francesca bezzone

Il due pezzi, the bikini: a view as common on the world’s beaches as sunscreen and flip flops. More or less revealing, in a variety of styles and colors, it remains the most popular swimsuit style for women. Once upon a …

The peaceful majesty of the Dolomites is what comes to mind when we think about Trentino Alto-Adige. The region is popular among lovers of nature, trekking and skiing, as well as a favorite for gourmets, who enjoy its Mittel-Europa-meets-Italy take …

There is nothing better than sharing a drink with friends, and in the quaint Alpine northern region of Valle d’Aosta, they know how to do it in great style and with a nod to tradition.  If you have ever been in …

Who doesn’t love shopping? Online, IRL, at the mall or at the market. Food, clothes, books, trinkets, anything goes, really. True, in this day and age, spending money on futilities or “extras,” as we like to call them, it’s become increasingly …

Eggplant parmigiana: when I used to live abroad, it was one of my culinary cavalli di battaglia. Simple to make enough to be thrown together on a weeknight, yet full of Italian va-va-voom. Eggplant, a staple of our national cuisine …

Prosciutto crudo, known simply as “prosciutto” or “Parma ham” in English-speaking countries, is one of our Made in Italy’s most renowned products. Who doesn’t know it or hasn’t tried it in a sandwich, on a pizza or layered delicately on …

In Italy, you don’t find only nice stores, you find very old ones, too. Mind, trade and commerce have a long history everywhere in the world, but there aren’t many places where you can find ateliers, restaurants, or cafés operating …

When it comes to glamor and national popularity, the Festival del Cinema di Venezia is the Italian equivalent of the Oscars. The connection with the famous US cinematic awards runs even deeper when you consider how, often, the movies triumphing …

Casale Monferrato is a quaint town of just over 30,000 in the Alessandria province of Piedmont. It is known as the main settlement in the Monferrato area of the region which is part, along with Langhe and Roero, of the UNESCO World Heritage. …

In Catholicism, the Cult of the Dead is very important. Who isn’t familiar, especially in America, with the traditional Mexican celebrations for El Dia de los Muertos? In Italy, too, religious events and spiritual moments of remembrance hold hands with …