Culture

Italy is heading into a critical period of change this fall. The reform of the Senate went through a first reading in Parliament in the summer and will now have to face three more readings in both the Senate and …

Sono appena quattro minuti e mezzo in bianco e nero. Girati clandestinamente e inediti.  “The March of Sorrow-The Good Shoemaker and the Poor Fishpaddler” è il video breve, ma intenso che aiuta a raccontare un pezzo di storia su un …

Dear Readers, An August assortment of Italian connections for you:   Swiss Guards have been protecting the Pope for centuries. When I first visited Italy in the 1950’s, I wondered aloud why, with all those Italians around, the Vatican was …

In the beginning was the tractor. Surprisingly enough, farm machinery is the forefather of an icon of automotive Made in Italy that has also become a symbol of elegance and strength worldwide: Lamborghini. The history of one of the most …

For most immigrant groups the idea of upward mobility is an inevitable byproduct that is caused by the blood, sweat and tears of past generations.  In most cases immigrants from the past and present, arrive in the US and yearn …

Birthday “numero 88” was celebrated by singer Tony Bennett of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” fame in North Beach recently. The following day he had a “very public lunch” at another S.F. Restaurant. According to S.F. Chronicle columnist, …

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius lasted two days. The only witness to document his observations was Pliny the Younger, who recorded what he saw from Misenum, on the other end of the Bay of Naples. His uncle, Pliny the Elder, …

It happened 1,935 years ago this August 24.  The year was 79 AD, and at the base of Mount Vesuvius sat the city of Pompeii, home to about 12,000 people. The area was known for its black fertile soil, from …

On a hot Summer day in 1972 Stefano Mariottini, close to the end of his vacation in Monasterace, decided to go snorkeling before returning to his regular life as a chemist in Rome. While diving 200 meters from the coast …

Famous Italian aviator Italo Balbo played an integral part in influencing Italy’s progress in aeronautics. During Fascism, he became an air marshal in the Italian air force, and his efforts to improve the air force are still recognized today. Proponent …