JANUARY 2014

SEDUCED BY NAPLES

01012014 Its spell can be powerful. More than elegant, restrained Florence or show-offy Rome, with its perfect, ruined beauty, and even more than otherworldly Venice, I would argue it is earthy, squalid, slightly menacing Naples that is one of the most romantic cities in the world. Seduced by Naples | nytimes.com

01022014 Naples is an explosion of life, art, and surprises around every corner. You can see it in the fantastic religious creations, from the treasure of San Gennaro to the monuments opened by Volunteers of Touring Club Italiano; the superb craftsmanship, which is the feather in the cap of all of Italy and the fruit of ancient tradition and experience; the incredible underground labyrinth of alleyways and tunnels, a veritable underground city. Naples beyond stereotype | Italy in US

01032014 Was the process of working with Sorrentino different this time? It was more difficult because it’s a more ambitious film. It’s a very complex fresco of a long journey through different worlds filmed against the backdrop of this eternal city. We see all these mundane and social rituals concerning the arts and other fields of activity. What helped us is that we know each other very well. We also know that typical Neapolitan character, that figure of a dandy, which is Jep Gambardella. That’s a character which has often been portrayed in novels, so we are very familiar with that kind of man. Given that you both come from Naples, are Neapolitans so different from Romans? Yes. I think also from a literary point of view the Roman character seems to be more concrete, whereas Neapolitan people tend to be more elusive. We can say Romans are more materialistic, while the Neapolitans are more metaphorical in their way of being. The Great Beauty: Toni Servillo interview l Sbs

01042014 The most important part of the jacket is it’s soul. Now, you may wonder how it is possible for a jacket to have a soul, but Neapolitans of style don’t consider their jackets to be made of just of a piece of cloth. Instead, it is the materialization of the tailor’s artisanal handwork that creates this one of a kind coat, created by an individual, on an individual, for an individual, and it is this combination that creates the sole of a suit or a jacket. Authentic Neapolitan Suits, Jackets & Style | Gentleman's Gazette

01052014 The Grand is a super modern 4 star hotel with its own helipad! Another nice place to stay is the even more opulent 5 star Lloyd Baia Hotel but it can be a bit of a walk to town due to its cliff-top position. Salerno | The Gannet

01062014 If you want to get off the beaten track, hire a car and drive a few hours south of Amalfi to the beautiful little harbour town of Santa Maria di Castellabate. You’ll get the beach Amalfi lacks and, even better, there are hardly any Brits around! Stay at the Prince of Belmonte’s private residence, Palazzo Belmonte, which has villa rooms, a pool, restaurant and its own stretch of private beach. Go the distance | MyDailyUK

01073014 The archaeological area of Villa Regina is an interesting example of a country villa and presents a complete picture of winegrowing in antiquity, including a wine cella and a torcularium. The ancient vineyard has been replanted in the immediate vicinity of the villa. The National Antiquarium of Boscoreale | CoopCulture

01082014 According to the first historical founts dated back to 1077, “Riccardo baron of Bisaccia” was the owner of the feud in which the caste was included. Currently the castle holds the Archeological Civic Museum of Bisaccia. In the Museum there’s a route in which is conserved each recent found during the excavation workings on the hill of the Old Cemetery. There are various objects collected from funeral stores belonging to 30 graves dated back to the first and second iron age (end IX-VII century B.C). Ducal castle of Bisaccia | Avellino Travel 

01092014 The landscape in Irpinia that accompanied Francesco De Sanctis throughout his infancy and childhood was one that was centred on family and village life and that left its vivid impression in his memory: “(...) There is almost no home that does not have its beautiful view, and there is almost no inhabitant of Morra, that cannot say: “I own wide-open spaces of land with my gaze.” In Irpinia with De Sanctis | I Parchi Letterari

01102014 Wednesday we took a guided tour to two villas just outside the city where we are staying. Our guide, Paolo gave an awesome lecture and tour! We learned a lot about the daily lives of the wealthy class of Romans. Stabia villas | UW-Abroad

01112014 When, for instance, did social networking begin? With Facebook in 2004? How about Pompeii, 79? (No, not 1979 — just 79.) I know. Hacky. But there is some truth to the notion that the walls of the houses and apartment insulae in the Italian city of Pompeii (and the other cities lying at the hinge between the Roman Republic and the Empire) created the original form of social networking—right down to the practice of bandwidth throttling. Did Pompeii Create the First Social Network? | Mashable

01122014 Although buses are available, the best way to explore the island is by hiring a “micro taxi”, three wheeler vehicles similar to an Indian auto rickshaw. An experienced local driver will take you from Marina Grande where the ferry docks, to all the main attractions on the island such as Terra Murata, a fortified settlement that includes a castle a prison and a number of churches; Corricella a picturesque village, and a number of view points to see the island and its neighbour: the islet of Vivara a natural Reserve connected to Procida by a bridge. Jewels of the Gulf of Naples: Capri, Ischia and Procida | travelling-dave.com/

01132014 When, for instance, did social networking begin? With Facebook in 2004? How about Pompeii, 79? (No, not 1979 — just 79.) I know. Hacky. But there is some truth to the notion that the walls of the houses and apartment insulae in the Italian city of Pompeii (and the other cities lying at the hinge between the Roman Republic and the Empire) created the original form of social networking—right down to the practice of bandwidth throttling. Did Pompeii Create the First Social Network? | Mashable

01142014 The friendliest people, beautiful artworks able to paralyze you, Pizza Margherita (the one and only), antique treasures and mosaics, a Roman town preserved by a volcano eruption, sun and sea. There is so much to say about you! To Naples with love | Azzurro Diary

01152014 The final stretch of Andrew Graham-Dixon and Giorgio Locatelli's journey takes them all the way down to the toe of Italy and the southern regions of Campania and Calabria. First stop Naples, a city unlike anywhere else in the country or the world, attracting visitors for centuries with its vibrant street life and Baroque masterpieces. In the Heat of the Day | BBC

01162014 Where in London can you buy toppings for your bruschetta individually hand-made by an Italian grandmother? Or large, lush bunches of San Marzano tomatoes, widely considered to be the best for making pasta sauce? Best New Food Shops: Italian Farmers, Stroud Green | Londonist

01172014 We were lucky enough to taste the local ice cold spring water that is a key ingredient in the pasta production. After the tour we moved into their special showroom where we enjoyed a steaming earthenware vessel of caccavella with bolognese sauce prepared by chef Annamaria Moccia or “Zia Poppo" a member of the family in the tasting room surrounded by old tools and prints. Pasta Factory Tour in The Heart of Italy | More Than Burnt Toast

01182014 Mozzarella di Bufala or Smoked Mozarella di Bufala? That is the Question… Dining Caprese Style at J.K. Place Capri | My Life's a Trip

01192014 The name of this cheese refers to the custom of dressing canvass coats by the monks of the area. The provolone del Monaco is a spun cheese made from cow’s milk, in which at least 20% of the milk is of an Agerolese breed (a beef variety typically from Agerola) and kid curd. The cheese is a cream colour, compact and has a dairy aroma. The taste is sweet when young, which becomes very sharp with aging. Provolone del monaco | Sorrento Dreaming

01202014 The cooking lessons will take place in Sorrento in an amazing setting in private grounds with beautifully manicured gardens, orange and lemon trees, swimming pool, typical “Pergolato” and ceramic decorations. The cooking classes last 3 hours, during which you will take a break to visit the wine cellar and taste different kind of excellent homemade wine and local cheese. Villa Ida | Cooking in Italy

01212014 Falanghina is a deliciously light, fresh and fruity white wine which is wonderful with cheesy Italian dishes. When I returned home to England with samples of different wines, I tried Falanghina with Indian food and was pleasantly surprised to find how our flavours married so happily with this famous Italian wine! It is now a firm favourite of mine with Indian food. A Journey Through Archaelogy, Food and Wine of Italy | Glow Magazine

01222014 Indigenous white varieties include Greco di Tufo, Falanghina and Coda di Volpe, I never tasted this last one. For reds, Piedirosso and Sirica are not well known like Aglianico and Primitivo. Feudi di San Gregorio, Taste Campania at Eataly Vino | Serge the Concierge 

01232014 Reluctantly leaving the city and the best street food in Europe, I come away with a new motto: see Naples and diet. A weekend in... Naples, Italy | The Times

01242014 Full moon's Reflection on the gulf of Naples. Here you can look Miseno cap, in the middle the little island of Procida and far, Ischia island. This picture has made from Vomero, one of the hills of Naples using a zoom, no tripod. Full moon on the gulf | TrekEarth

01252014 Campanians, it turns out, are deeply opinionated about their lemons, with every island proclaiming theirs the finest. Procidans pronounce theirs the mildest. In Amalfi, they say none can surpass their lemon’s sweet aroma. And while nobody on Capri browbeat me about the supremacy of their citrus, I’m here to tell you that until you’ve had a dollop of Delizia d’Amore you haven’t truly tasted a lemon. For Love of the Lemon | Islands

01262014 Unsettled life in Europe failed to change the slow pace of life on the Isle of Capri, off Naples, Italy. Some of the socialites who have come there to relax enjoy an aquatic luncheon serviced in the cool Mediterranean, Sept. 1, 1939. Swimming waiters push out the floating tables bearing meals which include wine and spaghetti. La Vecchia Napoli, Capri,... l napolinostalgia

01272014 Luckily, in Capri, the hand-made shoe tradition continues with the “Capri” sandal thanks to local shoe makers and artisans who have adapted Tiberius’ ancient sandal to today’s world. In Capri, I saw them on the feet of nearly every woman of every age. These simple and elegant sandals have leather soles with minimal straps which come in hundreds of different designs and colours. The Capri Sandal | f-Stop and See 

01282014 The Imperial Hotel Tramontano, overlooking the most beautiful part of the Gulf of Naples, nourished the romantic culture of the picturesque, sublime and landscapes of 19th century travelers visiting Sorrento. The vast, elegant halls and lounges, sparkling with reflections from the sea, are decorated with frescoes, majolica, soft oriental carpets, period statues, old masters and priceless Sorrentine inlaid furniture. The richness of detail in the suites and rooms, with views over the Gulf or over the Mediterranean park filled with rare centuries-old plants, makes each one unique. Imperial Hotel Tramontano (Sorrento) | Small & Elegant Hotels International

01292014 "The west wing of this hotelry is the historical birthplace of the celebrated Italian poet Torquato Tasso author of "Jerusalem delivered" and "Aminta" March 11th 1544. Through its long history as a private mansion and as a hotel, the Tramontano has sheltered many great people of the literary world. Ghosts of Enrico Ibsen | Enjoy - Food & Travel

01302014 The "breathtaking views of the blue water" are enjoyed through huge windows and from terraces topped by straw canopies. Take the elevator to the private beach or enjoy a complimentary ride around the bay on the hotel’s boat. "The Mediterranean fare is superb and addictive" at Il San Pietro, and Carlino offers lunch at the beach. "Best in show in southern Italy." The Only Hotels You Should Be Staying At in Italy | Conde Nast Traveler

01312014 Mosey down the terraced garden (lemon and jasmine in the air) to the infinity pool that has endless views. There’s lots of quiet corners to sit, but it’s the indulgent spa that’s the star, with thermal bathing and aromatic steam therapies (so Italian!). Food hits the right note too, an inventive and modern take on local Campania cuisine. Monastero Santa Rosa, Amalfi, Italy | International Traveller