15 with Fosca

Fosca D'Acierno

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15 with Fosca

15 with Fosca takes you on a journey to contemporary Italy and, through a plurality of voices, offers insights into Italian culture today and prepares you, in a meaningful way, for your time here. The podcast features authentic stories from Italy in real time and strives to create and build a sense of community across space and borders through conversations about what’s going on in Italian society right now.

4 DAYS AGO

A Seat at the Table featuring Catalin Varela

A SEAT AT THE TABLE featuring Catalin Varela I was studying how different cultures and countries approach gluten-free eating and what sort of impact that has on our quality of life, for example being able to socialize via food with other people. I felt more welcomed and included in Italy than I had ever felt anywhere else which was huge for me. Catalin Varela, The Celiac in Italy My guest this week, Catalin Varela, also known as The Celiac in Italy, has a riveting personal story, one so compelling, that it not only moved her from Colorado to Florence, but it also propelled her into action. Catalin, refusing to be defined by her diagnosis, and as a student of medical anthropology, went on a big travel adventure to conduct research for her thesis. She threw herself into a study of the countries she visited to see how difficult it was for her to find gluten-free food and what sort of dialogues around celiac disease were happening both in dining establishments as well as out in the community. It was that early trip shaped Catalin’s current work and her passion for helping others travel with confidence to Italy (and not only!). Through her expertise, compassion and love of the work she does, today Catalin helps aspiring Italy visitors face their fears, plan worry-free trips to Italy and visit the country with awareness and knowledge. Biography and Links Catalin Varela is a passionate advocate for gluten-free living and the founder of The Celiac in Italy. A 20-something American expat thriving in Florence, Catalin was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2016. Since then, she has dedicated herself to helping others navigate the challenges of traveling with celiac disease. Through one-on-one travel consultations, Catalin helps clients plan unforgettable gluten-free adventures in Italy. As a fluent English and Italian speaker, she serves as a trusted resource and content creator for all things gluten-free Italy. Catalin’s expertise and engaging personality have led to features in various print and digital publications, podcasts, radio interviews, and TV appearances. She has collaborated with numerous well-known gluten-free brands, creating high-quality, authentic content that resonates with her audience. https://celiacinitaly.com/ https://www.instagram.com/celiacinitaly/ https://www.facebook.com/theceliacinitaly Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze Podcast Producer: Andrew Niklas Curtis Production Intern: Ava Lees

54 min
21 FEB

An Extraordinary Life featuring Amira Makhlouf

Season 4, Episode 2 An Extraordinary Life featuring Amira Makhlouf I want to talk to young women leaders, activists looking for their life purpose, women who are facing challenges, who want inspiration, or who are suffering from mental health issues. In this life we all need inspiration, we need tools. That’s why I’m doing this. Amira Makhlouf on the upcoming EXTRAORDINARY SPEAKERS Conference When you meet Amira Makhlouf it’s impossible not to be inspired by her story and moved to action by the passion and purpose with which she lives her life, selflessly driven by a vocation to help others. Join me for this candid interview with Amira – mentor, life coach, author, motivational speaker and founder of Extraordinary Speakers – where we discuss how her journey from Palestine to Italy shaped her mission to empower women and amplify voices on resilience, gender equality, and economic independence. In this episode, Amira talks about her work and unwavering commitment to charity, service to others, and to building community. She also tells us about her founding of EXTRAORDINARY SPEAKERS and previews the upcoming conference, From the Front Door to the Top Floor, a global gathering taking place in Florence on March 1, 2025,that brings together international visionary thought leadersto drive change through powerful talks, networking, and actionable insights for the next generation of female leaders. Tune in to hear Amira’s powerful story, find out how you can support her ongoing efforts to uplift women worldwide, and learn more about her extraordinary life, an example of how perseverance and self-realization can lead to extraordinary outcomes. Biography Amira Makhlouf left her home in Palestine over 30 years ago and embarked on a remarkable journey in search of a better life Throughout her adventures in the United Kingdom, Cyprus, the United States, and now Italy, Amira's path has been marked by homelessness, learning new languages, finding work, motherhood and the relentless struggle to obtain legal documents. These challenges have only fueled her unwavering determination to redefine the trajectory of her life and leave an indelible legacy. Amira's transformation began when she discovered the power of personal growth. She invested in herself, acquiring new skills, knowledge, and a strengthened self-esteem. This profound change ignited her purpose in life, leading her to become a highly regarded mentor, life coach, and motivational speaker.Through her program, "I'm Extraordinary," Amira guides women in discovering and developing their best selves. She empowers them to overcome obstacles, reconnect with their authenticity, and achieve their dreams. But Amira's dedication does not stop there. She is also the founder of "Extraordinary Speakers," an organization that hosts motivational events and conferences globally. Through this platform, she amplifies women's voices and addresses critical issues such as gender equality, economic independence, and personal challenges. Amira loves connecting people through public relations and creating networking events around the world. Links https://www.amiramakhlouf.com/ https://www.extraordinaryspeakers.it/ https://www.extraordinaryspeakers.it/florence-2025/#!event-register/2025/3/1/florence-2025-empowering-the-next-generation-of-female-leaders https://www.linkedin.com/in/amira-makhlouf-coach/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/extraordinary-speakers/ https://www.instagram.com/extraordinary_speakers/ https://www.extraordinaryspeakers.it/donate-uganda-2024-25/#!form/DONATE

48 min
14 FEB

It’s our pleasure! Meet La CLIT, Coffee Literature Inspiration & (sex) Toys featuring Giulia Heuser

Season 4, Episode 1 It’s our pleasure! Meet La CLIT, Coffee Literature Inspiration & (sex) Toys featuring Giulia Heuser *Explicit language and content warning* “We need a place where we can evolve, first of all as people, as single individuals, then as a community. La CLIT is an individual journey which is becoming collective.” Giulia Heuser on La CLIT, Coffee Literature Inspiration & (sex) Toys Giulia Heuser and Francesca De Gaudio have been friends since childhood, they were even Girl Scouts together. Throughout the various stages of their lives, they frequently confided in each other – as BFFs do – about the changes in their bodies and asked each other questions they had about their own sexuality and sex in general. Dissatisfied with what they found online and in the real world, they devised a plan to open Florence’s first literary cafe centered on the world of sexuality. They envisioned a warm ambience where people felt comfortable and at ease talking about everything related to sex and sexuality, with the guidance of expert guests, side by side with Giulia and Francesca who are both now licensed sex educators. Imagine sitting in a bright, comfortable, beautiful space and sipping on a flute of prosecco or enjoying a cappuccino while you learn and share in a safe place of culture and knowledge. A very young venture, while they look for a brick-and-mortar shop (if anyone knows of anything suitable, please reach out to them!), La CLIT is hosting sold-out pop-ups on an incredibly wide range of topics, of interest to a vast and diversified audience, at various venues throughout Florence and Tuscany. They are also looking at pleasure holistically, organizing private and public events like wines tastings, workshops, or other activities that highlight the various intersections and interconnectedness of all kinds of pleasure. I am so impressed by what Giulia and Francesca are doing, how they have approached their business with so much rigor, passion, preparation and joy, and struck by how committed to are to their community and clients, ensuring that everything they do and sell is of the highest quality and always in line with their values and mission. It truly is my pleasure to introduce you to La CLIT. More about La CLIT La CLIT, Coﬀee, Literature, Inspiration & (sex) Toys is a new Florence-based project on sexual wellness and body-positivity culture. La CLIT explores the many facets of our sexuality through the lens of culture, live events, and an online store with high-quality body-safe products, with a special regard for sustainability, manufacturing and design. La CLIT, an acronym for Coﬀee, Literature, Inspiration and (sex) Toys, was born from the meeting of two Florentine women, a lawyer and an architect. They came together with the intent of exploring the topic of sexuality in a fun and intelligent way. La CLIT is more than just an online shop selling quality sex toys and other luxury sexual health items: the core of the project is the creation of a moment in time to discuss sexual wellness together, openly and candidly, while enjoying a coﬀee or a glass of wine. This project is a direct result of personal and communal needs to find a shared space for openly discussing and learning about topics such as pleasure, sex toys and body awareness. La CLIT is a social and cultural hub, where information and discussion dovetail. Live events, talks and discussions are held: from pelvic floor workshops to wine tastings paired with sex toy displays and shopping; from seminars dispelling doubts around changes in sexuality in postpartum and menopause to events focused on sexual fantasies and desires. A community that promotes sex positivity and inclusivity. Links https://laclit.com/en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/la_clit/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565976184572 Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze, November 2024 Podcast Producer: Andrew Niklas Curtis Production Intern: Ava Lees

59 min
01/12/2024 · BONUS

Travels in Hyper Reality (TV)

Travels in Hyper Reality (TV) featuring Fosca D’Acierno interviewed by Andrew Niklas Explicit language warning Today’s special bonus episode features yours truly being interviewed about my adventures in Italian reality tv land by Andrew Niklas, a friend, collaborator, filmmaker, and editor of this podcast. As many of you already know, I was cast on an Italian reality tv show, Best Weekend, produced by Banijay Italia, that aired last month here in Italy on a major network, NOVE. lt is currently streaming on their website for free. In this q&a, Andrew and I speak about what was going on behind the scenes, how I was selected, what I was feeling leading up to filming, what I was expecting, and what really happened once we began shooting. I also muse on my fellow contestants, our celebrity host, Francesco Panella, the format of the show, and just how little I knew and know about the wonderful world of reality television. Finally, I share how profoundly the experience impacted me and how surprised I was by and unprepared for the range of emotions that stepping so far outside of my comfort zone stirred up in me. Links Banijay Italia https://www.banijayitalia.it/ Canale 9 https://nove.tv/programmi-nove/best-weekend My blog chronicling the experience https://www.askfosca.com/blog/ Recorded Via Zoom, October 24, 2024 Podcast Editor: Andrew Niklas Production Intern: Ava Lees

41 min
22/11/2024

A Winemaker in Paradise featuring Alyson Morgan

“It was just a fascinating time, I was learning so much, and then my eyes were opened to the international side of it when I was working during the harvest in ‘97 at Kendall Jackson. I found out they had a winery in Tuscany and said, that's where I'm going, I'm going to have to try and go there.” Alyson Morgan This week’s special, full-length episode features Alyson Morgan, winemaker and manager at Podere Capaccia, a 13th century wine estate perched high upon a steep slope in a magical corner of Tuscany’s enchanting Chianti Classico. Join me and Alyson as she takes us on her journey into the wine industry, which began in a tiny town in Northern California, that, notwithstanding its population of a mere 100, drew to it a steady stream of interesting and illustrious visitors that became key players in her narrative. Alyson speaks of her passion for science, her studies in agricultural genetics, enology, and viticulture, takes us through the ins and outs of winemaking today, tells us more about the intricacies of her work, and lets us in on what’s coming up in 2025 for her and at Podere Capaccia. As she tells her story, she highlights the importance of great teachers and mentors, dispenses excellent advice for those interested in going into the field, and shares with us her invaluable knowledge about winemaking and wine culture in general. While her tale is certainly full of serendipitous encounters, it is also about putting yourself out there, making connections, taking initiative, and forging your own path. Biography Mendocino County native Alyson Morgan graduated from the University of California, Davis in 1999 with degrees in Genetics and Viticulture & Enology. Days after graduation she moved across the globe to work at the Kendall-Jackson estate of Tenuta di Arceno in Castelnuovo Berardenga, Siena. When her research project and harvest experience were completed at Arceno, she moved to Florence. Over the past two decades, she has worked throughout the Chianti Classico region making wine and managing estates in San Casciano Val di Pesa, Panzano in Chianti, and currently Radda in Chianti. Since 2012, Alyson has been leading Podere Capaccia to become one of the most well-respected wine producers in the area. Alyson lives in Florence with her husband and two children. Podere Capaccia rests high on the hills of Radda in Chianti creating stellar wines and olive oil in the heart of Chianti Classico. The estate is experiencing another renaissance with newly renovated vineyards and a state-of-the-art winery. The future of Podere Capaccia is in the hands of the Belgian owner Herman de Bode and winemaker and manager Alyson Morgan. Links Alyson Morgan https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyson-morgan-90143bb4/ https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/wine/female-international-winemakers-in-italy/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaY84XdkGrxr3gebrMhIA8-4HVHfWQToc9qiFb69_OHJyFl0BPvLE32Z5I0_aem_HqQKfz8qZdpNuj3FYtwpTw https://vignaiolidiradda.it/en/alyson-morgan/ https://www.facebook.com/alyson.morgan.395 Podere Capaccia www.poderecapaccia.com https://www.instagram.com/podere.capaccia/ https://www.facebook.com/poderecapaccia https://www.chianti.com/radda-in-chianti/intro-to-radda.html https://vignaiolidiradda.it/en/ https://www.chianticlassico.com/en/estates/podere-capaccia/ Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze Podcast Editor: Andrew Niklas Curtis Production Intern: Ava Lees

57 min
15/11/2024

You have Time: Slow Life Lessons (Part II) featuring Sandrine Kom

You have Time: Slow Life Lessons, Part 2 featuring Sandrine Kom “We need to change our relationship with time because we really see time as our enemy. It's never enough and sometimes we get angry because we know we don't have enough time. We would like to have 30 hours of time and not 16, there is always this frustration. What we can do is repeat to ourselves that we have time, and this daily slowness tool will help you do what you need to do and more.” Sandrine Kom In part two of my conversation with the incomparable Sandrine Kom we dig deeper into her SlowLife Coaching and SlowLife Yoga work and she homes in on how we can be nicer to ourselves, learn to listen to our inner child − the little voice inside that we typically ignore − and tune in to it as a way of meeting our deepest needs. Sandrine also imparts methods we can utilize, aided by technology, to bring more mindfulness and slowness into our daily lives. We also speak of how she transforms Stressed out Superwomen into Zen Superwomen by offering strategies on setting boundaries and abandoning the guilty feeling of it never being enough. Finally, we talk more about the importance of digital detoxes and being in nature, her retreats, workshops, interactive conferences and team and community-building activities that show concretely how a culture of slowness enables us to work better, find more work life balance, and to make peace with time Sandrine Kom Biography Sandrine Kom was born and grew up in Paris before moving to live and study in Berlin for over 12 years. In 2000 she moved to Florence, where she still resides, and currently divides her time between Florence and Paris. Sandrine graduated from Berlin University in Communication Sciences and Economics and obtained her diploma as a Nutrition Coach at the Centre de Formation à Distance (CFD) in Brussels. She completed her Yoga Teacher Training at “Yoga Garden” in San Francisco. In addition to English, she is fluent in French, German, Russian and of course Italian! A Parisian in love with Tuscany, her adoptive home is where where her love of food, yoga and nature led her to create FiloCIBOsofia Slow Life which grew and became “Slowlife Coaching” and “Slowlife Yoga”. Sandrine has offered her experiences through Airbnb for many years, won several awards, and received over 700 positive testimonials. Furthermore, in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, she and five other Italian hosts were selected (out of 5,000 experiences) by Airbnb as they diversified their model from in-person to online experiences. She also offers experiences to companies where she focuses on increasing the wellbeing of their teams and people. In addition to a range of SlowLife Retreats and Experiences, she also supports Stressed Super Women to become Zen Super Women, and accompanies CEO’s and Managers in need of rest, dreaming of slowness and time for themselves With Slow Life Yoga, Sandrine has also participated in the television programs “Casa Beau” for RTL 4 Netherlands and “Best Weekend/Chianti“ for Nove Warner Bros. Discovery Italia. Links http://www.slowlifecoaching.com/ https://www.quietluxury.it/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrine-kom/ https://www.facebook.com/SlowLifeCoachingSlowLifeYoga https://www.instagram.com/slowlifecoaching_slowlifeyoga/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe4xzHmfloofDwZCkm6Jrlg 2025 Retreats https://www.quietluxury.it/2025-events_en/ Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze Podcast Editor: Andrew Niklas Curtis Production Intern: Ava Lees

31 min
08/11/2024

You have Time: Slow Life Lessons (Part I) featuring Sandrine Kom

You have Time: Slow Life Lessons, Part 1 featuring Sandrine Kom “We need slowness. We need it to enjoy our life, to enjoy the people who are around us, to avoid misunderstanding, to find harmony with ourselves, to take care of our values. And we also need slowness to take care of our deepest needs.” Sandrine Kom This week’s guest, Sandrine Kom, believes that slow life is quiet luxury. So much so that it's the motto of her company, SlowLife Coaching and SlowLife Yoga, which embodies an art of living and a philosophy of life. Join me and Sandrine as she shares with us the personal and professional journey that led her to Italy and to her métier. During our conversation, Sandrine illustrates her principles of slowness, gives us some strategies we can all develop to clarify and meet our deepest needs, and underlines the importance of slowing down and pausing in order to create a more intentional life that brings joy and fulfillment. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that when asked by Banijay Italia and Nove/Warner Bros. Discovery to propose an experience in the Chianti for me and my travel companions, I knew it had to be something that would enable us to spend time together in nature and give us the chance to connect more deeply with each other, ourselves, and the surrounding beauty; a SlowLife Yoga lesson with Sandrine, in the middle of the vineyards of the Fattoria and Villa di Rignana. We talk more about the goals of that experience as well as what it was really like filming a reality TV show and how that unique, shared experience brought us closer to each other. Sandrine Kom Biography Sandrine Kom was born and grew up in Paris before moving to live and study in Berlin for over 12 years. In 2000 she moved to Florence, where she still resides, and currently divides her time between Florence and Paris. Sandrine graduated from Berlin University in Communication Sciences and Economics and obtained her diploma as a Nutrition Coach at the Centre de Formation à Distance (CFD) in Brussels. She completed her Yoga Teacher Training at “Yoga Garden” in San Francisco. In addition to English, she is fluent in French, German, Russian and of course Italian! A Parisian in love with Tuscany, her adoptive home is where where her love of food, yoga and nature led her to create FiloCIBOsofia Slow Life which grew and became “Slowlife Coaching” and “Slowlife Yoga”. Sandrine has offered her experiences through Airbnb for many years, won several awards, and received over 700 positive testimonials. Furthermore, in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, she and five other Italian hosts were selected (out of 5,000 experiences) by Airbnb as they diversified their model from in-person to online experiences. She also offers experiences to companies where she focuses on increasing the wellbeing of their teams and people. In addition to a range of SlowLife Retreats and Experiences, she also supports Stressed Super Women to become Zen Super Women, and accompanies CEO’s and Managers in need of rest, dreaming of slowness and time for themselves With Slow Life Yoga, Sandrine has also participated in the television programs “Casa Beau” for RTL 4 Netherlands and “Best Weekend/Chianti“ for Nove Warner Bros. Discovery Italia. Links http://www.slowlifecoaching.com/ https://www.quietluxury.it/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrine-kom/ https://www.facebook.com/SlowLifeCoachingSlowLifeYoga https://www.instagram.com/slowlifecoaching_slowlifeyoga/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe4xzHmfloofDwZCkm6Jrlg 2025 Retreats https://www.quietluxury.it/2025-events_en/ Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze Podcast Editor: Andrew Niklas Curtis Production Intern: Ava Lees

32 min
01/11/2024

Feeding your Soul and Sharing your Craft (Part II) featuring Elia Nichols

“I think what’s most important is how you hold yourself. People make immediate assumptions based on it and keep them for a long time. That’s why I decided to do my TED Talk on some small tweaks that can radically change the way people view you and treat you.” Elia Nichols In this week’s episode with Elia Nichols, we speak at greater length about her recent TED Talk and what she was feeling as she prepared for this milestone event – after having professionally coached TEDx speakers for over two years – and once she was finally on that stage. Elia graciously shares some sneak peeks of her talk which centers on an actor’s secret, learned in an improvisation workshop, about the value of stillness and how to open your body and take up space with it. Elia also gifts us some fundamental changes we can all adopt to use our bodies to communicate with poise in all settings. Finally, we continue ruminating on the necessity of seeking out ways to live life harmoniously, on parenthood, and on whether it’s possible to have everything and what that really means. Reflecting upon how our values change over time, we speak of timing and opportunities, our shared love of Italy and similar “aha moments”, and about chasing your dreams with no regrets. Elia Nichols Biography & Links Elia Nichols is an American-born, Italian-based Public Speaking and Communication coach, TEDx Speaker, a 2x TEDx Speaking coach, and a film and TV actress. Her mindful, yet fun teaching techniques have helped thousands of people master the skill of charisma and break communication barriers. Elia teaches speakers and professionals in strategic business and leadership roles effective ways to perfect their presence and speaking skills onstage, in the courtroom, classroom, boardroom and onscreen. Her techniques incorporate elements of theatre, improvisation and comedy into teachings as she has found that this type of mindful and fun experiential learning leads to the most effective, transformational changes in her clients. Elia believes that charisma is a skill that can be learned and which, once mastered, has the potential to motivate, persuade, inspire, and advance business and personal interests. She has held high-level jobs in Public and External Relations as well as Learning and Development, which has given her insight into both the academic and business environments. In addition, she has been a professor of Public Speaking and Communication at renowned academic institutions such as the European University Institute, Syracuse University, the European School of Economics, Istituto Lorenzo de’Medici and the University of Texas at Austin. She has been a professional actress for 15 years and is best known for her starring role as Professor Tucker in the comedic TV series Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends that airs nightly on the RAI Gulp channel in Italy and in 180 countries across the globe on Netflix. She also co-founded F.E.S.T.A. Theatre Company and produced and acted in many of its productions. Elia received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Tulane University and her Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Texas at Austin. https://elianichols.com/about/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/elianichols/ https://www.facebook.com/elianicholspublicspeaking https://www.facebook.com/elia.nichols https://www.facebook.com/EliaNicholsActress https://www.instagram.com/elianichols/ https://www.instagram.com/nicholselia/ https://www.maggieandbianca.com/en Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze Podcast Editor: Andrew Niklas Curtis Production Intern: Ava Lees

33 min

Very interesting, engaging and fun

13/07/2024

Icx=y

An absolute must.

15 with Fosca takes you on a journey to contemporary Italy and, through a plurality of voices, offers insights into Italian culture today and prepares you, in a meaningful way, for your time here. The podcast features authentic stories from Italy in real time and strives to create and build a sense of community across space and borders through conversations about what’s going on in Italian society right now.

Creator

Fosca D'Acierno
Years Active

2023 - 2025
Episodes

70
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Fosca D'Acierno
Show Website

15 with Fosca

Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated 16 hr ago