"The brittle crust off the present fractures; my feet sink into the quicksand of antiquity" - Anthony Doerr, Four Seasons in Rome

Welcome to Episode #114,

A spontaneous moment sipping an Aperol Spritz sitting at a caffe/wine bar on the corner of a busy side street close to Via Nazionale has me musing over some beautiful moments in Rome, purely sunny days full of grand adventures, being lost but absolutely happy in Italy…

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My book: In the Shadow of a Cypress - An Italian Adventure

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© 2025 A Writer In Italy - travel, books, art and life
Music Composed by Richard Johnston © 2025

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"Solitude is a place I like to go" - Tracey Emin

Welcome to Episode #113:

Today I share some beautiful moments in Bologna and Florence while sitting at a cafe close to Mercato Centrale in the centro storico of Firenze. Exploring art and culture was at the forefront of my experience in Italy on this recent travel adventure and there is no doubt there are many moving parts on this journey of mine. I discover much more than I expect seeing Tracey Emin at the Palazzo Strozzi and the restored artwork of Plautilla Nelli - The Last Supper c.1560 at the Santa Maria Novella.

I mention the Strozzi Gallery and seeing Tracey Emin Sex and Solitude and The Time for Women exhibition that are currently showing in Florence, yet would also like to add while in Milan I went to I am Leonor Fini at the Palazzo Reale and loved her work and the beauty of her rich artist life in Italy and France. It came as quite a surprise to see such a femme de force of art after perusing the NovoCento in Milan, a wonderful museum of 20th and 21st Century modern art, yet certainly I noticed that 99 percent of the work was the art of men, a legacy that obviously reflects something more pertinent to art history and Italian culture. These observations left me pondering the times and the culture of art in Italy and perhaps my own experience as a woman forging ahead in difficult times in the 21st Century.

Enjoy x

Find all Shownotes at michellejohnston.life

© 2025 A Writer In Italy - travel, books, art and life
Music Composed by Richard Johnston © 2025

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"Sometimes you just have to move forward and lead the way" - Michelle Johnston

Welcome to Episode #112,

From the Campo Sofia between the gondole and the Strada Nova while sipping a macchiato I share some travel stories and adventures of my days in Italy, it’s full vibrant cafe life and feeling that Venetian light soaking into my skin while musing over events, places, journeys.

Enjoy x

Find all Shownotes at michellejohnston.life

© 2025 A Writer In Italy - travel, books, art and life
Music Composed by Richard Johnston © 2025

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"Now & again I am able to live expansively, to feel expansive, with nothing & no one to do it for. Then I am happy, or happier than otherwise"

April 18, 1951 Patricia Highsmith, Her Diaries and Notebooks

Welcome to Episode #111:

This episode comes after a week of travelling solo in Italy reflecting on events and pivotal moments that led me to taking time in Italy to restore balance and beauty in life, to let Italy and Paris work its magic. It’s not exactly a perfect introduction, there is grief and emotional baggage but life and blessed time in Italy is a guaranteed source to move me forward into writing and reading.

The simple pleasures of time alone and enjoying cafe life in Paris and Italy do work their magic. The gifts of travel, to old and new places help integrate and challenge me to move forward, to honour myself and make peace with a challenging time in life.

Find all Shownotes at michellejohnston.life

My book: In the Shadow of a Cypress - An Italian Adventure

Book Link for MichelleJohnston.life

© 2025 A Writer In Italy - travel, books, art and life
Music Composed by Richard Johnston © 2025

Support the show

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"We travel not to escape life, but for life to not escape us"

Welcome to Episode #110:

Italy beckons...

Today Nadia and I talk travel moments and her soulful Tuscany Cooking Retreat in Tuscany this year, see links below to book yourself something special in Italy this coming November-December….

Tuscan Escape with Nadia Fragnito

Hortulanus Villa in Tuscany

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"Does the ever- evolving desire for beauty at home derive from a super sense of conviviality?" - Frances Mayes, A Place in the World

Welcome to Episode #109:

Some of the most delicious parts of this journey over the many years of loving Italy is the way it slowly became a part of my every day life. At home I see the art, the ceramics, the candle holders, the table ware, the cookbooks, the coffee table and Italian design books and my favourite coffee mugs that I enjoy using daily (let’s not forget the true force in my life - the 10 cup Bialetti Moka Pot) and everything else I have collected along the way have played a beautiful role on this Italian journey.

There is magic in the every day domestic and mundane details of our lives and the joy we feel when we see these beautiful momentos from the travels and the inspiration we have felt to acquire such an object.

Today’s share is a revel in how Italy has been just as important at home for me as it is as a place in the world.

Enjoy listening,

Michelle x

Find all Shownotes at michellejohnston.life

Buy my new book: In the Shadow of a Cypress - An Italian Adventure

Book Link for MichelleJohnston.life

© 2025 A Writer In Italy - travel, books, art and life
Music Composed by Richard Johnston © 2025

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"It's about the treasure beneath our feet, it's about the land..." - Bailey Alexander

Welcome to Episode #108:

Bailey Alexander lived in the region of Piemonte Italy in the small village of Loazzolo for seven years with her husband Francis. Over time the place, the land, the people, the traditions, the lifestyle, and the wonderful campilismo began to shape her life in new and creative ways.

After many years circumnavigating the globe, this time living in Piemonte searching for the “authentic life” ignited a curiosity that led Bailey to go on a journey of sorts, a personal pilgrimage to understand more. Bailey had so many questions and soon this curiosity became a collection of stories that evolved into her second book - ‘Personal Legends of Piemonte’.

Bailey and I discuss the many life lessons and the beautiful meandering journey of this time in her life to later come out the other side with a book that shares these intimate and magical stories of twelve Piemontese. This is a grand conversation and one that illuminates the many cycles in life, the power of change and the resiliency we discover when we follow the call to live authentically and with grace.

Personal Legends of Piemonte by Bailey Alexander

Instagram: Bailey Alexander

Find all Shownotes at michellejohnston.life

Buy my new book: In the Shadow of a Cypress - An Italian Adventure

Book Link for my MichelleJohnston.life

© 2025 A Writer In Italy - travel, books, art and life
Music Composed by Richard Johnston © 2025

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"The only joy in the world is to begin" - Cesare Pavese, This Business of Living

Welcome to Episode #107:

The writing life is full of possibilities and paradoxes, yet some times you need some tips and tricks on how to move forward, how to make time, how to get past the resistance and the limitations, and just write. Living a creative life takes a little audacity, a dose of commitment and a tonne of self care, it’s about nurturing your creativity and your projects until they are ready to bloom.

Today I share some of the tools, the tricks, some tips and the books on writing and creativity that have helped me complete my books, or more so, just get started. It is all about beginners mind and the art of small compounding victories that lead you to build momentum and structure over time. Anyway, this is what I have discovered over thirty years of being curious and absolutely determined to keep creating and making things along the way!

Find all Shownotes at michellejohnston.life

Buy my new book: In the Shadow of a Cypress - An Italian Adventure

Book Link for my MichelleJohnston.life

© 2025 A Writer In Italy - travel, books, art and life
Music Composed by Richard Johnston © 2025

Music Available on Spotify & Apple Music, today I featured Richard's 'The Ghan' on the Show!!

Enjoy xo

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