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An unusual project is underway in front of the Santa Barbara Mission. Two artists are hard at work. They're on their hands and knees, using sponges to spread colored chalk on the ground. Cheryl Guthrie and Terri Taber are creating a billboard-sized artwork to be the centerpiece of the I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival. It’s an image of t...

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Nestled in the bustling Paseo Nuevo district, Tondi Gelato stands as a jewel in Santa Barbara’s crown, capturing the spirit, flavor, and artistry of true Italian gelato. If you’ve ever wandered the sun-dappled piazzas of Florence, like I once did, you’ll recognize the feeling immediately—a sense that this isn’t just dessert, but a daily ritual, a c...

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Arecent archival donation to the Performing Arts Collection at UC Santa Barbara Library opens a new door for researchers, historians and opera fans with the establishment of the Enrico Caruso Jr. Collection, named for the son of legendary Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873–1921), a pioneer in the history of sound recording. The trove of rare recordi...

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Opera Santa Barbara (OSB) will open its 2024-25 season with Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” Nov. 8 and 10 at the Lobero Theatre. Based on a true story, Pagliacci “Clowns” tells the tale of Canio, leader of a commedia dell’arte troupe, who murders his wife and her lover on stage during a performance. The opera is emblematic of the style known as “verismo,...

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Society Invites was invited by Natalie Olivas Sanchez, owner of the Helena Mason Art Gallery, to meet with their newest artist, Luca Barberini (b. 1981, Ravenna, Italy) and view his works before he returned to Italy. His exhibition, titled Inner Landscapes, is on view through October. It was fab to reconnect with Sanchez; its #beenaminute, as we sa...

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Italy's Sicily is an iconic European destination, offering a combination of natural beauty, scenic beaches, mouth-watering cuisine, exquisite wines, and fascinating history. Not to mention that Sicily offers lots of stylish hotels for an unforgettable summer vacation. However, what if you don't want to travel overseas to experience Sicily? Believe...

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This Tuesday, a luncheon organized by Associate Professor of Italian Studies at UCSB Claudio Fogu to host the Italian Consulate of Los Angeles was supposed to feature one of the world’s top acrobatic air force squadrons: the Frecce Tricolori (the Tricolor Arrows). Leading up to the event, however, the show over East Beach was canceled, which we hav...

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The colorful 38th I Madonnari Italian street painting festival is appearing in the form of numerous handcrafted chalk art works on the asphalt at the Santa Barbara Mission. It takes place Saturday through Monday on the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. It is a benefit for the Children's Creative project bringing arts education to county schools.  Annu...

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One day before the opening of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America National Conference Peter Jordano, CEO of Jordano’s Foodservice Division and a member of a proud Italian American family who opened their local Santa Barbara business 108 years ago, was the special guest speaker at the Montecito Rotary Club luncheon meeting at the Music Academy...

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The 37th I Madonnari Italian street painting festival is coming alive at the Santa Barbara Mission. It's referred to as a romantic Italian festival in line with a sister festival in Grazie di Curtatone, Italy. The event takes place for three days beginning Saturday and through the end of the Memorial Day weekend. Some of the artists have already be...

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