Monday
07Dec2009

Travel Italia: Discovering the Treasures of Umbria (Perugia)

DateMonday, December 7, 2009 at 09:00AM

Image: Fontana Maggiore (Perugia, Umbria)Umbria. Known as the heart of Italy due to its central location from a geographic standpoint. Also known as the Cuore Verde D’Italia (the green heart of Italy), due to its lush terrain. This week on Abbondanza! we will be taking an indepth look at the history, culture, traditions and treasures offered by this unique region that has successfully captured the heart of many a traveler.

Later this afternoon, we will release an itinerary perfect for discovering much of what this area has to offer. We’ve selected Perugia, the capitol of the region, as our ground zero. Perugia has a violent ancient history. We’re talking about the stuff that movies are made of - complete with dominating kings and conquering armies of warriors. We’ll begin at the town center which is rich with Etruscan architecture and venture out to sights like the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, the Church of San Severo and its frescoes by masters Perugino and Raphael.

We’ll look at the typical foods of the region like truffles, Torta di Pasqua and of course, the one thing that enters the mind of most foodies when discussing Perugia - chocolate. We then round out our itinerary with a look at the some of our favorite places to eat like Caffe di Perugia, La Taverna and Ristorante del Sole.

And tomorrow, we begin again with another itinerary for our next destination in beautiful Umbria. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of friends we will introduce throughout the week, we’ll continue this look into Umbria for the next seven days. Hopefully, by the time next Sunday arrives, you’ll understand the attraction to this wonderful destination in Italy.

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Friday
04Dec2009

Italian Holiday Feast: Lentils from Castelluccio and Truffles from Umbria

DateFriday, December 4, 2009 at 12:45PM

Just arrived by special courier: Italian lentils from Castelluccio and the prized truffles from the region of Umbria. Just in time for two of the biggest dinner events of the holiday!

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Sunday
29Nov2009

Video: Italian Actress Sophia Loren Interviewed about Her Role in "Nine"

DateSunday, November 29, 2009 at 09:57AM
The Today Show’s Kathie Lee and Hoda interview screen legend Sophia Loren about her role in the upcoming musical Nine. The film is a Miramax production and is scheduled to be released on Christmas Day in the United States.
One can’t help but notice how stunning she still looks - both on and off screen. However, the one statement that stands out in the entire interview doesn’t come from Sophia Loren but from Kathie Lee when she states that “Liza Minelli is not Italian”.

by Donna Petrongolo

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Saturday
28Nov2009

Sophia Loren Captured by the Lights and Cameras of NYC Paparazzi

DateSaturday, November 28, 2009 at 11:27AM


This recently captured video clip is of a still amazing looking Sophia Loren in an all-red pants suit. Loren is seen exiting the Oak Room in New York City as she had just attended a luncheon for the movie “Nine” sponsored by Miramax. Loren plays a role in the upcoming film, as the mother of director Guido Contini.

About Nine (the film)
Nine is a 2009 American musical film directed by Rob Marshall. The screenplay, by Michael Tolkin and Anthony Minghella, is based on Arthur Kopit’s book for the 1982 Tony Award-winning musical of the same name, which was derived from an Italian play by Mario Fratti inspired by Federico Fellini’s autobiographical film 8½. Maury Yeston composed the music and wrote the lyrics for the songs. The film is scheduled to be released in the US on December 18, 2009, in New York and Los Angeles and open for wide release on December 25, 2009. The principal cast consists of Academy Award winners Daniel Day-Lewis, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz, and Sophia Loren; Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe Award winner Kate Hudson; and Grammy winner Fergie.

The Plot
Having reached the age of forty, director Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) is facing a midlife crisis that is stifling his creativity and leading him into a variety of complicated romantic involvements. As he struggles to complete his latest film, he is forced to balance the numerous formative women in his life, including his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penélope Cruz), his film star muse (Nicole Kidman), his confidant and costume designer (Judi Dench), an American fashion journalist (Kate Hudson), the whore from his youth (Fergie), and his mother (Sophia Loren).

by Donna Petrongolo

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Saturday
28Nov2009

Italy's Fratello Metallo (Heavy Metal Monk) to Retire from Rockstar Life

DateSaturday, November 28, 2009 at 10:55AM


Fratello Metallo, known for his heavy metal singing and rocking monk is returning to his “normal life” as a Capuchin Monk at the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. He will now lose his long locks, hang up his microphone and return to his life as Brother Cesare Bonizzi and vows to give-up the devilish temptation of celebrity.

About Brother Bonizzi
Cesare Bonizzi was born in 1946 in Offanengo, Italy. He entered a monastery in 1975, and subsequently carried out missionary work in the Ivory Coast. After returning to Italy he was ordained a priest in 1983. Since 1990 he has been Interested in using music as a means of contemplation and spiritual devotion, and he has released numerous albums in various styles from new age to rock. After seeing Metallica in concert, however, he became passionate about heavy metal as a musical vehicle. According to him, “Metal is the most energetic, vital, deep and true musical language that I know.” He currently lives in the convent of Musocco, a district of Milan. In late 2009, he announced that he would no longer perform.

About Fratello Metallo’s Music
Although his full transformation to heavy metal is only found on Fratello Metallo’s 2008 release Misteri, Bonizzi has recorded numerous albums in various musical genres. He cites Megadeth and Metallica as major inspirations on his transformation to metal.[4] With his new style of music, which he calls “Metrock” as a combination of metal and rock, he was the opening act at 2008’s Gods of Metal, Italy’s largest heavy metal festival.

Bonizzi performed in full Franciscan habit. Although he was frequently mistaken as making the evil sign of the horns in concert, he actually extended his thumb along with the index and pinkie, which is the handsign for “I love you” in the American Sign Language.

by Donna Petrongolo

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