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The Discovery CompassThe Discovery Compass

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  • Small Group Travel
  • Luxury Travel
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Culture & Lifestyle

My Life in Italy, Part 16: Two Weddings and a Funeral


What do The Nazis, Audrey Hepburn, Ronald & Nancy Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, Pope John Paul II, Margaret Thatcher, The Chernobyl meltdown and Mother Teresa all have in common? I knew you would ask! As always, if you are just jumping in, this will make a lot more sense if you start at the beginning of the series....

  • Michael Kovnick
  • September 2, 2026
  • 0
Culture & Lifestyle

My Life in Italy, Part 15: Race Against the Clock


Every time I think about a wedding, Wallace Shawn shows up in my head lisping about “mawwiage” and “twue wuv.” Sorry, can’t help it! It ruined weddings for me forever… in the best possible way. As with every post in this series, if you’re jumping in here, it’s like...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 29, 2026
  • 3
Small Group Travel

Small Group Tours in Croatia: 8 Checks Before You Book


Full disclosure before you read a word of this: I run one of the companies that offers small group tours in Croatia. So treat what follows as a method, not a recommendation, and run it on us too. Our own numbers are in here wherever they apply, including the place where our price comes in higher than every operator I...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 19, 2026
  • 0
Personal

My Life in Italy, Part 14: He Speaks! & Mirror in the Bathroom


As with every post in this series, if you are jumping in here, it is like jumping into the middle of a movie. Please start with Part 1, or this will make absolutely no sense. Yikes, it has been a long time since I wrote the last part of this series! This part is going to cover a fair amount of ground because by...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 17, 2026
  • 4
Small Group Travel

Best Small Group Tour in Italy: 10 Checks Before You Book


Full disclosure before you read a word of this: I run one of these companies. So treat what follows as a method rather than a recommendation, and run it on us too. I have put our own numbers in wherever they are relevant, including the two places we come off worse. The useful thing I have learned after 20 years of...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 16, 2026
  • 0
Culture & Lifestyle

Why There’s No Little America in Italy: 6 Reasons, and Only One of Them Is Romantic


I first came to Italy in 1983 and moved here in 1985. Nineteen years old, straight out of The Valley. There was no Facebook group. No welcome committee. No English-speaking realtor with a golf tan and a business card. Nobody handed me a list of “the American bars.” I found an apartment because a a friend...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • August 11, 2026
  • 0
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Culture
Culture

You Want to Feed the Meal I Prepared… TO YOUR DOG?


On day one of every cooking vacation we offer, there is a little talk with all of the newly arriving guests.  We go over the things that they can expect, and should not expect.  We discus the plans for the days ahead,...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • April 29, 2010
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Culture
Culture

“Boh!?”… And Other Perfect Italian Words & Phrases That Don’t Translate Well


When you split your life between two cultures with two languages, it is quite easy to get trapped in the wrong language from time to time.  I sometimes find myself speaking one language, then suddenly a word or phrase pops out...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • April 25, 2010
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Culture
Culture

Welcome To Italy… There’s a Tax For That


I haven’t gone on an Italy rant for a while, but with healthcare and taxes filling the US airwaves, it has really made me think about taxes in Italy. I’ll not get into my opinion of these subjects in the US, since...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • April 23, 2010
  • 5
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Culture
Culture

Anglitaliano: English Words in Everyday Italian


We use a ton of Italian words in English.  More than many might think.  Just walk into a Starbucks, and you will probably walk out with something called a ‘LATTE‘ (Be careful asking for it in Italy, since...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • April 5, 2010
  • 15
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Culture
Culture

Man Dies: Caught Cold in Stomach


Traveling to Italy, some visitors notice various oddities about Italian culture that seem to defy explanation.  Some are rooted in the socio-political history of the country, some are rooted in religious tradition, and...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • March 30, 2010
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Culture
Culture

Who is Alfredo Sauce, and why do Americans keep asking about him?


If you go to Italy looking for Alredo Sauce, you will find yourself quite frustrated. Read on to learn why.

  • Michael Kovnick
  • March 24, 2010
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Culture
Culture

The Wine Is Always Finer On The Other Side of the Fence


I’ve been wanting to write about this for ages.  Not about wine actually being better on the other side of the fence, but the impression that it is. We take groups to wineries in Tuscany and the surrounding regions...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • March 7, 2010
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Culture
Culture

In Search of the Perfect Espresso


Like a fine wine or a great cigar, those who know their coffee are extremely discriminating.  I count myself among them.  Coffee is something I take very seriously.Technorati: VA2TJVJYZX67 Depending on the style of coffee,...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • February 28, 2010
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Culture
Culture

Bruschetta – The Truth and a Unique Recipe


It’s not really what you think it is… In the states, when you hear the word ‘Bruschetta’, you think about toasted Italian bread with a tomato spread. But to think that way would be like thinking the word...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • May 11, 2009
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Culture
Culture

Rotolo Rose Recipe


An amazing rolled pasta with cheese, Besciamelle and prosciutto dish my mother-in-law in Italy used to make on Sundays every once in a while. When we knew Rotolo Rose was for lunch, nobody was ever late… period!...

  • Michael Kovnick
  • April 27, 2009
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Small Groups
Culture Discovery Vacations
Leading Small-Group Culinary & Cultural Immersion Tour Operator
Authentic culinary experiences with Culture Discovery Vacations

Experience the true meaning of luxury travel with Culture Discovery Vacations - the leading small-group culinary tour operator, offering immersive experiences that go beyond traditional opulence.

  • Hands-on cooking classes with local families
  • Authentic all-inclusive pricing with no hidden costs
  • Boutique accommodations with character
  • Exclusive access to family vineyards
★★★★★
5.0/5 from 384+ reviews on TripAdvisor
"We didn't feel like tourists—we felt like family. The cooking classes changed how I think about food."
Mark S., Tuscany Tour
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Italy • Portugal • Spain • Croatia

Recent Comments


  • My Life in Italy, Part 14: He Speaks! & Mirror in the Bathroom - The Discovery Compass on My Life in Italy, Part 15: Race Against the Clock
  • My Life in Italy, Part 16: Two Weddings and a Funeral - The Discovery Compass on My Life in Italy, Part 15: Race Against the Clock
  • My Life in Italy, Part 15: Race Against the Clock - The Discovery Compass on My Life in Italy, Part 2: Where are the Walls? and How do I Flush?
  • My Life in Italy, Part 16: Two Weddings and a Funeral - The Discovery Compass on My Life in Italy, Part 1: “The Warm Table”
  • Robbie Huddleston on My Life in Italy, Part 15: Race Against the Clock

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