Our Mission

Meet Felicia

WRITER | Traveler | Mother

Felicia Marie is a writer, educator, entrepreneur, and emotional storyteller whose work is rooted in the belief that the way we live matters just as much as what we achieve. Blending Mediterranean traditions with modern life, she created Ciao Felicia Marie as a space where food, culture, creativity, and intentional living come together through stories, rituals, and meaningful connection.

With a background in communications, entrepreneurship, and education, Felicia has spent years helping others bring ideas to life. As a high school entrepreneurship educator and program leader in Los Angeles, she has guided students in building businesses, developing creative confidence, and learning how storytelling shapes both brands and communities. Before entering education, she founded and operated her own specialty dessert company, Holi Cannoli, growing the business into a recognizable Southern California brand that served major venues and events before pivoting during the pandemic.

Beyond business and teaching, writing has always remained at the center of her work. Inspired by her family’s Italian roots, summers spent throughout Italy, and a lifelong fascination with culture and history, Felicia writes stories and reflections that explore identity, faith, memory, and the beauty found in everyday life. Her literary work is deeply influenced by the Mediterranean philosophy of slowing down, gathering around the table, and creating a life rich in purpose and connection.

Today, through Ciao Felicia Marie, she shares recipes, travel, wellness, storytelling, and reflections designed to inspire a more intentional way of living no matter where you call home.

Mission

The Mediterranean way of life has always inspired Felicia, not only for its food, but for its way of living: connections, culture, storytelling, and the simple rituals that make everyday life feel meaningful. Inspired by both Italy and California, this space brings together food, travel, and creativity.

Mediterranean living is about gathering around the table, choosing quality over convenience, finding beauty in simplicity, and creating space for what truly matters. In a world that constantly asks us to move faster, lets slow down and live more intentionally.

(Pictured on the right is Felicia Marie with her two sons: Richie and Lorenzo)

Philosophy

Living life at a slower pace, with each day centered around what truly matters.
Choosing real food as nourishment rather than relying on processed food for convenience.
Using writing and storytelling to preserve memory, culture, and human connection.
Learning through travel, culture, and literature to develop a more well-rounded perspective.

Why mediterranean living?

Mediterranean living is more than a way of eating, it’s a lifestyle proven to improve health, happiness, and longevity. Research consistently ranks the Mediterranean diet as the world’s healthiest, topping U.S. News & World Report’s Best Diets list for seven years in a row. Studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine show that it can lower the risk of heart disease by 30%, while also reducing the chances of stroke and type 2 diabetes.

People in Mediterranean regions live longer, too! The island of Sardinia, Italy, is one of the world’s recognized Blue Zones, where residents are 10 times more likely to live past 90 compared to Americans. Daily movement, strong family and community ties, and meals centered on beans, whole grains, and olive oil, often enjoyed with a glass of local red wine, all play a role in this remarkable longevity.

Beyond physical health, Mediterranean living also supports mental well-being. Research from the British Journal of Nutrition links the diet to a 33% lower risk of depression, while balanced routines, slower meals, time spent outdoors, and close social connections, reduce stress and promote happiness.

Mediterranean living is about more than food: it’s a holistic approach that nourishes both body and soul, offering a blueprint for a longer, healthier, and more joyful life.