NOVEMBER 2014

THE MUSTILLI WINERY

11012014 It is local grapes all the way with the Mustilli’s – Falanghina and Aglianico perhaps more well-known than the Fiano, the Piedirosso and the Grifo di Rocca. All these wines shine brighter with food; and even expert palates struggle to appreciate this when faced with nothing more than a bread stick. Actually we didn’t even have those. We were offered some local apples after, the Annurca variety that only reveals its delicate red hue once picked and stored and turned regularly, we were told. In Photos – A Tasting at Mustilli Winery | Spittoon

11022014  Annurca apple is a Campanian cultivar native of Sant'Agata dei Goti (in the province of Benevento), medium-small in size and with a roundish, squashed shape. Its skin is smooth, thick and waxy, yellow-greenish in colour and bluse in red when exposed to sunlight. Its pulp is white and crunchy, its taste sweet and aromatic. This is a very ancient variety, developping in a typical mediterranean climate. It does not ripen on the tree: apples are harvested when still immature and green-yellowish in colour, and are then laid on straw beds where they reach maturation and their peculiar reddish hue. This cultivar gives its best when cultivated in extremely favourable pedoclimatic conditions, such as those of the area surrounding Sant'Agata dei Goti. Sant’Agata dei Goti Annurca Apple | Slow Food International
11032014 While most apples mature happily even in the dark, the annurca apple requires space, light and an added human touch. For this reason they are more expensive than other varieties. However the annurcha apples will keep through the entire winter. They are perfect for baking, jams and many extraordinary liqeurs. . . not bad for the ugly duckling of the apple world. From October to December Annurca apples are celebrated in local festivals at Benevento, Maddaloni and S. Agata dei Goti. Annurca Apples: Sweet Gift from the Earth | Savour the Sannio
11042014 Touring Club Italiano (Italy's major national tourist organization) nominated it one of the best small towns in Italy because “Historians assert that this picturesque town, hidden among the moss terrace between the two tributaries of the river Isclero and not far from Mount Taburno, rose up on the site of the Samnite city of Saticula in 313 B.C. Sant'Agata de' Goti and Bill de Blasio | i-ITALY 
11052014 Procida was magical... beautiful.... and we did also eat rather well! We did the usual trusty googling / TripAdvisor (though we mostly use TripAdvisor to check out the really negative reviews and laugh at them!) and came across La Lampara on Marina Corricella. It looked pretty good, and apparently the views were lovely so we wandered down. And yes, the views are amazing. And the food ain't bad either. Procida, La Lampara Restaurant in Marina Corricella | Living in Sin 
11062014 On a recent visit to Naples – the home of Pulcinella, whose like is every where, I came across the following recipe for Castagnaccio. Castagna (Chesnut) | pulcinellapasta
11072014 In Naples, it is usually part of a traditional Christmas (or Easter) lunch. As my family doesn’t do “traditional Christmas lunches”, I was tempted to order it when I saw it among the starters at Taverna Estia – minestra maritata “a modo mio” (my way), the menu said. As the chef, Francesco Sposito, is one of the rising stars of Italian cuisine, I was curious as to what “his way” was. When it arrived, it didn’t look like a soup: everything was arranged in a sort of millefeuille with layers of meats and vegetables. Taverna Estia, Brusciano (Napoli): tradition, invention. | More than you can lift 
11082014 Just near the National Archeological Museum, over in Naples' historic centre, you'll find an equally cherished relic of the past: Lombardi, a pizzeria that's been run by that eponymous family since 1905. Brothers Nando and Gigi man the oven these days, and it's these guys who are known for their smoked provola pizza. Again, it's sensational. Where to find the best pizza in Naples | Traveller
11092014 Be warned – we’ve never met a single person who went to the Amalfi Coast and didn’t want to stay there and never come back. The place is… just amazing. Everywhere you turn, you’ll want to take a picture. Love is in the air. The food – we have no words. Can you get married there? Oh yes! But before you do, you’ll wonder whether to get married in Ravello, or maybe Positano, Sorrento or Capri? Top 12 Alternative Destinations for Weddings Abroad | WeddingsOnline.ie
11102014 The road to the town twists and turns with ever widening glimpses of an impossibly blue sea. Our campsite was a little out of the town, like everything in Sorrento it was built on terraces down the cliff, affording sweeping views of Sorrento and the Bay of Naples. The city of Naples glittering in the background like a bridesmaid hiding behind the bride’s dress. Over the wine dark sea | The View From the Table
11112014 Each town had numerous cafes to explore, yummy gelato stands, and of course samplings of all of the freshest seafood. My suggestion is to get a driver and take a day or two to explore each town and be spontaneous. Whether you want to spend the day on the beach or out on the water exploring the grottos, the Amalfi Coastline is an adventure waiting to happen! A Drive Along The Amalfi Coast | Bon Traveler 
11122014  Everyone has heard of the Amalfi Coast – Italy’s mountainous World Heritage littoral which grandstands its way south of the Sorrento Peninsula. The great finger of the peninsula is dramatic enough, terminating, as it does, the massive, blue, Vesuvius-dominated, sweep south of the Bay of Naples. But around the corner – around the massive limestone crags where the Sirens used to lure their sailor prey – you come to the vertiginous littoral that has been attracting mankind for millennia. Life on the Vertical in the Sorrento Peninsula | Ramblers Worldwide Holidays
11132014 All of Hotel Santa Caterina's rooms are spacious and filled with light, with floors in antique hand-painted majolica, marble bathrooms with brass fixtures, and balconies with views over the sea of Amalfi or the garden. Two glassed-in elevators descend to a private beach. What’s Your Dream Coastal Hotel? | Coastal Living
11142014 It was how we found the B & B Punta Civita, a slice of Shangri-La halfway up the hill from Amalfi to Ravello. Our pristine room included a large patio that was, for lack of a better word, phantasmagorical. We seemed to be hovering over the Mediterranean 500 feet below, our view framed by blooming bougainvillea, so resplendent that it would have seemed artificial if not for the hummingbird-like moths that fed on the flowers. New approach to Capri and the Amalfi Coast | Star Tribune
11152014 With a heavenly location overlooking the enchanting Faraglioni rocks and azure seas, Punta Tragara Capri encompasses the very essence of the timeless beauty of Capri. Originally conceived by legendary architect, Le Corbusier, and situated in the heart of the island, just a short walk from the Piazzetta, this 44 room and suite property offers panoramic views, a charming spa and two restaurants offering mouthwatering Mediterranean delicacies. The luxurious hotel Punta Tragara, Capri, Italy | Adelto
11162014 In the center of Capri's eponymous main town, she bypassed the Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana outposts, as well as some overrated local operations. She paused in the main piazza above the port for an aperitivo under the blue striped awning at Bar Tiberio. Soon, she was darting into narrow streets where few tourists (or anyone, really) ventured. Her favorite shops are run by locals, though they may not necessarily seem like finds at the door. "They all speak to me in some way - but not from the outside," Ms. Thun said. "You need to go in to discover." The Insider's Guide to Shopping in Capri | The Wall Street Journal
11172014 On the Italian island of Capri, the most beautiful view is found on one of the world's most beautiful footpaths.The zigzagging Via Krupp, which was carved into the island's south coast in 1902, reopened recently after being closed for 30 years and restored. 11 Spectacular Cliff Paths | The World Geography
11182014 As it turned out, Marie Curie, famous for her work with radioactivity, came to Ischia in the early 1900s to do a study of its thermal waters. Ischia is a volcanic island, home to many thermal pools and hot springs. Ischia, depending on the eras of history, attracted the nobility of its days, wallowed in decline, returned to popularity, only to eclipse one more time. In the modern era, it was the construction of the Regina Isabella that brought on the island’s most ballyhooed days of fame and fortune, when the jet-setters of the world came to play. Back in the early 1900s, there was a natural spring and “spa,” where the hotel is now, and it was here where Marie Curie did her work. So, there was always a structure on this piece of coast line in the town of Lacco Ameno. The Constant Traveler: Ischia island of Italy | East Valley Tribune
11192014 I met another inspirational businessman, Mauro Squillace, at his “factory” on the third floor of a dilapidated apartment building, where old ladies who have worked for his family for 60 years sit and stitch the 25 individual components that make up a proper glove. He makes gloves for all the couture houses and works out colours and trends for every season a year in advance. I did not resist temptation! Alex Polizzi's homage to secret Italy - Naples and Ravello | The Telegraph
11202014 Check out Naples’s aquarium (the oldest in Europe, with 200 different species of fish and marine plants) and the Museo Nazionale Ferroviario (National Railway Museum), which enthralls children with its old engines, cars, and railway equipment. 100 Places That Can Change Your Child's Life | National Geographic Travel
11212014 Visit one of the most popular squares in Naples – Piazza San Domenico Maggiore. The polygonal apse, stairs of the church, the sixteenth-century Palazzo Corigliano and palace Sangro Casacalenda Petrucci are the main attractions here. San Domenico Maggiore church was constructed at the end of the 14th century. It has baroque and gothic decorations with various splendid frescos of Caravaggio and other artists. Except amazing architecture you can come across many shops and exquisite restaurants. 7 Naples And Sorrento Destinations For A Memorable Car Trip! | Your Amazing Places
11222014 Recently I have started being more open with tailors I visit allowing them to select a cloth and style that they think will work for me. I went purely to get a Neapolitan style suit in navy, the colour which seems to best represent the city of Naples due to it’s maritime history. I was happy to let Gennaro recommend the best cloth and styling which he thought would work well for me. Allowing a tailor to select the fabric also ensures they are happy with the cloth and how it actually tailors. A Trip to Sartoria Solito and Caccioppoli, Naples. | Milan Style 
11232014 I explained that I wanted a patch pocket because I loved the shape of the Neapolitan patches. They have so much more subtle style and swerve, such insouciant bounce, compared to their rather practical, square and hunting-related cousins in the UK. The patch outbreast pocket is the perfect distillation of that style. Reduced in size and slapped on the top of the jacket like a badge, it shows off all the best of Neapolitan style in miniature detail. It is small – you can barely get a handkerchief in it, certainly not a full-sized linen one. And it is cute. Elia Caliendo: final jacket | The Rake magazine
11242014 For a taste of this quintessentially Neapolitan lifestyle, head just northwest of the port, to the city's Spanish Quarter. Here, the streets -- laid out in the 16th century for the Spanish military barracks outside the city walls -- are unbelievably narrow (and cool in summer), and the buildings rise five stories high. Wave to someone on a balcony lining the walls of the urban canyon high above. Naples: Italy in your face | Chicago Tribune
11252014 Charming homes with balconies and flowerpots. Lots to see in this city, comfortable bars to sit and drink an aperitivo before dinner, and lots of ceramics. Elvio Sagnella will be happy to show you around his workshop and bottegas. Some of the best ceramics in the area! Cerreto Sannita | travelcampania.com
11262014 Once favoured by the kings of Italy and Spain as a hunting lodge where they took pot-shots at wild boar and quail, it's also the home and ancestral seat of the Prince of Belmonte. He is an affable gentleman who welcomes guests with all the effortless style you'd expect from an Italian aristo. He has quite a bloodline, with three popes, three saints and one King of Sicily in the family tree. The exquisite palazzo does his pedigree justice. Sweeping gravel drive, grand stone arched entrance and there you are in the courtyard of the original palace, now part of the hotel, where swags of jasmine, honeysuckle and roses scent the air. Move over Amalfi: Why the Cilento Coast is Italy's true beauty - not to mention quieter and cheaper than Positano and Sorrento | DailyMail 
11272014 The rugged Amalfi Coast creates many natural, beautiful – and above all, well protected harbours; these secluded bays of shining azure waters that are just waiting for you to drop anchor. The mild and warm year round climate and consistently pleasant sailing conditions means that chartering here is almost always suitable, providing you with a stress free and relaxing experience. This stretch of coast is steeped in the tradition of sailing, and these magnificent waters are sprinkled with charming traditional fishing ports that provided sheltered havens for luxury yacht charters. The Freedom of the Amalfi Coast | Luxury Travel Guide
11282014 As we wandered back to town, we passed a greengrocer that sold lemons the size of my E cups. The old Italian papa was on the steps sweeping out the front of the shop and was whistling away to himself. I thought I recognised the tune, and realised it was Ravel's Boléro. You should go to Positano before you die - you can't get it wrong. Italians do it better! | Tatler
11292014 Crystal-clear waters, scenic vistas, and -- most importantly -- incredible cuisine: We think the Amalfi Coast is just about the perfect travel destination. Win a Culinary Trip of a Lifetime to the Amalfi Coast | Fathom
11302014 There is undoubtedly an air of magnificence about the procession of Sant' Andrea, and it moves me to think of it happening here in this very spot surrounded by the people of Amalfi for so many centuries now. The sunlight catches on the 18th-century silver and gold statue, and you can feel the significance of this event for the people of Amalfi. Festival of Sant' Andrea in Amalfi | Ciao Amalfi