Conti steps from courtroom to media spotlight
With nearly 40 years of experience practicing law, Chicago attorney Karen Conti is also an author and media personality who makes appearances on national and local radio and TV. Next on her list of goals: finishing her second book, upping her list of visited countries to 62, and hosting her own TV show. Conti, whose paternal grandparents were born...
Italy’s Subterranean Wonder: The Grotte di Frasassi
Hidden beneath the rugged Apennine mountains in Italy’s Marche region lies one of Europe’s most spectacular natural wonders: the Grotte di Frasassi. Italy’s largest and most majestic limestone caves—discovered in 1971—stretch for over 11 miles beneath the surface, offering a surreal, almost otherworldly experience. The crown jewel of the cave syste...
Folsom (CA) gears up for 25-Year Anniversary with sister city Pieve del Grappa
The City of Folsom is hitting a milestone in international friendship this year, celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Sister City relationship with Pieve del Grappa, Italy. The partnership, which began in 2000 with the former city of Crespano del Grappa, honors Folsom’s deep Italian roots and the legacy of Giuseppe “Joe” Murer, one of the city’s...
Guide to Taormina, Italy: Sicily's glamorous holiday haven
Taormina was already a chic Sicilian resort before The White Lotus. Since making its mass-market, on-screen debut in the second season of the hit HBO show, the hilltop town on the east coast of the Mediterranean’s largest island has risen in prominence. Travelers flock to Sicily’s most glamorous holiday haven each summer for a taste of la dolce vit...
From Rome to D.C. to New York City, Gonzaga president Katia Passerini lands in Spokane with high hopes for school’s future amid higher ed challenges
Standing in a huddle of students at a recent orientation event, Gonzaga University’s next president anticipated the arrival of her Kawasaki Z400 from New York. Katia Passerini is already planning a trip up Mount Spokane on her motorcycle this summer. In a few months, she’ll bring up her skis. “Is it true they open up the slopes at night?” Passerini...
Take the train to Certaldo for the perfect Tuscan getaway
There’s something not quite right, I realise, as my eyes scan the gelateria counter in Certaldo, a small Tuscan hilltop town. “Vanilla, strawberry, pistachio… onion?!” The server, who’s clearly seen this bemused reaction before, grins. “Si,” she exclaims proudly. “È delizioso. Solo qui!” Perhaps it’s “only here” for a reason – the gelato certainly...
Bellavita Expo Miami 2025: Connect with Italy’s Best Food Producers and Boost Your Business at Miami Beach Convention Center
Miami is gearing up to host one of the most buzzed-about food and drink trade shows of the year: Bellavita Expo Miami 2025. It pops up at the Miami Beach Convention Center from September 10 to 12, 2025. This is the place to find Italy’s best, and the buzz is so big that we expect more than 11,000 visitors. A B2B vibe runs through the whole event, b...
School year 2025-26 in Italy: no phones, new conduct grades, updated exam
As Italy's new school year approaches, the academic calendar and classroom rules are experiencing meaningful updates. Kicking off the 2025-26 term, schools in the autonomous province of Bolzano will ring their first bell on September 8, closely followed by Trento, Piedmont, Veneto, and the Aosta Valley on September 10. A couple of days later, on Se...
Fascinating Animation Reveals the Inner Workings of the Colosseum in Ancient Rome
Big, complex venues and meticulously crafted entertainment are two things that may feel very modern, but somehow they aren't. At the Colosseum in Ancient Rome, dazzling shows and and epic fights took place, bringing the masses together. But don't be fooled by the looks of this landmark today. As an animated video by Deconstructed shows, based on th...
Babylon names street in honor of Barbara Mangano
The Town of Babylon has posthumously honored Barbara Mangano, the first licensed female funeral director in Suffolk County, by renaming a portion of Deer Park Avenue near the funeral home she helped establish. The roadway will now be known as Barbara Mangano Memorial Way. A dedication ceremony was held June 12 to celebrate Mangano’s contributions t...
International Business Council event: Italian Innovation
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 @ 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Baker Donelson - 1600 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN. Register now. Join the Chamber's International Business Council in partnership with the Consulate of Italy in Detroit for a special side event, a dynamic networking breakfast at Baker Donelson spotlighting Italy’s thriving innovation ecosystem a...
This Is the Most Important Etiquette Tip When Visiting Italy, According to a Longtime Resident
After more than 15 years of living in and traveling across Italy, I could write a whole book of travel advice, especially about visitor etiquette. But if I had to narrow it down to the one most important tip for being a better traveler in Italy, it would be two simple words. Dress nicely. Of course, that’s in addition to being polite, respectful an...