Nutella to launch new line in Franklin Park
Italian candy giant Ferrero plans to launch its first new flavor variety of Nutella next year, right from the Chicago area, the Chicago Tribune reported. Nutella Peanut was developed by Ferrero’s food scientists and will be made exclusively at the company’s factory in suburban Franklin Park. “We think it’s going to be big,” Seth Gonzalez, senior di...
Does La Dolce Vita still exists? Discovering the myth that made Italy ( and what it means today)
La Dolce Vita, literally translated ad sweet life, is one of the most famous expressions referring to Italy, it evokes romance, elegance and luxury, it is clear the reference to the film La Dolce Vita by the great director Federico Fellini, one of the most famous in the history of cinema set in Rome; but have you ever wondered what exactly the term...
St. Maria Goretti invites you to Italian Festival
All are welcome to come to St. Maria Goretti’s Italian Fest from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 12. Mass will precede the festival at 4:30 p.m. The Italian Festival is a festival for the parish and surrounding community that celebrates the feast day of the parish’s patroness St. Maria Goretti each year. It is an evening for families to come togethe...
Italian “ghost town” revived by stunning street art that’s now an Instagram hit
An Italian “ghost town” is now attracting thousands of tourists and reversed its demise – by commissioning artists to paint more than 140 Instagramable murals on the sites of shops and homes. Stornara, in the Puglia region, once known for producing wheat and olives began to decline as less babies were born and young people left for jobs in big citi...
The World Of Accordions Museum In WI Shines A Light On History
Several years ago, I had the opportunity to attend The NAMM Show (National Association of Music Merchants) in Anaheim. While I was there, I got to meet many amazing musicians, including Cory Pesaturo, who is a three-time World Accordion Champion and Guinness World Record Holder. Another interesting fact about Pesaturo, he's a young guy. In fact, he...
Living in Trento: life on the doorstep of the Dolomites
Tucked away in the far north of Italy, Trento is a small city with big personality and just the right mix of Alpine air, Italian flair, and a relaxed pace. With a population hovering around 120,000, it’s a place where you’re never far from snow-capped peaks, vineyards, or a lively piazza for your morning caffè. Unlike the chaos of Milan or Rome, he...
This Tranquil Italian Town Is the Perfect Dupe for Venice—With Similar Canals, Footbridges, and Boat Tours but Fewer Visitors
Venice is a bucket list destination for many, but as the city buckles under the crushing weight of overtourism, savvy travelers are beginning to look for alternatives. Enter Comacchio, a small town less than two hours away in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region. Located where the Po River Delta meets the Adriatic Coast, Comacchio is sometimes called the...
Army Pfc. and boot camp boxer Louis Grippo
This is a story about Pfc. Louis Grippo and his travels during World War II. But a little background first. I grew up in my father’s family building on West Taylor Street in one of the Italian enclaves of Chicago. My mom’s family lived on South May Street, two blocks away. In my early years, we went over there almost every day. When I was in gramma...
Protecting Italy's landscape from overtourism is good for tourism itself
On one hand, we celebrate major successes like the widespread promotion of Italy’s beaches through the Blue Flag awards. On the other, we face a pressing issue: overtourism, and the urgent need to protect sites of cultural and environmental value from the kind of overcrowding that not only renders them unsustainable, but risks destroying them entir...
Boggi Milano Opens Columbus Circle Store
Boggi Milano is continuing its U.S. retail rollout with the opening of a third New York City store at The Shops at Columbus Circle. The 4,735-square-foot, two-level store offers street access as well as an entrance from inside the mall. The Columbus Circle store joins a single-level 1,800-square-foot store at 115 Mercer Street in SoHo that opened i...
An Italian builder of racetracks designed the world’s first high-speed toll road
Piero Puricelli was born April 4, 1883, in Milano. He graduated as an engineer at the Zurich Technical Institute. In 1914 during World War I he worked with the Army Corps of Engineers in developing methods to improve the development of tools and road work. He became a charter member of the first Italian Touring Club in 1918 and consequently helped...
Italy's mountain towns defy depopulation trends
Contrary to widespread belief, Italy's mountain communities are not experiencing depopulation—in fact, recent data shows the opposite. Over the past five five-year periods, the 387 designated mountain communities have seen their populations grow by about 100,000 residents. Much of this growth has been driven by immigration, especially during times...