Things I am Doing During Social Distancing

To say I have some time on my hands right now is an understatement. I am not playing the martyr nor am I looking for sympathy but the fact of the matter is that my business is operating at less than zero which leaves me with some idle time. And the first thing I have learned about myself is that I don’t much enjoy idle time.

So here are the things I have been doing not only to keep busy but to keep Italy in my heart. Maybe you will want to try some too…

Perfecting Cappuccino Art

My little Nespresso and I have been doing magical things. Well, maybe not magical but I ALMOST have that leaf/flower shape down…. Pictures to follow (maybe). In the meantime, I have run out of Nespresso pods and delivery is slooow right now so I am moving on to my next activity.

Installing Bidets in All of My Bathrooms

So Italian! Think of the resale value! No need for that ever-elusive toilet paper!

Inserting Fun Italian Phrases into the English Language on a Regular Basis

There are no translations for some of the best ones: insomma, boh, magari but that’s what makes it so fun. It’s mysterious and you are like an international woman/man of intrigue. Then there are really funny ones whose literal translations are quite amusing, like che barba (what a beard)! This expression means “how boring”, as in something went on for so long that I had time to grow a beard. And there’s porca miseria (pig misery)! which means holy cow (maybe a little more crude than that but this is a family blog). For more Italian words you can use to brighten your everyday conversations, check out this post from the archives.

Stress Baking

Hungry for focaccia? Biscotti? Fried things? Italian butter cookies? Come on over! I am making them all and believe me, if they stay around this house much longer, porca miseria is going to take on a whole new meaning! Pig misery indeed.

Recreating Great Works of Italian Art

I am missing the beauty of Italy and would love to be roaming the galleries of one of its great museums right now. To fill that void, I am recreating some of the masterpieces. Unfortunately, good models are hard to find in the age of social distancing so we are doing the best we can with what we have. Here is the first in a series that we are working on. It was inspired by Caravaggio’s “Boy with a Basket of Fruit.” I’m so sorry you can’t see the original in the Borghese Gallery of Rome right now. I hope this helps.

Baci!
Ashley