How an Italian Mother’s Prayer Soothed the Hearts of Worried Souls
I was just a kid when I first learned of it. There was a knock at the door as I sat in the front room. An older lady with a daughter stood there and spoke with a dialect asking, “c’è sta la signora a casa,” is the lady at home? I could see the young girl doubling over in pain, so I hollered for my Mom. The old lady, highly agitated and barely able...
The Mysterious Pyramid of Bomarzo: Discovering The Etruscan’s Enigmatic Past
The ancient and far-reaching history of Europe is often veiled in mists of mystery. Enigmatic peoples , diverse cultures , and strange legends are all left in the past, with not a lot left behind them to assemble a proper tale. And one of these enigmatic cultures belongs to the ancient Etruscans. Once opulent and sprawling, the Etruscan civilizatio...
Italy’s Secret Pizza Comes Out of Hiding
Just when you thought you knew everything there is to know about the current craze for focaccia and all its pizzalike variants, along comes focaccia col formaggio di Recco (focaccia di Recco for short): a bubbly ooze of tart and fruity stracchino cheese barely contained by two supersize rounds of paper-thin dough. To make focaccia di Recco, you tak...
Woman Celebrating 107th Birthday Says Never Getting Married Kept Her Alive
When anyone gets past the age of 100, everyone wants to know how the hell they made it to three figures. These centenarians often say a glass of water every day or no red meat or find a reason to smile as their reason why they've survived for so long. However, one American woman has been savage about the reason behind her long life. While she was c...
Casa Malaparte on the Coast of Capri
If you travel on the slow ferry from Naples to Capri, it may take up to 90 minutes to cross the Gulf of Naples and reach the island that is divided into two towns. To the west, Anacapri spreads across a plateau covering about two-thirds of the island and overlooking the town of Capri. When you land, – at Marina Grande, – the funicular will take you...
Atlanta's Bellina Alimentari Serves Up Italian Classics And Seasonal Staples With New Summer Menu
When temperatures start to rise, hearty cuisine like creamy pasta dishes and sandwiches brimming with savory meats tend to get replaced by much lighter bites like salads, veggie-filled wraps and dishes loaded with fresh fruit. But at Atlanta's Bellina Alimentari, which is located inside of Ponce City Market, the Italian restaurant has managed to in...
'Nicest Place in America'? Pizza shop in tiny Delta up for national award
It all started with a wrong turn. Unlike Springsteen, who just kept going, the Ferranti family decided to settle down. "We were trying to go to Little Italy in Baltimore," Sal Ferranti said, to "associate with people who might give us a lead seeking the American dream." That wrong turn might have diverted the family's course from Baltimore, but it...
'How I got an elective residency visa to retire in Italy'
After having traveled to Italy numerous times, around 2012 it dawned on us that Italy might be a good place to retire. In the early '80s, I had been inspired by meeting a retired American living in a charming house along the Mediterranean. I chatted with him from the cobbled street while he tended a small garden in shorts and sandals. It seemed pre...
Proud traditions to highlight the 94th annual St. Peter’s Italian Bazaar in Portland
The 94th annual St. Peter’s Italian Bazaar will be held 5-9 p.m. Aug. 9-10 and 4-8 p.m. Aug. 11, on Federal Street. Thousands of local residents will join many returning individuals and families to enjoy one of Maine’s warmest and beloved neighborhood street festivals, a gathering of generations proudly celebrating the heritage, family and faith of...
From the Land of Many Grapes, Unusual Italian Reds
The glory of wine today is its unparalleled diversity. Never before in history would you be confronted in a wine shop with the range of choices available now. Some may suggest this poses a problem: The endless options are too intimidating. But I think the selection offers a wonderful opportunity for exploration. It may be that Italy grows more diff...
10th Annual Bocce Tournament & Festival
Saturday, Aug. 10 | 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, Heinz History Center, 1212 Smallman St. Pittsburgh, PA. Parking lot underneath the Veterans Bridge Overpass. Free to the public. Come throw out the pallino and throw down for a worthy cause! Join us for a day of competitive bocce games, delicious Italian food courtesy of C...
Everyone’s Family at La Festa Italiana Now in its 116 th Year in Historic Downtown Jersey City
Yummy eats & dancing in the streets – that’s what everyone can look forward to as Holy Rosary Church prepares for its 116th annual La Festa Italiana, a street festival like no other to be held five delicious nights on 6th & Brunswick Streets in Historic Downtown Jersey City. Starting Wednesday, Aug. 14, and running through Sunday, Aug. 18, from 5...