The Bold Spirit Stays In: 5 Ways to Experience la dolce vita at Home

Have to stay home? You can still embrace la dolce vita. Photo by Adrienn.

By Mary Jane Cuyler

Ciao, bella!

Regina and I have been so excited to lead our first groups of Bold Spirit women to Italy. But as you probably know, all of our inaugural Bold Spirit tours have been canceled for the spring of 2020. Like many non-essential workers, both of us are hunkered down at home. We are currently enjoying good health, for which we are profoundly grateful.

We are communicating by recording voice messages, because there’s a huge time difference between my home in Oslo and Regina’s in Seattle. I’m nine hours ahead. It’s such a delight to check my messages in the morning and hear all of Regina’s new ideas for Bold Spirit.

Maybe your ears are burning, because we are talking about you all the time. What can we do to keep our Bold Spirit women excited and hopeful?

Just because we aren’t traveling to Italy this spring, doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy la dolce vita in our own homes. (La Dolce Vita is not only a famous Fellini film, it’s also a way of life in Italy—the “sweet life” to be precise!)

Cook yourself a delicious Italian meal at home. Pour a glass of wine and savor each bite. Photo by Lgh_9.

1. Mangia, mangia!
Mangia means “eat!” in Italian, and on our tours you will experience the wonderful and varied dishes of Italy. In Rome, this means crispy thin pizzas with simple toppings, and pastas with just a few ingredients, so that each individual element shines. In Florence and Tuscany, white beans made fragrant with sage, thick juicy steaks of the prized Chianina cow, or aromatic truffles might adorn your plate.

Last autumn in Rome, Regina and I shared a plate of cacio e pepe pasta that was out of this world. We can’t wait to take you to this place. But in the meantime, why not try making it at home? It only has three ingredients, plus salted water. The best recipe I’ve found is in Italian, so now’s a good time to learn a new language! Or, just use Google Translate.

You may be at home, but that doesn’t mean it’s a pajama party all day long. Put on something nice. It will make you feel better. Photo by Daria Rem.

2. La bella figura
The phrase fare la bella figura (“making a beautiful figure”) encompasses a variety of meanings. For example, attention to physical appearance. One thing you’ll notice in Italy is that Italians tend to dress up, and it’s not unusual to see women in full hair and makeup running daily errands.

When you sign up for a trip with us, we send you a packing list! If you’re coming with us to Italy, we remind you to bring something dressy for the evening if you wish.

So, to apply this theory to your current situation (that is, if you are working from home), you might want to keep the pajama party to a minimum. I’m not saying you need to dress specifically for your workplace, but you will feel much more civilized if you’re showered and wearing daytime clothing. Extra points for the full hair and makeup.

You can’t get those steps in walking the streets of Florence, but you can keep your body and mind healthy with a home workout. Photo by Alexy Almond.

3. Andiamo!
One word you’ll hear again and again is andiamo, “let’s go!”. We do a lot of walking in Italy. When I lived there, I averaged between 5 and 10 miles a day. (No, we don’t make you do that much walking on the tours, but you get the idea.)

If you can, absolutely get outside and go for a walk or run!

But if you’re looking for something extra, online workouts designed for the home are the perfect solution. I love Tracy Campoli’s workouts because they are fun, aimed at a variety of fitness levels, and super effective. You can try out her ah-mazing subscription program or check out her YouTube channel. Bonus: she’s Italian-American.

Purchase gorgeous handbags, jewelry, and perfume online from Italian makers. Photo by Lum3n.com.

4. Fare spese
We have built a healthy portion of free time into the rhythm of our tours, because we want to give you the chance to explore on your own and, of course, go shopping (fare spese)! One of my favorite cities in Italy for shopping is Florence. Florence is famous for its leather markets, but a lot of the stuff that is sold at these markets is not of the best quality. I adore the handbags and jewelry sold by Digerolamo, who ship globally. The founder, Clara Soto, is a third generation artisan and her mother designs the jewelry. Everything is handmade in Florence. Are you a perfume lover? Florence is studded with exquisite local perfumeries. One of the oldest is the profumeria of Santa Maria Novella, which was founded in 1612! Some of their products are available online.

Now is a good time to start learning a language. You will be ready with your Italian verbs and nouns when our tours are running again. Photo by Vrolanas.

5. Parliamo italiano!
You don’t need to know Italian to join one of our tours—that’s what I’m there for! But wouldn’t you just love to be able to say and understand a few choice phrases? Learning a language is a long and rewarding journey. Duolingo is a good place to pick up some basic vocabulary and learn the pronunciation.

Movies and music are a great way to pick up a language. One film that has really stuck with me is Perfetti Sconosciuti or Perfect Strangers. (Here’s a link to the trailer.) The premise is a group of friends who meet for dinner and end up playing a game where everyone places their phone on the table. Any and every message, call or notification that is received during dinner is shared with the entire table. What could go wrong? We have no secrets among friends, do we?

I hope that some of these ideas inspired you or at least brought a smile to your face. Tonight I plan to listen to Italian opera, maybe Verdi’s La Traviata. I can pour a glass of Italian wine and hum along to the “Brindisi” (aka “The Drinking Song”) while perusing my favorite Italian cookbook for my next great culinary inspiration.

I would love to hear your ideas for living la dolce vita at home, so please share in the comments. Or let us know what your ideal evening looks like. And most importantly, look after yourselves and your loved ones. We are thinking of you!

P.S.—None of the above are affiliate links. We just think you will enjoy our suggestions.