http://www.no-dowry.com Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:57:49 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Happy New Year! So, it’s January. Again? So soon? I’m becoming one of those people who exclaims frequently, “I can’t believe it’s January!” or “I can’t believe it’s 2012!” or “I can’t believe the Kardashians’ 15 minutes aren’t up yet!” (That last one isn’t totally relevant but still true.) I don’t generally do ... http://www.no-dowry.com/2012/01/one-word-new-years-resolution/ Last weekend, Brian and I celebrated our one-year anniversary of living in Naples. What a beautiful whirlwind year it's been. I still wake up most days not believing our good luck. The other days, I wonder why on earth anyone would set off fireworks at 7 a.m. Boat ride to Procida In ... http://www.no-dowry.com/2011/12/one-year-in-italy/ Brian and I are about to embark on an awesome three-week trip to some beautiful European cities (Munich, Berlin, Oslo, Prague and Budapest), most of which we've never visited before. I know. I feel like a jerk-face for having such a sweet travel opportunity. Does it make you feel any better ... http://www.no-dowry.com/2011/09/i-guess-were-not-20-anymore/ Forgive me this "Julie and Julia" moment (did anyone else want to slap the whine right out of Amy Adams' character in that movie?), but I'm a wee bit obsessed with Julia Child right now. I finally started reading her delightfully unpretentious memoir, "My Life in France," and halfway through it, ... http://www.no-dowry.com/2011/08/things-i-love-julia-childs-my-life-in-france/ One of the most frequent questions I get about living in Italy is, "What do you miss most about the United States?" Obviously, I miss people who are far away the most; that's an easy one. But I'm always surprised by the other stuff I miss-- the little things I ... http://www.no-dowry.com/2011/08/things-i-miss-about-the-us-1-5/ First things first: I kind of hate most travel blogs. OK, "hate" is a strong word, but I have embarrassingly little patience for them, especially considering that I love to travel, I love to read/write and I love blogs in general. This may make me sound like a bad person, but ... http://www.no-dowry.com/2011/08/travelogue-elba/ I went to my 10-year high school reunion this month (Woohoo, Class of 2001 Dragons! Seniors rule!). Yes, that happened. Spirit week, 2001 It seems unbelievable that it has been 10 whole years since I moved away from Sonoma, California to join those fabulous lunatics in a little city called New Orleans, ... http://www.no-dowry.com/2011/06/the-great-high-school-reunion-time-capsule-unveiling/ Here's a little-known fact about me: I need the Internet to survive. Really. I will die without it. Sure, unplugging for a weekend away or a long vacation is a fabulous idea and I'm happy to indulge when I can, but the day-to-day reality is that I need to be online. ... http://www.no-dowry.com/2011/04/telecom-italia-10-gillian-0/ It's hard to believe, but we have lived in Naples for almost four months. In that time, we have traveled as much as possible, gotten lost countless times despite our best efforts and eaten enough mozzarella di bufala to spoil us for life. In short, I like living ... http://www.no-dowry.com/2011/03/i-love-italy-days/ We threw a rockin' party in New Orleans exactly two years ago today (some of you were there, but your memories might be a little hazy... that New Orleans is a saucy minx). Ring any bells? Spoiler alert: turns out, Brian and I also got married somewhere in between the eating ... http://www.no-dowry.com/2011/01/time-flies/