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Christmas is a time for traditions that we’ve held close to our hearts since we were children. Often our celebrations include practices our parents and grandparents passed on to us. Gone are the days of tall, wide evergreens buried in tinsel. Of course, that era was followed by aluminum trees with rotating color wheels. Some of the more daring families would set the wheel to the blue filter and have the only blue tree in their neighborhood. That’s not to say that some folks didn’t go for the green or red filter instead! Many of us inherited the ornaments and …

Imagine you just finished huffing your way up to our floor, the sixth and topmost of our South Bronx tenement, 95 steps above the torrid sidewalk of East 148 Street, late on a summer afternoon of 1958. In the first apartment on the landing, jolly old Maria Torlona the Egg Lady, whose door is open, might well try to sell you a carton of her wares — or even a case — fairly cheap. Next door to Maria and her cache of “farm-fresh” eggs is the residence of blue-haired Mrs. Pugliese and her tall feisty brunette daughter, Gloria. That young …

What do I do if I get a traffic ticket in Italy? Traffic tickets for safe drivers aren’t typically a problem in Italy and should not keep you from enjoying your vacation. Fines in Italy normally relate to parking violations, speeding, or entering ZTLs (permit areas only). If a driver is stopped by the police, they will be given the option of paying the fine on the spot, forfeiting any right to an appeal in the process, or they can pay a deposit and request an appeal. Those drivers who refuse either option will most likely have their car impounded …

We’ve discussed Italian Christmas traditions in December each year since this blog’s inception. As noted before, the Christmas season in Italy lasts from the beginning of December until after the New Year.  Below are the important dates to remember for those celebrating Christmas in Italy, along with Italian greetings for each holiday. To follow is the story of La Befana, the friendly Italian witch with gifts for all. The Italian Christmas Season L’Immacolata Feast of the Immaculate Conception: Catholic holiday that celebrates mother Mary.  La Vigilia di Natale Il Natale Christmas Eve Christmas Buon Natale! Buone Feste! Merry Christmas! Happy …

Expressing one’s emotions is complex, both in one’s native language and certainly in an adopted language. In Italian, many phrases used to convey emotion are idiomatic, and the choice of verbs can differ with even minor differences in a situation. This is especially true for the winter holiday season, which brings with it happiness and anticipation, and many ways to express these feelings in Italian! In short, we must learn to think in Italian if we are to communicate our emotions in Italian! Expressing Happiness in Italian — Contento, Felice, Piacere Sono contento(a) di… If an Italian is happy, he …

We are all aware that change happens whether we want it to or not. I recall an older Roselandite yelling at me one time because I mentioned Martin Luther King Drive. Anyone care to guess what she yelled at me? She certainly took me by surprise because we were at a wake at Panozzo Brothers Funeral Home. What she said, as she put her face close to mine, “It’s South Park and always will be.” Of course, that’s just one example, because for some people, we still have “Comiskey Park” and the “Sears Tower.” Recently my 90-year-old sister Jean Kirn …

Organizers of the 80th edition of the Venice Film Festival, which ran Aug. 30-Sept. 9, recognized a number of legendary artists. Tributes included a film retrospective dedicated to Gina Lollobrigida, who passed away in January. One very special recognition went to director Liliana Cavani, who was awarded a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Now 90 years old, Cavani was there to receive her award and later presented her new film, “L’ordine del tempo,” which premiered out of competition. Actress Charlotte Rampling, who starred in Cavani’s 1974 devastating Holocaust drama, “Il portiere di notte” (The Night Porter), presented Cavani with the …

I’m a little girl waking up. It’s Thanksgiving and there it is — the metallic tap, tap of my mother’s spoon against the rim of the large stainless steel pot. Della Serritella Rocco has been alone at work long before first light. Inside the pot are pork neckbones, inexpensive but delicious, together with fresh tomatoes and herbs, creating the luscious gravy — no one called it sauce back then — that would dress the divine homemade ravioli momma is about to create in her humble kitchen. This is a labor-intensive effort, reserved for holiday feasts like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. …

What do I have to do if I want to live in Italy for a year? If you are a U.S. citizen planning to stay in Italy for more than 90 days in any given calendar year, there are specific steps you need to follow: First of all, you will need to apply for a visa in your home country and obtain a Residence Permit within 8 days of your arrival in Italy.  It is crucial to identify the specific purpose of your stay in Italy before proceeding. Common reasons include work, study, family reunion or retirement. The type of …

The Italian Family of Yesterday and Today Traditionally, married couples in Italy had large families and raised their children as part of an extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins.  In modern Italy, nuclear families tend to be smaller, but the language for how to describe children as they grow from a baby to an adult has not changed very much. Young boys and girls are called “the baby” — with  “il bambino” for young boys or “la bambina” for young girls — until 5 or 6 years, long after we Americans would consider the “baby stage” has been completed. …