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Greg’s Italy A blog from www.gregsitaly.com
Mi Manca La Sicilia I miss Sicily
We understand that this year Italy and our favorite Sicily is out of the question. 2022 will be in our minds while we travel in a Camper Van where we can in the US. Waiting for time to pass
It started in 2001 when we made our third trip to Italy and Sicily. The goal in visiting Sicily was to discover relatives of Angela’s family.
This is where it all began. The park in Melilli,Sicily where Angela’s Family came from My wife knew that this was not a huge town and we might find some people at the park where we could get some information. We spoke only a few words of Italian at the time and now we are straining to get some information. One gentleman referred us to a man named Tommy. He had returned to his home town after retiring from a company in Connecticut ( that is where we are from). He referred us to the Girgenti family and arranged a meeting. We met and managed to communicate with help of Enza who spoke some English and Patrizia who also spoke some. We met Ludivico and his wife and we have kept in touch and visited for almost twenty years. This began our love affair with Sicily.
St. Sebastian Church in Middletown CT was built to have the same appearance as the one in Melilli. Many residents or Melilli moved to Middletown CT over the years.
So much more.Will continue with this post next time Ciao a tutti.
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THE FOOD OF ITALY IN NEW HAVEN CONNECTICUT
I had lived in Connecticut for fifty years before moving to Florida in 2013. During that period of time I loved the festivals , food and neighborhoods that denoted Italy and Italians.
Wooster Street is home to a large number of Italian restaurants in New Haven. My wife Angela and I returned this summer and took a day to explore the wonders of New Haven and it’s culinary attractions.
Books have been written about the Pizza in New Haven, Colin Caplan wrote Pizza in New Haven in 2018. I traced the history to the family operated pizza ristoranti in New Haven. Many are still in business today. Some with wood or coal burning ovens. Our favorite was Ernie’s on Whalley Avenue. The Wooster street area has many surviving restaurants and pastry shops. Many of the residents of New Haven came from Amalfi, Atrani, and Maori and brought their culinary skills with them.
Ernies Pizzeria , New Haven, our favorite.
Frank Pepe has been a staple of Wooster Street since the early 1900s. From their web site ” Portrait of Frank Pepe
Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana was founded in 1925 by Frank Pepe (b. April 15, 1893 d. September 6, 1969). Born in the town of Maiori, on the Amalfi coast, southwest of Naples, Frank Pepe was the quintessential Italian immigrant. Poor and illiterate, he immigrated to the United States in 1909 at age 16 with little more than his health and a strong work ethic. His first job was at a New Haven, CT factory until he returned to fight for his native Italy in World War 1 a few years late”
Angela and I have stayed in Maiori on the Amalfi Coast and many of the residents of the Amalfi areas immigrated New Haven. Pepe’s is famous for its white clam pizza. The restaurant does a big business and it is not unusual to see people waiting in line outside the restaurant
Sally’s is also on Wooster Street and have been in business since 1938. It is also a coal fired pizzeria Wooster street.
Consiglios, Pasta Eatitalina Trattoria Napoletana, Zeneli Pizzeria e Cucina, Abate Pizza and Seafood, are just some of the restaurants in the area.
Libbys Pastry Shop is the perfect spot for a Cappuccino, espresso, and a dolce.
A great assortment of treats
As we leave the Wooster Street area we head over to Liuzzi in North Haven for some Italian treats.
From their website
Hailing from the Southern Adriatic region of Italy, Pasquale Liuzzi came here in 1961 followed by his brother Nick in 1972. Together they founded Liuzzi Gourmet Food Market in 1981. Dreaming of building their own business and carrying on the proud, hardworking traditions of southern Italy, the Liuzzi family’s persistence and tenacity paid dividends.
This is one of the largest salumeria or delicatessen in the state of Connecticut. It make me feel like I am back in Italy.
Smoked Prosciutto
So many choices
I stop when the basket gets too heavy
They have large assortment of takeout.
Real Cheese Wheels, not plastic.
Great video of Pizza in New Haven
New Haven Apizza from Full Send on Vimeo.
InfoNewHaven.com
Credit for video,
Full Send Productions
http://fullsendproductions.com/fsp-demo-reel
A food market in Amalfi, Italy
ROME, FOOD, ITALY
A short video of Good Eats In Rome and Other Places Over The Years
Do not view on an empty stomach.
<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/456640117″>Good eats in Roma over the years</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/user32714423″>Greg Speck</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>
A rainy day ride to Limone Sul Garda, one of Lake Garda’s most beautiful towns
Ciao.
<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/458682399″>Limone Sul Garda</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/user32714423″>Greg Speck</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>
Limone Sul Garda from Greg Speck on Vimeo.
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Learning Italian
I have been trying to learn Italian for several years. Pimsleur, Italianpod101, CD’s, and Duolingo. They all have helped me improve. Duolingo is one of the best products I have used. The free version is an excellent introduction to learning any language. Premium is a better way to speed up learning, no adds, nor stops after making several mistakes.
This has worked well and I have used Duolingo for many years with both Spanish and Italian .
It has worked well, and I have used it daily for over two years. I realized on our trip last year to Cortina d’Ampezzo that speaking to Italians in their language was fun and made our trip so much more enjoyable. One night we had the owners of our Airbnb over for dinner. The conversation was 95% in Italian as Renato, and his wife spoke little English.
At this point, I had reached the limit of my conversational abilities. It was a good conversation, but I wanted to go farther. One year later, I have started to take Italian lessons. Online Italian courses seemed to be the way to go in the ane of Coronavirus.
I searched several websites and looked closely at two of them. Lingoci appeared to be the best for me.
From the photo, you can see there are several languages to choose from.
Once you choose a language to learn, you see a list of instructors from whom you can choose.
I chose a sample lesson with Lucrezia, who comes from Milano and now lives in Barcelona. She is fluent in several languages. I was a little nervous about the class, but she put me at ease quickly.
Here is a screenshot of my introductory lesson in Italian.
She is very accomplished with all levels of Italian, and I felt very relaxed learning with her. I purchased a package of 10 lessons for $22.90 US dollars (each). Each lesson lasts for 55 minutes. That is a bargain for a one on one learning experience.
Here is a link to the web site
I do not get any payment from Lingoci, and I do this because I enjoy languages and this had made my learning so much more enjoyable. I have scheduled my lessons for consecutive weeks and at the same time. I highly recommend Lingoci and will continue with my studies for the year.
Most lessons are on Skype which enables a student to get vocabulary and downloads of assignments and documents. This is very helpful.
Give it a try. One on one is the best way to learn an language, and Lincoci makes it easy and affordable.
https://lingoci.com/italian-lessons-skype#tutors
Thie above like will open up the Italian tutors section for Lingoci. Take a look.
San Pietro at night
Ischia an Island Off The Coast of Naples
I came across and article on Ischia today that appeared in Forbes Magazine a while back.
I remember it for its beauty and ease of transportation via the city busses. The food was excellent and thermal baths abound in this little volcanic island. Take the ferry from Napoli and enjoy your stay.
It is just s short ferry ride from Naples to Ischia. On the way uou pass the equally enchanting island of Procida.
The island of Pricida
A 2018 article in Forbes magazine said “Ischia may be one of Italy’s best kept secrets”. It is certainly a relaxing and interesting place to visit. It is affordable with excellent restaurants. It is more casual than Capri and much less hectic. Thermal hot [springs feed pools for a relaxing warm swim. Parts of the movie “The Talented Mister Ripley” were filmed here. Great seafood abounds on this 18 square mile island
On the ferry from Napoli to Ischia. We brought our car on the ferry, is was a reasonable price.
The Castello Aragones is a medieval castle next to Ischia (one of the Phlegraean Islands), at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples, Italy. The castle stands on a volcanic rocky islet that connects to the larger island of Ischia by a causeway (Ponte Aragonese).
Insalata Caprese for our lunch
Lava formations from past eruptions on this volcanic island.
Getting ready to jump.
Diving into the sea brings relief from the warm summer day.
Each day the pool is emptied and refilled from the thermal spring. The water is warm, and if filled with minerals.
We took a bus to get to Lo Scoglio, in Sant Angelo. It was s short ten minute drive to an amazing treat.
The entrance to Lo Scoglio
Frutti di Mare
My wife Angela was thrilled with all this fresh seafood.
A cruise ship passes by.
Outside dining makes for an enjoyable evening. .
Samt Angelo, Ischia. Check out the fumarole beaches with steam jets rise up through the sands. Food is cooked by burying it in the sand and letting the volcanic steam do its thing.
A salumaria or delicatessen has the real bufala mozzarella. This is best served at room temperature and best kept only on day. It is different from the fresh mozzarella which we find in American supermarkets.
More views
It is well worth the trip.Stay for a few days to enjoy the shops, dining, and the swimming. You can bring your car over on the ferry. Busses run to many of the attractions.
A year in Italy or more????
As we have been in quarantine and survived, we are dreaming of staying for a year, or more in Italy.
This is not he easiest of things. Especially right now as restrictions on travel for Americans exist. I do not blame Italy, the US has had its own problems and has excluded visitors from a number of countries. The hard part is getting permission to stay in Italy for more than 90 days. Permesso di soggiorno, permission to stay, or residency permit.
After a bit of research, it first appears to be a daunting task. If anyone reading this blogs has ideas, send me an email at greg@gregsitaly.com
Spacious apartment in Milan would be perfect for a long stay. Large living room kitchen combo. Bedroom with queen bed and nice shower. About 100 feet from tram stop and walk to many restaurantes
The bureaucracy of dealing with the Italian Consulate, can be very trying to ones sole. You must be financially secure and not a drain on the Italian economy. Banking records showing your last three months records are required. I am exploring several types of visas.
Our destinations would ideally be on the shore. Possibly Sicily with its many beach areas. This is going to be along project, and may never come to pass. It is possible to stay for 90 days without a visa, this is also an option. I will continue to write about this in future posts. Your comments are greatly appreciated.
Italy Photo Journey
Every place we visit, we find some beautiful sights.
CORTINA DI AMPEZZO 
Cortina d’Ampezzo 
VENEZIA 
MILANO, THE CANALS 
VENEZIA 
VICENZA 
VICENZA 
VICENZA 
CAMPO DEI FIORE, ROMA 
AMALFI 
ALBEROBELLO 
OSTUNI THE WHITE CITY 
OSTUNI 
NAPOLI 
AMALFI 
OUTSIDE OF VIESTE
These are a few of the over 15,000 photos from the last 20 plus years of traveling to Italy.
About a week ago, but some years ago. We celebrated our retirement and explored new areas of Italy.
It was July 5th, 2008. We arrived in Milano and started to explore. We learned about the trams, the buses, and getting lost. It was fun.
Our trip went everywhere, Verona, MIlano, east, west, north south. At one small town, Tessimo, the innkeeper spoke only German
Now it is 12 years later,and my and possibly your world has been changed by the Covid19 virus. American are not welcome in Italy. I understand this and the need to protect the citizens of Italy.
It has not stopped our planning for out next trip. Sicily is our next destination.
Angela and I have visited most of Italy. From the north and Cortina di Ampezzo to Calabria and Reggio. Sicily has heritage for my wife’s family. That will be our next return is it. It is also amazing. So much is on this island we will never discover it all
The duomo, Siracusa
It was a one hour walk to the top to Castelmola. When I got down to the bottom, una birra e una pizza. I was definitely wiped out, but the view was beautiful.
Castelmola
The walk was worth it. At the top a festa was I progress.
A happy wave from a woman in Palermo.
When things change we will be back in Sicily
Published with WordPress on an iPad as we are in Connecticut away from the virus hitting Florida so are. A little behind as usual in posting.
