Contributors
These are the wonderful and extremely knowledgeable people who have chosen to share their love of Italy on Italian Notebook. Interested in being a contributor too? Click here and let us know!
GB - Chief, cook, bottle-washer
GB launched Italian Notebook with the objective of taking his dual insider/outsider perspective on Italy to the web. The editing and writing is incredibly gratifying to him, and he is quite chuffed that publishing the material has received such a great response (. . thank you all!)
Born in Germany, raised in France and Italy, both a US and Italian citizen, educated at Penn in Philadelphia, he now lives in Rome again where proximity to good coffee is a non-issue.
Mary Jane Cryan - Author, Historian, Cruise Ship Lecturer
Cruising the Mediterranean? You might meet our first contributor who is presently guest lecturer aboard mega-cruise ships of the Princess line. American-Irish writer and historian Mary Jane Cryan has been living in Italy for almost half a century. From her palazzo in Vetralla she writes for Italian and English language magazines, contributes to best-selling guidebooks, and has authored several books about this little-known part of central Italy. For insider information, itineraries and articles check her award-winning website www.elegantetruria.com.
Evanne Brandon Diner - Writer, Artist
Evanne Brandon Diner has spent the past five years trying to uncover the real history of her village's patron saint. In the meantime, she feels she's been reborn as a violinist, painter and chroniclier of local village life in Northern Lazio. Born in Boston, she and her husband lived in San Francisco for many years before moving to Italy in 2002. For information about how to buy or restore property or settle into Central Italy like a native, or just to peruse Evanne's journal, visit their website at www.lavventuraitalia.com.
Michelle Fabio - Writer, Blogger, Attorney
Michelle Fabio is a freelance writer who has lived in her ancestors' village in Calabria, the toe of the boot, since 2003. A licensed attorney, Michelle has written for America's oldest daily legal newspaper, Philadelphia's Legal Intelligencer, International Living, Transitions Abroad, Create Magazine, Women's Independent Press, and LegalZoom.com. You can read more about Michelle, her writing, Calabrian fiancé Paolo, two adorable trilingual (English, Italian, Calabrese) dogs Luna and Stella, and experiments in the kitchen at Bleeding Espresso.
Lisa Finerty - Garden Lover
I have been living in Italy along with my husband Tom and our two children for five years --- this time. Since living here as a child 39 years ago, I have made significant life stops in Chicago, Minnesota, and Santa Barbara CA, where I have always built and maintained a garden. There's something about the satisfaction and pleasure of a garden that is like no other. After visiting the Italian gardens in and around Rome and finding myself going back time and time again, I decided to start my own tour business, www.SecretGardensItaly.com with the hopes of sharing these magical, magnificent and historic gardens with others.
Barbara Goldfield - Travel Consultant
Barbara came to Rome with her family in 1961 and in 1965 her parents opened the Economy Book Center, a new and used paperback bookstore on the Spanish Steps. She grew up in Italy, and worked for many years as a dancer, teacher and choreographer. From 1982 she worked as managing director of the family business until the end of 2004 when the bookstore closed definitevely. She now lives with her husband Federico and their german shepherd Sabra in Sant'Agata dei Goti where they run their travel consultancy www.SavourTheSannio.com.
Patrick Hess - Writer, Educator
Originally from Massachusetts, Patrick Hess is a writer and educator who lives in a small town in southern Lombardia. Formerly a carpenter, a ranch hand, and an elementary school teacher in New York City, he now writes on Italy as he sees it at bicivecchia.blogspot.com.
Cherrye Moore - Writer, Bed and Breakfast Owner
Cherrye Moore grew up in rural Southeast Texas in the heart of the Big Thicket. She began writing at an early age, and became a published writer in her teens. After college she worked for the mouse in Orlando and was offered a position with the World Exchange Program at Disneyland Paris in France. There she met her future husband and embarked on her Calabrese adventure. In addition to writing, she and her husband own Il Cedro Bed and Breakfast in Catanzaro. You can read more about Cherrye on her blog, My Bella Vita.
Tiziana Manzetti - Italian Ceramic Expert, Co-founder of thatsArte.com
After a long and rewarding experience in the marketing department of an American company in Rome, Tiziana moved abroad as happy spouse, and mother of two cheerful boys. She came back to Italy in 2002, when she started studying and collecting hand made pottery from all over Italy.
Inspired by her passion she has recently launched thatsArte.com, an Italian ceramic web store devoted to the US market. She involved her best friend, Manuela, in the project. Together they selected talented potters from Umbria (Deruta and Gubbio), Tuscany and Sicily. They also started a thatsArte Blog, where pottery lovers can find any kind of info related to Italian pottery.
Vanessa DellaPasqua - Culinary Travel Service Planner, Entrepreneur
Vanessa DellaPasqua is the founder of Global Epicurean (www.globalepicurean.com), a bespoke travel services provider that focuses on culinary trips. Global Epicurean also publishes Italy in SF (www.italyinsf.com), a directory of everything Italian in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Born and raised in the culinary paradise of Romagna, in Italy, she grew up in the hotel and restaurants that were the family business. Her core passions are food and travel - that's how Global Epicurean was born. In particular, Vanessa's interest resides in exploring cooking as an expression of culture. Vanessa holds a Masters from Bologna University and an MBA from the Haas School of Business. She lives between Romagna and San Francisco.
Layne Randolph - Int'l Attorney, Freelance Writer
Layne Randolph is an international attorney and freelance writer living in Italy. She has worked with Italian and American companies to produce marketing materials including websites, brochures, press releases and various sales materials. She has worked with Italian law firms to assist in preparation of documents for international tribunals, and she has been a speaker and presenter on various legal issues. She has published articles in several magazines and newspapers - typically in the areas of politics, travel, and law. Her current long term writing projects include a book on reinventing oneself, and a situation comedy for television. You can read some of her work at www.laynerandolph.com.
Normanno Ross - TV Producer, Special Events Organiser, Romaphile
Norman Ross is an avowed Romaphile. He first traveled to Rome in 1975 to produce and direct a musical documentary about the Holy Year for a major New York City TV station. During his TV career, he was honored to win two EMMY's among his many other awards. Since moving to Rome in 1996, he has been associated with one of Italy's top Destination Management Company creating Incentive Programs and Business Meetings for major American companies. In this endeavor, he has produced special events in every part of Italy, ranging from a private after-hours cocktail reception and visit of the Vatican Museum, to wine-tasting in the Chianti region, to grape-stomping in Rome, and a private dinner in front of the statue of David.
Katherine Roycroft - English Teacher, Nursery Nurse
Born and bred Londoner, has lived in Tuscany since she came to work as a nanny in 1988, fell in love and decided to stay. Married and living in Campiglia Marittima, on the Tuscan sea-side, with her "Campigliese" husband and their 15 year old daughter. She spends most of her time teaching English in the area but specialises in teaching Engish to the under 5's.
Patricia Glee Smith - Artist, Archeaologist
Patricia has lived in Italy for many years, first Torino, then Rome, and now in Otricoli, a beautiful medieval village in Umbria, in the Tiber valley. She, her husband Giangi, and their Turkish cat, have chosen Otricoli for its peace and quiet, important for her and her artwork (painting, illustration, etchings, etc.) You can see her artwork on her website. Besides her art, she also regularly works on archaeological expeditions in Turkey, the Yemen and Tibet.
Conchita Vecchio - Teacher & Translator
A native of Brooklyn, NY, Conchita Vecchio is a TEFL teacher, translator, interpreter, and writer who has lived in Italy for over 20 years but never dreamed she would one day live in her genetic homeland of Sicily, where in fact she has been living since 1999. Driven by her love of the island and her insistence on doing things her way, she will be starting her own travel consultancy in and for Sicily early this year.
