillar Collaborative. In her work, Emma is helping people lead better lives and better companies, and trying to create a better world through better workplaces where people are thriving, more in touch with themselves, and self-aware. Emma Wood I believe we can align success and fulfillment through conscious leadership. For individuals, this means creating careers and lives that are balanced, intentional and full of purpose. For companies, this means investing in supporting individuals to drive exceptional and sustainable results. I work with entrepreneurs, executives and emerging leaders. While our primary focus is typically professional in nature, I take a whole-person approach that recognizes the personal & professional are interwoven. My clients trust me to create a safe, confidential and empowering space that enables them to courageously explore, grow and navigate important transitions.  My ideal clients are self-aware, curious, and committed to doing the work. They aren’t content to just settle or survive – they want to thrive. They’re ready to dream big and take bold steps to achieve their goals. They recognize the value of investing in themselves and their development. They are willing to dig deep and carve out time for what truly matters. They’re not just moving upward, they’re moving forward. I know what it’s like to succeed in intense, fast-paced environments. I earned two degrees from Stanford (BA and MBA), cut my teeth at one of the top management consulting firms (McKinsey & Company), and reached the C-suite by the time I hit 30. Before transitioning to coaching, I served as the COO and interim CEO for consumer companies. I most recently worked with a wine importer & distributor, a private equity-backed pet company, and a high-growth beverage startup in leadership roles spanning strategy, operations, people, and innovation. I am familiar with the impact, thrills and rewards of achievement.  I also know the taste of failure and the tolls these demanding careers can take. I’ve walked away from environments and trajectories that no longer aligned with my values or the impact I wanted to have. Through these experiences, I’ve learned how to power through adversity, connect into my inner compass, and stay resilient no matter the circumstances.  As an adventurer, I’ve always been hungry for new experiences, deep connections, and cultivating a sense of wonder. I’ve traveled to more than 40 countries and moved to places where I didn’t yet speak the language or know anyone. I’ve gotten quiet as I focused on my own inner work, learning from a range of teachers and modalities. I know what it feels like to be at a crossroads and to make big changes in order to build the life you want.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmamwood/

https://caterpillarcollab.com/

https://www.instagram.com/emmamarion3/

“Of all the platforms, Black History Month is the one where we really work on activating our network. Because we have all year to do our work and share what we do, but we really want other institutions to be involved, to show what they're doing. To connect with us. And so that's really the moment of February for us and it's the moment of maybe more visibility. It's the moment of bringing a lot of people into our space that have never been here and to hearing a lot of new conversations.” Justin Randolph Thompson Early in the new year, I sat down with Justin Thompson at The Recovery Plan*, a research center, cultural repository, & multifunctional exhibition and performance space that fosters transnational exchange around Afrodescendent cultures and peoples using research, production and documentation in relation to cultural production as a means for examining the history and contemporary legacy of Blackness in a global context. The center is a space for critical thinking and recovery from historical inaccuracy and the recovering of histories that still await narration. In part 1, Justin and I talk about the birth of BHMF, the importance of the physical space that is The Recovery Plan, and what the 9th edition of Black History Month Florence looks like. Justin gives us some sneak peeks of the more than 50 events, characterized by complex and layered intersections, that are planned for February 2024 and beyond.  We also talk about recalibrating cultural and historic social value, shifting the tides, and the importance of collectivity. Tune in now to find out more about how the musical annotation, whole rest, which pulls you into a full stop forcing you to catch your breath, concentrate on what you need to be doing next, and listen to others, inspired and informed this edition of Black History Month.  * Apologies for saying, not once, but twice, The Recovery Project. I like to keep the podcasts as true to the original conversation as possible and chose not to edit it out. Justin Randolph Thompson Biography  Justin Randolph Thompson is an artist, cultural facilitator and educator born in Peekskill, NY in ’79. Based between Italy and the US since 1999, Thompson is Co-Founder and Director of Black History Month Florence, a multi-faceted exploration of Black histories and cultures in the context of Italy founded in 2016. Having realized, coordinated, curated, facilitated and promoted over 300 events and with 8 ongoing research platforms, the initiative has been reframed as a Black cultural center called The Recovery Plan. Thompson is a recipient of a 2022 Creative Capital Award, a 2020 Italian Council Research Fellowship, a Louis Comfort Tiffany Award, a Franklin Furnace Fund Award, a Visual Artist Grant from the Fundacion Marcelino Botin and an Emerging Artist Fellowship from Socrates Sculpture Park amongst others. His work and performances have been exhibited widely in institutions including The Whitney Museum of American Art, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia and The American Academy in Rome and are part of numerous collections including The Studio Museum in Harlem, and the Museo MADRE.  His life and work seek to deepen the discussions around socio-cultural stratification and the arrogance of permanence by employing fleeting temporary communities as monuments and fostering projects that connect academic discourse, social activism and DIY networking strategies in annual and biennial gathering, sharing and gestures of collectivity.  Links and Resources  ⁠http://www.justinrandolphthompson.com/⁠ ⁠http://justinrandolphthompson.com/cv/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/justinrandolphthompson/⁠ ⁠https://linktr.ee/black.history.month.florence⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/bhmf_/⁠ ⁠https://www.facebook.com/blackhistorymonthflorencepage/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6SDzvgxWemlA_4rjS7hXyQ⁠

Tanti Auguri Babbo, Happy Birthday Dad!

On the eve of a milestone birthday, I sat down with my father, Pellegrino D’Acierno, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Comparative Literature and Italian Studies at Hofstra University, for an unscripted and unedited talk about his life as a “professional Italian”.

In this special episode, streaming on his 80th birthday, we have a father daughter heart to heart that spans everything from the great auteurs of Italian cinema, to aesthetics, the notions of the bella and the brutta figura, and “cafone radar”.

We also touch upon our love for Italy, our special connections to Venice and Naples, how to outfox sommeliers, the beauty and significance of the caffè sospeso, and the importance of Xenia in Italian culture.

Finally, we grapple with problems related to over tourism and the idea of killing one’s inner tourist by engaging with Italy and Italians in a profound way.

Some notes and further resources

View Pellegrino D’Acierno’s Biography, Author Page and Frank Lentricchia’s preface to the Fat Man Arpeggios

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10LkDJNffU2kWrImIDVU_yaWfsqj34on3/view?usp=sharing

Xenia - The law/custom of offering protection and hospitality to strangers (cf. its opposite: xenophobia). The law/custom was felt to be so fundamental to human civilized life that its patron was Zeus xenios: "Zeus the god who protects strangers."

Source: http://www.princeton.edu/~aford/terms.html

Sgraffito - (Italian: “scratched”), in the visual arts, a technique used in painting, pottery, and glass, which consists of putting down a preliminary surface, covering it with another, and then scratching the superficial layer in such a way that the pattern or shape that emerges is of the lower colour.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/art/sgraffito

The Caffè Sospeso

Caffè Sospeso - Coffee for All (2017 Documentary, Fulvio Iannucci, Roly Santos)

https://filmitalia.org/en/film/120681/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6721132/

In Naples, Gift of Coffee to Strangers Never Seen https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/25/world/europe/naples-suspended-coffee.html

The word pellegrino translates to pilgrim in English

Lucio is Lucio Pozzi, one of Italy’s most important contemporary artists, who illustrated both The Fat Man Arpeggios and 13 Ways of Crossing the Piazza.

I think Giada was actually around 7 years old when she steered that Gondola!

“Even if you've done it for 24 years, every translation, almost every sentence, is a challenge, and that's what makes it fun.” Miriam Hurley 

It was such a treat to sit down with Miriam Hurley to discuss her path to Italy, why she came and stayed, the ins and outs, and challenges and rewards of her more than two decades of experience as an American Translators Association certified Italian to English translator. 

Join us for the first part of our conversation which traces Miriam’s path from Oregon to Florence and looks into the life in Italy that she’s found in translation.  

In addition to musings on the rigorous and meticulous nature and importance of her work, Miriam and I also delve into the nuances of language, and the art, science, and creativity involved in translating.

We also touch on topics like AI and technology, keeping up with the rapid evolution and diffusion of new words, capturing the subleties of regional dialects and slang, and what the world of translation looks like today. 

Miriam Hurley Biography & Links 

I grew up in Astoria, Oregon, known to some as land of The Goonies. For college, I escaped to New York and graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1996 with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts with focuses on cultural anthropology and foreign languages.

Over two decades of full-time professional experience as a certified translator from Italian to English.

Certified since 2001 by the American Translators Association specifically to translate from Italian to English.

I also speak — but do not translate — Dutch (rusty but once fluentish), French (pretty decent), and Spanish (downright abominable). I organize language exchange events in Florence so I can brag about being multilingual (and work on improving my languages).

Studied in Florence in 1994 at the Sarah Lawrence program and the University of Florence.

Based in Florence, I keep one foot still in the U.S., spending long stretches there, keeping my native tongue fresh.

https://miriamhurley.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hurleycertifiedtranslator/

https://www.facebook.com/MiriamHurleyTranslations/

Speakeasy

www.speakeasymultilingual.com

https://www.facebook.com/speakeasymultilingual/ 

https://www.instagram.com/speakeasymultilingual/

Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze on April 16, 2024  

Production Intern: Mark Scott 

Season 3, Episode 17

unPINNED! A Wine Revolution 

featuring Savannah Boylan & Ashwin Muthiah  

“Wine has brought people together since its invention 8,000 years ago. F*** the industry that’s using wine to drive people apart.” Ashwin Muthiah, unPINNED

It’s the height of harvesting season here in Italy so what better time to tune in to my chat with Savannah Boylan and Ashwin Muthiah, who, with unPINNED, an unconventional wine course and innovative venture, are diffusing wine education and knowledge in a relatable, non-pretentious, engaging and truly revolutionary way. 

In their words, “unPINNED is a revolution against the industry that corrupted the very thing wine stood for at its inception: community, enjoyment, peace.”

Don’t miss the first half of my two-part conversation with Savanah and Ashwin about their path to Italy and their various adventures along the way, who they are, from where their passion for wine comes, and how they pivoted and took the leap. 

I also ask them to share with us more about the birth of unPINNED, how it works and its objectives, and how though their sharing of wisdom they are bringing people closer to wine and to each other in an empathetic and relatable way. Because wine is for everyone. 

unPINNED Wine Bios and Links

Bios:

Ashwin Muthiah: Ashwin Muthiah is an author, wine educator, and documentary host, exploring the world through the lens of flavor and wine. Ashwin is a certified sommelier who left the industry 10 years ago because he didn’t align with its values. Instead, he set out to revolutionize the wine industry by making it fun and approachable again. Ashwin has distilled his years of knowledge and packed it into an incredible online membership called unPINNED that drops monthly video content about wine centred around frameworks to help you fully understand wine. As a result, he’s helped thousands of people from all over the world feel more confident about wine. 

Savannah Boylan: Savannah is a founder and the Chief Creative Officer of unPINNED. Savannah led a 6-year career in foreign policy before switching gears to realign with her artistic background. After developing brands for countless international clients as a graphic designer, she decided to partner with her husband, Ashwin, on designing and creating unPINNED. 

Together, with their third founder Gerod Bond, they’ve built an incredible community where there are no dumb questions and wine is for EVERYONE (not just the elite). 

Links: 

The unPINNED Website: https://www.unpinnedwine.com/

$15 off annual membership for 15 with Fosca Listeners with code: 15WITHFOSCA

Follow unPINNED on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unpinnedwine/

In Pursuit of Flavor The Documentary: https://www.unpinnedwine.com/in-pursuit-of-flavor

Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze, June 4, 2024 

Explicit Language Warning

Accessible Study Abroad: Verto Education’s Winning Model, Part 1 Cristiana Gallai, Florence Center Director, Verto Education “With Verto, students have the opportunity, regardless of their financial background, to study abroad, to study somewhere which is not their home country and learn about different cultures. And that becomes the path for them to access a college education and allows us to host a very diverse student population.” Cristiana Gallai Join me and my special guest, Cristiana Gallai, for the first half of our two-part conversation about her personal and professional path to becoming Florence Center Director at Verto Education, founded in 2017 with the goal of increasing equity, access, inclusion, and diversity in study abroad and higher education. The episode also looks at how students have changed and, why, in such a globalized world, Florence and Italy are still so appealing to young US students choosing to spend time abroad. Finally, we reflect upon what Verto students spending their freshman semester in Florence take away from this highly rewarding, alternative entrance into college life, a truly innovative approach to and vision of higher education that bestows upon first years transformative, inclusive, and empowering experiences abroad. Cristiana Gallai’s Biography

Born in the picturesque town of Bergamo in the north of Italy, I was raised in my paternal city of Florence, the place that I call home, the place where I would grow, learn, and discover my passion for international education. From an early age, I was fascinated with foreign languages and cultures that ignited my wanderlust. I embarked on numerous journeys, exploring the diverse tapestry of our global community.

During my master’s degree in foreign languages and literature at the University of Florence I joined the Erasmus program for a semester in Paris, France, for a study abroad experience that tested my resilience and resourcefulness. This experience, though far from what I had expected, instilled in me a profound understanding of my own strengths and the importance of support systems in education. I decided to dedicate myself to improving the lives of international students.

After a successful tenure at the Florence University of the Arts, where I fulfilled various roles in student affairs and institutional relations, I embarked on a new journey in the fall of 2021. I assumed the role of Florence Center Director for Verto Education, a transformative first-year academic program.

I am driven by a deep conviction that education is not only a means of personal and professional growth but also a powerful tool for fostering social inclusion and equity. I envision education as a path to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in a fair and inclusive society. I feel privileged to be able to participate and contribute to this field with my daily work and to mentor future generations of professionals with enthusiasm and commitment.

Links Cristiana Gallai, Linkedin Profile Verto Education

Verto Florence

This is part one of a two-part series with Stanford alumna and Fulbright scholar, Francesca Lupia. Francesca is trained as an anthropologist and studies, among other things, the Chinese Italian community in Italy.  

Join Francesca and me as we talk about her journey to Florence, her nuanced and complex relationship with ltaly, and why she chose to stay; first for her M.A. at a public Italian university and now for a PhD at Florence’s European University Institute.  

#Fullbright #Stanford #15withFosca #FoscadAcierna #covid #Perugia #studyabroad

You have Time: Slow Life Lessons, Part 2

featuring Sandrine Kom 

“We need to change our relationship with time because we really see time as our enemy. It's never enough and sometimes we get angry because we know we don't have enough time. We would like to have 30 hours of time and not 16, there is always this frustration. What we can do is repeat to ourselves that we have time, and this daily slowness tool will help you do what you need to do and more.” Sandrine Kom

In part two of my conversation with the incomparable Sandrine Kom we dig deeper into her SlowLife Coaching and SlowLife Yoga work and she homes in on how we can be nicer to ourselves, learn to listen to our inner child − the little voice inside that we typically ignore − and tune in to it as a way of meeting our deepest needs. Sandrine also imparts methods we can utilize, aided by technology, to bring more mindfulness and slowness into our daily lives.  

We also speak of how she transforms Stressed out Superwomen into Zen Superwomen by offering strategies on setting boundaries and abandoning the guilty feeling of it never being enough.

Finally, we talk more about the importance of digital detoxes and being in nature, her retreats, workshops, interactive conferences and team and community-building activities that show concretely how a culture of slowness enables us to work better, find more work life balance, and to make peace with time

Sandrine Kom Biography 

Sandrine Kom was born and grew up in Paris before moving to live and study in Berlin for over 12 years. In 2000 she moved to Florence, where she still resides, and currently divides her time between Florence and Paris.

Sandrine graduated from Berlin University in Communication Sciences and Economics and obtained her diploma as a Nutrition Coach at the Centre de Formation à Distance (CFD) in Brussels. She completed her Yoga Teacher Training at “Yoga Garden” in San Francisco.

In addition to English, she is fluent in French, German, Russian and of course Italian!

A Parisian in love with Tuscany, her adoptive home is where where her love of food, yoga and nature led her to create FiloCIBOsofia Slow Life which grew and became “Slowlife Coaching” and “Slowlife Yoga”. 

Sandrine has offered her experiences through Airbnb for many years, won several awards, and received over 700 positive testimonials. Furthermore, in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, she and five other Italian hosts were selected (out of 5,000 experiences) by Airbnb as they diversified their model from in-person to online experiences. She also offers experiences to companies where she focuses on increasing the wellbeing of their teams and people.

In addition to a range of SlowLife Retreats and Experiences, she also supports Stressed Super Women to become Zen Super Women, and accompanies CEO’s and Managers in need of rest, dreaming of slowness and time for themselves

With Slow Life Yoga, Sandrine has also participated in the television programs
“Casa Beau” for RTL 4 Netherlands and “Best Weekend/Chianti“ for Nove Warner Bros. Discovery Italia.

Links 

http://www.slowlifecoaching.com/

https://www.quietluxury.it/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrine-kom/

https://www.facebook.com/SlowLifeCoachingSlowLifeYoga

https://www.instagram.com/slowlifecoaching_slowlifeyoga/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe4xzHmfloofDwZCkm6Jrlg

2025 Retreats 

https://www.quietluxury.it/2025-events_en/

Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze 

Podcast Editor: Andrew Niklas Curtis 

Production Intern: Ava Lees

Are you dreaming about moving to Italy and making a life for yourself? Curious about the

path to getting an MBA in Italy and then staying on to build a career? Hoping to gain insight

into the daily reality of a young US expat living in Italy today?

Don’t miss this this week’s episode of 15 with Fosca, recorded via Zoom with Scott Cauble

(bio. below). Join Scott and me for a lively conversation about the mobility of talent, Italy’s

changing work and family spheres, and the challenges and the triumphs that accompany

global relocation. Our conversation also covers exciting topics ranging from navigating the

job market in Italy, to comparisons with the work world in Silicon Valley, the challenges for

young people in Italy today, why they are still leaving, and what can be done and is being

done to ensure that Italy actively fights brain drain and draws young talent and investment

from all over the world.

Scott Cauble’s Biography

Scott Cauble is the Chief Operating Officer at Newtwen, a deep-tech company

headquartered in Padua, Italy, where he is part of the leadership team developing products

and teams that push what is physically possible with engineering and technology.  Before

relocating to Italy in 2019, he worked for over a decade as both an engineer and manager in

several Silicon Valley tech companies including Tesla, Apple and Drive AI, focusing on R&D

product development and embedded systems. Scott completed a Master’s in Business

Administration cum laude from SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan, and graduated

with distinction from Stanford University with two bachelor degrees, one in Engineering

Physics and the other in Italian. 

Links

Scott Cauble on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/in/scottcauble

Newtwen - https://www.newtwen.com/

SDA Bocconi - https://www.sdabocconi.it/en/home

Università Bocconi-

https://www.unibocconi.eu/wps/wcm/connect/bocconi/sitopubblico_en/navigation+tree/home

Season 3, Episode 16

Riding the Tide in Venice 

featuring Julia Curtis 

“I think that there's an etiquette that every tourist that travels the world should have. And I think that there's a conscientiousness that cities like Venice or Florence, that are really unique in the world, need to step back and say, how do we have more sustainable tourism?” Julia Curtis 

In this special, long episode, recorded via Zoom this past May, Julia Curtis and I converse about her personal and professional journey from Berkeley California to Venice, Italy, her graduate studies, and her over two-decade career in the fields of climate change, business strategy and government relations. 

Julia and I cover a wide range of topics, from global climate issues to the impact of overtourism in Venice, and the urgent need for sustainable tourism practices in Venice, Italy, and beyond. 

We also also touch upon the challenges and rewards of living and working in Venice and the importance of preserving the city's unique character. I also ask her to chime in with her thoughts on the potential outcomes of the city’s recent controversial introduction of the tourist tax. 

Finally, we talk about why Julia ultimately made the bold choice to raise her child in Venice and the many different hats she wears while staying afloat in la Serenissima. 

About Julia Curtis 

Julia Curtis is a recognized leader in the fields of climate change, business strategy and government relations. Julia has over two decades of experience working with governments, private industry, academia, and international organizations such as the International Energy Agency, FAO, and International Renewable Energy on communications, negotiations, strategy and teambuilding. Her main specialization has been in the energy, agriculture, climate change and environment sectors where she has  been publicly recognized for her leadership, project management and communication abilities. Julia led one of the first US EPA Water Rights Treaties with Mexico. 

She received a master’s degrees in international economics, and energy and environmental policy from Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and a dual bachelor’s in art history and political science from New York University. Julia has consulted on energy, technology, agriculture and environmental projects in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. She has published articles on climate and renewable energy and is often asked to speak at Industry Conferences. A life-long passion for civics and education and serves as a Director of the Junior Statesmen Foundation. 

Julia loves teaching yoga (her first yoga training was 18 years ago), and on her website, www.yogavenezia.com, you can find additional information on her teaching philosophy and background, classes, activities and retreats. Trilingual in English, French and Italian, Julia is also passionate about sailing and rowing in general and Venetian boats in particular. She lives in Venice, Italy with her daughter Cornelia. 

Links 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliacurtis/

https://www.yogavenezia.com/

“We call it a retreat because we want people to get away from what they're normally doing and thinking. You don't have to be a foodie to go there, but you'll probably leave as one”. Rebecca Christophersen Gouttenoire on Campo Sasso 

In part two of my conversation with Rebecca Christophersen Gouttenoire we speak more about leaps of faith, chance encounters, and the fortunate twists of fate that have brought her to where she is today. 

We also chat in greater detail about Grape Tours, the Tuscan, Italian, French, and beyond wine tours that she and her husband conduct and which she has happily been doing since 2004. 

Home restoration fans will also be pleased to hear that we dedicate quite a bit of time to talking about Campo Sasso, the restoration of which was recently featured on HGTV's Fixer to Fabulous: Italiano.  

In addition to talking about the ins and outs of restoring an historical property in Italy, Rebecca shares with us what it was like to be on TV, featured in such an ambitious project. 

Finally, we discover more about what Rebecca and her family are trying to create with their approach to food and wine education, production, and hospitality and the many ways that Campo Sasso is a truly singular place where tradition and innovation meet. 

Recorded at Formaggioteca Terroir on April 2, 2024 

Biography 

In 1995 Rebecca left Denmark for Florence pulled by an interest in Italy and Italian culture and in search of work. Her path, and her passions for food and wine, led her to the hospitality sector.  During her career she has worn many different hats and has always been very intentional about the importance of learning, growing, and evolving in her field. 

There is little that Rebecca Christophersen Gouttenoire can’t and doesn’t do. With her husband Pierre, she is co-founder and co-owner of Grape Tours, Formaggioteca Terroir, and the newly refurbished Tuscan dream getaway, Campo Sasso, which she defines as the consolidation of their family and their various ventures. 

A renovated old farmhouse in the Chianti Classico area, Campo Sasso was recently featured on the HGTV home restoration 6-episode series Fixer to Fabulous Italiano. It is now open for what Rebecca defines as retreats with an array of food and wine experiences that enable you to get under the skin of Tuscany. They also just launched  What's Cookin' at Campo Sasso? An independent cooking show where various chefs and foodies share delicious recipes. 

Links 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-christophersen-gouttenoire-b86a1b168/

https://www.facebook.com/rebeccainflorence

https://www.instagram.com/rebeccagouttenoire/

Campo Sasso 

https://www.camposasso.com/

https://www.instagram.com/camposasso/

https://www.facebook.com/camposasso

https://www.camposasso.com/fixer-to-fabulous-italiano

Formaggioteca Terroir 

https://en.formaggiotecaterroir.it/

https://www.instagram.com/formaggioteca/

https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=formaggioteca%20terroir

Grape Tours 

https://www.tuscan-wine-tours.com/

https://linktr.ee/Grapetours

https://www.tuscan-wine-tours.com/grapetrotters

https://www.youtube.com/@lifeisgrapeintuscany

https://www.instagram.com/grapetours/

Season 2, Episode 19

Italy, Islam & the Mediterranean

featuring Ali Aydin Karamustafa

“I'm from Saint Louis, but I'm also originally Turkish and Iranian, so I have a basic experience with the Mediterranean. Coming to Italy there were a lot of things that were immediately recognizable, even just on the visceral level: sights, sounds, colors, smells, facial features. On the other hand, I was surprised by how much I felt that Italian culture and society had its back turned on the rest of the Mediterranean and was really looking towards Northern Europe.” Ali Aydin Karamustafa

Join me for the first half of my conversation with global historian, Ali Aydin Karamustafa, in which we trace his personal and professional path from St. Louis, Missouri to Bologna, Italy.

In this episode, Ali engages us in an illuminating narrative about Italy’s relationship to its Mediterranean neighbors and to the Islamic world through the ages. During his recounting, Ali identifies key historical moments, offers valuable insights on those moments and their vestiges, and provides different lenses through which to look at Italy’s connection to its Mediterranean neighbors and what that relationship means and has meant to Italians.

We also discuss Ali’s complicated relationship to Italy, how he sees himself in the country in light of his own cultural identity, and we delve into the notion and significance of a “Mediterranean identity”.

Finally, we touch upon what it’s like to be a young academic in Italy today and I ask Ali to tell us about his research and teaching, his keen interest in contemporary geopolitical issues and economic exchanges, and how he sees Italy’s current relationship with the Mediterranean.

Ali Aydin Karamustafa biography

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Ali Aydin Karamustafa is a historian of the Ottoman and Safavid worlds, and his research focuses on oral and written traditions concerning origins, conquest, legitimacy, and rebellion which were produced and circulated by political communities from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries across Eurasia.

Primarily based in Bologna, Italy, since 2018, he currently teaches at Stanford University's Breyer Center for Overseas Studies Program in Florence. In January 2020, he received his PhD in history from Stanford in Transnational, International, and Global History. His dissertation focused on the popular culture of the Middle East in the 16th-18th centuries, in particular, the epic of Köroğlu.

He speaks and reads several regional languages, and works with manuscripts, journals, and print sources for his research. He has extensive travel and research experience in Iran, Turkey, Jordan, the Caucasus, and Russia.

He is interested in applying his expertise in historical analysis and language skills to carry out research on contemporary politics and economics in Europe and the Middle East.

Recorded March 5, 2024 @ Musikalmente Firenze

Production Intern: Mark Scott

“I think that arriving in Florence, where value was placed on life much more than it is on work, was key. I was much more interested in living a certain kind of life than I was in making a certain amount of money, and that's really what sustains me here. Then The Recovery Plan, Black History Month Florence, those were built to make up for all the things that I was not okay with. There's a lot about this place that I had huge issues with, and I needed to create something that would allow, maybe make more space, more sense for me. And that's how that happened and it continues to feed me.” Justin Randolph Thompson 

In this second half of our conversation, Justin and I continue to discuss the importance of Black History Month Florence and The Recovery Plan, but things also take a personal turn. Justin recounts more intimate stories about his life experiences and journey to Italy, his art, how inspiring it is to encounter and work with people from all over the world, and the unicity of living in a place where value is put on life, not just work. We also discuss racism and visibility, and how visual culture often tells us more than the written archives can and how to look to art for answers and clues.

We end with some hopes for the future and ruminations about both planning ahead and legacy, the significance of mentoring young artists and creating opportunities for them, sharing space and knowledge, involving and welcoming people, and the need right now for a moment of contemplated and collective reflection that will enable us to move forward and create a better society.  

Justin Randolph Thompson Biography 

Justin Randolph Thompson is an artist, cultural facilitator and educator born in Peekskill, NY in ’79. Based between Italy and the US since 1999, Thompson is Co-Founder and Director of Black History Month Florence, a multi-faceted exploration of Black histories and cultures in the context of Italy founded in 2016. Having realized, coordinated, curated, facilitated and promoted over 300 events and with 8 ongoing research platforms, the initiative has been reframed as a Black cultural center called The Recovery Plan.

Thompson is a recipient of a 2022 Creative Capital Award, a 2020 Italian Council Research Fellowship, a Louis Comfort Tiffany Award, a Franklin Furnace Fund Award, a Visual Artist Grant from the Fundacion Marcelino Botin and an Emerging Artist Fellowship from Socrates Sculpture Park amongst others. His work and performances have been exhibited widely in institutions including The Whitney Museum of American Art, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia and The American Academy in Rome and are part of numerous collections including The Studio Museum in Harlem, and the Museo MADRE.  His life and work seek to deepen the discussions around socio-cultural stratification and the arrogance of permanence by employing fleeting temporary communities as monuments and fostering projects that connect academic discourse, social activism and DIY networking strategies in annual and biennial gathering, sharing and gestures of collectivity. 

Links and Resources 

http://www.justinrandolphthompson.com/

http://justinrandolphthompson.com/cv/

https://www.instagram.com/justinrandolphthompson/

https://linktr.ee/black.history.month.florence

https://www.instagram.com/bhmf_/

https://www.facebook.com/blackhistorymonthflorencepage/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6SDzvgxWemlA_4rjS7hXyQ

https://www.uffizi.it/en/online-exhibitions/on-being-present

In this episode I share some very personal experiences and stories that strive to give global expats, expat families, digital nomads, temporary visitors, and permanent international residents some hints and tips for making meaningful connections and creating and building community in Florence and in Italy. This solo podcast is a response to the many queries I receive from clients as well as expats I encounter in Florence, who ask me for advice on how to feel a true sense of belonging when living in Italy as a foreigner.Tune in for some thoughts and strategies on getting out there and investing time and energy in something that you love and about which you care and that will ultimately bring you closer to the people and the culture. 

Links Progetto Itaca Firenze - https://www.progettoitacafirenze.org/ (in Italian) 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/progettoitacafirenze/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/progettoitacafirenze

Keep those questions coming and I’ll be sure to address them in future podcasts. 

@askfosca

fosca@askfosca.com

“A bottle of wine represents culture and history and language and people, and my love affair for wine has come from getting to know the story behind every wine that I taste. I think that is just magic, that's the magic of wine.” Savannah Boylan

This week’s episode takes us on an even more profound journey into the wonderful world of wine in the expert hands of Savannah Boylan and Ashwin Muthiah of unPINNED. 

In addition to speaking more about their innovative approach to wine education, they offer us some crucial notions for understanding and navigating wine culture, help us demystify the wine industry and point system, and call to our attention the thousands of indigenous varietals in the world that risk extinction because there is no demand for or knowledge about them. 

That’s where unPINNED comes in. Knowledge is power, and, with their wine course, they lead you on a friendly, fun and engaging discovery of wines and wine culture, giving you the tools you need to make solid, confident, and informed choices at restaurants, wine bars or stores. 

Their commitment to and passion for wine come through in every minute of this episode and I am delighted that Ashwin and Savannah also reflect upon their experiences going to the source in Georgia (the country, not the state) and the making of the related documentary, In Pursuit of Flavor.  

Finally, I ask them to share more with us about how and when their love affair with wine began and why they decided to settle down in Italy.  

Spoiler alert: we discover that the three of us have very different tastes in wine! 

unPINNED Wine Bios and Links

Bios:

Ashwin Muthiah: Ashwin Muthiah is an author, wine educator, and documentary host, exploring the world through the lens of flavor and wine. Ashwin is a certified sommelier who left the industry 10 years ago because he didn’t align with its values. Instead, he set out to revolutionize the wine industry by making it fun and approachable again. Ashwin has distilled his years of knowledge and packed it into an incredible online membership called unPINNED that drops monthly video content about wine centred around frameworks to help you fully understand wine. As a result, he’s helped thousands of people from all over the world feel more confident about wine. 

Savannah Boylan: Savannah is a founder and the Chief Creative Officer of unPINNED. Savannah led a 6-year career in foreign policy before switching gears to realign with her artistic background. After developing brands for countless international clients as a graphic designer, she decided to partner with her husband, Ashwin, on designing and creating unPINNED. 

Together, with their third founder Gerod Bond, they’ve built an incredible community where there are no dumb questions and wine is for EVERYONE (not just the elite). 

Links: 

The unPINNED Website: https://www.unpinnedwine.com/

$15 off annual membership for 15 with Fosca Listeners with code: 15WITHFOSCA

Follow unPINNED on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unpinnedwine/

In Pursuit of Flavor The Documentary: https://www.unpinnedwine.com/in-pursuit-of-flavor

Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze, June 4, 2024 

Explicit Language Warning

“I think people are seeking out more personalized, curated experiences.  You want to feel like you’re a part of a community in a way. That for us is rather important and we have had such an amazing supportive community of people, not just here but also abroad, and it's made a huge difference in our business and the way we do things at Querceto di Castellina.” Mary Shea 

As we move into the holiday season, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the delightful Mary Shea, Director of Marketing and Hospitality at Querceto di Castellina, for a tête-à-tête about two of my favorite things, food and wine! 

Join Mary and me as we talk about Querceto di Castellina, a family-run organic winery and agriturismo located in the Tuscan countryside, between the villages of Radda and Castellina in Chianti, right in the center of the Chianti Classico, an area with an extraordinary winemaking history.

Mary and I cover a lot of ground and discuss the differences in wine making and wine tourism in the US and in Italy today and the importance of accessibility when it comes to understanding Italian wine and food culture. We also speak about how the globalization of wine, and an increased and increasing interest in wine tourism, are changing the game. We also look at the effects of social media and how it has informed and changed wine tourism, trends in the wine world, wine windows, and Stanley Tucci. Finally, we discuss Querceto’s plans for the future, Mary makes some exciting announcements, and explains how Querceto ensures that their visitors and guests always have personal, authentic experiences and unforgettable moments.  

Mary Shea Biography 

Mary Shea graduated from New York University with a journalism degree.  Following that she enjoyed careers in advertising in New York, Boston, and LA.

Since then, Mary has worked in the wine and hospitality business, crafting unique food and wine experiences at Querceto di Castellina where she is the Director of Marketing and Hospitality. 

Links 

Querceto di Castellina 

https://www.quercetodicastellina.com/en/home/

Querceto’s Story

https://www.quercetodicastellina.com/en/querceto/our-story/

Querceto di Castellina: Where Tuscan Charm Begins & Great Moments Never End

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pFJ_KjjvYo

Querceto di Castellina’s Immersive Wine and Food Experiences 

https://www.quercetodicastellina.com/en/food-and-wine/

Shop 

https://shop.quercetodicastellina.com/en/shop/

The Wine Club

https://www.quercetodicastellina.com/en/wine-club/

Stay 

https://www.quercetodicastellina.com/en/soggiorno/suite-livia/

Episodio Speciale in Italiano – Special Episodio in Italiano

“C’è tutta una serie di connessioni bellissime che Michelangelo mi ha passato. Lui mi insegue, io inseguo lui piuttosto. Siamo sempre in connessione.” Tommaso Brogini  

Questa settimana vi porto di nuovo con me nella bottega dell’artista fiorentino, Tommaso Brogini, per la seconda parte della nostra conversazione su Michelangelo e il rapporto intimo che Brogini ha tutt’ora con il grande genio. 

Parliamo anche di altri artisti, luoghi e cose che sono d’ispirazione per le opere di Tommaso, e di alcuni posti speciali e un po’ meno conosciuti di Firenze, del concetto del non finito, e su come visitare la città in modo studiato.  

Links 

Non Finito Art Gallery Studio –  https://www.nonfinito.it/en/

Biografia –  https://www.nonfinito.it/lartista/

Corsi – https://www.nonfinito.it/corsi-di-disegno-e-pittura/

La Bottega - https://www.nonfinito.it/la-bottega/

Disegni - https://www.nonfinito.it/disegni/

Michelangiolo – http://www.nonfinito.it/michelangiolo/

Social - https://www.instagram.com/nonfinitoartgallery/

https://www.facebook.com/nonfinitobrogini?locale=it_IT

Episodio speciale registrato da Musikalmente Firenze il 17 dicembre 2023

“Spero di portare il mio messaggio anche a quelle persone che magari sono ancora chiuse nelle loro camerette a cantare e ballare segretamente perché hanno paura di farlo fuori.” Jade

In un freddo e ventoso sabato pomeriggio poco prima di Natale, ho avuto l’immenso piacere di intervistare Jade, una giovane performer toscana piena di verve e talento di cui sentirete parlare molto. Abbiamo chiacchierato, un po’ in inglese, un po’ in italiano, del suo percorso personale e professionale e anche su che cosa significa essere una giovane donna trans in Italia oggi.  Jade risponde alle mie domande su come nasce la sua passione per la musica e il mondo dello spettacolo, chi le è stato d’ispirazione e chi lo è tutt’ora, l’importanza delle sue amatissime dive e il futuro della musica e la società italiana. Inoltre, con una maturità insolita e una sensibilità profonda, affronta temi cruciali e molto attuali sull’identità, le difficoltà che la comunità trans incontra nell’Italia di oggi, e il potere della musica nel farci sentire liberi di essere noi stessi. 

Non perdete quest’episodio speciale per conoscere meglio questa rising star e quello che sta cercando di trasmettere al mondo con la sua musica e la sua storia.

Biografia di Jade

La mia crescita è stata scandita dalla musica di Michael Jackson; imitavo i suoi passi e le sue note nei video che trovavo su YouTube, scoprendo che il canto era la mia anima. Le prime lezioni di canto sono arrivate lentamente, ma hanno trasformato il mio talento grezzo in un dono prezioso che ho perfezionato nel tempo. La mia passione mi ha spesso portato a immergermi nell'anima profonda del blues e del jazz, passando ore ad ascoltare artisti come Whitney Houston e Mina. Ammiro come la voce possa danzare tra le note, e questa musica, "black" o meno, è ancora la mia compagna di vita.

Oltre al canto e al ballo, ho sempre avuto una relazione speciale con la moda. Fin da bambina, mi dilettavo a indossare gli abiti di mia nonna e a camminare con grazia su tacchi altissimi. Da sempre ho sentito l'attrazione di essere una donna, ma solo col tempo ho capito di essere prigioniero in un corpo sbagliato. Ciò che un tempo era un sogno è diventato, passo dopo passo, la mia realtà quotidiana.

A scuola, il giudizio degli altri era una pesante ombra sulla mia anima, ma grazie alla musica e ai miei punti di riferimento, ho imparato ad amare me stesso e a respingere chiunque tentasse di ostacolare il mio cammino.

Ora, da adulto, il canto, il ballo e la moda sono il mio respiro, la mia ragione di vita. Il mio sogno è diventare una cantante e tendere la mano a tutti coloro che, come me, hanno nascosto la loro autenticità. Non esiste niente di sbagliato nell'essere felici con chi si è veramente, ed è questo messaggio che voglio gridare al mondo con la mia musica.

Links

Jade @Lmnjadee

Musikalmente https://www.musikalmente.com/

https://www.instagram.com/musikalmente/

https://www.facebook.com/musikalmente/?ref=ts&fref=ts

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZCzO9j2dI4LD6sBGyKwcuw

Bumper Muz

Publishing - Management - Booking - Promotion @Florence

https://linktr.ee/bumpermuz

https://www.youtube.com/@bumpermuz3824

instagram.com/bumpermuz

facebook.com/bumpermuz/?modal=admin_todo_tour

twitter.com/BumperMuz

Risorse

https://www.infotrans.it/en-home

https://www.infotrans.it/

https://www.infotrans.it/it-schede-5-associazioni_transgender

https://www.genderlens.org/risorse/

https://www.satpink.it/

https://www.corriere.it/sette/attualita/22_agosto_05/transizione-di-genere-leggi-italia-660d399e-110a-11ed-a51a-61cd2f7e6e96.shtml

https://www.arcigay.it/en/articoli/indagine-istat-per-persone-trans-e-non-binarie/

 http://www.consultoriotransgenere.it/

“You have a relationship with the artist. This was a painting in which she put an idealized version of her face, so I am looking at her and working on her and we were communicating on so many different levels.” Elizabeth Wicks on restoring Artemisia Gentileschi’s Allegory of Inclination.

This past March, Elizabeth Wicks, renowned fine art conservator, and fellow Florentine by adoption, invited me over to talk about her life and work.   

Our conversation begins with Liz’s journey to Italy, how and why she was drawn to conservation, her studies, background, and formation. She also provides excellent information and helpful resources for those considering a future in the field.   

Above all, she gives us insight into and access to the behind-the-scenes life of a restorer. 

Liz is all at once a scientist, detective, artist, tech goddess, and keeper and protector of an artistic patrimony that belongs to us all. Join us to hear some amazing stories about magical surprises, unveilings, beloved projects, artists, and materials, and the many unbelievable and unexpected discoveries she has encountered along the way. She also shares some sneak previews and reveals! 

We also speak about how we experience art today, the joys of watching works being restored right before your eyes, how critical philanthropy is, and what’s really behind the museum and theater tickets we purchase. 

We also touch upon the Disneyfication of Florence, and how the city, Liz, and her work have changed over time and continue to evolve. 

We close by chatting about the Women’s International Network, thanks to which Liz and I first met, and how being part of such a dynamic and diverse community of remarkable women in Florence has been so personally and professionally impactful and empowering for us both. 

Elizabeth Wicks Biography 

Elizabeth Wicks restores fine art from ancient to contemporary, both onsite and at her art conservation studio in the center of Florence Italy. With over thirty years’ experience, she focuses mainly on easel paintings and frescoes. While her work is based in Italy, she consults regularly on projects in the U.S.A.

Her conservation projects involve museums, churches, public properties, and private clients. Her work has ranged from restoring murals at Radio City Music Hall to sculptures by Michelangelo, to conserving easel paintings in a variety of styles and media. She also teaches the conservation of contemporary art in the five-year Master’s Program at the University of Viterbo.

Her restorations have been featured in several documentaries, and she publishes and lectures internationally on women artists and painting conservation. 

She is currently working on a Renaissance panel painting in her Florence studio, a fascinating and laborious project. She’s uncovering figures hidden by over-paint, revealing the painting’s original. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-wicks-48816a10/

https://www.conservart.info/index.php?lang=en&id=elizabeth_wicks

https://www.instagram.com/elizabethwicksartconservation/

Other Useful Links 

The restoration of Artemisia Gentileschi’s Inclination in Casa Buonarroti

https://www.casabuonarroti.it/en/the-restoration-of-artemisia-gentileschis-inclination-in-casa-buonarroti/

Artemisia Gentileschi: Revealing the true beauty of a censored painting - BBC News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2ByYCcmRGs

Artemisia UpClose, An interview with conservator Elizabeth Wicks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9RfMaGG1DY&list=UUauV7oI7WUZJy1rfHPPB3KA&index=2

Artemisia UpClose, The restoration of Artemisia Gentileschi's Allegory of Inclination at Casa Buonarroti Museum, Florence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9jB14RFqRw&list=UUauV7oI7WUZJy1rfHPPB3KA&index=4

Art rescue in progress, an interview with conservator Elizabeth Wicks

https://www.calliopearts.org/post/restoration-atelier-in-florence

Leigh Biddlecome: 1 Italian Beaurocracy Zero 

Tune in this week for part one of my two-part conversation with special guest, Leigh Biddlecome. A writer, translator, and curator based in Italy, Leigh is an alumna of Stanford and Oxford Universities, and recently completed an EU-Funded Masters in Heritage Studies at EHESS Paris / ELTE Budapest. 

In this first part of our chat, Leigh and I talk about the challenges of getting the much-coveted freelance visa, her work in the Italian and European cultural sphere, networking, community, and goings on in Florence and in Italy today.

Season 2, Episode 2

Space and the City, part 1  

Devorah Block, Strategy & Engagement Educator & Advisor for the Third Sector,

Salon of Urban Architecture & Circles Squared

“I think Italy has something special about it. There’s a quality of life but also a quality to the life here which is probably impossible to replicate anywhere else.” 

Devorah Block 

In this first part of our chat, Devorah and I speak about chance encounters, her journey to Italy, and how the country has impacted her personally and professionally and continues to do so to this day. 

In addition to tracing the truly remarkable path to where she is right now, Devorah and I also talk about raising children in Italy, community building, working across borders, the real challenges of choosing to make one’s life in Italy as an expat, and her work with organizations across the third sector to develop strategies and programs with a particular focus on internal commitment, public engagement, and social change. 

Finally we look at how she pivoted from museum education to concentrating on the built environment, and begin to address how the spaces we inhabit shape our lives, and what is happening at the Salon of Urban Architecture, a new and exciting appearance on the Florentine cultural scene, where important dialogues around urbanism are taking place as we speak. 

Devorah Block Biography & Links 

https://www.devorahblock.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/devorah-block/

https://www.salonofurbanarchitecture.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/salon-of-urban-architecture/

https://www.instagram.com/salon.of.urban.architecture.it/

https://circlessquared.org/

https://www.builtenvironmentliteracy.org/