Milan – City of Culture and Fashion: Part 3
Written by admin on 28 December, 2011 – 11:18 am -
Milan is a city I have a strong affection for. I studied there for a year and worked there for three. During that time my parents visited me on several occasions. They now share their experiences with you in the third and final part of the series.
The Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore is situated close to Porta Ticinese, where you can also see 4th century Roman columns. This whole area is well worth a visit. The Basilica of St. Ambrose, built originally in 379 is also an important church connected with this famous patron saint of Milan. The San Carlos Basilica close to the Duomo is another interesting church. However one which is virtually unknown to visitors is the church of San Bernadino, also situated close the Duomo in Piazza Santo Stefano. It was built in the 17th century on the site of a cemetery and is decorated with the bones and skulls of people from hospitals and prisons collected over a 400-year period. It is only open in the mornings so don’t be disappointed by arriving there after 1 p.m. We certainly would have missed this one if our son hadn’t taken us there. It reminded us of the skulls and bones in the Paris catacombs.
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Berlusconi Tea Bags
Written by admin on 27 November, 2011 – 8:14 pm -
Have you got yours yet? I spotted these in a shop in Turin. Hurry while stocks last!
Posted in Food & Drink | 3 Comments »
Maurizio Crozza in Pover Christ Supertax
Written by admin on 19 November, 2011 – 7:45 pm -One view of what the Itailans think of Mario Monti’s appointment.
More info about Maurizio Crozza: http://www.la7.it/italialand
Posted in Entertainment | No Comments »
Premio Bottari Lattes Grinzane – I edizione
Written by admin on 6 October, 2011 – 10:32 pm -
Saturday 1st October saw the first edition of the Premio Grinzane Bottari Lattes in Monforte d’Alba (Piedmont). This prestigious award carries on where the Premio Grinzane Cavour left off. The vincitori, chosen by a panel of students, meet the public and explain the inspiration behind their books.
Continue reading …
Posted in Culture | No Comments »
The Cheese is the Star
Written by admin on 17 September, 2011 – 9:55 pm -
A selection of photos from Cheese 2011 in Bra, Piedmont.
Continue reading …
Posted in Food & Drink | 1 Comment »
Say Cheese
Written by admin on 27 August, 2011 – 3:39 pm -
Do you like cheese? If so then an event not to miss is Cheese 2011 – The Shapes of Cheese. From 16-19 September Bra, a small town in Piedmont, is playing host to this international event which is organized by the Slow Food movement.
If you intend to visit then let me know. The company I work for is one of the main sponsors. Come and say hello.
Posted in Food & Drink | 2 Comments »
Pranzo di ferragosto
Written by admin on 18 July, 2011 – 10:25 pm -One film that I definitely recommend for summer viewing is Pranzo di ferragosto (mid-August lunch). Ferragosto is a special day in the Italian calendar and this film sums it up beautifully. I saw it two years ago and it came as an unexpected treat.
The protagonist of the film, Gianni Di Gregorio, has written and stars in a new film The Salt of Life (recommended by the Guardian), out in the UK on 12 August.
Posted in Entertainment | 3 Comments »
The Italian Constitution
Written by admin on 22 May, 2011 – 10:15 pm -
To mark the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy, the Associazione Dal Segno alla Scrittura di Torino calligraphed the Italian Constitution. This was “performed” live at the International Book Fair in Turin which took place last weekend.
Posted in Culture, History | 1 Comment »
Milan – City of Culture and Fashion: Part 2
Written by admin on 25 April, 2011 – 4:24 pm -
Milan is a city I have a strong affection for. I studied there for a year and worked there for three. During that time my parents visited me on several occasions. They now share their experiences with you in the second of a three part series.
Parco Sempione and Castello Sforzesco gardens are not far away from Duomo and this is a popular tourist area. Visit the museum or buy some souvenirs from the temporary stalls which offer an assortment of typical tourists’ gifts and postcards at reasonable prices. You can even enjoy an ice cream whilst walking around. It must be a popular venue because we saw limousines turning up with brides, grooms and wedding guests to have their photos taken in front of the buildings or fountains. There were even some couples who seemed to have come from the Far East to have their wedding photos taken in this famous city. We spent a very interesting time soaking up the sites and sounds around the Castello Sforzesco.
Posted in Culture, Travel | 2 Comments »
Saturday 9 April - Vinitaly
Written by admin on 12 April, 2011 – 9:37 pm -
My third trip to Vinitaly (Verona). Again I was lucky enough to be guided by my brother-in-law who is a sommelier. Each year he selects different regions to focus on. Read on if you would like to discover some of the wines we tasted:
Posted in Food & Drink | No Comments »
