Bittersweet Peek: A ChatGPT Party
The Bittersweet Life
To celebrate the New Year, we ask ChatGPT to create a party for us! Is A.I. a good party planner? Or do the humans do it better? Listen in and send us your vote! This is just a sneak peek of a much longer bonus episode, available exclusively 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 some places—you will have access to multiple bonus episodes every single month. You'll hear conversations that would never take place on the...
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Episode 610: Fountains Aren't Free Anymore
The Bittersweet Life
Have you heard the news? The City of Rome will now be charging a 2 Euro fee to tourists who want to access the Trevi Fountain. Want to throw your coin in? You're going to have to pony up a few more coins that you'd counted on. This week, we talk about the ways a city can change, thanks to rampant over-tourism as well as other factors, and why seeing our city change before our eyes—for better or for worse—often makes us nostalgic for the past. What else used to be free in Rome that now costs money? (Turns out, a lot.) Tune in to our latest episode, and don't forget to share your...
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The Bittersweet Past: Walking the Camino de Santiago (with Aarin Wright)
The Bittersweet Life
This January, our archive episodes—presented every Friday—will cover the theme of ADVENTURE! Because we could all use a little more adventure in our lives, and January is the perfect time to start thinking about the adventures we want to take during the new year. The Camino de Santiago is a popular pilgrimage route across Spain. On this episode from our archives, our guest Aarin Wright set off on the Camino with her father after finishing university. Was all the walking as rewarding as she had hoped? *** podcast has been on the air for an impressive 10+ years! In order to help newer...
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Episode 609: New Year, New Resolutions
The Bittersweet Life
It's that time of year—New Year's Resolution time! If you're a longtime listener you know that at every turn of the year, Katy and Tiffany revisit the New Year's Resolutions they made for the previous year, and assess (with brutal honesty) how they did. They end the episode with the announcement of their resolutions for the year to come. This year, Tiffany share the ingenious yet simple hack that makes crushing your resolutions much more doable. And Katy discovers that sometimes, keeping your resolutions is just not worth the effort. Find out if they did what they said they were going to do,...
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The Bittersweet Past: Holiday Magic
The Bittersweet Life
Has Christmas lost its magic now that you're all grown up? In this episode from our archives, Katy and Tiffany brainstorm ways to bring that holiday magic back even if you don't believe in Santa anymore. Katy tells the story of the time she played Santa's secret helper to someone she barely knew and they muse on those magical moments when heaven and earth seem closer than usual. If you're already feeling the post-Christmas blues, snuggle up with a cup of cocoa and this nostalgic episode from the past. *** podcast has been on the air for an impressive 10+ years! In order to help newer listeners...
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Bittersweet Moment #235: White Christmas: The History of a Classic
The Bittersweet Life
You know it. You love it. You hear it every Christmas, and if you're like us, you never get sick of the classic holiday song, White Christmas. But did you know that the song has a very special, and very poignant, history? On this mini-episode, Katy tells you all about it. ------------------------------------- COME TO ROME WITH US: Our third annual Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure is in the books! If you'd like to join us in 2026, and be part of an intimate group of listeners on a magical and unforgettable journey to Rome, discovering the city with us as your guides, find out more . ADVERTISE...
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Episode 608: How Christmas Looked in 2017
The Bittersweet Life
Christmas traditions can be grounding when you're living in a brand-new place. Tiffany and Katy talk about the joys and challenges of being untethered during the holidays. They also discuss which of their traditions come from childhood and which were added after living in a foreign culture. Bonus: Check out two of our favorite Christmas books: • (The Scratch & Sniff book Tiffany used to read when she was little and ordered for Aurelio) • (One of Katy's favorite Christmas books) ------------------------------------- COME TO ROME WITH US: Our third annual Bittersweet Life Roman...
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The Bittersweet Past: Finding Your Joyous Life (with/Sarah McColl)
The Bittersweet Life
Do I deserve to live a bigger life? Sarah McColl, author of the memoir Joy Enough, joins us to talk about the beautiful life she discovered while living alongside her dying mother. In this probing coversation from our archives, we also explore how fear, loss, and the expectations of others can limit our potentially terrific lives. Find McColl's memoir Joy Enough . Find Sarah 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!***...
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Bittersweet Peek: There's No Place like Work for the Holidays
The Bittersweet Life
The holidays aren't all fun and games. Sometimes you have to go to work. But is there any sort of magic to work this time of year? We discuss this topic on our latest bonus episode, and share some of the memories of times we had to work over Christmas. This is just a sneak peek of a much longer bonus episode, available exclusively 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 some places—you will have access to multiple bonus episodes...
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Episode 607: Pageantry and Anticipation
The Bittersweet Life
The Christmas season starts earlier and earlier every year. Pretty soon we'll be setting up our tree before Halloween! What do you think about this? Are you shamelessly here for it, or do you cringe when you hear Bing Crosby crooning White Christmas in early November? Is the joy that the Christmas season brings enough of an excuse to indulge in it two months before the actual event? Or is there something to be said for the delightful anticpation of Christmas? What do we lose when we no longer allow space to look forward to something? We discuss this and more holiday-related topics...
info_outlineA sudden change of plans, an unexpected surgery—these are the kinds of things that can throw your world into temporary disarray, and often cause no little anxiety in the process.
On this personal and vulnerable episode, Tiffany and Katy discuss their recent experiences with the anxiety of the unexpected, and how best to deal with those inevitable times that life throws you a curve ball.
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COME TO ROME WITH US: Our third annual Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure is in the books! If you'd like to join us in 2026, and be part of an intimate group of listeners on a magical and unforgettable journey to Rome, discovering the city with us as your guides, find out more here.
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NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET
BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.
TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!