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Posts Tagged ‘Cross-Polliante’

Writing a Blog about Italy: Where Strangers are Friends You Haven’t Met Yet.

Posted in Expat in Italy, Italy, Living in Italy, Orvieto, Travel, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on June 15, 2012| 25 Comments »

Friends come in all shapes and sizes. Some live around the corner, some across an ocean. Sometimes your buddy-o-meter goes off and you get a certain vibe about someone that defies proximity – a unique kindred connection that isn’t a function of time or space.

She was the very first person to read and comment on this blog just over a year ago. We became Facebook friends. She had an irreverent sense of humor, coincidently also has a son named Andrew and loves Italy. She’s a fantastic cook. I’m a fantastic eater. We say things like “Ciao cugina” (Hi cousin) and banter on the computer like childhood friends.

We finally had our first meeting in North Beach last night. Dinner, chit-chatting (we even let her husband get a word in edgewise, from time to time). We shared chilled shot glasses of her homemade Limoncello and the waiters joined us for an after-dinner toast. How did I think the evening went? Let’s just say a visit with me in Orvieto is in the works.

I never expected this blog to be such a portal for funneling wonderful and dynamic people into my life. I’ve been fortunate to have a network of warm and supportive cohorts introduced to me through this medium.  They consist of a mixture of “real-time” and “web-based” friends, but friends nontheless. Among the Hall of Famers: a very “accommodating” family of five; a gal destined for Umbria; a mad renovating mommy; a floating foodie, a lake dweller, a stage fright-prone rock star; and a Chianti-drinking-but-not-while-driving adventurer.

That little “Like” button has “virtually” changed my life.

Check them out: 

The Beehive Hotel & Cafe and Cross-Pollinate

Renovating Italy

Living & Working a Dream Life in Europe

Destination Umbria

An Italophile

Follow Your Nose

by Toni DeBella

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