Tuesday November 6, 7:00 pm EDT - The Italian Cultural Foundation at Casa Belvedere - 79 Howard Avenue, Staten Island, NY. Admission: Suggested donation $20; open to the public. Contact: Marian Rodi 718-273-7660 [email protected]. What is it about Italy? Cultural superpower yet merely a mountainous Mediterranean peninsula, Italy has exerted an out-sized force on the world, Western civilization and the popular imagination over the course of millennia. This is a special edu-taining program for anyone curious about (or already in amore with) Italy and its remarkably rich cultural gifts.

Carla Gambescia, New York area author of La Dolce Vita University: An Unconventional Guide to Italian Culture from A-Z; a unique lifestyle compendium of all things Italian: food, wine, history, architecture, art, style, anecdotes, attitude, will be the guide as she explores the special alchemy of Italy and the cultural DNA, that has made it not only so influential but also so beloved. Even the most sophisticated Italophile will discover fascinating new facts and insights.