Where the Parish Doors Have Closed … and Opened
One of the most common news stories about the Catholic Church in recent years involve parish closures. These events often gain local attention and time from time get coverage nationally. When the story is national, the closure(s) sometimes seems as if this is something generalizable. The national data seem to fit this characterization with the Chur...
Weekend Wanderlust: Chiavenna, where hospitality is a way of life
A crotto is a type of mountain grotto, and Chiavenna is the lovely mountain town in Valchiavenna, above the northern end of Lake Como, where you can find them. The name Chiavenna comes from the Latin clavis, key, a reference to the fact that the town lies between three mountain passes: Maloja Pass, Septimer Pass and Splügen Pass. These three passes...
The Bizarre History of Buca di Beppo, America’s Most Postmodern Red Sauce Chain
There was no Little Italy near the small suburb of Dallas where I grew up. Instead, there was Buca di Beppo. Among my classmates, Buca di Beppo was the go-to destination for birthday parties. The atmosphere was always raucous, the platters of food were so massive that they demanded sharing, and ogling at the sundry black-and-white photos of Italian...
Take ‘A Trip to Italy’ with classical American songstress Lisa Hopkins Seegmiller, Southwest Symphony
Immerse yourself in the sounds of Italy as the Southwest Symphony performs works by some of the greatest Italian composers of all time on April 26 with special guest soprano Lisa Hopkins Seegmiller, a Tony Award winner and Grammy nominee. Featuring Rossini’s “William Tell Overture,” Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino,” a beautiful duet with the symphony...
Rome unearths ancient Roman kiln in Trastevere
Rome archaeologists have presented the well-preserved remains of a ancient Roman workshop with large-scale furnace, or kiln, used in the commercial production of glazed ceramics and tableware, at Palazzo Corsini in the city's Trastevere district. The hidden treasure, complete with earthenware bowls, pots and kitcheware, was discovered under the law...
Italian-American Civic Association celebrating 80th anniversary
The beginnings of the Italian-American Civic Association developed its deep roots in this city, appropriately, under a tree more than 80 years ago on West Prospect Street. Four men, three born in Italy and one a first-generation American with Italian parents, shared their enjoyment of conversation and a friendly game of pinochle after toiling at th...
A family business: Mimmo’s nearing 25 years
Mimmo’s Pizzeria and Restaurant is a family business in more ways than one. Owner Dominic “Mimmo” Spano has brought several family members into the business, including his youngest brother, Carlo, who manages the restaurant here in St. Albans. Two brothers also operate the Mimmo’s in Essex. Mimmo’s brother-in-law met his wife while both worked at t...
Vermont may abolish Columbus Day amid colonialism uproar
Goodbye, Columbus. Vermont is on the brink of abolishing Columbus Day in a politically correct blow against colonialism. “You know, it’s just a day, and we’ll get through it,” said Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R). He also said he is likely to sign the measure, which passed both houses of the state legislature this week, into law. The legislation will o...
In Emilia-Romagna, Finding Relatives and a Way To Help Others Learn About Family History
For our series ‘Back to Your Italian Roots,’ where we share stories of readers who have traveled to Italy to reconnect with relatives and visit their ancestral towns, we’ve talked to Laura Ventimiglia, whose grandparents emigrated to America from two tiny villages in the province of Cento in the early 1900s, Renazzo and Dodici Morelli. Laura didn’t...
Opening of the exhibition "Enrico David: Gradations of Slow Release” at the Hirshhorn
The “Enrico David: Gradations of Slow Release” exhibition opened yesterday at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington until September 2, 2019. This is the second US stop of the exhibition previously hosted by the Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago where it was met with great success in terms of public and critic alike. Enrico David, a world-famous ar...
Nutella, i 55 anni della crema spalmabile più famosa al mondo
Nel 1964 entrava in commercio il primo vasetto di Nutella, la celebre crema spalmabile di Ferrero. Il primo barattolo uscì dalla fabbrica di Alba il 20 aprile e il prodotto riscosse un successo istantaneo. In questi 55 anni è stata celebrata in tantissimi modi, dagli omaggi nel cinema e nella musica ai francobolli personalizzati, a testimonianza de...
Family-run Ciao Ristorante in Vista unveils dramatic transformation
After six years of planning and three years of construction, Ciao Ristorante Italiano in Vista is finally finished with its vast expansion project. Since 2016, the popular family-owned restaurant at 2015 E. Vista Way has been undergoing a gradual expansion that has quadrupled its size from 3,000 to 12,000 square feet. Along the way, the original r...