Episode 584: First Communion, Thoughts on the New Pope, and other Memorial Day Happenings
Release Date: 05/26/2025
bittersweet Moment #226: Skip the Vatican (and Go Here Instead)
The Bittersweet Life
Rome is extremely hot and extremely crowded right now, and the Vatican Museums have become an almost unbearable place. Instead of spending a miserable (and potentially hazardous) day inside one of the most amazing but sadly most overcrowded and unpleasant museums in the world, we've come up with a list of places you can go in Rome to find the same kind of art you'd find in the Vatican—and you'll probably have a much better time doing it! You're welcome. And don’t miss your chance to visit Rome with us, on our , coming up in October 2025. Find out all about it , or for more...
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Episode 589: Vision Boards Don't Work
The Bittersweet Life
...According to the latest brain science anyway. Katy discovered this provcative tidbit in Dr. Therese Huston's new book, . She asks Tiffany if she's ever had a vision board and proceeds to explain why the thinking behind this concept is faulty. But Tiffany has her own ideas on this topic, ideas that are more philosophy than science. Join us for this fun conversation that might just change your mind about how you go about accomplishing your goals. Find Dr. Huston at her or on . ***Katy's sister Dana has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 agressive brain cancer. To help with the...
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[THE BITTERSWEET PAST] Romance, for Expats
The Bittersweet Life
How do you flirt in a foreign language? What if you barely speak the language in question? Is it easier to flirt with a foreigner than with someone from your own culture? What happens when cultural miscommunication crops up? And how do you manage to be witty and charming in a foreign language? On this episode from our archives, we delve into Tiffany’s (many) experiences dating and flirting with foreign men, her bad dates, misadventures, and embarrassments. She shares why she finds foreign accents so irresistible, and how dating a local in a foreign country can make you get to know that...
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[PATREON PREVIEW] Opera in Italy Goes Viral
The Bittersweet Life
A school initiative in Italy is bringing elementary school children and opera together in an ingenius way! On this bonus episode, available exclusively to our supporters on , we talk about the sheer delight this project has brought to hundreds of thousands of people on social media. Which brings up the question: what exactly makes something go viral? This is just a preivew of what we offer to our generous Patreon supporters. Want to hear more? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on ! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a coffee in...
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Episode 588: Closets, and Other Things Italy Doesn't Have
The Bittersweet Life
Have you ever noticed that Italian homes don't have closets? Bedroom closets, linen closets, broom closets, coat closets—they simply don't exist (unless you as a homeowner or renter decide to build one). Because of this lack of convenient storage space, Italians, twice a year, every year, have to swap out all their winter clothes (and pack them away) for their spring clothes, or vice versa. This got us thinking: what other things that an American might feel is indispensible in a home just dosn't exist in Italy? Or at least, it's not included when you buy or rent your home, but must be...
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[THE BITTERSWEET PAST] The Complications of an Expat Divorce (with Debra Bruno)
The Bittersweet Life
Do expat couples divorce more than couples who live in their home countries? They certainly face different challenges. On this episode from our archives, writer and former expat Debra Bruno joins us to talk about her article which appeared on the Wall Street Journal's Expat Blog. Find Debra Bruno on or at . *** podcast has been on the air for an impressive 10+ years! In order to help newer listeners discover some of our earlier episodes, every Friday we are now airing an episode from ! Enjoy!*** ***Katy's sister Dana has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 agressive brain cancer. To...
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Bittersweet Moment #225: Baffling Italian Beach Culture
The Bittersweet Life
Tiffany does not get Italian beach culture. In this candid (and a bit heated) mini-episode, she wonders: what's the appeal of overcrowded beaches, endless rows of umbrellas and chaise longues as far as they eye can see, baking, inescapable heat, and dirty warm water that most people don't even swim in? Why are Italians so obsessed with spending every free moment of summer here? Tiffany doesn't have an answer. But maybe you do: write in to tell us your theory. And don’t miss your chance to visit Rome with us, on our , coming up in October 2025. Find out all about it , or for more...
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Episode 587: Tears and Surprises at a Caravaggio Exhibit
The Bittersweet Life
Tiffany finally made it to Rome's epic 2025 Caravaggio exhibit and it was well worth the wait! (The tickets were also nearly as hard to come by as seats at Taylor Swift concert!) Tiffany and Katy talk about the thoughts that came up during the exhibit, incluing possibly misplaced tears, an astonishing encounter with true Caravaggio expert, and what makes an exhibit a great one—beyond just the works of art on display. Tiffany also remarks on what it is that makes Caravaggio such a universally intriguing and adored artist, as well as what it's like to be getting closer to the completion on her...
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[THE BITTERSWEET PAST] Should I Stay or Should I Go? (with Amy Knauff)
The Bittersweet Life
Expat Amy has lived abroad since college. First in Italy, then in Nicaragua, then back to Italy. In this interview from our archives, we sat down with her (over a decade ago!) to chat about her indecisiveness on whether to return to the US or not. All year she had been planning to return to move back and yet she never leaves. That got us wondering, do long-term expats lose their sense of truly belonging anywhere? *** podcast has been on the air for an impressive 10+ years! In order to help newer listeners discover some of our earlier episodes, every Friday we are now airing an episode from !...
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[PATREON PREVIEW] What Were Katy and Tiffany Like as Kid Travelers?
The Bittersweet Life
After Monday's episode about traveling with teens, Tiffany and Katy continue the conversation on this bonus episode by turning the spotlight on themselves. What were we like as annoying teen travelers? Did we drive our parents crazy with our boredom and apathy like the "kids today"? (Spoiler: yes.) And what did our parents do about it? This is just a snippet of the full-length bonus episode. Want to hear more? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on ! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a coffee in some places—you will have access to...
info_outlineIt's Memorial Day in the States, Aurelio's First Communion in Rome, and the occasion for a catch-up on the latest happenings in our lives on this casual, conversational episode. Happy Memorial Day to all who celebrate!
***Katy's sister Dana has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 agressive brain cancer. To help with the staggering medical costs—her specialist is outside her insurance network—as well of the costs of temporarily relocating to San Francsico for her treatments, please consider donating to her GoFundMe. Anything you can contribute will be extremely helpful. Thank you.***
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