Instead of reaching for red wine this winter, why not try an Italian white? Fun, versatile, and approachable, Italian white wines brighten even the gloomiest winter day. Plus, they pair well with everything - from holiday celebrations and Sunday brunches, to cozy aprés-ski fondue and evening firesides. Not sure where to start? Consider these five Italian white wine styles to share with your friends and family this winter:
Read moreHow to Breakfast Like an Italian
Despite its diminutive size and the fact that its consumed almost on the hoof, Italian breakfast is still something to get excited about, if you know what to choose and where to get it. There are a few places in Italy who have made the morning meal a decadent art form. Why not break the fast with one of the following.
Read moreA Brief Guide to Tuscany’s Hill Towns
Photo credit: Shutterstock
Atmospheric and romantic, Tuscany’s hill towns offer visitors a journey back in time. We’ve included a few better-known choices in this brief guide to Tuscany’s hill towns, as well as some of the most beautiful towns in Tuscany you may be less familiar with. So what are you waiting for? Tuscany is calling.
Read moreProsecco Cocktails (Named after Famous Italian Composers)
Prosecco Cocktails names after famous Italian composers. From left to right: the Donizetti, Puccini, Rossini and Bellini. Photo Credit: Scott Noriega
You've heard of a Bellini, but what about a Rossini, Puccini, Donizetti? Learn more about these delectable prosecco cocktails AND the composers they were named after. A link to one of their musical works accompanies each cocktail recipe. Cheers!
Read moreEverything You Need to Know About Siena's PaliO
The Palio Race
Twice every summer Siena travels back in time a few centuries. These complex and thrilling days of preparation and festivities are known as the Palio. Find out everything you need to know about Siena’s Palio here.
Read moreRosati Season: Your Guide to Italian Rosé Wines
Fascinated by the endless wine choices Italy has to offer thanks to its wealth of native grape varieties, I’ve put together this list of top Italian rosati that are waiting for you on the shelves of your local wine shops or in a quarterly shipment of La Dolce Vigna’s Wine + Culture Club.
Read moreArtist Spotlight: La Dolce Vita with Diva Pyari
I met Diva Piyari, creator of the art, design and travel brand Linea Carta, at one of her modern calligraphy workshops in Berkeley, California about five years ago. We instantly bonded over our love for Italy, la dolce vita, making art and curating special experiences for our clients. It gives me great pleasure to present Diva’s work and words below with all of you.
Read moreBest Rainbow Cookies of New York City
…Perhaps with a healthy helping of my own nostalgia (having lived for so long away from New York), while back in New York City over the holidays, I went on a pilgrimage to four of the top-rated Italian bakeries for Rainbow Cookies to see if I could better understand the nuances of this prized pastry, and maybe even bestow the title of “The Best Rainbow Cookie of New York” on one of the scrumptious specimens.
Please join me below on my tour of New York City’s best-rated Rainbow Cookies!
Read moreArtist Spotlight: The Talented Mr. Pouliot
Currently based in Rome, James Pouliot di Lombardia is an American painter and photographer whose work has appeared in Vogue, Grazia and L’Officiel. His Instragram account—@real_successful_artist—is a repository for his art and sass: fashion photography, summer scenes in Capri, sardonic selfies and masterful compositions of everything from fleshy oranges to McDonald’s french fries. In each post, Pouliot’s sense of humor shines through
Read moreInspiring New Italian Cookbooks
From Mimi Thorisson’s Old World Italian
Yes, I bet we all have our favorite classic Italian cookbooks, from The Silver Spoon to Marcella Hazan’s The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. However, in the past couple of years, there has been a flurry of new Italian cookbooks that deserve our attention too.
Read more