The Bittersweet Life
Hosts Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks discuss the ups and downs of living abroad and returning home, drawing on their experiences in Rome and Seattle. Each week they offer unscripted conversations about travel, books, art, and the challenges of reinventing your life. Along the way they share personal embarrassments and insights, and interview famous authors. The show encourages listeners to imagine new possibilities for their own lives, whether they're expats or not.
Episodes
The Bittersweet Past: Seeking Wonder (with Andrea Scher)
What is wonder? And how does it affect your life? Perhaps most importantly, what can we do to harness it? In this episode from our archives, we are joined by Andrea Scher, author of Wonder Seeker: 52 Ways to Wake Up Your Creativity and Find Your Joy, a playful, practical, and effective guide to finding wonder and joy in your daily life. Andrea's passion and life's work is to cultivate a sense of w
Episode 642: Are Tiffany and Katy Grown-ups?
Last week we aired a fascinating and inspiring conversation with Julian Shapiro-Barnum about his new book How to Grow up without Becoming a Grown-up and his strategies for resisting the pull of what can often end up being a constrictive and joyless adulthood. Today, Tiffany and Katy continue the conversation. They wonder: have they managed to remain childlike (or hey, even childish) despite the fa
The Bittersweet Past: The Sounds You Love
In this episode from our archives, we ask our listeners: What are the sounds you truly love, not for how beautiful they are, but for what they mean? Sounds that, for whatever reason, make you happy? Sounds that, when you hear them, you know something good is about to happen? We asked and you answered. We asked our listeners to send in the sounds that mean something to them, and we got so many, we
Episode 641: How to Grow Up without Becoming a Grown-Up (w/Julian Shapiro-Barnum)
What can kids teach us about how to live? This is a topic close to the heart of today's guest, Julian Shapiro-Barnum. An actor and comedian, Julian is perhaps most known for his web series Recess Therapy, in which he interviews children playing outside in New York City. He joins us this week to talk about his new book, How to Grow Up without Becoming a Grown-up. He shares what he has learned from
The Bittersweet Past: Does Language Shape Your Thinking?
Does the language that we speak influence the way that our thoughts work? An article in the New York Times by Guy Deutcher, Does Your Language Shape How You Think? explores this topic in depth. Taking inspiration from the article, Katy and Tiffany muse on this topic on this episode from our archives. We consider how gendered nouns influences how we think about objects, how specific we choose to be
Episode 640: Planning for the End (with Katy's sisters)
What does it feel like to plan for the end of your life when your only in your mid-50s? Could you plan your own funeral/celebration of life? What about going through your childhood mementos to decide what your children would actually want, and what you need to ruthlessly trash. These are all things that Katy's sister Dana has had to thing about lately, after her diagnosis of stage-4 glioblastoma
The Bittersweet Past: Answering Listener Questions
We are proud to say that we have some of the most engaged listeners in the entire podcast world! We get lots of mail from our listeners, both comments and questions about specific past episodes, as well as suggestions for future episodes and questions about life (often expat life) in general. Every so often, we grab a few of those letters and read them on air, address the questions and offer our s
Episode 639: How Constraints Make Us Better (with David Epstein)
Today we sit down with David Epstein, environmental scientist, investigative journalist, and author of the new book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better. He joins us for a special interview to discuss a modern paradox that is plaguing today's society: how seemingly infinite choices and the illusion of absolute freedom bring overwhelm, paralysis, and uncertainty. David Epstein u
The Bittersweet Past: Contronyms—Do They Mean what You Think They Mean?
We all know what synonyms are, and probably antonyms too. But have you ever heard of contronyms? In this episode from our archives, Tiffany and Katy have a little fun playing with these controdictory words, which launches a discussion on learning a foreign language, including what makes learning English hard, and how it differs from a language like Italian. Tiffany also reveals the one Italian gra
Episode 638: Reverse Culture Shock: New York Edition
When you've lived abroad for as long as Tiffany has (22 years and counting), every trip back to your country of origins brings with it a hefty dose of reverse culture shock. But on her most recent trip to the US, Tiffany, along with her husband and son, spent some time in New York City, for the first time in several years. What shocked Tiffany about being back in New York? What aspects of the city
The Bittersweet Past: The Listening Planet (with Martyn Stewart)
What does it take to capture the sounds of the world's rich and diverse wildlife? On this extraordinary interview from our archives, we are joined by sound and nature recordist Martyn Stewart. Stewart has one of the largest collections of natural sounds in the world, having recorded more than 90,000 different sounds in more than 55 different countries for a total of over 60,000 hours of natural so
Episode 637: A Musical Immigration Story (with Felipe Salles)
As hard as it is to succeed and thrive as a professional jazz musician, how much more challenging is it when the journey leads you to a new country—with new laws, new social customs, and a system that creates roadblocks nearly every step of the way? Today we sit down with jazz saxophonist and music professor Felipe Salles to talk about his journey from an international student at a major conservat
The Bittersweet Past: The Friend, the Bread, and the Knife
When you're a longtime expat, do your friends back home move on? We discuss on this episode from our archives. Expats often make friends with other expats in their adopted country. That can be great, but it also means that it's very likely that your new friends will, sooner or later, move away and you'll be back to square one. It's typical, therefore, for expats to consider their friends back home
Episode 636: How to Live Abroad Part-time (with Laurel Attanasio)
What happens when you dream of living by the sea in Italy but you are deeply connected to your home town and community? If you are like this week's guest, Laurel Attanasio, you compromise: buy your dream house on the Calabrian coast and live there for just part of the year. Best of both worlds, eh? But there's a catch: living in Italy even part-time brings endless bureaucratical issues (perhaps ev
The Bittersweet Past: Resilience, Curisotiy, and a Very Important Pig (with Robert Fulghum)
Robert Fulghum is the author of 21 books and a writer whose career that has spanned multiple decades. On this episode from our archives, we share a deep and intimate conversation with him, asking questions like: how do you stay curious about the world around you? Katy's also explores Fulghum's uncanny ability to attain resilience in the face of what some would deem to be disaster, why Robert dismi
Episode 635 Dana's Koalas: An Update on Katy's Sister
In an episode that is worth sharing with others in your life, Katy's sister Dana joins us to give an update on her health, dealing with a glioblastoma brain cancer, as well as an amazing device that she has created to keep her mind focused on things that offer consolation rather than desolation. It's a surprisingly simple idea that helps her focus on the true prioriities in her life, rather than a
Bittersweet Past: Solo Travel—Is It for You?
Traveling all alone... does sound like a nightmare or a fantasy? Or perhaps the idea intrigues you but you're a little too scared to try it. Thanks to a listener question, we delve into the realities of solo travel on this episode, the good, the bad, the perks, the challenges, the dangers, and the unexpected joys. We also share some of the wonderful and not-so-nice things that have happened to us
Bittersweet Moment #246: Bittersweet Endings (with Aurelio)
On Monday's new episode, we discuss the bittersweet feeling that so often comes with endings and new beginnings. Excitement tinged with nostalgia and a sense of what will be missed. What brought up these thoughts? Aurelio recently finishing elementary school and all the emotions that that brought up, particularly for his mom! (If you missed that episode, be sure to go back and listen here!) On thi
Episode 634: Beginnings and Endings (Elementary School Edition)
It's happened: Tiffany's son Aurelio has "graduated" from elementary school and is on his way to big-kid land. How is his mom handling it? And why is it that endings, no matter what they are, tend to be so bittersweet? ------------------------------------- COME TO ROME WITH US: Our 4th annual Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure is taking place this year from 1 to 7 November 2026! If you'd like to b
![The Bittersweet Past: Objects to Love, Objects to Loathe [LIVE EPISODE]](https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/a/e/b/7/aeb71e81fb9c553fd959afa2a1bf1c87/BSP_Objects_to_Love_thumb.jpg)
The Bittersweet Past: Objects to Love, Objects to Loathe [LIVE EPISODE]
Ever had a souvenir that you grew to hate? Something that you'd love to get rid of, but can't bear to because you carried it across the world? Or what about the things you wish you had bought, but didn't? Objects that—whether because they were too expensive, too impractical, or simply too hard to get home—you failed to buy and have always regretted it? For this conversation about the souvenirs we
Bittersweet Peek: A Notable Anniversary
Tiffany and her husband Claudio celebrated a (relatively) big anniversary last month. On this bonus episode available exclusively to our Patreon supporters, Tiffany talks about what they did to mark the day, and how that connects with our big Rome trip coming up in November! This is just a sneak peek of a much longer bonus episode that drops today, available exclusively to our generous Patreon sup
Episode 633: The Rise of Traveling Sheep
Lately it seems that people go on vacation just for the pleasure of standing in line. What's going on? We blame social media and viral influencers who would have many uninformed tourists believe that there's only ONE place to get the "best" espresso, the "best" pizza, the "best" tiramisù, and they are more than willing to line up for hours need be to be able to say they've had the "best." But is
The Bittersweet Past: Black Cake (with Charmaine Wilkerson)
Formerly close but now estranged siblings, two girls with a passion for swimming in the sea, a death that reveals long hidden secrets, a voice message from beyond the grave, and a tradtional Caribbean cake that ties it all together. These are the ingredients for Black Cake, the bestselling new novel by Charmaine Wilkerson, who joins us on this episode from our archives. In this fascinating author
Episode 632 (Part 2): Can what You Like in Seattle Inform what You Like in Rome?
Today we bring you Part 2 of Monday's Episode 632 in which we are inspired by a recent article, the Seattle Times to predict what Seattleites would enjoy in Rome based on what they like to do in Seattle. Listen in to get ideas and tips for what to see and do on your trip to Rome (whether you're from Seattle or not), and you might be surprised to discover just how many things Rome and Seattle have
Episode 632: Can what You Like in Seattle Inform what You Like in Rome? (Part 1)
In a recent article, the Seattle Times attempts to predict what Seattleites would enjoy in Rome based on what they like to do in Seattle. But, frankly, as Roman Seattleites ourselves, we think we can do a better job with this topic. Listen in to get ideas and tips for what to see and do on your trip to Rome (whether you're from Seattle or not), and you might be surprised to discover just how many
The Bittersweet Past: Which Roman Neighborhood Should You Live in?
Tiffany gives you the low-down on Rome's neighborhoods, particularly from the expat perspective. Which neighborhoods are the prettiest? Where are they located? How high are the living expenses there and what kind of expat (typically) lives there? Also—what's the most important landmark in each neighborhood and what kind of food can you get there? We answer all these questions and more. If you're p
Bittersweet Peek: Yearning to Return to the Analog World
Do you ever wish you could scrap all this new technology and return to the analog world? When you actually owned your own films and music? When you didn't have to have a subscription to use your own printer? When you didn't have AI constantly trying to predict what you're trying to do? From someone who's conducting research for her next book at the public library (Katy) and someone who is planning
Episode 631: When Moving Abroad Equals Too Many Visitors
Picture it: you dreamed of moving abroad for years, and you've finally done it! You are settling into your new country, and just starting to get the swing of things, with exciting travel plans with your partner on the horizon. But what happens when your friends back home start to come visit... too often? What happens when nearly every weekend you become hostess, tour guide, and chef, all rolled in
The Bittersweet Past: Wild Game (with Adrienne Brodeur)
Can you keep a secret? Author Adrienne Brodeur was asked to keep an explosive secret at just fourteen years old when her mother confided in her about her extramarital affair. From that moment on, Adrienne's life changed; her innocent childhood was over, and her new life of secrets, lies, and drama began. On this episode from our archives, Adrienne joins us for a thoughtful and intimate interview.
Bittersweet Moment #245: The Best Travel Moments Are not on a Check-list
The most fulfilling travel cannot be found on any check-list. A meaningful trip can never be summed up by list of "top ten" things to see or do. And no influencer has the secrets to make the perfect trip. This is your official invitation to trash the travel check-lists and let the place you are visiting simply reveal itself to you. You might just find that the very best travel experiences come whe
Episode 630: Is Manifesting Really a Thing? Katy and Tiffany Discuss.
There's lots of buzz out there lately about manifesting, and how if we can somehow harness this practice, we can effortlessly make all of our desires a reality. But does it really work? And perhaps more importantly—what really goes into manifesting? How much of it is simply the effort and planning it takes to make ANYTHING happen? Last week we chatted with a psychic medium about this very
The Bittersweet Past: The Lost Art of Punctuality
Is it important to be on time? What does it say about you if you are often late? What does it say about you if it really bothers you when others are late? On this episode from our archives, we delve into the world of punctuality, and all of the expectations and resentments that can come with it (or the lack of it). This idea was suggested by a listener via Instagram. We love when listeners send us
Bittersweet Peek: Did the Dog Destroy the House (and other Updates)
On this week's bonus episode, we update our Patreon supporters on a bunch of personal stories. How is the new Roman puppy working out? What's happening with Tiffany's piano-fueled feud with her upstairs neighbor? And does Katy's book have a release date yet? This is just a sneak peek of a much longer bonus episode that drops today, available exclusively to our generous Patreon supporters. Want t
Episode 629: The Great Manifestation Debate (with Felix Lee Lerma)
Psychic mediums believe in a lot of things that can't be seen or touched, but rather only sensed, so it makes sense that they would be on board when it comes to the idea of manifestation. But Katy is a skeptic at the school of manifestation, so she sits down with direct-voice psychic medium Felix Lee Lerma, for an impromptu debate on the meaning of the term, and if it really does what its proponen
The Bittersweet Past: The Five Victims of Jack the Ripper (with Hallie Rubenhold)
Since Victorian times, people have been obsessed with Jack the Ripper. There are endless volumes full of history about him and the gory deaths of his five victims. What's missing is information about the lives of the women he killed—until now. In this episode from our archives, we sit down with Hallie Rubenhold, social historian and author of the recently published book, The Five: The Unt
Bittersweet Moment #244: Escape the Crowds in Rome's Quiet Neighborhoods
Your big Rome trip is coming up and all you can see on social media are terrifying videos of massive crowds filling every, street, piazza, and museum. Did you make a mistake planning a trip to Rome in high season? Not to fear! Most tourists will never find them, but there are pockets of Rome and entire neighborhoods—one more beautiful than the next—that are completely devoid of crowds. Even in the
Episode 628: When Moving Abroad Makes Coming Home Unaffordable
Lots of Americans move abroad to a lower-cost-of-living country in hopes of making their salary stretch further. And if they manage to continue earning an American salary from abroad (even a modest one), they can go on to lead prosperous and comfortable lives far beyond what would be possible in the States. But what happens when they decide it's time to move home? A recent article in the New York
Bittersweet Past: The Borgias: The Original Crime Family
On this episode from our archives, we tell a true story of corruption, evil, and avarice... A powerful, unscrupulous man whose two greatest vices are greed and lust. He's close to his family...perhaps too close (particularly his daughter). He has many children by different women, but the three he loves most are two sons and a daughter...a beautiful blond-haired daughter. He holds a position of gre
Bittersweet Peek: A New Family Member
Tiffany's household has been shaken up by a surprising new family member. What do you think? Are you surprised? This is just a sneak peek of a much longer bonus episode that drops today, available exclusively to our generous Patreon supporters. Want to hear the whole episode and many many more like it? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on Patreon! For as little as
Episode 627: The Challenge of Finding Love as an Expat (with Maddalena Vario)
When you leave your home country and move abroad as a young person, you probably have a plan for finding a place to live, securing employment, maybe even getting health insurance. But what about when it comes to finding love? Dating offers unique challenges to expats, who often have a hard time communicating or even just being themselves in a foreign language, understanding local dating "rules," a
The Bittersweet Past: A German Adventure (with Dana Newman)
In this episode from our archives, we chat with expat, author, and vlogger Dana Newman, an American living in Germany. Dana moved to Europe back in 2008, first to Prague, then later to Munich, where she married a German and still lives today. On her YouTube channel, Wanted Adventure, Dana talks about her experiences living abroad in general and living in Germany in particular, including the cultur
Episode 626: Happy Accidents
When an unpleasant hitch seems to ruin your best-laid plans, sometimes, just sometimes, you discover later that it was all for the best. That something better than you could have ever imagined was in store for you. In fact, sometimes these "happy accidents" can lead to amazing outcomes, and sometimes even change your life for the better. On this new episode, we talk about the happy acciden
The Bittersweet Past: The Creative Lives of Expats
What do Goethe, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin and so many other writers and artists have in common? They all reached the apex of their creative output while living outside their countries of birth. An email from a listener, who also happens to be a member of indie band Trash Can Dream, inspired this episode from our archives. Emma Grace Stephenson is one of two Aussie expats who ma
Bittersweet Moment #243: Five Reasons You Should Come to Rome with Us
Tiffany lays out five reasons why you should drop whatever you're doing and come spend a week in Rome with us this fall... and why it might just be your best trip ever! Thinking of joining us on our intimate Rome listener trip in November 2026? Find out all about it here, or email us for more information! ------------------------------------- COME TO ROME WITH US: Our third annual Bitterswe
Episode 625: What's It Like to Live in Guantanamo Bay? (with Victoria Montes)
Don't miss this fascinating interview with writer and teacher Victoria Montes, a long-time expat currently living in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Victoria has spent much of her life moving around the word, from Nigeria, Morocco, and Pakistan as a diplomat's kid growing up in the '70s, to a young military police officer based in Germany, to working as a photojournalist covering the war in Afghanistan, a
Bittersweet Past: The Joy of Anticipating Travel
Some psychologists say that anticipation of a desired event can often bring more happiness than experiencing the event itself. And if that's the case, can we conclude that planning a trip is even more fun that actually taking the trip? This episode from our archives was inspired by a recent article in the New York Times, Travel and the Art of Anticipation by Stephanie Rosenbloom. We muse about the
Bittersweet Peek: Just how well Do Katy and Tiffany Know each Other?
Our supporters on Patreon voted YES to this episode idea! So today we fire up the random question generator again, except this time, there's a twist: we each have to guess what the other person will say. What does Tiffany wish she learned sooner? Katy answers for her. What natural ability does Katy have? Tiffany has a guess. Such a fun episode. This is just a sneak peek of a much longer bonus epis
Episode 624: Letting Go of Tangible Memories
We all have mementos from the past: cards and letters from loved ones, journals from or angst-ridden teenage years, homework from when we were just wee things... but the question is: what do you do with it all? We can't store an infinite amount of stuff, and how often are we actually going to go back and look at these things? And yet, these objects often capture memories in a tangible way that sim
The Bittersweet Past: Are You Living Your Dream Life?
We all have fantasies when we are young about how we want our lives to turn out. Some are far-fetched, some are probably doable. But do you ever stop to ask yourself how much of life is us trying to fulfill the fantasies of our youth? And what do we do when those fantasies go unfulfilled? Do we look back with regret, or do we just create new ones? On this episode from our archives, we discuss this
Bittersweet Moment #242: Italy's Easter Traditions (It's all about the Egg)
What does Easter look like in the most catholic city on Earth? As it turns out, it's all about two things: Jesus, and big chocolate eggs. And I mean BIG. Hear all about what a traditional Easter is like in Italy on this week's mini-episode. Don't miss your chance to visit Rome with us, on our intimate Rome listener trip, coming up in October 2026. Find out all about it here, or email us for
Episode 623: Taxes, Taxes, Taxes!
Taxes are enough of a nightmare when you live in your home country. But what happens when you move abroad? Did you know that the United States is one of only two countries in the world that requires its citizens living outside of the country to file taxes internationally? That mean American expats like Tiffany have to file two returns every year. (Double nightmare!) Tiffany and Katy talk about the
The Bittersweet Past: Is It Hard Work or Luck?
In this episode from our archives, we explore the topic of hard work vs. luck, when it comes to a person's success. You did it! You've landed that amazing job, or maybe you're successfully living abroad in the country you've always dreamed of, or you've published your book, bought your dream home, won a major award in your industry (you fill in the blank). The question is: can you chalk it all up
Bittersweet Peek: Old Movies Made New Again
Last week, Tiffany shared two of her favorite childhood movies with her 10-year-old son, and it was almost like stepping back into the past (particularly with one of the films!). Find out what Aurelio thought of these classic films? Did he love them as much as Tiffany did when she was little? And how did they stand the test of time? Most importantly, did re-watching them after so much time make he
Episode 622: When Beautiful Plans Become a Misery
On this new episode, Tiffany regales us with the beautiful plans she made for a fun weekend that ended up going disastrously awry. Is part of growing older learning to take such disappointments in stride? We discuss on this brand-new episode. ------------------------------------- COME TO ROME WITH US: Our third annual Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure is in the books! If you'd like to join us in 20
The Bittersweet Past: Tales of a Travel Writing Legend (with Paul Theroux)
In this episode from our archives, we are joined by legendary travel writer Paul Theroux for a candid, backstage interview delving into his five decades spent traveling the world and writing about it. Paul discusses what brought him to traveling and to writing, and how those two things are inexorably linked, at least for him. He remarks on why he thinks that growing up in a big family helped teach
Bittersweet Moment #241: What should We Do with Tangible Memories?
On this out-of-the-ordinary mini-episode, Katy digs into some old schoolwork from her childhood. That leads to the question: what should we do with tangible memories from our far-away past, such as old term papers, school presentations, awards, show programs, art projects... these things represent wonderful memories, but they take up so much space. How do sentimental people learn to let go to all
Episode 621: When Shared Living is Great
After last week's horror story from Tiffany about her out-and-out war with her upstairs neighbors over her piano playing, we decided to follow up with a more optimistic episode. Katy has had numerous experiences living in the same apartment building or divided house with friends and she shares her tips and tricks on how to make sharing the walls of a home not only tolerable, but enjoyable! -------
The Bittersweet Past: How to Cook like an Italian (with Francesca Montillo)
In this two-part episode from our archives, Italian expat and cooking expert, Francesca Montillo, joins us for an in-depth interview which inspires us to cook and eat with others daily. She also explains what it is like to grow up in small-town Italy, and move permanently to the United States. In part two of the episode, the cooking discussion continues. Katy and Tiffany discuss their own cooking
Bittersweet Peek: Random Questions Answered (with special guest Dana Zahler)
This special bonus episode was SUCH fun to create. We hope you laugh along with us as we answer some ridiculous and interesting questions. This is just a sneak peek of a much longer bonus episode that drops today, available exclusively to our generous Patreon supporters. Want to hear the whole episode and many many more like it? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just o
Episode 620: A Neighborly Feud in Rome
What happens when you suddenly develop a passion for playing the piano, and your upstairs neighbors can't stand to hear you playing and take every opportunity to tell you so... but meanwhile their kids are rollerskating over your head at midnight? A not-so-friendly neighbor war ignites. Tiffany is in the middle of just one such war, and she regales Katy with all the bitter details on this week's
The Bittersweet Past: When in Doubt, Ask a Psychic Medium
On this episode from our archives, Katy meets up with one of The Bittersweet Life's longtime listeners, San Francisco resident Lynn Fortunato. Lynn is standing on the precipice of change. She's bored of her job, she's not overly attached to San Francisco, her lease is up in September, and she's yearning for something new. But how do you know where you should go—or even if you should go? One way to
Bittersweet Moment #240: Tips for New Expats
You know what no one tells you about moving abroad? The first year is hard... excruciatingly hard. Want to make it easier? Follow Tiffany's 7 tips to survive your first year of expat life, laid out on this week's mini-episode. ***Don't miss your chance to visit Rome with us, on our intimate Rome listener trip, coming up in fall of 2026. Find out all about it here, or email us for more info
Episode 619: Parasite (with Dana Zahler)
Have you ever gotten sick while traveling? Really sick? Today's special guest, Katy's sister Dana, has and on this possibly TMI episode, she joins Katy and Tiffany to explore the illnesses that you might encounter abroad. And how sometimes, they linger with you longer than you had bargained for. ***Katy's sister Dana (who appears on this episode) has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 agressive
Bittersweet Past: The Beauty of No (with Sheri Salata and Nancy Hala)
In this interview from our archives, the executive producer of the Oprah Winfrey Show, Sheri Salata and her cohost Nancy Hala on the popular podcast, The Sheri and Nancy Show join us on this very special episode! Sheri is the author of the new book, The Beautiful No, And Other Tales of Trail, Transcendence, and Transformation. They discuss the inevitable question that arrives somewhere in your 50s
Bittersweet Peek: Curmudgeon Katy
Is Katy becoming a curmudgeon? Listen to this recent event, and weigh in! This is just a sneak peek of a much longer bonus episode that drops today, available exclusively to our generous Patreon supporters. Want to hear the whole epside and many many more like it? Become part of the Bittersweet Life community by supporting just on Patreon! For as little as $5 per month—less than the price of a
Episode 618: Which Way Do Your Antennae Turn?
We all notice some things over other things. What determines what we notice? Is it our background? Our innate personality? Our experiences? Our preferences? Our past mistakes? All of these things? Today we discuss this idea, and chat about the things we notice and why we think we notice them. What do you think? We always welcome your thoughts and feedback on the topics we discuss. Email us here a
The Bittersweet Past: Are You Curious about Art? (with Jennifer Dasal)
Is the Mona Lisa in the Louvre fake? Was impressionist painter Claude Monet a radical? And was Caravaggio—our show's muse—murdered? Art history holds as many mysteries and baffling stories as it does masterpieces, and Jennifer Dasal, museum curator and host of the wildly popular ArtCurious podcast knows all the best ones. In this week's episode from our archives, we sit down with Jennifer to chat
Bittersweet Moment #239: Explore the Pantheon with Tiffany
Don't stumble around one of the most important ancient sites in the world without learning about its incredible history, structure, art, design, and curiosities. Tiffany is right now putting the finishing touches on an audio tour of the Pantheon, written and narrated by her, and distributed by VoiceMap, an app where real people lead you seamlessly on fascinating audio tours using GPS so you don't
Episode 617: Returning Home to a Different Country (with Brie Ripley)
Lately it seems like lots of Americans are moving abroad. But, believe it or not, some American expats are moving back to the States. Today we're joined by one such ex-expat, or repatriate. Seattle-native Brie Ripley has been on the show before. We first interviewed her back in 2024 after she moved to Rome without ever having been there before. She joined us again about sixe months later, after sh
The Bittersweet Past: Before and After Baby
On this episode from our archives, we give all our listeners a peek into some of the extra bonus content that our Patreon donors are receiving. Every month we offer one or more bonus episodes exclusively for our Patreon supporters, and today we are sharing one of those with our entire audience. Way back in 2015, we taped a final episode just before Tiffany took a break to have her baby and begin l
Bittersweet Peek: The Best Break-up
Most break-ups are painful, but every now and then, they can be fun. Or even funny! Have you had a funny break-up? Tune in to hear ours. 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 Patreon! For as little as $5 per month—less than the pric
Episode 616: Mardi Gras, Italian Graduation, and Pulcinella
February 17th is a big day in Tiffany's life this year... from Martedi Grasso with Aurelio (aka Pulcinella) to her Italian sister-in-law's Master's graduation to her mom's birthday. Hear Katy and Tiffany chat about what Italian graduation looks like (and what it takes to get your degree) as well as the fun and the surprising (yet very traditional) Carvenale costume Aurelio chose this year. -------
The Bittersweet Past: From Heartbreak to Purpose (with Asia Dawn SImonelli)
What do you do when your partner of almost a decade finally proposes, and after a just few short months of marriage, tells you he thinks you made a mistake getting married? Well, if you're the guest of this episode from our archives, you pack your bags and start traveling the world. You might never even come back. On this episode, we sit down with Asia Dawn Simonelli, who's unexpected heartbreak m
Bittersweet Moment #238: Hidden Frescoes, Medieval Mosaics, and Underground Ruins
On this mini-episode, we talk about one of the most over-looked and underappreciated sites in the entire city. It has it all: glorious medieval mosaics (some of the oldest you'll find in the city), exquisite works of proto-baroque statuary, hidden frescoes that almost no one knows about, and an ancient underground level that ties the history together. What to know what it is? Listen to this week's
Episode 615: The Best Kind of Love (with Katy's sisters)
On the occassion of Valentine's Day, The Bittersweet Life looks at the many different kinds of love, from family love to romantic love to the love you feel for your pets. Katy sits down with her sisters Dana and Sara to talk about the love that binds them as siblings, and she shares the kind of the love that she feels doesn't get enough credit. She also gets her sisters to open up about their odde
The Bittersweet Past: All Things Cute and Cuddly
"All things cute and cuddly" was the surprising topic requested by listener Sara, who supports us at the $50 level on Patreon. Choosing the topic of an episode is just one of many bonuses we offer our Patreon supporters, and as this episode proves, we take that pledge seriously and hold no veto power. The sky is the limit! In delving into this unexpected topic, we attempt to answer many questions:
Bittersweet Peek: The Cenci Gut Punch
Romans love the story of the young Renaissance noblewoman Beatrice Cenci. It's an absolutely gruesome and horrific story (for all you true crime fans) and now, it's also a huge disappointment in Tiffany's life. Find out why on this week's exclusive bonus episode. This is just a sneak peek of a much longer bonus episode, available exclusively to our generous Patreon supporters. Want to hear more?
Episode 614: When You Move Abroad and the Locals Don't Like You (with Beth Ann Fennely)
What happens when you move abroad with the intention of contributing to the lives of the local people... and those local people don't seem to like you. Author Beth Ann Fennelly joins us to talk about her experiences teaching English in a dark, polluted Czech town just after the fall of the communism, where the locals viewed her with distrust or downright suspicion and she struggled to make even on
The Bittersweet Past: The Art of Documenting Travel (with Riley Morton)
In this interview from our archives, we sit down with Riley Morton, a freelance documentary producer and cinematographer who kicked off his career two decades ago in the adventure sports space, producing documentaries and television about climbing, skiing, trail running, and adventure travel. Over the past decade, he has branched out, producing his own documentaries and collaborating on major proj
Bittersweet Moment #237: Celebrating Carnival in Rome
It's Carnival time here in Rome, and before you say—why don't you go celebrate in Venice?—you should know that Carnevale originated in Rome. In this week's mini-episode, Tiffany recounts the ancient origins of this raucous pre-Lenten festival, what it was like to take part in Carnival in Renaissance times, and how it's celebrated today. (Warning: this episode may make you drool.) Places mentioned
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