Italy at home Archives

Italian Decor: Fornasetti’s Cupole Series is My New Obsession

26 January 202326 January 2023 by Melanie Renzulli

The exquisite, suggestive, and timeless beauty of Fornasetti’s iconic design is perfected in his famous dome plates.

Gift Ideas For Your Italy-loving Friend or Relative

3 December 20223 December 2021 by Melanie Renzulli

Smeg Smeg x DOLCE & GABBANA 2-Slice Toaster

From fragrance to formaggio, here are some obvious and no-so-obvious Italian gifts for your Italy loving loved ones.

Racing Across Rome and Other Ways to Exercise in Italy (When You Can’t Be There)

27 January 202117 April 2020 by Melanie Renzulli

Step counts of landmarks and virtual treadmill guides for Italy-inspired workouts.

Virtual Visits to Italy’s Museums and UNESCO Sites

15 February 20212 April 2020 by Melanie Renzulli

I am writing this post one day before April 3, the initial deadline date for Italy’s nationwide lockdown in response to the coronavirus emergency. Now that Italy has extended the lockdown until Easter — an arbitrary deadline that will likely be extended once again — who knows how long it will be before the country reopens to its own residents, much less the rest of us who are pining to see her again.

Painting Italy: An Artist Profile

23 July 201917 February 2010 by Melanie Renzulli

The beauty of Italy has inspired countless artists through the years, including ones who live here in the United States. Today, I am profiling artist William Renzulli, who was moved to paint his ancestral home Castelnuovo della Daunia in Puglia after a family reunion visit in 2008 and who will soon be headed to Bologna to paint that city’s gorgeous medieval lines and curves as well as the landscapes of Emilia-Romagna.

How To Make Bolognese Sauce [Video]

9 December 20201 October 2009 by Melanie Renzulli

Here’s a great way to bring Italy home – learn how to make Bolognese sauce!

There are dozens of instructional videos out there on how to make hearty Bolognese sauce. This one from GialloZafferano, a well-known Italian cuisine website and YouTube channel, is one of the most authentic ones that I have found. And this video has been dubbed to help out English speakers who want to cook Bolognese sauce the Italian way.

I’m definitely inspired to make my own!

Abruzzo’s Beffi Triptych

17 December 20201 October 2009 by Melanie Renzulli

The Beffi Triptych spends time in the U.S. following the devastating earthquake in Abruzzo.

Leonardo’s Notebooks Come to the U.S.

27 January 20211 October 2008 by Melanie Renzulli

The Birmingham Museum of Art is the first museum in the U.S. to exhibit the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci.

Bernini Up Close and Close To Home

27 January 202124 September 2008 by Melanie Renzulli

The Getty Museum exhibit features 57 works by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Renaissance Florence According to Rushdie

10 December 202031 May 2008 by Melanie Renzulli

Salman Rushdie imagines Renaissance Florence in his new book “The Enchantress of Florence.”

Tuscan Wine Picks From Epicurious

17 December 202017 April 2008 by Melanie Renzulli

One of the pleasures of visiting Tuscany is having the chance to drive the fertile hills of wine country, sampling reds and whites along the way. Most travelers really only think of Chianti, a mini-region within Tuscany, when thinking about Tuscan wine. But another vino hotspot is Montalcino. Montalcino is the home of Brunello di … Read more

“Palladio” in DC

8 October 20153 April 2008 by Melanie Renzulli

As part of Italy’s celebrations of the birth of architect Andrea Palladio, born 500 years ago this year, the Italian Cultural Institute and the Italian Embassy in Washington, DC, are hosting a free screening of “Abitare Palladio,” a documentary about the man and his works. The film will be shown tomorrow April 4 at noon in … Read more