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MAGAZINE  

Here we are again: the year is almost over and a new one will start soon. So, I thought I would take a good look at what expressions are typical of this period of time, of December, of Christmas, and generally speaking of the end of the year. Let’s begin!  First, let’s look at the month of December. Starting from the beginning, Italians say Santa L...

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Mentions of culatello date from 1332, when it was given, as a precious gift, to noble spouses and wealthy lords. Loved by the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio and the great composer Giuseppe Verdi, culatello, which was once used as a precious medium of exchange, has its roots in the historical memory of the peasant culture, which still exists in the farmho...

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Cymbals are very ancient in origin: the prehistoric pair of cymbals on the mummy of an Egyptian religious musician displayed in the British Museum in London shows that they were in existence as early as 2000 BC. The manufacture of cymbals was concentrated in China and in Turkey, where methods were discovered to make this instrument more durable and...

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Visiting Trentino Alto Adige during the Christmas season is just magical! Besides the wonder of its snow-filled landscapes - highly-appreciated by skiers, of course - its magnificent Christmas markets, in Trento and Bolzano during Advent, are what makes the Region so special this time of year.  Bolzano The largest city in Trentino Alto Adige, a mee...

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The Aspromonte National Park, whose name derives from the range of the same name, is located in the province of Reggio Calabria, in a protected natural area. It was created in 1989, and in 1994 its territory was defined: the original extension of 76,000 hectares was subsequently reduced to the current 64,153. The Aspromonte Range, which is part of...

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I have been intrigued by the wines of Sicily for some time now and am always excited about the opportunity to try them, especially those of Mt. Etna.  Being onsite at Firriato, walking on the soils, experiencing the climate and admiring the landscapes I’ve discovered is what makes these wines so special.    Upon arrival in Catania I was greeted by...

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Certain images from films just don’t fade from memory. Take, for example, actor Toni Servillo playing the jaded Jep Gambardella, king of Rome’s nightlife, in Paolo Sorrentino’s Oscar-winning The Great Beauty. Who could forget his above-it-all gaze and supple yellow sports jacket that screamed Neapolitan elegance? Then there’s the mysterious scaled...

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Ciao from Rome to all the friends of We the Italians! Things are going great here at We the Italians: another month full of wonderful things happened and news to be announced. Last October 25th I had the pleasure to participate in the presentation of the Rapporto Italiani nel Mondo 2019. Once again Delfina Licata and her team have put together an e...

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Just two stones’ throw away from the Strait dividing Sicily from the Italian Peninsula lies delectable Taormina (Tauromenion in Antiquity), facing out toward the Ionian Sea from a high, natural terrace. With its Medieval architecture, its ancient Greek soul, and the colors and smells of Mediterranean foliage, Taormina is one of the most beautiful p...

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Vittorio De Sica was an Italian director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement and the Italian Father of the Comedy Genre. Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: "Sciuscià and Bicycle Thieves" (honorary), while "Yesterday"," Today and Tomorrow" and "Il giardino dei Finzi Contini" won the Academy Award for Best Foreign La...

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Maruggio and the splendor of its landscape, dominated by mighty olive trees, and characterized by masserie (typical country houses of Apulia Region), votive chapels, majestic trulli and dry stone walls that run along the lush rows of vineyards where the Primitivo was born, fine wine from the unique harmony of colors, scents and flavors. The histori...

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Since the end of the seventeenth century, an era in which the prevalent crops being cultivated were mulberry and vines, the quality of the fruit produced in the Val di Non has been certified by papers and plaques issued at the main fruit and vegetable shows in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  These acknowledgements also represent the first certificati...

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