Culture

If you still live where your immigrant ancestors settled, your local public library should have hard copies of the US Census covering the region.  However, if your ancestors lived elsewhere, you must search on-line censuses (or travel to the other …

Dear Readers, Bits from my bookcase. Here are a few Italian connections I recently found amidst my light-hearted summer reading: They All Laughed… (Ira Flatow) is a book about inventions that changed our lives and the stories behind them. We …

In addition to sporting Crocs, baseball caps, fanny packs, and oversized water jugs, American tourists are notorious in Italy for neglecting to learn the beautiful language. Oftentimes, you’ll hear an American naïvely request tap water or order a cappuccino after …

Con questa narrazione ho voluto ripercorrere la storia della mia famiglia per portare un esempio di come potrebbe essere la vita di una seconda e di una terza generazione di immigrati, di profughi, di stranieri che hanno scelto per un …

Love is the theme at this summer’s Festival Puccini, dedicated to the magnificent Tuscan composer. Torre del Lago celebrates the 60th anniversary of this festival, where love emanates through Puccini’s music.  This is the only festival in the world dedicated …

People have always danced. Dancing is a way to get loose, have fun, and express oneself. But for some, dancing is more than that; it’s a passion and a mission. Italy’s most famous and talented ballet dancer is Roberto Bolle, …

Located on the west bank of the Tiber, south of Vatican City, Trastevere is a world apart. For centuries, this district was disconnected from central Rome, geographically and administratively. Low taxes and light regulation attracted Italians from farflung regions. Most …

As far back as we know, to the days of the ancient empire, it seems that the Romans have been very good at enjoying their free time. Nothing has changed. It’s called the “Estate Romana”, literally “The Roman Summer”, an …

On July 13th, 1814 the Carabinieri, Italy’s national military police, was created in Turin by King Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia (Victor Emmanuel I of Savoy) with the aim of providing the Kingdom of Sardinia with a police corps. When the …

Dear Readers, Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (1678-1741) violinist extraordinaire and one of the most prolific well-known Italian composers who composed over 500 concertos, 12 operas, numerous oratorios, lyrics and cantatas and I, have something in common, i.e., both our “nonnos” were …