It’s hard to believe that a couple of years ago I had the privilege to live in Florence, Italy for a semester. It’s impossible to avoid sounding cliche or overly saccharine when waxing nostalgic about my dolce vita in Italia, but those were truly some of the best months of my life. ReadingDianne Hales’ La Bella Figura: My Love Affairs with the World’s Most Enchanting Language reawakened my passion for Italy and of all things Italian. I’m currently planning fantasy trips in my head to quaint Southern Italian villages, and I’m lapping up the sparkling azure waves in Sicily and in Sardinia. If only.