An article in the International Herald Tribune discusses the restoration of a ruined village in the Val d’Orcia into villa rentals. The novelty is that the houses have been restored using original materials and techniques and furnishings have been provided and produced locally. The food served in the houses is also produced in the area and the aim is to make the village completely self-sufficient. The developer is also promoting cultural tourism, organizing concerts and artists’ residencies. Locals have noticed a new respect for the area which has been repopulating: one vintner says the young are showing a new appreciation for their traditions.
Tag: society (page 3 of 4)
This story from NPR discusses how Italian food – or what is considered Italian food – has become a global phenomenon. In “How Italian Food Conquered The World” John F. Mariani tells the story of how what was once considered a very humble cuisine has become a global sensation. Once only known for cheese-saturated pizza and long-cooked red sauce, Italian food is now considered amongst the healthiest and, thanks to the wide accessibility of better ingredients, much more sophisticated.
Il Sole 24 Ore says that there is a noticeable change at the Italian box office: usually the best-selling movies are foreign, particularly American, and Italian movies don’t do well. Now, however, the movies that are registering the highest ticket sales are Italian. Over the holiday period the usual comedies (cinepanettoni) sold well and now the satirical comedy “Qualunquemente” is at the top of box office sales followed by the rom-com “Immaturi” and the crime drama “Vallanzasca – gli angeli del male.” It will be interesting to see if this trend continues with the movie-going public.
The Vespa motor scooter has become known as a symbol of Italy and a highpoint of Italian design. From Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday to Nanni Moretti in Caro Diario, the Vespa has also shared the screen in many well-known films. This article in Il Sole 24 Ore discusses the Vespa’s role in movies as highlighted in an exhibit at the Piaggio museum in Pontedera (near Pisa).
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