Tuscany's Italian Restaurant opens in Opelousas
The tastes of Tuscany, Italy, have arrived in Opelousas as Tuscany's Italian Restaurant opened at 5620 I-49 North Service Road. Part of a nationwide chain owned by the Metalia family, Tuscany's now has 16th locations since the first one opened in 1992 in Manhattan, New York. The restaurant had its soft opening last week and hopes to hold its grand...
Exploring Arkansas in Little Italy
Ciao, amici! In today’s digital-first "Exploring Arkansas" segment, we’re heading out to the foothills of the Ouachita mountains — a place that reminded its founders of their homeland so much that they eventually called it Little Italy, Arkansas. Watch with us as we find out how the descendants of Joseph and Maria Belotti are working to keep the co...
Upper Crust: Luna Pizzeria
As we round out the second month of this weekly column, one thing is becoming more clear with every slice — Houston's pizza treasures are abundant. The city of fajitas and dumplings hides, in plain sight, a sprawling community of pie joints as bountiful as they are delicious. Many of them exist inconspicuously in strip malls and business centers, a...
Tuscan Pig Italian Kitchen: Great atmosphere, good service
My wife and I and a few friends went to eat at the Tuscan Pig Italian Kitchen on a Friday night. The place was busy, and I noticed the owner making a point to greet most of the diners as they entered the restaurant. He was vigilant, making sure from the moment the guests were seated they had attentive service. That was impressive. In one corner, th...
‘Dom Eats Local’ tries Italian food in Alabama. Do you think it ranks up there with Staten Island’s best?
When you think Southern-style cooking, Italian food probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But the idea of eating Italian cuisine in the South didn’t scare Chef Dom Tesoriero when he visited Birmingham, Ala., for the latest episode of “Dom Eats Local.” How do you think the food stacked up to the cooking in his hometown of Staten Island?...
Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari, like his father, went from the farm in Italy to pro basketball with Milano
Graffignana is a rural Italian city about 25 miles south of Milan. It has a population of about 2,500. But less than two decades ago, it was closer to 2,000, and Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari was one of them. “Everybody knows each other,” Gallianari said about his hometown. “It’s in between hills and trees and a lot of land.” Gallinari’s father,...
Extraordinary Italian Taste Master Classes in Bentonville AR (Nov. 15) and Fort Worth TX (Nov. 18)
Brightwater Culinary School: Bentonville, Arkansas. Featuring chefs Matthew Cooper and Giancarlo Ferrara. Friday, November 15, 9-12 p.m. 1-4 p.m. Tarrant Area Food Bank: Fort Worth, Texas. Monday, November 18, 9-12 p.m. professional focus 1-4 p.m. general admission $25. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce Texas, in collabor...
Columbus Day honors immigrants who seek a better life
“In fourteen hundred ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue …” Who in my generation of baby boomers does not remember learning that little ditty in grade school? We were told that Christopher Columbus was a brave explorer searching for a trade route to the East by sailing west. He made several trips but it wasn’t until his third trip that he re...
Ferrigno overcame being bullied
Lou Ferrigno may be best known for the title role in the hit television series, The Incredible Hulk, but before that, he was a world-class body builder and more recently, he’s been involved with law enforcement. I had the opportunity to interview him this past weekend at the Wizard World Comic Convention in Tulsa. Ferrigno said he turned to body bu...
Taste of Italy 2020 dates announced (Houston, New Orleans, Los Angeles)!
We are pleased to share dates for next year’s Taste of Italy festivals, including a new stop on the tour — New Orleans! Taste of Italy and its sister festival in Los Angeles, Savor Italy, are the largest trade and consumer festivals in the U.S. devoted exclusively to Italian food and wine. Last year, more than 500 trade members and consumers attend...
In the Beginning: Duccio, Giotto and the Origins of Western Painting
When: Wed, November 20, 2019 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM CST - Where: American Italian Cultural Center, 537 S. Peters St., In the history of Western art, a few names shine particularly brightly: Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Picasso. But in the standard histories, and for contemporary commentators, the first in this illustrious line of exceptional artists...
IACC Texas ranked number one chamber in U.S., attends international chamber conference in Italy
Over the weekend, IACC Texas president Brando Ballerini a director Alessia Paolicchi attended the 28th annual convention of the Italian government’s international chambers of commerce held in Treviso, Venice, and Padua, Italy. They couldn’t have been more proud to represent the Texas chapter of the organization: This year, IACC Texas, based in Hous...