I know I am one of those women who loves a great surprise gift at Christmas. Something unusual, well made, an item you are desperate to wear or use!
I also know I don’t like to leave the purchaser so completely to their own devices that the gift is, well disappointing! So this probably makes me and other women like me a bit of a disaster to buy for!
Read MoreI have a Husband who is a bit of a scrooge! He’s not THAT into Christmas although he enjoys the eating part!
He comes from a family not big on gifts, and Italians I find are much less commercial than the UK when it comes to this celebration.
Read MoreIf like us you’re trying to find new programmes and films to watch now the weather is getting colder, I may have just the thing for you!
We are always on the lookout for a great Italian TV series or movie, something not too dated and perfect for a Saturday night in.
Read MoreWith the most joyous time of year approaching for family occasions, festivities and fun. Some of the cultural differences for the merriest time of the year vary between England and Italy. If you have an interest in visiting either country, here are some of the cultural traditions you can expect or may even wish to use on your stay. Alternatively, you may also decide to use the below as inspiration for your own Christmas traditions.
Read MoreThis week I'm delighted to welcome Gemma who blogs about parenting and lifestyle over at Yorkshire Mum of 4!
Gemma and her gorgeous family have ventured round Italy and loved it, but their hearts are well and truly rooted in beautiful Yorkshire. Read all about it here
Read MorePre-children Hubby and I used to travel A LOT! We do it much less now but there was a time when we would rather travel than do much else with our spare time.
I remember 2010 it got to Christmas and I said to my Husband that I didn’t want to go anywhere, I was so exhausted. He agreed we would do nothing for Christmas and New Years Eve. Then at the last minute we booked a quiet trip to Cornwall. I guess this is what people now call ‘FOMO’ meaning - Fear of missing out!
Of course this is what life can be like when you’re young, spritely and both earning a salary without any kids in tow.
But that doesn’t mean we always got things right then, or now!
This month on the Dolce Vita Bloggers linkup we are all writing about ‘Hilarious travel mishaps’.
Read MoreWe all know even the best of travel plans can (and do) go awry. Tell us about your travels gone wrong (even if it’s only hilarious in hindsight).
Read MoreIf you’re planning your next trip for you and your family, and are unsure of where to go, Sicily has your name written all over it. The perfect place for families, Sicily has different activities for every family member. Thanks to its sprawling nature that includes both beach and mountain options (including the famous Etna volcano), the infinite culinary options that are great for family meals, and its many different monuments, you will hardly be bored on this vacation.
Read MoreAs you can imagine the kitchen is quite important in our house! It’s not always easy without a nonna to recreate all those freshly cooked pasta dishes and homemade gnocchi.
We definitely don’t have time for this amount of preparation! I’ve been searching for a while now for gadgets that give us the essence of being back in Italy without quite so much effort!
I recently stumbled upon LionsHome, a site which helps you find the most beautiful furnishings and accessories for living spaces. They offer inspiration on homes, gardens, DIY and have gathered together a myriad of practical products to discover.
Read MoreThis month myself, Jasmine of Questadolcevita and Kelly of Italianatheart are hosting an Italophile linkup called #Dolcevitabloggers. Every month we encourage people to write on a different topic and in September we're sharing our 'Favourite Italian Recipes'.
So what better way to find some new special meals to create than to ask a community of Italians and those living in Italy absorbing the culture!
Read MoreAs you may have read elsewhere on the blog. This is the week where myself, Jasmine of Questadolcevita and Kelly of Italianatheart host an Italophile linkup called #Dolcevitabloggers. Every month we encourage people to write on a different topic and in September we're sharing our 'Favourite Italian Recipes'.
I decided on a quick creamy Gorgonzola pasta recipe for mine. To my delight some of the wonderful Italy loving community have contributed recipes of their own!
Here we have a super, comforting leek and potato soup shared with us by Mary.
Mary is from Chicago and now lives in Italy, in the Province of Ascoli Piceno. This dish is a huge hit in her house and we can’t wait to try it!
Read MoreMaybe it’s a recipe from nonna or your favourite cookbook. Share your most delicious Italian meal with us!
Read MoreThis month for the #Dolcevitabloggers link up we're writing about our experience of 'Culture shock' in Italy.
You may think that being married to an Italian is plain sailing and you just gaze into each others eyes while your partner gesticulates, talks loudly and cooks you heaps of pasta.
The pasta part is quite true! However there have been many times over the years when I have wondered if I could have taken an easier route.
Read MoreIf you love a podcast or need a reason to start listening in, this is your chance!
The Bittersweet Life is a podcast run by two expats, writer Tiffany Parks and radio producer Katy Sewell. It's based on their unique experiences of life in Rome. The wonder and yet sometimes the bittersweet aspects of life abroad.
Read MoreWhether you’re a tourist, an expat, or a native, what has shocked you the most about Italy? (For Italians what shocked about a different region or city in Italy?)
Read MoreThis month our #Dolcevitablogger topic is to describe our 'Dolce vita'. What does it mean for each of us?
While the famous film, Federico Fellini's 'La Dolce Vita' shows us a frivolous, carefree life with a dark undercurrent. My version of 'a sweet life' is something much simpler and more transparent.
Read MoreFor the June #DolceVitaBloggers link up topic, we’re asking you to spill the beans on your favorite Italian hidden gem! Your hidden gem could be anything that you think is too good to be kept secret any longer, such as a town, a beach, a restaurant, a shop, an Italian wine, a made in Italy product, a recipe or dish….the options are endless! Give your Italian hidden gem the love and attention it deserves. Shout it from the rooftops!
Read MoreI wish it was that simple to look in a magic mirror and be told which Italian lake is the most stunning and should be your next holiday destination!
I've been to many of the Northern Italian lakes. Como, Garda, Trasimeno, Lugano. They all have a certain beauty to them. Their own personality.
Read MoreThere are some places you want to keep for yourself. But then you can't believe somewhere so wonderful exists and really want to share!
So I'm going to be sharing a restaurant and hotel. Except it's not just any hotel, to us anyway. As this hotel is where we ended up having our wedding reception.
Read MoreAs most of you know by now, we are huge fans of the Italian lake region. We've been holidaying and visiting family around Lake Como for 12 years. We were married there, our babies were baptised there and we really feel like it's a home from home.
However recently we were persuaded by Jo of Bookings For You to consider a different lake for our next holiday. Lake Maggiore.
Read MoreMammaprada features: Raising Bilingual Children, Italian culture, Italian travel, Italian Food and Posts in Italian/ Italiano. We also offer Bilingual Resources for language learning, such as bilingual books, bilingual audio CDs and DVDs,. Other topics we write about are Parenting and Lifestyle.
I’m Kristie Prada & here you'll find our family’s experiences on travel to languages, parenting, recipes & much more. Thank you for visiting!
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