I had another blogpost ready to go for this week, text written and edited, countless photos selected and uploaded, but as I was about to post it, something inside of me said: Is anyone going to read this? Does anything other than the coronavirus exist? And believe me, I have not taken the situation lightly, particularly as the focus turned …
Why Vacation in Calabria?
I have been following several Italy travel groups on Facebook recently. The would-be vacationers are both looking for and giving out advice. The top destinations are Rome, Florence and Venice with the Amalfi coast and the Cinque Terre right behind. Calabria pops up rarely, usually because someone has shared a stock photo of Tropea and is asking if anyone has …
My First Calabria Cultural Tour: Reviews and Reflections
Whenever you embark on something new, there’s that level of uncertainty until it’s all over and you can sit back and reflect on how it went. You want everything to be perfect and you do everything in your power to make that happen. As owner of my new travel company Karen’s Travel LLC, I ran my first Calabria Cultural Tour …
New Calabria Cultural Tour with Karen’s Travel LLC on My 100th Blogpost
When I first decided to write about Calabria, I never imagined in what directions it would take me or what opportunities would open up. First, my book Calabria: The Other Italy, then My Italian Blog of which this is the 100th post, next the managing of various social media pages, even a YouTube channel, and now the start of tours …
On Blogging, A Few Thoughts on My 4th Blogiversary
As I scroll through past blogposts, I can’t believe I’ve reached this landmark—four years of blogging, another “blogiversary.” Occasionally, I have cause to read over an old post and I think, I wrote that? In such a short time it’s amazing how something which took such effort can so quickly turn into a memory. So, on this blogiversary, I would …
Reflection: The New Yorker and the ‘Ndrangheta
Every time there’s another flashy news story about a mob boss crawling out of a bunker or a maxi-arrest of ‘Ndrangheta members, friends and acquaintances tell me about it and want to know what I think. The latest is the New Yorker and the ‘Ndrangheta in Alex Perry’s article “Blood and Justice.” I have a few thoughts.
It’s time to VISIT BASILICATA Says the NY Times
So many wonderful places to visit, so little time. Need a few suggestions? The New York Times has one for every week of the year in their annual list “52 Places to Go.” Last year, the fascinating Southern Italian region of Calabria was distinguished. This year, the experts say, it’s time to visit Basilicata.
Reflection: Images of Calabria at Christmas
Christmas gets bigger every year, so much so that we can’t fit everything into just one month. Decorations come out earlier and earlier, and we’re hardly able to finish our Thanksgiving turkeys before those Christmas parties start rolling out. But amidst all the hype, there are also those moments, some may even be categorized as magical, that make the season …
Guest on Italian Radio Antenna Febea: A First Time for Everything
“In Diretta” – LIVE! This past week I had my first occasion to speak on Italian radio. I converse in Italian all the time, but simultaneously staring down a microphone was a new experience for me. I was the invited guest of Tonino Massara, enthusiastic host of the program “Terzo Millennio” (Third Millennium) on Radio Antenna Febea in Reggio Calabria.
My Italy Blogiversary: 3 Years Blogging – New Experiences in Southern Italy
It seems as though I just finished celebrating 2 years of My Italian Blog and my third Blogiversary has already crept up on me. On this milestone (Trust me, the use of the word is not an exaggeration, and if you have a blog, you understand completely.), I would like to reflect on the things I have done over the …