The Things I Love About Italy, In Order

1. When the sky is blue.

2. Everyone's a label whore.

3. The pizza.

4. The Dogs: everyone has a dog, and everyone's dog has an outfit.

5. The coffee: it's always fresh, it's always good.

6. Staying up and out until late

7. Sleeping in: I'm convinced the Italians invented it. With black-out shutters on the windows, it isn't difficult.

8. Cultural procedure: No cappuccino after 10am, no salt on your pasta after you've added the sauce, no oranges after dinner, everything is fifteen minutes late.

9. Wednesday nights at Cassero: Three words: Ultra Queer Disco.

10. Everyone smokes.

11. Waiting for the spring: patience is obligatory. It's twice as wonderful once you've withstood the snow to see it.

12. Antiquity of every city.