From Sicily to South Philly
Ralph’s Italian Restaurant, located at 760 S. Ninth St. in the heart of Philadelphia’s Italian Market, was dimly lit but bright with laughter when my boyfriend, Manny Nkrumah ’26 and I visited for dinner one Sunday evening in early March. The mosaic-tiled floor and closely-sat tables reminded me of Italian restaurants in old movies. When we arrived...
John Fante: the almost-forgotten scribe of Los Angeles
Los Angeles still has bookstores. Not a lot of them, mind you, but they exist. On a recent visit home, I met a friend at The Last Bookstore in downtown L.A. (Yes, Los Angeles has a downtown, too) and spent some time browsing the shelves of new and used books about the city. I found some treasures—John Gregory Dunne’s Monster, Carey McWilliams’s Sou...
Lights, camera, canzone! Italian music in international movies
If we think of Italian music and cinema, thoughts go immediately to two names: Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota, who composed some of the most incredible and world-known soundtracks in the history of the Seventh Art. It is right to say, then, that Italian music has long had a significant role in international cinema, but not only through the works of...
Casa Don Alfonso in Clayton is steeped in Italian tradition
Casa Don Alfonso, a prominent Italian restaurant within the Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis in Clayton, continues to honor its Mediterranean roots with a strong focus on tradition, simplicity and high-quality ingredients. Restaurateur Mario Iaccarino recently shared insights into the philosophy behind the restaurant, the inspiration for its new seasonal me...
How Italy’s Jure Sanguinis Changes Threaten Italian Food Culture
For decades, Italian-American chefs, bakers, and culinary dreamers have used Italy’s Jure Sanguinis (citizenship by descent) law as a gateway not just to a passport, but to a deeper, more immersive connection with their ancestral roots. They’ve apprenticed with village nonnas, trained in small-town trattorias, and walked through vineyards their gre...
The Art of Caffè Corretto, a Beloved Italian Drink With Meager Beginnings
After moving to Williamsburg, Brooklyn in January 2009, I went to my first Feast of the Giglio festival that summer. For 12 days in July, the neighborhood’s historically southern Italian community comes together to celebrate and pay homage to la Madonna Della Carmine. After my friend and I got our fill of sausage and peppers and zeppole, we wander...
A Marina Mainstay Italian Restaurant Will Expand with a Splashy Cocktail Bar
The team at luxe Marina Italian restaurant Norcina is opening a moody artisanal bar with lime-washed walls and a huge oven in the middle of the space. Frankie’s will open later this year in early June at 3219 Pierce Street. Chef-owner Kaitlinn Bauman says she has always felt the need for an upscale, sexy cocktail bar in the area. Seating about 30,...
How to Explore Verona Like a Local: A Perfect Itinerary for First-Timers
Recognized for its role in Shakespeare’s eternal love saga, “Romeo and Juliet”, Verona is not just about beguiling love stories. This historic Italian city is filled with charming streets, remarkable architecture, and gastronomic delights that captivate the adoration of locals and tourists alike. For first-timers, planning the perfect itinerary can...
District baseball: 'Italian Stallion' Thomas Lograsso is Wellington's unsung hero
Somewhere along the line, Thomas Lograsso was given the nickname “The Italian Stallion” by his teammates. Apart from being Italian, he doesn't really know why – unless Stallions can hit hard and run fast. Maybe the nickname checks out after all. On a team with county mainstays like Luke Bratten and Jhon Abreu, it's been Lograsso who has carried Wel...
Firenze The 7 Most Beautiful Museums to Visit in Florence in 2025
If you're planning a trip to Florence, the cradle of the Italian Renaissance, and want to discover the best of the city's cultural attractions, this article offers a complete guide to the 7 most important museums, along with useful tips to make your visit easier, more enjoyable, and well-organized. Florence is a world-renowned cultural and ar...
Bronx Opera to Perform ‘Così fan tutte’
The Bronx Opera is set to present “Cosi fan tutte” on April 25 & 27, 2025 and May 3 and 4, 2025. The work will be shown at the Lovinger Theater at Lehman College and will star Alina Tamborini and Samantha Long as Fiordiligi, Linda Collazo and Miastasha Gonzalez-Colon as Dorabella, Brian J. Alvarado and Johannes Linneballe as Guglielmo, and Gabriel...
Mozzarella di Bufala at Risk as U.S. Tariffs Loom
Proposed US tariffs on Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO risk undoing years of investment to build market share in the United States, where the product has gained traction among consumers despite persistent logistical hurdles. The US accounts for around 10% of total exports of the protected-origin cheese, with an export value of more than €30mn. Whi...
