Joe Mantegna — life has been lucky for him, and us by association
The first time I saw Joe Mantegna in the flesh he was in the flesh, naked as a newborn baby on stage at the Shubert Theatre in a 1969 production of "Hair." It was his first professional acting job in what is now nearly 50 years of steady and acclaimed work on stage, in films and on television. "I have been very lucky," he says on the phone from Cal...
Genoa Isn’t Rome or Florence. That’s Part of Its Charm.
Why do so few people visit Genoa? I ask this question every time I visit the Italian city. Two summers ago, I heard one of the best answers from Mitchell Wolfson Jr., an American who moved to Genoa in 1968 and is the founder of the Wolfsoniana, a museum of decorative and propaganda arts in nearby Nervi. “Verdi put it best,” Mr. Wolfson said. “‘Popo...
Chef Giuseppe Marrone Takes the Helm at ACQUA Restaurant and Wine Bar at Peck Slip, NYC
We wish our dear friend Chef Giuseppe Marrone much success on his new venture as Executive Chef and Managing Partner of ACQUA Restaurant and Wine Bar in Manhattan’s historic South Street Seaport. Stopping by after work with a few friends, we were treated to the same fine dining and Neapolitan hospitality we’ve grown accustomed to while he was in ch...
Cleveland Museum of Art will Return Stolen Roman Sculpture to Italy
In 2012, the Cleveland Museum of Art announced that it had made a “stellar” acquisition: a monumental portrait head of Drusus Minor, the volatile son of the Roman emperor Tiberius. But this impressive marble sculpture was recently removed from its gallery and will not be placed back on display. As Steven Litt reports for The Plain Dealer, museum of...
At the Italian Table brings an authentic Italian dining experience to Frankfort Avenue
In a tiny converted house on the edge of Clifton sits a portal to old-world Italy. Operated by chef Gina Stipo, an American who spent 13 years living and traveling in Italy, At the Italian Table is presented more as an experience than a meal. Two tables set for eight to 10 people fill the tiny structure, with antique furnishings, decor and accessor...
Rethinking Giorgio de Chirico - May 9, 2017 at 6pm
The Embassy of Italy and the Italian Culture Institute in Washington, DC, welcome Laura Mattioli, the founder/president of the Center for Italian Modern Art (CIMA) in New York City, where the exhibition “Giorgio de Chirico – Giulio Paolini / Giulio Paolini – Giorgio de Chirico” is currently on view through June 24th. This exhibition features severa...
AMCHAM Italy Business Mission to San Francisco & Silicon Valley
It’s already possible to register to be part of the AmCham delegation which will fly to San Francisco in mid-June. The Business Mission, scheduled from June 14th to June 18th, includes a meeting with the Italian Consul General Lorenzo Ortona, and visits at some of the most renowned American companies, such as: Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, Google, Te...
American Owners Look to Make Calcio Great Again
Foreign ownership has been a trend for many of Europe’s top leagues over the last two decades. Most clubs purchased from foreign owners have been in the Premier League. Over the last few seasons Serie A has seen an influx of new owners from various clubs all over the football pyramid. In particular there has been a notable trend of American ownersh...
‘Frank Serpico’ catches up with the NYC cop who made Al Pacino famous
Nearly 50 years after Frank Serpico exposed endemic corruption in the New York City Police Department, his name still divides people. For some, especially those on the left, Serpico is a whistleblower — a brave loner who took on a sinister system. For law-and-order types and many an ex-cop, he’s a rat who, for the sake of “a few bad apples,” betray...
Carbone's got a glamorous appeal
Old-school Italian: The phrase conjures up images of 1950s and ’60s New York restaurants, peopled by glamorous stars, with attentive servers hovering nearby. And, indeed, that’s the feel you get at Carbone at Aria, where the “captains” take charge of your table, giving you personal attention and making you feel like you’re a celebrity. Carbone in L...
Italian food chain to fund €1 million restoration of The Last Supper
The founder of Italian food chain Eataly will fund a hi-tech €1 million restoration of Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece, The Last Supper, aimed at preserving the delicate masterpiece. Eataly entrepreneur Oscar Farinetti made the announcement on Thursday, at a Milan event with Culture Minister Dario Franceschini. The restoration will clean the air in...
The Mother Lode Remembers Musician/Actor, Teacher Rick Restivo
The Mother Lode is mourning the unexpected loss of a colorful, beloved personality whose life literally touched thousands. Two weeks ago, while teaching his music classes at Foothill Leadership Academy, and that weekend, while turning in what turned out to be his last public performance, singing and playing bass with his mates in the Black Irish Ba...