Trading Burnout for Balance: Dustin & Luigi's Move from Canada to Italy

Trading Burnout for Balance: Dustin & Luigi's Move from Canada to Italy

What happens when you trade the fast pace of city life for a slower rhythm by the Adriatic Sea? In this episode of Italy Answered, Lisa Morales speaks with Dustin Cox and Luigi Albanese, a creative couple who left Toronto in 2024 to begin a new chapter in Abruzzo, one of Italy's most up-and-coming regions for those seeking a different quality of life. After years of balancing demanding careers in Canada, they found themselves longing for something more meaningful: time, creativity, community, and a closer connection to family. Today, they're navigating the realities of everyday life in Italy while building careers, learning the language, and dreaming of opening an artistic B&B that celebrates the culture and beauty of Abruzzo. With their move still fresh, Dustin and Luigi offer an honest perspective on the excitement—and challenges—of relocating to Italy, from bureaucracy and learning Italian to discovering why slowing down has become one of life's greatest rewards. In this conversation, we explore: • Why they decided to move from Canada to Italy • Choosing Abruzzo over Italy's more well-known regions • Learning Italian and navigating Italian bureaucracy • Finding community in a small town near Pescara • How a slower lifestyle has transformed their creativity • Their vision for an artistic B&B showcasing authentic Abruzzo • Why Dustin prefers the term "immigrant" over "expat" Read the full article and follow along with the edited transcript: https://liveinitalymag.com/trading-burnout-for-balance-why-two-creatives-chose-life-in-abruzzo/ [https://liveinitalymag.com/trading-burnout-for-balance-why-two-creatives-chose-life-in-abruzzo/]  We'd love to hear your feedback. Email us at lisa@liveinitalymag.com

Chat with Federico Bricolo | Vinitaly, Wine Tourism & Italy's Global Vision

In this special on-location episode of Italy Answered, the podcast edition of Live in Italy Magazine, we speak with Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere, during the Vinitaly.USA Miami Preview ahead of Vinitaly.USA, taking place October 26–27, 2026, in New York City. From Verona to Miami, our conversation explores how Vinitaly has evolved beyond its annual exhibition into a year-round international platform promoting Italian wine, education and trade. We also discuss one of the industry's fastest-growing opportunities: wine tourism, and its ability to connect travelers with Italy's remarkable wine regions. In this bilingual conversation, Bricolo discusses: • how Vinitaly has evolved into the global home of Italian wine • the organization's international strategy through Vinitaly Around the World • why wine tourism is becoming an essential part of Italy's wine story • how wineries are transforming into authentic travel destinations • Miami's role in strengthening Italy's presence in the American market The interview is presented in Italian with English questions and English subtitles available in the video version. Read the accompanying article: https://liveinitalymag.com/beyond-verona-how-vinitaly-is-expanding-italys-wine-story-through-tourism-and-global-connections/ Special thanks to Federico Bricolo, Veronafiere, Vinitaly, the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), Coldiretti, and Jacqueline Pirolo and the team at Macchialina for their hospitality.

Italian Heritage in Canada | Daniela Sfara on Identity, Tradition & Slow Food

What does Italian heritage mean to newer generations growing up outside of Italy? In this episode of Italy Answered, Lisa Morales speaks with Daniela Sfara, founder of Italus, about preserving Italian culture, regional identity, artisanal traditions, and intergenerational storytelling in Canada. Raised between Toronto and Calabria, Daniela grew up immersed in both Italian and multicultural Canadian life. Today, through culinary experiences, digital storytelling, and cultural education, she helps younger generations reconnect with Italy beyond stereotypes and surface-level tourism. Released during Italian Heritage Month in Canada, this conversation explores the evolving relationship between Italy and the Italian diaspora while reflecting on the traditions, dialects, recipes, and values that continue to shape generations of Canadians with Italian roots. In this conversation, we explore: • Growing up between Toronto and Calabria • The importance of dialect and regional identity • Why younger generations are reconnecting with Italy • Slow Food philosophy and cultural preservation • Food as memory, identity, and community • The evolution of Italian heritage in Canada • Building Italus through storytelling and culinary experiences Daniela also reflects on how traditions continue evolving across generations while remaining deeply connected to family, place, and community. Read the full article and transcript: https://liveinitalymag.com/category/italy-answered/ Follow Daniela Sfara and Italus: Instagram: @danielasfara Instagram: @italus.patrimonio Website: danielasfara.com Follow Daniela Sfara and Italus: Instagram: @danielasfara Instagram: @italus.patrimonio Website: danielasfara.com

Raising a Family in Italy | Charlotte Fortier-Mutzl’s Life in Sardegna

What does it really look like to leave North America behind and raise a family in Italy? In this episode of Italy Answered, Lisa Morales speaks with Charlotte Fortier-Mutzl, the Canadian creator behind American Mom in the Med, about her journey from Quebec and Florida to a new life in Sardegna (Sardinia). What began as a solo backpacking trip through Europe eventually led Charlotte to Rome, where she met her husband before later relocating to Sardegna to build a slower and more intentional family life surrounded by nature, community, and the sea. Today, Charlotte shares her experiences raising bilingual children in Italy, navigating entrepreneurship abroad, embracing Sardinian culture, and documenting daily life through social media and her new podcast, Passport to Pasta. In this conversation, we explore: • Moving from Canada to Italy • Raising bilingual children in Sardegna (Sardinia) • Why Charlotte left Rome for island life • The realities of building businesses abroad • Blue Zone living and slower family rhythms • What makes Sardegna different from the rest of Italy • Creating a sense of home abroad For anyone dreaming about raising a family in Italy or starting over in a new country, Charlotte’s story is both inspiring and refreshingly honest. Read the full article and transcript: https://liveinitalymag.com/category/chat-with-an-expat/ [https://liveinitalymag.com/category/chat-with-an-expat/] Follow Charlotte Fortier-Mutzl: Instagram: @americanmominthemed Podcast: @passporttopasta We’d love to hear your feedback. Email us at lisa @ liveinitalymag.com

Chat with Nicolangelo Gelormini | La Gioia & Italian Cinema

In this special on-location episode of “Italy Answered,” the podcast edition of Live in Italy Magazine, we speak with Italian director Nicolangelo Gelormini at the Miami Film Festival about his film “La Gioia.” Blending architecture, emotional storytelling, and contemporary Italian cinema, “La Gioia” explores themes of love, illusion, manipulation, and the human desire to feel seen. In this bilingual conversation, Gelormini discusses: • his transition from architecture to filmmaking • the emotional concept of “diseducazione sentimentale” • the meaning behind Gioia’s character • contemporary Italian society and relationships • and presenting the film to an international audience in Miami The interview is presented in Italian with English questions and subtitles available in the video version. Read the accompanying article:https://liveinitalymag.com/cinema-as-encounter-la-gioia-and-the-emotional-architecture-of-italian-film/ [https://liveinitalymag.com/cinema-as-encounter-la-gioia-and-the-emotional-architecture-of-italian-film/] Thank you to Nicolangelo Gelormini, the Miami Film Festival, and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Miami. Photos & B-roll Courtesy of The Miami Film Festival (film stills by the La Gioia production team.)