LIFE & PEOPLE

Valentina Castellani Quinn is not only a well-rounded artist, with a strong background in painting and fashion design, but also an intuitive and forward-thinking entrepreneur. This last quality she discovered accidentally, after the tragic and sudden death of her beloved …

It’s easy in Hollywood for an actor to be typecast according to his or her ethnicity. In his long-lasting career, which includes over ninety projects, John Turturro was able to both stay faithful to his Italian roots and avoid playing …

Part I of my Conversations with Lawrence Ferlinghetti appeared in the last, June 25th, 2015, issue of L’Italo Americano.  Below we continue with the man and his lasting legacy.     Mr. Ferlinghetti was born in Yonkers, N.Y. in 1919, …

Most of the times we don’t even realize it, but while we are watching the latest great movie on the big screen or a mind-blowing series on TV, it isn’t only the images that capture our attention. Would a high-tension …

A degree in petroleum engineering is not the usual training ground for a museum administrator. But then, Stefano Catalani, director of art, craft and design at Bellevue Arts Museum, located outside Seattle, Wash., is not your usual arts administrator.   …

“I would like a bus similar to my house, but in motion… I want to live inside, not just to travel”. A quote from a random conversation with an American tourist has become the main source of inspiration for Tommaso …

Walking into Gelson’s Market, on Laurel Canyon Blvd., the first thing that greets the eye is the ‘Coffee & Pastries’ sign.   The man behind these pastries is Trieste-born, Ugo Mamolo, who owns Viktor Benês Bakery. His creations are some of …

Even if the ancient fishing culture of the Venetian lagoon, like most of Italy’s maritime regions, has been forced to give way to importing some of its supply from elsewhere, Venice and seafood are inseparable. How could it be otherwise …

With her pink short hair, bright smile, and magnetic attitude, Italian chef Barbara Pollastrini is capable of delighting both the palate and the eye by preparing the tastiest recipes of the traditional Italian cuisine. She lives in Hollywood, in a …

The French Revolution began as an uprising of the people against the tyranny of the ancien regime, but by 1798 Napoleon had risen to power and was on a campaign of conquest throughout Europe.  While some hailed the arrival of …