Basilicata #LuogoIdeale. 10 years of storytelling, connections, and the future
It all began with a journey. Not in the rhetorical sense of the term, but with real steps, into emptying villages, along silent streets, alongside faces filled with expectation and questions. It was the summer of 2015, and I had an urgent need: to tell the story of Basilicata not as a remote place, but as a space of possibility. Thus was born #luog...
DiLiberto Reappointed Delaware Italian Commission Chairman
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer has reappointed Atty. Richard A. DiLiberto, Jr. chairman of the Delaware Commission on Italian Heritage and Culture, for a three-year term, effective April 29. Mr. DiLiberto has served as chairman since being first appointed by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner in 2006 and has been reappointed by Gov. Jack Markell, Gov. John Carney...
Holy cannoli! Festa Italiana demo to give Rockford (IL) a delicious 'taste of home'
Delicate fried pastry shells, dusted with powdered sugar and hand-filled with sweetened ricotta cheese — commonly known as cannoli — have long been a celebratory, special occasion dessert staple in Polly Matranga Happach’s family. “When the cannoli came out, it was a celebration, a big deal,” Happach said. “It was always a special occasion for a ca...
This hidden Italian town is perfect for a summer escape
Imagine if the Amalfi Coast was all but unknown — that’s the charm of Maratea. Bordered by Campania to the north and Calabria to the south, the municipality occupies the only portion of the Tyrrhenian coast in the whole of Basilicata. It’s a near 20-mile stretch home to striking black-sand beaches, boat-fresh seafood and panoramic vistas overlookin...
JCCIA hosts another stellar Dante/DiFrisco Awards Luncheon
The legacy of Florentine poet Dante Alighieri was once again celebrated as the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans hosted its annual Dante and DiFrisco Awards Luncheon at the Galleria Marchetti in Chicago on May 22. Lynn Sweet was the 2025 recipient of the Dante Award. A respected journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times for more than 40 years,...
7 Surprising Ways To Experience Authentic Milan
When I lived in Milan, it wasn’t the tourist destination it is today, and while there was no shortage of travelers arriving at Malpensa or Linate airports each week, they typically came to the then often-foggy city for work. Now Milan is an international hot spot, drawing 8.5 million visitors a year, not only for business, but also for leisure, ble...
Berkshire Opera Festival presents La Traviata
On the BOF mainstage this anniversary year is a new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s LA TRAVIATA, the timeless tale of love and sacrifice that has become one of the most beloved operas of all time. Violetta lives a life of decadence and grandeur until she finds true love for the first time with Alfredo. They leave high society for a life in the count...
New and Advanced Materials: How Italian Manufacturers Are Shaping the Future of Sustainable Manufacturing
The global advanced materials market is poised for significant growth, with its value projected to rise from $70.4 billion in 2024 to approximately $133.4 billion by 2034, according to a March 2025 market report. This expansion reflects rising demand for lightweight, durable, and energy-efficient materials across industries, particularly as compani...
Life stories: A teacher for decades, she was ‘a true supporter of Staten Island’
As a young girl, Joanne Capolongo aspired to be an educator. Through hard work in school, she made her dreams come true, eventually forging a 35-year long career teaching first graders on Staten Island. Capolongo passed away on May 26 at age 90. The cause of death was congestive heart failure. Born and raised on Staten Island, Capolongo grew up t...
Living in Bologna: real life in ragù land
Located in the Emilia-Romagna region, Bologna is a city of real substance. With a population of just under 400,000, it feels lively and important without the intense tourist crowds you might find in Florence or Rome. The city is famously known by three nicknames that perfectly capture its spirit: La Dotta (the Learned), for its ancient university; ...
Ferrari orders the recall of more than 500 units of the Purosangue in the USA.
Ferrari has notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the need to call 541 units of the Purosangue SUV to the workshops due to an electrical problem in the fuse box that may cause issues with the braking system. The recall now revealed by the company from Maranello applies to all units sold between 2023 and 2025 that we...
At 86, she still makes limoncello the old-fashioned way: the recipe from a restaurant on the Sorrento coast
Nonna Giuseppina is 86 years old and in Massa Lubrense she prepares a very special limoncello, using lemons from her own garden, along with their leaves. Lemon groves strongly characterise the landscape of Massa Lubrense, a small town on the Sorrento Coast. Lemon cultivation began here in the 17th century with the Jesuit Fathers, who designed the t...