La vita italiana

In Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, Vladimir, one of the two main characters in the existential play, suggests that the voice of the dead makes a noise like wings, like sand, like feathers, like ashes. But each time Estragon, …

Si riparte, off we go. Off we go, back to work, to the gym, to grab a coffee with friends, but with our smiles covered with these ubiquitous little rectangles of blue or white material, so important to ensure our safety …

Never like today the idea of having a quick lunch while walking down the main street of our town or village has been so alluring. Whatever we picture chomping on, it tastes like freedom, doesn’t it? Regardless to your country …

Whenever my secretary Antonio pesters me for another collection of satires, I reply: “Beware, my son. Of the making of books there is no end.” If this seems jaded, it is only because I have witnessed so much ballyhoo and …

Thanks to months of rigorous lockdown, continuous monitoring and strict regulations, Italy is finally able to return to some sort of normality after Covid-19 hit its shores last February. This is truly great news for all Italians, who are able  …

Dear Readers, July jottings with an Italian  Connection: America’s first lady Eleanor Roosevelt (1933-1945), in a Fourth of July, Hyde Park, N.Y. parade, rode in a FIAT Roadster.  Why would a tall woman like Eleanor squeeze herself and her hefty chauffeur Tubby Curnan into a FIAT …

Beauty and ingenuity. Italy is loved and admired for the many structures and monuments that sets it apart from the rest of the world. Our artists and craftsmen made history, they laid down the foundation of aesthetics and technique. Our …

With its history connected to the mysterious Knights Templar, the walled village of Alberona could easily be used as the set for a neo-noir film. This atmospheric and depopulated Puglia borgo 30 minutes from Foggia would be perfect for an …

A quote attributed to the 18th-century British writer, literary critic and moralist Dr. Samuel Johnson goes: “A man who has not been in Italy is always conscious of an inferiority.” I am not sure that strong statement is still valid …

Before midnight, the tide turned. Jubilation spread from the Baths of Caracalla to the Quirinal. Romans in nightshirts and slippers poured into the streets, braying whatever English they knew. “Weekend!” one old man repeatedly shouted. “Weekend!” The Stars and Stripes …