Hi, I’m Jess. My husband Matt and I have been traveling the world since 2015 - two backpacks, one laptop (me) and one bicycle (him). We aim to travel light and leave small footprints. Now, we begin a new chapter with the renovation of a historic apartment in Tuscany. We hope you will follow the adventure and reach out to say hello!
If you’ve visited Italy in summer, you know what I mean by Spritz-Thirty. It’s the time of afternoon when the sun salutes the horizon, unfurling ribbons of bright orange or fiery red, depending on your perspective and palate. A sure signal to begin the beloved Italian day-part and revered tradition known as aperitivo hour, aka spritz-thirty.As much an Italian cultural … More It’s (Not) Always Spritz:Thirty
Last week, my husband Matt, sausage dog Marcello, and I embarked on a pilgrimage, leaving behind the fresco-adorned apartment we recently renovated in a 16th century palazzo. For those new to our story, after traveling nomadically for seven years, we have (finally) dropped those backpacks and taken up full-time residency in the historic center of … More A Grand Staycation, Lucca-Style
I’m often surprised by the reaction when we mention restoring frescoes in our apartment. Foreigners and Italians alike confess they might not have the patience to tackle these projects. Our reply is always the same. But how could we not? For us it’s a dream and privilege to play a tiny role in the story … More Restoration of a Liberty Style Fresco, Before and After
Not long before her death at 95-years-young, my beloved grandmother Frances told me that she was coming back in the next life as a peacock. “Nothing could be more fitting,” I said, laughing and wishing it to be so. A jitterbug dance champion in her younger days, she was still lighting up the dance floor … More The Restoration of a Fresco, with Peacock Flair
When a great friend and former colleague asked if I would consider writing an Italian travel story for her gorgeous new magazine Huntsville’s CityLifestyle, I hesitated. The road has been long since I left professional travel writing to embark on the meandering-toward-disaster path of book writing. Before the sabbatical, I cranked out story after story … More Can 2025 Kick Off A New Era of Travel? Let’s Hope So!
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