It was nearly a decade ago when I realized that there would be a year that, if all went according to plan, Older and Younger Son would both be at university and Daughter, much younger by several years, would be in a somewhat transitional school year. I dreamed of a self-created “study abroad” program in…
Author: Stacy Pollard
Prayers & Piazzas: part travel guide, part travel journal, celebrating all things Italy.
22 Terms To Better Appreciate Italian Art and Architecture
Terms curated and defined by Alexandra Kiely, A Scholarly Skater & The Art Museum Insider My love for Italian art and architecture is undeniable, but also, untrained. Often I have felt guilty at the blessings of being exposed to the beauty of Italian museums and buildings without the knowledge to better appreciate it all. Thus, I…
Art History Appreciation
Art is much more powerful when it jumps from the pages of a book and you can enjoy it face to face. We found Masaccio’s masterpiece, The Holy Trinity, sitting quietly inside Florence’s Santa Maria Novella church, a peaceful and cool oasis from a crowded summer day in the city. This work is considered “one…
Four Weekly Practices for Learning Italian
Or, How I Study Italian 2018 In searching for some words of encouragement to begin this post, I typed into Google “why study Italian”? A number of posts of popped up, mostly from language school blogs or university foreign language departments. I clicked the one with the most number of reasons (24). Coming it at #24,…
A Home for the Italian Language
On the outskirts of Florence sits Villa di Castello, country home of Cosimo I de’ Medici (1519-1574), Grand Duke of Tuscany. Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and Primavera once adorned the walls of the villa, and Castello’s elaborate garden — renowned throughout Europe — influenced other famous gardens including Florence’s Boboli Gardens. Villa di Castello has seen…
Variations on a Theme: Italian Storefronts and Shop Windows
Who can resist the artistry of a well-arranged, colorful, symmetrical or even crowded shop window? Most of these are from Italy (primarily Florence), but a couple are not (leave your guess in the comments section). Click on an image to enlarge. Settling on a subject was a little tricky, as I have quite a…
Backyard Italy
“New York, San Diego and Cleveland are just three of the top ten cities that have the most beautiful Little Italys in the world, attracting people who love and share our passion for the Italian culture and traditions.” — Francesco Salvatore Cagnazzo, La Gazetta Italiana I am thrilled to have a top-ranked Little Italy close to…
Street Art Then and Now
Modern street art in Florence Street (really floors) as art from ancient Rome in the Forum. More Snapshots from Italy found here.
Snapshots from Italy: Weathered
In my own country I might balk at mouldering structures with peeling paint and other blemishes, but in Italy they are proud and beautiful, standing for all to see as a testament of resilience. Today’s Weekly Photo Challenge is weathered, and I found quite a collection of favorites in honor of this theme. Below, the view…
Charming Certaldo
About one hour by car or train lies the picturesque little hamlet of Certaldo, home of Renaissance’s literary giant, Giovanni Boccaccio. The big cities in Italy were filled with visitors on this hot summer day, but in Certaldo it was fairly quiet and pleasantly breezy. We leisured through the cobbled streets, keeping ourselves busy capturing…
Prayers & Piazzas 