The culture and way of life of Italy and Italians in the past and present times.
Foliage is a magical word, just by pronouncing it we are enveloped by that wonderful feeling that only autumn can give us. That sensation caused by the scent of chestnuts, the first heat of the fireplace, and the scent of citrus. I must say that nothing beats the majestic USA foliage display. It is just […]
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Time to Draw those Bridges! Done with the battles, territories defended, done with Guelphs and Ghibellines, done also with feudal lords and dark Middle Ages, courts and cannons all are finished; now Italy finds itself with a landscape full of very beautiful castles too often forgotten. An Italian Treasure to Discover Castles are a unique […]
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Simple The essence of Italian cuisine is its simplicity. Although, it evolved through centuries of political and social changes, with roots dating back to the 4th century BC. Italian cuisine itself was influenced by the cuisine of ancient Greece, ancient Rome, Byzantine, Jewish and Arabic; Italian cuisine maintained its simplicity thru the centuries, always relaying […]
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Well-well! Some good news in this troublesome 2020 year. The distinguished Condé Nast Magazine is engaging the best chefs from Italy to bring the Italian culinary tradition to the highest Unesco recognition (#lacucinaitalianagoestounesco). They believe that “Italian cuisine” is an intangible heritage for humanity and should be part of the UNESCO world heritage. The initiative […]
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In these times of Post-Covid (not so sure it is really “post”), businesses need to reinvent themselves. Restaurants in particular, with their necessity to keep customers “socially distanced” can really be a challenge. Moreover, most fancy weddings, where canceled or postponed; see Princess Beatrice of England and her Italian beau, for example. Weddings cancellations was […]
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Locked Down Today is Day One of full restrictions in all of Italy. It is very strange, not stressful really, but uncanny. I woke up to a rather silent than usual morning. That is because traffic is down a lot. I live close by some schools and a university, so the usual loud chattering of […]
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Carnevale is underway this week in Venice, although the real deal will be this weekend, and Tuesday, which marks the beginning of lent, with Ash Wednesday. This year there were fewer people. Maybe because of Coronavirus, or maybe because of the latest big flood. It was, however, a feast for the eyes, and the photographers. […]
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Sicily is a territory rich in history, art and culture, but also a region with deep and ancient wine traditions. Sicily, in addition to enchanting the visitor with the countless natural beauties and its aromas, also impresses with the variety of the cuisine and with the charm of its wines. In Sicily, wines with a […]
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In winter flower blooms usually cheer me up beautifully. I like to see the tulips at the local market or at the florist shop. But the one thing that cheer me up even more is when I see the very first buds on the Forsythia. They are the first ones to bloom announcing that spring […]
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This year carnevale will span thru the 8–25 of February. The 14th—Valentine Day—is right in the middle. Logically then one of the themes of carnevale would be Love, ❤️ 💕 add to that a little play and folly! The agenda is thick with events, about 50 between performances and initiatives for children and adults alike. […]
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The last day of the year! This year is not just a new year, it’s a new decade, who knows? maybe we’ll have the “roaring 20s” again! What to say other than looking back at the decade past for an assessment. A decade that started with the release of the first-ever iPad! The ”#MeToo” movement; […]
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When I was living in the USA I realized that at times I was loosing my Italian, as I was more and more thinking in English. Even Dreaming in English. But some expressions I never lost (along with basic math, … one always counts & adds in his/hers grammar school language!). One of my most […]
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Life in Italy 