At a recent Assisi textile exhibit, a poster declares, embroidery can link peoples, “sharing a common thread.” The fascinating textile exhibit in the 14th- century medieval palazzo of Assisì, “citta’ della pace,” unites Palestine and Assisi. Entitled “Unite da un filo d’amore” (“United by a thread of love”), the textile exhibit unites works of the…
Naturalmente, black truffle (tartufo nero – and thus that “nero norcia“) stars every year (62nd edition this year!) at the Nero Norcia festival: Pino and I took in the festival on a late Sunday in February, enjoying the spectacular views of the Sibilline mountains as we neared this medieval gem: In Norcia, we wandered the…
A young pair from Bologna in vintage dress, with vintage instruments livened up this year’s Umbria Jazz Winter Festival in Orvieto with 1940’s and 1950’s rock n’ roll and country music. Their tangible joy and captivating stage presence won over the audience – as always when this Lovesick Duo performs. Their concert certainly was total…
Every winter, Pino and I head to Orvieto for Umbria Jazz Winter: Dec 30th 2025 to January 3rd, 2026 this year. We had tickets for a jazz concert for the afternoon of January 3rd and were hoping to have lunch prior at our favorite Orvieto eating spot, Trattoria del Moro Aronne. I had called the…
For some years now, Assisi has celebrated Christmas with illuminations on the facades of Assisi’s medieval churches and civic buildings. A favorite this year is the Rene Magritte image on the facade of the 12th-c. Cathedral of San Rufino where the patron saint of Assisi, Rufino – first bishop and 3rd-c. martyr – is buried:…
“San Martino, San Martino, castagne e vino.” Oh, yes: chestnuts and wine for the November 11th Feast of St. Martin.-But not just any chestnuts and wine. We have roasted chestnuts with new red wine. And for San Martino, we always join our rural friend, Peppa, for chestnuts roasted on her wood-burning stove paired with this year’s…
It’s always a joy to tour with Becky and Marcello and the small groups they bring to Italy. On a recent trip with a most pleasant group, we headed to Deruta for a guided tour by Michele of the creation of those magical maiolica artistic pieces of his family’s business. A few of these photos might…
In Assisi on November 4th, civic authorities, a band, military representatives and jubilant school children all gathered to celebrate the Giornata dell’Unità Nazionale e delle Forze Armate (“Day of National Unity and the Armed Forces”), commemorating the end of Worl War I in 1918. An early-morning procession left from the Piazza di Santa Chiara, heading to…
Just about every two years since 1961, thousands have joined in an October march for peace from Perugia to Assisi (about 24 km), promoted by Aldo Capitini, philosopher who had named the march “Marcia della pace e della fratellanza tra i popoli” (“March of peace and brotherhood among peoples”). The peace march organizers cite the…
Almost every saints’ feast day in Italy is followed the day after with a huge outdoor market, la fiera. The Feast of St.Francis in Assisi is on October 4th and our fiera is on the 5th. Much of Assisi becomes an outdoor market from early morning to early evening on the 5th. Booths of toys, clothes, dishes,…