Category Archives: Uncategorized

March 19, 2022 Joanne Natale Spigonardo If you are originally from Italy, or an Italian American, you’ve certainly celebrated St. Joseph’s Day! It is the traditional Father’s Day in Italy, where everyone honors their own fathers as well as St. Joseph the father to us all. On March 19, everyone who is Italian, or wouldContinue reading “St. Joseph’s Day – A Hidden Treasure”

By:  Joanne Natale Spigonardo February 14, 2022 The origins of Valentine’s Day come from the beautiful city of Terni.  Terni is located in the northern part of Umbria, in the region of Perugia.  Like the rest of Italy, it has a wealth of history and antiquity.  It is the birthplace of Saint Valentine.  He wasContinue reading “Valentine’s Day in Italy, Featuring Terni – A Hidden Treasure”

By: Joanne Natale Spigonardo December 31, 2021 As 2021 comes to a close, and we find that some of our travels have been curtailed in the last two years, it is wonderful to remember our past travels.  One of mine is travelling to Rome for a long weekend that included New Year’s Eve.  The cityContinue reading “New Year’s Eve in Italy”

By Karen Titus November 14, 2021 Cinisi, Sicily a place I don’t think I have ever heard of until having a conversation with my second cousin on our family history.  As we discussed our roots and learned more of about my grandfather growing up in Sicily, he shared with me his father was from Cinisi. Continue reading “Cinisi Sicily”

November 2, 2021 By Neil D. Garguilo      Christmas, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 1965.  The voice came up through the stairway into my tiny room as I lay in bed as a youth of 12 years old.  The voice had strength unheard of to my naïve ears.  The high notes were exceptional and hard to believe.  ThereContinue reading “Caruso Redivivus”

October 23, 2021 By Joanne Natale Spigonardo It’s hard to believe that Alitalia recently took its last flight. Alitalia had been in operation since 1947. It was a premier carrier and Italy’s world airline, with Rome Fiumicino as its main hub. Traveling on Alitalia in its hey days was luxurious even in economy class. AlitaliaContinue reading “One of Italy’s Former Treasures – Alitalia”

By Joanne Natale Spigonardo September 17, 2021 We all know the many great Italian masters of art.  There are too numerous male painters to mention. However, the ones that automatically come to my mind are Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Caravaggio.  Artemisia Gentileschi is one of the most famous women in the history ofContinue reading “A Hidden Treasure of Italy – Artist Artemisia Gentileschi”

By: Joanne Natale Spigonardo August 27, 2021 When I think of Nusco, Province Avellino, I think about a jewel nestled in the past, untouched or spoiled by commercialism. It is located in Compania, in Southern Italy, and is east of Naples. Nusco, is my hometown, which I left as a five year old, many yearsContinue reading “Nusco – My Hometown”

By: Neil Garguilo      You can feel it in your bones.  It’s calling you.  A yearning inside your “being” builds up.  Once summer begins it slowly gets overwhelming.   And now it is back since the pandemic has been lifted.  Yes, it is Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Feast, O’Giglio e Paradiso and it ran fromContinue reading “AVE Maria -Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Feast – The Procession”

By Neil D. Garguilo     In my slice of Little Italy (aka Williamsburg, Brooklyn) in the 1960’s and 1970’s we had everything at our fingertips when it came to food.  Everything was in a 5 block radius from our homes and mostly was within 2 blocks.  Oh, and the food was so good…When you leave thisContinue reading “Italian Neighborhoods -A Taste of Paradise”