Priceless Series: Bedtime Stories

A Room With a View

Earlier this evening, Ollie and I began reading Dickens’ Oliver Twist. On the second page of the (abridged) book, poor Oliver’s mother dies during childbirth. Ollie (our Oliver) and I were lying on the couch and after I read these lines, he looked back at me and asked, “Oh, is that when they cut the mommy’s… Continue reading Priceless Series: Bedtime Stories

Old Stone Homes and the Art of B&E: Umbria, Italy

November 17 – 18 Renzetti, Umbria Italy Culpability is still an item up for debate.  Who was to blame for closing the front door while forgetting the key inside?  The little stone cottage that sits at a turn in the road eleven kilometers outside of Cittá di Castello, was, in that one instant, completely impermeable. … Continue reading Old Stone Homes and the Art of B&E: Umbria, Italy

Right On Le Marche

October 30 – November 5 Le March Region, Italy Towards the end of October while we were in Rome, between two dovetailing disasters that contributed to one of our more hellacious weeks of travel in recent memory, Ryan made an important discovery. “Look here. This website says this little town claims to be THE HALLOWEEN… Continue reading Right On Le Marche

Bumps and Breaks: Learning Travel Lessons the Hard Way

A Tough Break

October 21 – 25 Rome, Italy We truly were looking forward to returning to Rome.  After several weeks in the sleepy hills and townships all over Tuscany, we were ready to return to a place that had become something of a home to us.  This would be our third pass through the city, and it… Continue reading Bumps and Breaks: Learning Travel Lessons the Hard Way

She Did NOT Just Do That: Val D’Orcia, Italy

October 15 – 22 Central Tuscany, Italy See this face?  It’s belongs to a young John the Baptist.  It was carved in the 13th century by a member of the  Sienese school, and it is on display in Volterra’s Pinacoteca e Museo Civico. See this face?  It looks familiar, right?  However, it has nothing to do… Continue reading She Did NOT Just Do That: Val D’Orcia, Italy

Worldschool Fall Semester 2012: Urban Planning

September 2 – 3 Pompei, Herculaneum & Mount Vesuvius, Italy Lots of folks want to know how we educate our kids while remaining location-independent. It’s a fair enough question in its own right, although, for the moment, it really only pertains to Oliver, seeing as how he is the only member currently in our company… Continue reading Worldschool Fall Semester 2012: Urban Planning

Going Underground in Naples

Naples, Italy August 29 – 31 The sun had rolled slightly away from its zenith at three in the afternoon when we pulled into the gnarled streets surrounding Naples’ central storico (historic district).  Despite this, it’s cruel heat still radiated over the ancient paving stones at Plebecito Square, and scarcely a soul ventured outside while… Continue reading Going Underground in Naples