La vita italiana

  In popular culture King Arthur is usually depicted as sovereign of some medieval never-never land, where Knights  of the Round Table and their ladies speak perfect English and live by an idyllic code of chivalry, troubled by little more …

  Pirandello was the son of a wealthy sulfur merchant. In Pirandello’s time, boys had to go into the sulfur mines and carry out heavy loads of raw sulfur on their backs, and they were called “carusi”. My grandfather’s name …

Government sequestration, furloughs, bailouts, and bipartisan bickering have increased the sentiment of cynicism and disillusionment among voters (young and old alike) in the United States.  While internationally, more and more of the populace has subverted oppressive governments’ (i.e. The Arab …

  Before Americans knew what a caffé macchiato or a cappuccino with its delicate froth was or had the pleasure of experiencing a true espresso, we cared little about our coffee and thought of it only in terms of that …

  Rome is thought of as the imperial city as well as the great center of the Roman Catholic Church at the Vatican. It is certainly that in the minds of many. Yet, Rome is the city of Saint Francis …

  There are many traditions inspired by the joining of two people in matrimony, traditions which have passed from generation to generation.  They have endured over centuries and, though we continue practicing them today, many of us do not know …

This year’s SOHO International Film Festival had its grand gala night at the “Sunshine Theatre” in the heart of Manhattan introducing the feature film “Uncomfortable Silence” by Italian producer Gabriele Altobelli and a docu-film by director Joseph Rezwin that honored …

Calling gelatieri all around the world! The first-ever Gelato Olympics have begun. During the next year and a half, eight cities around the world will host the competition which will see selected gelato artisans fight to win the jury’s and …

“Beautiful” is one of the adjectives that perfectly match Italy, but it is also one of the words that is often used incorrectly. Generally speaking, when talking about beautiful places, one must keep an open mind: there is no such …

  While driving on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in New York City, I was listening to a local radio station playing Alice Cooper’s hit song, School’s Out written in 1972. Although most students today are removed from the song, I imagined …