Frankie "Sinatra" Barbato and Cosimo Picci grace the November Cover of Mondo Italiano Magazine

NOVEMBRE 2021

Feast of Little Italy 2021 Event Photos

Luxury Chamber SW FL Event Held at Burn

Luxury on 33rd Street Nov. 15th 2021

Winter Wine Pairing Italian Zin & Lamb

Fall Fashion Guide From Milan to Miami

Learning Italian The Fun Way

Mondo Italiano magazine

PUBLISHER Luxury Chamber Media Group

EDITOR Jay Parnassa Shapiro

FASHION EDITOR Juliana Labonte

TRAVEL EDITOR Christina Ricci-Campagnone

CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTS

Edmondo Catania Frank LoRe Jr.

Franco Fiore Claude Luciani Venus Baratta John P. Contini Kyle Cavaliere

BALSAMIC VINEGAR OF MODENA 1000 YEARS OF HERITAGE The Original Balsamic Vinegar of Modena has a history as rich as its flavors, as was officially acknowledged in 2009 from the European Union through its recognition as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). This is a history that began over a millennium ago.

To this day, Original Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (Aceto Balsamico di Modena) is produced exclusively in the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia in northern Italy, from grape must that is cooked or concentrated and combined with wine vinegar.

The practice of cooking grape musts can be traced back to the ancient Romans. The so-called sapum was used both as a medicinal product and in the kitchen as a sweetener and condiment. As far back as the 11th century, the production of this very particular vinegar was linked with Modena: over time it would become synonymous with the culture and history of a territory known for its unique pedoclimatic characteristics, as well as human knowledge and talent.

The PGI certification guarantees that the original, certified Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is made from grape must from seven specific Italian vines: Lambrusco, Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Albana, Ancellotta, Fortana, and Montuni. The product is matured for a minimum of 60 days, counted from the moment in which the grape must, wine vinegar, and 10-year-aged wine vinegar are mixed, following the recipes carefully kept and handed down by the producers, sent to processing and transferred into wooden casks and barrels. The product that rests in barrels for at least three years is labelled as "aged".

The project "Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, the Original", focused on the US market and financed by the European Union, promotes the added value of the product, in terms of authenticity, safety, traceability, and labelling guaranteed by the European trademark protection and wants to enhance the competitiveness of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena in the United States.

Italian Food Producer, Bona Furtuna, Announces New Ancient Grain Pasta Award-winning food producer, Bona Furtuna, is excited to announce the expansion to their organic ancient grain pasta category with four new cuts: Casarecce, Rigatoni, Paccheri and Linguine.

"What I love about this particular product release is we are not only introducing cuts that are well-known to our customers but also bringing two new variations that may be a bit more unique to the general consumer," states Margaux Maertens, Marketing Manager at Bona Furtuna. "Like our other pastas, the new offerings are all bronze-cut, a process traditional to Italian pastamaking, producing a coarser, more porous surface for sauces to cling to."

Casarecce and Paccheri are native to Sicily, bringing one-of-a-kind textures to both traditional and more modern Italian-styled dishes. Casarecce, loosely rolled lengthwise and twisted, resembles ancient scrolls and is originally used for elevating pesto dishes. The large and wide tubes of Paccheri are often stuffed with ricotta or sausage and paired with a red sauce. Continued Maertens, "We are beyond excited to tease the near-future release of three extremely rare pasta shapes handmade in the heartland of Sardinia, and exclusive to the Bona Furtuna brand.

We're working with a boutique producer in Sardinia to hand-make each individual shape, involving the local community to share in this unique, traditional experience. As a result of each pasta's rarity, once officially launched, there will be a very limited amount of these offerings. So stay on the lookout come October - just in time for National Pasta Month."

About Bona Furtuna Co-founded in 2013, by Agatha and Steve Luczo, Bona Furtuna is a harmonious 350-hectare organic farm nestled on La Furtuna Estate mere kilometers outside Corleone, Sicily. Biodiversity, sustainable farming and preservation of heritage foods is the root of the Bona Furtuna brand. The farm is overseen by Chief Scientist, Pasquale "Mimmo" Marino who blends the Sicilian ecosystem and advanced technology to produce premium, industry-leading products. Today, Bona Furtuna offers heirloom olive oil, ancient grain pasta, seasonings, balsamic vinegar, sauces and seasonal products. A winner of numerous prestigious awards, including one from the Speciality Food Association and several industry-leading gold medals in the olive oil category, Bona Furtuna is excited to both create and share flavor that is truly representative of the land. Beyond the products, philanthropy is the brand's mission.

Bona Furtuna's pasta cuts are available online at www.bonafurtuna.com. Select pastas are found at your local retailer.

Google Fi rende facile viaggiare in Italia e rimanere in contatto Google diventa operatore mobile anche in Italia: come telefonare Google ha creato un'offerta per smartphone che permette di navigare in tutto il mondo a prezzi contenuti.

Quando meno, se rapportato con le tariffe USA 19 Novembre 2019 C’è anche l’Italia tra i 200 Paesi dove è possibile usare Google Fi, ex Project Fi. Nato nel 2015, Fi è il tentativo di Google di diventare quello che in Italia definiremmo un operatore virtuale di telefonia mobile.

Un progetto molto particolare e molto “americano“, quello di Google, che all’italiano medio sembrerà incomprensibile. E, soprattutto, sembreranno incomprensibilmente alte le tariffe. Ma Google ha in mente un cliente ben preciso, che viaggia parecchio e che è disposto a spendere pur di non avere sorprese. Tanto è vero che l’ultima novità di Google Fi è l’installazione di totem per la rivendita del Fi SIM presso gli aeroporti JFK di New York e Newark nel New Jersey. Due aeroporti cardine per il traffico internazionale da e per gli USA. Google Fi: come funziona La cosa da premettere subito è che la SIM Google Fi va attivata negli USA, poi funziona in quasi tutto il mondo (Italia compresa). Dal punto di vista tecnologico Google Fi è un progetto interessante: le comunicazioni avvengono tramite continui salti di rete tra diversi operatori mobile statunitensi (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint e T-Mobile) e le reti Wi-Fi pubbliche (Google assicura di connettersi solo a quelle sicure). In pratica lo smartphone sceglie continuamente quale rete è la più veloce e si connette a quella. Una volta attivata la scheda, essa funziona in tutti i 200 Paesi senza che l’utente debba effettuare alcuna configurazione aggiuntiva.

Google Fi: quanto costa Il prezzo è il punto debole, enorme per il mercato europeo ed italiano, di Google Fi. Si parte dalle SIM vendute in aeroporto, che con 10 dollari offrono chiamate illimitate negli USA, tariffe agevolate all’estero (in Italia, ad esempio, 20 centesimi al minuto), tethering hotspot, supporto tecnico 24 ore su 24, 7 giorni su 7 e possibilità di rescindere il contratto quando si vuole. Con questa cifra si ottiene 1 (uno, solo uno) GB di traffico dati. Ogni GB aggiuntivo si paga altri 10 dollari. La tariffa più cara è quella da 70 dollari al mese, che offre dati illimitati in USA e all’estero (fino a 22 GB al mese, dopo la velocità rallenta, ma i video “potrebbero" essere visualizzati a 480p), messaggi illimitati e chiamate gratuite dagli USA a 50 Paesi (tra i quali l’Italia, le tariffe per gli altri Paesi partono da 1 centesimo al minuto), stesso servizio tecnico 24/7 e stessa contrattualistica e, in più, una membership a Google One con 100 GB di spazio in cloud. Tutti questi prezzi sono tasse escluse, che in America contano per un 10-20% da aggiungere alla tariffa scelta.

Google Fi in Italia: ha senso? Per la stragrande maggioranza degli italiani queste tariffe non hanno alcun senso e sono completamente fuori dal mercato. Per gli americani, che invece pagano telefonate e Internet molto più cari, sì. Inoltre, anche considerando la possibilità di usare Google Fi all’estero, 70 dollari al mese è veramente molto. Almeno se si viaggia prevalentemente in Europa, dove le recenti direttive UE hanno imposto agli operatori nazionali il roaming gratuito e, nella maggior parte dei casi, si hanno almeno 4 GB di dati all’estero. Per gli italiani che viaggiano spesso in Asia, Africa o Stati Uniti, invece, Google Fi potrebbe essere interessante.

Cameratta Companies, Lennar, and Pulte Homes Announce Verdana Village, a new 2,400 home community in Estero, Florida Cameratta Companies, a leading real estate development company, is excited to announce model homes are now under construction in their newest master planned community, Verdana Village, located east of Interstate 75 on Corkscrew Road, in Estero, Florida.

Cameratta Companies, Lennar, and Pulte Homes announce that model homes are now under construction at the new master planned community of Verdana Village in Estero, FL. The community is planned for 2,400 single-family homes and will include a Sports Complex unlike anything seen before in Southwest Florida.

Outdoor amenities will include a resort style pool, oversized heated spa, expansive pool deck, tennis courts, a practice tennis court with ball machine, pickleball courts, racquet sports pro-shop, bocce courts, a playground, and a dog park.

The community is planned for 2,400 single-family homes on a variety of premium homesites with lake and preserve views. The homes are being built by nationally recognized homebuilders Lennar and Pulte Homes, a national brand of PulteGroup, Inc. Homes will be priced from the low $300,000s. All homesites will include approximately 40-foot front yard setbacks from the street, which creates enhanced visual appeal. They will also offer spacious backyards and strolling sidewalks.

"Verdana Village has been carefully curated to inspire a vibrant lifestyle while creating areas for connection, camaraderies and gatherings," said Richard McCormick, president of PulteGroup's Southwest Florida Division. "Our homes have also been carefully curated and thoughtfully designed to best meet a family's needs making life better, happier, and easier. Simply put, we've built in all the ways to get more out of life with features that offer something for everyone."

Verdana Village includes a Sports Complex unlike anything seen before in Southwest Florida. It will showcase air conditioned, indoor courts for pickleball, tennis, and basketball, a fitness center, movement studio, and full-service café. In addition to the Sports Complex, residents will be able to enjoy a delicious meal and drinks at the restaurant, private party room, outdoor pool bar and the signature "The Craft Lounge".

Outdoor amenities will include a resort style pool, oversized heated spa, expansive pool deck, tennis courts, a practice tennis court with ball machine, pickleball courts, racquet sports pro-shop, bocce courts, a playground, and a dog park. The community will be divided into the West Village and the East Village. Additional amenities for the West Village will include a clubhouse with fitness center, gathering room, catering kitchen, pool, spa, pavilion, and horseshoes. The East Village amenities are to be announced in a future phase. The development will include approximately 1,200 acres of natural preserve with 31 lakes and offer natural gas for residents.

Verdana Village is the fourth residential community developed by Cameratta on Corkscrew Road in Estero. The Place at Corkscrew, Corkscrew Shores and The Preserve at Corkscrew have all received tremendous interest from homebuyers.

"The Corkscrew corridor has been a popular area and we're excited to continue our growth in the new and upcoming community Verdana Village," said David Meyers, Southwest Florida Division Manager for Lennar. "Having the ability to work with Cameratta Companies and the 5-Star amenities that they deliver combined with Lennar's Everything's Included® homes will make this the premier community to live in Southwest Florida."

Offering a sought-after location off Corkscrew Road in Estero, south of Fort Myers and north of Naples, Verdana Village is minutes from top-rated schools, Southwest Florida International Airport, world-class shopping, dining, golf, and the beautiful Gulf beaches.

Essay Contest 2021 Francesco Durante Award for Italian American History / Literature / Culture i c a

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To honor the legacy of the late Francesco Durante, an annual prize of $1,000 will be awarded for the best original essay in English or Italian submitted by an emergent scholar of Italian American literature, history, and/or culture. The essay must be analytical in nature and address an aspect pertaining to Italian American history and/or culture. It should not exceed 7,500 words (notes and bibliography included).

The committee will consider both unpublished essays as well as those essays published within the time span of January 2020 through November 30, 2021.

Frank Todaro

Submissions are due no later than November 30, 2021; candidates should plan to be available to receive their award and speak at a conference (COVID conditions permitting), in New York City at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, on a date amenable sometime in early spring 2022.

Submissions are limited to advanced doctoral students and those with the doctorate up to five years after receipt of the degree.

All inquiries and final submissions should be sent to the following email address: calandra@qc.cuny.edu.

Actor, writer, producer, and restaurateur Chazz Palminteri and the Sinanaj brothers open their second Italian Restaurant in a suburb just north of NYC Chazz Palminteri is best known for memorable roles in "A Bronx Tale", "Bullets over Broadway", "The Usual Suspects." Not only has he conquered the Big Apple through entertainment, he has also done so in terms of the dining scene.

At his namesake restaurant, located at 30 W 46th Street, Palminteri pays homage to his Sicilian heritage, with classic dishes and a Frank Sinatra-inspired martini menu. Sinatra was who made the actor infatuated with old restaurants of the past. "He would tell me about the great New York City restaurants he would go to, such as Toots Shor and Jilly's.

He always said you need a great place to go and eat when your friends are in town." – says Palminteri.

So, in 2015 Palminteri teamed up with the Sinanaj brothers to open Chazz Palminteri Italian Restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. The Sinanaj brothers are well-known restaurateurs with several high-end restaurants in NYC and in Tokyo.

Today, the restaurant serves traditional Italian fare from fresh meats and seafood to homemade pasta dishes and delicious desserts.

The food is what the actor says distinguishes Chazz Palminteri Italian Restaurant from other spots and places them in the conversation of best Italian food in New York. "People might visit once because of my name, but they come back for the delicious food" – he says.

The same menu will be served at the new restaurant in White Plains Westchester. Homemade pastas, grilled octopus and lobster served over fettucine are a few dishes awaiting diners.

According to business partner Jack Sinanaj they have also taken advantage of the previous tenant's wood-fired pizza ovens, adding a new item to the actor-turned-restaurateur's repertoire. Their truffle pizza is what they hold closer to heart. Made with truffle, mushrooms, fresh mozzarella and mixed herbs, its unique taste has quickly become popular with diners since the restaurant first opened a week ago. Also, don't miss out on their traditional Margarita Pizza and other special menu items.

The new Restaurant is located at 264 Main St White Plains, New York, NY 10601 and is open 7 days a week.

Reservations can be made on their website www.chazzpalminterinyc.com or by calling 914-600-8430.

Santa Margherita USA

Unveils Rosé Just In Time For Summer Santa Margherita, the beloved Italian wine brand that pioneered the first white Pinot Grigio and helped put Prosecco on the map, is thrilled to unveil the launch of its newest innovation, Santa Margherita Rosé, this summer.

Santa Margherita Rosé is lively and vibrant with fresh acidity and balance. Its pale pink hue was inspired by the beautiful shades of pink reflecting off the Venetian Lagoon during a perfect summer sunset. Its light floral taste, derived from a meticulous vinification process, makes it the perfect accompaniment to almost any meal, pairing well with salads, appetizers, grilled meats, and a selection of cheeses. Crafted with grapes from some of the most revered vineyards in the heart of the historic and prolific Tre Venezie region, this new wine is sure to delight new and devoted Santa Margherita fans alike.

"Santa Margherita has been sharing extraordinary wines that represent an authentic taste of Italy for over eight decades, and we're proud to announce a new release worthy of our esteemed portfolio," said Santa Margherita USA President & CEO Vincent Chiaramonte.

"This rosé embodies the brand's roots in the northeastern region and continues the legacy of our founder, Count Gaetano Marzotto, a pioneer and entrepreneur, who was committed to bringing the best local flavor to each bottle. We are excited to introduce consumers to Santa Margherita Rosé."

Since its founding in 1935, Santa Margherita has been a leader in wine innovation. The brand popularized Prosecco with its release of Prosecco Superiore in 1952, during a time when only locals knew of the now world-famous Italian bubbly. In the 1960s, the Marzotto family was the first to blaze the trail for white Pinot Grigio, which is created utilizing a unique fermentation process that removes the grape skin. At its launch, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio took the USA by storm and remains the luxury leader in Pinot Grigio to this day.

Santa Margherita Rosé will join the brand's highly regarded portfolio of wines including both Prosecco Superiore Di Valdobbiadene DOCG and Pinot Grigio, as well as its Sparkling Rosé, Rive di Refrontolo, and Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG. The Rosé will launch in select retailers in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, Illinois, Texas, and California for $24.99 per bottle.

For more information, please visit santamargheritawines.com

U.S. Polo Assn. Announces Matt Coppola, Professional Polo Player, as Brand's Newest Global Brand Ambassador US Polo Assn., the official brand for the United States Polo Association (USPA), welcomes American polo player Matt Coppola as the multi-billion-dollar, sport-inspired brand's newest global ambassador. Now 26, Coppola has been playing professionally since he was 14 years old and played in the semi-finals of the 2011 U.S. Open Polo Championship at the age of 16. Today, he is one of the highest handicapped American players.

The scope of Coppola's year-long role as global brand ambassador is broad and designed to shine the spotlight on the dynamic crop of young and talented polo players coming up through the ranks.

Coppola will be outfitted in U.S. Polo Assn. apparel and gear both on and off the field, will post regularly about his polo-related and other daily activities on social media, and will engage in media requests for interviews and campaigns.

"U.S. Polo Assn. is proud to welcome professional polo player Matt Coppola to our outstanding roster of global brand ambassadors for 2021," said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global Licensing, which manages the multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. "Coppola is an exceptional polo player who has come up the ranks quickly in the U.S. He is an excellent representation of what our brand is all about - sport-inspired, youthful, vibrant and fun."

To learn more about Coppola and to see him play in these exciting events, visit globalpolo.com.

About U.S. Polo Assn. and USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL) U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the nonprofit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States, and one of the oldest sports governing bodies, having been founded in 1890. With a multi-billion-dollar global footprint and worldwide distribution through some 1,100 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores, department stores, sporting goods channels, independent retailers and e-commerce, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel for men, women and children, as well as accessories, footwear, travel and home goods in 180 countries worldwide. Recently ranked the 5th largest sports licensor in License Global magazine's 2020 list of "Top 150 Global Licensors," U.S. Polo Assn. is named alongside such iconic sports brands as the National Football League, National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Visit uspoloassnglobal.com.