I spent 4 fantastic days in a fantastic city: Turin, capital of the Piedmont Region, Italy.
Turin is a remarkable treasure of history , arts, culture and…great food.
Let’ s start with the history. Many venues to visit, so I choose two of them and I adventured myself in a fascinating journey through the Royal Palace and the Savoy dynasty. The breathtaking apartments, the Royal Library, the Royal Armoury, the Savoy Gallery, the Archaeological Museum and the close Guarini’s Chapel of the Holy Shroud recently reopened to public.
The next day I went to Venaria, the monumental Savoy Royal Residences and gardens, housing one of the most important centers for art and culture in Italy.You will be amazed by the enchanting Hall of Diana, the huge complex of the Stables, the famous golden ship Bucentaur and much more
The venue hosts several great exhibits, including Easy Rider, a glamorous exhibit that celebrate the magical world of motorbikes, evergreen symbol of “leaving the world behind”, “freedom”, and “speeding into the unknown”. and a great photo gallery showcasing the amazing work of Elliott Erwitt.
The current exhibit Hercules and his myth focuses and illustrates the figure of the Hero with a selection of extraordinary paintings and art objects created in classical antiquity and between the 16th and 18th centuries and literally surprising the visitor with an unexpected selection of those pretty tacky 60’s-70’s movies and their posters, starring the very first Superman.
Looking for a unique museum?
National Museum of Cinema, located In the iconic Mole Antonelliana, symbol of Turin. 
It runs vertically, up the ramps that line the inside of the building while exposing historical archives in film history, costumes, wigs and elements that have been used by great artists, and impressive screens showing films. On the year commemorating the centenary of Leonard Bernstein’s birth, one of the biggest composers and orchestra conductors of the 20th century, the NationalMuseum of Cinema organised a large multimedia exhibit 
Soundframes that investigates the complex relationship between music and moving images.
From the first musicals, to impressive scores created by great composer such as John Williams, Ennio Morricone, Hans Zimmer, etc.The exhibit is exclusively made up of screenings winding along the Temple Hall’s helicoidal ramp. Visitors to the exhibition will be provided with wireless headphones that are necessary for a 360 degrees immersion. To complete this emotional journey into the universe of music in cinema, the last part of the itinerary consists of 6 rooms with highly interactive features.
Into modern art?
Here two beautiful museums
:
GAM. In addition to its rich collection, starting Oct 26, the museum will host THE MACCHIAIOLI Italian art moves towards modernity, an exhibition that focuses on the antecedents, birth and highly successful debut period of Macchiaioli painting, spanning the experimentation of the 1850s and the masterpieces of the 1860s, exploring in-depth the artistic dialogue established between 3 Italian Regions: Tuscany, Piedmont and Liguria.
MEF is hosting 100% ITALIA, a journey through the three great wars that have changed the world and its perception and, above all, an accurate account of Italian creativity.
The show proposes a selection of exceptional works never exhibited. masterpieces that are usually kept in private collections and that are hardly exposed to the public .
Welcome to Turin, Capital of taste!
On my arrival night, lovely Silvia from TurismoTorino.org took me to one of her favorite restaurant, Tre Galli, located in the heart of the Roman Quarter, one of the oldest areas of Turin.
There I became 100% Piedmontese! Boiled tongue with the traditional salsa verde (anchovies, parsley, bread soaked in red vinaigrette, garlic and egg yolk) Then panissa risotto with beans and bacon, a traditional peasant dish also known as paniscia depending on the local dialect, and here served in a metal can. Silvia ordered Agnolotti alla Piemontese, that are fresh pasta dumplings, similar in shape to ravioli and stuffed with tender fassona meat. I tried one: it was rich, generous and tasty.>
To follow, a delicate flan with leeks and fonduta of Toma Montecauri cheese.
Sweet finale with a bonet (peach stuffed with a creamy fusion of Chocolate and nuts.
Shall we lunch ?
Caffè Elena
Established in 1800, right in the heart of the magnificent Vittorio Veneto. Here furniture and atmosphere have remained unchanged.Ideal for breakfast as well as the lunch break or a later aperitif paired with high quality tapas made on the spot. I sat at the small table by the window, the one preferred from Emilio Salgari the world best pirates stories writer I had handmade potato gnocchi with sausage and sheep cheese, then grilled fassona (super tender meat) with arugula salad and parmesan cheese.
For dessert, I had panna cotta
made with a historical recipe, adding Vermouth Carpano, a bitter drink invented in Turin ,
cacao and hazelnut crumble. Yes, You need a long walk after that lunch.
Chiodi Latini
‘We are a vegetale–integrale restaurant’, told me Antonio Chiodi Latini, the quite bizarre owner and creator of this minuscule venue in the center of Turin. ‘No meat, no fish, no derivates, not at all those sad unflavored vegan dishes. We don’t want to be a trendy place, We like to research , experiment and have the right knowledge of raw materials, their benefit, their taste. We propose a new approach to healthy food, whole foods, paying attention to plant-based ingredients, placing them at the center of our dishes in all their simplicity’.
At lunch, the menu offers 5 choiches, Business, Image, Premium, Whole and Experience (to be booked in advance)
Under Antonio’s authorisation, I mix matched some of the choices, Starting with a porcini and cream on stale bread, followed a velvety watercress and Swiss chard with roasted pumpkin seeds, a broccoli cream, then the signature dish called ‘PA-PO-BA,we can’t do without it’ (that’s PAsta, Pomodoro, BAsilico)
and ending with the ‘chilly’ sorbet Freddoloso (90% fennel, cardamom, cream of parsley.) As drinks a healthy kombucha (fermented tea , pine needles and cones) and a delicate smoothy with fennel extract, celery. green apple, lemon, ginger and zucchini squash.
Pizza maniac?
Tasteit
An unusual concept for making pizza. It is called ‘gourmet pizza’ and you will be the creator! You have the possibility to have ‘your’ customized pizza, choosing between the selection ‘earth’ or ‘sea’. In the first section there is a great presence of parmigiano cheese because the manager Domenico made a long culinary experience in Emilia-Romagna, Parma ham or Ghirardi reserve smoked scamorza, the famous culatello di Zibello, porcini mushrooms, pesto of parmesan rucola in poppy seed crust. Any sea proposal? There is no lack of unusual couplings, such as the amberjack fillet paired with spinach, guancialino slice and porcini or a tuna and shrimp tartare with kiwi, orange citronette and grapefruit zest, or low temperature cooked octopus, mashed potatoes and taggiasca olives.
The most popular? With stracciatella, pork fillet cooked at low temperature, lard from Colonnata, sprinkled crispy bacon and sesame seed vinaigrette. For lunch, the menu takes on a more business format with the choice of two first and three seconds. I chose amberjack risotto with tomato and cheese stracciatella. Perhaps because of the late hour (it was almost 2.00 pm) to my taste, the rice was a little overcooked.
The score went up with the arrival of a slice of pizza scampiamola which takes its name from the raw scampi paired with a delicate guacamole just flavored with shallots, pepper and just a drop of tabasco (thank God! I hate guacamole full of garlic, coriander and onion !)
Fancy some tapas?
Languorini
Cosy little bar that will delight you with its creation. I tried the one called Maialino nel panino (semi-sweet bread, pork strips cooked at low temperature and the chef’s sauce) the always classic black bread and Mediterranean anchovies and ‘U pulpo’, crispy octopus, scamorza cheese and herb mayonnaise. To drink, a FOG crafted white beer.
Chocoholic?
Your destination is the store of Guido Gobino where you will find the cremino al sale, a chocolate praline enriched with integral sea salt and extra virgin olive oil, was awarded in 2008 as the Best Praline of the World from the prestigious London Academy of Chocolate.Are you a coffee lover?
Do not miss Nuvola Lavazza Museum. Lavazza is one of the oldest Italian factory producing coffee since 1885. The museum is a multi-layered journey through the world of coffee, from the first grocery store where Luigi Lavazza invented the concept of blending, to the characters from advertising campaigns to yearly calendars, shoot by renowned photographers such as Helmut Newton, and Annie Leibovitz.
To end the journey at the bar where you would tray some experimental coffee drinks or food, like the amazing coffee sprinkled chips.
Did you say burger?
Check out M** Bun, first ‘slow food’ burger of the history .
They use only meat processed in the Scaglia farm in Rivoli, strictly Km.0 obtained from animals raised and fed with cereals and fodder grown in their fields, to guarantee a unique taste and consistency at every bite.
In addition you can find different raw tartare (plain, with capers or olives. 
The menu is a fanny mix between Italian and Piedmontese dialect, burgers here are oven grilled, chicken, fassona, pig. and a daily winter soup. The potatoes are to die for: absolutely fresh-cut and grilled to perfection. (forget those greasy fast food fries.) To drink artisanal beer from Susa, local wine and Molecola, a home-made alternative to Coca Cola. I got one and took me a minute to realize that even here the name is playing with words, mixing Mole ( the symbol of Turin) and Cola, as per the drink….
My favorite restaurant with traditional Piedmont cuisine? The istorical Porto di Savona opened in 1863 and still one of the most representative venue in Turin.
I started with a mix of traditional appetizers vitello tonnato ( cold veal with tuna sauce),
Zucca, which is my last name. In italian, it means ‘pumpkin. Long story short, I couldn’t resist to try a little bit of a very promising pumping creamy soup with robiola cheese and amaretti. It definitely was a good choice. 
Then a Turin must: Fritto Misto Piemontese. A fried mix of salty to sweet. Enjoy 9 different ingredients: sweetbreads, anchovies with green sauce, tomino cheese with green sauce (parsley, garlic, olive oil)) Vegetable flan with Parmesan creamy sauce, amaretto, fruits and more. Perfectly fried, crunchy, not greasy and super tasty
Then I had the opportunity to taste the Finanziera, a real Piedmont treat. Apparently it was born in the eighteenth century and offered by the peasants to the revenue officers, whose jacket inspired the name. y. It’s an old poor recipe that used the less noble parts of slaughtered animals and the entrails, such as brain, lungs, testicles, sweet bells, liver and cock’s crest which were left to those who performed the slaughter and immediately cooked, prepared and consumed.Today the Finanziera is considered an elaborate and sophisticated specialty.
Where to stay?
I checked in at Genova Hotel, a four star Best Western Plus property, steps to Central Station Porta Nuova and all the transportation. Super central, excellent service, comfy bed, even a jacuzzi in my room!
The breakfast is generous and delicious. Among fresh cold cuts, a lot of cheeses, including my favorite tomini.
Lots of homemade cakes with fruits.
I loved the one with caramelized pears and
(of course) the traditional Turin gianduja chocolate.
I stayed 4 nights and I highly recommend it.
Get the Torino&Piemonte card!
Free admission in the most important museums and exhibitions in Turin, in the castles, fortresses and Royal Residences in Piedmont and discounted tickets for many attractions, events, rides, including the great City SightSeeing Torino bus
Many steps, but without major problems. No strollers.
In these great venues, Y
a snack and a guided tour of the majestic National Opera Theater, where ballet and opera lovers can applaud the stars of dance and the masterpieces of Verdi, Puccini, Mozart and many others.
Get ready for an unforgettable dinner!
Grilled sea bass with steamed vegetables and extra virgin oil.
The best way to discover Athens?
Perfect location for a lunch in one of the many tabernas, including Elaia, Zorbas, Psara and my favorite To Kafeneio, pure Greek cuisine like the tasty handmade dolmates. I had one of the most traditional dish: yellow fava purè with onion, lemon. olives, capers and feta cheese.
The Riviera is waiting!
Margi is just a few steps away from the most elegant sandy beaches but just close enough to Athens Historical sites. With its superb cuisine and organic food from its farm, friendly and attentive staff as well as exquisite design, this hotel offers a memorable experience for travelers all year round. I had a wonderful lunch served at the sunny swimming pool. The super fresh shrimp salad was superb!
Over the years, owner Maria Stavridis’ and her son and Architect Yiangos Agiostratitis have created the warm and chic atmosphere of the hotel by combining artwork from all corners of the world with soft traces such as candlelit tables and plush furnishings.
Next stop
The venue offers cooking classes, olive oil seminars, wine tastings, among a restaurant, a bar and a great selection of greek products. ‘ We have the best pita in Athens, told me Joannis, try one…” He was right: crunchy pastry like dough and a delicious filling with eggplant and cheese., not too salty, just perfect. they are freshly baked in the groundfloor can be taken to go as well.
Yoleni’s produces 3 wines, called GReat (Gr+eat, you got it?) and in the menu you can find rotisserie, eggs, wonderful pizzas.
A ‘ WOW’ evening?
No menu, the dishes are chosen directly from the pots: a few choices served with bread, water and wine (only white). Two entrees, a couple of main dishes with meat or fish and of course a rich Greek salad with black olives and feta cheese. I tasted a spectacular chickpeas soup and a bean stew. Gruff owner (and chef). Don’t even think about asking him for a selfie …
Chef Stefano Maddalin, cadorino by birth, after 5 years of hotel school and various experiences around Italy, he is currently taking care of the restaurant 
A local dish to pair porcini ?
Canederli as a dessert. Canederli are bread dumplings and can be considered part of ‘cucina povera’ (cuisine of the poor), as they are made of simple and inexpensive ingredients: stale bread moistened with milk and bound with eggs and a small amount of flour. I sweeten them and topped with berries jam and elevated them to a tasty dessert.
Preparation
Welcome to Tredwells, a Marcus Wareing restaurant and winner of AA’s London Restaurant of the Year. Great location, excellent service and a breathtaking menu signed by the charming Chef Chantelle Nicholson, Tredwells showcases the very best in British seasonal produce Located in the trendy Seven Dials area, right in the heart of Covent Garden, the venue boasts two bar areas serving seasonally inspired cocktails, cementing Tredwells’ reputation as one of the best drinks venues in Seven Dials. the restaurant sets over three floors, while the mezzanine and lower ground floors are available for exclusive hire. I went for lunch, tried several of Chantelle proposals and found them all perfectly cooked and pleasantly tasting, starting from the beginning with a great potato and rosemary bread with salted whey butter till the end, indulging in a delicious fig mousse.
A contemporary interpretation of the Italian Riviera; an innovative, intimate retreat of 43 guestrooms. Although just a few minutes’ drive from the destination village of Positano, Casa Angelina’s fishing village location immerses guests in an off-the-radar authenticity that occupies a prime spot on the Amalfi coast.
Resting high up on the cliffs, the converted fishermen’s homes look to the future with an immaculately minimalist design complimented by exquisite Murano glass sculptures. 
Aperitivi are served at the on-trend Marrakech Bar, and the rooftop gourmet restaurant—Un Piano nel Cielo—offers sweeping views of the Gulf of Salerno. Guests are also encouraged to make use of the restorative spa and exclusive access to Casa Angelina´s own beach, La Gavitella, to fully appreciate la bella vita. 
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Stay at “LA TORRETTA” Cinque Terre, Ligury
THE HOTEL CONDESA DF FUSES THE SPIRIT OF ITS BOHEMIAN SURROUNDINGS WITH A PLAYFULLY SIMPLE AESTHETIC DESIGN. 
There are good things about staying at a hotel that is NOT particularly meant for tourists and that ISN’T in the touristic hub of town.
Grandiose lobby, courteous check-in, impeccable service and comfortable room with all amenities. Not to mention, a 24 hours business center a well equipped Spa, and a surprising swimming pool with ‘elephant fountains’ 
That’s not the point. The striking element was actually constraint. Less can be more. It is an asset to know just how many things one can get right and serve at its best of freshness.Talking of freshness and quality of service, I think the best thing was this open bar of fruit and vegetables that you could choose before seeing them juiced before your eyes. Yes, we had seen at other breakfast buffets a whole variety of fresh fruit juices, but what is more luxurious than “made to order”? I had become shortly before our long trip a quasi-addict of fresh ginger juice. Not a tea, but fresh ginger extraction with just enough water not to choke in public.
Then we got to taste perfectly roasted meats with a winning trio of duck, chicken and crispy pork.
COLOMBA RUSTICHELLA , SWEET DOVE OR CHIC JEWEL?
The elegant decorative silky foulard and the jewel pin give an exclusive and unique look to this confectionery speciality by Rustichella d’Abruzzo. The colomba Gioiello is an exclusive proposal to taste in family and is perfect for an original Easter gift. Available in pink, yellow and light blue package.
Typical Easter confectionery speciality, symbol of peace and purity, the colomba is a naturally leavened cake, enriched with candied fruits and a crispy coating of glaze and almonds. Originally from Northern Italy, well-known and loved throughout all Italy, the colomba is the delicious dessert that ends an Easter lunch with family, soft and perfumed from the very first taste. 
Made with a soft “Pasta Madre” (sourdough) obtained through a controlled artisan production process, in order to have its natural leavening, Rustichella d’Abruzzo colomba is presented with a pink, yellow or light blue flower-themed package, warm-looking and appealing, with really unique fragrance, lightness and taste.
INFO
Ingredients
by Cesare Zucca
Cooks in: 25 minutes. Serves: 2
to read full article click 
article
I met with Mauro Uliassi, the Chef who won 3 Michelin stars, 5 Cappelli Espresso, 3 Gambero Rosso Forks. Mauro opened the Uliassi Restaurant in Senigallia in 1990, creating a cuisine full of contamination, variations, sensations and memories.
Vincenzo Guarino from the luxurious 5-star 
Mimmo di Gregorio from
Grand finale with the iconic Salsa di Pomodoro, tomato sauce made from the youngest Chef of the Congress: Maicol Izzo from Michelin star 
Escorted and supported by his dad Michele (that ‘s so Italian…) Maicol created a new kind of bread whose dough has been prepared using the acidula water springing out from the local source. 
The bread must be dipped down into the traditional tomato sauce (more than 6 hours of preparation) and then you’ll taste this heaven…Bravo Maicol!
The unstoppable Mediterranean Cooking Congress will travel soon to Greece, Venice and Sicily, featuring Chefs from 10 different countries!
Capperi… che Pizza!
This pizza is easily digestible, s
Throughout the years, the selections have been enriched and expanded to include the new era of gourmet pizza. They offer the highest level of product, bursting with freshness and aroma which translates into positive health benefits and heightened digestibility for the consumer. Each recipe includes detailed information about each ingredient highlighting both origins and methods of preparation.
The result is equilibrated and delicious in every aspect such as the selection of Piennolo DOP cherry tomatoes, preserved in water and salt, torzelle seeds, capers from Salina, tuna and anchovies from Cetara, broccoli rabe from Vesuvius and figs from the Cilento area, 
They cultivate this high quality by working directly with local farmers who are encouraged to grow and harvest their products with extreme respect for nature.
“I realized that the pizza was getting ruined”, says Giuseppe Acciaio, “for the quality not always adequate of the ingredients, but sometimes also for the inability of the pizza makers to manage them at best”. Precisely for this reason, alongside the project of “redevelopment” of pizza, Giovanni Acciaio puts up Pizza Neapolitan Gourmet, a training school for gourmet pizza chefs, in Moncalieri, of which his son Luigi Acciaio is president.
“A pizza maker is not only technical, he must know the products and who produces them, he must study,” says Acciaio. A choice, that of the pizza-maker profession, no longer as a refuge in the face of failures in other fields, but which, on the contrary, becomes a true vocation.
First time I saw Blue Man Group was back in the 80′ in a Small theatre in Lafayette Street in New York.
Finally the 3 blue guys will be performing in Italy !
A typical Blue Man Group show starts with a Blue Man hanging out in the theater lobby as audiences arrive. He is completely bald, completely blue and dressed in black. Ask for an autograph and he will rub his hand across a program to create a blue smudge.
Try to take a picture and he will look at cell phones and cameras with curious wonder. In the theater, the show begins with clanging and flashing lights. The Blue Men create bizarre instruments with their signature plastic tubing. 
They drum amongst themselves and possibly with a band or other backing music. They throw marshmallows into each other’s mouths with alarming accuracy and in logic-defying numbers. A classic Blue Man bit brings an audience member to the stage for an elegant Twinkie dinner with the Blue Men, culminating in hilarious disaster.
At the end of the show, the audience participates in an elaborate toilet paper-throwing ritual. 
All the while, the innocent and childlike Blue Men never break character.
Take note that the first five rows are the “poncho section” — prime placement for those eager to get in on the action and possibly an errant splash of blue paint, too.
1987, known worldwide for its various stage productions which typically incorporate many different categories of music and art, both popular and obscure, in their performances.
Blue Man Group has had multiple national and global tours, appeared on various TV programs as both characters and performers, appeared on the Norwegian Cruise Line ship Epic, released multiple studio albums, contributed to a number of 
UN SUGGERIMENTO AL PUBBLICO ITALIANO ….
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The story follows the highly famous and incredibly successful pianist, Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali), who takes great risks as an African American man touring through the highly racial deep south. Tony Lip (a spectacular Viggo Mortensen) a bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx, who is hired to drive the musician on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South. 
They must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African-Americans. As the tour progresses, the audience goes through many parts of the south where not only racism was prevalent against African Americans and Italians, but also acknowledge the severe homophobia that existed so terribly in the 1960s. A real story that shows the journey of Tony and Don. Confronted with racism, danger-as well as unexpected humanity and humor-they are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime. One white and one black met at the apartheid society. At the beginning, they didn’t understand each other and came up a lot of conflict. After a period of time, they started to help each other and Tony always stood up for Don .They turned to be friend or even more than that. I loved the direction, the cinematography , the music, the editing and the excellent performances,.
(traduzione)
Last night at Teatro Carcano, Milan the World Premiere of QUEEN LEA-R,
Open scenario, a doll store with a vintage feeling , on stage the Nina’s Drag Queens Company, in a quite intense musical play conceived by Francesco Micheli, renewed and re-written by the British playwright Claire Dowie and the Italian composer Enrico Melozzi.
Queen LeaR deals with some uncomfortable themes of our time, such as old age, illness and death, on the background of a generation with a hard legacy on his back, a generation of children who may never be fathers. Drag queens act, sing, dance, make people laugh and cry, live and stir strong emotions: for this reason a drag queen is the perfect key to translate Shakespeare in a present-day form, innovating it through a contemporary, eclectic and excessive mask. Queen LeaR is also built on the idea of mixing together different kinds of show. The ambition is to put on stage a form of entertainment at the same time popular and high, which takes its strength from the use of pastiche and the break of genres boundaries.
I loved (and the public too) the crazy and unxpected inserts of contemporary hits from the Italian Franco Battiato’s The Cure to the classic I will survive just to mention few. All songs ‘live’ revealing some pretty good voices. This format is not so new… the iconic Quartetto Cetra, back in the 60’s or the ilarious Trio used that gig in the past. The drag queens’ performances as contemporary opera: a theater with a great visual impact and accurate musical drama dealing with capital issues sometime sacrificing the enjoyment of the show.