Ava's Italian Ice brings fresh fruit flavors to Bucktown
Some people love Italian ice so much, they decide to change careers, and devote their lives to it. At least that's the case for a young family near Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood who have set up shop along a busy stretch of Western Avenue. There, they make nearly a dozen flavors a day, using only the freshest fruits they can find. Marisa Cruz and...
Electric conductor Emanuele Andrizzi
Conductor, composer and pianist Dr. Emanuele Andrizzi caps his emails with the declaration of another Italian artist, World War I-era writer Gabriele D’Annunzio: “Ama il tuo sogno se pur ti tormenta,” or “Love your dream even though it torments you.” It’s a refreshing tonic to the somewhat mushy 21st-Century mantra “do what you love.” And it define...
Italian Heritage Night with the Columbus Clippers
Thursday, August 2, 17:30 EDT. Huntington Park, 330 Huntington Park Ln, Columbus, OH 43215. After the huge success of the last six years, we have been approached again by the Columbus Clippers and asked if we would be interested in hosting the seventh annual Italian Heritage Night at Huntington Park this summer. With our desire to raise the profile...
Little Lulu's Italian Ice brings fruit-filled treats to Portage Park
A new shop dishing out shaved ice has opened its doors in the neighborhood. The new addition to Portage Park, called Little Lulu's Italian Ice, is located at 5035 W. Montrose Ave. The shop was established by Autumn Bastyr, a mother of twins and professional photographer, who was inspired to start developing her own treats after struggling to find h...
Fruitastic-O brings Italian ice to Mt. Greenwood Park
Fruitastic-O, which offers Italian ice and “cream ice,” held a grand opening on July 1 at Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St., where it will be stationed until October. Run by owner Mike Small (second from left), of Mt. Greenwood, and his family, Fruitastic-O offers six flavors of Italian ice, including blueberry, lemon, mango and sour cherry. Th...
Chicago Symphony conductor Riccardo Muti loves Kansas City ‘very much’
Those who experienced Riccardo Muti conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on the Harriman-Jewell Series in 2015 or 2017 know that when Muti is on the podium, it’s more than a concert. It’s a spiritual experience. This month, Muti will celebrate his 50th anniversary as a conductor. He has had a remarkable career, including serving as principal c...
Little Italy Festa set for August
The renamed Little Italy Festa, formerly called Festa Italiana, will take place on Taylor Street east of Ashland Avenue Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 16 through 19. After a hiatus of several years, Ron Onesti of Onesti Entertainment is returning to produce the festa, which celebrates the historic Taylor Street-Little Italy community. The four-day e...
Free Festa Italiana Tickets For New Members
Do you love spaghetti? Or want to try your luck at a game of futsal? How about watching fireworks light up the night sky? Maybe you’ve always wanted to ride in a gondola, but there just isn’t money for a trip to Italy in the budget right now. Luckily, Festa Italiana will be bringing Italy to Milwaukee from July 20 through the 22, and this year, we...
Russo's: Fine Creole Italian Cuisine in Peninsula
According to general manager Patrick Cunningham, there's a man who has a standing reservation at Russo's out in Peninsula in Summit County for every Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. until the day he dies. This may be an extreme case of FOMO (fear of missing out) on the part of that eager eater, or a cautionary tale to compel you to make that call right...
Vince & Joe's Italian festival highlights the joy of cooking good food
One potato, two potato .... If there’s one thing Americans love to eat on the Fourth of July weekend, it’s potato salad. Just ask Vince and Joe Vitale. Back in 1996, only days before the holiday and before Vince and Joe’s became Vince & Joe’s Gourmet Market, the brothers ran out of everyone’s favorite summer salad, throwing customers into a tizzy. ...
Mr. Meatball brings tastes of Italy to Pataskala
Family. Home-style cooking. Meatballs. These are the things that make “Mr. Meatball,” newly opened in Pataskala at 61 E. Broad St., special, say the Pataskala couple who own the enterprise. “We are truly a family business, doing most of our own production, and it’s about as close to home cooking as you’re going to find,” said Don Gullatta, who with...
“Ariodante” at Lyric Opera of Chicago, US
“Ariodante” will be on stage at Lyric Opera of Chicago. The opera is by George Frideric Handel, it is sung in Italian with projected English translations. “Ariodante” is an opera seria presented in three acts. The Italian libretto was based on a work by Antonio Salvi. It is adapted from Canti 5 and 6 of Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso. Each act...