Rome was dirty. Venice was crowded. Florence was hot. I couldn’t get my coffee to go. As a self-diagnosed Italo-phile I have irrationally frustrated reactions to such sentiments. It’s not that they’re wrong – parts of Rome are certainly dirty, St. Mark’s square is always crowded, Florence in August is a death wish, and no – you can’t get your coffee to go. But Rome’s cultural traditions have roots thousands of years deep, Venice’s quiet canals are breathtaking, Florence is a veritable treasure trove of the arts, and coffee culture in Italy embodies the long-lost art of savoring a moment. So how does this happen? How do we allow ourselves…