Creative Light featuring Karena Benke
“Creative writing is really about teaching people how to trust themselves.” Karen Benke For my final episode before taking a hiatus, I’m joined by author, writing guide, and fellow Florence transplant Karena Benke. Karena divides her life between Florence and the San Francisco Bay Area, a life she describes as leaving her heart “forever divided.” […]
The Algorithm & Me featuring Fosca D’Acierno
This week, I’m taking a break from guest interviews for a more personal episode. After putting out a call for stories about love and dating in Italy—and hearing plenty from women but surprisingly little from men—I decided to hit pause on that project and instead share something unexpected: my own recent plunge into the world […]
The Quality of the Question featuring Alessandro Bruni
“I use dialogue. I ask questions. And I don’t give answers.” Alessandro Bruni In this episode of 15 with Fosca, I sit down with philosopher, strategist, professor, author, and musician Alessandro Bruni for a conversation about philosophy, business, Italy, AI, and how to keep our footing in a world that seems to be changing faster […]
Open Doors featuring Lauren Mouat
“As foreigners in Italy, we are often living in the middle between languages, places, and versions of ourselves.” Lauren Mouat In this episode, I sit down with writer, professional tour guide, and Florence Literary Society co-founder Lauren Mouat for a conversation about Italy, writing, community, and the strange, unexpected doors that open when life doesn’t […]
On Writing and Instinct featuring R.J. Sinclaire
“Writing was my escape. But at some point it became something I needed to share.” R.J. Sinclaire In this episode of 15 with Fosca, I sit down with author and fellow American expat in Italy, R.J. Sinclaire, for a conversation that moves between place, instinct, and the long road to writing a first novel. What […]
In the Parlour featuring Esther Tadjiev
“I wanted to build a space where nobody would feel unseen.” Esther Tadjiev My guest today is Esther Tadjiev, founder and owner of The Parlour in Florence, a beautifully designed space that goes far beyond nails or aesthetics. What Esther has created is a study in hospitality, community, and the emotional architecture of luxury. Before […]
Reading Energy, Reading Time featuring Aelita Leto
“Mastery is when you don’t know if it’s intuition, experience, or knowledge. It just feels right.” Aelita Leto What if your life isn’t something you need to fix, but something you need to understand? In this intimate conversation recorded in Florence just before the Year of the Fire Horse, I sit down with Feng Shui […]
A Renaissance Life featuring Vincenzo Lodato
“Just do what you enjoy doing. Be curious. You don’t know where your path will take you.” Vincenzo Lodato There are people you meet at the end of a party, when the night is winding down and you’re already halfway out the door, who stop you dead in your tracks. Vincenzo Lodato was that person […]
The Stories that Find Us Featuring Katherine Mezzacappa
“When I write under different names, I can be a different person. So, if I got stuck on whatever I was writing as Katherine Mezzacappa, that was a bit more literary, then I could dive off into a romance, if you like, and be Kate Zarrelli, and that does feel a bit different.” Katherine Mezzacappa […]
5 Chairs, 5 Choices featuring Louise Evans
“When you’re triggered, you always have a choice: reactive or responsive.” Louise Evans What if every difficult moment in your life came down to one simple truth: you have a choice? In this rich and deeply human conversation, I sit down with Louise Evans, creator of the Five Chairs Framework, a powerful behavioral model that […]