Leonardo da Vinci, the Last Supper, and the Art of Throwing a Great Dinner Party
Lecture by Rocky Ruggiero. Given at the Flint Institute of Art on December 7, 2022. This presentation will explore the evolution of the Last Supper in Italian art, beginning with early Christian images through to the late Renaissance, including one of the world’s most famous works of art: Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Dr. Rocky Ruggiero has...
A Famed Naples Pizzeria Brings Thin, Chewy Pies to the West Village
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, the acclaimed, century-old Naples pizzeria that appeared in Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestselling novel Eat Pray Love, opens its Manhattan outpost this week. The restaurant known for its thin pies, which take less than a minute to cook, will open at 2 Bank Street, near Greenwich Avenue, in the West Village on Saturday, Decem...
Episode 97 – The Italian Mass Project with Alexis Carra-Tracey
Alexis N. Carra-Tracey, Esq. is an attorney at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. She assesses parish compliance on child protection policies and speaks on matters of law, philosophy, and religion. Alexis has a B.A., M.A., and J.D. from Fordham University in New York City. She is the founder of Discussion & Discipleship, a forum dedicated...
“It’ll Take an Army” Franco’s Italian Army Fifty Years Later
At the end of each calendar year, we reflect on the events of the past 12 months, noting the moments that stand out. Sometimes we look back farther into our shared history and recall the decades, acknowledging milestone events. This year the region reflects on one of the most exciting plays in NFL history, the “Immaculate Reception,” which celebrat...
At Brooklyn Roots, old school is made new again
A recent autumn evening marked the one-year anniversary of Brooklyn Roots in Bay Ridge. The crowded room on 3rd Avenue and 87th Street was full of goodwill, from the happy-go-lucky bartender, to the friendly waitstaff working the floor, to the open kitchen in the back, where the crew prepared the type of Italian food that has generated similar exci...
The Tradition of Pandolce Genovese
Pandolce Genovese translates literally to “sweet bread”, one of the biggest icons of the Genoan cuisine and tradition. It used to be served on the days of Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Epiphany. Nowadays you can taste Pandolce Genovese all year round, as it is regularly produced all over the country. The traditional recipe for Pandolce Genovese co...
Benvenuto! Italian luxury retailer makes US debut in Noho
This season of “The White Lotus” may be over, but consumers seeking a hint of Italian luxury have a new spot to explore in Noho. Italian retailer LuisaViaRoma signed a 13,000-square-foot lease at 1 Bond Street, the New York Business Journal reported. It will be the online retailer’s first physical location in the U.S. The retailer will occupy 8,000...
Pompeii, the most fascinating archaeological site
It is one of the most popular Italian destinations for tourists from all over the world and an open-air museum: we are talking about the Archaeological Park of Pompeii. Here’s what not to miss during the visit! Pompeii is one of the most famous Italian cities in the world thanks to the archaeological findings of the Archaeological Park that “tell”...
Pat Pascarella’s oyster and risotto bar Alici opens January 2
Chef Pat Pascarella is welcoming the new year in with a fresh new restaurant called Alici. Named after the Italian word for “anchovy,” Alici is designed to make guests feel like they’re on the Amalfi Coast. Pascarella, who owns Italian-American spots the White Bull, Grana, and Bastone, says this is his most authentic restaurant yet. “It’s as chef-d...
Balze del Valdarno
IN THE PROVINCE OF AREZZO rise the Balze del Valdarno, mountains that were formed after the drying up of a lake during the Pliocene era and, subsequently, thanks to the action of exogenous forces such as water and wind. One striking feature of the Balze is its three distinct layers. The top of these mountains is brown because many pebbles and fine...
The tale of the Seven Fishes
This thing about The Feast of Seven Fishes that Italians do on Christmas Eve was something I learned, I dunno, maybe when I was 40 years old. I mean, we all have traditions, right? And our own family tradition on Christmas Eve was extra special because it was also my Grandma Ida’s birthday. My Auntie Sis has hosted our family’s Christmas Eve dinner...
Will a new breed of Italian blockbuster attract theatrical audiences back to homegrown films?
The Italian naval base of Taranto in Puglia is the setting for the $15m (€14m) shoot of Edoardo De Angelis’s Second World War epic Il Comandante. A 1940s submarine has been recreated at a cost of $1.5m (€1.4m) alone. Produced by Indigo Film, the shoot is that rare thing in the Italian industry: a local film of scale and scope. What is more remarkab...