Category Archives: culture

Feast of the Seven Fishes

Posted on January 27, 2011 by

We spent Christmas in Portland with my family this year, but we still celebrated the Italian-American Christmas Eve feast, La Vigilia, or the feast of the seven fishes.  It’s not certain where this tradition arose, but fish is symbolic in … Continue reading →

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The good witch visits again

Posted on January 8, 2011 by

Felice Anno Nuovo! I’ve been lax in my entries lately due to holidays and work, but it’s 2011 and a new year to write. Yesterday was the Epiphany, which celebrates the arrival of the Three Kings bearing gifts to Jesus, … Continue reading →

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Some hometown flavor in NYC

Posted on December 5, 2010 by

As the first real snowfall of the season blankets Chicago, it’s a great morning to drink a cup of coffee, watch the flurries coat the trees, and reminisce about another cup of coffee. Over Thanksgiving, we were in New Jersey … Continue reading →

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L’ora dell’aperitivo

Posted on October 15, 2010 by

Ah, the aperitivo hour in Italy, like happy hour in the U.S. but so much better.  I love bitters and Italy is full of bitter aperitif options: Aperol is a spritzer favorite in Italy and is very refreshing, combining the … Continue reading →

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The power of wind

Posted on October 10, 2010 by

Italians like to talk about wind. Many Italians (the older generation in particular) think that too much air can be unhealthy and can cause mal di gola (a sore throat) or cervicale (cervical syndrome, which affects the neck). I’ve often … Continue reading →

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Grazie!

Posted on October 9, 2010 by

Yesterday, I received the nice surprise of having my post on “the culture of driving” featured in WordPress.com’s Freshly Pressed section. I was a little overwhelmed with the sudden spike in traffic, but it was nice to see. I wanted … Continue reading →

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The culture of driving

Posted on October 8, 2010 by

Something I appreciate about Italian drivers is that they rarely honk their horns. In America, drivers honk anytime someone is going too slow, or pulls out in front of them, or when they’re stuck in traffic (as if that will … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, driving, Italians, Italy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 79 Comments

Buon onomastico

Posted on September 29, 2010 by

September 29 is the feast day for St. Michael the Archangel—my husband’s “name day” or onomastico, in Italian. In Italy, people treat their onomastico as a second birthday celebration which is pretty cool. St. Laura’s feast day is October 19 … Continue reading →

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Buon Ferragosto!

Posted on August 16, 2010 by

August 15 marks Ferragosto—an Italian holiday that the Catholic Church celebrates to commemorate the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. In fact, the tradition goes back even further, to ancient Roman times. First proclaimed by the Emperor Augustus in 18 BC, … Continue reading →

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Pass the olive oil and cheese, please

Posted on July 22, 2010 by

Alex isn’t eating solid foods yet, but that introduction is only a few weeks away. I see how he stares at my pasta during dinner! So, I was reviewing the food chart our pediatrician gave us earlier this month and … Continue reading →

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