The Bittersweet Life

Episode 652: Rearview: A Halloween Radio Drama (by Matthew P. Woerner)

It's become something of a tradition here at The Bittersweet Life podcast to air an original radio play at Halloween or Christmas time, by our friends over at AudioImagin

The Bittersweet Past: Ghostly and Romantic Stories

What's it like to really live with a ghost, and why do so many people want to these days? This mini-episode from our archives was inspired by a recent article in the Ne

Episode 651: Surprising Roman Fashion Trends

When the only ancient Romans you've ever seen are gleaming white statues of gods, goddesses, and emperors, you might assume that the fashion trends in Ancient Rome favore

The Bittersweet Past: Halloween with Aurelio

Aurelio may be starting middle school this fall, but on this episode from our archives, we time travel back to a different new beginning, namely elementary school. He j

Episode 650: How a Place Changes You, Part 2

This week, we continue our conversation from last week's episode: Can living in a foreign country or even a different city from where you grew up dramatically change your

The BIttersweet Past: Grave Robbing Artists (with Jennifer Dasal)

It's a much-told legend that Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci used to rob graves in order to dissect bodies in secret so they could achieve anatomical accuracy in their

Episode 649: How a Place Changes You, Part 1

Can living in a foreign country or even a different city from where you grew up dramatically change your life and even your personality? A letter from a listener sparke

The Bittersweet Past: Have You Ever Heard a Rat Laugh?

It's finally Halloween season, and to assuage the fears of anyone who is afraid of rats (like Tiffany!) Katy shares a fascinating and little-known recording of rat laught

Episode 648: Misperceiving Italy

A cringy AI-generated ad that touts a gimmicky protein pasta as "just like in Italy!" makes us wonder: what are the worst misperceptions around Italian culture, food, and

The Bittersweet Past: The Joy of Anticipating Travel

Some psychologists say that anticipation of a desired event can often bring more happiness than experiencing the event itself. And if that's the case, can we conclude tha

Episode 647: How to Vote from Abroad in US Elections

The US mid-term elections are just around the corner, and it's important to know that Americans living or studying abroad can vote from whereever they happen to be! (And

The Bittersweet Past: A Walk through Trastevere

On this episode from way way back in the early archives of the show, Tiffany and Katy take listeners on a walking tour of their favorite Roman neighborhood, Trastevere.

Episode 646: Celebrating Life while You're Alive (with Katy's sisters)

Today we're joined by Katy's sisters, Dana and Sara, to chat about what's on the horizon for Dana, considering her diagnosis of terminal brain cancer last year.  As alw

The Bittersweet Past: Who Is Rome for?

In cities like Rome, tourists are part of the city's identity, its reality, its way of life. When they go away—and don't come back—the city will inevitably change and ada

Episode 645: Dogs vs. Cats

It's a debate as old as time, and today Katy and Tiffany are tackling it: Which are better: dogs or cats? And perhaps more importantly, which make better pets? Is the

The Bittersweet Past: Why Is the Media Obsessed with Italy? (with Coral Sisk)

Are you tired of watching every one you know go to Italy? Florence-based food blogger and culinary tour guide Coral Sisk was, and she penned a viral complaint about it

Episode 644: Listeners Ask: Do You Journal?

Do you write in a journal? If you don't know, have you ever done so in the past? Have you ever used a journal as a means of self-therapy? These and other similar questi

The Bittersweet Past: I Was Here

On a past Bittersweet Moment, Tiffany remembered accidently smearing a bit of lipstick on the doorframe of one of the buildings she lived in her first months in Rome, and

Episode 643: Defending the City You Love

When a stranger online started badmouthing Rome, Tiffany's reaction was visceral. It was almost as if someone had insulted her mother. On this week's new episode, Tiffa

The Bittersweet Past: Seeking Wonder (with Andrea Scher)

What is wonder? And how does it affect your life? Perhaps most importantly, what can we do to harness it? In this episode from our archives, we are joined by Andrea Sch