Italian Clubs, Events, Lifestyle; Travel Italy

An advice for gourmet lovers who visit Bologna, a city also well known for its cuisine, is to look for “Cesarine“.

“Cesarine” is an affectionate name given to those mothers, aunts, grandmothers who are custodians of their secret recipes and willing to share such secrets with others.

Each “Cesarina” — “Cesarine” is plural, has created his or her own menu based on traditional, local ingredients and they have made themselves available to host a lunch or dinner evening at their homes to share these dishes with those people interested in learning or understanding more about Italian cuisine.
This is a chance to experience real Italian cuisine in the place where it happens day in day out…..within the family home.

A membership is required to attend these dinners. Foreign guests not living in Italy are offered a temporary subscription of 1 month, cost: 3.50 euros; they may also want to consider a Bologna weekend package formula, including cooking classes, a city tour, B&B or other accommodation.
This website offers more details about the “Cesarine”.

May is one of the best times to visit Umbria. Major historic festivals and similar events take place across the region this month.

The medieval towns of Assisi and Gubbio host the two arguably most important historic festivals. Assisi, the “Calendimaggio” the first week of May, and Gubbio, the “Corsa dei Ceri” (Ceri race) on May 15.

Below a video of the 2007 edition “Corsa dei Ceri”.

(via YouTube).

- See Gubbio on the (interactive map).
Find accommodations in Umbria.

Having just returned from a triumphant tour of Ontario, Canada, Italian American tenor Aaron Caruso will be starring in two fundraisers.

The first one will be on May 20th 2007, at the Italian Center in Stamford, Ct for the benefit of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Center.  Admission for Dinner and the Show is $80.00.
Where: Italian Center, 1620 Newfield Center, Stamford, CT
When: May 20, 2007

On June 9th 2007, Mr. Caruso will sing at St. Frances Cabrini Church on 86th Street and 16th Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. Admission to this concert is $20.00. 
Where: St. Frances Cabrini Church on 86th Street and 16th Avenue in Brooklyn, NY
When: June 9, 2007

For details on the events, please contact Maria at 718.256.6794  or by e-mail at ferskolaw at aol.com.

A recent survey found the Etna volcano is more popular with American tourists than Rome’s Colosseum, the leaning tower of Pisa or the vineyards of Tuscany.

I have a few doubts about these survey results. However the volcano’s popularity is notably increasing these days thanks to its latest spectacular eruption.
Mt. Etna began erupting violently again last Sunday, spewing lava fountains up to 600 feet into the sky. Below the video of this new eruption.

(via YouTube).

- See Etna volcano on the (interactive map).
Find accommodations in Sicily.