Traditional vs Fast Food: Villa Belsito, Ascoli Piceno, in New York

There's an interesting article on Metro magazine which deals about Slow Food movement and the application of its concept to a restaurant in New York.

What makes me proud is that Villa Belsito, in Valtesino di Ripatransone, near Ascoli Piceno, is involved in the project.

Moreover, Villa Belsito seems to be a great place to spend your holidays (Ripatransone and Ascoli Piceno province definitely is!), even rates are certainly competitive.

Therefore, if you happen to go there, please advice me, and I'll post your opinion. Or simply advice me before going, to spend some days around Ascoli Piceno and Le Marche in general.

Anyway, it will be an unforgetable experience.

Johan Padan and the discover of America, by Dario Fo

Sunday, rainy day, no plans but staying relaxed at home, I watched Johan Padan and the discovering of America.

It's no doubt a great cartoon, taken after the original comedy written by Dario Fo, Noble Literature Prize, at the beginning of the 90ies. It deals with a humile peasant from Bergamo, Lombardy, Northern Italy, who happens to arrive in America and find his way with the natives, helping them to kick the Spanish away and learning the real value of Liberty by the natives themselves.

The satyrical way through which Dario Fo describes all the events, the moments and even some small phrases put every now and then, make this cartoon equally enjoyable by adults and children, both finding a good reason to laugh and think, like always in the best Italian filming tradition.

The adventure of a Scotsman in Ancona

Just found surfing around, it's always interesting to hear some foreigner's point of view about our region (even in a broader sense, like Central Italy in this case).

Maybe more interesting for me than for you. Who knows?

Giacomo Leopardi, the Infinite in Le Marche

Surfing on the web, I finally found one of the best translations of the Infinite by Giacomo Leopardi. He was a poet and a philosopher from Recanati, near Loreto, between Ancona and Macerata.

Leopardi is so important for the Italian culture that he is considered one of the most important writers and philosophers of the contemporary age.

When in Recanati, a visit to his house, still preserved by his heirs, must be definitely done, to comprehend more in-depth the Italian culture.

The three faces of Bologna: Red (la Rossa), Fat (La Grassa), Educated (la Dotta)

Bologna is undoubtedly the strategical node of Italy. Everywhere you go, from North to South and vice-versa, you have to pass through Bologna.

Here are some examples:

• South of Bologna: Florence, Tuscany, Rome, Naples, Sicily, beautiful sea & islands.

• North of Bologna: Milan, Venice, Turin, Parma, Genova, Cinque Terre, Verona, Padua, Mantua, Ravenna, Alps.

With rare exceptions, from South of Bologna to North of it, you stop in Bologna.

Over the centuries, this meant that Bologna was a crossroads of different populations, different cultures, customs and traditions, dialects and languages. This is reflected in the richness of the cuisine, in the creation of the University, in the field of art, architecture and sculpture.

Therefore, Bologna is a mix of all these features, so that it is called the town with different and complementary faces: the Red (Rossa), from the colours of the buildings and from the prevalence of the Communist Party; the Fat (Grassa) because of the rich and abundant cuisine, linked with a high level of life quality; and the Educated (Dotta), because of the University, the oldest in Europe, which dates back to 1089 AD.

There should be written many many words to describe this aspect of the town. However, surfing on the web, I found somebody who did it much better than I: Jessica's posts are definitely worth a reading. There are 3 posts about Bologna: La Grassa, La Dotta and La Rossa.

Enjoy!

Flying into Bologna: Myair.com from France, Spain and Eastern Europe

Today, the low-cost airline Myair will fly from Bologna to Madrid, four times a week.

These flights follow other routes to Barcelona (Spain), Paris and Bordeaux (France), Sofia (Bulgaria), and Catania in Sicily.

Therefore, it's easier and easier to come to Bologna. From Bologna, Le Marche are only 2 hours by train.

Why don't you hop a plane and visit Bologna and Le Marche with me? I'll pick you up at the airport, and take you back to Bologna.

Next tour will be: "From Bologna to Bologna: Tortellini, Salami, Fish and back again".

Is it interesting?

Love Marche and news about Le Marche

If one loves Le Marche, then I love him/her.

If he/she even calls the website "Lovemarche", and promotes Le Marche in UK via The Sunday Times, then I must indicate it.

Moreover, they report some news, every now and then, about this wonderful region... how could I leave...

The latest news is about exhibitions of Lorenzo Lotto's paintings, which will involve Ancona, Cingoli, Jesi, Loreto, Mogliano, Monte San Giusto and Recanati.

Bologna, the city in between

Bologna could be the most famous city in every country but Italy. In Italy, Bologna has to follow Rome (of course), Florence (of course), Venice (of course), Naples (of course), Milan, Sicily, Tuscany and some other places.

However, when visiting Italy, you are forced to pass through Bologna, given that this city is the strategical node to get from North to South and vice-versa. Wherever you go in Italy, Bologna is in between.

Therefore, if you have enough time for a walk, like a half day (or even a couple days), drop off and take a tour of Bologna. And if you have a good and sportive body, climb up the highest tower of the city, Torre degli Asinelli.

You can enjoy a view like in the picture above.

Muhammad Yunus in Bologna, aula Santa Lucia

Last Sunday 19th March, the Nobel Prize Muhammad Yunus, from Bangladesh, launched the International Observatory for Micro-finance (IOM) at the University of Bologna.

I read Banker to the Poor, wrote by Yunus, and I feel disappointed that he was awarded the Noble Peace Prize instead of Economics. To find a way to lend money to poor people, to have 200 million customers with over 90% of repayments rate, to found a bank which helps people to be independent, this is a matter of economics. Peace is a consequence.

The video-interview at beppegrillo.it.

Some other bloggers from Le Marche: Michael Eldridge

His name is Michael Eldridge, and he's a property consultant for Le Marche.

You may like or not his personal blog, "life in Le Marche", but you definitely have to appreciate his corporate blog, "Property adventures".

Finally, a property consultant has a blog and writes on it!

I am now waiting for his email address (didn't find it!) to write him...

A brand-new stamp about Le Marche

Last Thursday a new stamp showing Le Marche has been released.

Some monuments of Ascoli Piceno plus the bronze statues of Pergola, together with the shape of the region and its symbol (the woodpecker) compose the image on the stamp.

Malta is one flight away from Bologna

This Malta Independent news make me thinking about a sort of unusual matter. When the flight to Malta has been established, last year, I thought "Great news, Malta is closer now!"; actually, it might be vice-versa.

It may sound silly, but lot of times our point of view is based on our location. When working about tourism in some unusual places (like Le Marche, for example, in my case), the way of thinking is somewhat shaken.

Therefore: lucky Maltese, just an hour from Bologna, and lucky Londoners, a couple hours from Ancona!

Showers & Eyebaths Services, Liverpool, supplying Eusebi Impianti, Ancona

Business news about the fire-fighting industry. The St Helens based decontamination specialists, Showers & Eyebaths Services will supply one of the European leaders in this field: Eusebi Impianti, based in Ancona, Le Marche. The news appeared in the Liverpool daily post yesterday.

This is another example of the increasing relationships between Le Marche and UK. Another good example is the Indesit Company, based in Fabriano, but present everywhere in Europe. In Le Marche, this factory is still known like Merloni Elettrodomestici.

In particular, for Liverpool, the relationship with Ancona is rather old: one of the first episodes was early in the last century, with a soccer team...

Bologna, 1997: the Pope and Bob Dylan

I admit, I don't really like this Pope much. To be frank, I didn't like the former one either, especially in his hypocrite use of "the young meetings", manouvred by Mr Ratzinger (Benedictus XVI).

But still, in September 1997 I was about to assist one of the best symbolic events ever happened in Bologna: the meeting between his Bobness and the Pope. Whatever the opinions, it would have been a huge emotional event for me, if I ever had the chance to take part. Unfortunately, eventually I didn't get the ticket, and only watched it on the TV, and it was a great media event.

Now, I read His Coldness and His Oldness Benedictus XVI criticizing that event. He might be right, I respect different opinions. But I think it's better that event eventually took place.

Gioacchino Rossini, the famous Pesaro composer, on Metropolitan Opera broadcasting

The famous composer Gioacchino Rossini is wide-known. His operas are very famous too. But maybe not everybody know that he was born in Pesaro, where every year, in August, the Rossini Opera Festival is held.

One of the most famous Rossini's Opera, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, will be broadcasted on March 24th, at 1.30 pm, at the Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Centre, New York.

A good statistical report about Le Marche wines

Wine is no doubts one of the typical products of Le Marche.

When coming to Le Marche, with or without me, you will always taste a glass of our wine, which is harder to find outside our region, except of Verdicchio and Rosso Piceno.

It might be interesting, then, to read a report about Le Marche wines, published by Marco Baccaglio on his blog "The Numbers of Wine". The article is translated in English too (well done, Marco!).

Marcamp: a Le Marche version of Bar Camp

Last Saturday, in the wonderful scenario of Villarey (the former barracks of the army, built in 1860, when Italy unified and Ancona was the strategical port in the Adriatic, being Venezia still under the Austrian control), the Marcamp took place.

It is a Barcamp organized in Le Marche, by some people from Ancona. It's been a success, like every Barcamp, it seems!

Link: pics of the Marcamp (special thanks to Giovy and Mia)