La vita italiana

Next year promises to be big for Pistoia. This little-known town in the north of Tuscany has just been chosen as the Italian Capital of Culture for 2017. And as the world’s press turn their spotlights on the town, we …

Lentils and pork sausages, the first to represent coins, the second for abundance, served up together, has long been considered an auspicious dish with which to usher in the New Year in some parts of Italy. Take Modena’s lenticchie di …

Peppe Voltarelli, a Calabrian folk singer-songwriter, with a musical career spanning over twenty-five years and two prestigious “Tenco Awards” under his belt, has been touring campuses across the States to present his latest book + CD, Peppe Voltarelli sings Profazio.  …

From scarlet undies to pig’s trotters, fireworks to fearless bridge divers or tombola to fat ox parades, Italians love to celebrate the New Year with some wonderful traditions. It’s all to help usher in good luck and a good year. …

Walk through Trastevere or along the Tiber River in Rome, explore the labyrinthine Cannaregio district of Venice or stroll down Viale Montegrappa in Reggio Emilia and you’ll spot something they all have in common; little brass cobblestones set into the …

Italy is the land of love, a romantic destination par excellence. So with Valentines Day fast approaching, it’s time to explore some of the peninsula’s most idyllic spots. Heavenly places where romance is never in short supply. We start with …

Writing in English is my job, so it goes without saying I love this language. I like the way it alliterates easily and its pragmatic nature, which is so different from the Baroque concatenation of subordinates that usually makes up …

The wine journey is often filled with things unexpected. Learning that at least some portion of Malvasia Nera in Tuscany is likely the popular Spanish variety known as Tempranillo issued me a measure of unexpected surprise. Indeed, a molecular study …

We are about to say goodbye to 2016 and welcome the new year. For Italians and Italian-Americans in the Bay Area, this has been an intense year, thanks to a variety of events and celebrations. After the 100 years anniversary …

Shakespeare’s famous “Fair Verona” may have been the ideal setting for his story about the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet, but modern Verona has become a city with a wonderful mixture of those historic elements and contemporary Italian culture. It …