We’re off the Italian alpine resort of Bardonecchia shortly! I’m looking forward to this weekend in the mountains, and after seeing this brief You Tube video presentation of the area, I’m even more keen on being there!
I know it is a little dated, but it’s the video used to send up the place before the 2006 Turin winter Olympics. It’s only 30 seconds or so long. Have a look and see what you think: … Continue Reading
Thistles! Yep, artichokes are apparently a form of thistle, and they certainly have the spines to prove it! Do not let your little ones near those recently acquired artichokes!
A Hearty Bowl of Roman Artichokes!
The thing is, artichokes, despite their being thistles, are simply delicious. My Italian other half cooks them in a very simple, but very tasty fashion.
If you would like to know how she manages to make artichokes so wonderful, then keep reading to discover a very simple recipe which should qualify as slow fast food! … Continue Reading
Today’s newspapers are depressing, there is not a good story to be had what with Italian schools collapsing over the heads of pupils and equally saddening accounts from RAI’s Report documentary. But tunnels often have light at their ends.
This week’s RAI 3 Report investigated the mismanagement of waste disposal down in Rome which appears to be controlled by yet another Italian ‘entrepreneur’ who is out to make money whatever the cost to society. A worrying but by no means unique situation in sunny and beautiful Italy.
The Big M
Then there is the final section of Saviano’s book Gomorrah which has brought about feelings which the words ‘disconcerting’, ‘shocking’, ‘saddening’ and ‘dire’ seem to sum up quite succinctly. Italy, it seems, has a distinct tendency towards self-destruction. What a great shame that the country’s political class does not seem to care one jot that vast areas of southern Italy have been and are being turned into vast toxic wastelands. Italy to a great extent seems to be destroying itself from the inside out.
Still there has to be some light doesn’t there? Luckily, there is. … Continue Reading
An Italian Family!
When people think of Italy, sooner or later, they will come across the closely knit nature of Italy’s families. Italy is, after all, a country dominated by families.
In fact just about everything in the Living Museum seems to be controlled by one family or another. A few examples? Well, there is Berlusconi for a start, then we have the Agnellis of Fiat fame, the Benetton bunch who run clothes shops and motorway service stations, and Versace is still a family operation. Then, at the other end of the spectrum there are the mafia families which hold the reins on Italy’s all encompassing organised crime business.
Yep, just about everything is run by one dynasty or another here. Italy is a big case of happy families. Or is it? … Continue Reading
Watch What I Want - or Else
Over the last few months in Italy there has been an inordinately long battle for the chairmanship of a commission which is supposed to oversee the operation of Italy’s RAI state TV channels.
That there was such a battle reveals just how important it is for Italy’s politicians to control television channels here.
The battle began when Italy’s opposition parties proposed existing commission member, one Leoluca Orlando and a member of Antonio Di Pietro’s Italian Values party, for the chairmanship of the RAI commission. The prospect of having an ally of one of Berlusconi’s most outspoken critics at the helm must have been too much to bear for Italy’s trash TV magnate cum prime minister. … Continue Reading
By far the most important members of the Villatalla household are Nellie (an elderly but loveable chocolate Labrador), Bonnie, a fluffy and rather scatty American Spaniel, and Pickle, an eccentric cat who walks like John Wayne.
Casa Villatalla, Liguria, Italy
Aside from the fact that Casa Villatalla is in a splendid location situated in the midst of the Ligurian hills which run all the way down to the equally gorgeous Ligurian coastline, you just have to visit this idyllically located bed and breakfast simply to see a cat which walks like John Wayne!
Oh and I know a little about the countryside in this area of Italy and can certainly assure you that it is an area which is well worth visiting. If I’ve whet your appetite and possibly piqued your curiosity, then read on. … Continue Reading
Via RSS: Blog from Italy's Feed
To get Italy flavour news and updates via Twitter, follow: @newsfromitaly 2300+ followers and counting.For those who did not know, Francesco Cossiga, who died the other day, was an Italian politician and one time President of Italy. Cossiga hailed from Sardinia, was a fan of John Le Carre and had earned himself the nickname “the pickaxe” owing to his no holds barred criticism of other Italian politicians.
As you may be aware, the generally tumultus world of Italian politics is in turmoil. The Berlusconi government is teetering on the brink of collapse, but what is really surprising, is that this collapse was sparked from the inside.
From spat to full-blown split. Silvio Berlusconi’s marriage of political convenience to Gianfranco Fini has ended in tears. Scorned lover Berlusconi even rejected Fini’s last minute attempts to kiss and make up and remain part of Berlusconi’s party of love. End of love in. Period.
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