Text me! Tell me something good!

Rome in the rain is still Rome—but it will test your plan fast. We land on a tight timeline and decide to do the thing anyway: squeeze a lifetime of wonder into about 24 hours, fueled by jet lag, stubborn optimism, and a lot of espresso.

In this episode, I walk through how this Italy birthday and anniversary trip came together at the last minute—using credit card points and travel portals to book flights, boutique hotels, and a Vatican tour. I also share what didn’t match the booking promises, what a Jubilee year changes inside Vatican City, and the small tweaks that would have made the day smoother. If you’ve ever searched “Vatican tour skip the line” and felt overwhelmed, this will help you know what to look for (and what to ask before you book).

Then we get to the fun part—stumbling into Sant’Eustachio Caffè near the Pantheon and getting our first real taste of Roman coffee culture, followed by a Michelin-star dinner that felt more like art than a meal. The next morning, we hop on a tuk-tuk tour for a quick pass through the Colosseum, ancient ruins, and a few surprises we didn’t expect.

And then, my favorite moment from Rome: the Orange Garden, a quiet little viewpoint with a perspective trick that stops you in your tracks—and a sax player who somehow shows up at exactly the right moment to play Happy Birthday. One of those “God wink” kind of moments you couldn’t plan if you tried.

If you’re planning a Rome itinerary, dreaming about Italy travel, or just love stories that mix the practical with the meaningful, this one’s for you.

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If you'd like links and more details on this leg of the trip, visit my blog at www.astoriedtable.com.

Hosts: Amy Kathleen Smith | Insta @astoriedtable | www.astoriedtable.com

Edited by: Ben Hill* | http://benhillsound.com/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhillsound/

*starting with episode 60

Text me! Tell me something good!

A wobbly start to the year brings us back to the table—a finished attic buildout, an eighteenth birthday, an ice storm that turned our home back into Fort Smith, and knee surgery that reset expectations.

We’re also previewing the Italy series and what you can expect from a new story-first Italy series featuring Rome, Florence, Venice, and the Tuscan countryside.

Want a breakdown? Here you go…

• being honest about inconsistency and choosing to start anyway

• finishing the upstairs build and hosting a teen party

• a sudden knee setback, surgery, and next steps

• ice storm adventures with boys, a side by side, and a kayak

• feeding a house full of teens and finding joy in the mess

• why plans bend when family needs rise

• previewing a story-led Italy tour through Rome, Florence, Venice, and Tuscany

• a recommendation to John Mark Comer’s imaginative prayer episode

• inviting listeners to share what life has thrown at them

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“Before I forget…”
John Mark Comer | Imaginative Prayer Episode

Hosts: Amy Kathleen Smith | Insta @astoriedtable | www.astoriedtable.com

Edited by: Ben Hill* | http://benhillsound.com/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhillsound/

*starting with episode 60

Text me! Tell me something good!

What if the best part of your trip all started with a mindless mistake?

We booked a few quiet days while the boys were at camp and ended up on a cliff in Tennessee—inside a geodesic dome at Bolt Farm Treehouse with views that made time actually slow down. The funny part? I’d accidentally booked the wrong dates. But instead of it turning into a mess, their team turned it into the most amazing stay.

This episode’s all about the kind of travel that helps you reconnect with your person. We spent our mornings chasing waterfalls around Chattanooga and tackling trails that tested both our balance and our grit (pretty sure “rope-assisted descent” wasn’t in the brochure).

Then we’d come back to the domes for slow afternoons—hot tubs overlooking the valley, somewhat tenacious games of corn hole, and Smith in charge of a pizza oven that made dinner an adventure of its own.

Every detail there—handwritten notes, conversation cards, all of it—made it feel like hospitality done right. Simple, thoughtful, and somehow exactly what we needed.

We also got to meet the owners, Seth and Tori, and hear the heart behind Bolt Farm—how faith and a few big pivots shaped the whole thing. And then there’s Candi, the “Dreamweaver,” who made the place feel like home and became my biggest cheerleader.

If you need a reset, want a little Chattanooga travel inspiration, or just love hearing about places that value connection as much as design, this one’s for you.

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Hosts:

Amy Kathleen Smith | Insta @astoriedtable | www.astoriedtable.com

Edited by:

Ben Hill | http://benhillsound.com/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhillsound/

References:

Bolt Farm Treehouse | boltfarmtreehouse.com

“Before I forget…”

Axis Conversations | Biblical Resources to Help Parents Disciple Their Teens | Podcast

Hosts: Amy Kathleen Smith | Insta @astoriedtable | www.astoriedtable.com

Edited by: Ben Hill* | http://benhillsound.com/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhillsound/

*starting with episode 60