John Gennari (Author of the book “Flavor and Soul: Italian America at Its African American Edge”)
There’s a very interesting book called “Flavor and Soul: Italian America at Its African American Edge”, which tells very well about an important aspect of the Italian American experience. The relationship between the Italian Americans and the African Americans reveals more than one could think, about how the Italian Americans integrated into the A...
'Gladiators' bring Roman flavor to R.I. polo
As thousands of sharply dressed spectators converged on the turf of Newport International Polo on Saturday afternoon, the soaring tenor of Andrea Bocelli, piped across an emerald green at Glen Farm, gave more than a hint about the origin of one of the teams zipping up its boots. Representing Italy were the members of the “Roman Gladiators” polo tea...
115th Giglio Festival celebrated in Brooklyn
So much has changed in Williamsburg, Brooklyn over the years, but there is one thing that seems will never change: the rising of Giglio. Towering 7-stories over head, the Giglio is lifted by pure muscle in a symbolic dance commemorating the rescue of Italian children by boat from Nola, Italy outside of Naples. "The Italians are here, the Catholic c...
Roccella Jazz Festival “Rumori Mediterranei” rende omaggio a Frank Zappa
Avrà come tema “Italians”, in omaggio al contributo dei musicisti italo-americano nella storia del jazz, la 38/a edizione del Roccella Jazz Festival “Rumori Mediterranei”. La rassegna prenderà il via con una sessione a luglio di tre serate (domenica 8, venerdì 13 e sabato 14) e proseguirà con altre dieci serate dal 12 al 22 agosto. “Quest’anno – ha...
Sicilian Language Course in Elmhurst, Queens
Saturday, September 15th (2:30PM—4:15PM) Italian Charities of America - 83-20 Queens Blvd. Elmhurst, NY 11373. Are you of Sicilian Descent? OR just interested in Sicilian? Come join us for Sicilian Language lessons. We will have a native Sicilian to teach you from beginner level, you will learn the language; reading, writing and speaking! 12 Lesson...
Southington Italian-American Festival returns July 27
Food, fireworks, music and more is in store for the 14th annual Italian-American Festival, returning to lower Center Street July 27 to July 29. The festival, sponsored by three local Italian clubs - Sons of Italy, Unico and Sorelle D’Italia - will be held from 5 to 11 p.m. July 27, 1 to 11 p.m. July 28 and noon to 6 p.m. July 29. The street will be...
Treccani Gusto, Italian food dictionary is online
The digital Dictionary of Italian PDO and PGI products, edited by Treccani Gusto in cooperation with Qualivita Foundation, is now online. Its release was announced last January, when the Year of Italian Food in the World began. This is the first digital dictionary of encyclopedic nature on the agricultural, food, and wine heritage of Italy, with a...
‘Immigrants Against the State: Yiddish and Italian Anarchism in America’
Kenyon Zimmer, assistant professor of history at the University of Texas at Arlington, has written a comprehensive treatment of the American anarchist movement. It is a volume in the series Working Class in American History, edited by a team of renowned scholars. His six chapters, plus an introduction and conclusion, are dense concentrations of per...
From Underground Slum to European Capital of Culture: Matera, the Subterranean City of Caves
Above a steep canyon cut by the fast flowing water of the River Gravina lies one of the oldest communities in the world, whose architecture is defined by the rocks among which it sits. Matera, found in the southern Italian region of Basilicata, is a picture-perfect, white-stone city that originates from a prehistoric troglodyte settlement. The area...
Chef Lidia Bastianich’s New Autobiography Recalls Life As A Refugee
As migrant children were recently being separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border, Lidia Bastianich’s own refugee story has an eerily familiar ring. The accomplished Italian chef and restaurateur takes a break from award-winning cookbooks to unpack her own immigrant story in the just-released “My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family,...
The Sopranos film has taken a massive step forwards
A few months ago, fans of The Sopranos were given an unexpected treat when a prequel film was announced with a script from the show's creator David Chase, co-written by Lawrence Konner. Rather than continue on from the events of the famous finale, the creators have made the clever decision to set The Many Saints Of Newark in the 1960s. This being s...
Rome’s Colosseum: there’s more than meets the eye
When in Rome … it’s a no-brainer that the famed Colosseum is at the top of most visitors’ list of “must see” attractions. In fact, this forerunner to our modern arenas plays host to about 4 million tourists a year, second only to Rome’s Vatican City. Besides instant recognition of the breathtaking iconic structure, the majority who visit, and most...