NEWS FROM : CALIFORNIA  

What a long, strange trip it’s been for chef Rebecca White, who’s now loving life in the cheerful, tiny kitchen of her Mangia Mi restaurant in downtown Calistoga. On a recent afternoon, she was getting ready for another busy evening of making her distinctive New Haven-style pizzas ($24-32). She and her two-person team were preparing signature comfo...

Would you care for some Puccini with that pasta? How about a little Rigoletto with your risotto? The concept of combining the sounds of opera with the tastes and smells of Italian cuisine was integral to the creation of the Verdi Chorus, which celebrates its 40th anniversary with a pair of concerts Nov. 18 and 19 in Santa Monica. Things have change...

November 19, 2023 – February 11, 2024. Legion of Honor - Rosekrans Court: Lincoln Park. 100 34th Avenue (at Clement Street), San Francisco, CA. Botticelli Drawings is the first exhibition ever dedicated to the drawings of Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli (ca. 1445 – 1510). Exploring the foundational role drawing played in Botticelli’s work, the...

Could this be a trend? More Italian fashion brands looking to the L.A. market for exposure and retail growth? Just a few months ago, Italian brand Eleventy expanded to a new permanent location in Beverly Hills, and now Genny, where Gianni Versace got his start by working with Genny sister brand Byblos, has come to Brighton Way with its first U.S. s...

Walking into Buono’s Pizzeria, one is seamlessly transported from the bustling Wrigley neighborhood to a quiet, cozy Italian restaurant that planted its roots in Long Beach 43 years ago. From the soft, Italian music playing overhead to the dozens of black and white photos of famous Italians looking down on customers—the restaurant begs families to...

Festival Napa Valley has announced the Manetti Shrem Challenge, a $3 million matching gift from longtime benefactor Maria Manetti Shrem. Designed to inspire new giving, the Manetti Shrem Challenge will act as a catalyst for accelerating the growth of Festival Napa Valley's year-round programming, educational initiatives, and scholarship programs. "...

A 14th century Tuscan castle in the middle of Napa Valley? No, your eyes are not deceiving you. This is the surprise that greets many visitors to California’s wine country. Castello di Amorosa is a winery located near Calistoga, California, that was built by Dario Sattui, a fourth-generation vintner who wanted to honor his Italian heritage and his...

Jackson Kalb is most excited about the Italian beef sandwich served on a silver platter at his new Hollywood restaurant Jemma. “We are making bread in-house and spent a year-and-a-half developing it,” he says. Using shaved prime rib, Cooper’s sharp American cheese, giardiniera, horseradish, and jus on the side, it’s equal parts Chicago and LA. Kalb...

The Italian American Museum of Los Angeles (IAMLA) is located in downtown’s Italian Hall at 644 North Main. Built in 1908 as a community center, the hall is one of the oldest remaining structures in historic Little Italy and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I can only speak for myself, but I didn’t even know we had a Little It...

Italy once again sets its sights on the Oscars, spotlighting a theme that’s as relevant as it is enduring: immigration. This issue, marked by identity and turmoil, has been part of the nation for decades, echoing a shared experience with many other countries.  Io Capitano (Me Captain) by Matteo Garrone is Italy’s latest nominee for Best Internation...

Mike Vecchione feels like a neighborhood kind of guy who always brings hijinx and funny stories. And for Italian Americans, Mike probably feels even more familiar. He brings tiny little details from his life and pokes fun at his own culture. He’s got one bit about how Italy doesn’t get a bad wrap, despite fighting alongside Germany in World War II...

As Dana Point looks to officially establish a sister city relationship with its current friendship city Sorrento, a local delegation that Mayor Mike Frost and Mayor Pro Tem Jamey Federico led shared thoughts on the trip after returning from the coastal Italian town in late-October. During the roughly weeklong visit, the delegation took part in meet...