The Mona Lisa Is Coming To The North Loop. Sort Of.
A meticulously-crafted facsimile of the famed Mona Lisa is coming to the Italian Cultural Center in the North Loop on April 26th. It was painstakingly created by world renowned Minnesota native Mark Balma, using the same techniques and materials that Leonardo da Vinci used in the 16th century to create the original, such as Oil of Spike Lavender an...
Inventive Italian is the hallmark at L'Incontro, which opens this week
Following a private soft opening this past weekend, L’Incontro Italian Bar & Cafe will officially open its doors to the public at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17 at 2315 N. Murray Ave. Located less than two blocks from the Oriental Theatre, the restaurant is a natural pick for evening dining during the remainder of the Milwaukee Film Festival. The re...
Troiani to helm Veterans Museum
The Italian American Veterans Museum ushered in a new slate of officers with the new year, electing retired Navy Cdr. Joseph Edward Troiani, Ph.D., as president. “I’m proud to serve as president of the museum in honor of family members who served in the military before me,” Troiani says. Troiani’s grandfather Joseph Troiani served in the U.S. Army...
Italian elegance off the beaten path
I had a hankering for Italian for my latest food adventure and this new hot spot in central Madison County was the perfect cure for my cravings. It’s a little off the beaten path in town, located on a side street near a residential area. The seclusion is part of the mystique and attraction. There is parking on either side of the building, but the n...
Andrea Bocelli joins ISO for Indy performance
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli is returning to the city for a special performance with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra as part of his North American spring tour. Bocelli is joining the ISO for a concert at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on April 13. The singer made his ISO debut in December of 2022 with a variety of holiday music. The concert was so succe...
Mount Granita Italian Ice Opens for Summer in Little Italy on May 1
Last summer, Mount Granita Italian Ice upped its game when it traded in its seasonal sidewalk cart for a tidy storefront in Little Italy. Located near the intersection of Mayfield and Murray Hill, the shop (2024 Murray Hill Rd.) will open for the season on Wednesday, May 1st.As always, owner Christopher Giancola will kick off summer with the popula...
ITA Airways Launches New Airbus A330neo Service Between Chicago O'Hare And Rome–Fiumicino
Italian flag carrier ITA Airways opened its newest international route, a nonstop connection between the airline's fortress hub at Rome's Fiumicino Airport (FCO) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) on Sunday. The inaugural flight departed at around 15:00 in the afternoon from Chicago and is set to touch down shortly after 07:00 on Monday...
You Gotta Eat: It’s worth the drive to Mona’s in Toluca for great Italian food
For more than 90-years, this restaurant has drawn people across the region looking for good Italian food and an old school family atmosphere. Local standup comedian Edgar Sandoval and photojournalist Andrew Best take us this week to Mona’s in Toluca, considered one of America’s best restaurants. It’s a throwback to a simpler time. Located 45 minute...
Concert / Italian Surf Academy
When: The May 11 2024, 21:00 (Local time) - Where: Hungry Brain, 2319 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL, 60618 The Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago presents an exclusive concert of ITALIAN SURF ACADEMY at the Hungry Brain in Chicago. ITALIAN SURF ACADEMY is a trio leaded by New York based guitarist Marco Cappelli, featuring bassist Damon Banks and dr...
Rome’s Fabled Bonci Pizza Will Soon Open a New Chicago Location in Lakeview
The third Chicago location of Bonci, the fabled Italian pizzeria from Rome, should open later this month in Lakeview at 3151 N. Broadway. Bonci features pizza al taglio, rectangular slices that are sold deli style — by its weight. Named after founder Gabrielle Bonci, the pizzeria features a light and airy crust topped with artisan ingredients. Thur...
GRIAA prepares for 45th Festa Italiana
It may only be April, but the Greater Rockford Italian American Association is already preparing for this year’s Festa Italiana! Michael and Paul Maffioli are with us tonight to chat about the history of Festa Italiana and how it is still going strong. Great Rockford Italian American Association also known as GRIAA was founded with the efforts to r...
100-Year-Old World War II Female Veteran Park Ridge’s Memorial Day Parade Grand Marshal
At 100-years-old longtime Park Ridge resident Marie Sartor Pawelek lives by herself in a condominium, practices playing the piano, writes and speaks Italian to relatives in Italy, and has her own Facebook account. Also, according to her only child Michael, she still has her great sense of humor. A veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II, Marie...