Lifestyle

The Mercato is an Italian tradition that goes back centuries. Once a week, travelling vendors come to town, set up their movable stalls in a designated open-air location, and put their products on display. People come from all over to thrift for treasures, and locals pick up their weekly groceries. It’s a pleasant way to spend the better part of…

In 2004, Antonio Iantorno stood on Viale Monza in Milano, handing out homemade flyers. Greeting strangers with a smile, he invited them to learn about the passion of Argentina — the tango. When his feet tired, he asked permission in upscale cafés and bars to leave leaflets for customers. Sometimes, he received a nod of approval, but often he was…

Nothing says Italian style like a Fiat 500 (pronounced cheen·kweh·CHEN·toh). My love affair with the 500 began when I was 16. I really wanted one, but it would not fit into my suitcase. So I had to go home without one. I don’t know if I will ever own a super cute, chubby 500, but I have spent years photographing them all…

Although it was a long time ago, the memories I have are still vivid – walking as a boy at my father's side on cool summer mornings, before the sun was up, at the Ontario Food Terminal in Toronto, visiting the farmers' stalls one after another, looking for the most succulent black cherries, the juiciest red haven peaches from the…

A new law came into effect in Canada on October 17 that legalizes the recreational use of marijuana. The legislation was met with praise by some and criticism by others. But what do Italian Canadians think of this new state of affairs? We put the question to a random group of people. Based on our sample’s response, the only thing…

It is impossible to think of San Francisco without its Italian heritage. There are the notables: A.P. Giannini, who founded the Bank of America; filmmaker and vintner, Francis Ford Coppola; baseball's Joe DiMaggio, once married Marilyn Monroe; and Joseph Alioto, San Francisco's legendary mayor. The Italian Heritage Parade, dating back to 1868, is San Francisco's oldest civic event, and the…

It’s a Canadian problem. When you’re overseas, people don’t know what to make of you. You’re not American but you sound like you are. You’re not British but you’re sentimental about the Queen. You’re not distinct the way Australians are with their funny accents and their freakishly-far-away, upside-down country. I felt it when my Austrian classmate, whom I will call…

Last June at the opening of Eataly’s newest store, Eataly Rome, CEO and owner Oscar Farinetti proclaimed, “Welcome to the biggest place in the world dedicated to Italian food. Our aim is to make it the third most-visited place after the Coliseum and the Vatican Museums.” He dubbed it Eatiland. Farinetti’s contagious energy and unwavering optimism permeates throughout the concept store.…

The festive season brings on the urge to create beauty and transform our surroundings into something magical and mysterious – an urge which seems to be at the heart of the fanciful figures, wreaths, illuminations and other embellishments we stage on and in our homes. The same desire is also at the heart of the opulent ribbons and bows with…

Alfonso Gagliano hopes that his legacy will be more than just a long political career that ended in scandal. Months away from his seventieth birthday, Gagliano doesn’t follow politics anymore, despite spending almost twenty years in federal politics. Right now, his focus is on winemaking. It’s mid-October 2010, and Gagliano Vineyards – in the town of Dunham in Quebec’s Eastern…

We Canadians are responsible for many discoveries and inventions advancing modern life such as the electron microscope, alkaline batteries, insulin, and more importantly, basketball, game shows, frozen fish, instant potato flakes, electric stoves and the Bloody Caesar. All of these, except the Bloody Caesar, have been eagerly embraced by our American cousins. I wonder why, especially since its base, Clamato…

I am excited and delighted to be in Verona once again – the romantic medieval city of Romeo and Juliet – in the heart of the Veneto region, where the Adige River flows smoothly under centuries-old bridges. Time seems to be trapped in its waters, and the reflection of the colourful medieval houses is astonishing. I have come to Verona…

Valpolicella is definitely one of the most complicated wine-producing areas, and can only be fully understood if explored in person. To love the bitter Amarone – a title such as this, and a tongue twister to boot, could be misleading for one of the best Italian wines: the opulent Amarone. It would have been better to say “amare il dolce…

Italian Canadians offer good lessons in preserving Old World culture in the land of milk and honey. If someone asked me what I’ve been asking people for the past week, I know what I would say. Am I Dutch first or Canadian? Well, Canadian of course, but I am proud of my Dutch name. And no, I don’t speak any…

Amid the background clatter of clanking plates, I couldn't help but overhear a conversation at a baretto near the Trevi Fountain. "How much for a slice of pizza?" the shorts-clad tourist asked the woman behind the counter. "Depends if you're sitting or standing," replied the woman. "What difference does it make?" asked the tourist. After a solemn pause, the woman…

This year for the first time, the city of Milan and the Milan Chamber of Commerce organized a competition to exhibit the works of international designers. The City of Milan Award for young foreign designers was created to support the exchange of ideas and international experiences through the innovative language and forms of design. The first edition, held at the…