The lockdown in Italy continues on the second part of Monday's episode, and as each moment passes, lockdown looms across the United States and the world. Tiffany shares some tips with Katy and our listeners for what to expect when their own quarantine inevitably arrives. She also explains why Italians aren't hoarding toilet paper, and together they ponder the cultural benefits of a world-wide plague. --------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and trav...
Mar 17, 2020•28 min•Season 7Ep. 306
Italy is on lockdown. No going out except for basic necessities for medical reasons—or work if you absolutely cannot work from home. How is Tiffany coping? How is she staying sane, keeping her four-year-old entertained, and resisting tearing her husband limb from limb? We check in with Tiffany on today’s episode, and hear from Katy how Seattle is responding to the rapid spread of coronavirus in Washington State and the rest of the US. Does she think there is a lockdown in her future? -----------...
Mar 16, 2020•29 min•Season 7Ep. 305
How are Italians reacting to the strict restrictions now in place during the unprecedented Italy lock down? Are they exhibiting their characteristic "furbizia" to get around the rules? Or is the country pulling together and making the necessary sacrifices to slow the spread of Coronavirus? We discuss in our second mini-episode of the week. We also touch on some of the financial repercussions that are threatening Tiffany and her family as well the entire country. ---------------------------------...
Mar 12, 2020•15 min•Season 7Ep. 49
In the wake of the country-wide lock-down of Italy due to the rapid spread of the Coronavirus, we are putting two mini-episodes this week! On this first update, we check in about what exactly the "red zone" decree of Italy means, what life is like, and what we can expect from the coming days and weeks. --------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge ...
Mar 11, 2020•13 min•Season 7Ep. 48
Tiffany and Katy are both living in two of the epicenters of the devastating coronavirus, Italy and Washington State. This week, they chat about their parallel but distinct experiences, how the spread of the virus is affecting their lives, what like is life in their cities, and their uncertainty about the future. Katy proposes that it might be the ideal moment for a Roman holiday. Note: This episode was recorded a week before publication so lots of things have changed since then. We will be putt...
Mar 06, 2020•35 min•Season 7Ep. 304
How do you get a literary agent? For many aspiring writers, it can seem like an impossible task, and yet it's a necessary step on the road to getting your book published. But with agents receiving literally hundreds of queries per day, how can you possibly get noticed? Tiffany has a better way. Earlier this year, Tiffany was awarded a prestigious fellowship by the PEN America literary organization for her work in progress, the YA historical thriller Saving Caravaggio. On occasion of the awards c...
Mar 05, 2020•10 min•Season 7Ep. 47
A globe-trotting rare bird egg thief, a detective hell bent on protecting the world’s birds of prey, and a writer who stitches it all into a brilliant story. Today we talk to that very writer, Joshua Hammer, who also happens to be an expat living in Berlin with his family. The Falcon Thief: A True Tail of Adventure, Treachery, and the Hunt for the Perfect Bird “whisks readers from the volcanoes of Patagonia to Zimbabwe’s Matobo National Park, and from the frigid tundra near the Arctic Circle to ...
Mar 02, 2020•31 min•Season 7Ep. 303
If you could have an encounter with any animal in the wild, which would you pick? For author and actress Jane Alexander, it was the exotic Himalayan Monal pheasant. She got her wish in the mountains of Bhutan and told Katy about it. On Monday’s episode we talked about quests, and Katy mentioned she’d like to embark on a quest that has to do with seeing animals in the wild, and that made her think of Jane and a conversation they had a while back. Listen to Katy’s full interview with Jane Alexande...
Feb 27, 2020•9 min•Season 7Ep. 46
What’s the difference between a goal and a quest? This week, Tiffany and Katy discuss what goes in to embarking on a quest, and why you would want to go on one. Tiffany (who famously loves a challenge) sets down her own definition of a quest, as well as why she believes the fun is not in the completion of it. They also brainstorm strategies for choosing the perfect quest, and how intentionality plays into that. Listen to the episode mentioned on the show: Episode 143: CRITTERS (with Jane Alexand...
Feb 24, 2020•34 min•Season 7Ep. 302
It’s Carnevale 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 Bittersweet Moment, Tiffany recounts the ancient origins of this raucous pre-Lenten festival, what it was like to take part in Carnival in Rensaissance times, and how it's celebrated today. (Warning: this episode may make you drool.) Places mentioned in this episode: Pasticerria Regoli – Via dello Statuto, 60 (Esquilino) Forno La Renella – Via de...
Feb 20, 2020•12 min•Season 7Ep. 45
Do you know your personality type? On this week’s episode, Katy sits down with personality consultant Leslie McDaniel, who diagnoses Katy's personality type through a series of probing and sometimes difficult questions. Leslie believes that knowing your personality type—specifically the Myers-Briggs Type indicator—can help you reach your full potential, and it might even help you determine what kind of travel you’d enjoy most. By the end of this episode, not only will you know Katy’s personality...
Feb 17, 2020•34 min•Season 7Ep. 301
We've had some fascinating guests over the past six years of this podcast, and to celebrate our exciting 300-episode milestone, this Bittersweet Moment takes a look back at just a few of our very favorites. In this mini-episode, you'll hear why most of us remember a tree from our childhood, how one of today's most popular authors fights his way to joy over pain in his writing, and get insight into the challenges of being married to a trans partner. Listen to the full episodes here: Episode 110: ...
Feb 13, 2020•18 min•Season 7Ep. 44
Two countries, six years, 300 episodes! On this week's episode, The Bittersweet Life podcast reaches a major milestone! To commemorate this important number, we look back on 300 episodes: highlights, bloopers, tears (mostly Katy's), laughter, our most famous young guest, and a few of the best Aurelio appearances. This week we not only a look back at some of our best episodes, but we also offer a peek behind the curtain. Don't miss this super-special episode. Want to listen to the full episodes e...
Feb 10, 2020•43 min•Season 7Ep. 300
Visit Rome in the footsteps of Raphael, just in time for the 500th anniversary of his death. Many art historians date the unofficial end of the Renaissance as 6 April 1520, the day the great Raphael Sanzio left the earth. He was only 37 years old. But despite his short life, he had a massive artistic output. A whopping 100 of his works (paintings and sketches) will be on display at a once-in-a-lifetime exhibit at Rome’s Scuderie del Quirinale starting next month, but there are many works in the ...
Feb 06, 2020•15 min•Season 7Ep. 43
Italy is a historically corrupt country, so much so that many Italians roll their eyes at anyone naive enough to trust their own government. Is that where the US is heading? On this episode, Tiffany and Katy discuss how a country can begin a slow slide into corruption, what it looks and feels like, and what (if anything) can be done to stop it. Tiffany also shares her worry (for the first time ever) that her vote won’t be counted. ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach...
Feb 03, 2020•36 min•Season 7Ep. 299
Sagittarius or Scorpio, Leo or Libra, visit Rome based on your sign. In this mini-episode, Tiffany tells you what to see and do in Rome based on the traits of your zodiac sign. **Links to some of the places mentioned in the episode:** Rome's Michelin-starred restaurants Leonardo Da Vinci Experience – Via della Conciliazione, 19 Alina Vicente FotoEmozioni (Rome-based family photographer) Biblioteca Casanatense – Via di Sant'Ignazio, 52. Biblioteca Angelica – Piazza di Sant'Agostino, 8. Biblioteca...
Jan 30, 2020•14 min•Season 7Ep. 41
Katy's father and sister join us this week to look back on their family travels to Southeast Asia, specifically Vietnam. Katy, who was not a travel-lover as a younger person, asks her dad if he invited her to join him on his trips there in order to expand her world through travel. His answer surprises her. Dale Sewall explains why he's been drawn to Vietnam for more than half his life, and he describes the electrifying reaction he had the first time he touched down in the country. --------------...
Jan 27, 2020•34 min•Season 7Ep. 298
Michigan, Minnesota, Montana... oh my! Katy's sister and father have lived, respectively, in some of the snowiest places in the US. What do they think about the snow nostalgia that plagues so much of the non-snowy world? Do they agree with the theory that people who are "dreaming of a white Christmas" or joyfully singing "Let it Snow" are actually people who've never had to deal with the grim reality of constant snow? Tune in to find out. ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH U...
Jan 23, 2020•11 min•Season 7Ep. 41
Most people either love snow or hate it. How much of that depends on where you live and how much snow you see in a typical year? Or maybe our love of snow is determined by how much it gets in the way of our day-to-day lives? A recent snowstorm hitting Seattle—a city that doesn't see snow often and is ill-equipped to handle it—inspired this episode that looks at the fluffy white stuff, and why people feel so differently about it. ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach e...
Jan 20, 2020•25 min•Season 7Ep. 297
There’s nothing like curling up in your favorite armchair and traveling the world via an amazing book. But what about when the shoe is on the other foot? What about the writers who must craft stories that bring these exotic cities and countries to life? How do they go about it? On this week’s mini-episode, Katy interviews Jess Walter, best-selling author of Beautiful Ruins and We Live in Water: Stories , about how travel influences his writing, whether its Italy’s famed Cinque Terre or his own h...
Jan 15, 2020•15 min•Season 7Ep. 40
Most book-lovers would agree that reading is the best way to travel without leaving the comfort of your favorite armchair. This week, Katy sits down with librarian and world-famous book expert Nancy Pearl to discuss what makes a book a great armchair travel read, as opposed to simply a book set in an unfamiliar place. Listen all the way to the end to hear Nancy’s scandalous and controversial strategy for dealing with the weight of too many books while traveling. Also, discover the one setting Ka...
Jan 13, 2020•18 min•Season 7Ep. 296
So you set yourself a bunch of New Year’s resolutions and now you’re on your way to Rome. How in the world are you going to keep them? Do you even want to try? Well, we’ve got good news for you! This week’s mini-episode is all about how to keep your New Year’s Resolutions while in Rome! Want to save money? Eat healthy? Get active? Learn a new language? You’ve come to the right place. ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over t...
Jan 09, 2020•14 min•Season 7Ep. 39
What are your resolutions this year? And did you get your resolutions done last year? We start every year with our Resolutions episode, where we look back on last year’s accomplishments (or non-accomplishments, as the case may be), and look ahead with ambition (if you're Tiffany) or playfulness and curiosity (if you're Katy) to what we want to do or change in the year ahead. Tune in to find out if we managed to stick with last year’s resolutions and to discover what goals we’ve set for ourselves...
Jan 06, 2020•35 min•Season 7Ep. 295
What did Shakespeare think about his own mortality? Is it possible to discern how he felt about death from his writing? We explore the intersection of art and death in this special presentation of the pilot to non-starter podcast In Black Ink that Katy created years before The Bittersweet Life . In it, she talks with Richard E. T. White and Amy Thone, both veteran Shakespearean actors, directors, and professors at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. They end the episode with a deep dive into...
Dec 30, 2019•23 min•Season 7Ep. 294
Has Christmas lost its magic now that you’re all grown up? 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. ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the co...
Dec 23, 2019•30 min•Season 7Ep. 293
Who doesn’t love a good cocktail, especially around the holidays? On this week’s Bittersweet Moment, Katy revisits Monday’s episode and her interview with author Adrienne Brodeur to discover her mother’s secret for making amazing cocktails, especially her signature Manhattan. Katy also shares a creative game she likes to play with her favorite Seattle bartender, Daniel. Grab a shaker and some ice and tune in. ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats...
Dec 19, 2019•10 min•Season 7Ep. 38
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. Today Adrienne joins us for a thoughtful and intimate interview. She discusses her newly released memoir, Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me , in which she tells this extraordinary story. S...
Dec 16, 2019•35 min•Season 7Ep. 292
Spending Christmas in Rome? On this week's mini-episode, Tiffany shares her tips on the best, coziest, and most festive ways to celebrate Christmas in Rome! Buon Natale e Buone Feste from The Bittersweet Life! ***Don't forget! All of our Patreon supportors at the $10 level or higher will be thrown into a hat to win a SIGNED copy of Mo Rocca's new book Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving mailed right to your door. You have until 15 December so get on it!*** -----------------------------------...
Dec 12, 2019•13 min•Season 7Ep. 37
Should you visit a country if you can't speak the language? Some say no, that you'll never be able to understand or truly experience a culture if you can't make sense of what its people are saying. (One person who makes this claim is recent guest Paul Theroux in Episodes 286 and 287 .) But then again, that's awfully limiting. Even in the best scenario, in which you speak three or even four languages, that would still cut you off from most of the world. Tiffany and Katy debate this topic, and the...
Dec 09, 2019•34 min•Season 7Ep. 291
We won't be remembered for long after we die—that’s a conclusion that Mo Rocca, correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning, came to on Episode 290 MOBITUARIES . Today, we continue to explore the transience of fame on this mini-episode by introducing you to Jan Merlin. You probably haven't heard of this once-famous Hollywood actor, but he's about to make you cry. Listen to this mini-interview he did with Katy, where he tells the story of how he fell in love with acting in the most unlikely of places. -...
Dec 05, 2019•11 min•Season 7Ep. 36
