Curious Appetite

Life in Italy

Budget-friendly Aperitivo ideas in Florence, Italy

/ Aperitivo, Florence, Italy / 0 comment

Aperitivo might be the culinary ritual that cemented my love for living in Italy. When I first moved to Florence in 2012 to pursue my dream to live in Italy, I came on my own without help from anyone. So let’s just say I had a student budget and lived in a shoebox of a room in a shared house for the first 2 years.

To stay within my means, I did a LOT of aperitivo nights. That’s what I was able to afford if I wanted to socialize over food and drink, which is one of the most admirable aspects of Italian culture. I can’t think of how else I could have networked and made friends as a newbie.

Drinking well with a pre-dinner snack (the basis of an Italian aperitivo) shouldn’t have to break the bank. And thankfully for me, it didn’t. This post will give you some tips on where to aperitivo on a budget while not having to sacrifice quaffable hooch or tasty snacks to match. Continue Reading →

Reflections on Florence and updates from San Francisco

/ Florence, Italy, Updates / 16 Comments
the world might be a dumpster on fire, but make it your oyster when you can

Oh why hello! And how have I stalled a bit on this special space of mine. I’ve been reflecting a lot on the direction of my blog, what its meant to me in the past and where I shall take it in the future. If you’ve been following are are brand new here, after 7 years of loving yet tolerating Florence (plus 4 years of undergrad studies in Italian prior which brought me to Rome and Perugia to study/live abroad, so probably 10+ years of living/traveling between US/Italy all together), I decided to make a mega move. I recently reshaped my life to live between San Francisco and Florence. For now, of course! Who knows, life is unpredictable.

To answer the questions I posed subito: This blog has been a special place to me to document my reflections as an American navigating life in Florence with a food obsessed lens and I will always consider it my eternal beloved. I will continue to write about food in Florence here when I get a chance. In fact, this space will be getting a lot more Florence food TLC as I will be there next week- follow along via the grams! (@curiousappetite)

While I may no longer not live in Florence everyday, it will always be one of my long-distance limbs which I’ll never be able to live without. And luckily since Curious Appetite’s food tours in Florence are still running thanks to a team on the ground, I am able to stay updated, albeit vicariously, though the team. In order to not go completely crazy behind my computer while sharing what I’ve learned over the years in Italy, I personally lead Italian-themed gourmet experiences in San Francisco if you’d like to eat & drink Italian style with me:) Continue Reading →

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