Add to Cart with Kulap Vilaysack & SuChin Pak
Episode: Christmas In Italy
Date: November 28, 2025
Episode Overview
This lively, laugh-out-loud episode follows SuChin Pak and her travel soulmate, Annie, as they embark on a shopping-centric trip to Italy during the holidays. The conversation, co-hosted by Kulap Vilaysack, is a whirlwind tour through menopause-induced jet lag, Italian shopping escapades, packing rituals, small-town discoveries, and philosophical musings on consumption. The episode transforms the literal and metaphorical “cart” into a metaphor for friendship, adventure, and self-discovery in midlife.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Flying Without a Net – Women in (Travel) STEM
(01:19 – 02:28)
- Technical difficulties open the show, humorously highlighting that “we’re women in stem. We’re fixing audio” (SuChin, 01:55).
- The absence of safety nets mirrors the spontaneity of their Italian journey.
The Soulmate Travel Dynamic
(03:00 – 03:37)
- SuChin and Annie's long-standing friendship fuels the chaos and poetry of their trips.
- Each has their quirks: Annie brings an absurd number of pajamas; SuChin embraces, and accepts, the weirdness:
“Who me? 88 pairs of pajamas. Who me? With a stainless steel pot and a lid in her suitcase.”
— SuChin Pak (03:27)
Menopause on Holiday
(05:04 – 07:56)
- First menopausal trip together:
“It was our first menopause trip... by a pinky nail to pre-menopausal.”
— SuChin Pak (05:19) - Italian lifestyle (the country’s midday pause) perfectly matches their newfound need for midday rest:
“All of Italy is on menopause time... the entire country shuts down from noon to three.”
— SuChin Pak (06:33, 06:45) - Annie slept “10, 12 hours a day... jet lag and hormone change blended.”
Italian Customs & Culture Clashes
(07:56 – 10:02)
- Compulsory, lengthy meals:
“The Italians insist you have a civilized meal at least once a day... they don’t let you leave.”
— Annie (08:14); SuChin Pak (09:47) - Frustration at the slow, ceremonial handling of restaurant bills—a would-be “NATO agenda item.”
Packing Rituals, Travel Tactics, and Shopping Strategy
(11:10 – 14:20)
- Annie packs “three shirts and two pairs of pants for two weeks... 80 pairs of underwear. Five made it back.” (11:10)
- The checked suitcase goes empty and returns full of purchases.
- Annie doesn’t buy a return ticket until last minute to score cheap fares and funnel savings into shopping:
"One of the big tenets of our travel is... you gotta just pick one. You’re either gonna blow your bankroll on the flight, the hotel, or food... For me it's the flight. For her, she's going to blow it on shopping.”
— SuChin Pak (14:20)
Shopping as Errand & Joy
(12:30 – 16:27)
- Italy trip becomes a series of “errands”: pharmacy visits, eye doctor, shopping for gifts and stocking stuffers.
- Annie touts the superiority of getting glasses and checkups abroad:
“Anybody who’s had their eyes checked abroad... will never not do that, given the opportunity.”
— Annie (12:44)
Christmas Shopping and Italian LeMax Villages
(16:22 – 21:28)
- Stocking stuffers were easily handled in Italy.
- Discovery of Italian devotion to Christmas villages:
“There was a department store... a quarter of that were Lemax Christmas Village pieces... Where in America would you get that kind of devotion?”
— Annie (17:39) - Most memorable: a Christmas shop with moving, mechanical scenes of Biblical Nazareth—Mary rocking Jesus, a butcher decapitating a chicken.
“I can’t even imagine the great mind that could intersect holy with whimsy.” — SuChin Pak (20:08)
Venice: Sci-Fi, Swoon-Worthy Arrival
(22:10 – 24:57)
- Venice described as “romantic, cinematic, sci-fi” (23:35; 23:49).
- The impact of arriving by boat:
“You could be the most boring person but... you’re looking out like it’s a Christopher Nolan film.”
— Kulap (24:09) - They almost abandon the rest of the itinerary to stay.
Shopping Tallies: Leather, Wool, Accessories
(25:18 – 29:37; 39:00 – 54:59)
- In Venice, Annie buys “10 to 12 leather bags,” many destined as gifts but likely never to be used (26:56).
- Italy is proclaimed “source material” for Anthropologie and other American boutiques:
“Italy is source material. More than any place I’ve been.”
— Annie (41:24) - Major shopping categories include Italian wool sweaters, cashmere, belts (“10 to 15 belts” estimated), necklaces, jewelry, and hardware store finds like cheese graters and wooden spoons.
Shopping Philosophy—The "Do Not Buy" List
(44:35 – 47:00)
- Annie’s self-imposed rules:
- No scarves, sequins, dresses, overly fancy clothes, food that’s a pain to carry, or non-everyday bags. Rules are often broken.
“It’s just like I’m shopping for a life that I don’t live.” — Annie (47:00)
Small Town Delights: Bassano del Grappa
(29:51 – 38:53)
- Off-the-beaten-path town with rare non-tourist chic, beautiful shops, and Italian second-home vibes.
- Annie bonds with a local through her Italian fluency, scoring deals at a shop going out of business (“Everything’s €10”).
- “We’re like Pac-Man going through Bassano del Grappa.” — Annie (40:55)
Travel Flexibility: Living Without Plans
(30:12 – 31:54)
- They arrive in each town without hotel reservations and make decisions on the fly, which Kulap calls “romantic” for those bold enough.
- Self-described as “menopausal backpackers” but with shopping sprees, not bunk beds.
Florence: Museums vs. Shopping
(56:31 – 61:06)
- Florence is beautiful but less thrilling to the hosts than tiny towns.
- Shopping highlight:
“Santa Maria Novella... oldest pharmacy in Europe, 1221 is when they began.”
— Annie & Kulap (57:37) - Seven bags of potpourri purchased; they adore the old-world pharmacy vibes.
Hardware, Pharmacies, and Unexpected Treasures
(62:25 – 66:01)
- European hardware stores likened to boxes of assorted chocolates—some items are incredible (sailcloth tote, knit clutch), some are misses.
- Pharmacy buys: toothpaste with medicinal, herbal flavors (“tasted like bitters”), sloughing stones, creams.
Regrets, Lessons, and Takeaways
(66:48 – 67:15)
- The only regret: not buying more jewelry.
- They skip Prada outlet in the end—suprised by their own restraint:
“Even I couldn’t spend my precious time in Italy in an outlet.” — Annie (68:06)
The Christmas Spirit & Post-Italy Life
(69:07 – 76:55)
- Kulap’s laser-focused approach to holiday decorating:
- Trees go up first, phases of decor, Friendsgiving celebrations, and tales of best-man speeches and flower girl giggles (70:16 – 73:17).
- Reflections on Boycotting big-box stores for Black Friday and evolving shopping habits.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the absurdity of packing:
"Three shirts, two pairs of pants, 80 pairs of underwear—for two weeks."
— Annie (11:10) -
On Italy’s schedule matching menopause needs:
“All of Italy is on menopause time.”
— Annie (06:33) -
On shopping as an errand:
“It’s errands. You gotta go to the eye doctor, the pharmacy, you know what I mean?”
— Annie (12:34) -
On the magic of arriving in Venice:
“You’re looking out like it’s a Christopher Nolan film.”
— Kulap (24:09) -
On shopping in Italy:
“Italy is source material. More than any other place I’ve ever been.”
— Annie (41:24) -
On friendship and travel:
“One to two times a year, we go on our honeymoon and renew our vows.”
— Annie (16:04)
Segment Timestamps
- 01:19 – 02:28: Opening banter and technical mishaps
- 03:00 – 04:13: Soulmate travel dynamic (“poetry in chaos”)
- 05:04 – 07:56: The menopausal traveler in Italy
- 10:10 – 11:42: Annie’s wild packing style
- 12:44 – 13:16: The joys of international eye exams
- 16:22 – 21:28: Christmas in Italy and the Italian Lemax village
- 22:10 – 24:57: Venice arrival, romance, crowds
- 29:51 – 38:53: Bassano del Grappa: chic small-town shopping spree
- 44:35 – 47:00: Annie’s “do not buy” list
- 56:26 – 61:26: Florence: Santa Maria Novella, pharmacy runs
- 62:25 – 66:01: Highlights from hardware stores and pharmacies
- 66:48 – 67:15: Regrets (not enough jewelry)
- 69:07 – 73:17: Kulap’s home Christmas decor, best man speech, family stories
Episode Tone & Style
Playful, self-effacing, filled with affectionate teasing and TMI details. The aunties lean into their strengths: honesty, a knack for finding life’s humor, and candid explorations of friendship, aging, and self-indulgence.
For Listeners Who Missed the Episode:
This episode is a hilarious, warm confessional about friendship, middle-aged adventure, and the obsessive joy of shopping in Italy during the holidays. You'll come away feeling like you joined two “aunties” weaving through Italian backstreets, suitcases bulging with sweaters and belts, slightly out of phase with the world but having the time of their lives. Don’t miss the next one for even more carts, confessions, and heart.