Culture

Naming conventions for given names in a country of origin can help to tie together records of family members.  In researching those who were born in Italy and emigrated to the United States, it may also be necessary to know …

In the days that mark the 539th anniversary of his birth, Michelangelo continues to make the news. Born in Tuscany on March 6, 1475, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni is regarded as one of the major artists of all times, …

At dusk, millions of starlings invade Rome. After feasting all day on ripening olives, they fly south from the Sabine Hills and fill the sky. A cyclone of feathers swallows the sun. The birds scatter and regroup, form a living …

After one year in office, Pope Francis surprised the Catholic and non-Catholic world once again, by abstaining from celebrating this first anniversary. Instead of a public appearance, as one would have expected, he preferred to escape the cameras and the …

The year was about 1983 when a couple of friends asked me to join them for lunch at Parker’s Lighthouse, a restaurant located at Shoreline Village in Long Beach. We took a table outside overlooking a small channel where the …

Last week roughly over two millions of Italians, or better, residents of Veneto — one of the north east wealthiest regions of Italy, participated to the first referendum of its kind: an online and telephone ‘yes or no’ vote to …

Dear Readers, March brings shamrocks and my annual “St. Patrick was Italian” column: A “St. Patrick was Italian” remark, tossed into your March conversations, can make boring talk into boiling talk if you have some conversational fodder, to buttress your …

One of the most famous and beautiful spots in the city of Rome, the monumental stairway of 136 steps that connects Piazza di Spagna to the church of Trinità dei Monti will soon be given new life by the Italian …

Finally Italy is beginning to come out of the recession: in the last four months, the economy has marked a slow but encouraging +0.1% increase. More positive news arrived from New York: Moody’s agency confirmed a new rating for Italy, …

Ferrari is a status symbol and synonymous with the best of Made in Italy. It is a guarantee of success and competitiveness in motor races, a high technology product, and a winning brand.   This year, in fact, Ferrari is …