NOVEMBER 2015

HIGHLY-REGARDED PASTICCERIA

11012015 Amalfi -  Pasticceria Pansa: sorry, maybe i’ve already mentioned too many “must eat” and “must try” but now i’m serious once here, don’t miss Pasticceria Pansa; their “sfogliatella” is one of the most delicious pastry you’ll ever try and their Gelato…i’ve no words, it makes me cry! Amalfi Coast Holidays: 72 hours of luscious and luxury! | FollowMU 

11022015 This view, unbelievable when I first laid eyes on it, was painted from the balcony of the San Martino musuem and looks down to the Vomero neighborhood in Naples.When I arrived at the museum with the editor of the book and another writer, we were refused entrance with a plein air easel in tow. Good thing that Neapolitans are kind and understanding. It took about 5 min of talking with the director to get permission to go in and paint anywhere I wanted in the gardens behind the museum. Painting Views in Naples | Kelly Medford, Artist 

11032015 Cuoppo Napoletano, Origin: Naples - Yet another (truly) shining example of deep-fried deliciousness, this paper cone filled with fried seafood makes us want to hit the coast right this second. Who needs home, anyway? Just start forwarding our mail to Naples, please. 17 Classic Italian Street Foods That Everyone Should Try Once | The Huffington Post

11042015 There is a wonderful tradition in Napoli called “suspended coffee” (“caffè sospeso”). Lately, the international press has been talking a lot about it. Amid social crisis and growing poverty in the Western world it is becoming somewhat fashionable to pay your own bill at a bar and leave enough money for another cup of coffee, for someone else. However, Neapolitans have been quietly living with this custom for over 200 years. It has never been a fashion trend for them, or a way to attract attention to some social issues.Share Your Joy: Suspended Coffee in Naples | Green Holiday Italy

11052015 The stunningly beautiful Amalfi Coast stands out for its spectacular coastlines, rugged cliffs, cascades of brightly coloured houses, lemon groves and olive trees on terraced hillsides, all tumbling down to an aquamarine sea. The main town in the area is Amalfi, which makes a good starting point for an exploration of this exquisite coastline. Amalfi Coast and south | Scott Dunn Travel

11062015 We finished with a Café Macchiato, some squares of chocolate and lemon cake, and a glass of extremely chilled Limoncello from Ravello. The London Foodie Goes to Italy – Amalfi Coast (Ravello) | The London Foodie

11072015 I spent two days in Naples on my way to the IV° Naples Urban Sketching Workshop (which actually took place in Ischia). Naples was incredibly busy, and it felt quite different from the Italy i knew; i had never been this far south. The narrow streets of Quartieri Spagnoli (supposedly not the best neighbourhood) were much calmer than the city center and were great to sketch. Two days in Napoli | Urban Sketchers 

11082015 Mamma and I were pretty hopping excited by the time we reached Positano. I had some business up near Salerno, so we ventured into Cetara for an amazing ‘straight from the sea’  lunch  at Acqua Pazza, on their delicately designed fish plates  &  we also had to stop and buy some ceramic fish for my courtyard wall back home. Oh Dear! Did you think I had abandoned you? Not a chance! | My Amalfi Coast

11092015 Indigo blue hues deepen as the sun sets on the Amalfi Coast. Salty sea air tousles my blonde locks as I quietly sip on limoncello. Clanging wine glasses and the gentle hum of a distant Vespa become a symphony of sorts. The scent of lemon fills the air. Silky strands of handmade pasta against bursting tomato flesh and fresh basil gives me a certain pleasure. Suddenly, the whistle of my teakettle brings me back to reality. I get up from the couch to make another cup of coffee, all the while dreaming of the wonderful cookbook Wild Rosemary & Lemon Cake by Katie & Giancarlo Caldesi. Fresh Pasta | for the love of the south

11102015 Recipes such as paccheri alla Genovese (pasta tubes with sweet onion and beef sauce), polpettine di carne al sugo di pomodore (meatballs in tomato sauce), pollo al limone (lemon chicken), zucchine scapece (fried courgettes with mint and vinegar), torta di ricotta & pere (pear and ricotta tart) and sorbetto o granita al limone (limoncello sorbet or granita) are the kind of food that fit my kind of cooking. Feather Light Smoked Cheese Gnocchi from The Amalfi Coast | Kavita Favelle

11112015 People fled to the beach at Positano, Amalfi, over the  weekend. Italy's Indian summer set to linger | The Local

11122015 As the winner of Smith’s sexiest bedroom award, Hotel Bellevue Syrene, housed in an ancient grotto, comes second in our list. The exposed stone walls, over-sized hydro-massage pool – on top of an en-suite tub, canopied king-size bed, and balcony with sea views make this hotel the 2015’s Sexiest Bedroom winner. Italy’s Top Hotels according to Mr & Mrs Smith | Slow Italy

11132015 You will be the guests of Antonella and Francesco and you will stay in an apartment in Torre Annunziata. Join this dynamic couple and learn Italian while immersing in Italian culture, in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius! Our city, Torre Annunziata, is located at the foot of the majestic Mount Vesuvius. It features volcanic sand beaches, from which you can admire in the distance the island of Capri, and which are bathed in the waters of the Gulf of Napoli. New Italian Language Homestay in Southern Italy, Almafi Coast near Pompeii | Studentessa matta

11142015 This fabulous rental villa is in one of the most beautiful and scenic areas on the Amalfi Coast, between the two historic towns of Amalfi and Ravello. The property (250 sq. m. of floor space + 1000 sq. m of outdoor area) has several levels, with terraces each with stunning views of the Amalfi coast and the sea. Some terraces are uncovered for sunbathing, while others are shaded by pergolas, trees or tents. The villa has a private swimming pool, located on the upper level, with plenty of space for relaxing and enjoying the breathtaking views to Amalfi Coast. Castiglione di Ravello | The Luxury Travel Book

11152015 Caroline & Conor, capitalizing on the inherit chicness that is the Italian wedding, turned the dial up a notch with a stunning black tie affair on the tree lined terrace at Ravello’s Villa Eva, offering 360 degree views. Italian wedding photographer Gianni di Natale was the perfect fit for Caroline & Conor, matching the beauty of the surroundings with his unique & artful eye. Gorgeous Tented Italian Wedding Along The Amalfi Coast At Villa Eva | StoryboardWedding 

11162015 The 15th of October. I remember it well. In Sannio (Benevento province) thousands were experiencing a tragedy greater than a little traffic on the highway or a few large puddles in the parking lot. They were experiencing mudslides, river banks overflowing, vineyards and livelihoods destroyed  if not seriously damaged. Among those affected was the large cooperative Cantina di Solapaca. Mud entered into their warehouse covering up to 80,000 bottles of their Falanghina del Sannio, Barbera, Greco, Aglianico, and Fiano wines. 80,000 bottles covered in mud. But the south has a special spirit. A spirit that with hard work and innovation, a situation as negative as this can bring a community together. The cooperative decided to put these bottles on sale as an effort to break even instead of suffering huge loses on the wines sold. The campaign is called SporcheMaBuone! - Dirty but good. SporcheMaBuone - The Southern Spirit Alive in Sannio (Bn) 

11172015 In Campania awakens II, we headed inland to the southern end of the Apennine Mountain range and the unique territory of Irpinia where temperatures get quite chilly. It’s not surprising given that vineyards sit up to 1900 feet above sea level. These elevations combined with temperatures that fluctuate greatly throughout the year can be quite trying. Wines of Campania | GT Food & Travel

11182015 Our next stop was a neighboring Summonte vineyard run by Ciro Picariello, a practitioner of natural winemaking. We opened Ciro Picariello, Fiano di Avellino DOP 2012 (14%), made with grapes from Summonte and Montefredane. The wine was bright with tangy acidity (think green apples) with distinct aromas and the flavor of orange blossoms, rosemary and toasted almonds. It also had a smoky minerality, like flint. My clients were perplexed at my mention of flint. As a curious kid, you may have once licked a smooth stone and gotten a sense of its taste. That's flinty — a stone-like mineral smell and taste. Campania awakens, II | The American | In Italia

11192015 The Luci D’Artista will cover the streets of Salerno with lights that go beyond the usual Christmas illuminations. The urban light installations are the work of contemporary artists and this year’s theme is "forest". The Campania city will be illuminated with fairy tale characters, enchanted gardens and mythical dragons. The unparalleled atmosphere might just put you in a festive mood... Ten things to do in Italy in November | The Local

11202015 Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Salerno was an indendent Lombard principality in the early Middle Ages. Salerno - The Cutest City in Campania, Italy | See.place - Places To See Before You Die

11212015 Bellevue Syrene, ‪Sorrento‬ - As the winner of Smith’s sexiest bedroom award, Hotel Bellevue Syrene, housed in an ancient grotto, comes second in our list. The exposed stone walls, over-sized hydro-massage pool – on top of an en-suite tub, canopied king-size bed, and balcony with sea views make this hotel the 2015’s Sexiest Bedroom winner. Italy’s Top Hotels according to Mr & Mrs Smith | Slow Italy

11222015 The Sorrentino cocktail was invented in 2013 in the Hotel Vittoria Excelsior for Guido Fiorentino. Created in the pool bar, it immediatly became the Number One cocktail around the pool. Everyone would end up enjoying one. the sorrentino cocktail | Colin Peter Field

11232015 Caserta, Campania - It's the home of the best mozzarella in Italy -- and therefore the world. This is the real one, made with buffalo -- not cow -- milk. It's denser, porcelain white, smooth and bittersweet. Milk oozes out when you bite it. Monks started the tradition in the 12th century and it's been handed down from generation to generation. Local stores sell all the different shapes -- braids, eggs, small and big balls. Italy for eaters: 9 destinations that'll destroy your waistline | CNN

11242015 In Naples welcoming guests is a given. Neapolitans are known for their ability to make everyone feel like part of the family, no matter where they might come from. This accoglienza, plus the amazing home-cooked food at Osteria La Mattonella, is what the Marangio family is famous for. Osteria La Mattonella in Naples | Casa Mia Italy Food & Wine

11252015 Antica Latteria, Naples - Cozy trattoria in the chic Chiaia quarter of Napoli, this trattoria serves up classic Neapolitan dishes in a funky, eclectic and welcoming dining room. The staff is friendly and the Pasta with Genovese sauce is my go-to dish here. The pasta con patate e provola, the eggplant parmigiano, polpette, and the fried antipasti are also very good. Traveling To Italy? List Of Places To Eat In Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice And More | BrowsingItaly

11262015 Just for fun, I stuck my travel guide for Naples & the Amalfi Coast inside the bag, but it’s unlikely I’ll carry the whole book with me. Rick Steves, crazy man that he is, rips the pages he needs right out of his guide books. I’m going to follow a suggestion made on my previous post and just photocopy the pages of the places I’ll b visiting and carry that particular day’s destination with me each day. Take a Peek Inside My Travelon Travel Purse | Between Naps on the Porch 

11272015 Il Negombo, ‪Ischia‬ - In 1947, Duke Luigi Silvestro Camerini of Padua, a botanist and intellectual, discovered the Bay of Montano which reminded him of a bay called Negombo in Sri Lanka. He then spent several years buying up the entire bay from its many owners in order to create his own Negombo and filled it with myriad plants from all over the world. In the sixties, however, with the advent of tourism on the island and business interests in the North, the duke spent more time away than at home, with the result that the garden reverted to a semi-wilderness. Business at the “water park” flourishes - Il Negombo now has 29 pools, 3 eateries, 2 shops, a hotel and a spa, and in the peak season hosts 2000 visitors a day. The Italian Branch of the MGS | Mediterranean Garden Society 

11282015 Piazzetta - This is the little square that you'll arrive in if you get the funicular up from Marina Grande. They say it's where all the film stars and other rich and famous people go to be seen. Normally that would put me right off but don't let that ruin it for you – it isn't like that at all. It's as beautiful a little piazza as any you'll find elsewhere in Italy and it it isn't outrageously expensive either so be sure to enjoy an aperitivo or a coffee in true Neopolitan style (ask for an espresso Napoletano), while listing to the church bells ringing and the languages of a hundred countries. Enchantment Awaits on The Island of Capri | Exquisite Coasts

11292015 Robert 'D' Naja (Massive Attack) & James Lavelle (UNKLE) give an insight into why they fell in love with Napoli and what it means to them. Massive Attack & UNKLE - Why I Love Napoli | Copa90

11302015 UNKLE mastermind James Lavelle will gather exclusive remixes he created for artists like Lana Del Rey, Queens of the Stone Age, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and his own UNKLE tracks on a two-disc compilation titled GU41 Naples - James Lavelle Presents UNKLE Sounds. New 'Global Underground' Mix | RollingStone