Sep

Italy Without a Suitcase

by Joyce McGreevy on September 16, 2019

People gather at Caffe Cagliostro in the Italian Quarter, Dublin, Ireland, one of many Little Italy enclaves around the world that celebrate Italian culture. Image © Andrea Romano

Conversation flows at Caffe’ Cagliostro in Dublin’s Italian Quarter.
Ireland is home to 9,000 Irlandiani, Irish of Italian ancestry.
© Andrea Romano/ Caffè Cagliostro

Italian Culture, Around the Corner

Dreaming of Italy? It may be closer than you think. From 1880 to 1980, 15 million Italians migrated to other countries. Today, across five continents, over 60 neighborhoods claim the moniker Little Italy.

Several U.S. and Canadian cities boast a Little Italy. So do pockets of Australia, Brazil, and Mexico. There’s a Little Milano in Gothenburg, Sweden, a Little Rome in Asmara, Eritrea, a Piccola Italia in Malindi, Kenya.

Oh, I see: Celebrating Italian culture is a global experience.

Italian TAYLOR-ing

In Chicagoland, a dozen Italian enclaves formed after 1850. The best known is West Taylor Street, historically Chicago’s largest community of mostly Southern Italians.

At Scafuri Bakery, employee Aria Davis beams as she serves macchiato and lemon ricotta cake.

“We’ve been here since 1904,” says Aria, 21, whose passion for Italian culture led her to live in Sardinia for a year. She points to a vintage family portrait above the counter.

“See how there’s almost an aura around one woman? That’s Annette Mategrano. She was absolutely amazing, a successful businesswoman back when that was uncommon.”

Staff at Scafuri Bakery take pride in the Italian culture of Chicago’s Little Italy, West Taylor Street. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Framed by images of the Scafuri-Mategrano family, co-workers Doriann, Aria, and Ben
share a love of Italian culture.
© Joyce McGreevy

Annette’s parents emigrated from Calabria, opened the bakery, and sustained it through tough times. During the Depression they gave away bread to families who couldn’t afford the 3-cent cost. In 1955, the torch passed to Annette. She also opened a restaurant, working double shifts until she retired—at 90. Today, great-nieces Michelle and Kelly continue her legacy.

Ron Onesti, Marie De Marinis, and Demond Moore help Chicagoans celebrate the Italian culture of Little Italy, West Taylor Street. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Faces of Little Italy (L to R): Director of Chicago’s Italian festivals, Ron Onesti was born on
Taylor Street. Marie De Marinis and Demond Moore delight diners at Davanti Enoteca.
© Joyce McGreevy

When you’re around West Taylor Street, be sure to…

Buy panini and vini at Conte Di Savoia.
Eat pappardelle at the original Rosebud.
Sip lemon ice at Mario’s.

Where Pasta Meets Present

Two miles and many nostalgic decades away, lies “Heart of Italy,” known for its Tuscan families. In the 1900s, many new arrivals traded farming for farm-equipment factory work at McCormick Reaper, “McComio,” as Chicago’s Italians called it.

Today Heart of Italy still beats with pride. It’s a neighborhood where many have been friends since childhood, where locals share anecdotes that go back five generations.

Heart of Italy, Chicago draws diners to 24th and Oakley.
© Joyce McGreevy

You needn’t be Italian to feel like a local. At Ignotz Ristorante, owner Roger Wroblewski and bartender Candy Minx welcome you like a favorite cousin who’s here for the family reunion.

It’s one of those cozy places you could dine alone without feeling like a loner, a convivial joint where every story at the bar is worth remembering. Ask Roger about the night Frankie Avalon dropped by.

Roger Wroblewski is proud that Ignotz Ristorante celebrates Italian culture in Chicago’s Heart of Italy. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Like Heart of Italy, Ignotz is rooted in love of family, regard for the past,
and appreciation of everyday pleasures.
© Joyce McGreevy

Here, food is for eating, not Instagramming. Pastas are hearty and soul-satisfying. Well, as the Italians say, Esse nufesso qui dice male di macaroni: “Only an idiot speaks badly of macaroni.”

If you must go “keto,” tuck into Ignotz’s lemony, succulent chicken a la tippi. Then ditch the diet and dive into the chocolate spumoni.

To fall in love with Chicago’s Heart of Italy, be sure to…

Nibble carcio al forno at La Fontanel la.
Enjoy fettucine and friendly banter at Bacchanalia.
Winterize yourself with a bowl of ribollita at Bruna’s.

Italia alla Francese

In Montréal, lively Petite-Italie combines the Québécois love of festival with a daily dose of dolce vita.

Switching between French, Italian, and English is common practice in Petite-Italie.
© Joyce McGreevy

There’s something for everyone—music of the Italian Baroque, frescoes in a Romanesque church, summer cinema in the park, and the most authentic Italian food this side of l’Atlantico, from cinghiale (wild boar) to handmade pasta al nero di seppia infused with cuttlefish ink.

Backyards give way to grape arbors, flowers cascade from balconies, and the street scene hums. Soccer mania lives on at Bar Sportivo as do sociable games of bocce in Dante Park.

Food products at Milano, a grocery store in Petite-Italy, the Little Italy of Montréal, reflect its Italian culture. Image © Joyce McGreevy

Fruterie Milano, a sprawling Italian grocery, is a destination in itself.
© Joyce McGreevy

When visiting Montréal’s Petite-Italie, be sure to…

Get your heart racing at Caffè Italia or just race in summer’s Vivere Grand Prix.
See a pasta factory in action at Pastificio Sacchetto.
Take cooking classes at Mezza Luna.
Read locally-launched Panoram Italia.

San Diego Serenissimo

In Southern California, la passeggiata, or pre-dinner stroll, begins as the sun sets over San Diego Bay. Here, generations of Italians once made their living on the sea.

Sailboats evoke the Italian families who made their living from the sea in San Diego, California, where Italian culture is celebrated in the city’s Little Italy. Image © SanDiego.org

Families from Sicily and Italy’s Riviera founded the fishing fleet and canning industry
that made San Diego the tuna capital of the West.
© Courtesy SanDiego.org

Today, Little Italy is a vibrant neighborhood with outdoor cafés, wineries, shops, and boutique hotels.

People line up at Filippi’s Pizza Grotto in San Diego’s Little Italy, a hub of Italian culture. Image © Joanne DiBona/ SanDiego.org

A fixture since 1950, the petite Filippi’s Pizza Grotto draws crowds in San Diego.
© Courtesy Joanne DiBona SanDiego.org

Piazza Della Famiglia is a gathering place for concerts and cultural events. Piazza Basilone and other San Diego piazze commemorate Italian-American history. Amici Park and Waterfront Park reflect the importance of beautiful public spaces to the Italian lifestyle. Little Italy Food Hall offers a variety of food stations, cooking demos, and wine tastings.

When you’re in San Diego’s Little Italy, be sure to…

Witness its past, present, and future.
Browse farmers markets, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
See the summer Italian Film Festival.

E Tu?

Where is your Little Italy? San Francisco’s North Beach or Boston’s North End? Hidden in Clerkenwell, London or in Italian-influenced Malta? Is it molto Manhattan or completamente Bronx?

To share your hidden gems with the OIC community, just leave a Comment and tell us why the Little Italy you like is so special.

Note: The author accepted no freebies and is solely responsible for any pounds gained.

Comment on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Joyce McGreevy 5 Comments

Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Travels to the Past/Worldwide Sites

Sep

Traveling the World Musically

by Joyce McGreevy on September 3, 2019

The way we experience music can isolate or connect us.
© Joyce McGreevy (Public art in Evanston, IL by Jeff Zimmerman)

Harmonious Ways to Connect Across Cultures

Thanks to streaming technology, it’s easy to take music along when traveling the world. Headphones help shorten long flights, but it’s when we remove the headphones that we discover music’s true power. Mixing music with our itinerary and social interactions elevates travel experiences to whole new levels.

Oh I see: To connect across cultures, use a language we all understand—music. Here are suggestions for traveling the world musically.

Show Up and Sing!

I arrived in Montréal not knowing a soul. The next day, hundreds of my new best friends and I performed live in concert across Canada.

How did this opportunity to meet local music lovers come about? Not by auditions—there weren’t any.

I simply showed up for Choir! Choir! Choir!, a Canadian singing group led by Nobu Adilman and Daveed Goldman. “DaBu,” as they are affectionately known, travel the world hosting community choir performances.

Choir! Choir! Choir! Is a Canadian singing group that travels the world musically, connecting across cultures through community performances. (Image © 2019 Choir! Choir! Choir!)

“DaBu’s” approach is non-traditional. Just show up and they’ll teach you
an original arrangement to a song you love.
@ 2019 Choir! Choir! Choir!

In Montréal, we paid tribute to native son Leonard Cohen, live-streaming our performance of “Hallelujah” with choirs in Toronto, Vancouver, and Kingston.

To sing, sing, sing with Choir! Choir! Choir!, catch their world tour. They’ll be all over the U.S. starting this week. It’s a wonderful way to meet your neighbors, from around the corner or around the world.

See Choir! Choir! Choir! here.

Attend High Caliber Artistic Concerts—Free

From LosAngeles to London, excellent free concert series abound. In Chicago, I found a series so sublime—the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts—that you should probably just book your flight now. Photogenic architecture and free admission make this a travel trifecta.

Mark Riggleman of the International Music Foundation announces the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert, which connect musicians across cultures in Chicago. (Image © Riggleman family)

Mark Riggleman is Executive Director of the International Music Foundation, which
produces a highly popular Chicago concert series.
© Photo courtesy of the Riggleman family

“This an opportunity to hear rising talent from all over the country and around the world,” says Mark. “Our artists are all within five years of getting a degree and all are at the top of their game.”

Vetting is rigorous and performance standards are high. This is no mere recital of well-worn classical hits.

At the concert I attended, the standing ovation was rapturous for saxophonist Hyoung-Ryoul Kim and pianist Shin-Young Park. The South Korean artists had sent a thrill through the packed house with a program of contemporary works.

Musicians Shin-Young Park and Hyoung-Ryoul Kim show inspire the writer to travel the world musically. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Shin-Young Park and Hyoung-Ryoul Kim wowed the audience in Chicago.
© Joyce McGreevy

The venue, Chicago’s Cultural Center, combines incredible acoustics with turn-of-the-century splendor. Mosaic-embellished stairs lead up to Preston Bradley Hall, where the audience convenes under an architectural wonder, the world’s largest Tiffany dome.

The world’s largest Tiffany Dome at Chicago’s Cultural Center is one of the many attractions of traveling the world musically and connecting across cultures. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

At Chicago’s Cultural Center, admission is free, but the music is pure gold.
© Joyce McGreevy

The series runs year-round, Wednesdays from 12:15 to 1:00 pm. Says Mark, “It’s a short format, comfortable for people who work downtown and take a lunch hour. People in town visiting can come to the concert and go to lunch afterward.” (Tip: Meet local concert-goers at Toni Patisserie & Café.)

Reserve ahead, as seats fill quickly. Start here.

Can’t make it? Catch live radio broadcasts, watch the WFMT Facebook livestream, and subscribe to the podcast here.

Uncover Musical Secrets—in 440 Cities

One evening in London, Rafe Offer invited friends round to his flat for a low-key musical gathering. They sat on the floor listening to live music by Rafe’s friend Dave. Over time, such gatherings evolved into Sofar Sounds, a global music community that meets in unique and welcoming spaces.

A diverse audience gathers for a Sofar Sounds concert of international musicians in Montreal, Canada, proof that traveling the world musically connects cultures. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

To keep gigs intimate, tickets operate on a low-price lottery system.
© Joyce McGreevy

An element of surprise adds to the magic. The exact address of the venue is not revealed until the day before the gig. The three musical acts remain a mystery right up until the moment of performance.

Afterwards, it’s all about conversation and community building as artists and audiences mingle.

To get closer to music at home and abroad, visit SofarSounds.

Simon Denizart of Canada and Kid Be Kid of Germany performing at a Sofar Sounds concert in Montreal, Canada reflect how traveling the world musically connects cultures. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Connecting across cultures, Simon Denizart of Montréal and Kid Be Kid
of Berlin duet on keyboard.
© Joyce McGreevy

Ask, Don’t “App”

Many travelers use music-recognition apps to identify world music they overhear in public, such as on café sound systems. Apps like Shazam and SoundHound operate as audio search engines, matching a music sample to its source. It’s one way to collect a playlist for your travel memories.

Better yet, ask the friendly local who’s sitting right next to you, humming along. It’s a natural icebreaker. Keep a pen and notepad handy to circumvent any language barriers.

Be Your Own Roadie!

Do you play an instrument? Consider it your musical passport and carry it everywhere. In many countries, socializing includes sharing music. Having songs at the ready lets you contribute and connect.

Just ask Rick Chelew. “For meeting people and making new friends, my Voyage Air folding guitar is even better than a cute dog. When I’m traveling solo, it’s a great conversation-starter at parks, in pubs and outdoor cafes, even airports and bus stations.”

Rick Chelew, a musician from California in London, with his folding guitar, travels the world musically to connect across cultures. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The guitar folds & conversations unfold: Californian Rick Chelew travels the world musically.
© Joyce McGreevy

All Together Now!

When you travel the world musically, connecting across cultures becomes likelier, because you’re literally signaling attunement. What better way to make the world a more harmonious place?

Can’t pack it? Find it! Public pianos are turning up in cities worldwide.
© Joyce McGreevy

Comment on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Joyce McGreevy 7 Comments

Crossing Cultures/The World's Music/Worldwide Sites

Aug

Wanderlust Leads to . . . Libraries?

by Joyce McGreevy on August 20, 2019

Allèe des bouquinistes, an open-air bookshop at the Grande Bibliothèque, Montréal, Canada inspires wanderlust to travel to public libraries, or library tourism, around the world. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

A Catalog of Reasons for Travelers to Check Out the Local Library

When you travel, how often has wanderlust led you to a library?

Once—for free WiFi or a public restroom.
Never. My Kindle is all the “library” I need.
The library? Seriously? I’m on vacation!

Actually, library tourism is trending. There are stacks of reasons to add public libraries to your travel itinerary:

Cultural Experiences

Castles and cathedrals aren’t the only places for cultural discovery. One of the world’s newest libraries, Tūranga Library in Christchurch, New Zealand, is not to be missed. Even its entrance expresses whakamanuhiri, the Maori principle of hosting travelers and other visitors.

A statue of the Maori hero Tāwhaki at the Tauranga Library in Christchurch, New Zealand, inspires wanderlust to travel to public libraries, or library tourism, around the world. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The design of Tūranga Library is based on the Maori concept of mātauranga mana whenua,
the body of knowledge that originates from the people of this place.
© Joyce McGreevy

Staircases at the Tauranga Library in Christchurch, New Zealand, inspire wanderlust to travel to public libraries, or library tourism, around the world. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The spectacular staircases allude to Tāwhaki, a mythical being who climbs
to the heavens in a quest for knowledge.
© Joyce McGreevy

Culinary Experiences

Some of the best international dining experiences are available at libraries. The vast majority offer bargain prices and many feature organic local ingredients.

Brunch at Tūranga features chocolate rye porridge, coriander-chili infused dhal, and oat banana pancakes with candied walnuts and mango coconut foam. At libraries around the world, I’ve savored sustainably harvested seafood, vegan and gluten-free entrées, and traditional desserts—four-star feasts at one-star prices.

A collage of library cafes, coffee, café sandwiches, and a woman reading, shows why wanderlust leads travelers to public libraries, or library tourism, around the world. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The Beer!

In Copenhagen, you could squeeze into pricey places where views of the canals are obscured by selfie-takers. Or, you could stroll to a café in the Black Diamond, the sparkling glass and granite extension of the Royal Danish Library. Take your cold local beer outside, relax in a beach chair, and watch the world go by as sunshine warms the waterfront.

The interior of the Black Diamond, part of Copenhagen’s Royal Danish Library, shows why wanderlust leads travelers to public libraries, or library tourism, around the world. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The Danish Royal Library offers ancient and contemporary architecture,
a concert hall, restaurants, and art exhibits.
© Joyce McGreevy

Social Experiences—or Solitude

Library architect Carsten Auer notes, “The modern library is . . . a place where you can meet people or be ‘alone together,’ enjoying sharing a social and recreational space with others, even if you are not engaging directly with them.”

Public libraries spark conversations with locals by building in a variety of communal seating areas and by offering free concerts, workshops, craft-making stations, participatory theater, and other opportunities for interaction.

Library patrons playing with board games and puzzles at at the Tauranga Library in Christchurch, New Zealand, reflect the entertaining side of public libraries around the world. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Libraries also make it easy to find peace and quiet by providing private and small-group spaces. One of the busiest libraries in North America, Montréal’s national library, or Grande Bibliothèque, offers 10,000 visitors a day an oasis of calm. When Montréal’s weather extremes drive you indoors, skip the malls and come here instead.

Public libraries’ rich spectrum of options covers everything from blissful inspiration to sheer entertainment. In Montréal, film buffs and language learners will instantly lose themselves in the multimedia treasures on offer. But if you’d rather shop, you’re in luck. The library’s gift store is superb, a mini-museum curating the best of Québecoise design.

Meanwhile, sports fans can see an exhibition on hockey, adolescents can access “teens-only” high-technology workshops, and little ones can explore play areas and storytelling alcoves. There’s something for everyone.

Library patrons at the Grande Bibliothèque, Montréal, Canada, include tourists with wanderlust to travel to public libraries, or library tourism, around the world. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Bonus Travel Discoveries

Many libraries are surrounded by marvelous (and free) attractions that visitors might otherwise miss. Making the quick trip by Metro to the Grande Bibliothèque also led me to the Jardins Gamelin, one of the most unusual parks in the city, and the Galerie de l’UQAM, where the contemporary art changes almost daily.

Even the library’s alley hides wonderful surprises. Glass wall panels open up to transform it into the Allée des bouquinistes, with secondhand books for sale. The alley also marks the start of the Latin Quarter’s 30-mural art trail.

A detail from a rebus mural at the Grande Bibliothèque, Montréal, Canada, shows why wanderlust leads travelers to public libraries around the world. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Can you decode this clue from a rebus mural behind a Montréal library?
(“A library” is une bibliothèque in French, and “water,” or eau in French, supplies the “o.”)
© Joyce McGreevy

Rare Art Treasures—Minus the Long Lines

Italy’s museums at peak season can make you feel like a salmon swimming upstream. But Italian libraries present frescoes, sculpture, paintings, and other feasts for the eye. In Ferrara, minutes from Bologna, the Biblioteca Ariostea is an art lover’s paradise set within a 14th-century palace. Walk right in—there’s no waiting, no need to buy tickets, no jostling crowds.

Frescoes on the walls of the Biblioteca Ariostea in Ferrara, Italy show why wanderlust leads travelers to public libraries, or library tourism, around the world. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Other reasons to “bookmark” the world’s libraries include:

gorgeous travel books, images, maps, and 3-D models
state-of-the-art genealogical resources (one so user-friendly it took me 2 minutes to discover a likely ancestor)
sweeping views and beautiful gardens (many featuring native plants)

A rooftop garden at the Tauranga Library in Christchurch, New Zealand, inspires wanderlust to travel to public libraries, or library tourism, around the world. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Albert Einstein said, “The only thing that you absolutely have to know is the location of the library.” Oh, I see: When wanderlust leads to libraries, travel genius can result. So can fun, friendship, and cultural insights.

No wonder library tourism is trending. Your library experiences might just transform the world into an open book. Now that’s a travel tale worth checking out.