Italian-Link blog

We have moved

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 04:55:00 +0200

This blog has moved!

Check out my new site at the following link:

www.Addicted2Italy.com

Please be sure to update your bookmarks and feeds!

Thank you,
Larry Aiello

April Fool's Day in Italy, or the Pesce d'Aprile

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Thu, 1 Apr 2010 03:24:00 +0200

April Fool's Day in Italy - ("Pesce d'Aprile") .A day in which people do dirty deeds against one another in the name of humor and good fun. The favorite one here is to tape a paper cutout of a fish to the back of an unsuspecting friend and then the group laughs (silently) as they walk around like an idiot.

Then everyone jokingly questions: "L'hai visto?" "Chi?" "Il pesce d'Aprile!" (or "Have you seen?" "Who?" "the April Fool!") Literally, "Pesce d'Aprile" in Italian is the April Fish.

Palio della Rana, a frog race in Fermignano, April 11th

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 03:19:00 +0200

When one thinks of the Palio race, they think of the famous Siena horse race that is done twice a year. However, in Fermignano, there is a Palio involving frogs. More...

La Festa di San Giuseppe, St. Joseph's Day, Father's Day in Italy, March 19th

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:18:00 +0100

On March 19th, Italy will celebrate the Feast of Saint Joseph, or La Festa di San Giuseppe. It also serves as a Father's Day celebration. St. Joseph was declared the patron saint of the Universal Church by Pope Pius IX in 1870.

The origin dates back to when there was a terrible drought in Sicily. The people prayed to St. Joseph, asking him to bring rain. When the rains came, the people celebrated and prepared a large feast to thank him. Large tables of food were prepared in public and crowds of people gathered to celebrate and feast, alongside with the poor people.

Current St. Joseph's Day tradition in Italy
It is customary to donate food to the needy as was done in the original feast and also customary to wear red.

Culinary Delights
Zeppole is the most popular St. Joseph's Day Feast. It is made by making a fried pastry shell and inserting ricotta filling (similar to what is found inside a cannoli). It can also be filled with vanilla or chocolate. St. Joseph's cream puffs, or Sfinge di San Giuseppe can usually be found at any Italian bakery during the month of March.

La festa della donna, international women's day in Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Tue, 9 Mar 2010 03:15:00 +0100

March 8th marks "La Festa della Donna" in Italy, or also known as International Woman's Day around the world. It is a day to cherish and honor the woman in your life while appreciating women's accomplishments in business, politics, the arts, medicine, etc. Many believe the origins date back to 1857 as the result of a labor movement and strike in a New York City garment shop.

The tradition in Italy involves giving a yellow Mimosa flower to your wife, daughter, mother, etc. Women will even often give flowers to other women on this day. The flower represents the beginning of Spring. Food traditions include the making of zeppole and fritelle. Many museums in Italy will offer free admission for women. Other venues will also offer free admission for women on this day. Many men will also take their wife, girlfriend, etc. out to dinner.

Some women will make it a girl's night out and celebrate via bachelorette-party style, happy hour, etc. It is almost like a rebellious celebration or affirmation of womanhood. Adult celebrations have been known to include phallic-shaped pastries, etc. No matter what, it's a beautiful celebration and one that should be celebrated with more importance in every country of the world.

Rome Marathon, 2010, Sunday March 21st

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Tue, 2 Mar 2010 00:30:00 +0100

You can celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Rome Olympics of 1960 by participating in the Rome Marathon! "La Maratona di Roma" is unlike any other in that you can run through the cobble-stone streets, all the history, the art, the ruins, etc. More information on the Rome Marathon, 2010...

Sanremo music festival, 2010 starts Feb 16 through 21

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 03:18:00 +0100

Europe's largest music festival, and one of the world's most famous, culminates at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo. The Sanremo music festival ("Festival di Sanremo") is a gala event and an awards ceremony for some of Italy's most famous musicians with awards in various categories. This year the event will be broken down into 2 categories: "Artisti" (for the established, big names of Italian music) and "Nuova Generazione", a category for the up and coming Italian singers.

The festival changes every year: a new artistic director / presenter is chosen every year and is responsible for the guests, songs, all aspects of the show. This year, it is presented by the lovely Italian journalist Antonella Clerici.

New rules for Sanremo 2010

For the first time in the history of the event, songs in Italian dialect will be allowed. Thus we will probably hear songs in Neopolitan and Sicilian, the most distinctive of all the Italian dialects. In addition, inclusion of foreign artists' work will also be allowed, as long as the songs are performed in Italian.

Sanremo is a city with about 57,000 inhabitants and lies on the Mediterranean coast of western Liguria in north-western Italy, located on the Italian riviera. The festival has also launched the careers of many very famous italian singers. The most notable ones include Andrea Bocelli, Giorgia, Mietta, Laura Pausini and Eros Ramazzotti.

How do they celebrate Saint Valentine's Day in Italy?

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:28:00 +0100

From the country that gave us Romeo and Juliet, famous novels like "I Promessi Sposi", romantic gondola rides, etc., there is no doubt that Italy is the country for lovers. Even the Italian language, which is so expressive and precise in thought and emotion, is also considered one of the most romantic and beautiful of all languages.

So how do Italians celebrate Saint Valentine's Day? Logic would tell you that Saint Valentine's Day is a huge celebration in Italy, right? Italy does take its celebrations seriously, usually involving family and food. However, current-day celebrations are not as extensive as you would think. Let's look at the history of Saint Valentine's Day, or "La Festa Degli Innamorati" in Italian:

Ancient Traditions

The original Saint Valentine's festivities were celebrated as a spring festival where lovers would gather outside in gardens, etc. to listen to music and exchange poetry. One ancient tradition is for an unmarried girl to wake up early, and stand by their window. Legend has it that the first man an unmarried girl sees that day will end up marrying her within a year. In 494 AD, the Pope Gelasio I declared a celebration in honor of Saint Valentine to replace the ancient fertility day celebration that existed since Pagan times.

Current-day traditions in Italy

Present-day Saint Valentine's celebrations have become more commercialized than centuries past, and many Italians consider it an American-import. On this day, the exchange of gifts is usually between lovers. Rarely, will gifts be exchanged between family members and friends. Usually a couple will go out to dinner, or prepare a nice candle-lit dinner at home. A popular gift is the Baci Perugina chocolate-covered hazelnut. Inside will be a romantic poetic quote in 4 different languages. And that is basically the extent of their Valentine's Day celebrations.

In Italy, Saint Valentine's Day is not about expensive gifts, diamonds, jewelry, etc. It is a day to show someone you care, or to say "I love you" in Italian, which is "Ti Voglio Bene". Isn't that what Valentine's Day is supposed to be about anyway?

Venetian Carnevale in full-swing... An event not missed in Venice!

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Tue, 9 Feb 2010 03:52:00 +0100

Now through February 16, 2010 (Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras; the day before Ash Wednesday) Venice will be hosting the pre-Lenten festival of Carnevale. Carnevale, from the Latin meaning "farewell to meat", is Venice's version of masquerade balls, costumes, costume-parties, parades, fireworks, grandiose events, etc. The idea, of course, is similar to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans or the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro, where Christians celebrate one last "hurrah" prior to Lent.

The symbol of the Venetian carnevale is the mask, in which the oldest documents date back to 1268 as the first time they were used for Carnevale. Masks became the way a commoner can partake in the balls with the nobility. They afforded anonymity, while giving one a way to change persona. And it was also a way that you can have your sins forgiven.

The festival was condemned by the popes and the doges, but nothing could dampen the spirit until Napoleon put an end to the celebrations in 1797. The festivities were later resurrected in the 1980's by the local tourism powers.

Today it is a major celebration filled with locals and tourists from all over the world. It is the most important festival in the city of Venice, and one that should not be missed if your travels take you to Italy during this time.

The legend of Saint Valentine, or San Valentino

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Fri, 5 Feb 2010 01:26:00 +0100

One of the many myths of the origins of St. Valentine's Day can be traced back to a priest that lived in the 3rd century Rome that was beheaded for trying to spread love throughout the land. Read more about Saint Valentine...

Funny Italian comic strip

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:17:00 +0100

This is a funny Italian comic strip I saw in "I puzzle di Relax", a popular Italian magazine you can find at the newsstands all over Italy.

Translation: Tell me: are you in favor or opposed to the idea of marriage?

Pictures from a 7 fish dinner, Christmas Eve

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 05:13:00 +0100

Pictured below are some images from a 7-fish Christmas Eve Italian dinner, or the famous "festa dei sette pesci." This is moreso a tradition in central and southern Italy. The significance of seven is not really known for certain but there are a couple of theories. One theory is that seven is supposed to represent each day of the week. Another theory is that the number "7" relates to the number of Sacraments in the Roman Catholic Church. In any event, it is still a beautiful Christmas Eve tradition for Italians and many Italian-Americans. View the complete 7-fish slideshow.

Per vedere tutto il slideshow, clicca qui!

Italian earthquakes and volcanoes; Haitian relief

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:39:00 +0100

Being located on 2 seismic fault lines, Italy has been subject to many earthquakes over the years. They basically run along the spine of the country, right through the Apennine mountain range. The most recent major earthquake registered 6.3 on the Richter scale and happened on April 6, 2009; it left thousands of people homeless while killing approximately 150 people.

The most fatal one happened in 1908 in the straits of Messina, which separate the mainland from the island of Sicily. It registered 7.5 on the Richter scale, and along with the resulting tsunami (tidal wave), estimates are that approximately 200,000 people lost their lives. There are also many active volcanoes in Italy, the most active one being Mount Etna (Sicily). The most famous one being Vesuvius (still active) which destroyed the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79 A.D.

Haitian Relief
There is an old Italian saying that says "tutto il mondo e' un paese", which translates to "the world is a country". It is supposed to mean that despite all our differences in culture, language, skin color, or whatever, we really are all brothers and sisters when you get down to it.

That is never more apparent when we see all the suffering in Haiti as a result of this week's earthquake which measured 7.0 on the Richter scale. Current estimates place the fatalaties at 50,000. The images coming across the television are truly awful and heart-wrenching. Unfortunately, it often takes a tragedy of this magnitude to pull people together and help out our brothers and sisters.

Haiti is in need of much supplies and humanitarian relief. I've listed a couple of links that you can use to help out monetarily if you are so inclined: the Red Cross | Unicef.org - there are of course many other wonderful organizations that are providing relief. Please do not click on any links that you may receive through email, as many low-life spammers try to take advantage of people's generosity by having you click on a scam. The U.S. State Department has also set up a toll-free number that you can use if you are trying to find out about the status of a loved one in Haiti. That number is 1-888-407-4747.

God Bless

Cuccia or Cuccidata, Sicilian famine of 1582

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Fri, 8 Jan 2010 15:15:00 +0100

Legend has it that during the great Sicilian famine of 1582, a large group went to the church to pray to 'Santa Lucia' for an end to the famine. While they prayed, a ship came into the Syracuse (Siracusa, Sicily) harbor filled with wheat and they were saved. They were so famished that they did not process the wheat into flour. Instead, they boiled the unprocessed wheat berries, and called it Cuccia or Cuccidata.

See picture of La Cuccia below - usually a little sugar, honey, or chocolate is added to give it flavor:

Epiphany celebrations in Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Sat, 2 Jan 2010 18:43:00 +0100

One of the major events taking place in Italy near January 6th is the celebration regarding the Epiphany. The Epiphany is a celebration of the 12th day of Christmas where the Three Wise Men brought gifts to baby Jesus in the manger. This tradition is also tied in to the tradition of La Befana...Read more, including the major Epiphany celebrations in Italy

New Year's Eve traditions in Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 17:37:00 +0100

New Year's Eve in Italy, or La Festa di San Silvestro, or Capodanno, is celebrated like most Italian holidays, that is, with the emphasis being on family and food. Most of the towns in Italy will have a big fireworks display. The main dinner course is usually lentils or "lenticchie", along with a spicy sausage, or "salsiccia".

Pictured below is a young woman preparing for New Year's Eve in Italy. Read more...

Vin brule', or mulled wine, perfect on a cold winter night

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:24:00 +0100

A popular Christmas-time tradition in Italy is to make some vin brule', or mulled wine, especially on a cold winter's night. It is actually popular all throughout northern Europe...To read more including the recipe, click here!

Panettone recipe, an Italian Christmas tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 02:55:00 +0100

One of the Italian traditions during Christmas-time is to make some panettone, or the Italian version of fruit cake.....only a lot better! Here is a panettone recipe one of my site visitors submitted a while back. Enjoy!

Traditional Italian Christmas treat, Torrone

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:47:00 +0100

Here is a recipe for a traditional Italian Christmas treat, torrone. Literally this means "big tower". More...

A quick real-world Italian lesson

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:24:00 +0100

One of the things I love about the Italian language, other than it's phonetic beauty, is that it can express thought and emotion very simply and very precisely. Here is an example of a display I saw on a recent trip in Catania, Sicily. It is for the Italian Alzheimer's Association of Italy (A.I.M.A). Looking at the picture below:

MALATTIA is the Italian word for disease.

ONLUS stands for: Organizzazione Non Lucrativa di Utilita' Sociale. In other words, the purpose of their organization is not for "lucrative" intentions (Non Lucrativa), but instead for "social good" (Utilita' Sociale). Similar to a non-profit organization. Let's now look at the slogan:

NON DIMENTICARE

CHI DIMENTICA

When I saw this slogan, I immediately loved it for it's simplicity and precision - it goes right to the heart of what the Italian Alzheimer's Association is about:

DON'T FORGET

THOSE WHO FORGET

Chances are, you probably know of someone that is affected by this disease, or perhaps passed away from this disease. Let's keep them in our thoughts and prayers this holiday season, and pray that one day scientists will be able to discover a cure for this awful disease.

Italy's World Cup Draw, Group F, South Africa, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Sun, 6 Dec 2009 23:12:00 +0100

The World Cup Draw was held this past Friday, and to everyone's surprise, Italy is not bracketed in a "group of death"! That distinction belongs to Brazil (Group G) and France (Group A). Italy will play in Group F along with Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia. Italy, unless they under perform, should come out on top of this group, even though they are notoriously slow-starters.

Coached by Marcello Lippi, Italy will look to become only the third defending champion to repeat. Italy did so in 1934 and 1938; Brazil won back-back titles in 1958 and 1962.

Here is Italy's schedule for the World Cup in 2010 to take place in South Africa (first time on the African continent).

June 14th, Cape Town
Italy vs. Paraguay

June 20th, Nelspruit
Italy vs. New Zealand

June 24th, Johannesburg
Slovakia vs. Italy

Forza Italia!

La Befana, an Italian Christmas tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:31:00 +0100

The legend of Babbo Natale (Santa Claus) has existed in Italy mostly since the days of World War II. However, there is even a more ancient (and popular) Italian Christmas tradition that has its origins traced back to the 13th century: the legend of "La Befana" More...>

La cattedrale di Catania, at the Piazza del Duomo

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:49:00 +0100

Pictured below is the most important church in Catania, La Cattedrale di Sant'Agata in the Piazza del Duomo, right in the center of the medieval city. This is the spot where Saint Agatha was slain and died a martyr's death in the year 251.

The church was built in the 12th century and occasionally has to undergo repairs from earthquakes and the volcanic eruptions from Mount Etna, nearby. In fact, the church was completely renovated in 1693 as the city of Catania was destroyed by an earthquake.

Every year in February, from the 3rd through the 5th, Catania will celebrate with a festival honoring their patron saint. Legend has it that she was imprisoned, persecuted and suffered the removal of her breasts for having rejected the amorous advances of a Roman Senator, Quintian; honoring her Christian vows of purity. The 3-day festival is a very religious celebration with processions, shows, celebrations, etc. while many will follow an effigy of St. Agatha through the town praying for a miracle.

Funny Italian comic strip

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:50:00 +0100

This is a funny Italian comic strip I saw in "I puzzle di Relax", a famous Italian magazine you can find at the newsstands all over Italy.

Translation: Guys, I just came up with a terrible conclusion: the assassin is one of us!

Eurofly airline review, the good, and not-so-good

noreply@blogger.com (Larry Aiello) — Thu, 5 Nov 2009 03:22:00 +0100

On my recent trip to Italy, I decided to fly with Eurofly for the first time. I was a little leery of flying with this company for the first time, but I'd have to say I was really impressed with the airline. Eurofly (affiliated with Meridiana) is an airline that has been serving Italy and Europe since 1989. Meridiana, on the other hand, has been flying since 1967.

The reasons I liked Eurofly airline:

More...>