Author: alice

Coffee as a trait d’union

Posted on by alice


Often we think of Naples and London as polar opposites but you’d be surprised that they actually have something pretty big in common. Not the sun, not the sea, not the river but coffee, ‘o cafe’ as it is called in Neapolitan dilect, or maybe I should say language! Though I live in London, coffee will always be my favorite go-to in the cold months, as well as in the summer.

Alice:
It’s no surprise that my love for coffee began over 20 years ago in Naples, almost exactly at this time of year. The weather was rainy, gray and cold – though nothing rivaling a UK January. It’s no surprise that my love for coffee began in Naples. About 20 years ago, while spending a month in the city researching Eduardo De Filippo, the famed Neapolitan playwright, I learned more than I’d anticipated about the culture of coffee that permeated the city (as well as the plays of Eduardo). I’d meet a director or interview an actor and inevitably they’d offer to buy me a coffee. I’d go to change my Travelers checks at the bank and the teller would offer me some of the coffee he’d just been delivered from the bar. It took me a while to see how Naples and coffee were intrinsically linked – the gesture of hospitality that we associate with Naples along with the everyday, perfect ritual of standing up at the bar, chatting with the barman and the strangers next to you for a few minutes while you start that day. It might have taken me even longer to get used to the ease with which people would offer to buy each other coffee. Now that I am mainly based in London, it’s a beautiful thing that I miss because it wasn’t particularly tied to how well you knew a person. Just a moment, a gesture of belonging.

With Naplesfabulous, we do a lot of food tours about coffee in both cities, Naples and London, and never tired of finding new spots or uncovering fresh stories about this ubiquitous drink, that we always like to combine with delicious pastries, historical and daily-life episodes about these two metropolises.

Spending so much time in both places, it is fascinating to notice the similarities and differences each city has in its relationship – both actual and historical – it has to this everyday drink. We cannot help but connect Napoli with London and search for ways to incorporate Naples into our tours here as well as a little London in our tours over there. In fact, to understand Neapolitan culture, you must get to know its relationship with coffee. Equally, in order to understand London as an economic power, you need to be familiar with the role coffee played in trade, banking, and insurance.

The best place to start in order to do that, is to head first to the City in the heart of the most ancient London (Londinium), at the Jamaica Wine House, site of what is believed to be the first coffee house in London and perhaps England. We’ll wander around the alleys around the Royal Exchange where coffee houses like Jonathan’s, Lloyd’s, and Garraway’s used to be, head to the Bank of England while we learn how the existence of these coffee houses were intrinsic to how politics, law, banks, insurance, commerce, the postal system and newspapers were shaped.

We’ll discuss how coffee came to England, why the coffee house culture here was strikingly different in comparison to other European countries and how these spaces laid the foundation for establishing hotspots where major global players could meet, receive post, participate in auctions and decide how they were going to invest their rapidly growing wealth. As we travel along the storied streets of the Golden Mile, we will visit the lost legacy of former coffee houses scattered around the City as well as contrast the coffee houses with historic pubs which were also important in London’s role as a superpower. We may have to stop for a chocolate break along the way, not only to taste some of London’s best but to also discuss how chocolate emerged in London at the same time as coffee and how it had a much different history and influence on London’s elite.

As we wind around the city streets, we will focus on the new and old coffee traditions that can be found in London. To understand how coffee made its way back to London after tea took its place as the number one hot beverage, we’ll need to go to Soho which was once an area known for its high population of immigrants who, unlike typical English folks, were used to drinking coffee. The neighborhood was primarily Greek, Italian and French and you can still see evidence of this in some of its shops and restaurants (Maison Bertaux, Bar Remo, The Life Goddess). This last part of the tour will include a visit to one of London’s newest and most trendy cafes where coffee pouring is art and you can choose your roast from an array of different countries. We must go to Bar Italia for London’s best cannoli and to see the first Italian Gaggia coffee machine in England which is still in use (and chat about the Swinging Sixties and Bar Italia’s connection with the iconic jazz club across the street, Ronnie Scotts). After that cannoli, we’ll turn the corner to visit the iconic Algerian Coffee Stores from 1887 which has more coffee and tea than Fortnum and Mason in about 35 sqm.


We might even get a chance to visit William Curley for some of the best chocolate as we head to end the tour at the Old Coffee House pub (one of the few remaining coffee houses turned pubs) for a pint because after all that walking and coffee sampling from places around the world, you can try yet another beverage at one of the most homely and quintessential icons of UK culture, the corner pub.

A true world in a glance – Jasmina Trifoni

Posted on by alice

We are very proud to open our Artist Window with the work of Jasmina Trifoni.
Jasmina Trifoni is a journalist living in Rome who specializes in travel writing and narrative journalism. She works for Italian and International magazines including National Geographic and Meridiani, among the others. In a world where the “big frames” have almost all been discovered, she loves to find those small stories that can make the difference in the perception of a place. She has traveled extensively in all the continents (with the exception of Antarctica, and with a preference for everything that is “south”) but she doesn’t like to just check the country off the list and move on. Instead, she prefers to return to the same place several times to deepen her research. She has written several books which have been translated in many languages (100 Adventures of Our Lifetime, World in Danger, Patrimonio mondaile dell’Unesco, 80 Islands to Escape to, among the others).

 

The word that comes to mind when looking at Jasmina’s photos is spontaneity.
An avid traveller originating from Rome, she seems to truly have Naples in her eyes.
Our first encounter with Jasmina was by way of her photos. As it often happens, we’ve found her to be the exact embodiment of what her camera illustrates – a curious, inquisitive, impassioned woman who is in love with the most extravagant sides of life.

She’s always ready to laugh authentically at all that she sees in her surroundings. For her, she looks at the world and from the first glance she is categorising everything that interests and fascinates her – or what does not, in an instance! It’s true, we are all a little like that though few people blend integrity and flamboyance so seamlessly.
What is more extravagant that the human spirit – be it in depictions by talented artists or in the unbridled exuberance of people in the streets?

If you try to compliment Jasmina on her photos, she will squint her eyes and look at you as if you are saying something strange. Even if she is prolific in her photography, she doesn’t consider herself a photographer and doesn’t want to hear that her lens has immortalised a portrait of society in a precise – and fabulous – way.
What we love about Jasmina’s photos is her simple but earnest staging of life. Through her lens, a nameless street becomes the backdrop for neorealist theatre full of faces captured in their most honest moments.

Unique to many, Jasmina does not try to photograph dramatic or intense moments. Hers is a different approach: through the faces and bodies she shoots – quickly and without creating any kind of set – all of the depth of a moment is immortalised. In that moment lies all the complexity of life which her humour and exaggeration can render solemn and powerful.
In Jasmina’s photos, the landmarks, architecture and cities disappear and become irrelevant. Her objective concentrates on the representation of the souls narrating a psyche. Often you discover that her instant snapshots of faces precisely express the inner life of that person. What sets Jasmina apart is that she doesn’t stage a situation around the person in order to get a good shot. She doesn’t prepare the scenery in any way yet magically the realness of life reproduces a detailed biography in one quick click of the camera. This spontaneous process results in telling a deeply resonating story of the life of a stranger that seems to be someone that Jasmina has already known.

 

The harbor of Naples and the entire seafront stretching from the Castel Nuovo to the eastern extremity of the town, offer extraordinary exhibitions. This was the region of the Lazzaroni: the finer-looking or merrier vagabonds than those who are now found in it, it is not easy to meet. The streets that they frequent, and in which they may be said to live, lie in this quarter, and are altogether unique. Brawling, laughing, cooking, flirting, eating, drinking, sleeping, together with most of the other concerns of life, are all transacted here beneath the canopy of heaven
James Fenimore Cooper From the letters describing travel undertaken in 1828-1829

 

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The large stage of the world

 

Around every corner of the city you’ll hear someone singing, you’ll catch the tune of a Pino Daniele song or notes from the posteggiatori going trattoria to trattoria, encouraging the crowds of diners to sing along to traditional songs. Music is at the heart of the city and the greatest artists started in the neighborhoods we love, the number one being the Sanita’, well-known recently for its street parties with all kinds of musical performances going into the early hours of the next day. One of our favourite Neapolitan singers and icons, Ria Rosa, quotes the bridge of this neighborhood in one of her incredible tunes recorded in New York.

 

One of the most popular theatrical traditions of Naples is the commedia del’arte dating from the 16th century whose origins go back to the ancient Roman Atellan Farce (Fabule Atellane).
The main character of the commedia dell’arte is Pulcinella, now one of the most popular souvenirs from bella Napoli.

Pulcinella has a strong and contradictory personality, like the characteristics Naples is known for: exuberant and lazy, reliable and crazy, cynical and happy, funny and sad. He is a great representative of that emblematic cunning spirit for which Neapolitans are – or maybe were – famous.

 

 

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Being Neapolitan it’s wonderful

 

The Patron Saint Gennaro was martyred in 305 AD. Three days a year the saint is celebrated in the cathedral of Naples where believers and curious folks wait for the miracle of the liquefaction of his blood secretly and securely kept in a vial.
On September 19, New York celebrates the San Gennaro Feast in Little Italy. All began in Mulberry Street with the building of a small chapel dedicated to the Saint where offers for the poor people of the neighborhood were collected. Now it’s a party complete with fried zeppole.
San Gennaro is becoming more and more popular in Naples, not only as an historical and religious icon, but also in the design and top-quality arts market.

 

 

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The black gold of Naples

 

Coffee in Naples means espresso and the traditional caffè is ristretto, very short and dense.
Neapolitans consider coffee a necessity, something you cannot live without. This explains why the Suspended Coffee started in Naples, maybe after WWII. You drink a coffee at your favourite bar, and you pay a second caffè for someone who may not be able to afford it. The bar holds on to the “suspended” cup until someone comes and requests it. Why coffee and not bread? Because caffè in Napoli is considered as important as primary food. In a Neapolitan bar you always chat with the busy barista (coffee-maker) so it’s like sharing kindness, friendship and much more.
In his Neaplitan song Tazza ‘e café parite Giuseppe Capaldo compares coffee to a desirable woman, strong but with the sugar that once melted will make the drink beautiful!
We Neapolitans think our coffee is the best, and we are pretty sure to be right!

 

 

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Naples is synonymous with food

 

Red like lava, the piennolo tomatoes grow in volcanic soil. These small round-shaped tomatoes with a pointed tip and a thick skin are called “Piennolo” after Latin pendulus (hanged)  because of the system adopted to preserve it in bunches similar to grape and hanged in dry and ventilated places. The piennolo is represented in the traditional Neapolitan nativity scenes as well as tripe which is also sold as a street food and dressed with lots of lemon and salt.

The King of the Neapolitan snacks is the tarallo ‘nzogn e pepe (in Neapolitan dialect).  Some of the traditional tarallifici, where taralli are baked daily are in the Sanità neighborhood, but the tarallo was probably invented in the densely populated area of the Port of Naples in the 18th century. Due to poverty, bakers were mixing the leftover bread and dough with lard (“nzogna” in Neapolitan) and pepper.
In the past, taralli were sold by the “tarallari”, a man or a woman walking along the waterfront of Naples with baskets filled with warm taralli for people strolling along the coast.

 

 

 
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Art in the Art

 

From the murals and the masterpieces within Naples’ stunning museums to the hidden workshops of the tireless Neapolitan craftspeople, this is what Jasmina creates while capturing art with her immediate glance.

 

Artists like Turner and Warhol have flocked to Naples’ from all over the world to experience its energy and depict its landscape in their works. More and more, there are international artists coming to Naples to paint Naples itself. When touring the historical center, it is not unlikely to see a new colorful work pop up just around the corner.

The features of our face are hardly more than gestures which force of habit made permanent. Nature, like the destruction of Pompeii, like the metamorphosis of a nymph into a tree, has arrested us in an accustomed movement. Marcel Proust

 

 

 

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A bustling and struggling humanity

 

Mark Twain during his Neapolitan stay in 1867 wrote: “It is Broadway repeated in every street, in every court, in every alley! Such masses, such throngs, such multitudes of hurrying, bustling, struggling humanity! We never saw the like of it, hardly even in New York, I think. There are seldom any sidewalks, and when there are, they are not often wide enough to pass a man on without caroming on him. So everybody walks in the street–and where the street is wide enough, carriages are forever dashing along. Why a thousand people are not run over and crippled every day is a mystery that no man can solve.”

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

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The vertical city

Naples is a vertical city and from its belly to its hills, two cities cohabit in harmonic chaos with elegance, deterioration, noise, and silence. The diametrical oppositional humanity lives under the same sun and breath of the same salty breeze.

 


Mr Giancarlo Maresca, Gran Maestro of the Guardian Knights of the Nine Doors

 

Everyone in this city follows the sun. In the summer, people from all neighborhoods flock to the seafront to get a chance to soak in the rays. Every corner will be covered with those looking for a relaxing moment of sunshine.

 

 

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Piety and superstition in the womb of Naples
The Fontanelle Cemetery

In this ancient quarry where tuff rock was extracted, the remains of 40,000 victims of epidemics -and not only- are displayed in a very artistic way.
Fontanelle is located at the bottom of the hill of Materdei, where once streams ran down to the valley (thus the name fontanelle, little fountains). Despite its 54,000 square feet, this cavity has a very intimate atmosphere due to the soft lighting and the warm affection that Neapolitans express to the “poor souls” who live here.
Candies, toys, plastic flowers, written messages, a soccer shield, next to bus tickets and coins to pay Charon for the journey to the other world, are offered to those “little beggar souls” as the tradition calls them. They implore a prayer in exchange for who knows? Maybe one of the generous legendary skulls will appear in a dream providing a couple of lucky numbers to be played at the lottery.

The use of the quarry as a cemetery has stopped, but piety, mercy, love, superstition and devotion go on.

 

Some might lament that I were cold,
As I, when this sweet day is gone,
Which my lost heart, too soon grown old,
Insults with this untimely moan;
They might lament—for I am one
Whom men love not,—and yet regret,
Unlike this day, which, when the sun
Shall on its stainless glory set,
Will linger, though enjoyed, like joy in memory yet.

-Percy Bysshe Shelley
(Stanzas Written in Dejection, near Naples)

A New Kind of Sospeso

Posted on by alice

In this covid19 era there is a new kind of giving added to the roster: paying for a stranger’s Covid test.
This initiative is supported by ‘SaDiSa, Diritti alla Salute’, ‘Fondazione Comunità di San Gennaro Onlus‘ and the Presidency of the 3rd Municipality of Napoli.

Though not a surprise that this Neapolitan world of subtle and anonymous generosity now includes a Covid test sospeso, the fact that it is happening in none other than the church of San Severo fuori le mura makes it even more unique.


Church of San Severo fuori le mura

This church is where the sculptor and resident Jago, has exhibited his haunting masterpiece called “Figlio Velato”.
Jago is just one of the superstars in via Vergini. Another hero of the neighborhood is Father Antonio Loffredo who collaborates with Ernesto and Giuseppe Albanese, founders of L’Altranapoli.


Giuseppe Albanese with architect and designer Riccardo Dalisi in one of the “houses” opened in the Sanità neighborhood

They’ve been integral in bringing significant alternatives for the children in the area with, among other things, the creation of the orchestra Sanitansamble, a football pitch on the roof of a church, a gym, a recording studio designed by architect Giuseppe Albanese on top of the graveyard of the church of San Severo fuori le mura.


The recording studio designed by architect Giuseppe Albanese

“This recording studio offers music and joy also to the people buried there” Father Antonio said, and now L’Altranapoli will be expanding its work to the Forcella neighborhood.

As the public health care is saturated with testing needs, many must turn to the private sector. However, the costs for many, especially in this economic climate, are quite prohibitive. This grass-roots group is one of the non-profits behind the idea of the “suspended” swab test which is putting Naples on the map, once again, for its generosity and altruistic spirit.

Alice: Fiorella, speaking of generosity, I’ve got to tell you about one of my first memories of Neapolitan hospitality. I was in Naples for a month researching for my thesis in a time before the debit card so my American ATM only worked at only certain banks. The machine wasn’t working at the branch at the intersection with Montesanto and the teller literally walked me to the next branch on Via Toledo, along the way offering me a coffee at a small bar along the way.
We got our coffee in the bustling café and then went up to the till to pay. The man quickly and effortlessly put his hand to stop me and paid the bill – around 1,000 lire – was paid. I was flustered and kept saying “grazie, grazie…ma perche’?”
Why would a stranger pay for my coffee? He explained that it was just what was done in Naples, especially for a “guest” and that it was “just a coffee”. This impressive instance of Neapolitan generosity is just one of many.
I later learned to be a gracious in offering as I was accepting coffee and also about the culture of “caffe (or pizza) sospeso”, just one of the examples of how Neapolitans have a way of taking care of each other. This concept of “sospeso” can be applied in “gifting” anything for a person you don’t know who might be in need. A friend of mine told me that at her salumeria people paid it forward for those who needed a sandwich. With dignity and no questions asked. This is the spirit of Naples.

Fiorella: Totally fabulous. Yes, we’ve mentioned this idea about the caffè sospeso. Apparently it began in the post-war 1950s with coffee and has been a tradition of “paying it forward” in Naples ever since. In recent years, we’ve seen many more bars and pizzerias place signs or posters for people to leave change for the “suspended” coffees or pizzas. Visitors and locals happily participated and this tradition had not changed, even in the pandemic. In fact, this idea of paying for a stranger has now taken on a new form.
In the darkest times of the first lockdown, Naples made the news with how people were leaving food for others hard-hit by the economy, often in the famous panaro (the basket lowered down from the balcony); both the gesture and the basket emblematic of the inventiveness of the city we love so much.


Church of Immacolata and San Vincenzo, now a Theatre in Sanità. Sculptures by Riccardo Dalisi


Giuseppe Albanese and Luigi Malcagni manager of Save the children Campania in the Cristallini House celebrating the installation Flag Down by Mariangela Levita

b mad in a fabulous jewel of the Bay of Naples

Posted on by alice

Alice: One warm August morning, we were walking around the narrow streets of a place very dear to us and looking to delight our palates with a typical pastry from the area. Years ago we used to recommend this place to tourists and friends but only few took our advice and unfortunately in recent years this place has become more and more crowded.

Fiorella: Since it is our refuge and our place to relax, we cannot reveal its identity to all of our readers. However, those who are interested in following our hints to discover which location we are talking about can write to us privately and we’ll reveal this little puzzle.

RECAPPING: We were out for a stroll in search to satisfy our sweet tooth when who did we run into? None other than Barbara, another lover of this place, our “brilliant friend” – or even better – “brilliant designer friend” who also found herself in front of the pastry shop.

This pasticceria boasts the invention of one of the delicacies from Campania called the “lingua di bue” or “tongue of the mother in law” which is a rich puff pastry filled with custard or lemon cream.

Faced with the dilemma of choosing between the two, we suggest you order them both!
Barbara appeared as we were walking out of the shop with our warm and fragrant package. Per her usual, she was wearing fabulous jewellery. We were so excited to see her that we were able to resist the temptation of sinking our teeth into the treat right out of the oven and invited her to have a coffee on our terrace for a little chat.
Postponing tasting a warm lingua di bue is almost a crime, but we knew that we were close to home and that we’d still be able enjoy it to the fullest.
The three of us walked down the high-walled little streets that hide gardens

and lemon groves with breath-taking glimpses of our beloved place

leading us to our apartment where the coffee was already on the stove.

What is more fabulous than a strong Neapolitan coffee, a warm lingue di bue and a friend adorned like a modern day Sant Agata?

On a secret terrace in this magical place, Barbara unveiled the symbols in her work. She also shared other insights into what it’s like creating innovative jewellery in the context of one of the historic Neapolitan artisanal trades which has put this city on the map for centuries.

Barbara: My dad says that when I was young my response to the question “What do you want to do when you grow up?” was “I want to be an inventor”. The result is that I work as a teacher in the morning and in the afternoon I dress up as an inventor!
Alice: Fantastic! It sounds like you have a lot going on! Tell everybody what you invent and how you started you career.
Barbara: I am a jewellery maker. I started out by experimenting with copper aluminium, polymer clay and recycled materials which have always been the base of my creations.
In the beginning, I exhibited my works in a small gallery called FaBer which I shared with my cousin who is a fashion designer.
Later on I decided to make necklaces and earrings with stones until the moment that I got my big break. A space opened up at the historical Borgo Orefici where I could have my “banchetto” (workbench) on which I could finally forge metals! This is when my fantastic adventure begun.
I finally found my way and started my bMad_Jewels production!

I design and transform metal into thoughts, feelings and symbols…
Fiorella: It must be very exciting for you to work where the first corporation of goldsmiths and silversmiths was established.

Alice: Oh yes! Borgo Orefici and Piazza Mercato, being close to the commercial port, have always been a place where these kinds of trades flourished. Where was the corporation of silversmiths established exactly?
Fiorella: It was in the Anjou (Angevin) Kingdom that the first French masters were called by the Royals to Naples to teach their art to the Neapolitan silversmiths. The administrative centre of the Corporation was in Piazzetta Orefici (not far from Barbara’s studio) where a counsel called Udienza was entrusted to checking and eventually approving the handicrafts. The quality had to be outstanding!
Unfortunately, very little survives from the Angevin production, but the famous Bust of St Gennaro reminds us of this glorious past.

In the Baroque Age, the productions reached their height and as a result it was decided that goldsmiths and silversmiths could only work in this specific area of Naples.

It is amazing that you construct your creations here, where also most of the busts of the Treasure of St Gennaro were produced!

What are you working on now?
Barbara: I give life to universally recognized and beloved symbols icons.
Alice: Oh fabulous! We can see that these pieces have a lot to express. Tell us more about the impetus of these creations.
Barbara: Well, there is the ‘house’ which is the most cherished place of our roots and our family.

Then there is the ‘eye’ which is the mirror of the soul.

It is also part of the Neapolitan superstition; the evil eye or the talisman which chases away bad luck.

The ‘open space’ is a mysterious place only known to ourselves; our personal shelter.

There is also the ‘castle’ where all stories have a happy ending.

Alice: The one you are wearing must be the ‘the frame of your dreams’. This one is a favourite of mine!

Barbara: Yes, this is the frame where clients ask me to capture the words of a book they love or the rocks, sand or little shells from a place near and special to them.


Fiorella: How do you feel being a contemporary jewellery artist with your innovative and minimal touch in such a traditional context like the Borgo Orefici?
Barbara: It has been my determination and enthusiasm for what I do which has allowed me to discover a world where most of the doors are shut and hard to open. You have to be able to learn only from watching because most of the artisans don’t reveal their secrets.
Alice: We can tell that your work really sets you apart from most of the goldsmiths and jewellery makers of the Borgo and it expresses your personality and strong joie the vivre.

P. S.

Barbara Tartaglia with her husband Gianluca Zivieri. Gianluca is also a fan of our not-so-secret spot, of lingue di bue and of BMad_Jewels of course!
Gianluca owns a comapny that rents luxurious and exclusive villas in Italy. If you are planning to spend a fabulous vacation in our country, while wearing f a b u l o u s jewels here is the right couple!

Pizza and Pastries: The Fabulous Heart of Reopening Naples

Posted on by alice

Here in Naples things are starting to slowly shift and one of the most welcomed aspects of the relaxed rules is that the emblem of our beloved city, pizza, can now be consumed from pizzerias around the city (only for delivery). You can feel the collective level of joy of those around the city for all who have spent two and a half months without their Pizza Margherita!
The reopening of some pizzerias brought a Christmas-like feeling to Naples. One pizzeria in particular has taken the culinary benevolence a step further. Yesterday on Instagram, Concettina ai Tre Santi, decidedly one of the most celebrated pizzerias in Naples, decided that their pizza was going to those who needed it most. In the true tradition of Neapolitan generosity, they are taking their pizzas to the streets and delivering them via the traditional panaro (basket) that will be whisked up to the homes of those who are most deserving:

“My pizzas will go to those who need them most…a small gesture for this great population [of people]. I am more convinced than ever that we have got to create a network and join forces. For this reason there will be another “son of the Sanita’” by my side: Ciro Poppella. We are uniting for you. With pizza and the fiocco di neve in the panariello, we will try to give the gift sunlight to those who have the most hardship.”

We love that Poppella, another one of our favourite places that has the most delicious pastries in the city, is also taking part in this initiative. Two of our favourite places (take a look at our post about the Five Fabulous Things of Naples to learn more) are at the helm of this fabulous project!
The true spirit of Naples.

Sailing virtually in the Bay of Napoli

Posted on by alice

Let’s dream about going sailing virtually in the Bay of Napoli!
Maybe this immersion in the fabulous Bay of Naples will make us feel a sense of freedom by breathing in our blue sea air and visualizing the history that surrounds us.

We’ll start our trip from Posillipo which in Greek means “respite from suffering”. Posillipo was a seaside resort for the Roman patricians, who loved to come here (especially in the Imperial Age) to enjoy the beauty of the bay and the Greek culture. Pliny the Elder, Suetonius and Martial wrote about this fascinating area and it is said that Virgil wrote his Georgics in a villa in this corner of the Empire.

The glory of Posillipo declined with the fall of the Empire and again in the Middle Ages but the fascinating archaeological remains of its glorious times are still visible. In fact, many walls in opus reticulatum can be seen along the coast and under the water.
A theatre and an odeon–once part of Pollio’s estate–are still standing. The open-air theatre has been restored and in the summer houses a theatre festival. You can read more about Vedius Pollio in our post 5 fabulous things to do in Naples.


Odeon

The romantic ruins of the so-called Palazzo degli Spiriti represented in many engravings and paintings now stand amongst boats of fisherman, families, and “scugnizzi” (boisterous youth from Naples) that populate its surrounding cliffs in the hot summer months. Most of the Roman ruins have been integrated into modern private buildings or fancy condos and also restaurants like the renowned Cicciotto.


Palazzo degli Spiriti

During our virtual sailing trip we approach the Borgo Marechiaro (borgo means small village). It was a fishing community with its church named Santa Maria del Faro, because it was built on the site of the ancient Roman lighthouse (“faro” means lighthouse).


Chiesa di Santa Maria del Faro

The 14th century church was renovated thanks to the Mazza family, nobles who owned properties in Marechiaro. In the 18th century architect Ferdinando Sanfelice remodelled this lovely church that still shows the Mazza coat of arms of 2 crossed sticks.


Façade of the Church Santa Maria del Faro

The Gaiola and Trentaremi incorporate relevant sections of the Pausilypon Villa, the vast estate belonging to Vedio Pollio of whom Palazzo degli Spiriti was probably a nymphaeum. Augustus inherited it after Vedio Pollio’s death in 15 BC. What an imperial property! In an incredible setting beteween Vesuvius and the island of Capri, Pausilypon was a typical example of a otium (leisured culture) villa where one could enjoy nature, peace, reading and meditation.

The Gaiola most likely gets its name from caveola, due to the many caves still visible in the yellow tufa stone which is soft and easy to erode.
The school of Virgil was located here as well as a temple dedicated to Venus, whose name Euplea was attributed to the still existing islet, on top of which stands an abandoned villa.
The villa belonged to some of the wealthiest people in the world, amongst them Agnelli and Paul Getty. Due to a sad destiny, non of these modern-day patricians enjoyed this enchanting property because of tragic events that fell upon their lives.

Today the Gaiola is a protected area, because on the sea bed it is possible to identify fish-ponds, docks and arcaheological remains of the Villa Pausilypon which is now under the sea level due to bradyseism (the gradual lifting or falling of the Earth’s surface due to volcanic activity). Infact, this volocanic phenomenon affects the coastline from Posillipo to Bagnoli and all the way to the pictoresque town of Pozzuoli, the ancient port of Rome.
In the 17th century Posillipo experienced a renaissance, once again becoming the chosen location for the aristocrats who “recycled” entire sections of Roman architecture as building materials or foundations for their fabulous residences.
In the 18th and 19th century this enchanting area started to be very popular also amongst artists. Many artists, also from other European countries loved to spend their time in this corner of paradise; painting outdoors and studying the light and colours of the South. The School of Posillipo, indeed, was started by the Dutch A. S. Pitloo in 1824, anticipatiing the much more well-known French Impressionism.


Anton Sminck Pitloo, The Grove of Francavilla at the Chiatamone

It was in the 19th century that many more private villas and the public street to connect Posillipo to the centre of Naples were built. Luckily a decree by King Gioaquin Murat protected the coast from construction facing the sea.
This is why looking at Naples from the sea is always a fabulous experience. It is a totally different prespective from the lively and bustling historical centre. Posillipo is another thing that sets Naples apart: where else can you rediscover gardens, beautiful ancient villas, citrus and pine trees, and also vineyards to in such a densely populated city?

Gaiola draws many people year round to canoe and kayak-who could resist a jump in the turquoise waters to cool off?

After a nice swim, let’s get back in our ecologically-friendly virtual sailboat to head to Castel dell’Ovo.


Castel dell’Ovo and Borgo Marinari

With its impressive walls in yellow tufa, the castle is said to get its name from its elliptical, oval shape or from the legend telling that Virgil had deposited an egg in its foundation. This icon of Naples stands on the islet of Megaride. Here the Greek settlment of Partenope was established between the 8th and 7th century BC in this already inhabited spot of the Bay. The story of Megaride is very stratified as in the 1st centry BC the Roman patrician Lucius Licinius Lucullus, famous for his palate, built his villa on this site. Some elements of the villa are still visible even if at the end of the 5th century a Basilian monastery was erected where the villa once stood. From the 12th century onwards, this castle which was modernalised by the lineage of kings of Naples, has continued to dominate the islet, today surrounded by bustling restaurants and cafes.

We must end our virtual tour with an aperitivo of traditional taralli and a beer at one of the kiosks lining the seafront as we watch the sun set upon our beloved city. In the past taralli were sold by the “tarallaro”, a man or a woman selling their basket-filled treats to people stolling along the coast, just as we are doing today.
The tarallo was probably invented in the 18th century in the populated area of the Port of Naples. Due to rampant poverty, bakers were mixing the leftover bread and pasta dough with lard (“nzogna” in Neapolitan) and pepper. They would make two little strips and then twist them to then form into a doughnut shape which would be baked along with their bread. At the beginning of the 19th century the “’nzogna e pepe” (lard and pepper) tarallo would be enhanced with almonds. This recipe has remained the same until today. Taralli have to be eaten when warm in order to appreciate their perfect consistency and fragrance. Aren’t you eager to taste them? If so, ask us for the recipe and we’ll send it to you!

F F F: Fabulousness of Family and Friendship

Posted on by alice

Alice: One thing I’ve been really grateful for during this period is being able to be in contact with friends and family. All of those video chats with Marco Polo, Zoom, Whatsapp, Skype with my Neapolitan friends is keeping me from going crazy during this time.
Fiorella: For Neapolitans, friends are like family. We meet up even for five minutes a day and those exchanges now are almost completely missing from our lives. If we are lucky we will run in to someone while waiting in line to enter the supermarket and we’ll have a chat through masks at a 6 feet distance.
Alice: This has been so hard for a population where human contact and connection is at the core of the culture. I think the rest of the world is in awe of how the Neapolitans are reaching out to each other by playing music, calling out Tombola numbers, checking in with neighbours, waving at friends from the street down below.
Fiorella: We feel very close with our friends, neighbours and family here in Naples but also all over Italy. Our hearts go out to all the people in the North who have been hit so hard with this pandemic. Italy is very united right now by an immense sorrow and sense of powerlessness we all share.
Alice: I miss my Neapolitan family so much and I miss the beautiful streets and museums of Naples.
Fiorella: as a tour guide and art historian, my desperation is double as I cannot work and I cannot be in touch with my other homes: the sites, museums and churches of our bella Napoli.

The Sansevero Chapel is one of my favourite places in Naples. It is a place where I have always loved taking my clients-expecially foreign visitors who in the past were not familiar with this fabulous private museum. When I started my tour activity there was no queue to get in and no crowd inside so we could chat with the lovely custodians and some of the owners of this unique temple. I still consider the Sansevero Chapel home-it has a special place in the heart.

From 1742 onwards, the eclectic Prince of Sansevero, Raimondo di Sangro, had the chapel (known as Pietatella) renovated. It is now a museum which is still owned by the descendants of the aristocratic family. The chapel is a synthesis of Raimondo’s political, philosophical and scientific interests and an expression of his extremely refined artistic taste and enciclopedic knowledge.

Raimondo di Sangro was a scientist, an alchemist, a scholar of occult science, chemistry and of typography. Amongst his titles he was also member of the Crusca (Florentine Literary Academy). He was a leading exponent of the Neapolitan Englightement and the Grand Master of the Neapolitan Masonry.
The Sansevero Chapel is a place of complex iconography as each allegory and principle was concretized by artists who were skilled executants of Raimondo’s ideals. The Prince commissioned the internationally known Antonio Corradini to create his family funeral monuments and the artist was able to give shape to Raimondo’s project.

Everybody comes here to admire the Veiled Christ, which is the astounding work of the Neapolitan Giuseppe Sanmartino and one of the most incredible marble sculptures ever. However, today I want to concentrate on the statues Raimondo di Sangro commissioned for his parents.
In these hard days we are spending wishing we could hug our families and friends. This is dedicated to our beloved mums and dads. Why not to be romantic once in a while?


Pudicizia (Modesty) – Cappella Sansevero ph. official website www.museosansevero.it

La Pudicizia (Modesty) was completed by Corradini a year before his death in 1751 and dedicated to the prince’s mother who died in her twenties. The broken tombstone symbolises the life of Cecilia Gaetani which was interrupted so precipitously.


ph. official website www.museosansevero.it

The veil allowing us to see the soft form of the woman holds roses (symbol of purity and beauty but also death) amongst its light folds. The sensuality of the image, in antithesis to the title of the work, expresses the mixture of the sacred and the profane which is typical of the eighteenth century.


Pudicizia (Modesty) – Cappella Sansevero ph. official website www.museosansevero.it

The veil is a reference to occult knowledge; it conceals but through it is possible to read what is hiding behind it.
The veiled woman is also an allegory of Wisdom, and refers to initiation. In fact, the incense bearer brings to mind the initiation ceremonies of the Freemasons.
The words Noli me tangere (Touch-me-not) on the bas-relief is a reference to secret principles. It speaks to the intangible truths and to the destiny which denied Raimondo any contact with his mother as she died when he was only a few months old.


ph. official website www.museosansevero.it

Antonio Corradini had been working in Venice, Austria and Rome and came to Naples where in 1749 he supervised the grandiose project of Raimondo de Sangro with his talent and his understanding of Freemasonry.
He produced other veiled women statues. Amongst the ones that we can still admire are the Veiled Woman or Purity at the Museo del Settecento Veneziano, The Velata (Veiled Woman) or Grief in the Church of San Giacomo in Udine, the Veiled Woman interpreted also as Faith now at the Louvre, the Vestal Virgin Tuccia in the collections of Palazzo Barberini in Rome. In Corradini’s sculptures the veil is always associated with modesty and chastity. Chastity plays a key role in the story of the Vestal Tuccia. Vestals, indeed, were the priestesses who were punished by death if they violate their vow of chastity. Unjustly accused, Tuccia is saved by the intervention of the goddess Vesta.


Dama Velata (Veiled Woman) – Museo del Settecento Veneziano – Ca’ Rezzonico


Velata (Veiled Woman) or Grief – Church of San Giacomo in Udine


The Vestal Virgin Tuccia – Palazzo Barberini

During these days of lockdown I had time to rediscover some albums of my old travels and here are the pictures I took at the Louvre.


The Veiled Woman or Faith – Louvre

Opposite Chastity is Il Disinganno (Disenchantment or Disillusion) by Genoese Francesco Queirolo 1753-54.
This is a work that enchants me every time after so many years because of its extraordinary force and unequalled finesse of execution.

ph. official website www.museosansevero.it

It reveals a man intent on disentangling himself from a net. The loss of his wife led Raimondo’s father Antonio, Duke of Torremaggiore to entrust him to his grandfather. He spent his life wandering and ended his life as a Benedictine monk. Here he is caught freeing himself from the net of his sins.

ph. official website www.museosansevero.it

With renewed spirit, he returns to the world indicated to him by the genius with the flame of intellect on his forehead.
He comes out of the shadows, as the passage engraved on the open book-the Bible-attests. His mind is enlightened, as underlined by Christ who gives back vision to the blind man. The blind man refers to Masonry and the initiation of a new member in the lodge, which has to wear a blindfold.


ph. official website www.museosansevero.it

The net is a unique piece of sculpture which confirmed the mastery of Queirolo.
Unfortunately the relationship between the artist and the patron broke up and they ended up at the Tribunal of Naples. Queirolo hadn’t meet the deadlines and the Prince didn’t want to pay him for his services. In the documents guarded at the Naples State Archive and published in the book Chartulae desangriane, Queirolo’s excuse doesn’t include any reference to the complexity of the work. However, it is possible that the delay was due to the fact that he had to do all the work by himself as no assistant was willing to smooth the net with pumice for fear of damaging it or altering its perfection.

ph. official website www.museosansevero.it

Human fragility, which cannot know great virtues without vices is Raimondo’s dedication to his father found on the monument. I am so in love with it that I have it at the bottom of my email.

Alice: I remeber last time we went to the Cappella Sansevero together and than we dined at one of our favourite trattorias. We have had so many good memories eating at some of the local spots for delicious Neapolitan home cooking.

Fiorella: I want some fabulous polpette al sugo from Da Carmine or La Campagnola right now!

Alice: Me too! With a nice glass of red wine and crusty bread…


Adele and Eduardo at our beloved Trattoria Da Carmine

But for now we can make meatballs from home and wait for the day when we meet up again!
I cooked them yesterday and I served them in a crust of pamesan cheese which one of my friends had tried in a restaurant. This is easy to make by putting grated parmesan in a non-stick pan for a short time. Gently shape it into a bowl where you can put the meatballs and their tomato sauce.

This is a simple recipe that Neapolitan families love and cook for their delicious Sunday lunches not in Summer when spaghetti with clams or seafood are a must!

Neapolitan Meatballs:
500 grams of ground beef
200 grams of day-old bread
1 egg
1 cup of milk
25 grams pine nuts
25 grams raisins
1 finely chopped garlic clove
1 spoonful of chopped parsley
80 grams of finely grated parmesan
Salt and Pepper
Tomato Sauce:
1 litre of prepared tomato sauce (“Passata”)
1 whole garlic clove, peeled
4 tablespoons of EVOO
A handful of fresh basil, washed and dried
Salt
Pinch of sugar

Submerge the bread in the milk and leave to dampen while you place the raisins in a bit of water so they can soften.
Put the meat in a large bowl with garlic, parsley and egg. Add the bread which has been well wrung out with the parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix well with hands.

Split up the mixture in 8 large. Place a small amount of pine nuts and raisins in the centre then shape the meatballs with your hands to a perfect sphere.

There are a few ways of making the meatballs and sauce. You can choose to fry them and cook the tomato sauce separately. If you choose to do it this way, heat the oil to medium (a good trick to see if the oil is ready is to put a wooden spoon into the pan and see if the oil forms little bubbles around the spoon). Place the meatballs in the oil and cook them evenly on all sides for about 30 minutes. Drain on a paper towel. At the same time as you are preparing the sauce, cook the sauce in a separate pot. Sautee the garlic clove to golden in the EVOO on medium heat and then add the tomatoes. After about 10 minutes, lower the heat and add the salt, sugar and basil. Simmer for another 20 minutes and then add the meatballs which have been drained.

The other method of preparation is to prepare the sauce as instructed above and after it is nice and bubbly (about 10 minutes), add the meatballs and lower the heat. They will need to cook about 30 minutes.

Serve the meatballs with a nice loaf of bread. You can use some of the delicious sauce for a first course of spaghetti, rigatoni or ziti, if you can find them.

… to Rena, Mike, Gioia, Luciano and all our friends

Happy St. Joseph’s Day!

Posted on by alice

Alice: It’s March 19th which means it’s Father’s Day in Italy as well as the Festa di San Giuseppe or Saint Joseph’s day which also means…zeppole!
In a different time I would probably be heading down the sunny streets of Naples to Bar Primavera or Leopoldo to get that fresh pastry topped with custard cream and a candied black cherry. I prefer fried but baked is also tasty if you want something a bit lighter-everyone has their preference. Every March 19th you’ll see people walking around with nicely-wrapped trays of these balls of goodness which might be bite-sized or large enough to share with friends and family.


baked zeppola di San Giuseppe

Fiorella: and do not forget the zeppole al forno (baked) made by Attanasio or Mignone. In these days pasticcerie are closed and I can only dream about them. I can almost smell and taste these celestial pastries while doing a virtual walk to a Church dedicated to St Joseph.

The church of San Giuseppe dei Ruffi at the crossing of via Duomo with our beloved via Anticaglia, was originally founded by some noblewomen, amongst them members of the Ruffo family.
Starting from 1669, the construction of a new church and a convent were run under the architect Dionisio Lazzari. However, because of a dispute with the nuns of the nearby convent of Donnaregina, the project was stopped to restart much later.
It was only in 1682 that Dioniso Lazzari was able to complete the nave and the main altar, thus giving the nuns the use of the church.
Arcangelo Guglielmelli, helped by his son Marcello, continued the project as we can see in the scenografic vestibule frescoed with his typical illusionistic spacial decorations.
Guglielmelli’s eclectic solutions were also adopted for the cloister of the nuns. Part of the cloister was later demolished in the 19th century to enlarge Via Duomo.
At the death of Guglielmelli in 1723, Nicola Tagliacozzi Canale-architect, engineer and scenographer-continued the work.
Amongst the splendid pieces visible in the church, we can perhaps just point out the intricate marble decorating the main altar and the side chapels. They are all fabulous examples of late-Baroque Neapolitan commesso marmoreo. From Latin committere, the joining together of inlaid marble, mother of pearl and pietre dure.
Matteo Bottigliero (who also worked at the Guglia dell’Immacolata, the monumental spire in piazza del Gesù), Giovan Domenico Vinaccia (famous for the silver altar in the Chapel of St. Gennaro in the Cathedral), Bartolomeo and Pietro Ghetti and possibly the talented Giuseppe Sanmartino (author of the Veiled Christ in the Sansevero Chapel) are only some of the scupltures decorating San Giuseppe dei Ruffi with pomp and splendour.
Pomarancio, Luca Giordano and other painters completed the sumptuous ornamentation.
The cupola was frescoed by Francesco de Mura in 1741 with the Glory of St Joseph. Joseph is the righteous man and father for the Christians, from where the celebration of Father’s day on March 19th.
Talking about St Joseph, I cannot ignore his constant presence in the fabulous windows of one of my favourite Nativity scene shops.


San Giuseppe by La Scarabattola

Neapolitan Nativity and pastori (shepperds) are well known world-wide and decorate Naples historical centre all year round. The Scarabattola atelier is one of the best places to admire the art that started in Naples in the 18th century and spread all over Europe and the world. Did you know that the Christmas tree at the MET in NYC is decorated with Neapolitan 18th century angels?
Charming Lello and his brothers and sisters–the Scuotto’s-follow the noble tradition by always introducing in their fabulous creations a perfect fusion with Naples’ history, legends and daily life.

Alice: Oh, our city, so lavish with art and so rich with culture! I wish I could be there to walk through the church of San Giuseppe dei Ruffi and taste one of the pastries from Mignone which are only available in this period. However, I’m still celebrating the greatness of Naples from afar, even if I can’t be there right now.
Though I usually buy zeppole in the local pastry shops near my house, I’ve eaten homemade zeppole di San Giuseppe which are delicious. Today I will take on the task of creating one of my favourite deserts from Naples because I cannot buy them at the store. I hate to disappoint my Neapolitan friends, but I’m currently in England where a lot of the stores are out of eggs and flour so I’ll have to get creative with the mixture. I’ve had help from my friend’s mom so I at least get the process right. It’s been a great, virtual experiment to keep the fabulous Neapolitan traditions going even during this time where we are separated.

Here is the recipe, straight from Marco’s mom:

3 eggs
½ litre of milk
3 tablespoons of sugar
3 tablespoons of flour
Lemon zest or 1 tsp vanilla
Put the milk in a small saucepan on medium with two lemon zests or vanilla.
In a bowl mix the eggs, sugar and flour together.
When the milk is very hot but not boiling, put two ladles full of the milk in the egg mixture and stir together. After that, combine everything in the bowl with the milke in the saucepan until it has the consistency of a custard cream. Let cool.
1 cup of water
½ cup of butter
A pinch of salt
1 cup of flour
4 eggs
Put one cup of water, the butter and salt in a pot and bring it to a boil. Once the butter is melted, take the mixture off of the stove and add the flour. Put the pot back on the burner on low and keep stirring until everything is well-mixed. Let cool.
Once the mixture has cooled, mix the batter with your fingers and add the eggs one at a time with a wooden spoon. After the eggs are added you can either blend the batter with an electric mixer or by hand until the batter forms peaks.
Using a piping bag, make a tight wreath or small puff on greased parchment paper. Make sure there is a small hole in the centre.

You can either bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or fry on medium heat in abundant canola or vegetable oil. If you choose to fry, Marco’s mom say you’ll need two pots, one small and the other medium-sized. First, place the zeppola puff in the small pot and cook on each side. It will get bigger so you’ll need to finish cooking it in the bigger pot. Once it is nice and golden, you can take it out of the oil and place on paper towels for it to dry and cool.
Once cool, dip both sides of the pastry in sugar, fill the little hole with the custard cream (using a piping bag) and add the black cherry.
Buon San Giuseppe!

The Fabulous Prince of Laughter

Posted on by alice

In this time of great challenges due to the outbreak of coronavirus disease, we of Naples Fabulous wanted to share a post about an extraordinary person who will hopefully bring some lightness to your days. We’ve been trying to keep our spirits high through reading, music, films and art about Naples and we thought: who better to represent Neapolitan resilience and spirit than this Neapolitan character?

Totò is one of the most beloved figures of the Neapolitan history, art and folklore. But though he has worked with some of the most iconic actors in the history of cinema like Anna Magnani, Vittorio de Sica, Sophia Loren, Mastroianni and movie directors such as Monicelli and Pasolini, many people outside of Italy do not know the work of one of the greatest Neapolitan figures of all time. However, to Italians, he is considered to be one of the most extraordinary comic geniuses of all time.


Totò and Anna Magnani

He went by Totò or simply Antonio de Curtis but actually has an incredibly long name. Starting out as Antonio Clemente, he was born in the heart of Naples – his beloved Sanità – in 1881 to Anna Clemente and the nobleman Giuseppe de Curtis, who never recognized him. He always knew of his noble blood but it wasn’t until he was 35 that he was formally adopted by the Marquis Francesco Maria Gagliardi Focas di Tertiveri. Therefore he inherited a long list of names and a noble title, from which comes the nickname “the prince of laughter”.

Walking the streets of Naples you’ll see icons of his image everywhere, not just in the Sanità. To Neapolitans, Totò represents honour and talent, pride and purpose; he was a champion for the poor and is a symbol of hope. His spirit is woven into the collective conscious of this city and that crooked nose and pointy chin, broken a youth, are as ubiquitous as the landscape of the Vesuvius or the image of the Pizza Margherita or the outline of Capri in the Gulf of Naples. Most bars have a photo or ceramic figure that might be placed alongside an image of the Madonna or Maradona.


Totò by Salvatore Scuotto 2017 – donated by Rober Lèon

To many he is considered to have achieved a uniqueness in comic-tragic style like that of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton or Stan Laurel. Comparisons have even been made with his physicality and the movement technique of Michael Jackson. He grew up poor with an unparalleled work ethic that would accompany him during his entire life. Long after he achieved fame and celebrity, living the bella vita in Rome, he never lost connection with his roots in Naples and was always committed to helping the poor not only in his beloved hometown but everywhere.
His characters in the over 100 films he performed in were often poor, clever people who would, through his iconic, often improvised puns philosophise on the current state of the world and the human condition. This way of living humour through tragedy is emblematic of the Neapolitan spirit and what makes his prolific career symbolic of the triumph of a man who started his life in utter poverty.
His work, rooted in the Commedia dell’Arte tradition, started in Naples at age 15 and would then take him to the stages of Rome where he’d marry his first wife Diana Bandini Rogliani. A few years prior to making his film debut, he’d have a daughter, Liliana whose name would be a source of speculation. Totò had had an affair with the actor Liliana Castagnola whose haunting suicide would remain a mystery for the duration of his life. Though his marriage was dissolved in 1940, Diana and Totò would remain connected until she met another man and Totò married the much younger Franca Faldini.

He’s considered a genius for his comic abilities but his career and art expanded to song writing, music and poetry which had a depth recognised by many and celebrated today. Toto’s most famous song is Malafemmena (Wayward Woman), dedicated to his ex wife Diana.
Often when walking the streets of Naples you’ll hear a trace of one of his songs or, even better, musicians or posteggiatori will serenade diners at the local trattorias which will almost always lead to a sing-a-long of his famous melody.
Here is one of his poems, also engraved in an inscription outside the historic Caffé Gambrinus:

‘A cunzegna

The exchange
In the evening when the sun goes back home
And changes shifts with the moon for the night,
The sun whispers in the moon’s ear
“I’m going home:
Take care of all the lovers!”

Totò is a link between two generations of Italy. People of all ages (and social strata) fluidly repeated his jokes, his gestures and entire phrases from his film by heart because his genius has just as much relevancy in today’s world.
Fifty years later Totò’s films still make people laugh, demonstrating the modernity of his humour and some of his characters. He grew up in the densely populated neighbourhood Sanità which was a source for much of his material. As a child he observed his neighbours and the most extravagant people who he would later incorporate into comical characters in his performances. This earned him the nickname of “ ’o spione ” (the spy).
In Sanità you can see representations of Totò on every wall and there are two large light installations dedicated to him, one of his outline and the other with an inscription in Neapolitan of his delicate love poem “Core analfabeta” (Illiterate heart). They both welcome those entering into Totò’s native neighbourhood.

Baroque churches, noble buildings, a bustling market with perfume of delicious food and the voices of the authentic Naples captivate and lead us to the discovery of the many faces of the prince of laughter.
Federico Fellini said “His capacity of making us laugh should make him a saint” and in actuality, our fabulous Naples has sanctified him!


Palazzo dello Spagnuolo

The tarallificio Poppella (taralli are typical Neapolitan savory snacks) celebrates Totò with a mosaic at the entrance to the shop as does the wine bar Sciò with a mural. All of the shops in the area have a photo of him and his cherished films.


taralli napoletani

The first “Vicolo della cultura” (cultural alley) in Italy, inaugurated in the Sanità in December 2019 honours him with a wall-painting amongst books free for whoever might want them. The non-profit organisation Opportunity seeks to challenge criminality with culture, colours, light and art. The portrait of Totò is found at the entrance of the itinerant library along with other celebrated Neapolitans such as Sophia Loren, Peppino De Filippo, Massimo Troisi and Pino Daniele.


Via Montesilvano

Yet it is at the Pizzeria e Trattoria Taverna di Totò where we would like to conclude our little homage to this artistic genius.
With happiness and a scrumptious pizza, a delicious potato crocchè and maybe a tasting of a fabulous side dishes of eggplant and friarielli, we will raise a glass to Totò’s wonderful legacy in the company of the kind server, always ready to entertain customers with a genuine smile, in the spirit of the immortal prince of laughter.


pizza Cosacca

A fabulous day on Ischia

Posted on by alice

We want to share with you the fabulousness of a day we spent on the Green Island at the end of October. The weather was splendid and everywhere we went we were treated so warmly.
Ischia is full of hidden gems and populated by lovely people who take the time to say hello and tell you about their home. There are so many things to explore, food to eat and sites to visit, but our favourites are the highlights of our custom tour: Villa Arbusto, the enchanting visit of Giardino Mediterraneo, the agriturismo in Punta Chiarito and the walk to the exceptional hotel Mezzatorre.
Ischia is often known to be a great destination for thermal baths which is, of course, f a b u l o u s but there is so much more.
Inhabited since the Bronze Age, the island has a rich history for visitors to enjoy and many sites to explore such as the Aragonese Castle, the churches of Santa Restituta and Soccorso the Mortella Gardens as well as many other natural spots for hiking and taking in view of the island.

It was very hard to choose but we decided to do the first stop at our beloved archaeological museum in Villa Arbusto.

We love this eight room museum beacause of its panoramic position. It overlooks the bay and the town of Lacco Ameno and faces the promontory of Monte Vico, once the acropolis of Pithecusae which is the ancient name of Ischia.

Villa Arbusto was built in 1785 by the Duke of Atri, Carlo d’Acquaviva. The last owner was the publisher Angelo Rizzoli who bought the estate in 1952. The principal archaeological section of the museum was inaugurated in 1999 with a section dedicated to Rizzoli and his strong connection to Ischia opening in 2000.
Villa Arbusto displays the archaeological finds of Pithechusae, the oldest Greek settlment in VIII BC on the coast of Southern Italy until Roman times. Terracotta and bronze objects from necropolis, adorable donkies in clay and vases testifiy to the trade vocation of the island. Votive objects from the Temple of the Nymphes in Nitroidi celebrate the cult of the nymphes and their terapeutic water which continues to be lauded on the Green Island.
The most prestigious artifact in the museum is the 8th century BC clay cup from Rhodes known as coppa di Nestore (Nestor’s cup) because of the epigram engraved on it saying “I am the beautiful cup of Nestore, the one who will drink from this cup will be immediatly enraptured by the desire of the beautifully crowned Aphrodite.”
The three verses referring to the Nestor’s cup described in the Iliad, are one of the oldest examples of written Greek and the oldest example of poetry in original writing.
A walk in the garden to admire the stunning view, surrounded by the Mediterranean flora of olive and pine trees, laurel, pomegranates, oleanders make the visit to this museum ever-marvellous.

Alice: Yes! Pure poetry. Can we talk about another magical place with a splendid view? Giardino Mediterraneo. Incredible.

Visiting the wine cellars from 1800 was charming but the high point was taking the “elevator” through the garden to the top for the view of Procida and even Capri on a clear day.


Fiorella: And when we got to the top, our gracious host gave us the most delicious homemade chocolate hazelnut torrrone desert and, of course wine.

Alice: I cannot wait to return to try their food! Such a chic and simple place to enjoy a meal or aperitivo



.
Driving along the winding roads of the largest of the islands off the coast of our beloved Naples there are vineyards and sumptuous gardens immersed in the rich greens surrounding Mount Epomeo.

Along the roads are plenty of restaurants where you can taste local pastries, unique dishes, wines and liquors while chatting with locals.
Fiorella: I loved where we ended up having lunch in that incredible agriturismo overlooking Sorgeto beach with the best eggplant parmesan I’ve ever had!

Alice: Punta Chiarito was incredible.

Yet another view to take in and savour. The people were so welcoming and even gave us a tour of the garden where they were harvesting their olives. I loved that the vegetables we ate and wine we drank were all grown there! Would be a great place to stay the night to also take in the thermal baths at the adjacent hotel.

Speaking of hotels, I’m so glad we got to check on Mezzatorre.

It’s a hidden, romantic place overlooking a private emerald-water bay.

The 16th century watchtower was home to the movie director Luchino Visconti and now provides joy to his guests with a spa, pools, terraces and a restaurant for the highest level of luxury.
What a great place to spend the day!