It almost felt torturous to watch the premiere of Stanley Tucci's Searching for Italy in February this year. The CNN series debut came right on the heels of initial vaccine distribution — a time where normalcy, including the ability to travel overseas again, seemed so far away, yet also so close. You could almost taste it.

But still, I became enraptured with the show and, ultimately, my decision to make Italy the first international trip I'd take once I found the time, means and proper vacation mindset. It'd be an opportunity to not only celebrate the heritage I share with Tucci, but also to shove obscene amounts of pasta into my mouth in a gluttonous display of what I like to call "carb healing."