La Vita Italiana
Insights from my up-close and personal experience with the Italian culture through American eyes.
McKenzie Stewart
Summer 2023
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Most Importantly
BUT WAIT. …there’s more! You knew I couldn’t end this without ranking the gelato I had over the course of the summer. That’s right folks, we’re talking GELATO. Unfortunately I am now officially a gelato snob. That’s what happens when you have the good stuff… you can’t go back. So first and foremost, coming in
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Adio Italia
This last week has been a wonderful whirlwind as I’ve had the opportunity to visit Florence, Pisa, and Rome. There were happy tears and sad tears as I came home to the USA but said goodbye to Italy and especially to the Faccioli family. My heart is full with memories, lessons, and relationships from this
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Alpen Glow from a Paganella Sunrise
What is worth waking up at 4:25am for? A sunrise in the Dolomites of northern Italy. Yes. For sure. We drove in the dark of the early morning to Paganella and joined the crowd of people gathering for our event: an Alpini choir concert at the break of dawn. Something special happens every morning when
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Siena, Assisi, & Perugia
Something I’ve come to love about Italy is how each city has its own personality and at least one nickname. They have unique history, hidden gems, and iconic landmarks. There is a lot of regional and local pride in this country- accompanied with local food specialties and traditions. The Italians know that you can’t buy
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City of Flowers
I’d never heard of Spello until five minutes before we arrived there. It was simply a cute village where we planned to get dinner. Now Spello is one of my must-go-tos on a return visit. Spello doesn’t jump out on a map but it might be my favorite Italian city! I know I can’t officially
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Seasons Change: Apricot Jam & Polenta
As these summer months have slipped between my fingers like water, I’ve observed the fruits in their seasons. Cherries dropped from tree limbs not long after I arrived, and grapes have gradually grown in size and color. Apples, prunes, and pears hang heavy from their branches. Kiwis are big now and fuzzy brown. Figs are
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The Great Mushroom Hunt
It was time to harness my inner hunter-gatherer. I’d been waiting for this day all summer long. In fact I was so excited for the mushroom hunt that when I saw two old posters classifying Trentino mushrooms at a farmer’s market in Trento, I bought them. Upon my first visit to Lavarone, the family told
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Verona: The City of Love
The setting of Shakespeare’s timeless Romeo and Juliet, and self acclaimed to be “the most Italian place on earth”: this is Verona. Several Italians have told me that Verona is their favorite city in Italy. It’s smaller and cleaner than Rome or Venice, less tourists, but pristine, unique, and captures the Italian culture. The city
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Venezia YSA dance
It would seem that Venice itself isn’t exciting enough so they made the YSA stake dance in Venice Hawaiian themed. Hahah I guess if you live in Venice then that’s normal for you. Maggie (the one other Young Single Adult in the Trento branch) sent me the invite and I couldn’t resist. How often do
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Rovereto & Barbie
Sometimes the best adventures are close to home! I loved seeing Rovereto up close this last week, and as Maria said, “Tourist mode- on!” Zia (aunt) Mikela took Carlo, Davide, and me to the street market in Rovereto. Lots of fresh food, plants, clothes, and trinkets being sold on the street. Such a fun environment
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The Best Puzzler in the World
I hate puzzles. I just don’t have the patience for them. My mom gave me a beautiful puzzle of classic books on a shelf for my birthday this year… and I gave it back to her. Isn’t that awful of me? I tend to be brutally honest with my family. I just don’t like puzzles.
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Do Italians really eat pasta every day?
You must believe that I am not at all exaggerating when I respond with absolute certainty from firsthand experience that the answer is undoubtedly 110% yes. Italians eat pasta every day. I’m starting to forget what food is without pasta as the base. After my first night here and a hearty portion of pesto pasta,
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I Just Called to Say I Love You
We didn’t quite get enough of Tenno’s crystal blue water, so we went back to soak in some more. As we enjoyed the fresh lake water and warm sunlight (praying and sending good vibes to push the rain clouds away) we chatted about everything from Danna’s towel clothing business in Hawaii to Emilie’s boyfriend in
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Mary Poppins
I wish I could say it was via umbrella, but I did fly to the Faccioli’s. Although I am far from practically-perfect-in-every-way, they call me their Mary Poppins. I hear it might be because I absentmindedly sing while doing household tasks, or because I just adore the kids, or because my personality fits well in
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Bologna
By the time our train pulled into the station in Bologna, Andrea and I were famished. Thankfully, we came to the right place. Bologna is known for its rich and diverse cuisine, the perfect city for foodies like us. We immediately headed in the direction of a Libanese restaurant that Andrea knew had good reviews,
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The Three Amigas Plus Me
Some people dream big, but then there are those who DO big. I love dreamers, but my real respect lies with the do-ers. The ones who get out there and chase their dreams and “make it happen, captain.” The three amigas are Danna, Savannah, and Emilie. They are living their dreams. These girls drove their
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Songs of the Alpini
Here is just one:)
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Take Me Home Country Roads
Life is old there, older than the trees Younger than the mountains, growin’ like a breeze Country roads, take me home To the place I belong West Virginia, mountain mama Take me home, country roads My last moments in San Martino di Castrozza were truly an unforgettable part of this adventure in Italy. On our
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Flowers and Fireflies
Catch a memory, hold it tightbefore it flutters to fading lightin my treasury of goodbyesreplete as wild, starry skies.McKenzie Stewart A group of us went looking for stars last night. It was partially cloudy, but we were still able to catch sight of the Big Dipper, the North Star, and Cassiopeia. As we walked back
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Alpini
This week we are up at a little ski town. You know, one of those high-altitude, happy-attitude villages permanently decorated with reindeer. Displays with Christmas lights and ornaments are up year-round in their shop windows. The majority of residents here are on vacation to enjoy the majesty of the Dolomites for their short stay. The
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The City of Peace
I hiked along a path called “The Peace Walk.” With such a title it felt almost like a pilgrimage, like I was walking on holy ground. It helped that it was a fast Sunday (a little extra sacred and special), and after church I had taken the train back to Rovereto and walked from there.
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A Tavola!
“Families that pray together stay together.” So the saying goes. I’d imagine the principle also applies to families that eat together. La tavola. So much more than just a table. It is a space where people come together, memories are made, conversations linger, and flavors abound. La tavola is where the sixth love language thrives:
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4th of July! 🇺🇸♥️
If there was a single day this summer that I would allow myself to miss America, this would be the one. Oh, America. Land of the free and home of the brave. Today America isn’t the only land with those noble qualities, but it sure is a special one, and has historically been a defender
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Tiramisu
My favorite dessert in Italy, besides real gelato obviously. Nothing tops gelato, but I don’t know how to make that. Tiramisu was surprisingly more simple to put together than I imagined, and the result is impeccable. It is a perfect balance of light, delicate texture and dark, saturated flavor. Imagine taking a bite of heaven
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Il Signore Gesù Cristo
Jesus is everywhere if you look for Him.
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L’Agricoltura
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”—John 15:4,8 The fruit of the vine is a beautiful thing.
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Real Lasagna
I was trying to remember the last time my family made lasagna from scratch and… I can’t. I’m sure we have… but the only lasagna I can recall is from Costco. I have to admit, Costco does a dang good job. So I imagined that legit Italian lasagna would be like Costco lasagna, but better.
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Good Omens
One of my all-time favorite pieces of literature is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It is the story of a boy named Santiago. Significantly, Coelho only mentions the boy’s name once, in the first sentence. After that he generally refers to his main character as “the boy.” Maybe this is partially because it isn’t really
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Italian Hand Gestures
Around the little kitchen table after 11pm as we enjoyed Pietro’s dry over-baked cookies with a glass of milk, my Italian family finally let me in on some of the secrets to their language. Specifically, Italian body language. Just moments before, I had learned that Francesco had never tried a donut before in his life.
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The Painted City
Trento isn’t as big as Florence or Rome and doesn’t attract as many tourists, but is definitely worth visiting. It is a hidden gem tucked away in the Adige valley. I spent the weekend in Trento, just a 30 minute’s train ride from Rovereto. One of my favorite landmarks in the city is the church
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La Chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni
While there are many beautiful, intricate, ancient churches here… my personal favorite one in Trento is very simple. It has no spires or stained-glass windows or statues. In truth, it’s just a floor of a building tucked into a street. There is grafiti on the buildings nearby. If you didn’t know it was there you’d
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Le Chiese (The Churches)
“Every town defends its bell tower.” It’s a saying here. Every (and I mean every) little village and big city has a central church or duomo (cathedral), and sometimes multiple other churches. The saying above comes from the pride that each little village has in itself and in the symbolic heart of the village: its
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Canederli (Italian Dumplings)
Another traditional Italian dish, and a poor man’s food. Canederli are made mostly of day-old bread and boiled in a pot of broth, therefore an inexpensive meal that carried over from past years of hardship. Canederli are enjoyable to eat because they are unique, a change of pace from the daily pasta. I don’t think
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Forte Belvedere
Up in the Altopiano there are forts everywhere, remnants from WWI. From a distance you may mistake a fort for another old castle, both stoic buildings with high walls of stone. But the forts are built into the mountain, because what is more stable or secure during war than a mountain? Belvedere means “beautiful view,”
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La famiglia Faccioli
It’s about time I formally introduce you to the one and only real Faccioli family (the most Italian name I’ve ever heard). They are a family of seven, an astronomical number by way of European norms. Most families here max out at one or two kids, but this family has five. And how lucky we
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Sambuco (Elderflower)
Sambuco: a dainty white wildflower that grows in the forests of the Trentino mountains. There’s a buzz of excitement whenever the Faccioli family sees a sambuco plant. Why? For its flavor of course. Sambuco flowers are gathered in bunches, preferably from higher-elevation areas farther away from the pollution of cities. We want our sambuco to
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Formaggi (Cheeses)
“La bocca non è stracaFinché non la sa da vaca.” Now before you start correcting my Italian typos in the quote above, that’s not Italian. It’s dialect. The exact translation? “The mouth isn’t tired until it tastes of cow.” What it really means? “A meal is not complete until it is finished with cheese.” Oh
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In Austria with Italians. Normal.
Naturally the first thing we did when we left Italy was find and an Italian ice cream shop and buy Italian gelatos. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Best gelato of my life. Being an American tourist with Italian tourists in Austria was a funny experience. A man at our hotel asked me
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Down to the Doorknobs
So many things work differently here, down to the doorknobs. Domestic doors have a key always resting in the lock. To lock or unlock a bedroom or bathroom door, you simply turn the key. And yes, the keys can be taken out.The light switches look different too. They are black and have a switch you
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Colazione (Breakfast)
Breakfast in Italy is really the first dessert of the day. Waking up is certainly a good enough excuse for cookies and cake. In America we convince ourselves that our sugar cereal is worthy breakfast material, but here they don’t even try to hide it. They are eating cookies for breakfast and they know it.
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Why are you in Italy?
In a word: fate. The truth is, I don’t have a simple answer to the question. Why am I here? Is it for the sake of the experience, to be an Au pair, to learn something about a world outside of my own, to heal far-removed from heartbreaks, to eat the good food, to build
La Vita Italian 