Italian Patriotic Songs: The Origins of "La Leggenda del Piave"
“La Leggenda del Piave” is still one of the most famous and significant Italian patriotic songs in the history of Italy. It was written during the last days of World War I and became famous in particular in the years following the conflict. In this article, Italian Traditions will tell you about the origin of the Legend of the Piave, which in the f...
Descendants of Slain Police Chief and Lynched Italian Unite in New Orleans
On April 12, 2019, the city of New Orleans issued an official apology for its role in the 1891 lynching of eleven Italian Americans who had been tried and acquitted in the murder of the city’s police chief, David Hennessy. Gunned down while walking home on a rainy evening in October 1890, Hennessy allegedly stated that “dagoes” had attacked him. In...
Rocco’s Italian Restaurant Serves Authentic Brick Oven Pizza with a Variety of Wine Options
Pizza is everywhere and it’s a big business. But, Rocco's Italian Restaurant is not into it because it’s a big business but for their passion and tradition. They make pizzas that are different from the typical fast-food American pizza which is all around us. They believe in protecting the integrity and authenticity of what they make. Rocco's Italia...
La Festa Italian Street Festival in South Philly similar to celebrations in Italy
La Festa Italian Street Festival on East Passyunk Avenue will return on Sunday, June 2. This year, the South Philly block party will be bigger than ever before. Similar to celebrations in Italy for the Festa della Repubblica (Italian National Day), attendees will spend the day eating, drinking and dancing in the street. Highlights of the all-day, a...
Weekend Wanderlust: How to visit Capri without breaking the bank
Capri is synonymous with glamour, though these days the island is known for being crowded and expensive. But there's quite literally another side to the island. There's a good reason why Capri, the fabled island off the coast of Sorrento in southern Italy, is synonymous with sun, sea and the super-rich. After all, it's the place where Sofia Loren w...
Former Schenectady mayor Frank Duci remembered for long career as public servant
Gary McCarthy remembered Election Nights past as he spoke Thursday morning at St. John the Evangelist Church. Republicans and Democrats from Schenectady's Second Ward would gather at the former Westminster United Presbyterian Church at Avenue A and Mason Street and wait for poll numbers. McCarthy said people inside the church were not divided by pa...
Our Guide to Buying Limoncello from the Amalfi Coast
The famous tart-sweet liqueur known as limoncello requires only four ingredients: lemon peels, grain alcohol, sugar, and water. However, like many of Italy’s most important culinary traditions, the simplicity of the recipe can be deceiving. As in making a good risotto, a fine wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a bottle of traditional balsamic vinega...
Isabella Runfola, 103, longtime volunteer, widow of attorney Joseph P. Runfola
Isabella Runfola's life took her from Pennsylvania to Buffalo to Italy and back to Buffalo by the time she was 18, and that was before she won Charleston dancing competitions and met her future husband. But throughout her life, which lasted more than a century, she was a champion for others. “She loved everyone, including those who did not love the...
Why you need to visit Marche, the Italian region you’ve never heard of
THE STONE PIAZZA in Urbisaglia, in the Marche region of central Italy, is like many in the country’s medieval villages. School kids play soccer under the shadow of a 16th-century tower, their abandoned book bags strewn on the church steps. Two older men sit on a bench and talk politics. A woman crosses the piazza, heading home with groceries in-han...
Lady Gaga's Mom Cynthia Germanotta Named Goodwill Ambassador for the UN's World Health Organization
The United Nations' World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday (May 20) its four new Goodwill Ambassadors, one of which is Lady Gaga's mom, Cynthia Germanotta as the ambassador for mental health. The role aims to promote healthier lives, improved workforces and overall better mental health across the globe. Gemanotta took to Twitter to r...
Flashmob to celebrate 200th anniversary of Leopardi's Infinito
The Marche city of Recanati is gearing up to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Giacomo Leopardi's most famous poem L'Infinito (The Infinite) in 2019. To celebrate one of Italy's most well-known and beloved poems, one of the poet's descendants, Countess Olimpia Leopardi, has organized, together with Education Minister Marco Bussetti, a flash mob of...
Bronx Columbus Parade grand marshals selected
Two outstanding individuals were selected for honors during the 2019 Bronx Columbus Day Parade. Parade organizers and the Morris Park Community Association, which runs the annual community event, selected Frank Vignali, a FDNY Captain as grand marshal and Carol Ann Gilligan, P.S./M.S. 498 principal as honorary grand marshal, said Chris Alessandro,...