A Migratory “Flight” – The Plaster Figures of the Serchio Valley
I’m not sure why exactly, my visit to but the museum of plaster figures in Lucca probably had something to do with it, but the other day, I was thinking about migratory birds. Up popped an image in my mind’s eye of flying ducks (my UK home is close to marshlands), which made me think […]
The Italian American Museum in New York City
The Italian American Museum is situated right in the heart of New York’s Little Italy, at 155 Mulberry street. Founded in 2001 by Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa, the Italian American Museum is dedicated to the struggles of Italian Americans and their achievements and contributions to American culture and society. Another of the many worthwhile aims […]
The Biggest Apple Museum in the World is in Italy
Although one would expect the biggest Apple museum in the world to be situated in some suitably impressive high-tech fruit-shaped architect-designed structure in the core of Silicon Valley, it isn’t. According to Italian news website Linkiesta, the biggest Apple museum in the world is in Quiliano, Savona in northern Italy. Like where?! A very good […]
Vespa Museum in Pontedera, Italy
Love or loathe them, you still have to admit that the Vespa scooter is about as Italian as pasta.
Not a lot of people know this – Francesco Rutelli
Apparently, Francesco Rutelli, the present Italian Cultural Affairs minister, once replaced the Italian flag which flew at Palazzo Montecitorio with that of the Vatican. I have not been able to discover in exactly which year Rutelli did this mischievous act, but it was interesting to hear about it from my former wannabe Italian politician student. […]
Turning Round La Brutta Figura
Italy is a very image conscious country – just wander down any Italian street and you will see beautiful shops and elegantly dressed passers by. The places and people are examples of ‘la bella figura’ – which means ‘creating the right impression’. The opposite of the ‘bella’ version is ‘la brutta figura’, which is similar […]
Naples is burning, again
Some time back, I wrote about the rubbish situation down in Naples. Well, it appears as though the trash story has flared up yet again. All the national news here is alight with images of huge piles of rubbish, and huge piles of rubbish alight. I had heard that the Neapolitan trash thing had been […]
Note for your diary – 6th December – Design Museum Opens in Milan
Apparently, on the 6th of December a new museum of Italian Design will open in Milan. The only trouble is that I cannot find the address! I’m not sure whether the new design museum will be located near Parco Sempione close to the city centre, or out in the Bovisa area of Milan. When I […]
