I attended Philadelphia's Italian Market Festival curious to know what, if anything, would feel genuinely Italian. A centerpiece of the event is the greased pole climb. It's the kind of thing I would have associated with events like the Iowa State Fair, but it turns out that its roots are in Europe in the Middle … Continue reading 78. The Italian Market Festival
I don't know anything about sports. Or probability. But waiting at gate B5 at Boston's Logan Airport yesterday, staring at the wall honoring New England sports legends, there seemed to be an over-supply of Italian names. I counted six among the twenty or so names, more than I imagine the representation of Italians in the … Continue reading 77. Physical Culture
As I've found throughout Italy, the streets are filled with well-behaved, clearly pampered dogs, many of whom make their way around the city, unleashed but smart enough not to get into fights or run into traffic. Here's a little guy who works in his father's bar, greeting guests and being generally adorable. This photo was … Continue reading 75. Scenes of Rome
You cannot walk into an old church anywhere in Italy, and fail to see something beautiful, whether it's a priceless Caravaggio or a "simple" ceiling mosaic. Non-Catholics are often scornful of the expense and effort that went into religious artistic expression, high and low, when that wealth could have gone towards more worthy, concrete needs … Continue reading 76. Church Matters
It is often said, at least by me, that you can't get a bad meal in Italy. The shared standards are too high, and food is just too culturally important there, to scrimp on ingredients or take shortcuts on methods. One would do well, however, to avoid places overlooking major tourist attractions or with posted … Continue reading 74. Roman Meal
What does it take to be the only three-star Michelin restaurant in Rome? In a city where pretty much all food, everywhere, both humble and exalted, is fabulous? Maria and I headed to the ten-course tasting menu at La Pergola, the restaurant at the top of the Rome Cavalieri Hotel, to find out.Judging from our … Continue reading 73. Michelin 3 Stars
Or I should say, the other half of the top 1%. The reason I ended up coming to Rome at an oddball time is that my daughter Maria, an editor and writer at Food and Wine magazine, was coming to check out the five-star Rome Cavalieri Hotel, and invited me to tag along.It turns out … Continue reading 72. How the Other Half Lives
Graffiti, which comes from the Italian word for "scratched," dates back before Pompeii, and is a feature of many ancient cultures, including the Greeks and the Egyptians.That's no excuse.In what is arguably the most beautiful country in the world, it sometimes seems that every square inch is covered with someone's scrawl. I know there is … Continue reading 71. Graffiti
When you turn 2772 years old, you don't let the day pass unnoticed. So Rome celebrated its 2772nd birthday this weekend with its usual parade, reenactments, and fireworks. You may recall that Rome, according to legend, was founded in about 750 BCE by Romulus, who, along with his twin brother Remus, was suckled by a … Continue reading 70. Happy Birthday, Roma
When something occurs only once every 300 years, and I happen to be in the neighborhood, I'm in. Maria alerted me to a CNN article saying that, for a few weeks only, the Vatican had removed the protective wooden planks covering the stairs that Jesus climbed, and actually bled on, on his way to the … Continue reading 69. Holy Stairs
Gigi's Italia 